Welcoming Word January/February Monthly Newsletter Issue of The Barrington United Methodist Church Dear Friends, January 2019 First, I want to thank each of you for the work and support you gave to your church this past year. Remember many hands can do wonders doing God s work. I also want to thank both churches for their Christmas gifts. Do you have any New Year Resolutions for your faith in God in the coming year? I have always wondered when people say they haven t accomplished anything if they really have a purpose or if they have lost their way. Perhaps because of their own selfishness or that they are full of excuses. Maybe we think we are too old or too young or we simply have our own agenda or lack motivation. Perhaps they simply loss their vision and direction or maybe their faith isn t important like it was. Do you remember your Baptism or know the meaning of your Baptism? First I need to remember when Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove. Jesus didn't need any more power than he already had, but we do. When we respond to God's call, as Jesus did, the spirit descends on us. Jesus knew that it was time for him to begin sharing God s message of love and their hope for eternal life. Jesus baptism was the beginning of his ministry. Did you know our Baptism is the first day of the rest of our lives? Why? In Romans 6:4 it says: "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. It a new beginning for us. Our relationship with God is ongoing. Baptism is a symbol of God's action of adopting us as his children. And as his children God calls us to share his grace and love to the world. We see Baptism as a symbol of new life and a sign of God's love and forgiveness of our sins. What does it take to have a new beginning? First of all, we must be willing to change. Sometimes change is hard. Sometimes we re afraid of change. Sometimes we are slow to accept and embrace new possibilities. This is true of individuals... of churches.of parents..of all of us. We must also be willing to confront issues we ve avoided in the past. If we are going to make a new beginning, we cannot avoid looking at old problems the same way. Repentance is about changing the old heart to new heart filled with God s Love and grace and new possibilities. It isn t just feeling bad about our short-comings, it is taking hold of our situation and taking action to change those areas that need improvement. Only you know what needs to be changed in your life. We need to be willing to change. For me in my walk with Christ it is a life time journey, always a renewal of my faith, so I can grow closer to Christ in my discipleship. Every day we make choices good or bad with challenges the world gives us.
God has given us the tools to live out our faith in the church and in as individuals. It reminds me of story that is told: about a rookie lumberjack who started out determined to chop down more trees than anyone else. He made it his goal to beat his company s average tree count of fifteen trees a day. On his very first day, he felled ten trees. He said to himself, "That s pretty good for my first day." But on the second day, he chopped down ten again. No progress at all. Then on the third day, he managed only seven! Now he was puzzled, but not discouraged yet. He simply doubled his efforts the next day. Imagine to his surprise when he finished with only five trees down! Every day it got worse - no matter how hard or often he swung the ax, when each day ended, he had felled fewer trees than the day before. After two weeks of discouragement, the young man approached a grizzled old veteran. "I don t understand what s going on. I work hard every day, swinging my ax from dawn to dusk, but I keep doing worse and worse. What can I be doing wrong?" "Young fella," the old man replied after a long pause, "I can see them callouses on your hands and bigger muscles in your arms, to prove you been swinging your ax. But let me ask you something - When was the last time you sharpened your ax?" The Lumberjack was missing something? What was it? Well, it is obvious he did not use the tools he had at hand. An axe that works well when sharpened will do the job it is called to do. But left unsharpened it won t do much except cause pain and discouragement. When we are in competition with others we loose our focus with the main purpose. What a message for us all and the church as a whole! We as the church and as individuals have many tools available to us. We have a God who gives us clear instruction in our purpose: In Matthew 28 :18-20 "And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." The Lumberjack was missing knowledge too. If he had been paying attention he would had realized his axe needed to be sharpened. It is like our hearts they belong to God. If we don t nourish them with God s love and God s Word we have lost direction and purpose. God s Word is our Instruction Manuel in being that disciple we have all have been called to be nurturing each other in our faith, making disciples and witnessing to each other and the world as we live out our faith and grow. We have tools at our disposal if we use