WESLEY MESSENGER August 2017 Volume 9, Issue 8 Wesley United Methodist Church 40 West Main Street, Strasburg PA 17579 Church email address: wesleystrasburg@verizon.net Web: www.wesleychurch.us 717.687.6392 Inside this issue: Worship Schedule Worship 1 3, 4 Worship Schedule 9:00 am Blended Worship 10:00 am Holy Grounds Fellowship 10:30 am Sunday School Ponderings 2 Education 4 Missions 4 Friends at Home 5 Sunday, August 6 9th Sunday after Pentecost Importance of Church Membership and How to Treasure the Gift Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday & Thursday Office Phone: 717.687.6392 Rev. David Alderson - Pastor Kim Badman - Organist/ Choir Director Holly Miller - Secretary Sunday, August 13 10th Sunday after Pentecost The Functioning/Unifying Member Sunday, August 20 11th Sunday after Pentecost It s Not About Me My Prayer for Church Leaders Sunday, August 27 12th Sunday after Pentecost I Will Lead My Family/Community to Be Healthy Church Members O u r M i s s i o n : W O R S H I P G O D ; S E RV E G O D ; W I T N E S S f o r G O D ; b y t h e P O W E R o f G O D t h r o u g h t h e H O LY S P I R I T.
Pastor s Ponderings Turn the Knob! Have you ever been stuck in a situation and weren t sure how to get out? Are you waiting for that spiritual breakthrough that just seems to be out of reach? Perhaps the solution is really simple turn the knob! up trying. God gave me a vision a few weeks ago when he showed me a large fence with a gate. On the other side of the fence (which was see-through) is the next step of your plan perhaps your entire destiny! You can see it, it s all within your reach; but so often you fail to get to it because the gate appears locked and you give God showed me this lack of trying can be fear, anxiety, worry, etc. It can be an obstacle that has kept you paralyzed for quite some time. Something is keeping you from going through the gate to get to the next step in the plan or the revelation of your destiny. Sure, the anointing can help you break through; prayer can help you break through; strength in numbers can help you break through but a lot of times the answer to the breakthrough is so simple. All you have to do is approach the gate and turn the knob to realize the way through has been open the entire time. I was reminded of what happens at times when we re called out with the fire company to an auto accident with entrapment. We get to the accident, and because we have all the training and equipment we want to break out the Jaws of Life and the spreaders to pop-open doors and cut off roofs; but all that is needed is a quick check of the door to realize that it s already open. It will sometimes happen in the midst of a fire and we re standing at the door with the haligan bar and axe, ready to do what s necessary to get inside but we sometimes forget to check and see if the door is already open. In the EMS/Fire service we call it tunnel vision. We get so focused on the problem that we miss out on all of the solutions (sometimes really simple) that are right before our eyes. If you re not a part of the solution, you ll always be a part of the problem. If you re so focused on the problem, you ll never realize the solution is within reach! The answer is simple pray for breakthrough but go ahead and turn the knob! It s up to you! Pastor Dave 2
worship August Altar Flowers Karen Bender, Chair-Worship Kim Badman, Organist/Choir Director Becky Perry, Altar Guild Ed Nusbickel Memorial Breakfast On Sunday, August 13, the Wrestling With Words Sunday school will offer its quasi-annual Ed Nusbickel Memorial Breakfast following the worship service. Sunday, August 20 Toni Williams in loving memory of her mother This time of fellowship will feature sausage, egg and cheese biscuits; faux sausage, egg and cheese biscuits; and love; and it s free! Everyone join us! The month of August, except August 20, is open for those who wish to place altar flowers in celebration, in memory of a loved one, or to the glory of God! Sign-up is in Epworth. Stewardship of Attendance 9:00 am 2017 2016 June 25 50 59 July 2 52 75 July 9 48 88 July 16 56 74 July 23 54 56 Men, if you desire fellowship, a good breakfast and a deepening prayer life, if you want to serve by listening to the Lord, join your fellow disciples at our Men s Prayer Breakfast in Wesley s Fellowship Hall on the third Saturday morning of the month. This month, however, we will meet at Hershey Farms Restaurant on Sat., August 19, at 7 a.m. Please reserve your place by calling Pete Kingsley or Barry Buller by Thurs., August 17! AUGUST LAY READER SCHEDULE DATE BLENDED WORSHIP August 6 Karen Bender August 13 Lynda Houck August 20 Roy Rineer August 27 Vicki Henderson Come Break Bread with Us & Bring a Friend! As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens Another. - Proverbs 27:17 3
