Wesley United Methodist Church

Transcription

1 WESLEY MESSENGER Wesley United Methodist Church 40 West Main Street, Strasburg, PA Church address: Pastor s address: pastortimp@verizon.net Web: June 2014 Volume 6, Issue 6 Worship Schedule 8:30 am Traditional - 10:50 am Contemporary 9:45 am Holy Grounds Fellowship in Epworth 10:00 am Sunday School for all ages Sunday, 1 June - 7 th Sunday of Easter Matthew Essential Credential The Sacrament of Holy Baptism will be celebrated in the lives of Vivian Mae Hober & Miranda Jane Hober daughters of Harrison & Amy Hober The Sacrament of Holy Communion will be celebrated Sunday, 8 June - Pentecost Acts ; Blown Away! We pray for the celebration of Confirmation and the Sacrament of Holy Baptism in the lives of our youth Sunday, 15 June - Trinity Sunday Father s Day Luke God s Design - Father Sunday, 22 June - 2 nd Sunday after Pentecost 1 Samuel 1.1-2, 10-11, God s Design - Mother The Sacrament of Holy Baptism will be celebrated in the life of Wyatt Andrew Messer son of Kevin & Ashley Messer Sunday, 29 June - 3 rd Sunday after Pentecost Genesis a God s Design - Marriage Office Hours: M, T, Th, & F 8:00am-1:00pm Office Phone: Rev. Timothy J. Patterson - Pastor Tyler Williams - Praise Leader Kim Badman - Organist Holly Miller - Secretary Judy Heiney - Treasurer/Finance Sec

2 Pastor s Ponderings This morning was the time I had set aside to work on this Newsletter article. But instead, as is so often the case, my morning began with a ministry challenge. Liana Kieley dropped in to discuss VBS. Liana is our VBS coordinator. She reported experiencing a tough time of it. The answer No was in abundance and Volunteers to help with VBS were very hard to find. Even for the Friday night Pot-Luck picnic, there just wasn t anyone willing to take it on. Though we kicked around many ideas, we found no answers. After she had departed for work, feeling very low in spirit, I turned to a book of meditations I received at a conference on the Power of the Holy Spirit I attended some years back. Given the VBS conversation Liana and I had just engaged in, I was deeply struck by the story I opened to. To be sure, the story was about Thanksgiving, not VBS. But on the other hand I thought, as I meditated on the story with chills running up and down my spine, it has EVERYTHING to do with what Liana and I were just talking about. And so, without further ado, I offer the story to you for your own meditation. A story from Perceptions: Observations on Everyday Life, Volume II, by Jeff Spiller (Durham, Inc., 2004) A few days before Thanksgiving a widow told her pastor how sad, lonely and empty she felt. He listened and said: I want you to go visit a poor, elderly couple in our church who are sick. She wanted someone to console her, not be commissioned for work. She left the pastor s office grumbling. But, she decided to go. She found their tiny apartment and met the old couple. Not only were they sick, they were even more fearful that one of them would have to enter a nursing home. On Thanksgiving Day, this lady got up at 5 a.m., made a turkey dinner with all its trimmings and delivered it to the apartment. The next week, she profusely thanked her pastor and said: It s been a long time since I cooked a turkey. But I want you to know this was the best Thanksgiving I ve had in years. When we serve others, it clears our perspective in remarkable ways. Helping others in need often meets our needs as well. Peace and Grace Pastor Tim Patterson Pastor s Schedule Monday, 2 June 7:00 pm - DS meeting w/ad Council & Finance A Pastor s vacation year runs July 1 - June 30. During the month of June, as it may not carry over, Pastor Tim will be exhausting his unused vacation. Tues-Thurs, 3-5 June - Pastor on Vacation Friday, 6 June Pastor s Day Off Monday 9 June 11:30 am - Peer Meeting; Reading Monday 9 June 6:00 pm - Lay Leaders Monday 9 June 7:00 pm - Ad Council Tues-Thurs, June - Pastor on Vacation Friday, 13 June - Pastor s Day Off Mon-Thurs, June - Pastor on Vacation Friday, 20 June - Pastor s Day Off Saturday, 21 June - Pastor on Vacation Sunday, 22 June 1:00 pm - Safe Sanctuary Training; Sanctuary Monday, 23 June 7:00-8:00 am L-S Y Board of Managers Tues-Wed, June - Pastor on Vacation Thursday, 26 June 11:00 am-3:00 pm - Main Street Evangelism Thursday, 26 June 5:00 pm - Graybill/Schlee Rehearsal Friday, 27 June 4:00 pm - Graybill/Schlee Wedding Saturday, 28 June - Pastor s Day Off Monday, 30 June 7:00 pm - SPRC Pastor s Drop-in Office Hours Monday, Wednesday & Thursday mornings Other times by appointment through the church office or the Pastor s - pastortimp@verizon.net. Pastoral Emergency In the event of a pastoral emergency, during those times when I am unavailable or away on vacation, please call a member of the Pastor s Away Team: Ginny Gardner, Lay Leader Maria Llinas, Lay Leader Bill Hawes, Chair, Ad Council Holly Miller, Secretary TRUSTEES ON-CALL SCHEDULE June Tom Fish ( ) & Dave Work ( ) July Don Herr ( ) & John Yoder ( ) Trustees on call, rather than Pastor Tim, should be called first in the case of an emergency. 2