them -- the power of prayer; the guidance of the Holy Spirit; God s Holy Word; Bible study and worship, and a God who calls us to be a servant. God is the example of love and justices for all. The list goes on. The point is living out faith is doing our part in making a difference. Together as a church or as individuals we can make a difference. It doesn t matter if it is big or small church. When we serve, we will encounter others who have been incorporated into the body of Christ and we will be challenged to see how our gifts compliment the gifts of others. Also, as we work side by side, we will find that our humility, gentleness, and patience may be tested from time to time. I believe when we become Christ-like, then we become people of love, compassion, caring, understanding, kindness and forgiveness. Sometimes a seed of love is planted one at a time. We need to be the hands of God; the feet of God; the voice of God; and the eyes of God as we try to live out our faith in a world that needs it. In closing may we all challenge each other and ourselves this year as we live out our Baptism and let the guidance of Holy Spirit lead us in all we do and say. Peace, Pastor Dan Ames
Barrington s Annual Church Conference was rescheduled for Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 6:30 PM. The Staff & Parish Relations Committee will meet with the D.S. prior to the Church Conference at 5:30 PM. The purpose of the Church Conference (rather than a Charge Conference) is to encourage broader participation by members of the church. The charge conference may be convened as the church conference, extending the vote to all professing members of the local church present at such meetings. You must be present to vote! Ash Wednesday Is... Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. Ash Wednesday emphasizes two themes: our sinfulness before God and our human mortality. The service focuses on both themes, helping us to realize that both have been triumphed through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. During an Ash Wednesday service, the minister will lightly rub the sign of the cross with ashes onto the foreheads of worshipers. The use of ashes as a sign of mortality and repentance has a long history in Jewish and Christian worship. Historically, ashes signified purification and sorrow for sins. It is traditional to save the palm branches from the previous Palm Sunday service to burn to produce ashes for this service the ash cross on the forehead is an outward sign of our sorrow and repentance for sins. -Adapted from The United Methodist Book of Worship. Please join us at a Joint Ash Wednesday Service at Barrington UMC (230 Washington Road in Barrington) on March 6, 2019 at 7:00 PM. What way to begin Lent together. Joint Confirmation classes are being planned by Pastor Dan for Barrington UMC and First UMC of Warren/Bristol. If you have youth that are interested in being confirmed, please speak to Pastor Dan or e-mail him at pastordfames@yahoo.com. More details to come.
Barrington United Methodist Church in the month of December 2018 1. We have paid $12,055 of our Missional Shares to the New England Conference. We have through our financial struggles and gifts received from others we paid more than the 60% than we had planned to. We paid 63.11%! Shares. We paid some to World Missions and New England Missions in addition to Ministerial Support. 2. Equitable Salary grant approved for 6 months $5000 3. Christmas Luncheon 4. Intergenerational Christmas Pageant 5. Sunday School 6. Eat and Pray Breakfast 7. Adult Wednesday Night Bible Study 8. Loaves and Fishes 9. Christmas Caroling on December 23, 2018. 23 carolers that came and sang. Many lives were touched. Even ours! 10. We had a Joint Blue Christmas Service with Warren at Barrington that touched the lives who came and those that participated on December 21, 2018. 11. Joint Christmas Eve Candlelight service with Warren at Barrington 12. Clothing Shed - St Pauly Textile. In the short time we had this in 2017 we received $350.98. Roughly 5,924 garments of clothing. Enough for 719 people. Clothing is used in 44 different countries. As of November 5 th we have received $1086.28 for 2018. We don t know what December was but the clothing shed right now is almost full. 13. The First Sunday of the month is Food Pantry Sunday -- Food that is collected for Tapin Christmas Undecorating- last Sunday. We had many hands that helped to take down the decorations. I likely missed something this church has done or individuals have done. But my point is for you to think of all that happens. Do you know all these are outreach ministries of the church and those we welcome through the door or invite to participate in these ministries? As Pastor I want to thank all of you who participate in in making these ministries happen. It takes a village to make all of this to happen. You see we are not dead we are alive but financially we need to grow so we can continue do God s work in our communities and world. May we be good stewards of all God has given us. That means our talents and gifts. I love this quote: God ain t done with us yet!
