Linden Letter Linden Heights United Methodist Church September 2018 Psalm 97:12 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous and give thanks to his holy name! A Note from the Pastor I have heard people say that the summer is a slow time in the church. This is not the case for Linden Heights UMC! It has been a busy and wonderful summer here as we have gathered to worship, study, and serve God together. Here are some of the highlights from the summer! We had the opportunity to welcome children into our church for an awesome VBS program. The children, along with their youth and adult leaders, sang songs, played, did crafts, engaged in mission, and learned about many different people in the Bible. After VBS ended for the day, the youth in the 6 th -12 th grade gathered for lunch, fellowship, and mission. They baked cookies for the fire department and police department, helped with the pictures for VBS, worked at Manna House, did yard work, and ended the week with some fun and swimming at Gunpowder Falls State Park. Several families went on a camping trip to Gifford Pinchot State Park in Pennsylvania. We got rained out most of the weekend but still had a chance to have some fun and share a few meals together. We went to the Iron Birds game and were treated to a great fireworks display after the game. We also traveled to Lancaster for lunch, shopping, and a spectacular production of Jesus at Sight and Sound. We had several movie nights. We also had a new, midweek worship service for those who could not worship with us on Sunday morning. Various ministry teams and our church leadership team met throughout the summer to plan many different activities, events, worship, educational, and service opportunities. We are ready for fall to begin! I hope that you will take time to carefully read through this newsletter. It has a lot of information in it about all that is happening in September as well as some information and dates for the rest of the fall. If you have any questions, or if you have an idea about a new ministry opportunity, please give the pastor or one of the church leaders a call!
Mission Dear Church, Concert Announcement! A Night of Beatles Music and More! Saturday Sept.8th, 2018 at 6:30pm at Linden Heights UMC Church Since the passing of my mom, I've been working with my friend Zalambi Joseph to change lives of the desperate orphans and woman who have lost husbands to war, Malaria and AIDS. Working through Linden Heights and his church, Lugala United Methodist Church, we have accomplished many things to improve the lives of orphaned children. We now have support through the nonprofit www.childcrisiscenteruganda.org. Lugala UMC is working with this nonprofit to build a school. We believe that "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." (Nelson Mandela) The Lugala Community School of Learning is currently under construction. The cost of materials has escalated and we need more funds to complete the roof, windows, doors and latrines. The rainy season has arrived and we do not want to lose the brick walls that have been constructed. It is being built by the Child Crisis Center in Uganda. Child Crisis Center Uganda, (CCCU) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating out of both Uganda and the United States. The organization was founded in 2017 in the state of Pennsylvania, USA. Child Crisis Center Uganda's mission is to provide relief for the poor, distressed and underprivileged. Our efforts have led us to concentrate on Lugala, Uganda, located along the Equator in the Namayingo District of East Africa. This area is extremely poor and we are trying to change this by providing help for orphaned children and desperate woman who have lost husbands due to war, malaria or aids. Child Crisis Center Uganda strives to alleviate the desperate poverty and provide hope. This concert is being done to raise funds for this effort. It is a free concert, but we are accepting donations (any amount helps) towards the funding of the school. Checks (made payable to LHUMC) and Cash are being accepted. Please place any donations that you wish to contribute in the basket at the back of the sanctuary. I will be performing along with Vanessa Lawson and other special guests. Refreshments will be served after the concert. Everyone is invited. Sincerely in peace, Dan O'Neil
Operation Christmas Child Once again this year the Sunday school children/youth will be packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child. We will be collecting items to be placed in the boxes during the month of September. We will be packing the boxes in November. We would appreciate your donations of only the items listed below: Toys: Dolls, toy trucks, stuffed animals, yo-yos, jump ropes, balls, kazoos, harmonicas, finger puppets, marbles, foam or tennis balls. School supplies: pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons or markers, writing pads or paper, coloring and picture books. Hygiene items: Toothbrush, mild bar soap, comb, washcloth, stick deodorant, nonliquid lip balm. Other: Hairclips, toy jewelry, socks, small purses/pouches, flip flops, small cups/bowls, plastic water bottles, small tote bags, sunglasses Please do not include: war related items, candy, toothpaste, food, liquids or lotions, breakable items, bubbles. Remember items must fit into a shoebox. You may place your items in the large baskets in the walkway. Monetary donations accepted as well, shipping is $9.00 per box, please make checks payable to Linden Heights marked Operation Christmas Child. Thank you in advance for your generosity!! Questions? Contact Ruth Snyder at DaveSnyder.1@comcast.net. Manna House: We will be serving breakfast to our hungry and homeless brothers and sisters in Baltimore City on Saturday, September 29th. We will gather about 5 am to cook the pancakes and sausages and then leave at 7 am to go to Manna House and serve the food. Donations towards the cost of the food are welcome. You can put clearly marked donations in the offering plate. If you would like to sign up to cook or serve, please mark the Opportunities to Serve sheet and place it in the offering plate or contact Gail Discher. Tabs for Ronald McDonald House: We continue to collect tabs off of soda cans and other canned goods for the Ronald McDonald House. Tabs are cashed in at a recycling center and the money is used to cover expenses for sick children and their families who use the resources at the Ronald McDonald houses in our area. Tabs can be dropped off in the basket on the table behind the sanctuary.
