THE CHRONICLE AUGUST 23, 2018 A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR JOEL AUGUST 23, 2018

Transcription

1 A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR JOEL AUGUST 23, 2018 Dear Friends in Christ, On August 12, my first Sunday leading worship at Sudbury UMC after my vacation, I mentioned during my welcome to the congregation that Wendy and I had been hobnobbing with Lutherans in Maine and Sudbury. Since it is important to us to receive Holy Communion regularly, vacation Sundays other than the first Sunday typically include a visit to an Episcopalian church or to a Lutheran church. The idea is to experience God s presence through what United Methodists call Word and Table an experience that the UMC s General Conference voted in 2004 to recommend as a weekly goal for all local churches. Little did we know, when we parked our car and walked into a contemporary-looking Lutheran church overlooking the ocean in Downeast Maine on July 29 that we would meet an old United Methodist friend as we passed through the sanctuary s main doors. The voice I recognized before the face rang a bell. Our old friend, now 84 years old, had been a United Methodist pastor and district superintendent when Wendy and I were newcomers to what was then early 1990s the Maine Annual Conference. What are you doing here? I asked in astonishment. I go here, our friend replied. Who are you? During worship, my retired colleague sat beside me, helped me find my place in the worship leaflets, and seemed surprised I was familiar with the liturgy. How did you get so comfortable with Lutheran music? he asked. Our first daughter attended a Lutheran college in central Pennsylvania, I explained, and we sang the same the music during Sunday chapel services as this church sings here in Maine. I didn t bother mentioning that the Evangelical Lutheran Church and The United Methodist Church entered into a full communion agreement in 2009 a relationship I have gladly taken advantage of for almost a decade. That same Sunday August 12, my first Sunday at home since my vacation Jody Avery left a wonderful surprise in my church office mail box. It s not unusual for Jody to share her copy of a magazine called The Moravian after she and Bill have finished reading it. The Averys were raised in the North Carolina branch of The Moravian Church before they moved to Stow and were advised, if I remember the story correctly, to join a United Methodist congregation if they wanted something close. But the June/July edition that I found in my mailbox celebrated, among other things, another full communion covenant. This time, the Northern Province of The Moravian Church had voted earlier this summer to accept the 2016 invitation of The United Methodist Church to relate to each other as interdependent partners who remain autonomous. It s more than just a friend relationship on Facebook. Churches in full communion share the following: A common confession of the Christian faith. Mutual recognition of Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and an exchangeability of members. Mutual recognition and availability of ordained ministers to the service of both churches. A common commitment to evangelism, witness, and service. Means of common decision-making on critical common issues of faith and life. Mutual lifting of any condemnations that exist between denominations. Episcopalians and United Methodists have shared the sacraments under an interim agreement since It is possible, some say, that the next regularly scheduled General Conference of the UMC in May 2020 will vote on a full communion agreement with The Episcopal Church. In John 17:21, Jesus says, I pray that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me! Page 1

2 How blessed we are to be witnesses as God answers Jesus prayer to knit all Christians together in love. See you in church! Pastor Joel CONCERNS AND CELEBRATIONS DATES TO KEEP IN MIND September 2: Labor Day Sunday September 3: Office Closed Labor Day Holiday September 4: Massachusetts Primary Please Vote! September 9: Homecoming Sunday September 9: Youth Group Kick-Off at Lake Cochituate September 10: Health Ministries Speaker - Dr. Colin Weeks on Cancer 101 September 11: Monthly Commission Meetings Resume September 15: Pine Street Inn September 16: Christian Education and 3 rd Grade Bible Sunday September 23: Music Ministry Sunday Page 2

3 DINE WITH A DIFFERENT NINE! Want to get to know more people at Sudbury UMC? Enjoy great food and conversation? Dine with a Different 9 is for you! From Labor Day through All Saints Day (Nov. 4), small groups of SUMC members and friends will gather for food and fellowship. Dine with 9 includes couples, singles, older and younger, who get together to meet folks new to our church and deepen existing friendships. Groups may decide whether to enjoy dinner together, meet for lunch, or have brunch after church. It could be in someone s home or at church whatever works for the group. But Dine with 9 will happen only between Sept. 3rd and Nov. 4th. Dine with 9 is returning by popular request!! To participate, use the form below and give it to Pastor Joel or Nancy Hammerton. Don t wait! Sign up today! I will participate: Name(s) Phone Number of adults participating I prefer (check one/more): dinner, lunch, brunch Best location: home SUMC I'd be happy to host be a guest For more info, please see or contact Nancy Hammerton: Text: nancyhammerton1@gmail.com V-mail: a Different a Different Page 3