3 Contact Information Church Office The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. ~ Proverbs 1.7a Christian Education Open, Co-Chairs Carol McComsey, Creative Christian Kids & VBS wesleychildren@verizon.net Liana Kieley, Creative Christian Teens wesleycct@verizon.net Nursery Beginning at 10:00 am each Sunday in the Infant Nursing & Changing Room located at the right on the lower level as you descend the stairs from the lobby. We are excited to have a Nursery Sunday School class each week at 10:00 AM. Children up to age 5 are welcome to attend. Taught by Kerri Shindle and Bonnie Yoder, our time together includes a Bible story & review, craft time, and a snack. Each week, free play stations are set up with toys that reflect that week s lesson. Please have your little ones join us in June. Our unit value will be Love as we discover that God Loves Families. Questions may be directed to Kerri Shindle at or at noahsrainbow@comcast.net. Children s Sunday School & Children s Chapel Sunday School & Children s Chapel are centered in the Fellowship Hall Building. 10:00 Parents sign-in children for Sunday School in Fellowship Hall 10:45 am - Parents pickup children in Fellowship Hall 11:05 am - Children released to Chapel from Worship Parents pickup children in Fellowship Hall at conclusion of Worship Middle/High School Sunday School Meeting in the Youth Room at 10:05-10:35 am Pastor Tim is leading the Middle/High School Sunday School class. Each Sunday the class discusses topics of significant Bible characters/stories and our every day relationship with God. For those students who have so prepared, Baptism and/or Confirmation will be celebrated on Pentecost Sunday, June 8 th. Adult Sunday School There will be 3 Sunday School Electives for Adults to choose from: In September, the Wrestling with Words Sunday school class will be reading and studying John Irving s novel, A Prayer for Owen Meaney. Owen is a very odd child who becomes a very unusual young man. He is one of two eleven-year-old boys best friends playing a baseball game and hits a foul ball that kills his best friend s mother. The boy who hit the ball doesn t believe in accidents; Owen Meany believes he is God s instrument (from the dust jacket). This moving and very funny novel is a story of belief and doubt. If you would like to share in the class, please contact Roy Rineer. Short Term Studies is designed to offer participants the opportunity to meet God and to grow through Bible study. Topics such as prayer, commitment, character, etc. will be studied in approximately 6-week sessions. Making use of study booklets which often incorporate Bible lessons with study questions, the class provides a welcoming atmosphere for those who might be new to a Bible study. The class meets in Fellowship Hall and is facilitated by Carol Rice Inquirers Class meets in Asbury 103. We are currently sharing in Topical Conversation and Study. If you have been considering Sunday School, this is a GREAT time for a visit!!! This class is facilitated by Carrie Patterson

