The Messenger The Monthly Newsletter of the Saugerties United Methodist Church Office # (845)246-7802 Email: saugertiesunitedmeth@hvc.rr.com January 2018 A New Year s Blessing
From the Pastor s Desk an old year is over, and new one s just begun John Lennon Happy Christmas Yes, 2017 is over and 2018 has just begun. Has it sunk in yet; we are just starting the year 2018! I can remember starting the first day of Kindergarten in September, 1960. Where have all the years gone and so quickly too. I am sure that we all can remember our formative years as children with little to do except being in school, playing with our friends and exploring the big world that was rapidly unfolding before our eyes. It seems like a lifetime has gone by and indeed it has! It is easy to reminisce about times gone by but the past is just that, the past. Instead of ruminating about lost opportunities over what could have been, maybe we should look forward to what yet could be. We live in God s world. No matter what the television pundits say, God is alive and in charge. As Jesus tells us, with God all things are possible. So let us think about all the possibilities that we as individuals and as a church can work towards this year: with God by our side of course. Our church has had some financial issues which are currently being worked on by the Finance Committee in concert with other lay leaders. And we are confident they will be solved. But time does march on. Our church is turning 100 this year and our education wing is half that age. Repairs and renovations are needed. In this Messenger, you will find an article from the Trustees. They are having the sanctuary painted. It needs it especially since a lot of plaster broke off the walls due to water damage. That issue has been resolved and the plaster repaired so now it is time to paint. The Trustees are also asking for people to donate a can of paint which will help defray the cost of the project. But that is just a start. There are many more maintenance, safety, and environmental issues that need attention due to aging equipment. The projects however, will accomplish much more than just basic repairs or increased aesthetics. They will also allow the church to operate more efficiently and continue to build its missions capabilities to impact our community in Jesus name. That is forward thinking. That is what Jesus calls us to do. 2018 can be just another year, another notch on our squandered opportunity belts. Or it can be the year that the church declares to the world - we are alive; we are still proclaiming the Good News; and we are still continuing the mission that Jesus started. God is alive the Gospel is alive SUMC is alive and well and looking forward to bringing Christ to as many people in as many ways as we can in 2018! Have a Happy and Blessed New Year! Pastor Tony
Please keep in your prayers David Goble, who grew up in our church, and Margaret Todd, friend and classmate of many of our members. David is currently in the hospital. Margaret is now home but was in the hospital and spent Christmas in Tenbroeck. It s time to spiff things up! The Trustees first project of 2018 is to re-paint the sanctuary, since the leak appears to be fixed and the plaster is dried. We have hired a local painter and we will be buying the paint from Smith s to keep it local. We would love your help in defraying the cost of the paint for this large job. So, would you consider donating a gallon of paint? The cost of a gallon is $47, so any donation that you make would be great. If you write a check, please make it out to SUMC, and in the memo line, please write Paint Project. If you would like you can add the check to your envelope on Sunday, or give it to either Robin Burns or Nancy Forsythe. Thanks! The next meeting of the Book Club will be Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. in the Church lounge. We will be discussing the book 'Red Notice' by Bill Browder. All are welcome!
Women s Study THE WOMAN S STUDY GROUP will meet on January 11 & 25 in the lounge from 6:30-7:30 PM and is open to all women of the church and their friends. Please enter using the choir door on the Post St. side of the church. We are studying the book The Shack. Please join us for lively and insightful discussions about this book and recent movie. Thursday Morning Bible Study A Woman Overwhelmed is a new women's Bible study on the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, by Hayley DiMarco. This study will start on January 11 from 10:30 12 in the lounge. It is a six week study and includes a video component. It will be led by Joan Robinson. This study is open to any member of the congregation, so if you are interested, please join us. CRAFTING GROUP TO RESUME AGAIN! The Crafting Group will begin to meet on the second and fourth Wednesday afternoon of each month, from 1-3 PM in the Youth Room. The group is open to anyone who enjoys crafting! Please join us on January 10 for a meeting to plan our future projects! Questions? Contact Diane McDowell or Debbie Mecca. United Methodist Women UMW Candy Making The UMW will make candy to sell for Valentine's Day on January 15. This is their annual fundraiser. The women will meet in the kitchen on Monday, January 15, at 11:00 and work for several hours. They will finish the candy at their regular meeting on January 16. At the meeting on January 16, they will get together for a covered-dish supper at 5:30 and then make candy, starting around 6:30. Debi Arthur will lead the group in this activity. Also, the registration forms for the District retreat in January will be available. The dates of the retreat are January 26-28, 2018. The retreat leader will be Pastor Bette Sohm from the New Paltz Methodist Church. The location is the Huntersfield Christian Training Center in Prattsville.
JANUARY 14: EXTENDED GAME NIGHT!! Since there is no school tomorrow for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, let s have a fun game night. We ll meet in the Youth Room from 6:30-9. Come ready to play some fun games! JANUARY 21: OUR PLANS FOR 2018! What are your hopes, wishes, dreams for the New Year? What ways can you put your best qualities forward? Come to explore your gifts and desires with a fun activity that you can take home to remind you of what a fabulous YOU, you really are! From 6:30-8 PM in the Youth Room. JANUARY 28: MISSION TRIP MEETING!! Every year we go on a Mission Trip so that we can share and discover our God given gifts and talents with another community that can use our help. This year we will once again travel to Lynchburg, VA to work with our friends there. The date of the trip is August 4-11. This meeting is for those who are considering participating in this year s trip. There will be a Mission Trip meeting once a month, January June and they are all mandatory if you wish to go. So, if you are curious about going or sure about going, do not miss this meeting! More details, expectations, etc. will be discussed as well as viewing a slide show of last year s trip. From 6:30-8 PM in the Youth Room. SAVE THE DATE!! PANCAKE SUPPER FUNDRAISER will be held on Tuesday evening February 13. More details to follow in the coming weeks. A NOTE ABOUT THE WEATHER AND YOUTH GROUP: If the weather is snowy or icy, please check your email or Instagram to see whether or not our meeting will be held. (Debbie will post at least 2 hours prior to meeting start.) Please be sure Debbie has your current email address or add her to your Instagram account. Or if a group text is better she can do that as long as you give her your number!
BFF KIDS MEETS ON JANUARY 12 & 26! BFF Kids is a youth group for kids in grades 4, 5 & 6! This month we will begin writing the scripts for our May performance. If you know a child in grades 4-6 who likes to perform, make props, etc. this is the time for them to join BFF Kids! JANUARY 7: NEW YEAR S SCAVENGER HUNT! Come to the Youth Room from 6:30-8 PM for some fun with friends as we search for symbols of 2017 and 2018. This Saturday the 6 th, we are having our Fourth Community Breakfast hosted by the staff of the Boys & Girls Club. The breakfast is from 9:00 10:30 AM. Please come out and enjoy good food and good company! Anniversaries Anniversaries & Birthdays 15 th Roberta & Joe Gavner Birthdays 7 th Cindy Travis Herriman 26 th McKenna Dyke 12 th Lisa Machione 27 th Jessica Carter 19 th Tim Graves 31 st Justin Mentz 21 st Carol Schmidt 23 rd Audrey Klinkenberg 23 rd Natalia Rose Goicochea
Mother Goose News! December was another fun month for us. Eight of our students attended the Breakfast with Santa that the Girl Scouts hosted. We had a visit from a Vulture for Wild Kingdom Wednesday. Mother goose closed out 2017 with a fun week of Holiday activities that included making gifts for their parents, decorating cookies and a Pajama movie day. The highlight of the week was our Holiday show and a visit from Santa himself! We are excited to see what 2018 has in store for us. On the first day back this New Year we already have added another new student.