THE CHRONICLE JANUARY 17, 2019 A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR JOEL JANUARY 17, 2019

Transcription

1 A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR JOEL JANUARY 17, 2019 Dear Friends in Christ, Many of you, I m guessing, are not yet familiar with the word enneagram. Or, if you kind of recognize it, you only vaguely remember what it means. By next week, however, I m hoping that enneagram will be a word that lots of us will hear during coffee hour on Sunday morning, during the Women s Fellowship potluck, during commission meetings, and whenever informal conversation invites us to share what s new in our lives. In other words, after January 23 at 7:00 p.m., when Pastor Cho-Kim teaches the first of four classes that she plans to offer in the O Reilly Room, I am praying there will be a strong enough turnout to launch a widespread dialogue about the personality styles each of us brings to our church. My most recent enneagram studies happened something like ten years ago when the Alban Institute, a respected vender of continuing education seminars for clergy, was still offering live events. The seminar I was part of involved approximately twenty-five ordained ministers from mainline denominations in New England. We met in Connecticut, if I remember correctly, at a Roman Catholic retreat center. Our leader was a Jewish lay woman from Manhattan. Our goal was to explore four or five of the popular temperament sorters and personality inventories that can help pastors with pre-marital counseling, staff effectiveness, and leadership committee cohesion and morale. By the time we completed our agenda after three or four days of morning, noon, and night sessions I was drained. Self-discovery can be hard work! However, when I decided to use this week s pastoral letter to invite you to consider joining Pastor Cho-Kim s class, I could not remember any of my enneagram scores or how to read them as roadmaps to personal understanding and improvement. So I found a free version of the test on the internet, scored it, and began to read what I had forgotten from ten years ago. My highest score placed me solidly in category One: Reformer. Some of the personality traits associated with Ones are idealism, rationality, purposefulness, self-control, and perfectionism. Reformers want to be respected for being right. We are always striving higher to improve everything we re part of. Being loyal to our own values and aspirations is our goal so that we won t be accused of taking shortcuts or compromising our principals. At our best, we are wise, discerning, idealistic, and noble. At our worst, we can be stubborn, defensive, dogmatic, and judgmental. Acknowledging and addressing the shadow-side of our profiles makes the enneagram different from most of the personality tests you might be familiar with. The part of me that is self-aware and secure wears the Reformer label proudly with its unique strengths and high potential. But the part of me that is insecure and immature would rather not admit that Reformers can also be stubborn, defensive, dogmatic, and judgmental. Or, to borrow the language of enneagram fans, confessing that the worst and the best of who we are comprises a mask that we all wear to cover the wounds of our childhood is more than we typically reveal to friends much less to critics. That is why you should sign-up for Pastor Cho-Kim s classes and stick with them to their healing end. Early in the process, you will probably feel proud and accomplished. Later, you might feel jittery and exposed. But, as the four classes get closer to their goal, you will discover how God s grace reveals new possibilities for inviting the Holy Spirit to heal you and make you everything God created you to be. See you in church! Pastor Joel Page 1

2 CONCERNS AND CELEBRATIONS DATES TO KEEP IN MIND January 20: Confirmation Orientation January 21: Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration s in Boston and Natick Office Closed January 23, 30, February 6 and 13: Adult Formation - From the Wisdom of the Enneagram to the Formation of the True Self January 27: Social Justice Discussion with Dr. William Smith January 28: Women s Group Dinner February 3: Youth Bake Sale after worship Page 2