4 Wesley Youth Group The vision of Wesley s Youth Ministry is to transform lives in order to make a difference! The goal of the youth ministry is for the student to be able to live out his or her faith in everyday life while reaching out and sharing his or her faith to others. All students in grades 6 through 12 are encouraged to come! All friends are also welcome! We will be studying our new student devotionals. Wesley s Youth Group meets on Sunday evenings from 6-8 pm. DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED! Youth Ministry at Wesley We Need Your Help!!! HELP WANTED: Do you have a passion to work with teens and want to pour your life into a teen s life? Then take some time and volunteer with our Youth Ministry at Wesley UMC! There are many opportunities for you to help: you can provide snacks and drinks, lead games, lead Bible studies, spend time with the teens, etc. Take time to impact the lives of our youth! Contact Mandy Sullivan at SullivanAJ91@gmail.com / Contact Information Amanda Sullivan, Youth Leader wesleystrasburgyouth@verizon.net or Carol McComsey, CCK (Creative Christian Kids) Leader wesleychildren@verizon.net or Liana Kieley, CCT (Creative Christian Teens) Leader wesleycct@verizon.net or ** ATTENTION ** SAFE SANCTUARY A one-hour Safe Sanctuary presentation by Pastor Tim Patterson will be offered Sunday, June 22, in Epworth immediately following the second service (12:30 p.m.). The presentation is open to all members, staff and friends in need of clearances or the renewal of clearances. A light lunch & child care will be provided. Creative Christian Teens Summer Schedule All 5th grade graduates welcome! (Here comes middle school yea!) 6th, 7th & 8th graders: Invite your friends! June 4: June 25: July 16: Community Service Project & Ice Cream Hiking & Prep Work for VBS Decoration (Looking for parent volunteer to tag along and provide transportation to an easy trail right outside of Strasburg.) Lesson We will end early at 5:00 p.m. the week of VBS. July 30: Community Service Project August 20: Cherry Crest Corn Maze (Looking for parent volunteer to tag along and provide transportation. Your entrance fee will be paid.) August 27: School is back in session. Games! Games!! Games!!! For CCT ways you can help, contact Liana Kieley at lianajkieley@gmail.com or call

5 VBS MISSION PROJECT: BREAKFAST BAGS Items needed are: Granola/Fruit Bars Juice Boxes Individual Servings of Dried Fruit or Fruit Cup Individually Wrapped Tea Bags Sandwich Size Ziplock Bags WORKSHOP OF WONDERS Come Imagine Build with God! VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL July to 8:30 p.m. Questions about how you can help or donate? Contact Liana Kieley at ITEMS NEEDED FOR VBS Support Vacation Bible School this summer with your donations of VBS decorations and group project items. Here are some suggestions: bubble wrap, cardboard tubes (toilet paper, paper towel, wrapping paper), cardboard egg cartons, spray paint (various colors), PVC pipes & elbows (½"-1"), large rolls of paper, marbles, ping pong balls, tape (masking, packing), aluminum foil, newspaper (not ads), boxes (all sizes). You will find a collection bin in the lobby. Any questions? Contact Liana Kieley at Chair - Pete Kingsley Dave Work Chris Heisner Sheila Dunlap John Yoder Tom Fish Mike Lockard Don Herr Andy Nauman Many of you have noticed how drab and ugly the flower beds are when entering the front of the Church through the entry hall. The Trustees, in conjunction with a landscaper, have developed a plot plan to beautify this area. Unfortunately, funding the beautification plan is a problem. We are hoping that the members of the congregation will help complete this project by donating to the project in general or by donating the funds to purchase a specific tree or bush. The following list of bushes will cost from $15 to $25 each, depending on size: 3 exberry azaleas, 3 PJM rhododendron, 1 cottoneaster, 1 regular rhodendron, 3 either regular azaleas or repanden yews. In addition, 1 small flowering tree will be planted, either a redbud or a split leaf maple. A large rock will be placed next to the cross with perennials planted around the cross. In addition, day lilies and daffodils will be scattered throughout the planting. Your help on this project is greatly appreciated. To make a donation or to have any questions answered, please contact Tom Fish ( ) or see any Trustee. Wesley Memorial Garden offers a peaceful and dignified final resting place for the cremated human remains of our church members, their immediate family, or members who have moved away. A choice of single in-ground burial, double in-ground burial or burial in the communal underground receptacle is offered. For inquiries, please contact any committee member if you have questions or would like to have your loved one s cremated remains laid to rest in the garden. Barb Rathbone Frank ( ) Pete Kingsley ( ) Norm Mable ( ) 5