Back Pack Report: Over the summer we collected school supplies for Pine Grove Middle School. They were hoping to assemble 40 backpacks for students who cannot afford all of the school supplies needed to have a successful year. We donated several boxes and bags full of school supplies for the students. Our donation will go a long way in helping fill those 40 backpacks! The school was very grateful to receive our donations and the students will be blessed by your generosity. Thanks to everyone who donated! Pine Grove Middle School Partnership: This summer Pastor Alicia met with the principal at Pine Grove Middle School to discuss ways that we can help and support the students and staff throughout the school year. The school supply drive was the first thing that we did as partners with the school. We also collected snacks and treats to put in the teacher s lounge for the first week of school. At Pine Grove they have a closet called The Grove. In it are different supplies and materials that children who come from poorer families may need throughout the year. The Grove stocks food, school supplies, clothing, shoes, and hygiene supplies. Throughout the year we will collect different items that they need in order to help keep The Grove stocked for the children. We will also have opportunities to interact with students and staff at different activities and functions at the school. More information about the needs of the school and our partnership will be coming out in the next few months. In the meantime, please keep the children, faculty, and staff in your prayers! Youth and Children Activities A.W.E. (Arts Worship Experience): begins September 10th at 7 pm. All children in the 3rd grade and older are welcome to be a part of A.W.E. This group performs in worship several times a year. They do drama, dance, puppets, and more. If you have questions or would like more information, please join us on the 10th! Youth Group Begins Sunday, September 16th 6:30-8 pm. We will kick-off our year with dinner, games, and discussion. The Youth Group program is open to youth in the 6th-12th grades. It is led by Pastor Alicia and other adult volunteers. Throughout the fall, youth group will meet two Sunday evenings a month and two Friday evenings a month. A full schedule of youth group meeting times, events and activities will be given out at the kick off gathering. Children & Youth Prayer Partners: Once again we would like to invite members of the congregation to pray for our children and youth by name.
SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS September 16, 2018, will be the first Sunday of our fall/winter schedule. As in the past, our Sunday school will have classes for ages three through adult. Sunday school begins at 9:15am and ends at 10:15am. Our preschool/kindergarten class will be meeting in the Linden Bridge classroom, grades 1-5, middle and high school classes will meet in the lower level of the education building. We invite all of the children and parents to gather in the Sanctuary at 9:15 am on September 16, for our First Sunday Back service. This will take place during our informal worship service. We will enjoy a portion of the service together and then the children will move to their new classrooms. Parents, we offer you a special invitation to attend our informal service or the adult Bible study each week while your children attend Sunday school. We will continue to have a combined service at 10:00am the first Sunday of each month. The children will worship with their families and there will be no Sunday school on that day. Each Sunday in Sunday school we take an offering. Our offering is used for special programs, activities, mission projects, and supplies for the children/youth. Our hope is that by giving a weekly offering our children will learn to be faithful stewards to God. What a blessing it is to share our abundance with others! In our classes we study about Jesus Christ, His life, and His message for all people. We study God down through the ages, and of God s response to the faithful people. We study ways that we can live as Christians and disciples in the world today. We enjoy the opportunity to gather together each Sunday to catch up on events in one another s lives during the past week. We share in the joys of their families and care about the sicknesses and sorrows that come to our members. We want to share with you our joy and excitement in meeting together in the Christian faith. Please join us each Sunday morning at 9:15 am.