3 ANNOUNCEMENTS Zack Moser to Serve as Interim Christian Education Director The Staff Parish Relations Committee is pleased to announce that Youth Ministries Director Zack Moser will serve for the rest of the school year as our interim Christian Education Director. Remembering that Zack came to Sudbury UMC in 2017 open to a position that would combine the youth ministry role he accepted and the Sunday School responsibilities assumed by Eric Magnuson, the SPRC has decided to offer Zack a six-month provisional opportunity to serve as Director of Youth and Children s Ministries till the end of the current academic year. Zack is enthusiastic about the possibilities a combined position might offer: A comfortable transition for children who will already know him to youth fellowship activities when they reach grade six; a cadre of adult volunteers who might be willing to work with him as Sunday School teachers and helpers, and the partnership of the older teens Zack has already mentored as Sunday School workers. Offering Envelopes Are Ready for Pick-Up Offering envelopes for 2019 are now ready for pick-up on a table in the narthex for households that asked for them during last month s stewardship emphasis. Envelopes are arranged alphabetically for easy identification. If your name is missing, please speak to Pastor Joel. Thanks! Food Health and Safety for Children, Families and Staff Sunny Hill Preschool wishes everyone a very Happy New Year. We enjoy and encourage SUMC members to continue to build upon our community in a variety of ways. When events with food are held, we ask for your help in keeping the children and families we serve, as well as the members of our staff, safe and healthy. We have life threating food allergies within the Sunny Hill Community, and we are sure within the Church. We ask you to be extra cautious when bringing in food items into the church buildings. SUMC is a peanutfree, tree nut-free, coconut-free, and sesame-free building. Products containing these products should not enter the facilities nor should they be processed on shared equipment or made in a facility that processes these items. It is imperative that you follow these rules as we have recently sent home children having reactions. Please refrain from utilizing the white refrigerator in the kitchen as that is for use of Sunny Hill items only that are SAFE for all. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Sunny Hill Administrative Team. Again, thank you for your help in keeping everyone safe. Page 3

4 LEARN Greetings from the SUMC Youth! Fourteen youth and adults went to Hebron, NH, last weekend for Camp Berea s annual Deep Freeze retreat, and we froze deeply. The temperatures never reached twenty degrees, hovered in the single-digits, and dipped below zero each night. The cold did not, however, get in the way of a fantastic weekend of Christian fellowship and worship. The weekend s theme was Game-Changer, as in, Jesus is the ultimate game-changer who leads us to live the fulfilling lives that we were created to live. We now seek to live out that message in our day-to-day lives and through the ministry of our church. Any ministry needs the support of its community, and youth ministry is no different. We certainly appreciate this congregation s prayerful and financial support, but there is another way to show your love and support to the youth that also gives you the chance to meet and interact with us (and it s a one-time commitment, so it s easy on the calendar!), and that is to provide dinner at an upcoming youth group meeting. Youth group is from 5:30-8:00 on Sunday nights. We eat dinner from 6:30-7:00. Dinner each week is provided by volunteers from SUMC and, as we said before, this is a great way to be directly involved in the ministry of our youth group. For more information about this or to sign up, Zack or go to the following link: Youth parents, the Youth Council just met and planned some cool things. You should check your this week (and every week) for the youth update. Keep the Faith. Adult Formation From the Wisdom of the Enneagram to the Formation of the True Self The Rev. Dr. Hakyung Cho-Kim, Sudbury UMC s director of Adult Formation, will offer a winter series of four sessions that begins with the wisdom of the widely known Enneagram and moves toward more active cooperation with the Holy Spirit as God s agent of change in our lives. The meeting will take place at 7:00 p.m. (corrected time) in the O Reilly Room. Part One: January 23 - The Enneagram as a roadmap for the transformation of personality The Triadic Self Identifying Our Personality Types The Basic Fears of the Types Lost Childhood Message and Healing of Inner Child Self-realization and Transformation Part Two: January 30 - The Enneagram identifies deficits in early development The wastefulness of ego inflation and the compulsive aspects of personality types The ego s master emotions: anger, shame, and fear The Instinctive, Feeling, and Thinking Intelligence Centers (Triads) Page 4

