Chapel Bells. Norrisville and St. Paul United Methodist Church. Another Reason to Volunteer: Lower Blood Pressure (from Church Volunteer Daily)

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1 Norrisville and St. Paul United Methodist Church Chapel Bells September 2013 Pastor s Note: As I mentioned in our last newsletter, we re going through some transitions, to see what we need a newsletter to be. I actually only heard back from one person, who wanted us to continue the newsletter. That in itself is telling: did only one person read what I said, or did only one person care and have an opinion? The other piece of the newsletter puzzle is having a secretary to take care of copying and distribution. Many thanks to Joanne for serving as our secretary, and going the extra mile in all that she did! I knew I could always count on her. We will miss you! For now, my plan is to go to an every-other month schedule, instead of 11 times a year. We ll see how that works. Blessings, Melissa Another Reason to Volunteer: Lower Blood Pressure (from Church Volunteer Daily) A new study suggests that volunteering can boost your health by lowering blood pressure. The study involved 1,100 adults, ages 51 to 91, who were interviewed about their volunteer habits and had their blood pressure checked at the beginning of the study and again four years later. All of the subjects had normal blood pressure readings at the time of the first interview. Regardless of the type of volunteering activity the subjects engaged in, participants who said during the first interview that they volunteered for at least 200 hours per year were 40 percent less likely to have high blood pressure four years later than those who did not volunteer. The study is slated for publication in the journal, Psychology and Aging. Lead author Rodlescia Sneed, a Ph.D. candidate at Carnegie Mellon University, said, "We wanted to determine if a positive lifestyle factor like volunteer work could actually reduce disease risk. And the results give older adults an example of something they that can actively do to remain healthy and age successfully. Helping your local school is easy! Here s some ways you can help. 1. Have a Target credit card? When you use your Target credit card, a portion of the spending will be donated to the local school of your choice. Sign into your account online under Manage Redcards and look for the Take Charge of Education section. Select your local school. EASY! 2. Box Tops for Education. Save those boxtops, bring them to church and a student will be glad to take them to school. Last year, North Harford Middle School raised $2,500 from boxtops alone. For more information visit: 3. Labels for Education. Clip UPC s/lids from the following products and bring them to church. A student will be glad to take them to school. Brands included are: BIC products (pens), Campbell soups, Pop Secret popcorn, V8 beverages, Franco-American (Spaghetti O s), Post cereals & treats, Pepperidge Farm, Emerald Nuts. For more information visit:

2 September Meetings & Events October Meetings & Events: Tues, September 3: Norrisville Church Council 7 pm Sun, September 8: Back to Sunday Norrisville Wed, September 11: Norrisville Free Senior Luncheon Noon Thurs, September 12: St Paul Church Council 7pm Wed, September 18: Norrisville UMW 7 pm Mon, September 23: St. Paul UMW 7 pm The deadline for the October issue of Chapel Bells will be September 15. Please send articles to: Dawn Robey 3909 Old Federal Hill Road, Jarrettsville, MD drobey@zoominternet.net Address changes should be directed to the following: St. Paul Melissa McDade, Bradenbaugh Rd, White Hall, MD thomasjsullivan@hotmail.com Norrisville - Jane Leffel, Old York Rd, White Hall, MD Sat, October 12: Norrisville Fall BBQ Wed, October 16: Norrisville UMW 7 pm Mon, October 28: St. Paul UMC 7 pm Please note: Our Charge Conference will be Monday, November 18 at 7 pm, so we ll be planning other meetings to get ready for that important meeting. Plan to come to meet our new District Superintendent, Rev. Laura Easto. And More Dates November 23: St. Paul Christmas Bazaar, Sandwich Sale & Cookie Walk 9am 2 pm Crafters for November 23rd Christmas Bazaar at St. Paul UMC. Please contact Dawn Robey (SP) for more information or drobey@zoominternet.net Habitat = Home! One of the strengths of our churches is our outreach to the community. We are blessed by our ASP teams who have traveled south for so many summers and several of our members have gone abroad to serve as well! Thank you for supporting these trips! Right here at home, we can help our neighbors too by getting involved with Habitat for Humanity Susquehanna. Habitat builds, repairs and rehabs homes with low-income families in Harford and Cecil Counties. Families must apply and qualify for service, then help to build and/or repair their own homes. They volunteer for at least 250 hours to build their home and offer a down payment to purchase their own home, and then assume the mortgage. We are currently seeking qualified families and we build year round. Also, we repair homes for families of modest means who own their home. Repairs include replacing roofs and furnaces, installing accessible ramps and making interior modifications for those with disabilities. If you know of a family who may wish to apply for a build or repair, have them contact Debbie at , ext. 1 or her at dgemuendt@habitatsusq.org. For more info, to volunteer or donate, go to habitatsusq.org. You can like Habitat Susquehanna on Facebook and receive our 3-newsletters as well to keep up on our work! Thanks!

