Rev. Tom Lank Returns to PUMC. In This Issue 1. Rev. Tom Lank Returns to PUMC. February 2017

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1 February 2017 Princeton United Methodist Church We are a diverse community joyfully responding to God s love and growing as disciples of Christ, by nurturing, teaching, reaching and serving all people. Rev. Tom Lank Returns to PUMC Welcome back to Rev. Tom Lank! He and his family return to PUMC on Sunday, February 12 so that he can speak at the breakfast served by United Methodist Men. His topic: United Methodist Volunteers in Mission. Tom is a United Methodist Deacon and a product of Princeton UMC, where he discerned his call to ministry as a layperson, and served on staff as the Associate Pastor from Tom led the mission trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo that launched PUMC's strong support for United Front Against Riverblindness. He currently serves as the Coordinator of the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission program for the Northeastern Jurisdiction, covering United Methodist congregations from Maine to West Virginia to Washington, DC. Tom, his wife Gretchen Boger, and their two children, Edith (11) and Alice (8) currently live in Philadelphia. Tom will also be preaching both services that Sunday. In This Issue 1. Rev. Tom Lank Returns to PUMC 2. Preparing for Worship & Upcoming Events 3. Notes from the Pastor 4. Adult Education, 5. Circle of Friends, Help Open Our Doors, Upcoming Events, Membership News 6. Report from Church Council 7. Music Ministry 8. Valentines For Food 9. GNJ Corner, Our Church in the World 10. ASP Dinner Auction UMM cooks the tasty hot breakfast, but it's not 'just for guys.' Everyone is invited; a $5 donation is suggested. 1

2 Preparing for Worship Blurb for February s stuff Life In Community Date Sermon Scripture Preacher February 5 Holy Communion Life in Community Isaiah 58:1-12 Jana Purkis-Brash February 12 Bible Presentation Life in Community Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Tom Lank February 19 Life in Community: Loving Your Neigh- Leviticus 19:1-2,9-18 Skitch Matson bor as Yourself February 26 Life in Community Exodus 24:12-18 Jana Purkis-Brash Upcoming February Events Sunday 5: Thursday 9: Saturday 11: Sunday 12: Monday 13: Holy Communion ASP Subs Pick Up Date Communications Committee Threads of Hope Breakfast sponsored by the UMM Education Committee Outreach Committee Save the Dates Lenten Season Ash Wednesday Wednesday, March 1 Palm Sunday Sunday, April 9 Good Friday Friday, April 14 Easter Sunday, April 16 Tuesday 14: Wednesday 15: Monday 20: Monday 27: Circle of Friends Newsletter Deadline Stewardship/Finance Committee Membership Committee Staff Parish Committee Do you have something you d like to see included in the newsletter? Committee news, an upcoming event? Contact newsletter@princetonumc.org. The deadline for March s issue is February 15th. 2

3 Notes from the Pastor I ve recently been in a lot of planes. Some trips were for pleasure, other for work, and others for family emergencies. Like many people, I always have a little bit of anxiety mixed with a dash of hope when it comes to seating arrangements. But when it comes down to it, I don t ask for much: If I can pass the pleasantries with you and not smell your body odor, I call it a win. This last trip was a particularly long flight and I was hoping to get an extra bit of legroom, but the intercom interrupted my dreams, On today s flight, every seat will be full. And then it happened. In one moment, through what felt like slow motion, my fate was sealed: I met eyes with a total stranger. The middle seat (oh, that dreaded middle seat!) would now be filled. My dreams of relaxing would now be lost. However, in the thirteen hours of travel that day, this seat-stealer became a grace a gift I didn t deserve to me. Filing into our seats at church sounds similar, doesn t it? We walk into the service and take our seat, hoping we don t get too close to the stranger on our left. We make sure to give the normal pleasantries during the passing of the peace, but we don t always give our full attention. Then, we sit quietly and hear Biblical texts of God s action in the world being mediated through ordinary people, forgetting that that is exactly who surrounds us. Could God s love really come through the person on our right? Or, could we be a grace to someone else? What would it take for us to go the extra mile, make eye contact, introduce ourselves, and share a piece of our lives with one another? What would it look for us to be courageous in sharing our messy life story with one another, while also being gracious in receiving the intricacies of another s life story? What would it look like Well, I think it would look like a community that no one could resist. Let s take the first step; let s be courageous; let s stick out our hand, and have a full conversation; and let s look forward to being surprised by God. Because, if God likes working through ordinary people whose lives aren t perfect, then God likes working through you and me. -Pastor Skitch 3