5 Transcending personality types with our habits, attitudes, and worldviews Part Three: February 6 - Transcending the ego-driven personality Recovering the original harmony of the three intelligence centers (the Triads) Healing anger by receiving and giving forgiveness for Instinctive Type persons Healing shame by God-given self-worth for wholeness in Feeling Type persons Healing fear by trusting God s providence for wellness in Thinking Type persons Part Four: February 13 - Recovering the True Triadic Self through Formation Empowerment comes from spiritual practices and formation by the Holy Spirit Spiritual practices include prayer, Bible Study, spiritual reading, worship, works of mercy, works of justice, spiritual direction, incarnating the love of Christ as an apostle. Achieving balance through the daily practice of the acts of piety and acts of mercy Growing to trust in God a Provider, Guide, Protector, Host, and Vindicator Confirmation Orientation Follows Worship on January 20 High School students in grades 9 and 10 are invited to participate in this year s preparations for Confirmation on Sunday, June 9. At Sudbury UMC, Confirmation preparation focuses on forming a habit of regular participation in worship by attending services on Sunday mornings (and/or Wednesday evenings during Lent), and by discussing impressions, experiences, and insights with an adult mentor. This year s orientation will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 20, in the O Reilly Gathering Room. Students and their parents will meet with Pastor Joel to create a schedule of Confirmation Classes and a worship participation covenant. Special trips to observe worship in other faith communities and to take part in community service efforts will also be included in the plan. To ask questions or to express interest in being part of the Confirmation class of 2019, please contact Pastor Joel at pastorjoel@sudbury-umc.org or , x205. The Upper Room The newest Upper Room booklets are available in the narthex. Help yourself to a free copy for daily devotional readings. Or access it online by clicking: Try starting your day by spending time with God it might make a world of difference by setting the right tone for the hours to come! CONNECT Women s Fellowship to Meet for Potluck Supper and Games On Monday, January 28, Sudbury UMC s Women s Fellowship will gather in Hawes Hall at 6:30 p.m. for a potluck supper. Participants are invited to bring a salad, a casserole, or a dessert to share during our first gathering of After dinner, we ll clear the table and play Mexican Train, Trouble, Parcheesi, Clue, Scrabble, or any other game that the wind blows in on a cold winter s night. Sudbury UMC s Women s Fellowship welcomes longtime members and friends of our church along with new members and attendees who have recently participated in Sunday services. Please let Diane Hammond know if you will attend and if you can help. Page 5

6 Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Celebrations Boston Convention Center, Monday, January 21 Tickets $50 For information on car-pooling contact Linda Lombardo: The annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast is the nation s longest-running and Boston s premier event dedicated to honor the legacy of Dr. King. The breakfast is an opportunity to celebrate Dr. King s legacy of service and begin the year inspired to live out his dream in our homes and throughout the community moving us closer to Dr. King s vision of a beloved community with this year s theme, Pledge to carry on King s work. Dr. King advocated for a number of initiatives to help further diversity and inclusion on many levels. We will recognize and celebrate our Diversity, support our diversity efforts, and further our Partnerships in the community. The Verve, Crown Plaza Hotel, Natick Monday, January 21 Keynote speaker: John Silvanus Wilson, Jr. Tickets $35 For information on car-pooling contact Moira Lataille: lataille@verizon.net Dr. William Smith - Racial Amity as A Path Forward Sudbury United Methodist Church welcomes well-known Sudbury resident and former Curtis Middle School principal Dr. William Smith on Sunday, January 27 th. Dr. Smith will join us after worship service at 11:00 a.m. in the Davison Chapel to share his insights on racial harmony and to chart a way forward in this time of racial division. Dr. Smith is the Founder and Executive Director of the National Center for Racial Amity. His unceasing advancement of racial amity shaped his work. He has coauthored a book, A Primer on Race Amity and The Other Tradition. Smith s work is directed at shifting dialogues about race from what he calls the blame/grievance/rejection cycle to one of amity/conciliation/access and equity. Page 6

7 In 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. challenged churches and synagogues with the following words: We must face the melancholy fact that one hundred years after the Emancipation Proclamation, the Negro is still dominated politically, exploited economically, and humiliated socially. He reminded his audience, Negroes, North and South, still live in segregation, housed in unendurable slums, eat in segregation, pray in segregation, and die in segregation. As a nation and as a church we continue to struggle with these same racial issues. Dr. Smith offers thoughts on a way forward to connect and to heal from the racial separation that has so deeply wounded this country; please join us for this important and meaningful conversation on Sunday January 27 th at 11:00 a.m. Everyone is welcome and refreshments will be available. The Social Justice Commission Support the Pease Family s Trip to India Wendy Pease and her teenage boys are going to India on a People to People tour over February school vacation. The tour is run by a member of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church who supports a Dalit (untouchable caste) village. As part of the outreach, visitors on the tour are encouraged to bring the following items to donate to the village. In addition, if you would like to make an offering, you can make the check out to SUMC and put INDIA on the memo line. All donations go directly to those in need. Collections can be donated in the box outside of the O Reilly Room at SUMC. Items needed are: Soap, Deodorant, Shampoo, Sanitary Napkins (Badly Needed), Band Aids, Blankets (Needed), Plastic Rain Ponchos/Capes (lightweight & foldable), pencils, pens, crayons, blank writing pads, book bags, any small travel toiletries Deadline for donations: Sunday February 10, THANK YOU! Calling all A cappella Aficionados! The SUMC A Cappella singers will resume their unaccompanied A cappella singers! The SUMC A Cappella singers will resume on Wednesday evenings through the month of February We will start the evenings with an optional pot luck meal in Hawes Hall, and then we ll sing from 7:00 p.m. till about 7:45 p.m. Group singers of all abilities are welcome if you have never sung with others before, this is your chance to try it out. Extra bonus: you don t need to read music, though we will introduce you to it. If child care might be preventing you from joining us, let Rob rob@sudbury-umc.org or me kevin@sudbury-umc.org know by mid-january and we will see if babysitting can be arranged. Here is the online signup so I can begin to organize the particulars: Thanks! Hope to see and hear you there! Church Staff Members Say, Thank You! For the many generous holiday gifts, hours of volunteer time, prayers, greeting cards and notes, baked goods, books, pickles, candies, and kind words - Thank you so much! Pastor Joel, Pastor Cho-Kim, Eric, Zack, Shetal, Kevin, Rob, Mike, and Joe wish you all a Happy New Year and God s richest blessings each and every day! Page 7

