SWARTHMORE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 129 Park Avenue, Swarthmore, PA

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1 SWARTHMORE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 129 Park Avenue, Swarthmore, PA October 2017 From the Pastor: When I heard the news about the horrific Vegas shooting rampage, I was numb, and then talked myself into anger, again? and then my heart was broken as I thought about those who were killed and those who were injured, and thought about their families. My heart goes out to those families who are mourning the loss of their loved ones, to those injured who are fighting for their lives, to all those affected by this unspeakable carnage. For such a time as this, we need to be with one another to pray and to raise our voices together. Thanks to Delaware County United for Sensible Gun Policy for organizing a prayer vigil and rally, Monday evening, October 2nd. This allowed us to be with one another, to pray together, and to raise our voices together. The prayer vigil was held along Route 320, and concluded with a rally in front of US Representative Meehan s office, calling on him to support a federal ban on assault weapons. During the rally, Rev. Peter Friedrichs, Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, spoke about the preciousness of life. People s lives are more precious than the Second Amendment, said he. He also said that he has hope, because of every person at the vigil who came to pray together and to raise his or her voice for a change. Enough! Enough! We chanted. People held candles and pickets in their hands that said, Stop Gun Violence, Demand Action to End Gun Violence. Christians and Non-Christians raised their voices in unity and declared once again how people s lives are more precious than anything else. I know there are many different voices and beliefs in this gun control debate, however, as Christians, it is beyond the politics and parties. It s about our faith, our way of life. We follow Jesus teachings, which is summed up in one sentence: love God and your neighbors as yourself. Every life is precious in God s sight. After showing the path that leads us to life, Jesus tells us how precious our life is, For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? (Mark 8:36-37) There was a picket sign at the rally that read, violence leads to more violence and violence leads to death. This is not what we believe as Christians. Christ says, Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. (Matthew 26:52) Jesus teaches us to fight a good fight for justice and peace in a non-violent way, for he knew that violence leads us to death, not to life. Thus, we have been actively participating in the efforts to end gun violence with other people in different faith communities through Heeding God s Call to End Gun Violence. ( According to the website of HGC, nearly 400 lives were lost in Philadelphia alone last year and almost 150 lives in Delaware County were lost in the last five years. In our very back yard, in Chester, the rate of violence continues to be tragically high, with over 22 deaths through July and another 15-year-old dying just weeks ago. Enough is enough! These preventable tragic losses should end! And to end gun violence in our communities and in the U.S., let s work together in solidarity with the vision of a peaceful kingdom, so that people s innocent lives are no longer lost due to this senseless killing. May God help us! Love and Peace, Sukja What s Inside Pastor s Message Serving Schedule 2 Events & Groups 3 Worship & Notes 3 Outreach Notes 4 Book Club 4 Trustees Update 5

2 Thank You for Your Service! Readers: October 1: October 8: October 15: October 22: Children s Message: October 8: October 15: October 22: Ushers: October 1: October 8: October 15: October 22: Fellowship: October 1: October 8: October 15: October 22: Counters: First Sunday Second Sunday Third Sunday Fourth Sunday Fifth Sunday Bill Flick Bev Stewart Sheila Bell Nanette Tobin Judy Luzak Janice Ciampa Nanette Tobin Sukja Bang ASP Sunday, no children s sermon Linton Stables and Greg Brown Cresson Family Figura Family Stewart Family Murray Family Judy Luzak Sheila Bell / Mary Drott Nanette Tobin SPRC Committee Ciampa Family Andy Lewis and Marion Purdy Rick Sultzer and Hogie Hansen Bill Flick and Harriet Hudgins Barb Weir and Charlie Hoover Bill Flick and Harriet Hudgins Please call Peggy Mattox at the church office ( ) to let her know if/when you cannot serve on the date for which you signed up so that a substitute may be arranged. 2

3 All the World s a Stage Theater Groups at SUMC MARPLE-NEWTOWN PLAYERS SPOTLIGHT THEATER Performances at Swarthmore UMC Please join us for the following events: UPCOMING EVENTS AT SUMC October 1: October 11: October 18: Strategic Planning Group meeting with Rev. Taussig Book Club, at the home of Mary Ann Patterson, 7:30pm PBJ Night, 7:45 pm Grace Café, meet at the church to carpool, 4:15pm ============================================== Deadline for the October Caller is October 20th Be sure and let the Church office know about any events you would like published WORSHIP NOTES October 1: Exodus 17:17, Philippians 2:1-13, Matthew 21:23-32 October 8: Exodus 20:1-4, Philippians 3:4b-14, Matthew 21:33-46 October 15: Exodus 32:1-14, Philippians 4:1-9, Matthew 22:1-14 October 22: Exodus 33:12-23, 1 Thess. 1:1-10, Matthew 22:15-22 Deut. 34:1-12, 1 Thess. 2:1-18, Matthew 22:34-46 Faith and Life Class We hope you will consider attending the Faith and Life sessions that meet at 11:15 am (fifteen minutes after the end of the service on Sunday) in the parlor. October 1: No Faith and Life (strategic planning task force meeting) October 8 and October 15: What are the new social principles of the United Methodist Church that were recently adopted for ? Join Ralph and Janice Ciampa as they guide you through these. Pamphlets detailing those social principles will be available to you. October 22: TBA The topic and details will be provided through the weekly update. Be sure to come to this special session presented by a representative from Rise Malawi Ministries ( This ministry focuses on youth education in Malawi, Africa, where they sponsor a school, after school program, girls' empowerment program and feeding program. 3

