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1 CHRIST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 350 Saratoga Road, Snyder, NY Phone: Fax: Dated Material Christ UMC Vision Statement Living Christ s ways and exploding with love and service Sunday Worship Schedule Praise Celebration 9 am All Ages Education Hour 10 am Traditional Style Celebration 11 am TOTAL STEWARDSHIP PRAYERS, PRESENCE, GIFTS, AND SERVICE Serving - the nature of stewardship Christ UMC Staff Senior Pastor Dr. B.J. Norrix Minister for Education & Community Enrichment Sally J. Pollard Office Manager/Ministry Assistant Janelle Martin Minister of Music Kevin Durkin Financial Secretary Doris Schanzlin Custodian David Wolf RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID BUFFALO, NY PERMIT NO

2 With Joy From Sally Oh, my goodness my thoughts are full of questions, rolling around, bumping into one another. A friend declared agnosticism, neither belief nor disbelief in God, as their stance. A question came from a young person, How do I know there s a God? My own preoccupation with a thought from a sermon on goodness, The only thing we take with us is what we are, what we have become. Hmmmm. I ve been thinking that we leave it all on the playing field. What do I make of all these questions? My friend wants answers based on logic. The young one needs a response as tangible as their current ability to reason. My own thoughts regarding living my life full on for God, here and now, seem to converge on a theme. Oh, my goodness! In a sermon given by Pope Francis in May of 2013 he used scripture from Mark s gospel to explain how upset Jesus disciples were that someone outside their group was doing good. Jesus corrected them, saying Do not hinder him, he says, let him do good. Pope Francis said that Jesus broadened the horizon of their thinking, and that, The root of this possibility of doing good that we all have is in creation. He went further to say, The Lord created us in His image and likeness, and we are the image of the Lord, and He does good and all of us have this commandment at heart: do good and do not do evil. All of us. The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone!...Even the atheists. We must meet one another doing good. Pope Francis states it clearly, as Paul did in his first letter to Timothy, that Jesus gave himself as a ransom for all. God can t be confined to any of our narrow categories. The pope urged people of all religions or no religion to work together. Doing good is where we meet one another. Oh, my goodness! We now have a pretty good idea that over the last 13 billion years or so an interacting set of complicated natural processes has been operating, producing a first generation of stars from whose ashes came a set of second generation stars and planets -- likely including our own. These creation processes also produced us. On the whole, though not always, humans have contributed to the increasing orderliness and goodness of the universe. We re active participants in the continuing processes of creation. So, to my friends, to young seekers, to any who have become disillusioned in their search or have yet to take the first step, I say: look around you at creation and marvel at its intricate design and processes. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of God s hands. You are part of this creation. You may find theism/ faith will bring a deeper and broader understanding of the goodness in which you were created, and the possibility of doing good that is in all of us. The only way to know/experience it more is by doing good. Hold nothing back. Put it all out there, don t play it safe when you have the opportunity for something greater. Leave it all on the playing field and I ll meet you there. 2 Sally From BJ s Desk... March 5 is Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season we call Lent. This six and a half week season was set aside by the early Christians as a time to prepare for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus (Easter.) From the earliest of days it was a season marked by participation in the spiritual disciplines. Lent has always been a season of fasting, of acts of repentance, of doing acts of kindness and mercy and justice, and, ultimately, of growing deeper in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The Lenten Journey is a serious call to live a holy life. What does it mean to live a holy life? To be honest, I am not quite sure. When I examine my own spiritual journey, I see a life that is kinda holy. I see a life that is sometimes holy. I see a life that, on occasion, falls woefully short of being holy. We know from the Bible that God is Holy (that is with a capital H.) Therefore, I become holy by drawing near to the source of all holiness that is God. I also know that this journey to holiness is a lifelong process. It is