4 Adult Education The Contemporary Issues Class is starting a new study based on "The Unwinding" by George Packer. Through a series of glimmering short essays, Packer has put together a story of how wealth has concentrated itself in the United States in the second half of the twentieth century, and the first decade of the 21st. "We meet every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Library. We welcome new class members," says Charles Phillips. The Heart of Faith class meets in Fellowship Hall on Sundays at 9:30. Led by Rev. Don Brash, it will study the differences between the Word as Jesus of Nazareth, the word as the preaching of the preacher, and the Word as the messages of the Scriptures. "We will explore the possible ways of understanding God s relationship to the words of the Bible and the words of the preacher," says Don. He is associate professor of historical theology at Palmer Theological Seminary. Everyone is welcome. Communications Surveys Thanks to all who filled out the communications surveys in January. The Communications Committee has already taken some of your suggestions to heart! One parent asked for more notice about important dates in the church calendar, and you will find Save the Date announcements throughout this issue. Another person wanted to hear more news from the conference headquarters and national headquarters, and we added that on page 9. The strategic plan for our own church council is on page 6. If you didn t get a chance to tell how you like to get church news, copies of the survey will be on the table in the lobby to the Sanford Davis room. If you have more comments, please communications@princetonumc.org. To get the conference newsletter by , go to February Communion Offering On February 5, 2017, celebrate and support the work of Trenton Area Soup Kitchen through our Communion Offering. On a cold day in January of 1982, sixty hungry people gathered for a free meal in the basement of a Trenton church. By the end of that year, more than 40,000 meals had been served, and Trenton Area Soup Kitchen was born! Today volunteers help the TASK staff serve more than 3,500 meals a week in their primary facility at 72 ½ Escher Street, and satellite locations in South Trenton, West Trenton, Hightstown, and right here at Princeton UMC. TASK also ministers to the needy in our community through adult education, computer training, health care counseling, screening and referrals, social services, children's activities, and arts and crafts. TASK will be expanding their education and community facilities this year to embrace and support patrons in the City of Trenton. Your contribution supports this growing agency in a time of growing need. Thank you for your generosity. 4

5 Circle of Friends February Meeting The Circle of Friends will meet in the Fellowship Hall on Tuesday, February 14th at 10:30 a.m. to make Valentine/ thinking of you cards for residents at the United Methodist Homes. If you have any extra used cards, construction paper, and markers please bring them. All women in the church are welcome to attend. Bring your own lunch. Dessert and drinks will be provided. Upcoming Events SAVE THE DATE March 25 OUTBOUND, a day for evangelism April 8 UFAR African Soiree June 4 Confirmation April 23 - Children's Choir Musical April 30 - Youth Choir Musical and Communiversity Help Open Our Doors? So many people come to the new part of our church for meetings, support groups, rehearsals, and the Wednesday meals served by Cornerstone Community Kitchen. With its "Sunny After Dark" coffee shop, The Feed Truck Cafe now reaches out to the community, focusing on students but open to all. The Cafe door opens to Vandeventer. We are also trying to reach community members by opening our doors onto Nassau Street. Our A frame sign says "the doors are open for meditation in the chapel or tours of our Tiffany windows." As soon as we put it out, people start coming in, one group every five or 10 minutes. On one cold winter Sunday, we had 26 visitors in three hours. Half were residents, half tourists. Some are curious to see our century -old sanctuary. Some want to meditate. They are all inspired by the gorgeous windows. Often they stay to pray in the chapel or take pictures in the balcony. Many want to contribute; proceeds from sale of the greeting cards will subsidize printing costs for the inspirational brochure. The Tiffany Task Force (Marv Ostberg, Duncan Hartley, Rick Engel, Dana Dreibelbis, Susan Lidstone, and Barbara Fox) seeks to add people to the team. Right now we are open on Sundays and Fridays from noon to 1:30. With more volunteers we can stay open more days. For information, call Marv Ostberg at or mostberg@aol.com. It's exciting and fun. You can give the tour -- or merely provide the self-guided tour brochure and offer a place to meditate. Whether our guests are sightseers or neighbors, we pray they will find a moment's respite. Membership News In this section of the newsletter, we celebrate our members! If you have significant news you d like to share, please submit it newsletter@princetonumc.org. Wedding Announcement Suzanne Elizabeth Houston married Douglas Halling West III on January 15, 2017 at the Shakespeare Theatre of NJ in Madison, NJ. Suzanne is the daughter of Kay Houston. 5

6 Report from Church Council One of the main responsibilities of our Church Council is to make strategic plans. In recent months, we've been discussing and prayerfully considering our 2017 goals and the strategies to achieve these goals. The backdrop to all we do is the mission statement of the United Methodist Church, as well as our own PUMC mission statement. Below you will find the highlights of this process, which were also shared with the congregation during worship on January 29. As we go forward, we will share more details, plans and updates. We invite you to be active participants in helping us our reach our goals through your prayers, feedback, and involvement. -- Tracey Feick-Lee, Church Council Chair. 6

