Pastor’s Reflections
An Original Christian
The first Sunday of October is World Communion Sunday. It’s also going to be the Sunday when I can realize a long-held dream of having the Rev. Alex Awad as a guest preacher in a congregation I am serving. I have spoken of him from the pulpit many times, and have written about him in this newsletter. Now I finally get a chance to introduce him to you. Until this year, he was pastor of East Jerusalem Baptist Church, as well as Dean of Bethlehem Bible College in Palestine. He is also, until January, a missionary serving under the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church.
But more than all that, he is one of the most wonderful and warm-hearted Christians you will ever meet. He is somewhat more conservative than I am theologically, and also quite conservative in terms of moral theology, but he is one of those unique individuals who refuses to be your enemy — he radiates kindliness. I have worked with him on issues relating to peace in the Middle East for some years now, and I’ve never seen or heard him act in less than a Christ-like way.
Alex is also a native born Palestinian Christian — his ancestors, so far as anyone can determine such things, were the original Christian converts described in the 2nd chapter of the Book of Acts. If nothing else, you should get a chance to know him and ask questions about that part of the world. Alex will be with us for both Sunday School and worship, as will his wife Brenda, another wonderful person. Brenda is from Fleming-Neon, Kentucky, and a former first grade teacher who met Alex while he was a student in Georgia.
Alex and Brenda will help with the service of Holy Communion, as will Dani Ortega and Henry Folgoso, Bob Wieneke and Kay Fraley — all of whom are originally from someplace other than the United States. You should ask them where!
And on that Sunday, Oct. 4, we will also take up an offering for the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which is currently involved in assisting Syrian refugees in Europe. Several of you have now asked what the church is doing — I looked it up, and it turns out the United Methodists in Germany and elsewhere has been concerned about this refugee problem for several years now, and have established a strong reputation as both aid-givers and advocates for reform in how the world treats displaced persons. Makes me proud of the United Methodists, to be honest.
I hope to see you at church Oct. 4.
John
Special Thanks to First Church
This letter is to express our heartfelt thanks to you and the members of your congregation and staff for your generous gift to The Gathering. We are immeasurably blessed to have your support for the Community Block Party on Aug. 22 as well as all of the support that you have given us the past few years.
We look forward to more opportunities to serve together in the future.
Blessings to you and all the saints at FUMC!
Yours In Christ,
Rev. Carrie Jena (Pastor at The Gathering)
Prostate Cancer Support Group
The Prostate Cancer Support Group will meet on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. at the Mid-Pointe Library conference room ‘A’. A special guest, Mr. Herschel Chalk, will speak. Registration is at 6:30 p.m. and light refreshments will be served. The meeting is sponsored by American Medical Systems. All men are invited to be there and spouses and partners are welcome to attend. Please call (513) 594-1722 to reserve a seat.
UMW Nut Sale
Just in time for fall our United Methodist Women are still taking orders for 1 lb. bags of nuts and nutty treats. Prices range from $6-10; good for baking or a healthy snack. See Tammy White, Susan Beagle, or any other UMW member to get yours. Hurry, sale ends Oct. 8!
Baking Reminder
*Cookies needed Oct. 25*
Those who plan to make cookies for the Care Packages for College Students and Military should mark your calendar to bake and bring cookies in on Oct. 25 (boxes will be packed that day, then shipped).
We are asking for you to bake cookies that are small to medium in size (2” or less) and the quantity should be 8 baggies of 6 cookies each; the size and quantity is important as boxes only allow so much space, and we wish the cookies to make it in one piece. Please contact the church office to let us know that you will be baking so we can make sure there is enough for all the packages.
Please contact the office or Imogene Orts for questions or to help with this outreach.
Adult Bible Study Series: “Movies, Morality and the Christian Message”
Gary Cooper as Marshall Will Kane in “High Noon” (1952), on why he has to fight a gang of outlaws on his own:
“I’ve got to, that’s the whole thing.”
Starting Sunday, Oct. 11, and going through Nov. 22, Johnny Schmitt and John Wagner will be team teaching at the 9 a.m. class on what it means to be moral, just and fair — both in our personal lives and as a society. We will use clips from older and more recent movies as our starting point in discussing what the movies seem to tell us, and then searching out what God might be asking us to do through the words of the Bible. Please check it out!
Community Ministries Corner
Harvest of the Heart
October is Harvest of the Heart month here at First Church. We support the Pantry and Emergency Food programs all year long through our tithes, offerings, and food donations. Every October we are given the opportunity to restock the shelves for the winter months ahead. You will get a taste of pantry shopping. (We have volunteer shoppers every week.)
We are not providing paper bags for you to fill and return to the church. Since the Pantry uses plastic grocery bags each week for the Neighborhood shoppers, plastic bags are welcome.
Please refer to the “Shopping List” items and buy whatever you feel led to buy. You may bring these items to church anytime during October and place them BESIDE the blue barrels in the hallway behind the sanctuary. We will line the chancel with your gifts on Sunday, Oct. 25. Then, our Pastor will bless them.
“You fed Me when I was hungry…” No gift is too small.
Shopping List:
Beef Stew, Instant Potatoes, Canned Vegetables, Soups, Spaghetti, Sugar, Instant Oatmeal packets, Peanut Butter, Jelly, Cooking oil, Dish Soap, Shampoo, 100% Fruit Juice, Rice, Canned Fruit, Canned Pasta, Spaghetti Sauce, Tuna in Water, Tuna/Chicken/Hamburger Helper, Pancake Mix, Syrup, Instant Grits, Laundry Soap, Toothpaste, Mac n’ Cheese, Stuffing Mix, Flour, Canned Chicken, Saltine Crackers, Beans (dried or canned), Canned Meats, Vienna Sausage, Ramen Noodles, Bar Soap, and Toilet Paper
Shopping Tip: You may purchase items wherever you like, but the following stores are where our regular Pantry Shoppers go because of their good prices: Aldi, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Save-A-Lot.
Junior Church News
The September Magical Missions Carnival was fun for all, and a big thanks goes out to all who set up, popped popcorn, baked cakes, manned a game, bought/served food, cleaned up, or in anyway helped with or attended it. The children had fun raising money for the United Methodist Children’s Missions Fund.
We asked, received, and are so happy to have three new teacher assistants — Jen Harris, Sarah Danzeisen, and Rick Ballman —helping with the primary and older elementary classes of Junior Church. We are excited because the nursery class has reached the age where they are ready to have a time for a Sunday school lesson each week. Susan Beagle has set up bean bag chairs and everyone gathers to hear a story and lesson. We appreciate all the volunteers who take a Sunday each month to lead a class, help with crafts, read a story, or just play with all the children! If you ever want to visit any of the classes just let Susan Beagle or Belinda Hausman know, and they will let the teachers know you are coming.
Making Travel Plans in Nepal
Update from Dr. Les and Debbie Dornon, missionaries to Nepal working in the Tansen Hospital
Making travel plans can be difficult here in Nepal… We were looking forward to a visit from our nieces Joanna and Shelly. Debbie decided to go into KTM to meet them, and also have a chance to meet Hannah. We always plan around the mission bus (buck), which travels to KTM on Wednesdays and from KTM on Thursdays. The girls were flying in on Tuesday evening. Debbie arranged a car to drive her to KTM on Monday, and booked the buck for 3 people on Thursday. Easy, right? No — because there was a nationwide strike on Monday! New plans — take the car from Tansen to Pokhara on Mon at 5 p.m. (end of the strike) and go into KTM Tuesday on a tourist bus. Pokhara hotel booked…tourist bus booked…Okay — but then on Monday morning, it was announced that the buck needed repairs in KTM and wouldn’t be returning to Tansen on Thursday! Next plan — book another vehicle from KTM on Thursday — for 9 people because there were that many booked on the buck. BUT….at 1 p.m. on Monday, the buck driver said he was planning to drive the buck in to KTM on Monday at 5 p.m. — did I want a ride? It might break down on the road…“no guarantee” were his words. Hmmmm. Cancel Pokhara hotel, bus and car… Ride buck — arriving at 1 a.m. in KTM. Joanna and Shelly arrived on Tuesday and we all enjoyed a meal with Hannah on Wed! We traveled by van to Tansen on Thursday safely — but Shelly didn’t do well on our roads, and didn’t want to ever get in a vehicle again! 🙂 But — all was done safely, Praise God! It reminded me of Proverbs 16:1 (Message). Check it out!