Information: UMCOR distributes only the most-requested UMCOR relief supply kits, assembled in the United States, to places in the United States and its territories where these items are most needed. To address international needs, UMCOR works with local United Methodist churches, ACT Alliance, ecumenical, and interfaith partners to respond to disasters. This is part of a comprehensive disaster response strategy. The materials for these kits should not be substituted with anything else. Pack only what is listed. This is consistent with best practices and accountability standards. Mission Sunday/UMCOR Sunday is March 31, 2019 at The Barrington United Methodist Churchand our entire church family will be involved! We will begin right away to collect items for Hygiene Kits (Health Kits) and put them together after our Worship. That doesn t mean we can t do any of the other kits. You can purchase individual items or do a whole kit yourself or with someone else. It is up to you. This will be a great hands-on Mission Project for the whole church. Sign-up sheets and the donation basket are in Fellowship Hall. Hygiene Kit includes the following: Value: $12 per kit Hygiene kits provide basic necessities to people who have been forced to leave their homes because of human conflict or natural disaster. Hygiene kits are also used as learning tools in personal hygiene, literacy, nutrition, and cooking classes. One hand towel (15 x 25 17 x 27 inches) No kitchen, cleaning, or microfiber towels One washcloth One comb Must be sturdy with at least 6 inches of teeth; No pocket combs or picks; Rattail and combs without handles are acceptable but must have at least 6 inches of teeth One toenail or fingernail clipper No emery boards or metal nail files Bath-size soap (3 oz. bar or larger) No Ivory or Jergen's soap Do not remove from packaging One adult toothbrush Do not remove from packaging; Personal advertising not acceptable 10 adhesive bandages (¾ by 3 inches) Common household bandages acceptable One one-gallon size re-sealable bag Options: You could share with another person or family if want to, or just buy some of the materials. Cleaning Kit includes the following: Value: $75 per bucket These supplies enable people to begin the overwhelming job of cleaning up after a flood or hurricane. Cleaning Kit Materials One five-gallon round bucket with resealable lid (14.35 h x 12.19 w x 12.19 d) No screw lids; May be used, but must be free from all residual product; Advertisements on the outside acceptable One 32-64 oz. bottle liquid laundry detergent One 16-40 oz. bottle liquid concentrate household cleaner No spray cleaners One 16-34 oz. bottle dish soap One 4-8 oz. pump spray air freshener (three solid, or three gel fresheners also acceptable) One 6-14 oz. pump spray insect repellent (pack of 10-20 wipes also acceptable) Pump spray bottles must have protective covers One scrub brush With or without handle 18 re-use cleaning wipes No terrycloth, microfiber or paper towels; Remove from packaging Five scouring pads sponges No stainless-steel pads with soap in them; Remove from packaging 36-50 clothespins One 50-100 ft. clothesline (cotton or plastic line) 24 roll of heavy-duty trash bags (33-45 gallon sizes) Remove from packaging Five N95 particulate respirator dust masks (1-3 mm thickness) No surgical masks Two pairs kitchen gloves Durable for multiple uses; Remove from packaging One pair of work gloves Cotton with leather palm or all leather
Many thanks to Warren Cub Scout Pack 25 for packaging all our toiletries for our next Loaves & Fishes RI run. Please mark your calendars for Sunday, January 27th at 10:15 AM (following our 9:00 AM Worship Service). Help is always needed to load the truck and prepare sandwiches. This is an ongoing wonderful opportunity for our entire church family to work together in mission. All ages are welcome to help! Please plan on attending and bring your friends & family with you so that they too can learn more about this ministry. If you are able to go on the truck, please contact Faythe Herdrich or Allen Scott. Loaves & Fishes RI: Setting up crews for each run Keeping track of grocery inventory Grocery shopping We Share Hope Ordering/pick up for bread Milk ordering/pick up Maintaining clothes closet/sorting Packing bins for each run Preparing & overseeing PB & J team Recycling after prep If you are able to assist in any of these areas, please contact Faythe Herdrich or Allen Scott. Thank you to all who help maintain this ongoing ministry! Items Needed: We are asking that people donate current seasonal clothing only. We primarily serve men and are currently looking for donations of Hoodies/t-shirts/jackets Boots/shoes Socks Chapstick Nail Clippers Lotion Hats/Scarves/Gloves Travel-Sized Toiletries Toothbrushes Deodorant Thank you for your time, donations, & support! Lunch Bunch: Friday, January 11th at Noon at Aiden s Pub in Bristol February 8th at Noon at Gregg s in East Providence Please RSVP to Anne Gass at (401) 575-7775 and let her know if you need transportation.