8 Join the Thursday Bible Study 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: Jan. 20: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Jan. 27: Nehemiah 8:1-3,5-6, 8-10 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. The 2019 Flower Calendar Is Posted! COMMUNITY If you d like to place flowers on the altar in honor or memory of a loved one, the flower calendar is now posted near the church office door. Select a date, perhaps an anniversary, birthday, or just a date you d like to honor someone special, and we ll take care of the rest. The cost is $ Enhance our worship by giving this gift to God. Questions contact Wanda Doughty at or Wanda Doughty. MetroWest Free Medical Program Seeking Volunteers On Tuesdays, about 20 volunteers gather to provide healthcare services to people without insurance. The program serves an average of 35 patients, using the sanctuary at Congregation Beth El as the clinic site. Volunteers are needed to help put the medical supplies and equipment away in the shed behind Beth El. Specifically, people are needed to help move the screens, exam tables, buckets of medical supplies, as well as tables and chairs. With enough volunteers, this can be done in 30 minutes. This is a great job for high school students looking to finish up their community service hours or anyone who wants to get an extra 30 minutes of exercise! When? Tuesdays, 9:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Questions? Contact Kim Prendergast at kim.prendergast@gmail.com. Page 8

9 Fresh Start Furniture Bank Furnishing Hope Mission: Fresh Start Furniture Bank helps restore hope, dignity, and stability in our community by recycling donated furniture and housewares, for free, to people in need. Our secondary goal is to keep these items out of the waste stream. Who we serve: The people served by Fresh Start have at least one thing in common they need help during a difficult time. Fresh Start clients are individuals and families in transition who need help to rebuild their lives. They include: Women and children escaping abusive domestic situations People coming out of shelters or halfway houses Individuals and families in recovery from physical and mental illness Veterans Victims of fires, floods or hurricanes Refugees and recent immigrants to the U.S. The working poor Fresh Start Furniture Bank is located at 16 Brent Drive Drivers Needed for 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 Household Goods Needs Important items are in short supply; Can you Help? We are so thankful for all the wonderful goods donations we receive, but unfortunately, we are running very short on certain high demand items: Pots, Pans, Kitchen Utensils and silverware Queen size bedding (mattress pads, sheets, blankets, and comforters) Bring us items during our regular drop off hours (Tues., Thurs, Sat 9-noon) Host a drive to make kitchen starter sets. Contact Sharon Martens for more information. Having a party? Tell your guests you'd like some of these items in lieu of hostess gifts! Choose items from our Amazon Wish List. It always has links to great deals on our current needs. Shopping on Amazon? Please go to Smile.Amazon.com and designate Household Goods to donate a portion of what you spend through the Amazon Smile Program. Have other ideas? Let us know Page 9

10 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 Director of Adult Formation: The Rev. Dr. H. Cho-Kim Youth & Children s 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 pastorjoel@sudbury-umc.org pastorchokim@sudbury-umc.org zack@sudbury-umc.org kevin@sudbury-umc.org rob@sudbury-umc.org michael@sudbury-umc.org sumc@sudbury-umc.org joe@sudbury-umc.org We are a Stephen Ministry Congregation We are a Reconciling and Welcoming Congregation Page 10