The Circuit Writer. inney s. K orner. April Newsletter of Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church. Inside this issue:

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1 April 2017 The Circuit Writer Newsletter of Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church We are a faith community striving to be, to nurture, and to send forth disciples of Jesus Christ. Inside this issue: Voices of Appalachia 2 Fish Dinner 3 Rummage Sale 4 Easter flowers 5 Calendar 7 Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church 943 Palmer Ave. Schenectady, NY (518) epumc943@yahoo.com K orner inney s One topic that has been discussed time and time again not just in the meetings of Eastern Parkway but in many congregations is what can we do to attract new people to come and join us? I feel some of the answer may lie within the question itself and we can find some of the healthy response in scripture as well. The part of the question that catches my eye is to attract new people to come and join us. For many years the vitality of a church has been measured by the number of people who attend weekly worship and the amount of the offering each week. The work of the church, so to speak, was to attract people to come to the weekly worship and then because they were there to put something in the offering plate when it was passed. This may be seen as not too different from any marketing plan that the stores around us may have. This being how can we attract people to come into our store and then once they are there to buy things we offer. I am fearful if this is true. When I said that scripture may reveal at least part of the response I was speaking of the life and ministry of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels. Jesus did not sit in the Temple in Jerusalem and preach and attract people to come and listen to him. In fact it is a rare event when he was seen in the Temple. Most of the time he was in the Temple it led to a conflict either in challenging the money changers to forgiving a person other thought was guilty. The vast amount of his ministry took place outside the Temple in and amongst the people. He fed those who were hungry, he healed those who were sick, and he did the vast majority of the ministry that is recorded outside the buildings built for worship. How does this speak to the churches today? The generations of people younger than I am, and this is a growing number, have been called millennials or gen x. Just as those of us considered baby boomers varied greatly from our parents in what we liked and did so do these generations. Attending a worship where the music is very different from what they like and hearing a person who is at times twice or thrice their age is not attractive to them. This does not mean to page 2 As a Reconciling Congregation, EPUMC affirms the sacred worth of persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities and welcomes them into full participation in the fellowship, membership, ministries, and leadership of the congregation.

2 April 2017 CIRCUIT WRITER, page 2 they are wrong but that their likes and desires are as different from us as we were from our parents. Should the churches then plan to shut their doors and call it quits? I believe we need to look at who the people who are not in our churches are and what do we have to offer them. Perhaps it is not a worship service of sitting but what I would call a worship service of service and doing. One of the bright aspects of the Millennial and gen x people is that they want to make a difference in the world they and we live in. This is very similar to the mission of the Church. If we can shift our focus from getting people into the church to taking the church outside then there is a vast field of ministry open to us all. In my mind this needs to happen not by only financially supporting mission but by being mission with our time and talents. To demonstrate and share the opportunities to make a difference in the world just may be a brighter future for the church. See you in church and in mission. Dear EPUMC family, Thank you so much for the prayers and support you provided during my mother's bout with lymphoma and her ultimate passing. Grandma Helen thought of EPUMC as her second church home and loved being our VBS storyteller each summer for the last several years. The cards she received from our members, and especially from the children, brought her great joy. She always loved glitter. The flowers from the congregation were beautiful as well, and my sister, Suzi (Sergio's mom), went back to the cemetery to lay them on her grave after the burial. Thank you for loving her and always making her feel at home at EPUMC. Love, Martha, Joe, and Jeff Gardner NOTE OF THANKS I would like to thank everyone who sent me cards and beautiful flowers, offered prayers on my behalf, the Wednesday night diners who brought food, and all those who thought of me. Thank you all, Gretchen Voices of Appalachia A very unique music opportunity will be presented in the sanctuary at Eastern Parkway this spring. We will be hosting the Voices of Appalachia, a dynamic group of 40 college singers and musicians from Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, KY. Founded in 1962, The Voices of Appalachia have performed on the NBC s Today Show, CBS s Sunday Morning and at various churches throughout the US. Their annual tour this year will take them to New York and Eastern Parkway will host the group for a concert on Friday, May 12 th at 7:00 PM. The choir performs songs that are to God, about God, about Heaven, and about what He is doing in our lives. Their repertoire draws from traditional sacred choral literature, Sacred Harp and Southern Harmony shaped-note acapella hymns, blues gospel and blue grass. As part of hosting the group, we at Eastern Parkway need to do the following: 1. They would like a simple meal before the concert we can use Fellowship Hall. We d like to do a traditional Methodist pot luck supper and this will be a great opportunity for members of the congregation to share a meal and fellowship with the student choir and musicians. 2. As part of the experience for the choir members, we will need host families to put up choir members in their homes Friday night and provide them with breakfast before they depart for their next tour stop on Saturday. For most of the students, this will be their first opportunity to travel outside of their native Kentucky and the ability to stay with and eat with local families is a way for them to experience different areas of the country. How can you help? Please consider signing up to help provide the meal on Friday, sign up to host the students in your home overnight on Friday and give them a wonderful home cooked breakfast to send them on their way, and help us promote the concert which is open to the community and free (a praise offering will be taken). Shortly there will be sign-up sheets for these items and there will also be flyers that you can pass out to help generate attendance. If you have any questions, please see Bob Bour, Jan Kountz or Betsy Lehman.

3 April 2017 CIRCUIT WRITER, page 3 CHURCH & COMMUNITY NEWS DATES TO REMEMBER Apr. 09: Palm Sunday Apr. 13: Maundy Thursday Apr. 14: Good Friday Apr. 16: Easter May 06: Rummage sale May 07: CROP walk the Circuit Writer published 11 months a year by Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church 943 Palmer Ave. Schenectady, NY On the corner of Eastern Parkway & Palmer Ave. (518) epumc943@yahoo.com LIKE US on Facebook: Eastern Parkway UMC Secretary s Office Hours: Mon Thu, 9 2 Alan D. Kinney Pastor Upper New York Annual Conference (UNYAC) Bishop Mark J. Webb / Albany District UNYAC Rev. Rich Weihing, District Superintendent albanydistrict@unyumc.org FISH DINNER Friday, March 3 12pm to 6:30 pm Eastern Parkway UMC Fellowship Hall Church is handicapped accessible The dinner is sponsored by the Al Tabari Court #28 Youth Group. The girls will be competing again this summer and they need your support! Enjoy a delicious meal that you don t have to cook! Experience warm fellowship. STAY UP-TO-DATE! KEEP IN TOUCH! Would you like to receive Church communications (monthly newsletter, weekly News & Notes, and occasional all-church notices) via ? Any changes to your contact info? Telephone number, address, ? If so, please contact the church office at: epumc943@yahoo.com or continued on next page

4 April 2017 CIRCUIT WRITER, page 4 RUMMAGE SALE Friday, May 6 The annual EPUMC Rummage Sale will be held May 6th. The sale will start at 9am with the bag sale at 1pm. As you spring clean, Kon Marie or just plain declutter, please set these items aside for our annual sale. We will start accepting donations of good rummage after Easter. If you need help getting your donations to church, or circumstances require your donations to be dropped off earlier, please contact Janet Reitz or Judy Tomisman and we will make suitable arrangements. Our sale has always had a good reputation for having a nicely organized sale with nice items for sale. We will continue with the free will pricing/donating with all profits going to our missions work and our community outreach. New This Year We will begin set up of the fellowship hall on Saturday April 29th in the afternoon. We will then set up the Circle B room Wednesday evening. Set up will not interfere with the Circle B meeting or the Wednesday Night Dinner. The snack bar will be expanding their menu to include pizza. Volunteers Needed There are many opportunities for our church members and families to help. We will need help setting up and breaking down tables before and after the rummage sale Saturday April 29 and Saturday May 6th. During the week (days and evenings) there will be opportunities for unpacking and arranging our donations. As always, we need volunteers to work the day of the sale. Volunteering to help at the rummage sale is a tremendous amount of fun and creates time for family bonding as well as team bonding for church members. For those students (and adults) who need volunteer hours, this is a golden opportunity. Need More Information? Please contact Janet Reitz Or Judy Tomisman, j6tomisman@aol.com

5 April 2017 CIRCUIT WRITER, page EASTER FLOWERS ORDER FORM EASTERN PARKWAY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Your Name: Please clearly print all names. Use one form for your entire order. Indicate the number of each kind of flower you are ordering and for whom. Thank you. Tulips $10 # ordered: Amount: Hyacinth $10 # ordered: Amount: Easter Lily $11 # ordered: Amount: Mums $11.50 # ordered: Amount: Azalea $22 # ordered: Amount: Hydrangea $22 # ordered: Amount: Total Amount Paid: In Memory of: In Honor of: In Celebration of Christ s Resurrection: I will claim my plant EPUMC may use my plant Checks payable to: EPUMC Deadline for orders: Wednesday, April 5. Mail form and payment to the church office (943 Palmer Avenue, Schenectady, NY 12309), or place it in the collection plate, or call/ ( / epumc943@yahoo.com).

6 April 2017 CIRCUIT WRITER, page 6 April Liturgists: 2: Judy Lott 9: Randy Roeser 16: Cheryl Gerstler 23: Ed Overton 30: David Orr Usher Team: Carl Veglia and Rick Mausert Teller Team: Carolyn Canova and Marilyn Esmann Chancel Committee: Cassandra Vidal and Laurie Hoyt Our February 2017 Gifts Total gifts received (not including dedicated funds): $ SICM: $10.00 Bethesda House: $10.00 Things of My Very Own: $96.60 SICM Food Pantry: $ Bethesda House Sock Project: $72.39 April Lectionary 2: Ezekiel 37:1 4 Psalm 130 Romans 8:6 11 John 11:1 45 9: Matthew 21:1 11 Psalm 118:1 2, : Acts 10:34 43 Psalm 118:1 2, Colossians 3:1 4 John 20: : Acts 2:14a, Psalm 16 1 Peter 1:3 9 John 20: : Acts 2:14a, Psalm 116:1 4, Peter 1:17 23 Luke 24:13 35 April Church Meetings 4: Circle B Group 9:30 am 6: SPPRC 7 pm 13: Finance Comm. 8 pm 25: Church Council 7 pm April Birthdays We extend warm wishes to all of our birthday celebrants. 1: Robin Granger 3: Thomas Stacey 4: Bob Bour 4: Mollie Orr 6: Rebecca Behrendt 12: David Smith 13: George Dohring 15: Lois Wilson 14: Jefferson Gardner 14: Michael Puccioni 16: Morgan Schmitt 17: Gordon Hendrick 20: Nancy Conrad 21: Dan Shannon 23: John Dohring II 24: Linda Shannon 25: Bev Veglia 29: Rebecca Morrow If your birthday is not included and you would like it to be, please contact the church office. Our Presence : : 64 SUNDAY WORSHIP: 10 am Deadline for April Circuit Writer Monday, April 24. Send your news items to: epumc943@yahoo.com

7 April 2017 Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1. ATC 11am-1pm (FH) 2. Communion TOMVO Collec. KS 4:00pm 9. Sock Project ATC 3:00pm 5:00pm KS 4:00pm 3. AA 8:00pm (HR) 10. AA 8:00pm (HR) 4. Circle B mtg. 9:30am (CB) Bethesda house open house 4:00pm 7:00pm WND 6pm (FH) Choir 7pm (S) WND 6pm (FH) Choir 7pm (S) 6. ATC 6pm 8pm SPPRC 7pm 13. MT 09:30 Maundy Thursday Service, 7:00pm 7. ATC Fish Dinner 12:00pm 6:00pm OA 6pm 7pm (CB) 14. ATC Fish Dinner, 12pm 6pm OA 6pm 7pm (CB) MT 09:30 ATC 11am 1pm (FH) 16. Easter SICM Collection KS 4:00pm 17. Autism Soc. Mtg. 6pm 8pm (CB) AA 8:00pm (HR) Thursday Musical Club Rehearse, 09:30 (S) WND 6pm (FH) Choir 7pm (S) Finance, 8:00pm 20. TMC Rehearse, 09:30 (S) KS 6 8:30 Trustees 7:00pm 21. ATC, 5:30pm 7:30pm OA 6pm 7pm (CB) 22. TMC concert 2:30pm (S N HR FH) Tuscan Lodge, 7pm 23. Stone Soup Sandwiches KS 3:30pm 24. AA 8:00pm (HR) 25. (CB): CHURCH COUNCIL 7pm 26. WND 6pm (FH) Choir 7pm (S) OA 6pm 8pm (CB) 29. ATC 11:00am 1:00pm Tuscan Lodge 7:00pm 9:00pm Group lesson 11:45 (S N) 30. Native American Ministries Sunday special offering KS 4:00pm Violin Recital CB=Circle B Room CR=Conference Room EW=Education Wing FH=Fellowship Hall HR=Hearth Room N=Narthex S=Sanctuary YR=Youth Rooms AA=Niskayuna Al-Anon Family Group ABS=Aerobics ADAH=Eastern Star ATC=Al Tabari Court Girls Youth Club BF=Berkshire Farm CS=Choral Society FP=Farm Produce Sale (Pam Schreiber) KS=Kingfisher Sangha MT=Music Together OA=Overeaters SHYG=Senior High Youth Gr. WND=Wednesday Night Dinner PANS=Park Avenue Nursery School: renting space in the Education Wing Monday Friday from Sept. June; classes: Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays 08:30-12:00.

8 EASTERN PARKWAY UMC 943 Palmer Avenue Schenectady, NY Phone: Fax: FIRST CLASS MAIL EASTERN PARKWAY UMC OPEN HEARTS - OPEN MINDS - OPEN DOORS Pastor: Rev. Alan D. Kinney Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m. Education 11:00 a.m. Nursery care 9:45 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Nursery Attendant: Jenna Semione Our Missionary: Jeremias Franca Music Director: Betsy Lehmann Office Hours: Mon Thu 9 2 LIKE US on FACEBOOK Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE HEARING ASSISTS LARGE-PRINT BULLETINS NEWSLETTER DEADLINE Items for the FEBRUARY Circuit Writer Due by Monday, April 24, 2017 SUNDAYS of the MONTH: 1st: Communion & Things of My Very Own (TOMVO) Collection 2nd: Bethesda House Sock Project 3rd: SICM Collection 4th: Stone Soup Sandwiches (Project for Bethesda House) WEDNESDAY NIGHT DINNERS: 6:00pm 7:00pm Bring a dish to pass. Food & Fellowship from September through June. Everyone welcome. CHANCEL CHOIR: Wednesdays 7:00 pm September through June.