GLASSBORO FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH GUMWRAPPER. April & May 2018 PUERTO RICO MISSION

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1 Page1 GLASSBORO FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH GUMWRAPPER April & May 2018 PUERTO RICO MISSION PUERTO RICO MISSION BENEFIT CONCERT will be on May 12th at PITMAN UMC. The cost for the event is $20 which includes Taste of Puerto Rico dinner and concert or $5 for concert only with a Love offering. Tickets are on sale in the narthex, or available on the website at It's going to be a powerful night of communities coming together for the cause! Dinner begins at 5:00PM followed by the concert at 6:00PM. All proceeds go towards Puerto Rico Mission Trip Summer 2018

2 Page2 It s been six months, already! Yet, the news and social media tell stories of the work that is yet to be done in Puerto Rico. A team from First United Methodist, Glassboro yes, us is ready to answer the call to help. In fact, we believe that we are the first church from southern New Jersey to step forward. Our team, under the leadership of Pat Heritage, is preparing to be in Puerto Rico between July 7th and 14th. We are working with UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), UMVIM (United Methodist Volunteers in Mission) and the Methodist Conference of Puerto Rico to identify a location and match our skills with the needs of the community. Jessica Brodie wrote an article published on March 16, 2018 saying, Driving through San Juan and into the mountains of northern Puerto Rico, it s hard to tell what is hurricane damage versus storm-exposed poverty. To read the entire article, go to It is evident that we can be of help. We can be the hands of Christian love and support. We can make a difference. As we prepare for this journey, the team wants to invite the congregation to be a part of this mission trip. Where you might be unable to go, you can support us in the fundraising praise band dinner and benefit concert (May 12th), in a 24-hour prayer vigil (tentatively June 12th), through donations (available through the on-line giving link at and through regular prayer. There will be more information coming through our various communication outlets, so keep in touch. Information about the team will be published in the next issue. If you would like more information immediately, contact Pat Heritage, Brian Mickle, or David Walters. Great Might and Glory Thank you for being a God who always cares, who always sees and hears, and above all who is always near. Not only does He do all of these things in caring for us but He does it many times before we even ask! Ask and you shall receive. Knock and it shall be opened. He does tell us. Never, in any situation will He leave us alone. Oh! We may think and even feel we are! But He promised He would be there at the asking. His heart, eyes, and ears are attentive and always open to us. His word as an ocean with many branches streaming off, watering all. Steadily flows it does with His word till He returns mighty and in glory fulfilling all. Well-watered, strengthened and mature people in His word we will be. Penned by the late Ann Palmer

3 Page3 Easter is eternal If Easter means anything to modern man, it means that eternal truth is eternal. You may nail it to the tree, wrap it up in grave clothes and seal it in a tomb. But truth crushed to earth shall rise again. Truth does not perish. It cannot be destroyed. It may be distorted. It has been silenced temporarily. It has been compelled to carry its cross to Calvary s brow but with an inevitable certainty, after every Black Friday dawns truth s Easter morn. Our true power source Donald H. Tippet The story is told of someone who plugged a power strip into itself and then couldn t understand why the system wouldn t turn on! We get a kick out of such tales, yet how often do we try to power our own lives? We frequently think we need to be the source of our own strength, joy, peace, energy and wisdom. Jesus doesn t teach us to find life within ourselves or in any human being or earthly circumstance, object or philosophy. Rather, calling himself the good shepherd, Jesus says, I have come that [my sheep] may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). We don t access that abundant life by plugging into ourselves. Instead, Jesus invites us to plug into his power and joy, peace, hope, truth through prayer and Scripture, worship and service, fellowship with other Christians and the beauty of God s world. True victory In the early Christian church, especially in the East, it became customary to adorn the heads of the newly baptized with flower garlands. The practice was likely borrowed from secular society, in which such wreaths symbolized victory and joy. Just as the winners in sporting events wore wreaths to celebrate their triumphs, new Christians donned them to represent the crown of life promised to those who love God (James 1:12). In athletics, all participants must work hard and only one wins. But Christ won the victory of salvation and bestows it on us as a free gift. Even our ability to love God is a gift of the Holy Spirit. And there s no limit to how many people can win!