7 Music Ministry February Children s and Youth Choir Schedule Children s Choir Wednesday, February 1: Regular Rehearsals Sunday, February 5: We sing for 9:30 am Worship Service, Please meet at 8:45 am in the Sanctuary Wednesday, February 8: Regular Rehearsals Wednesday, February 15: Regular Rehearsals Wednesday, February 22: Regular Rehearsals Youth Choir Sunday, February 5: Regular Rehearsal Sunday, February 12: We sing for 9:30 am Worship Service, Please meet at 8:50 am in the Sanctuary Sunday, February 12: Regular Rehearsal Sunday, February 19: Regular Rehearsal Sunday February 26: Regular Rehearsal Lend us your voice during Lent! Have you ever tried to give up chocolates and caffeine or tried fasting during the Lenten season? But giving up something you love is not the only way to get ready for Easter. Why don t you add a new thing, like singing in a choir, rather than fasting? Join the chancel choir from February 15 through Easter Sunday. It will be meaningful to devote your time and your voice as a choir member during Lent. Choir rehearsal is on Wednesdays at 7:30pm. (On Ash Wednesday at 7 for the 7:30 p.m. service). I'm looking forward to seeing you! -- Hyosang Park. Good Friday Concert rehearsal starts on February 15. Calling all singers who love to sing for a special occasion. Come to Wednesday rehearsals starting on February 22 to sing for the Good Friday concert on April 14. The first 30 to 40 minutes of each rehearsal will be dedicated to the Good Friday concert music. "If you join the choir, you will be the first one to know the program," says Hyosang Park, music director. There will be no rehearsal on 3/1 due to the Ash Wednesday service. Dress rehearsal is on Wednesday, April 12 at 7:30pm. Lend us your voice! Bible Presentation Save the Date! During worship on February 12, our fourth graders will be presented with their very own Bibles. Come support them in their next step of faith development. 7

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9 GNJ Corner News From the Annual Conference Register Now for A Day on Evangelism Learn best practices in social media and video, explore new ministry expressions and reaching millennials, find out how to turn around a conflicted church or start a multi-cultural ministry. OUTBOUND will be held at Bethany Wayne UMC from 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Click here for more info and to register. Pray Our Way Forward Jan Feb. 4 Bishop Schol invites all United Methodists in GNJ to join him in Phase 2 of 'Praying our Way Forward' - the Council of Bishops' prayer initiative which is taking place now through Spring, Click here to register your commitment to prayer. Graceful Controversies Registration Open All laity and clergy from GNJ are invited into a deeper conversation to develop hopes and aspirations for the future of The United Methodist Church. The gathering called Graceful Controversies will be held on March 4. For more info and resources, click here. Registration closes Feb. 10. Youth and Young Adult Mission Opportunities Looking for a great mission experience for your youth or young adults group? Click here for more info or Jennifer Vastardis. 40 United Methodists in New U.S. Congress The overall number of United Methodists in U.S. Congress has dipped to 40, but at least two appointees to President-elect Trump's Cabinet are United Methodists. Read the story here. UM Judicial Council to Meet in Newark in April The Judicial Council will hold its spring meeting April at the Hilton Newark Penn Station Hotel. Click here to see docket. Our Church in the World Monday, February 6, 7 p.m. Howard C. Stevenson Jr., author of Promoting Racial Literacy in Schools: Differences that Make a Difference part of the Continuing Conversations series of Not in Our Town Princeton, Princeton Public Library. On the day before (Sunday, February 5, 3 p.m) the book will be discussed in the library's Quiet Room. Free. Wednesday, February 8, noon to 1 p.m., Timothy Powell, religious studies scholar, What Native American Spirituality Can Teach Us about Working on Climate Change," Princeton Public Library, free, Tuesday, February 14, 7:15-8:30 a.m., Capital Networking Group meets for continental breakfast in Fellowship Hall, PUMC members are welcome to weekly meetings. On February 14 Eileen N. Sinett, "Getting to the Heart of Presentations that Work!" Wednesday, February 15, 7:30 a.m. Sam Wang PhD, professor, Neuroscience Institute and Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, "The Long Collapse: A Data-Based Look at U.S. Politics from ," Princeton Regional Chamber at the Nassau Club. $25 for PUMC members ( Tuesday, February 28, 6:30 p.m. Krista Tippett, host NPR's "On Being" radio show, will speak about her book "Becoming Wise: In Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living," with Gideon Rosen, former chair of the Council of Humanities at Princeton University. Co-sponsored by the Princeton Public Library and Labyrinth Books, at Nassau Presbyterian Church, 71 Nassau Street. Eventbrite, $20 tickets include the book. 9

10 ASP Dinner Auction The annual ASP dinner auction is approaching. The event will be held on Saturday, March 4, from 6-8 p.m. at PUMC. Save the date as tickets for the event will go on sale in February. Donation items for the auction are needed. Donations can be large or small. In the past items have included such things as a week at a vacation home; services such as music lessons or architecture review; and items such as gift baskets. But feel free to use your imagination and come up with new and exciting items. Any donation is appreciated! Please contact Mary Jo Kahn maryjokahn@verizon.net with any items you are willing to donate. Photo by Robin Birkel Don t forget to pick up your hoagie order on Sunday, February 5th! Save the Dates ASP Commissioning at the Sunday Service: Sunday, June 25th ASP Reporting at the Sunday Service: Sunday, July 9th 10

11 Nassau Street & Vandeventer Ave. 7 Vandeventer Avenue Princeton, NJ Jana Purkis-Brash, Senior Pastor jana@princetonumc.org Catherine Williams, Pastoral Care catherine@princetonumc.org Skitch Matson, Youth Pastor skitch@princetonumc.org For the latest news & updates: Princeton UMC is a Stephen Ministry Congregation Deadline for the March Newsletter February 15 newsletter@princetonumc.org 11