End of Summer Celebration: Sunday, September 9th! We will worship together at 10 am. If you have collected water from any of your travels this summer, please bring it with you to worship that morning. If you have a picture, postcard, etc. of anything that you did this summer, please feel free to bring that to worship. We will be having an end of summer/start of fall celebration. Worship Fall Worship Schedule: We resume our two service format on Sunday, September 16th. We will have Sunday School for all ages and our informal worship service at 9:15 am. Our traditional service will be at 11 am. Fall Kick off Celebration: We will celebrate the beginning of our fall programing and the start of school on Sunday, September 16th at 10:15 am. Those who attend the 9:15 am service are invited to stay for a while and those who attend the 11 am service are invited to come early so that we can celebrate together! Serving in Worship Worship Servers: It is that time of the year when we recruit greeters, ushers, lay readers, communion servers, musicians, and pew tenders. Children, youth, and adults are welcome to participate in all aspects of worship. If you, or your child, are interested and you have not yet signed up, please fill out the Opportunities to Serve sheet and place it in the offering plate, or talk with the pastor. Adult Choir and Handbell Choir practices begin soon. The vocal choir will begin practice on Thursday, September 13th. If you would like more information, please contact Vanessa Lawson. The Handbell choir will begin practice on Thursday, September 20th. If you would like more information, please contact Deirdre Duda. Dear Friends, Thank you so much for the greeters who have helped with the 11 am service. Thank you for the greeters who are working until the end of December. I do need a person to help us in November. You can get a friend and split the month. If you can help us, please give me a call or put a note in the offering plate. Thank you so much for volunteering! Sally Morris 410-668-6053
Adult Bible Studies & Special Events New study on the Joy of Life Surrendered to the Holy Spirit begins Sunday, September 16th!! The Prayer & Healing Fellowship Group will meet at 2 pm on Sundays. We will read and discuss one chapter at a time: The Spirit-Filled Life: Discover the Joy of Surrendering to the Holy Spirit by Dr. Charles Stanley. All are welcome to join us! If you want to know * more about the the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, is, and the Spirit s purpose in your walk with God * how to live with more JOY and PEACE in your life than the average Christian you know the through the Holy Spirit In an informal, relaxed setting with light demand on your time, this might be for you! From September through December, we will meet 5 times on Sundays from 2 pm-3:30 pm at the home of either Doris Crossland or Alicia McBride. (Of importance to some: none of the meeting dates conflict with the Ravens Football game schedule.) For more detailed information about the group, including a complete schedule, contact Alicia McBride at 410-668-0392 or email: aliciamcb@verizon.net. Annual Fall Retreat: Friday, October 12 Sunday, October 14, 2018. Men and woman are invited to join us for a weekend of fellowship, music, fun, relaxation and worship at Middle Creek Manor, near Fairfield, Pa (between Emmitsburg, Md and Gettysburg, Pa). These retreats have been taking place for almost 30 years, and those who have attended highly recommend the experience to everyone. In addition to sessions related to the theme, each retreat affords great fellowship, good lodging, food, lots of music, much laughter, stimulating discussion, plus time to just relax and enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery and fresh air. The theme for this year s retreat is I am With You. We will be exploring this promise of Christ throughout the weekend in several ways. Register before September 15th for a $20 discount! Cost for the entire weekend, including all materials, accommodations, and meals, beginning Friday around 5:00 pm supper (you may arrive as early as 3 pm) through Sunday lunch is $155 if received prior to September 15th. After September 15th the fee is $175. To learn more and/or register, contact Alicia McBride at 410-668-0392 or email aliciamcb@verizon.net.