formed and shaped by every choice, every decision, every action I take with my life. That forming and shaping is the key to living a holy Lent. I have to choose to enter in, I have to choose to draw near, I have to choose to take action in order for me to draw close to God. All too often we identify holiness in negative terms. Holy people don t do the following things and what usually follows is a list of all of the hot sins, the behavioral sins that keep us from holiness. While I think these things are important, they are not the most important. Ultimately, what matters is that I deal with the attitudes inside myself that keep me from becoming all that God created me to be. I have to work on my Pride, my Greed, my Envy, my Anger, my Lust, my Intemperance, and my Laziness, and the only way I can do this is by submitting my life to the source of all life and drawing near to the Holy one. I challenge each and every one of us to strive to live a holy Lent. What spiritual practices will you engage in during this season to deepen your relationship with God (Prayer, Meditation, Fasting, Study, Worship, Confession, etc)? What acts of holiness will you choose to engage in this season of Lent (good works, feeding the hungry, working for justice, helping the helpless, etc)? I don t want us to waste time giving something up that only ends up being focused on me and mine. If you want to give something up why not give yourself up to helping someone else in the name of Jesus. Why not give up your Pride and help someone who needs you? Why not give up your time to visit someone in distress? Why not give up some of your comfortable resources to help someone who lives in discomfort? Have a blessed and Holy Lent! Pastor BJ Be Perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 6:48). APRIL CALLER DEADLINE: TUESDAY, MARCH 11 TWO DAYS EARLY DUE TO SHORT MONTH QUESTIONS? CONTACT KATHY OR KDWEAVER23@VERIZON.NET 11

3 The Mission of the Month is UMCOR The UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) mission is to alleviate human suffering whether caused by war, conflict, or natural disaster. Providing immediate relief - UMCOR works to provide relief and rehabilitation for the entire person - physical, social, and psychological - in a distress situation. Securing long-term recovery - Recognizing that disasters cause disruptions that can last for years and often create permanent changes in people s lives, UMCOR works within a community to address the long-term effects of a disaster and assist folks in rebuilding and adjusting to change. Partnering to maximize resources and effort - Wherever possible, UMCOR forms partnerships with other religious and secular organizations to pool resources and avoid the duplication of effort. Our CUMC Outreach Committee s goal this year is to provide 25 cleaning buckets for flood victims. During the month of March we will be collecting fifteen specific items to fill twenty-five 5-gallon buckets. The needed items per bucket are: Two (25 z) laundry detergent oz. liquid household cleaner oz. dish soap Aerosol air freshener 6 14 oz. Insect repellent Scrub brush 18 cleaning wipes 7 sponges Many of these items can be found in the Dollar Store. Collection stations will be available in Crafts Hall. With your help, we can make life a little bit easier for people who are in desperate need. Thanks for your help. Chris Klenk Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16 Make A Difference Day is Sunday, May 18, 2014! We are currently seeking ideas for projects and volunteer opportunities. If you have any suggestions, please contact Janelle in the church office at or cumc350@gmail.com. We look forward to making a difference in our community this spring! 10 5 scouring pads 50 clothes pins 100 clothes line 24 heavy duty trash bags 5 dust masks 2 pair rubber gloves 1 pair work gloves (cotton with leather palm) Pre-K Grade 5 Sunday mornings 10 am Lower level February 16 March 30 CALL ME MAYBE One of Jesus first acts was to gather a team of followers. He chose ordinary people. He saw something in them, called them to follow him, trained them, & sent them out to make a difference. We ll hear Peter s story, share ways we can follow Jesus, play games, make cookies and snacks to share in the café, make a banner and create a seaside symphony all to help us share Jesus story with others! So join us definitely! Wednesdays, March 5-April 9 5:30-7:30p Need a space in your life that will enable you to grow deeper in your faith? Join us in this Lenten series. Following a meal we ll share in a mini retreat time reflecting on seasonal Bible readings and personal stories that will help us apply them to our own lives. Using the book, God s Gift of Life, by Larry Beman, we ll be guided to experience the blessings of the life given to us through the life, suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Rev. Beman, now