Volunteers Needed Each summer Pastor Dan and Martha dean the Adult Special Needs camp at Mechuwana in Winthrop, Maine. Mechuwana is one of conference s camps. This year s camp runs from July 8th to July 12th. We usually come in on Saturday before to set up camp and start staff training at 1:00 PM on Sunday. This year campers are going home after the Talent Show on Friday afternoon instead of Saturday morning to help camp keep cost down for our campers. Adult Special Needs Staff will be able to leave after the campers leave and our camp area is clean or stay the night and leave in the morning. We are still in need of some adult counselors to come and spend the week with a great group of campers! We do all the usual camp things... we go swimming and boating, cook s mores over a campfire, make great projects in Arts n Crafts, enjoy our Wednesday night dance and share our talents at our Annual Friday Talent Show. We have not picked our theme for the week yet but will soon. Each day we will worship together and sing. Won t you give it a try? Not only will you will have a great time, but you will be helping to ensure the continuation of our conferences camping programs by volunteering your time and talents. (If this week isn t a good fit consider contacting one of the camp programs in our conference and volunteer. Each camp needs many volunteers!) Contact Pastor Dan or Martha (401-310-0463) to volunteer or ask for more exciting information. Would you have the skills to rescue a victim of cardiac arrest or choking emergency? Basic CPR and choking rescue skills will be taught in one session at Radiant Christian Church, 895 Main St. Warren RI, on Sunday Jan. 13th from 3 PM to 5:30 PM. This interactive class will teach you the latest skills, provide plenty of hands on manikin practice and allow you to ask any questions you may have about CPR and AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) use. The class is open to participants 15 years old and would be a great parent teen activity. The cost of this course is $35 and all proceeds will be donated to the Churches Bangladesh Mission Trip, in Feb. 2019. Space is limited, to enroll call or text 401-280-0606 or email cprsuccess@gmail.com Give while shopping online! The UMC market was created by the United Methodist Church to help local churches generate revenue every time you shop online, at no extra cost to you or the church! UMCmarket is safe and secure information will not be disclosed to a third party. This program has been vetted and approved by the UMC s General Council of Finance and Administration. (GCFA). Join for free today at UMCmarket.org and start supporting your church in a new and modern way. Hundreds of stores and travel sites are participating. Learn more - view the UMCmarket Brochure. How does it work? All you need to do is to sign up at UMCmarket.org and you can choose to shop from stores in many different categories. You will find everything from books, movies, fashion, to food for your pet! Here is just some of the stores that are involve with this program. There is over 4000 stores. They also have their own online travel agency where they guarantee the best price on flights, hotels and car rentals. It's as easy as 1..2...3: Go to UMCmarket.org and join for free! What do I need to join? Your e-mail and password. Type in your information and hit the yellow tab Register/Log in. Find your state, then town of your Church then look for the Barrington United Methodist Church and signup. Time to donate; select the store where you want to shop and you will be taken to the official website of the retail store to do your shopping.
Eat/Stay/Pray: Second Sunday of Every Month at 8:30 AM Breakfast followed by 9:00 AM Worship Service January 13th Menu: Pancakes, Breakfast Sausage, Fresh Fruit, Drinks February 10th Menu: French Toast, Breakfast Sausage, Fresh Fruit, Drinks There is not a charge for the breakfast, but rather a goodwill offering basket to help defer the cost of supplies. Please join us and bring your friends! Many thanks to Ariel Alves who helped clean the cloak room, replace some old ceiling tiles in the upstairs hallway, and clean the church while she was home on break! It s hard to believe she s now beginning the second half of her senior year of college. Where has the time gone? Ariel we love you and appreciate you! Online Giving: Planning on going on vacation but want an easy way to keep your pledge current? Log onto our website: www.bumcri.org and click on the Giving tab at the top. It only takes a minute to create an online profile. It s simple, easy, convenient, and you can set it up so that your donation is processed automatically weekly, biweekly, monthly, or semi-monthly. Thank you for your continued support and for enabling our church to serve, love, pray, an share together. Your pledge makes it possible for us to keep our doors open, and equips us to go out further into the world to share the good news with others.
