theconnection A Place at the Table Sharing the heart of Christ from the heart of Cary.

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1 theconnection FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CARY A Place at the Table Worship & Song, No For everyone born, a place at the table, for everyone born, clean water and bread, A shelter, a space, a safe place for growing, for everyone born, a star overhead, And God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy, compassion and peace: Yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice, justice and joy! This hymn inspired the name of A Place At The Table, a pay-as-you-can café opened in Raleigh one year ago. During this first year, a place has been created for many to enjoy community and healthy food, regardless of means. It is truly a place of justice and joy! Sharing the heart of Christ from the heart of Cary. January 25, 2018 Worship: Sunday Sanctuary: 8:25, 9:45, & 11:05am 117 South Academy Street Cary, NC Sunday 1st on Chatham: 9:45 & 11:05am The Cary, 122 E. Chatham Street, Cary, NC office: (919) pastor on call: (919) firstcary.com The menu includes a wide range of choices, all available throughout the day. One can choose delicious coffees and teas, breakfast favorites likes waffles and yogurt bowls and traditional lunch choices including salads and sandwiches. The café operates Tuesdays through Saturdays for breakfast and lunch, with a team of both paid staff and volunteers. The Y-ME Sunday School class gathers at APATT monthly. Barb Marley notes, APATT is not only a unique and wonderful concept, but it is also a nice place with super food! We have enjoyed several tasty brunches there on a Saturday and have always had a great experience highly recommend! As a pay-what-you-can café, APATT customers have multiple options to pay and to pay-it-forward. PAY: You can pay the suggested price, at least half of the suggested price, by volunteering with us. Regardless of how one pays, the customer can choose from the entire menu. This approach is respectful to all and ensures that everyone is treated with dignity. I have happened to be in line near a new Lori Barmer Communications Coordinator OUR MISSION To make disciples of Jesus Christ who grow in faith and love through worship, fellowship, service and witness to one another and the world. (continued on page 2)

2 (continued from page 1) customer when they realize that they can volunteer and choose their entire meal. Their delight in having choice when their life circumstances don t often provide that, warms my soul and motivates me to pay it forward whenever I can. PAY IT FORWARD: Tip to fulfill our mission, or buy a $10 token to hand out yourself in the community. Mark Schneider appreciates the pay-itforward component of pay-what-youcan: I think the ability to purchase and share A Place at the Table meal tokens is inspired. It offers the personal opportunity to be able to share a token, rather than cash, with those on the street downtown asking for support. APATT s approach strives for a balance of those who can pay, pay it forward and volunteer. In 2018, the community supported A Place At The Table generously and joyfully. There were 8,159 meals given, 40,011 meals were served, 25,322 pay-it-forwards generating $136,501, and 24,369 volunteers. On any given day, the customers include a true cross-section of our community. One can choose to sit at a Community Table with others eager to chat with folks they don t (yet) know and to enjoy the fellowship of a fresh, healthy meal. Loneliness can be a common challenge the Community Table offers the opportunity to connect. Matt Sawchak enjoys lunch at APATT regularly. When I eat at A Place at the Table, I always wonder: Am I enjoying this meal so much because of the delicious food, or the uplifting mission? It s too close to call. Maggie Kane, Executive Director, is thankful for the support from our congregation. First UMC Cary provided start-up funds from the 2017 Fair Booth Proceeds and helped us open our doors. Since then, we have enjoyed and appreciated support by members who have dined with us and who serve in many ways. The success of APATT has truly been a result of strong support from across Wake County and we are grateful. Our first year brought people together in ways we could not have imagined and we have faith that 2019 will be even more effective! Everyone truly does have a place at the table. Let me leave you with one story. We have a man named Dexter. He has been coming since we opened our doors on January 8, He would not say a single thing. He would eat, volunteer, and then leave quickly. Six months later, he began conversing more, having coffee for a few extra minutes, and hanging around our staff. Now, one year later, he won t stop talking! He walks in right at 7:00am, says hello to everyone, and joins in the Table family. He shows volunteers what to do, thanks them for their work, and tells them about A Place at the Table. Dexter has found his community, a place where he feels dignified and welcomed, and his place at the table. Thank you First UMC Cary for supporting all the Dexters that walk through our doors each day and the many that will in the future. If you haven t already, visit A Place At The Table you will find both your stomach and your heart will be filled! They are located at 300 West Hargett Street, Suite 50, in Raleigh. The hours are 7:00am to 2:00pm Tuesday through Friday, and 8:00am to 2:00pm Saturday and Sunday. Come dine with us! Maureen Sawchak

3 Be Present, Be Still, Know God I finally got an opportunity to attend a guided meditation in our prayer chapel. Led by Stephanie Purdy, Director of Outreach, it was the best 30 minutes of my day. With lights dimmed and candles lit, Stephanie invited us to breathe slowly in and out, I could feel tension leave my shoulders as she quietly led us into a peaceful, present space where we could know God in that moment not worry about the past, or feel anxious about the future. Jesus says in John 14:27, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. I asked Stephanie how she arrived at leading this group. She said, I stumbled on a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course at UNC Chapel Hill in 2009, and it was life changing. I realized quickly how bombarded we are with constant noise and distractions that keep us from noticing all the gifts God has given us in the present moment, which is reality and the only place He resides. After experiencing so much of a shift in how I approach the world, my emotions, and obstacles in life, I have wanted to share this practice with others in any way that I am able. As I taught in elementary classrooms, I noticed how anxious and stressed out children are, and I wanted to help bring this tool of mindfulness to the classroom, so I completed an online course in Mindful Schools and was able to help bring mindfulness to classrooms at Oak Grove Elementary where I was working. At the same time, I started seeking how meditation tied in to our faith and Christianity because it was so life giving, and was giving me space to experience God in a whole new way and understand how connected we all are as humans and to all of creation. With the help of Alice Kunka, Joyce Horne, Stacy Harrell, and Christie Brown, I learned about Way of the Child, a curriculum for children that helps them experience God through quiet, meditative disciplines like journaling, quiet creative projects, quietly playing with sand, and meditation on scripture from the Bible. Teaching this curriculum confirmed what I had intuited all along our faith is based on the practice of being present and noticing God in the now, not reliving struggles from the past or worrying about the future. God is the great I AM in our lives. Jesus himself models meditative practices of connecting with and experiencing God in the quiet and the still, away from all the noise of our world. The Church and our society have placed so much emphasis on intellectual knowing of God and being busy doing that we have lost a connection to God and ourselves that is critical to our souls. Meditation has been part of the ancient Christian tradition, and when we study Jesus, we can see that he clearly practices presence with God and people in this way. We can experience abundant life in the now, the present moment, keeping our eyes and hearts open to the constant flow of gifts that come in the form of everyday people and things around us. When we experience just being with God, we are able to then serve others from a whole new place in ourselves, one that is not full of ego, but full of God s love. I absolutely love our time in the prayer chapel, and mindfulness and meditation have been practices that have been both life changing for me and something that I am very passionate about sharing. I encourage everyone to make time to be present, be still, and know God. If you can, join us at 9:30am every third Thursday in the prayer chapel. The group includes women, men, young moms, and grandmothers all are welcome. Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Lori Barmer

4 Favorite Scripture Titus 2:11-13 (nrsv) For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Pastors On-Call Your pastors continue to seek ways to provide you with quality pastoral care while balancing the other demands of ministry. In an effort to be available, we have an on-call system. If you need to reach a pastor in an after-hours emergency situation, you may call to reach the on-call pastor for that week. There is also an option to dial this line directly when calling the church office. When you call this number, the pastor on call for the week will respond as soon as possible. Please be mindful when calling this number, as it is for true emergencies only. This includes a death, sudden critical hospitalization of a member, or other such situations. Pastoral