retired, served CUMC as Minister for Christian Education. Books are currently available from Sally Pollard. (suggested donation $5) CUMC Adult Opportunities for Learning at Christ Church Sunday mornings 10 am Wesley Room Rev. Jim Pollard - facilitator The Wesleyan Way: A Faith That Matters An eight-sunday study of Christianity from a Wesleyan perspective. Participants will study and explore the Wesleyan Way of following Jesus, developed and taught by John and Charles Wesley as they sought renewal of the Church of England in the eighteenth century. The Methodist movement led to the formation of the Methodist Church in America, and many other churches in the Wesleyan tradition. The class will use a DVD-based resource developed by Scott L. Jones and will review the shared beliefs and different traditions of the Wesleyan family of churches. Thursdays 10 am Wesley Room Pastor BJ - facilitator Weekday Bible Study All are welcome to join in this ongoing study and reflection Contact Pastor BJ for more information Sunday evenings 6pm Disciple Bible Study The Disciple Bible Study group continues its 34-week program of disciplined Bible study aimed at developing strong Christian leaders. 3

4 March Birthdays Marcia Snyder... 1 Gregory Yungbluth... 2 Kara Panasiewicz... 4 Clem Arrison... 5 Elizabeth Curtis... 6 Gregory Watson... 7 Brad Bermudez... 8 Molly Reed... 8 Christopher Kraatz... 9 Andrew Lopez Joanne Gilbert William Morris Marshall Rhinehart Karen Arrison Marjory Gibson Florence Stengel Nicky Sebastiano (102!!!) Barry Wood Al Sillato (99!) Pat Noyes Peggy Bermudez Ashley Miller Jordan Maliken Jan Rhinehart Thank You Ash Wednesday March 5, Worship at 7:00 We will gather at 7:00 on March 5 to observe the traditional beginning of the season of Lent. Ash Wednesday exists to extend to us a call to live a Holy Lent. We will use the traditional symbol of the imposition of ashes as a sign of our mortality and repentance as part of this gathering. Worship will be preceded by a light supper and the beginning of our Lenten series. See page 3 for details. Choir rehearsal will follow. The family of Louise Barber would like to thank our Christ Church family for their generous support after the loss of our mother. Your cards, your expressions of sympathy, and your prayers are greatly appreciated. We especially want to thank Pastor B.J. and Kevin Durkin for a beautiful memorial service and Sally Pollard and Elizabeth Circle for the nice reception afterwards. Your kindness meant so much to us. Kay Barber and Chris and Bill Holdsworth We Want Your Shoes Now May 18 New and used footwear of all kinds: boots, flip-flops, slippers, sneakers, all sizes and shapes! Invite your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers to donate new and used shoes which will be sent to developing countries creating small business ventures that will sustain families while keeping shoes out of landfills. Shoes may be dropped off at the church (main entrance) now through Make A Difference day on Sunday, May 18. We hope the whole community will join in! (Project sponsored by the Christian Education Team) Plan Ahead - Coming in May... CHURCH-WIDE VARIETY SHOW Stewardship & Finance sponsored by the UMW of CUMC! Mark your calendars for FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 Sharpen up your talents and bring family and friends for a fun-filled evening! Watch for more details. The Stewardship and Finance Team was very happy to welcome Eric Dokken as our new volunteer Treasurer. We would like to thank Donna Yungbluth for her dedicated service in that position for the past couple of years. We were able to send $2,000 to the Conference during the month of January toward our 2014 Shared Ministries. The S&F Team is currently studying a book about a new vision for Financial Stewardship which we hope will enable us to present a more effective and informative pledge campaign in the fall. Circle News Elizabeth Circle will meet on March 6 at the home of Mary Jo Evans, 38 Fiddlers Green Marion Rowlands, , is the hostess. Our program will be a group book discussion of Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter. Contact Mary Jo or Marion if you plan to attend. Deborah Circle: Tuesday, March 25 in the Wesley Room at 12 noon. Rachel Circle will meet Tuesday, March 18th, at noon at the church. Rev. Jim Pollard will present "The Wesleyan Way", a video with discussion to follow. Everyone is welcome. Call Grace Markello, Circle of Joy - no report Ruth Anderson Ruth Anderson, 96, a 50+ year member of CUMC, died February 15, in Pittsburgh, her home for the past five years. Her funeral service was held February 13. Our prayers and sympathy go out to her family and friends. 4 9