Music can speak to us in special ways. Do you have a favorite faith song that really speaks to your heart? A hymn? Something your grandparents shared? A song you hear on the radio? These songs are an important part of our faith, and they can be an important way to share our faith with others. Will you share your favorite song? No, you don't have to sing it for us - but you certainly can if you'd like! If it s a hymn, we can sing it together. If it's something from the radio or from your past, we can find it and play it. We'd just like a few sentences from you explaining the song's importance. You will be notified when your song will be included in the service, and then you can let us know if you d like your explanation printed in the bulletin or if you would like to share it with us that morning. If you have a song to share, or any questions, please contact Pastor Dan at pastordfames@yahoo.com or Coni Ferland at cjferland@gmail.com. Stepping Stones: From the beginning of time, stories have been the way people have shared their experiences. And when they shared their faith stories, they nurtured the faith of others. We all have stories of the times God has touched our lives, and no matter how small they may seem to us, God can use them to impact others' lives. Do you have a faith story you're willing to share? You can share it in writing, or in person during worship. If you're concerned about how to share your story, we can help. If you have a story to share, or any questions, please contact Pastor Dan at pastordfames@yahoo.com or Coni Ferland at cjferland@gmail.com. You will be notified when your story will be included in the service, and then you can let us know if you d like your story printed in the bulletin or if you would like to share it with us that morning. Looking for a friendly space? The Barrington United Methodist Church is available for rentals for weddings, funerals, meetings, and fellowship. Our Fellowship Hall houses 75 people comfortably with padded folding chairs and your choice of card tables or long tables. It s a perfect gathering space for functions. Our sanctuary comfortably seats 100 people and is often rented for weddings and funerals. The Betty Hamilton Parlor is a cozy space that can comfortably house 12 people and is often used for smaller meetings and includes couches, chairs, and a tv/vcr/dvd player. We offer a large parking lot and are handicap accessible! Call the Church Office at (401) 245-2385 for prices and more information! The Rhode Island State Council of Churches: The Barrington United Methodist is a member of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches. Their mission statement is as follows: The Rhode Island Council of Churches, grounded in the Christian message and seeking to be followers of Jesus, gathers denominations, congregations, organizations, faith leaders, and individuals to serve as a catalyst for ecumenical, cultural, and interfaith dialogue; offer resources to and with each other; advocate for peace and social justice. Visit the RISCC website for more information about current events/gatherings at http://councilofchurchesri.org/
The First Sunday of the month is Food Pantry Sunday as well as Communion Sunday. Barrington UMC has been involved with Tap-in over the years in helping with the hunger in our communities. On January 6th and February 3rd we will be collecting standard staples as: Macaroni & Cheese Cereal Peanut Butter Jelly Soup Canned Vegetables Please bring the above items on Sunday, January 6th and February 3rd to place on the altar in the sanctuary. Let us all make a difference in fighting hunger in our community. Music is a meaningful and powerful means of worship. If you would like to provide Special Music (solo, instrumental, etc.) during the worship service, please speak with Andrew Wynsen, Music Director. Attention: We Want You!!! We are the Church! All of us together! Want to join and reap the benefits of membership (or just explore the possibility)? Do you have any questions about how to become a member of FUMC Warren/ Bristol or Barrington UMC. Church membership is open to any and all who seek the presence of God in their lives. Baptism is a requirement for membership. If you have not been baptized, please contact Pastor Dan to schedule a personal pre-baptism counseling session. If you have been baptized in any denomination, you are free to join whenever your heart is called to do so. Persons may become members of The United Methodist Church by: Vows and profession of faith: Transfer from another United Methodist Church; Transfer from another body of the Christian Church; The renewal of vows if they have lapsed; Affiliate transfer if they are Methodists and will be in town a short while; or Associate transfer if they belong to another denomination and are in town for a short while. Profession of faith includes: Affirming your baptismal vows; Commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord; Accepting the Old and New Testaments as normative for faith and practice; and Commitment to live the Christian life and remain a faithful member of Christ's Holy Church through your prayers, your presence, your gifts, and your service. An Inquirer s Class will be held at a mutually convenient time for people that are interested. Anyone wishing to join the FUMC Warren/ Bristol or Barrington UMC please speak to Pastor Dan.