care for non-emergencies, such as scheduled hospitalizations, can be arranged through the front office at Blood Donation The First UMC Cary Health Ministry chair, Jenn George (at right), has developed a partnership with The Blood Connection, a blood collection agency. On Saturday, January 19, a TBC mobile unit came to downtown Cary at Jenn s request. Donating was fast and easy! They collected 28 pints of blood, which was one more over our goal. We will likely host another drive in late spring. The TBC website states, Someone needs a blood transfusion every two seconds, and one in ten patients entering a hospital will need blood. Over 500 people need to donate every day to meet the daily needs of the hospitals we serve and be prepared for emergencies. Blood is good for only 42 days, so donors are needed every day to ensure a stable blood supply. Blood sustains precious human life. Its presence and flow allow us to seek the purpose of our existence and attain life s milestones. When we share blood, wounds heal; individuals thrive; and families remain whole. We share blood to enrich our life experience, casting aside our differences to link the human race through a common, natural bond. Lori Barmer January 30: Faith & Freedom Class Lasagna, salad, garlic bread, dessert Dinner begins at 5:00pm Cost: $7 for adults, $6 for seniors 65+, $4 for children 12 and under, $22 max February 6: Boy Scouts Pancakes and sausage Table Talk begins at 6:30 in the fellowship hall Please RSVP by noon the Tuesday before at firstcary.com or call

5 United Methodist Women Honeybaked Ham Sale 2019 will mark the 150th Anniversary of United Methodist Women and we are celebrating with a Honeybaked Ham Fundraiser. Twenty percent of every dollar sold comes back to our unit to be distributed to charities benefiting women and children in our church and community. Please support the UMW at First UMC Cary by purchasing Honeybaked Ham gift cards now through May 10. Ideal for Easter buffets, bridal showers, graduation parties, and Mother s Day, you can purchase cards by visiting: Cary_UMW_Sell_HoneyBaked_Ham_for_mission or by contacting a UMW member. Questions? Contact Deanna Day, UMW President by to luandwill@att.net. ASP Luncheon Appalachia Service Project (ASP) is a Christian ministry, open to all people, that inspires hope and service through volunteer home repair in Central Appalachia. First United Methodist Church in Cary, along with other churches serve the Central Appalachian region by providing critical home repair, but more importantly, hope to hopeless situations. Please join us on February 10 in room 200 starting at 12:30pm for a luncheon celebrating servants from last year, and inviting new servants to come learn about this amazing ministry. Contact Tim Woody at twwoody@mail.com for more information. GriefShare Offers Hope and Healing Thursdays through April 11, room 125, 6:30 to 8:30pm. Grieving the loss of someone you love is one of the most painful events we face in life. The death of a close family member or dear friend can literally rock your world, leaving behind devastation in its wake. The pain and emptiness is expected. GriefShare is a 13-week program designed to encourage healing by walking with others who are also grieving. Each week, different topics are addressed in relevant videos, with various individuals sharing their wisdom to promote healing. They share how they were able to find a new normal in their lives, filled with joy and hope for the future. If you have lost a loved one and are struggling with your grief, we encourage you to attend GriefShare. There is a fee of $15 for the GriefShare workbook. If you are repeating the series and already have your workbook, there is no fee. Save The Date The UMW Ladies Tea will be held on April 27 in the fellowship hall from 3:30pm to 5:30pm. Tickets be available February 7. United Methodist Men s Breakfast Please join us on Saturday, February 9 at 8:00am in the Fellowship Hall for the UMM breakfast. Our speaker in February will be Anne G. Brennan. A dynamic, passionate nonprofit development professional, she is also a Christian Writer and Motivational Speaker: Some of her accomplishments are the 2018 Commencement Speaker for the Governor Morehead School for the Blind and the 2016 Keynote Speaker Raleigh Mayor s Committee for Persons with Disabilities Annual Awards Luncheon. She has Developed Chapter Best Practices model and created resource ad inspired hundreds of volunteers and donors in the fight for sight. Please join us as we hear from Anne. Everyone is invited, first-time visitors eat free. Join us in the Fellowship Hall for the best breakfast in town for $5. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, February 9! Dorcas Ministries Needs Translators Dorcas Ministries is looking for an individual bilingual in English and Spanish to help out in the Client Services Department for a few hours a week: Monday and Wednesday between 9:00am and 12:00pm OR between 12:00pm and 3:00pm. If you are interested, please contact Jill Straight at jill@dorcascary.org or st Parent Study Wednesdays through February 27 Feeling like your kids are living on borrowed faith? Or some days, none at all? You are not alone. My hope and prayer is that this time together helps equip us and grow us as the spiritual leaders in steering our children and teens faith. Below is an outline of the topics we ll cover. Feel free to join us for all of them or one of them and bring a friend! No RSVP needed, unless you want to sign up for Fellowship Feast; you can do that here: FIT Third Thursdays at 6:30pm in the Youth Room All youth are welcome! A conversation for youth on topics such as relationships, individuality, feeling accepted, loving others, coping strategies, external and internal self-worth, and authenticity as those made in God s image. Where do you fit? WORSHIP ATTENDANCE January 13 January 20 SANCTUARY: st ON CHATHAM TOTAL: 1,246 1,184

6 Outreach Ministry Partners Express Gratitude Thank you for your donation of $5,000 to Meals on Wheels of Wake County. Your contribution helps us support our senior neighbors by extending their independence and contributing to better health as they age. Meals on Wheels of Wake County has served our community for over 44 years. A nutritious meal, friendly visit and safety check helps seniors cope with the three biggest threats of aging: hunger, isolation, and loss of independence. 92% of seniors participating in Meals on Wheels say the consistent meals and visits enable them to remain living at home. Our main goals for our participants are to provide them with a daily, nutritious hot meal that will improve their health and diet; provide them with a daily check-up and visit that makes them feel safer in their homes; and give them the opportunity to continue living independently, with dignity, in their own homes. Your donation provides us with the opportunity to achieve these goals. Thank you for joining us in our commitment to reduce senior isolation and hunger in Wake County. Linda Depo, Development Officer This may sound corny, but I m going to tell you anyway. We have a tradition in the office. Every day at 1:30, we ring a bell once for each gift that has come in during the past 24 hours. We do this for a couple of reasons. The first is simply thankfulness. Our tradition is that whoever hears the bell pauses for a moment of gratitude. The second reason is for inspiration. Hearing the bell ring is a perceptible reminder that people believe in the work we do. I can t tell you how inspiring that is. Today we ring the bell for you and all the good people of First UMC Cary, and everyone who hears it will pause to whisper a prayer of gratitude. Thank you for caring about our families and trusting us to fulfill our mission. Thank you for your continued love, prayers, and support. We are so grateful. Polly Willis, VP of Advancement Your gift helps us fund services that include food and financial assistance for rent, utilities, child care, medical costs, and other needed expenses. We are on target to serve 24,000 of our neighbors this year alone. That s why your donation is so important. If you have not taken a tour of Dorcas Ministries, I invite you to that. Just contact rose@dorcascary.org and we will set up oun for you at your convenience. I think you will be blessed by what you see. We hope you will be able to join us next year at the breakfast. Until then, I send my best wishes for you and your family. Howard Manning, Executive Director P.S. What can we say? Thank you seems so inadequate. We are so grateful for all of your support in so many ways. Thank you for supporting Habitat for Humanity s vision to ensure that everyone has a decent place to live. Your gift in support of the Cary Coalition Build, helps make that vision a reality in a world where affordable housing is in short supply. You are now part of a movement that brings together people whose paths may never have otherwise crossed. Together, we build a new community. This work of building community will not be complete when this house becomes a home. It will only have begun. We will not rest until everyone in Wake and Johnston counties, and everyone in God s world, has access to good, affordable housing. We are grateful that your congregation has chosen to put God s love into action and partner with us, and it is our hope that your relationship with God deepens through the experience of this build. Rick Beech, VP, Faith Relations P.S. Thank you so much for this generous gift. It was awesome worshiping with you. God is doing amazing things at First Cary. Thank you for becoming a sponsor with your donation of $20,000 for Dorcas Ministries Seventh Annual Thanksgiving Breakfast. The event marks our 50th Anniversary. Since 1968, we have served struggling people in our community, and we simply could not do that without support from donors like you.