4 Page4 Thanks, Mom! At his graduation, a young man tasked with giving a speech began reading from some notes. I want to talk about my mother and the wonderful influence she had on my life, he said. She s a shining example of parenthood, and I love her more than words can ever do justice. The graduate then paused, appeared to struggle a moment and looked up at the audience with a mischievous smile. It s really hard to read my mom s handwriting, he said. In good hands As Jesus prepared his disciples for his departure, they were full of questions Where are you going? How will we know the way there? Would you please just show us the Father? and not very satisfied with his answers. So Jesus promised to send them another Helper (John 14:16, ESV). And we can almost hear them protesting, like kids bemoaning a favorite coach s retirement or church members grieving a beloved pastor s call to serve elsewhere: Oh, great. Someone new for us to get to know. It won t be the same. It won t be you. Except the word another has two forms in Greek: another just like this one and another, different version. And when the author of John translated Jesus Aramaic into Greek, the first definition was the accurate one. Jesus was assuring his disciples they d be in good hands, at peace and secure because the new Helper the Holy Spirit would be another just like him. based on Fearless, by Max Lucado The birth of Mother's Day Special dates National Day of Prayer, May 3, 2018 Ascension, May 10, 2018 Mother s Day, May 13, 2018 Armed Forces Day, May 19, 2018 Pentecost, May 20, 2018 Trinity Sunday, May 27, 2018 Memorial Day, May 28, 2018 Anna M. Jarvis ( ) loved her mother dearly. It was Miss Jarvis who first suggested a national day to honor all mothers. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10, 1908, Anna gave a carnation, her mother s favorite flower, to each person in attendance. Within a few years, the idea to honor mothers gained popularity, and Mother s Day was soon observed annually in many large cities of the United States. On May 9, 1914, by an act of congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday of May as Mother s Day. He established the day as a time for public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country. By then, it had become customary to wear white carnations in honor of departed mothers and red carnations to honor the living. The custom continues to this day.

5 Page5 Pentecost petals The Pantheon, dedicated in 126 A.D. as the home of ancient Roman gods, is now a Catholic basilica. In a tradition dating back to the seventh century, on Pentecost Sunday thousands of rose petals are dropped through the roof s opening onto worshipers below. The red petals symbolize the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus disciples, as well as the blood Jesus shed on the cross. To accomplish this rose rain, five firefighters climb to the roof after mass. While the choir sings the ancient hymn Veni Creator Spiritus ( Come Creator Spirit ), firefighters empty seven bags of petals through the building s 27-foot-wide oculus, or eye in the sky. Only a fortunate few can witness this spectacular event in person each year, but videos are available online. Following God s lead Jazz musician Thomas Dorsey traveled an unlikely road to become the father of black gospel music. At age 11, he dropped out of school to be a vaudeville performer and blues pianist. While Dorsey recovered from a nervous breakdown at age 21, his mother urged him to serve the Lord with his talents. It took several years, but the musician committed to composing spiritual songs rejected by many mainstream churches as the devil s music. In 1932, after Dorsey s wife and infant son died during childbirth, he channeled his grief into the piano, writing Precious Lord, Take My Hand. Known to be a favorite song of Martin Luther King Jr., it ends with these lyrics: Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light. Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home. KIDS NIGHT OUT - Saturday, April 28 from 5pm-7pm. All kids Kindergarten through 6th grade will experience dinner, worship with Glow party, crafts, games and a whole lot of fun! Your help is needed! We need kitchen helpers, craft helpers, and game helpers. If you can help in any way, please sign up in the narthex or see any Education Team Member. YOUTH SUNDAY- April 29 the youth will lead our worship service. There is only one service at 11:00AM. Sunday School will be at the regular time of 9:45AM. Ben Inverso will be baptized during this service by our District Superintendent, Rev. Glenn Conaway.