4 LEARN The Magnuson Moment Whenever I visit with my aunt or talk with my mother by phone (both in their nineties) they gab and chat for hours on end. They have so much to tell me since our last conversations. I feel the same way about the Magnuson Moment. There is so much to say since the last issue just four weeks ago! First of all, I heard a recent statistic on the news that 87% of parents get stressed when kids go back to school. (If 87% of parents get stressed about going back to school, I wonder what the percentage is for the actual student!) Of all the places in the world, church ought to be the least place of stress, and should literally be a sanctuary for you. So please consider joining in worship on Sunday mornings and let your children enjoy a time of learning in Sunday school. (And if you would like to alleviate some stress in others lives, consider volunteering to help out with the SUMC Express. If there are enough volunteers, you would only need to assist with a class once every six to eight weeks.) While we re on the subject of alleviating stress, consider being part of the prayer pal program. Who couldn t use someone else in their corner praying for their child on a regular basis? Secondly, I was reminded this week of my own childhood, while I did not look forward to going back to school, I did look forward to fall because of the new line-ups on television. I couldn t wait to see the next episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Fugitive, or The Rat Patrol. Here s the line-up for Christian Education at SUMC in the fall: Church School SUMC Express: Rotation Station for Preschool through Grade 3 learning about The Lord s Prayer. Class 45: a class devoted just for fourth and fifth graders. Grapple: for middle schoolers in Grades 6-8 Adult Education For five weeks in September and October, beginning Sept. 9, there will be an adult class offered on Sundays after the morning worship with a repeat on Monday evenings, 7:30-8:30. The class is Five Marks of a Methodist. Whether you have been a Methodist for six months or sixty years, you will find this short class to be a refresher course. We will explore John Wesley s intent as he started his early group of believers and uncover the five distinctions and hallmarks of being a Methodist. Other dates: Sept. 9: New program year begins for Sunday School Commissioning Prayer Pals with muffin social at 9:00 a.m. Week 1 of Five Marks of a Methodist Sept. 16: Christian Education Sunday Third Grade students receive Bibles Sept. 22: Family Apple Picking at Honey Pot Hill Orchards in Stow, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Page 4

5 On Sept. 30 as the Missions segment of Rotation Station, the children will be assembling hygiene kits for others (through UMCOR). While you are out shopping for those last few items for back to school, please consider picking up a few of the items below for the hygiene kits: 1 hand towel - between 15-by-25 and 17-by-27 inches (no kitchen, cleaning, or microfiber towels) 1 washcloth 1 adult-size toothbrush in its original packaging 6 adhesive bandages between ¾ and 1 inch in size 1 bath-size soap (3 oz. and larger) in its original packaging (no Ivory or Jergens brand) 1 sturdy comb (6 inches of teeth or longer) 1 metal nail file or nail clippers (no emery boards) Magic Years Join us on Thursday, September 13, from noon-2:00 p.m. in Davison Chapel for our first Magic Years luncheon of the season. Our special guest will be Liz Garrigan-Byerly from the Metro-west Immigrant Solidarity Network. All seniors are encouraged to attend. Contact Eric Magnuson at (ext. 207), or eric@sudbury-umc.org to sign-up for lunch. Greetings from the SUMC Youth! We have had quite the busy summer. Day trips, outreach activities, a mission camp, and weekly youth meetings have kept us on the go, and we have one more big outing left this Saturday a funyaking trip down the Deerfield River in Western Mass. We d like to give a big thank you to all our chaperones and to Richard and Margriet Morris for hosting a youth family pool party and cookout last weekend. This week s Chronicle, however, is about looking forward to the upcoming school year! We are looking forward to welcoming our new sixth graders into the youth group. For many youth, this is a huge transitional period in their lives. We are excited to walk with them on their faith journeys and to have them join us on ours. Our big kickoff event is our family picnic at Lake Cochituate in the afternoon of Sunday, September 9. The following Sunday, we will resume our High school/middle school split format. As a reminder to everyone, here is the Sunday night schedule starting September 16: 5:30-6:30 pm High school youth fellowship 6:30-7:00 pm Dinner for both high school and middle school 7:00-8:00 pm Middle school youth fellowship If any church member would like to volunteer to provide dinner one Sunday night for the youth group, please contact Zack to sign up. Youth parents, please check your for more info and details about all things youth (particularly for info about the family picnic). If you are the parent of a youth (grades 6-12) and do not receive weekly youth updates from Zack, please let him know so you can be added to that list (zack@sudbury-umc.org). Keep the Faith. Page 5