Church Leadership On Sunday, August 19 th, the leadership of the church gathered for an afternoon of conversation, prayer, information sharing, discernment, visioning, and planning. Together we discerned that God is leading us to move even more outside of our walls and into the community. We are being lead to build relationships with our neighbors, to support them, care for them, and be the church for them. New ideas and ministries are being discussed and planned. More information will be coming in the next few weeks with plenty of opportunities for you to be involved in the work of God and our church here in this community! Commission on the Way Forward In a previous newsletter I talked about the struggle that the United Methodist Church is having regarding the issue of human sexuality. In 2016 General Conference (the organizing body of the UMC which sets our denominational rules for the Book of Discipline as well as our Social Principles) tasked the Council of Bishops with creating a task force to look at the issue of human sexuality and present ideas for how we can live out our callings as Christians when the church, like many in our country and our world, are divided on the issue. The Commission on the Way Forward was created to do this task. They have presented the Council of Bishops with three proposals. The Council of Bishops has selected the one that they feel will best allow us to be in ministry with one another and for God. This proposal will be presented at a specially called session of General Conference (G.C. meets once every 4 years) in February 2019. Last month I presented the church leadership with information about the Commission and the proposals, as well as how the proposal and the General Conference session may affect the local church. I am now inviting the entire church community to hear the same information. On Sunday, October 14 th at 6:30 pm we will meet in the sanctuary and I will present information. I will answer questions about the legislation and the process as best as I can. This is an information session only. We will not be discussing our own thoughts and feelings at this time. At the meeting I will present to you different opportunities for us to engage in conversation, listening and discussion. I know that this topic stirs up strong thoughts and emotions in many people. I am also aware that there are those in our church community who believe differently about the issue of human sexuality. I also know for sure that we love and serve the same God, and that together, we can be the church doing God s work. I hope that you will join me on the 16 th of October and in the later listening sessions as we seek to be faithful people of God the best way that we know how. Pastor Alicia
New Ministries We are launching Family Night on the first Sunday of each month. Activities will be planned to help families come together and enjoy one another s company and to build relationships between different families in our church and community. Our first Family Night will be October 7 th at 6:30 pm. We will have a game night with games that everyone can play. More information will be coming soon! The Green Ministry Team will launch on Tuesday, October 2 nd at 7 pm. This ministry team will address environmental issues in our church, our families, and our community. The goal of this ministry team is to help us all be more aware of how we can care for God s creation. If you are interested, please come to the meeting or contact the pastor. From the Community Dear Pastor and church members, Thanks so much for bringing the church bells back to the neighborhood. We really missed them and wondered if they'd ever be back. They sound beautiful and Holy and remind you of God's community here on earth. I even taught the kids next door and grandkids to tell time by them when they're outside playing or doing yard work - they liked that - any little bit to get them aware of the Holy Spirit. By the way... I'm Catholic and to grow-up without church bells in the neighborhood would be foreign to me. We lived on a hill up from St. Michael's Church - Overlea. Another beautiful set of calming bells. I read once, in the New Yorker, that after WWII in Russia they took all the bells out of the steeples trying to squash religion. People from village to village and the towns and city were much less happier without them whether they were believers or not, and when they put them back in many many years later - everyone was relieved and celebrated. There's something very important to think about in that, don't you think?... Thanks again, and God Bless Sincerely, Mary
Calendar of Events Concert for Children s Crisis Center of Uganda- Sept. 8 th 6:30 pm SPRC Meeting- September 10 th 7 pm 2 Service format, Sunday School & Youth Group begin- Sept. 16 th (times listed in individual articles) Worship Ministry Team Meeting- September 16 th 12:15 Youth Group: September 16, 28 Special Church Council Meeting- Oct. 1 st Green Ministry Team Meeting- Oct. 2 nd Outdoor Worship Service- October 7 th Family Game Night- Oct. 7 th Church Retreat- Oct 12-14 th The Way Forward Information Session- October 14 th 6:30 pm Church Leadership Meeting- Oct. 21 st 12 pm Trunk or Treat- Oct. 28 th Living Nativity- Dec. 15 th Leadership Team & Staff at Linden Heights Pastor: Rev. Alicia L. Vanisko Hand Bell Director: Deirdre Duda Music Director: Vanessa Lawson Nursery: Stacey Poe Office Assistant: Kathy Yantis Praise Leader: Dan O Neil Worship Technology: Billy Hamlin, Greg Singer Church Council Chair: Dave Conrad Council Secretary: Mary Ann Erdman Education Ministry: Barb Yingling Endowment: Andy Johnson Family Ministry: Sarah Hamlin Finance Ministry: Wade Walters Financial Secretary: Gail Discher Lay Leader: Kelly Erdman Lay Member to Annual Conference: Saleem Gauhar SPRC: Greg Erdman Sunday School Ministry: Ruth Snyder Treasurer: Rick Schwartz Trustee Ministry: Bob Guthridge Worship Ministry: Alicia McBride