5 Palm Sunday Organ Recital On Sunday, April 13, Kevin Durkin, CUMC s Minister of Music, will present an organ recital at 3 pm. Begin Holy Week with inspiring music performed on the Arrison Organ. Save the date and invite your friends. Watch for further information on the website, the Sunday bulletin, and the April Caller. United Methodist Men The CUMC Men will meet Saturday, March 8 at the church at 10:00 am, to view slides and listen to a narrative of the Viet Nam conflict by some who were there. Plan to join us. Lunch will follow at a nearby restaurant. Mid-Years Ministry DINNER IN THE COUNTRY Sunday, May 4, 2014 The White Inn, Fredonia, NY Choice of Stuffed Chicken Breast, Sliced Sirloin of Beef, Whitefish Polonaise with rice Tickets $18, on sale April 13, 20, & 27 More details in the April and May Callers Bartholomew Memorial Concert March 9 Jeanne Bartholomew, who passed away December 15, was choir director at CUMC for 28 years and was much beloved by choir and congregation alike. A service and concert in her memory is scheduled for Sunday, March 9th at 2:00 pm at Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Highway. Diane Poe Schroeder, former organist at CUMC and currently organist and choir director at ACC, will lead a combined choir from both churches in singing several of Jeanne's favorite anthems. United Methodist Youth March 30 Seneca Street UMC 2-5p June 1 Seneca Street UMC 2-5p More Info? Call Tim Reed, or Viki Smith, Carl Ericson Carl Ericson passed away after a long illness on January 23, A service in celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Our prayers and sympathy go out to his wife Jean, his family, and friends. UMW March General Meeting SATURDAY, MARCH 8, AM In celebration of Women's History Month, our speaker will be story teller Carol Ann Gleason. She will focus on women of the Bible and their stories. Come for breakfast. ($5) Everyone is welcome! Amherst Lions Club Pancake Breakfast March 22 We Serve Once a year, our Amherst Lions Club holds a pancake breakfast to raise funds to help the blind, vision-impaired, hearing-impaired, and others in our community who need assistance. This year s event (22nd Annual) will be held on Saturday, March 22nd from 8:00-1:00 pm at Christ United Methodist Church. Proceeds support such things as new equipment for the Lions Diagnostic Imaging Center for eye diseases, hearing aids for people who cannot afford them, summer camps for children with sight and hearing problems and other handicaps, training of guide dogs, parties and picnics for the blind, and other worthwhile community causes. Tickets may be purchased at the door or in advance from Tom Davis, Ruth Munson, or Herb Wilber. Cost $6 for Adults, $3.50 for Children 12 and under. Breakfast includes a generous portion of pancakes, fruit, sausage, and drinks (Tea, coffee, OJ.) Last year we auctioned off more than 50 gift baskets and gift certificates donated by various organizations, and this continues to be the club s largest fundraiser annually. Free Community Health FAIR March 22 In conjunction with the Christ Church Health & Wellness Committee, the Amherst Lions Club will hold its Community Health Fair in the Youth Hall of Christ United Methodist Church on Saturday, March 22 from 8 am to 11am featuring a Free Diabetes Screening. Kaleida technicians will draw blood samples from 8 am to 10 am to test for blood sugar and cholesterol. Lab results will be sent directly to your physician, whose name will be required. Fasting is recommended, but non-fasting testing will also be performed. Ophthalmologist Dr. Dilip Patel will conduct eye exams to detect macular degeneration and other eye disorders. Representatives from the American Diabetes Association and UB Dental will offer outreach on nutrition and physical activity. You may pre-register by calling Christ Church at and providing your name, address, and that of your physician, or you may register on-site. We hope you will attend and also invite friends and family to take advantage of this free opportunity. If you would like to work off some calories from the Pancake Breakfast which will be taking place upstairs or would just like to help out with the event, please call Janelle Martin at to volunteer. 8 5

6 2 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 9 DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME Bartholomew Memorial Concert Amherst CC - 2p SPR 7p Discussion/Action Group 7p 24 99! 44 Library Team 9:30a Ballroom Dance 6:15p 11 APRIL CALLER DEADLINE Ballroom Dance 6:15 Stewardship/Finance 7p 18 Rachel Circle 12n Ballroom Dance 6:15p CET 7p Outreach 7p Trustees 7:30p 25 Deborah Circle 12n 5 ASH WEDNESDAY 5:30p; Worship 7p 12 5:30p 19 5:30p 26 5:30p 6 Elizabeth Circle 7:30p Caller Collation 9:30a 27 7 Books We Have Loved 10a ! Books We Have Loved 10a 28 UMW 10a Men s Group 10a Ballroom Dance practice 7p 22 CUMC/Lions Health Fair 8-11a and Lions Pancake Breakfast 8a-1p Ballroom Dance 6:15p Church Council 7p Game Night 7:30p Game night 7:30p 6 7