New Milford United Methodist Church 68 Danbury Road, New Milford, Conn (860)

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1 New Milford United Methodist Church 68 Danbury Road, New Milford, Conn (860) A Journey to Hope Lent is the beginning of an important journey: a journey with Jesus to Jerusalem for the culmination of his ministry to all of Israel and the world, a journey with Jesus to the cross, and a journey with Jesus to new life through the Resurrection. You see, Jesus knew where he was headed. He knew that he was going to redeem our sin on that cross but that he would also burst forth from the tomb and defeat sin and death for all time. Ultimately, it is about A Journey to Hope, which will be the sermon series we kick off starting on Ash Wednesday, February 13. We are all at different places in our faith journeys. Some of us are uncertain and have our doubts. Others possess a certainty that should be stretched and challenged towards greater growth. None of us have completed the journey. When done right, none of us will. It is a journey worth celebrating and savoring. February 2013 Lent is also a journey of penitence and reflection. We abandon the sins that hold us back and deepen our commitment to God in Christ. We carry the ashes of the cross not just on our foreheads as a sign during Ash Wednesday, but on our hearts throughout Lent as well, as a sign of reflection. Pastor s Message Join us for A Journey to Hope on Ash Wednesday and Sundays during Lent and carry the message of the cross on your heart during this season of reflection. Grace and Peace, Rev. Paul A. Fleck, Pastor

2 Flooding in Mozambique Severe flooding in most of Mozambique is causing severe damage to crops and to property. The orphanage is on high ground so is not flooded, but 8 acres of rice being grown as part of the agriculture project have been lost, along with some cabbage. Several towns are completely flooded and roads washed out cutting off access. This could affect the supply of food to the orphanage in the near future, depending on the duration of he flooding and the repair of the roads. Newsletter deadline and production dates The next newsletter deadline will be Friday, March 1 at noon and we will be preparing it for mailing on Thursday, March 7. To receive the newsletter via , in full color, please contact the Church office at Office@NewMilfordUMC.org Church News the Don Cairns Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper February 12, 5:30 p.m., The annual Don Cairns Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper is Feb. 12 and we are very excited with the program coming up. There will be six kinds of pancakes to choose from, along with sausage, bacon and special toppings for enhancement. The food will be prepared by our own top-of-the-line chefs. The United Methodist Men will be cooking and serving dinner beginning promptly at 5:30 p.m. Please give us a call if you would like to help or have a griddle we can borrow to cook the pancakes - we will need 7. Shrove Tuesday is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday which is the first day of Lent. It s a day of penitence, to clean the soul, and a day of celebration as the last chance to feast before Lent begins. Lent is a time of giving things up, so Shrove Tuesday is the last chance to indulge yourself. In the old days there were many foods that observant Christians would not eat during Lent: such as meat and fish, fats, eggs, and milky foods. The need to eat up the fats gave rise to the French name Mardi Gras; meaning Fat Tuesday. Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday as they were a dish that could use up all the eggs, fats and milk in the house with just the addition of flour. For more information or to volunteer, contact Tom Nixon at or Dave Kullgren at All profits from the pancake supper will go to the Don Cairns Memorial Fund. the Education Center For some, Valentine s Day can be a difficult time if they do not have a special loved one to share it with. One of the joys of the day is receiving a small note saying you are being thought about in a caring way by another person. For Valentine s Day this year, the entire center, will be creating special valentines for our beloved veterans, which will be mailed out in time so they are received by the special day. If you have some time and would like to participate please let your child s teacher know. If you know of a veteran who could use a smile, please forward me their information so I can make sure they receive one. We thank you in advance for your time and support! On February 28, at 5.30 p.m., we will be hosting another potluck dinner for us to showcase the many different cultures we celebrate among us. Please keep and eye out in your mailbox for an invitation. Warm regards, Jennifer Pennucci