6 Carrie Patterson, Chair Kathy Boyce Lynda Houck Carol Rice Team Wesley & Pennies for Missions John 15:12: This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Team Wesley 2014 traveled to Crisfield, Maryland the week of April 27, 2014 to help with the 2011 FLOODS AND SANDY RESPONSE Recovery. Crisfield is the southernmost town in Maryland. Please see one of the traveling team members to discuss this outpouring of God s love to those in desperate need. Team members were Lynda Houck, Betty Heffner, Laura Martin, Carrie Patterson, Bob Marshall, Rich Shindle, and Pastor Tim Patterson. Team Wesley 2015 will begin preparing for next year s trip at our meeting on Tuesday, June 3. Please prayerfully consider joining the Team as part of the Travel Team or as part of the Ground Crew that helps at Mission Team events. People of all ages are welcome ~ children, teens, singles, families, men, women, and seniors. There is a place for you! God has provided us with so many blessings and gifts. Why not use your special gifts to serve the Lord by helping those in need? Please contact team leader Lynda Houck at for more information. THANK YOU for your continued support of Team Wesley! It is amazing what we can accomplish when we work together to serve our Lord!! Pennies for Missions collected $68.83 in April. To participate, all you have to do is have each family member place 2 pennies in your soup can for every meal that they eat. Every penny collected will be used to support a mission project of Wesley UMC. On the last Sunday of each month, please bring your Pennies for Missions can to church so that the children of Wesley can collect the pennies during the Children s Lesson. This is a fantastic opportunity for all of God s Children to support Wesley s Mission Projects. Attention Grocery Shoppers! If you are a grocery shopper at the Strasburg Market Basket, why not consider picking up a grocery card from the table in the Epworth Room to take with you when you do your weekly food shopping? For every $25 you spend, the Market Basket initials/stamps the card. When the card is full, it is worth $15 for our church s general fund. When your card is full, just put it in Lily Williams mailbox. Thank you to the Market Basket for continuing to support us with this venture and thank you shoppers of the Market Basket who utilize your grocery cards for your purchases. 6

7 PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY An outreach ministry to those in need. If there is a loved one or friend that you would like to have a shawl or wrap, please contact Joyce Strubel or Ruby Botham and we will have one made for them! If you are interested in knitting or crocheting a prayer shawl or wrap, we will be glad to give you any information we have. Information is also available if you would like to know more about the prayer shawls or how the ministry started. Clothing Bank In conjunction with the Power Packs feeding ministry, we are in the process of developing a 1-Stop-Shop here at Wesley which incorporates both food and clothing. Much needed clothing has been distributed to a number of families. Praise God!!! We are still currently in the process of formalizing the means for receiving donations and welcoming volunteers. Watch for Announcements through the Sunday Bulletin & Power Point! Interested in helping or have questions? Contact Andrea Rice ; ajoyrice@comcast.net MISSION WORK DAY Mission Central - September 13, 2014 Please consider joining Wesley for a Mission Work Day. You will have an opportunity to serve people in need locally as well as globally. There is work for all, so mark your calendar for this day of service! 1 - Stop - Shop Praise God! We celebrate your outpouring of hygiene products during April s Mission Challenge. Demand was so great that our inventory is all but exhausted. Thank you for your generous support of our Lampeter-Strasburg School District families. June Mission Challenge June is Household Cleaning Supplies month. You are invited to bring to worship your gifts of Household Cleaning Supplies to help local families keep their homes bright. 7