3 "What does it mean to be United Methodist for me?" Someone asked me once: Are you Methodist? and I remember that I raised my head high and said: Yes, I am United Methodist and I am proud of being one. I remember the look of surprise of that person. Later I remember that he came to me and asked: Why are you proud of being Methodist? I looked him in the eyes and I remember that I told him: I am United Methodist and I am proud of being one because the United Methodists were attentive to the voice of God, when God told them to throw the net toward the Hispanics in a town called Galax in the state of Virginia and they didn t think twice about responding to the command of the Lord. I am United Methodist because the Methodists open their doors to all without regard to color, age, race, culture, or gender. I am United Methodist, because in this church there is opportunity to service for all who desire to serve the One that lives and reigns forever. I am United Methodist because in this church my children are valued for what they are creations of the Most High. I am United Methodist, because in this church they don t tell you how to worship God, they invite you to worship God. I am United Methodist, because in this church the women can serve God in all of their potential, no matter the call they have, for we recognize the call that God gives and not man. I am United Methodist because I believe and I know, that the United Methodist Church is guided by the Holy Spirit of God and interprets the Holy Scriptures not to how one feels or thinks they should be interpreted, for we are not based on feelings, but rather on a foundation of theological reasoning. Finally, I am United Methodist because the Lord brought me here and because the United Methodist Church is not a building of four walls. No, the United Methodist Church is a body that says and believes that which its founder said: The world is my parish. Rev. Arturo Reyna is Hispanic ministry coordinator for Holston Conference and pastor of Rivers of Living Water United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tenn. Our minister announced that admission to a church social event would cost $6 per person. "However," he said, "if you're over 65, the price will be $5.50." From the back of the congregation, a woman shouted, "Do you really think I'd give you that information for only 50 cents?" (submitted to Reader's Digest by Thomas Ellsworth). Start collecting your pictures for our Annual Thanksgiving St. Paul & Norrisville. We ll take pictures of anything you are thankful for: family, friends, vacation, home, scenery, before & after, etc. Electronic form of pictures are best, but we ll take the old fashioned kind to scan in, too!