3 Church News Thank You Notes A belated thank you to all who contributed to the Giving Tree and the Love Baskets. Through your generosity over $850 in gift cards was given to Peg Molina for distribution through the Social Services Dept of New Milford; they were all purchased through the Scholarship Committee an added bonus to that committee! Sixteen Love Baskets were given to our senior citizens and church members dealing with health concerns. Your kindness in supporting these two activities is greatly appreciated by so many. Patty Jacobson I would like to thank Girl Scout Troop and my Church family for the lovely Christmas bag. It was much appreciated! June Hudak Thank you for the Love Basket. The Love Basket contents were appreciated. Hope you have a good holiday and a Happy New Year. Andy Schnitzler Thank you to the Church members and Girl Scouts for the lovely Christmas Gifts! My parents enjoyed receiving the special snacks and other goodies as well as the cards! You are so thoughtful and loving! God Bless you all, Cindy Agati I would like to thank all the women who worked so hard at getting the Love Baskets out. Everything was so appreciated. Thanks, Kitty Muro To my New Milford United Methodist Church Family, With many thanks for my requests for your prayers. They have worked very well. Just to let you know it works. And another thank you for the Christmas gifts to me and George. With my love, Mary E. Gunther and George Perry Attendance & Offerings Jan $4,754 Jan $1,692 Jan $3,4175 Monthly total $9,863 YTD Total $9,863 Soup & Prayer Everyone is invited to participate in a Soup and Prayer group on Wednesday evenings during Lent, beginning Feb. 20 at 5:45 p.m. Supper will be provided first in Fellowship Hall, followed by a prayer service, led by Rufus and Doris Sanders, either in the Sanctuary or Conference Room. Perhaps Doris will add some of her music talent, as well. Pastor Paul has provided some materials for Rufus and Doris to use. It is hoped that various church groups and/or individuals will be willing to provide the light meal. Help is needed and those interested can contact Jan Parsons at (860) or Pat Tripp at (860) Joys & Concerns Our prayers are with... Lu Vivona and her son Monty Humiston, on the passing of his fiancé, Kathryn Porto. Andy Schnitzler who is having health issues. Our prayers continue to be with... Bob Hubbard, Rev. Marion Hubbard s husband, who is home recuperating. Dominick Byron who is a Marine and serving his second tour of duty overseas. Steven Davis, Marlene Davis son, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Tyler Mosher of New Milford, Chris and Mary Prauses grandson, who left for Afghanistan on November 10. Liz Burwell, who is now home recuperating. Nanci Hutson s mother, Peggy Gustafson, who is recovering from a stroke. Rhonda, Valorie Kolitz niece, who is having medical issues. Kim Birsen who is having health issues. Ed Hastings who is having health issues. Thelma Neufeld who has been diagnosed with Parkinson s Disease. Walter Tripp who is in a nursing home in Ohio. He is Larry Tripp s brother. Madeline Petrillo, Chris Martirano s mother-in-law, who is having health issues. George Perry who is residing at the Masonic Homes. Laurie Gaudette who is having health issues. The leaders in our church. Financial health of our church. Our Bishop, Martin McLee, our District Superintendent, Ken Kieffer, and all the churches in the New York Annual Conference and beyond

4 Staff/Pastor- Parish Relations Committee (S/PPRC) What is the S/PPRC? The Staff/Pastor- Parish Relations Committee (which may also be referred to as the Pastor- Parrish Relation Committee PPRC) is the administrative unit in a local church where the interests of the staff and the congregation meet to focus on the mission of the church. By Discipline every church must have such a committee. In the New Milford UMC this committee is usually known as the Staff- Parish Relations Committee (SPRC). What is the function of the SPRC? The SPRC has both leadership and management roles in the congregation. Leadership is the role of keeping the mission of the church in mind. Management is the role of making sure that details are taken care of and strategies are implemented. These are the functions that, in many organizations, are taken care of by Human Resources departments. The SPRC works with a variety of individuals and groups these include; the pastor, lay staff (full and part- time), the congregation, candidates for ministry, the community, the district superintendent, and the Conference. Specific tasks are listed in the Book of Discipline. Some of these tasks include: Leading discussion between the congregation and the staff/pastor about the direction of ministry, this may include recommendations about needed staff positions. Developing and recommending written policy and procedures on the employment of non-appointed staff. Assessing job performance of the pastor and staff at least annually. Conferring and consulting with the district superintendent. Who serves on the SPRC? The members of the committee are nominated by the committee on lay leadership and are elected by the charge or church conference. There must be at least five members but not more than nine members elected for three year terms each, in three classes. Members who have served for three years may not succeed themselves. When does the committee meet? The committee is required, by Discipline, to meet at least quarterly. At the New Milford UMC the SPRC schedules monthly meeting--special meetings as needed. Meetings may be called by the Bishop, the district superintendent, the pastor, any person accountable to the committee, or the chairman of the committee. The committee may not meet without the knowledge of the pastor or the district superintendent. The committee meets in closed session and all information shared in the committee is confidential. Who are the SPRC liaison to the staff members at NMUMC? The Discipline recommends that members of the SPRC act as liaison to the pastor and staff. At NMUMC the following are the positions and the person acting as liaison. Pastor --- Robert Hoburg Office Manager --- Tracy Poeti Financial Manager --- Anne Meehan Music Director --- Carol Muska Director of Education Center --- Martha McMahon Youth Pastor - Bonnie Weed Robert Hoburg, Chairperson, SPRC

