The Quester. Fairfield Grace United Methodist Church. September A Message from Pastor Cho: Fairfield Grace family members and friends,

Transcription

1 The Quester Fairfield Grace United Methodist Church September 2017 A Message from Pastor Cho: Fairfield Grace family members and friends, A new season has arrived as we welcome September, Schools reopen and welcome children and youth back. So do our Sunday School and Nursery School as well. I am glad we have the opportunity again this year to nurture our children and youth and help them become a healthy part of our society. Yes, it is always a great joy to see them growing with us. I have good news to share with you. It is my great joy to announce that Katie White, one of us, will serve as Coordinator of Young Adults/Families Ministry in our midst. Her main ministry goal is to help our young adults and their children find Fairfield Grace as their learning and loving community of faith. She has already planned and prepared the year-around calendar, which can be found inside this Quester. I am touched by her enthusiastic and willing spirit to serve God and the people of God. I encourage all of you to pray for her and work with her, so that she may find strength and joy. I need to mention the tag sale held early last month to raise money for the Scholarship Fund. More than $5,000 was raised. Hallelujah! Once again, we owe Patty J. a lot of thanks. She did a tremendous job of coordinating work over many months. Surely there were many other hands and hearts joining together for the sale, for which I give thanks as well. Let us not forget that we did this to encourage and help our children and youth to become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. I am sure our FRAN will be more than happy to come back again and help us to raise more Scholarship Funds. Patty, are you planning for another one next year? I have two more summer ministries to mention: Vacation Bible School in June and the Parsonage Project in July. Emily Wood and her young crew ran the five-day-long school for children in our community. There were about 25 children enjoying singing, dancing, playing and learning. Matt Rush and a halfdozen adults and our young adults took care of the outside of the parsonage over the weekend under the sizzling sun. Check the parsonage behind the church, and you will see a newly-grown lawn and clean garden and garage. We give heartfelt thanksgiving to Emily and Matt and all the people participating in VBS and the Parsonage Project, respectively. Now, summer is behind us and fall is before us. I am ready to see new things that Jesus Christ, the head of the church, will do through us and with us. Are you? As Paul says in his letter to Christians in Rome, I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy Continued on following page

2 Continued from previous page and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thankfully always, Kun Sam, Dayfly with Christ Team #2 Ushers Fellowship Hour Charlene Brauns-Schindler Ed Schindler Lee Del Vecchio Beverly Wenz Sept 3: Faith Circle Please contact Georgina Holdsworth if you can volunteer to help organize Fellowship Hour for any of the remaining Sundays at , or Communion Steward Karen Benson Worship Leaders Children's Messengers Sept 3: Rev. Kun Sam Cho Sept 10: Franklyn McLean Sept: 17 Rev. Kun Sam Cho Sept 24: Fredene Daeschner Sept 3: Sept 10: Sept: 17 Sept 24: Paul Meyer Dana Jurgielewicz Cameron Bowcock Georgina Holdsworth Scripture Readings for September, 2017 September Ex 3:1 15; Ps 105:1 6, 23 26, 45c; Rom 12:9 21; Mt 16:21 28 September 10, 2017 Ex 12:1 14; Ps 149 or Ps 148; Romans 13:8 14 Matthew 18:15 20 September 17, Cor 15: Cor 15: 51-58, John 11:17-27, Luke 18: 31-33, Luke 24 :45-47 September 24, 2017 John 14:1-4, 1 Cor 15: 35-45, 2 Cor 4:14, : 1-10, 1 Thess 4:13-18, 1 John 1:1-3, Rev 22:1-3 2

3 Week of: Sept 3 : Sept 10: Sept 17: Sept 24: Fairfield Grace Families in Our Prayers Vindheim family, Pat Vosburgh and Watson family Beverly Wenz, White/Monkman family and Whiteman family Wood family, Yi family and Benjamin Abbott Dorothy Abbott, Dorothy Albrecht and Janis Albrecht MANY THANKS! Thank you to everyone who donated, purchased, worked and spent countless hours prepping for the recent church-wide tag sale. In addition to raising over $5,100 for the scholarship fund, we were able to help two local charities. Unsold furniture went to Habitat for Humanity and unsold houseware items went to Big Brothers and Big Sisters. They were grateful for our donations. With hundreds of people walking through our doors, it was a wonderful day at Fairfield Grace. Thank you again for your support! Patty Jurgielewicz and the Scholarship Fund Committee Submissions to Bulletin Announcements and Friday e-news All submissions are due to the church office at fairfieldgrace@sbcglobal.net by Tuesday at noon for that week s editions. Thank you! Deadline for the October Issue of the Quester is Wed., September 20 Directory Update From Christine Speight: After 2 hip replacements in 3 months, I have returned to work! Work number: Cell number:

4 A Way Through the Wilderness Anxious for Nothing Story of Heaven Adult Bible Study ~ Each week we will be focusing on a different discussion topic. Discussion dates for the first 2 units are: The Story of Heaven by Randee Frazee and Max Lucado 3 sessions Thursdays: 9/14, 9/21 and 9/28 Sundays: 9/17, 9/24 and 10/1 More to Your Story: Discover Your Place in God s Plan by Max Lucado 6 sessions Thursdays: 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2 and 11/9 Sundays: 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5 and 11/12 4 ard More to Your Story DATE CHPTR TOPIC 9/17/17 1 Exit Strategy 9/24/17 2 Heavenly Graduation 10/1/17 3 The End of Time 10/8/17 1 When you Discover Your Place in God's Plan 10/15/17 2 Ordinary Matters 10/22/17 3 You Hear a Voice You Can Trust 10/29/17 4 You Won't Be Forsaken 11/5/17 5 Your Final Chapter Becomes a Preface 11/12/17 6 You Will Finally Graduate Veterans Day Sunday 11/19/17 4 Consecration Sunday 11/26/17 1 Weekly Discussion Groups in Hood Parlor: Thursdays at 6:45 pm & Sundays at 9:00 am 12/3/17 2 First Sunday of Advent 12/10/17 3 Second Sunday of Advent Sermons on Sundays at 10:00 am Worship Service 12/17/17 4 Third Sunday of Advent 12/24/17 5 Christmas Sunday There is no requirement to purchase the reading materials. Information to follow on where to find them, if you would like to order them. 12/31/17 6 New Year's Eve 1/7/18 1 1/14/18 2 1/21/18 3 1/28/18 4 Fairfield Grace UMC, 1089 Fairfield Woods Road, Fairfield CT 2/4/18 5 2/11/ ~ fairfieldgrace@sbcglobal.net 2/18/18 1 First Sunday in Lent 2/25/18 2 Second Sunday in Lent 3/4/18 3 Third Sunday in Lent

5 Sunday School Teachers: There is an important Sunday School meeting Saturday, Sept. 9th at 10:00 am where Katie White will preview our wonderful new curriculum. The curriculum will explore the Life Of Jesus and has options to personalize each lesson. If you are interested in teaching or being a substitute please attend. Teachers and Families: Sunday School will resume on Sunday, September 10th with a special lesson about our new mission project. We will make banks that day. If you could have your child bring a clean plastic mayo jar or quart won ton soup container, we would appreciate it. There will be a picnic after church, so wear casual clothes. Reminder September 3rd..there will be no summer funday school! Thank you Please see the note below we received from Heifer International. We were able to donate $600 to this worthwhile organization that works in the areas of livestock and agriculture to develop programs that alleviate hunger and poverty. Karen Price Sunday School Superintendant Dear friends: Thank you for your generous gift to Heifer International. Your desire to help other will build hope for future generations. Families in countries where we work like Bangladesh, Guatemala and Malawi, who once struggled with hunger and poverty, now have the livestock and training they need to improve their farms. With your commitment and their hard work, they are on their way to building lives of self-reliance and dignity, uplifting entire communities in the process. Thank you for choosing Heifer International and helping us make a better world, one family at a time. Wesley Circle Next Meeting is Thursday, Sept 7 at 10:00 am at Duchess Restaurant SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, October 26 at 8:00 am breakfast with our new District Superintendent, Rev. Alpher Sylvester. Details to follow! 5

6 Spaghetti Dinner News Sat, September 9 4:45 PM 6:45 PM Remaining Dates This Year: November 11, March 10 and May 12 Please contact Charlene Brauns-Schindler, or at cbsfive5@gmail.com with any questions or if you can help out! RALLY DAY - Sunday, September 10! Renewal, Fellowship and Fun! Fairfield Grace will hold its annual welcome back picnic immediately following the 10:00 AM worship service on Sunday, September 10. Please feel free to wear casual clothes to the service. PLEASE BRING NUT-FREE SALAD, SIDE DISH OR DESSERT TO SHARE! VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED to make Rally Day a success Please contact Nancy Leppla at (203) or nleppla@gmail.com 6 After Rally Day, please consider attending a 6:00 pm Welcoming Service at Nichols UMC in honor or our new District Superintendent, Rev Alpher Sylvester. All are invited!

7 Serena s Circle Women s Book group Monday, September 11 at 7:00 pm in Hood Parlor The Serena Book Group will resume meeting on Sept 11 at 7:00 pm in Hood Parlor. The discussion will be on the life of Jackie Robinson and led by Michelle Krancz. All are welcome to join us. Seven Men and the Secret of their Greatness by Eric Metaxis has been an inspiring look into the lives of some amazing men. The final chapter will be discussed in October. Be on the look out for some other books that we can explore! 7

8 All Young Adults and Families are invited to the Schindler s home on the lake for a campfire and other fun activities on Sat, Sept 16 from 5:30 pm 7:00 pm. More details to follow. If you have any questions, please Katie White at or call the Main Office at Susanna Circle Wednesday, September 20 SAVE THE DATE... for a welcome back pot-luck lunch for the Susanna Circle on Wednesday, September 20 at 12:00 noon in Fellowship Hall. Watch the Bulletin and Friday e-news for more details! Contact Georgina at church, or , or gholdsworth@optimum.net Taizé Service MONTHLY: 7:00 pm (3rd Wed of the month) Monthly services to resume September, : September 20, October 18, November 15, December 20 (Blue Christmas) 2018: February 14 (Ash Wednesday), March 21, April 18, May, 16 and June 20 8 Come and Rest. Come and Listen. Come and Praise. Come and Give Thanks. Come to Taizé Service.

9 Eating Lunch Together: Let s Go Dutch at Duchess! Thurs., Sept :30 am 1:00 pm Are you eating lunch alone? Why not share a meal with Fairfield Grace Church friends every Third Thursday of the month between 11:30 am and 1:00 pm, at the Duchess Restaurant on Black Rock Turnpike. Come and see who will be waiting for YOU. Bring your pet to church on Sat., Sept. 23 at 9:00 am for a blessing from Pastor Cho. Meet on the front lawn of the Church. Please contact the church office with any questions at fairfieldgrace@sbcglobal.net or Saturday, Sept 23 9

10 World Communion Sunday ~ Sharing of Bread October 1 We invite you to bring your ethnic bread to the Communion Table Sunday, October 1 in honor of World Communion Sunday. After the Service we will share the breads in the Fellowship Hall. September Birthdays 02 Kun Sam Cho 02 Kathy Gilbert 02 Thomas Schindler 03 Natalie Blumenstock 03 Natalie Havens 04 Kazuo Mizoguchi 05 Michaela Bissell 05 Fiona Kristy 05 Pat Rozelle 07 Meghan Tang 09 Kim Peters 12 Matthew Havens 14 Michelle Krancz 16 Nancy Hauser 17 Timothy VanScoy 18 Dorothy Albrecht 18 Don Stimpson 20 Alexandra Beriquete 20 Linda Lee 22 Seowon Jung 24 Jin Shick Choi 25 Julie Blumenstock 26 Elizabeth Savage 27 Harold Meyers 29 Mary Lou Stock September Anniversaries Sept 07 Mary Lou & Ed Stock 54 yrs Sept 10 Darlene & Joseph Dowgiallo 23 yrs Sept 12 Maggie & David Harrison 30 yrs Sept 29 Mary & Scott Bedson 32 yrs Sept 14 Charlene & Ed Schindler 43 yrs Sept 16 Randy & John Russo 28 yrs Sept 20 Nicole & Ed Galpin 9 yrs. Sept 25 Panyin & Francis Amoo 7 yrs 10

11 Fairfield Grace United Methodist Church Young Adults/Families Events ~ Calendar Katie White Young Adults and Families Ministry Coordinator Youngadults.families@gmail.com Please join Fairfield Grace Families throughout the year. All are welcome. Please contact Katie White if you plan on attending any of these events to ensure you are included on e-vites and up-to-date details. Let the fun and memories begin! 11

12 Vacation Bible School June, 2017 Parsonage Project ~ August,

13 NYAC REPORT When Pastor Kun Sam said I had to write a report about the NYAC, I cringed because there was so much to hear, to see, to absorb, where does one begin. He said write down your first impressions. I felt a real warmth, love, and ease coming from our leaders to be themselves, especially Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton. Even from the bleachers you could feel his sincerity and encouragement during his opening sermon, Wednesday afternoon session, on Getting Down to Business. We ve got to roll up our sleeves (as he rolled up his sleeves), go to the people and share the good news. Disciple making is not about the bulletins, a balanced budget or a newly pave parking lot. We ve got to take off our robes, get out of our pews, and do what Jesus said feed my sheep. Getting down to business begins right here, by greeting one another by name, by offering hugs of grace, and giving thanks to others for years of service and gratitude. If we do that, people will see that we have decided to rollup our sleeves because Jesus calls us. In closing Bishop offered Believe it can. Believe it will. Believe it must just Believe. Then when the Annual Conference official opened at the Wednesday evening session, the first words of greeting offered by the Sessions Chair were, You are all welcome here. It made me feel like I should be at the Conference. This was my fourth time being a representative for our Church and no one ever uttered those words before. The Conference sessions were full of prayer, scripture, singing/dance, encouragement and business. We heard from representatives of organizations our Conference support thru our apportionments such as; Black College Fund Russell Williams, III and General Board of Church and Society, Dr. Susan Henry- Crowe. We honored and celebrated our retiring clergy and remember our clergy and their spouses who passed on to be with God. Sessions included presentations of candidates for missionary work, licensing local pastor, Elder and Provisional Members, plus laity, clergy and legislative sections sessions. Throughout the Conference, the reading of new and reappointed appointments for each District took place with blessings from Bishop Bickerton. The words he emphasized in their appointments were, You are not appointed to a specific Church or building, you are being appointed to your Community. Reinforcing his words from his opening sermon, Bishop Bickerton wants us all to build disciples and we do that by going out into our community. When people in our own town of Fairfield see who we are by our actions not words, we will grow. His Episcopal Address: Navigating a Path of Hope can be read in full at: Another wonderful sermon you need to read, Remembering to Remember What Matters was presented by a young elder who was ordained three years ago at our Annual Conference, Jay Williams. His sermon, full of passion, can be found at: In closing, I had a wonderful time. Made new friends, felt welcome enough to sit at the tables on the floor in the second row and introduced myself to Bishop Bickerton. HALLELUIAH, AMEN!!! 13 Submitted by: Charlene Brauns-Schindler

14 STAFF PARISH RELATIONS COMMITTEE Charlene Brauns-Schindler, Chair I am pleased to announce that Pastor Kun Sam was appointed by Bishop Bickerton at the June, 2017, New York Annual Conference to serve our church and community for a 10 th year. Thank you, Kun Sam, for all you and Kyong Hee do for us. The SPRC also want to thank all our staff, Anne Regan, Jeanne Millet, Anna Schindler, Emily Wood and janitorial staff for the wonderful work you have done and continue to do for our Church. Please remember to show your appreciation to your staff when you see them. Changes have taken place with the organization of our Youth Ministry. Since the Young Adult Group and the Senior High Group are not interested in meetings but mission work, the SPRC, with Anna s input, have removed these groups from the Youth Director s job description. The exuberant circle, name change of young adult group, are now a circle under Kun Sam. They meet one to two times a month. Their goals are to help with local mission projects and help at our Spaghetti Dinners. Their summer mission was cleaning the outside of our Parsonage and the yard. The Senior High are now supervised by the parents. Under the leadership of Matt Rush, a group of about 10 headed into New York City for the annual Midnight Run with bags of clothing and food and worked on the Parsonage. The Middle School Group, under the direction of the Youth Director, Anna Schindler, meet through June every Sunday for 2 hours. The Director s hours and salary were cut in half. Anna was in favor of this change because she felt guilty being paid for low or no attendance. In June, Anna stepped down from her position as Director of Youth Ministry because of health issues and working on a nursing degree. Her ending date was June 30. We are sad to see Anna leave with the ideas and energy she brought to the Director position. Thank you Anna for the energy you put into the job and for the creative and encouraging meetings you had with our youth. 14

15 September,