4 Our Charge Conference is coming up on Monday, November 18. There s lots to do to get ready, but first, a review of what it s all about and what all these committees are about. What is the Charge Conference? The Book of Discipline (our church s book of rules and regulations) states: The primary responsibilities of the charge conference in the annual meeting shall be to review and evaluate the total mission and ministry of the church, receive reports, and adopt objectives and goals recommended by the church council that are in keeping with the objectives of the United Methodist Church. At our Charge Conference this year, we will review this past year s mission and ministry and share our goals and objectives for the coming year. It will be an opportunity to remember who we are, who we are becoming, and what we are called to do. At Charge Conference, we also elect new officers and committee members. As individuals who are members of our church community, we hope you will prayerfully consider and participate in this important part of our church s life. If you are asked to serve in some capacity as an officer or committee member, we hope you will be able to serve. If you have ideas or suggestions, please vocalize them to the pastors. The Church Council The church council shall provide for the planning and implementing of the nurture, outreach, witness, and resources in the local church. It is recommended that the first agenda at each of its meetings shall be related to its ministries of nurture, witness, and outreach to emphasize the important ministries of the church. The administrative and economic responsibilities of the church will then be given attention. It is also recommended that the council use a consensus/discernment decision making style, not a voting procedure. Each year, the council should plan for the congregation s future mission and ministry. The Trustees Each church shall have a board of trustees, consisting of not fewer than 3 nor more than 9 persons (at least 1/3 lay women, at least 1/3 lay men, over the age of 18), and at least 2/3 shall be members of the church. The Trustees shall have the supervision, oversight, and care of all real property owned by the local church, and of all property and equipment acquired by any group within the church. The trustees shall also administer all bequests and trusts for the local church. This committee elects its chair annually. Committee on Lay Leadership This committee is vital to the ongoing ministry of our churches. It is made up of 9 persons, representing old, young, male, and female as well as new members and long time church members. These committee members prayerfully consider who will be leaders and committee members in our church, and how we can all better work together to serve the church. This committee should not be afraid to name strengths and weaknesses in the congregation, and it should help to identify new areas of ministry. It looks at the gifts of persons in the congregation, and matches those gifts to the needs of the church. If you would like to serve the church in some way, please mention that to the pastor (not right before worship on a Sunday morning-- but maybe as a call or ). It might be something small to you, but would make a great addition to our church (examples include helping with Sunday School, teaching a Bible study, bringing flowers for the altar, cleaning the kitchen or pulling weeds in the flower beds, working with the finances of the church, visiting elderly and shut-ins... you name it!) The Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) This committee shall be composed of not fewer than 5 nor more than 9 persons representative of the total charge. All shall be full members of the church, and at least one a young adult (age 18-30). The lay leader and lay member of annual conference shall also be members. Only one person per immediate family can serve at one time. Retiring members may not succeed themselves. Persons who serve on this committee must be engaged in and attentive to their Christian spiritual development so as to give proper leadership in the responsibilities with which the committee is entrusted. The duties of the PPRC include conferring with and counseling the pastor(s) and staff on matters pertaining to the effectiveness of ministry, relationships with the congregation, conditions that may impede the effectiveness of ministry, and to interpret the nature and function of the ministry. They also counsel the pastor(s) and staff on matters pertaining to the use of gifts, skills, time and priorities for the demand of effectiveness of the mission and ministry of the congregation.

5 Some people have a job in the church. Others involve themselves in ministry. What's the difference? If you do it just because no one else will it's a job! If you do it to serve God it's a ministry! If you quit because someone criticized you it's a job! If you kept on serving in spite of challenges it's a ministry! If you'll do it only so long as it doesn't interfere with other things it's a job! If you're committed to staying with it, even when it means letting other things go it's a ministry! If you quit because no one ever praised or thanked you it's a job! If you stay even though no one notices your efforts it's a ministry! If you do it because someone else said it needs to be done it's a job! If you do it because you sensed God saying it needs to be done it's a ministry! It's hard to get excited about a job. It's almost impossible not to get excited about a ministry! The average church is filled with people doing jobs! A growing church is filled with people involved in ministry! From Church Volunteer Daily, To view this as a web page, go here Freedom is Collecting Used Handbags and Supplies to Support Local Homeless Shelters In support of the "Hope In Handbags" auction, each Freedom branch will have one collection box for gently used or vintage handbags which will be auctioned off during an event at the Bel Air Armory in September. A second collection box is available for supplies needed for the Harford Family House shelter, specifically for families, and Emergency Welcome One Shelter, for individual men and women in need. Full Harford Family House Wish List Full Welcome One Emergency Shelter Wish List Cleaning Supplies (dust pans, mops, brooms, laundry detergent) Personal Hygiene Products (shampoo, deodorant, tooth paste) Children's Supplies (diapers, Pull- Ups) Over-the-counter medications (pain relievers, allergy medications) Rain goods (umbrellas, slickers) Coffee, individual juice bottles (orange, cranberry, apple) Bedding items Socks, underwear Donations of items to both of these shelters can be made at any of Freedom locations during regular branch lobby hours. Monetary donations will not be accepted at Freedom branches but can be made directly to each shelter.

6 Melissa McDade, Pastor St. Paul & Norrisville UMC 2434 Bradenbaugh Road White Hall, MD Norrisville Charge Worship Times St. Paul: Worship at 8:15, Sunday School for all ages following worship At the corner of St. Paul Church and Telegraph Rds., off Rt. 136 Norrisville: worship at 9:30, with Sunday school for all ages following worship Located on Church Lane (west of Norrisville Rd.), near Norrisville Elementary school