5 Miss ons Alternative Christmas Gifts 2012 We wish to thank everyone who participated in the 2012 Alternative Christmas Gift program. Christmas Cards were offered during the four Sundays in Advent and $1,825 was raised for the six missions. Kairos Outside received $ Heifer received $549.40, the Mozambique orphanage received $ through the United Methodist Frontier Foundation, Our Daily Bread food pantry received $176.98, U.M. ARMY s Adopt-a-Ramp program received $204.40, and UMCOR received $ toward Brinna Kolitz US-2 mission. Your generous donations will have a meaningful impact on each of these organizations. If you would like more information on the Alternative Christmas Gift program, please contact Tracie Nixon at tracienix@gmail.com or (860) If you would like more information on any of the listed missions, or if you would like to be involved in the NMUMC Mission Community, please contact Rita Iverson at (860) Give a Little Extra Project Working with Social Services in New Milford and Our Daily Bread, a project for Lent has been established for the church called Give a Little Extra. Peg Molina, Social Services Director, Jerry Jones and Ruthann Tomascak are helping to coordinate our project to benefit clients at both places. SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamps) does not include the purchase of household paper products, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products like soap and shampoo, or diapers. A collection box for donated items will be available and a more comprehensive list of items will be posted closer to Lent. Everyone is reminded of the sacrifice made for us by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is why you are being asked to Give a Little Extra and be part of a ministry to help someone else. New Milford Homeless Shelter Winter is upon us and the New Milford Homeless Shelter affords those without shelter a safe and warm place of rest for the night. From November through March, the shelter rotates monthly among four churches in town, is staffed nightly by two overnight volunteers, and provides a much needed service. This year with the cold weather there have been 6-10 guests nightly. In November, NMUMC offered to provide overnight volunteers for the Homeless Shelter during the week of January While not as successful as last year in attracting overnight volunteers from the congregation, we were able to provide six volunteers for the week: Larry and Pat Tripp, Rita Iverson, Sue Sterling, Chris Prause and Dave Kullgren. (Though not serving this week, Alan Bush and Sue Whitfield are monthly overnight volunteers as well.) Please take a moment and ask these volunteers about their experience. The shelter is always looking for overnight volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Geri Holland at (860) Community Garden Due to the difficulties experienced last season, the future of the garden (which is located on the south lawn of the church) is uncertain and currently being discussed. If you have any interest, thoughts or suggestions regarding the garden please contact Bill Ihlo at or Billihlo@gmail.com. Thank you. Mozambique Connection The work of the Mozambique Connection is basically threefold: (1) recruit and train volunteers for the New York Annual Conference (NYAC) Volunteer in Mission (VIM) teams that travel to Mozambique; (2) solicit sponsors and raise funds for scholarships for Mozambican students; (3) fund a project, where possible, which is requested by the Bishop of Mozambique or a project noted as a real need by VIM members. Now some further explanation of the above: 1. The 2013 NYAC VIM team will have four orientation meetings this spring; the trip dates are August 3 20, Applications for scholarships are received from Mozambican students primarily for post-high school education in Mozambique. Individuals or churches can sponsor a student. High school students can also be sponsored, since school is free (and compulsory) through age 12 only and family incomes are not great. 3. Some of the projects supported at present are a Farm Project in Lichinga, such as the one being developed at the orphanage; an English School; a small computer center staffed and open to clergy and the public in Beira. The NYAC was asked about the year 2000 to send its VIM teams to Beira which is urban and in the very northernmost part of Mozambique. Mozambique is a long, rather narrow, country in Eastern Africa along the Indian Ocean. The orphanage that Kay and Jerry Jones are helping is in Cambine, in the south and is not an urban area. NYAC teams went to Cambine and nearby Chicuque up to Everyone who has been on a VIM trip or who is interested in the mission to Mozambique is welcome to come to Connection meetings. The Connection meets six times a year. If you have any questions, please contact Bob or Joan Hoburg (860)

6 New Milford United Methodist Church Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid New Milford, CT Permit #6 68 Danbury Road, New Milford, CT ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED