The newsletter of First United Methodist Church of Waynesburg January 2018

Transcription

1 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly moved. Psalm 62:2 The newsletter of First United Methodist Church of Waynesburg January 2018 Dear Church, We are not the only creatures of habit. We are not the only ones that do something a certain way. Read on: If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top. The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash. A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself. In many ways, there are lots of people like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. They are struggling about with all their problems and frustrations, never realizing that they merely have to look UP...the answer is always ABOVE. How simple the answer can be. But it takes a lifetime to learn and remember. As we continue into this New Year, it is good to remember that we can always look up. We were created with free will and yes this at times gets us into trouble by making wrong choices. Yes, God created us this way but we were also created with a mind and with the ability to make responsible decisions. We are always in need of grace and forgiveness. This grace and forgiveness comes through the life and love of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. May we always look up! In Christ, Rev. David S. Lake Pastor David Lake s Office Hours: Varied (9-12 a.m. T-F) Church Office Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Please join us for Sunday Services: 8:30 a.m. & 10:45 a.m. F.I.S.H. Club 9:30 a.m. Children plus Adult Ed Classes First United Methodist Church 112 N Richhill St Waynesburg, PA firstumcpa@windstream.net

2 Your 2018 Offering Envelopes are on the pew in the back of the church and can be picked up anytime. Anyone who would like envelopes assigned to them, please call the church office at Mission is most impactful when: 1. We know God our Master deeply. 2. We make sacrifices for the sake of others. 3. It is done through a community of people. The prayer focus for January and February is the Rohingya refugee crisis taking place in Myanmar and Bangladesh. Please pray for the safety of this minority population that has seen great suffering over the past few months. To help alleviate their suffering, donations can be made through UMCOR s International Disaster Response Advance # At this time, money raised through UMCOR will go toward providing mosquito nets and food. Prayer Team There will routinely be a prayer team at the overflow area following the 10:45 service. Anyone who would like to be prayed for immediately following the service is encouraged to see one of the members of the prayer team. Retired and Senior Volunteer Program Blueprints (formerly Southwest Community Action) is in need of retired and senior volunteers to help them during the daytime. Please call Jill at Ext. 520 if you are able to volunteer your time. Volunteers Needed: Meals on Wheels is in desperate need of volunteers! Also, Blueprints is looking for Ombudsman volunteers. Call: or Volunteers Needed: The Cherry Door, an extension of the Washington Health System Greene Auxiliary is in need of volunteers. Please call if you are interested in helping.

3 GENERAL FUND 2017 MONTH INCOME EXPENSES PROFIT/(LOSS) JANUARY $ 15, $ 21, $ (5,847.12) FEBRUARY $ 13, $ 22, $ (9,167.96) MARCH $ ** (1,669.24) $ 18, $ (20,437.73) APRIL $ 18, $ 23, $ (4,336.53) MAY $ 10, $ 18, $ (7,423.38) JUNE $ 15, $ 18, $ (2,740.12) JULY $ 15, $ 21, $ (5,703.42) AUGUST $ 13, $ 19, $ (5,765.40) SEPTEMBER $ $ 18, $ (5,291.75) OCTOBER $ 20, $ 23, $ ( ) NOVEMBER $ 21, $ 19, $ 1, DECEMBER $ - $ - $ - *NOTE: Figures in parentheses are negative. *NOTE: Figures do not include in-church transfers. Youth Schedule for January Dec. 31 New Year s Eve Pajama Party at Waynesburg Nazarene from 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Come for lots of food, games, and fun! Jan. 7 Youth group from 5-7 p.m. tonight. Bring a friend! Jan. 14 Youth group from 5-7 p.m. tonight. Bring a friend! Jan. 21 Night Out on the Town from 5-7 p.m. Invite a friend! Jan. 28 Movie Night from 5-7:30 p.m. Come for lots of food and fun! Ongoing events throughout the year: Every Monday: Drop-In s at West Sides in West Waynesburg from 6:30-9 pm. This is a time to hang out, play games, eat food, and hear a great message. * *All guys are encouraged to come to a Young Men s Bible study held on Thursday s at Alex s house for Bible discussions and food. We will be going through the book of John. *This schedule is subject to change. Please don t hesitate to contact Alex if you have any questions! Cell Phone: (724) Office Phone: (724)

4 The wealth we have is determined by God. You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth (Deut. 8:18). The wealth we have is determined by God. According to His wisdom and sovereignty, God has placed each of us at some point on the economic spectrum. He has entrusted some people with considerable wealth; to others, He has provided lesser amounts. The Bible does not assume that it is wrong for people to make money, but rather, it clearly states that God allows people to earn money. Solomon said that money is one of God s many gifts to mankind. In fact, in Ecclesiastes 5, Solomon said that God wants us to enjoy the fruit of our labor, namely, money which we have earned and the things it can buy. David expressed it this way in his prayer recorded in the 29th chapter of First Chronicles: Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from thee, and thou rulest over all. In thy hand are power and might; and in thy hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank thee, our God, and praise thy glorious name. When you stop to think about it, Christians have a great thing going when it comes to money. According to this passage and to other scriptures, God gives us the power and ability to get wealth. He provides the energy, the stamina, the mental and physical ability, the creative juices, and whatever else it takes for us to earn a living. As we saw recently, since God owns everything, He is actually enabling us to earn that which is rightfully His. What is really great about God s plan from our perspective is that He then provides a blessing to us for giving back to Him what was His in the first place! Sometimes the prayer offered before our church offering is received includes the thought that we are only giving back to God a portion of what He has given us. That prayer is very scriptural, for in the First Chronicles passage, David said, For all things come from thee, and of thy own have we given thee. In reality, then, there is no such thing as a self-made man or woman. As the Apostle Paul so clearly asked the believers at Corinth, For who sees anything different in you? What have you that you did not receive? (1 Cor. 4:7). This morning as you give to God, remember the source of your funds. Yes, you did your part by working and by laboring by the sweat of your brow, but in reality, God gave you the ability to get money. And as the old chorus by Wendell Loveless asks, After all He s done for me, After all He s done for me, How can I do less than give Him my best, And live for Him completely, After all He s done for me?

5 FUMC 2018 BUDGET INCOME: 2018 Budget Offering for Current Expenses $ 164, Apportionment $ 1, Plate Collections $ 6, Trust Funds $ 12, Savings Accounts (if needed) $ 50, Bob Scott Reimbursement $ - Maintenance Reimbursement $ 3, Fish Club/Adult Education $ 1, TOTAL INCOME: $ 238, EXPENSES: Pastor Salary * $ 57, Pastor Professional Reimbursement * $ 5, Pastor Pension & Insurance * $ 4, Pastor Hospitalization * $ 18, Director of Mission & Youth Salary * $ 39, Director of Mission & Youth Expenses * $ 1, Secretary * $ 9, Music Director/Organist * $ 11, Custodian * $ 6, Assistant Custodian * $ 1, Maintenance * $ 3, Treasurer * $ 8, Social Security & Medicare * $ 6, Worker's Compensation * $ 2, Church Utilities $ 16, Parsonage Utilities $ 7, Insurance * $ 10, Office Supplies/Postage $ 2, Equipment/Supplies/Repairs $ 9, Bank Fee (EFT) $ Contract Services $ 8, Church Council $ 2, Outreach $ Guest Speakers $ Congregational Care $ 1, Youth $ 5,000.00

6 FUMC 2018 BUDGET (continued) Fish Club/Adult Education $ 2, Music Expenses $ 1, Pastor's Discretionary Fund $ Director of Missions' Discretionary Fund $ Apportionment * $ 25, TOTAL EXPENSES: $ 270, Carryover $ - NET INCOME/(DEFICIT): $ (31,461.00) * Denotes fixed expenses Final budget with actual 2017 income/expenses available after January 15, 2018 Coming: Sunday January 14, Rada Products for Sale Frances Crawford has Rada tomato knives and paring knives on hand for sale (both black and stainless steel handles.) The tomato knives are $5.25 and the paring knives are $4.75. See Frances if you wish to purchase any. Great stocking stuffers!!! Rada products are always available with a catalog and order forms in the church office and through Frances Crawford. "Prayer for a Brighter Greene will continue on the third Tuesday of every month at 5 p.m. at the Greene County Fairgrounds (Building #9). Next meeting Tues., January 16, 2018!

7 Prison Ministry Update We had the privilege last evening of performing the Christmas cantata for the inmates at SCI Greene. A small group of choir members gave up their Sunday evening and ability to watch the Steeler game to bless the men at SCI Greene and in return received the blessing of heart felt gratitude from the men. It s so hard to adequately describe the feeling that you get when the men come in with their steely faces and then when greeted by a choir member their entire countenance changes and they show a big pleasant smile. It s similar to a young boy who is scared in school and then receives special attention from the teacher and instantly feels comfortable and safe. I m not doing the description justice but I believe you get the idea. So many of these men believe they have to keep up a hard exterior to survive in the prison setting but when they see us, it feels safe and they feel God s love through us. Because of some turnover in the protestant chaplaincy in prison, the church attendance has been at an all-time low. At one point many years ago there were a couple hundred men attending worship service. The past few years it has gone down to men. Last evening there was a very large crowd there to see us and to hear the cantata. What a blessing it was to look out into the audience and see men giving full attention and jumping up to applaud after every song..they nearly burst with gratitude! Rev Bill Sukolsky gave a few words of encouragement after the cantata and had the full attention of the men. He has a humble spirit and genuine love for the men and they appear to hang on his every word and God speaks through him to the men. Thank God for this faithful servant! We announced the 40 Days of Purpose session which will begin again on January 16 th and strongly encouraged the men to attend and asked for a show of hands of past graduates. We encouraged the men to speak to the ones who have gone before and let them share what their experience has been. After all, the DOC written across their back stands for Disciple of Christ for these men rather than Dept. of Corrections. We faithfully trust God for His guidance in this program and KNOW that His word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11). Men s hearts are being changed at SCI Greene and we covet your prayers that God will continue to use us to further His kingdom with both the inmates and the staff at SCI Greene. Your prison ministry team, Connie Hart, Shirley Baily, Rex Gardner, Bill Sukolsky and Teresa Roberts

8 Choir Practice January Birthdays Bell Choir Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Chancel Choir Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Greene County Hymn Sing 1 David Mariner 3 Mike Gaston 4 Tessa Mariner 6 Nicole Roberts 8 9 Craig M. Alderson Zachary Patton 12 Megan McElligott 13 Bill Gensler Bill Okuley 15 Kevin McElligott Devonne McCall Quinn Stoner 17 Gregg Stoner 18 Ava Mariner 19 Caleb Ward 20 Ramonda Lipscomb 24 Eileen Lang Troy Cree 28 Nathan Patton Amy Milliken 30 Frank Robinson 31 Amy Hartman Did we miss anyone s birthday? Call the church office or send an to get your special day in the newsletter Call January 14 at Spraggs UMC Movie Night Saturday, Jan. 27th (More information to come.) WE WANT YOU... Care &Share is not a 1, 2 or even 3 person job. It takes many people. Although we have many on our list to help, we wouldn't want to leave anyone out that would like to be of service. Do you like to cook? Could you use your time to take someone to an appointment? Do you have time to sit and visit? Do you have the talent to build or repair, or climb a ladder to change a light bulb for someone that can't? Please see or call Jeanette Lindsay ( ) or Janet Cree ( ) if you'd like to share your gifts & talents for the Lord. Pray always ~ without ceasing! Please call prayer requests to: the church office at If you would rather , send them to Wayne Hart at: wahart@windstream.net (Subject: Prayer Ministry)... Announcement List January 7.Youth January Lynn Bussey January Nate Duer January Jeff Cree

9 January 2018 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT Dec. 31 New Year s Eve 8 PM-1 AM Youth Pajama Party 1 Happy New Year! Café Closed 2 3 Café Closed 4 6:30 PM Bell Choir 7:30 PM Chancel Choir 5 6 Epiphany 7 Epiphany Sunday 5-7 PM Youth Group 14 Human Relations Day 5-7 PM Youth Group 7 PM Greene County Hymn Sing PM Kid s Café 7-8 PM Kid s Café 11 6:30 PM Bell Choir 7:30 PM Chancel Choir 18 6:30 PM Bell Choir 7:30 PM Chancel Choir PM Youth Group 22 Newsletter Deadline! PM Kid s Café 25 6:30 PM Bell Choir 7:30 PM Chancel Choir Movie Night 28 Noon Student Luncheon 5-7:30 PM Youth Group PM Kid s Café NEWSLETTER ARTICLES ARE DUE TO THE CHURCH OFFICE BY Monday, January 22nd or earlier.