Let us worship together Beginning in August, we will explore what it means to be a church member. We will attempt to break down the stereotypical responses (negative and positive), and will come to a better understanding of why we should be members within the local church. We will also look to bring in new members during this time. If you are not a church member and want to consider becoming one, please see Pastor Dave. If your church membership is with another UM church or different denomination, Pastor Dave can easily transfer your membership to Wesley. Youth Night Out! Admin Board has given its approval for the church to open up the pole barn for the youth of Strasburg and the surrounding community (5th through 12th grades) on Thursday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. If you would like to serve as a volunteer for Youth Night Out or would like to know more, please contact Pete Kingsley (471-5820). All volunteers are required to have their Safe Sanctuary clearance. missions Chair - Carol Rice Lynda Houck, Pastor Dave Alderson The Mission Committee will be collecting school supplies throughout the month of August. We will start July 30 and collect until August 20. We are looking for: Plain Color Backpacks, Pencils, Pens, 3-Ring Notebooks, Erasers, & Spiral Notebooks Please check the bulletin on Sundays and on the bulletin board in the Epworth room for a more extensive list of needs. Any questions call Carol Rice 687-7363. * * * Pennies for Missions In June Wesley raised $50.07 through Pennies for Missions. On the last Sunday of each month, look for the basket marked Pennies for Missions and place your pennies there. Next Pennies for Missions collection is Sunday, August 27. George Desmond, President Pastor Dave Alderson, Pete Kingsley, Kay Graybill, Vickie Buller, Sheila Dunlap, Betty Heffner, Mike Lockard, Jeff Shultz Request from the Trustees: We are still painting in the lower level of the Asbury building with one room to go and are asking the congregation if some could find time to help with the last room. We could use help with the painting to finish up that portion of one of our ongoing projects. If so, please call Kay Graybill or Vickie Buller for directions. We have all the equipment and paint. Another note: We want to let the congregation know that the mechanical contractor will be starting on the new gas furnace installation tentatively on Monday, August 14, for the main church new furnace. The project will take about 3 weeks. More will follow on this project. Also, we are trying to stay ahead of the weeds and dead-heading flowering plants if anyone cares to help out! We will be starting on the front porch of the pastor s house shortly with much needed repairs. 4
Send Your Love to Wesley s At-Home Friends! Robbie Golston 433 South Kinzer Avenue 46 VSA New Holland, PA 17557 Robbie s Birthday: October 29 June Good 2001 Harrisburg Pike Apt B246 Lancaster,PA 17601 June s Birthday: July 14 Jerre Groff Oakleaf Manor, Room B20 2101 Wabank Road Millersville, PA 17551 Jerre s Birthday: May 29 Eva Kohlmaier c/o Donna Bitterman 44 Denlinger Avenue Strasburg, PA 17579 Eva s Birthday: May 20 Blake E. Nicholson, Jr. 2001 Harrisburg Pike # ML415 Lancaster PA 17601-2641 Phone: (717) 390-4945 Blake s Birthday: January 10, 1923 Melvin Rosier Happy Birthday, Mel! The Glen at Willow Valley, Room 531 675 Willow Valley Square Lancaster PA 17602 Phone: (717) 464-4947 Mel s Birthday: August 9 John & Evie Sigman 2001 Harrisburg Pike EW381 Lancaster, PA 17601 John s Birthday: September 21 Evie s Birthday: September 12 Church Directory Updates If you know of a church member in need, please notify the church office to inform the pastor and enable the Body of Christ to support that member with prayer, visits, meals and the light of Christ. May we be His hands! Please make the following changes to your Church Directory. In Loving Memory of those who have entered into life eternal: Ruth Bair - June 26, 2017 Ruth was born October 21,1917, was baptized into the faith, was received into Wesley Church on April 12, 1936, along with Carolyn Frank, Elsie Mae Pine and C. Glenn Sweigart, and was received into the arms of her Lord on June 26, 2017. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who...will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21 5