6 Page6 WALKERS FOR HOPE - RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM FUNDRAISER Paint night, Friday, May 4, 2018, 7:00 9:00PM in the Fellowship Hall. The cost is $35.00 per person. Bring a snack to share. Beverages provided. Please contact Ginger Sinning for reservations by April 30 at snaps64@verizon.net or FIRST UMC SCHOLARSHIP The Trustees will be awarding college scholarships to graduating High School Seniors who are members of FUMC, Glassboro. Please pick up the application and guidelines from the Church office, complete and return to the Church office by May 6. WENDY S NIGHT- The UMW is sponsoring this event at the Glassboro Wendy s on Delsea Drive, Wednesday, May 23 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Wendy s will donate a portion of the evening s profits to our church. The proceeds benefit our mission trip to Puerto Rico. ADOPT A PLANT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER URBAN GARDEN Would you, your family or your group like to help the Neighborhood Center of Camden s Urban Farm/Garden Project? Adopt a plant! Pick a plant from our list. Plant the seeds. Put on your windowsill & give them a little love & water. Supplies are provided, delivered to you or picked up at the Fellowship House. For more information on, contact Mary Boltz at rnboltz@aol.com or

7 Page7 CHURCH DIRECTORY If you missed having your picture taken for the directory, we could schedule a time for the photographer to come and take pictures. If you are interested, please let the church office know. Please call the church office if you need to update your information in the current directory. We need to have 15 before the photographer comes. HERITAGE HOAGIE TICKETS - The UMW is offering Heritage Hoagie tickets outside the Memorial Room after each service every Sunday. Tickets are $6.50 each, which includes hoagie and beverage of choice. To purchase tickets, contact Joan Aveni or Audeen Conklin THE UNITED METHODIST WOMEN INGATHERING FOR We are collecting the following items: Size D batteries (only) for Puerto Rico; Aluminum Tabs for McDonald House, Education Box Tops for Ranch Hope, Baby Hats for hospitals, and Lap Robes for nursing homes. NO Campbell soup labels or Postage Stamps. A box is in the Narthex for ingathering items. LADIES SPRING BANQUET is Monday, April 30, 6:00PM. This year s theme is Quilted Memories. Please feel free to bring a favorite quilt and include a short history if desired as the quilts will be displayed for all to enjoy. Our guest speaker, Marilyn Appel, will do a presentation on quilts and quilting. We will be collecting boxes of cereal for the Samaritan Center and the Malaga Motel missions. Price is $12/adult, $6 for children ages 4-12, free 3 and under. Please call Joan Aveni at 589-3l96 for reservations by April 25. There's something new on our website! Now you can visit glassboromethodist.org if you miss a Sunday's sermon or you would like to hear it again. Open the WORSHIP page to find an MP4 file that will play both the audio and the visual portion of the service. Some weeks the selection may come from the contemporary "Elevate" service, some weeks the excerpt will be from the traditional service, and some weeks, there may be both. This feature is a baby step in the attempt to broaden the worship experience, but it is a start. As webmaster, I hope you enjoy it. Nancy Walters

8 Page8 OUR STAFF Pastor: Rev. John Inverso, Parsonage Tel , Director of Education: Brian Mickle, Director of Young Adult & Campus Ministry: Melodie Norton, Director of Contemporary Worship & Media: Alan Norton Jr., Director of Visitation and Hospitality: Charlie Adams, Minister of Music: William Mitchell Office Manager: Janet Blohm Secretary: Donna Pfeil-Mickle Gumwrapper Editor: Robin McGuigan, Church Address: 61 N Academy Street, Glassboro, NJ Church Contact Information: 60 State Street, Glassboro, NJ Tel: glassboromethodist1@comcast.net Website: Follow us on Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/glassboroumc Office Hours: 9:00AM to 2:00PM Mon-Thurs; 9:00AM to 1:00PM Fri