4 He has showed you, o Mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? Just this: To do Justice; To love Kindness; and to walk, humbly, with your God. OUTREACH Touching Lives for Christ For as much as you have done unto these, you have done unto me. OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES OCTOBER 2017 Thanks to everyone who participated in the 125 th anniversary of SUMC last month! As Rev. Dawn Taylor Storm highlighted for us, it was about remembering our identity and then living into a future as people of faith. Thanks be to God. There will be another PBJ Night on Wednesday, October 18 at 7:45 p.m. The sandwiches we make will be donated to the Life Center of Eastern Delaware County and to City Team. We provide the peanut butter and jelly and we ask you to provide two loaves of sliced bread. Our first Grace Café hosting of this season will take place on Sunday, October 29. Grace Café is a mission of the Arch Street UMC in Center City Philadelphia. From September through June, Arch Street serves Sunday dinner to approximately 200 homeless individuals. Arch Street can only do this with the help of partnering congregations like ours. We will need donations of salad greens, rolls and desserts. We will also need the help of folks who would like to serve the dinner that evening. We generally assemble at SUMC at 4:15 p.m. to carpool into Arch Street. We do prep work from 5:00 until 6:00, serve dinner at 6:00, and are usually back in Swarthmore by 8:00 p.m. Please contact Janice Ciampa if you would like to help with this hosting. The Chester/Delco Chapter of Heeding God s Call to End Gun Violence will be putting up the final Memorial to the Lost for 2017 on Saturday, October 28 at the Collenbrook United Presbyterian Church in Drexel Hill. There is also an opportunity to help with an art project with families in Chester who have experienced the trauma of gun violence. Please see Ralph Ciampa if you would like more information about Heeding God s Call or would like to get involved in some fashion. And there is always opportunity to donate to the food collection for City Team. Please find the collection table in the narthex. SUMC Book Club Dates Meetings are the second Wednesday of each month, at 7:30pm October 11th:. Book discussion, The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry. Meeting place home of Mary Ann Patterson Riddle Village, W West Baltimore Pike Media, PA

5 Trustees Update Please give a warm welcome to our new tenants, the Chester Children s Chorus who began rehearsing in our chapel on Monday September 11. Rehearsals are Monday through Thursday 4:00pm 8:30pm and on Saturdays 9:00am 3:30 pm. They will use the parlour when eating their pizza during breaks. It is such a joy to hear beautiful young voices in our church. Prior to the Chorus joining us, additional work was done in the Chapel Tower entrance. Closed windows were replaced with vents to allow for cross ventilation to reduce moisture and potential of mold. And, the chapel front door was painted and looks great. We have renewed our lease with Spotlight Theatre for another year and continue to enjoy their presence in our building. Save the Date: November 12 following service Sunday Brunch hosted by Trustees and Finance 5

6 Sighs too deep for words A message from Bishop Peggy Johnson There is a line in the musical Hamilton that says "I've imagined my death so many times that it seems like a memory." The senseless slaughter of innocent lives in Las Vegas this week (which left 59 dead so far and over 500 injured) once again thrusts us into an unimaginable image of what it would be like to be in the midst of a mass shooting. Sadly, it is happening so often in this country, it is beginning to seem like a memory or a repetitive bad dream. We must pray at this time. Pray for the families of the victims and the family of the perpetrator. Pray for those who have been injured and their loved ones. Pray for all the people who witnessed this scene of terror first-hand, who have nightmares or even survivors' guilt. Pray for the first-responders and the people who wish they could have been there to help or hold the hand of a loved one in their last minutes of life. Pray for all the counselors, pastors, teachers, and parents who are trying to help people get through this tragedy. When we don't have the words, we call on the Holy Spirit's aid. Romans 8:26 says, "The Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words." We also need to search our hearts for something we can do. Mass shootings will continue in this country as long as we have a culture of violence and hatred. We as a church need to be teaching people ways of solving problems peaceably. We can learn how to recognize signs of alienation and desperation in some persons described as "lone wolf" types. And we can reach out to them in healing ways so that perhaps some tragedies can be prevented. We can promote the inclusion of more mental health services that can be available to all and lessen the stigma that prevents people from getting the help they need. May we live to see the day when such senseless killings are a past and not present memory in this world of ours. Bishop Peggy Johnson 6

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