We love caroling because. I love caroling each year because of the joy it brings to the elderly that can t get out and about or don t have family nearby. Seeing them sing with us or the tears (of happiness!) in their eyes brings me so much joy! -Jenn Because it brings spirit and joy. - Bjorn Cookies and hot chocolate! Eli It brings me joy inside. - Lu Because it is fun, you can spend time with people in the church and it makes people happy! - Freya I like seeing the joy in the people we re singing to. Luther There is always a moment when the people you re visiting are lost in their thoughts. They re transported back to another time (music does that), and though they may shed a tear that the past is gone, they also look around and smile that we re there and care. - Regina Be a Part of Our Cleaning Crew: There is now a cleaning checklist on the doors of the cloak room (off of Fellowship Hall where the extra tables, chairs, and cleaning supplies are kept). This makes it easier for people to clean when their schedules permit, rather than setting a day/time each week. If you are willing to be a part of the volunteer team, simply check off each item on the list as the task is completed. The list contains everything from vacuuming to dusting & wiping down the counters in the kitchen to gathering trash. All ages are welcome to be a part of our team. If you would like to come outside of Regina s hours, let her know and she will give you the code to get the extra key from the lockbox.
January 2019 Barrington United Methodist Church Calendar of Events Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 New Year s Day 2 3 4 5 6 9:00 AM Worship Service: Communion & Food Pantry Sunday 7 8 6:30 PM Church Council Meeting 9 10 11 12:00 PM Lunch Bunch Outing to Aiden s Pub in Bristol 12 13 8:30 AM Eat/Stay/Pray Breakfast in Fellowship Hall 9:00 AM Worship Service in Sanctuary: Baptism of Christ Sunday 14 15 16 5:30 PM SPPRC Meets with D.S. 6:30 PM BUMC s Annual Church Conference 17 18 19 20 9:00 AM Worship Service 21 ML King, Jr. Day 22 7:00 PM Barrington Emmaus Fellowship at Debbie Humm s Home 23 24 25 26 27 9:00 AM Worship Service 28 29 30 31 10:15 AM LFRI Run; Please stay after worship to help!
February 2019 Barrington United Methodist Church Calendar of Events Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 9:00 AM Worship Service: Communion & Food Pantry Sunday 4 5 6 7 8 12:00 PM Lunch Bunch Outing to Gregg s Restaurant in East Providence 9 10 8:30 AM Eat/Stay/Pray in Fellowship Hall 9:00 AM Worship Service 11 12 6:30 PM Church Council Meeting 13 14 15 16 17 9:00 AM Worship Service 18 Presidents Day 19 20 21 22 23 24 9:00 AM Worship Service 25 26 7:00 PM Barrington Emmaus; Place to be Determined 27
Welcoming Word January/February 2019 Barrington United Methodist Church Rev. Daniel Ames 230 Washington Road Barrington, RI 02806 Office Hours: Administrator: Monday Friday: 10 AM 2 PM Pastor: Monday-Thursday from 10 AM 12 PM and also by appointment Sunday Worship Service: 9:00 AM followed by Coffee Hour Phone: 401-245-2385 Parsonage: 401-310-0463 Church: bumcchurchoffice@gmail.com Pastor: pastordfames@yahoo.com Church Website: www.bumcri.org Facebook: Barrington Umc Lovingly mailed with prayers and blessings to: Happy 2019 from all your family & friends at Barrington UMC