6 The Upper Room The newest Upper Room booklets are available in the narthex. Help yourself to a free copy for your daily devotional readings. Or access it online by clicking here: CONNECT The Health Ministries Commission Presents Join the Thursday Bible Study Cancer 101: An Evening with Dr. Colin Weekes You are invited to join Mass General Hospital Oncologist Dr. Colin Weekes on Monday, September 10, at 7:30 p.m. in Hawes Hall for a town meeting style program entitled Cancer 101. The event is sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and Sudbury United Methodist Church Health Ministries Commission. Dr. Weekes is a medical oncologist focused on the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Weekes is working with ASCO to better understand the nuances of cancer care in the United States. Dr. Weekes will answer questions about the current state of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Come join us for an interactive conversation about cancer as we learn from one another about this serious disease. The meeting is open to the public. Sudbury UMC s Thursday Bible study group always welcomes new participants. Meetings take place at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays at the Panera Bread located at 21 Andrew Avenue in Wayland s Town Center, just two miles from Sudbury UMC! Each week s focus text is the next Sunday s preaching passage. Remember to bring your Bible and a few bucks for something warm or cool to sip. We will look ahead to the passages being preached during worship on: August 26: Ephesians 6:10-20 September 2: Mark 7:1-8, 15-15, September 9: Mark 7:23-37 September 16: Proverbs 1:20-33 Stephen Ministers Offer a Listening Ear Sudbury UMC has thirteen active Stephen Ministers (caregivers). Ten are currently available to offer their support. They can walk with those needing kindness, a listening ear and distinctively Christian care-giving. If you know a friend including yourself who might benefit from a caring relationship, you can speak to Pastor Joel, Lori Granger or Richard Smith. And every Sunday morning, one Stephen Minister is available after worship in the O Reilly room. They are there to listen to your concerns and pray with you. Sept. 2: Linda Lombardo Sept.9: Melody Karian Sept.16: Richard Smith Sept.23: Linda Cooper Sept.30: John Fraize Page 6

7 Sunny Hill Is Enrolling Now for Fall Classes Sunny Hill Preschool owned and operated by Sudbury UMC for 60 years is gearing up for a fabulous school year. We are currently taking enrollments in all classes with limited availability in some so, don't miss out on your first choice. Contact Heather Porder for a tour or to complete your child's enrollment. Call today. School Opens Soon Please Remember Sudbury UMC Is a Nut Free Zone! Please be aware that a number of preschoolers, staff, and guest users have serious allergies to nut products and coconut oil. It is important to keep food and products containing tree nuts out of the church building and to be mindful of coconut oil in nonfood related items like soaps and lotions. Thank you for ensuring the safety of all! GIVE Pastor s Emergency Fund Your gift to the Pastor s Emergency Fund helps members of our church and other neighbors to weather financial storms they cannot navigate without a helping hand. When you give to this ministry, please write your check to: Sudbury UMC Pastor s Emergency Fund. Thanks. COMMUNITY Drivers Needed for FISH and Meals on Wheels Meals on Wheels Our drivers deliver 3,000 healthy meals, every weekday, to elders and adults living with disabilities. They may deliver the only meal of the day to homebound clients while providing critical social contact a safety check. Today additional drivers are needed to meet the increasing demand for home delivered meals in our service are that includes 11 cities and towns. If you are interested in giving back to your community through this part-time job, apply today! Please call Sara at ext. 689 or visit our website FISH - Deb Galloway, director of the Sudbury Senior Center, reports that FISH (a network of volunteers that provide transportation to medical appointments to anyone in need, regardless of age or ability level) needs volunteer drivers. Volunteers use their own vehicles to transport Sudbury residents to and from medical appointments. Interested in volunteering or learning more? Please dial Household Goods News and Needs. We'd love to take a nice fall drive... We are running especially low on towels, silverware, pots and pans. If you or your church group is willing to host a drive, we can make it easy for you! Interested? info@householdgoods.org. Remember we accept donations all year round, but kindly check our Donation Guidelines for a list of items we can accept. We truly appreciate your understanding that there are items we cannot accept. Thank you! Page 7

8 Page 8 THE CHRONICLE AUGUST 23, 2018

9 Sudbury United Methodist Church 251 Old Sudbury Road, Sudbury, MA Phones: (978) or (978) Fax: (978) Church Office: Website: Church Staff Lead Pastor: The Rev. Joel Guillemette Christian Education Director: Eric Magnuson Youth Ministries Director: Zachary Moser Music Director/Organist: Kevin Murphy, AAGO Sanctuary Choir Director: Rob Hammerton Business Manager: Michael Greb Office Administrator: Shetal Kaye Sexton: Joe Picorelli We are a Stephen Ministry Congregation We are a Reconciling and Welcoming Congregation Page 9