In Him,
लेस (Les) and देबी (Debbie)
P.S. To see more photos and stories, please visit our blog:
dornonnepalmission.wordpress.com
Music Notes by Mary Ellen Clinard
Hymn Marathon
IT’S A MARATHON…but you won’t need running shoes!!
Be a part of this historic event as we SING THROUGH THE HYMNAL without stopping!!
Beginning at 5pm on Friday, Oct. 9 until whenever we get done on Saturday, singing will be going on continuously. We will lock the doors between 9pm and 9am (you can still get OUT!) so if you want to come to do some late-night singing just call the church before you come, and we will let you in the door. You can stay for as little or as long as you like! We will have coffee and snacks but you might want to bring a bagged meal if you are staying for a while!
We are looking for volunteers to play the piano/organ for singing. Any and all singers are welcome at any time. Bring your friends! We will be singing ALL verses of ALL the hymns!!
You will be able to “sponsor” a time slot for the Marathon. As a sponsor, you will be able to create a message that will be posted on the church’s Facebook page during the time of your sponsorship. Proceeds from this sponsorship will go to the United Methodist Church in Middletown, CA to help with recovery efforts from the wildfires that destroyed that “Middletown” community. Each time slot sponsorship is $20.
For instance, Susie Smith chooses to be a sponsor for the 7:30pm time slot. Susie would like her message to be “Congratulations to my daughter on her new job in Cincinnati.” At 7:30pm a Facebook post will appear on our church’s page saying…“It’s 7:30 p.m. at the FUMC Hymn Sing Marathon! We’re just beginning Hymn #298, ‘When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.’ This post is sponsored by Susie Smith who sends congratulations to her daughter on her new job in Cincinnati.”
Someone else’s sponsored post might be…“It’s 9:30am at the FUMC Hymn Sing Marathon! We’re just beginning Hymn #698, ‘God of the Ages.’ This post is sponsored by Jim Roberts who says ‘I love singing hymns in church!’ ” By checking our Facebook page you can keep up with our progress in the hymn sing marathon and connect with family and friends at the same time. You don’t have to attend the Hymn Sing Marathon to sponsor a time slot. You can sign up for sponsorship in the North Foyer beginning Sept. 27.
Questions? If so, email Mary Ellen at meclinard@hotmail.com. Join us!!
First Friday Concert Series 2015
OCTOBER 2 | SPITTIN’ IMAGE
Before you make an eye appointment for seeing double, stop by and see why these entertainers are twice the fun! The First Friday crowd keeps asking for them to come back — even after making some audience members wear silly hats and sing off-key… go figure! It must be their great musical talent that has audiences asking for more!
NOVEMBER 6 | YUN KIM HUGHES
One of the country’s preeminent pipe organ recitalists, Yun brings our 32-rank Reuter pipe organ to life with exciting and unusual selections! Listeners have come to expect anything from classical, jazz, spirituals, or contemporary selections from one of Yun’s concerts. For anyone who thinks organ music is stuffy, you’ve never heard it played from Yun’s exceptional and creative repertoire!
This concert series wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Middletown Community Foundation, The Barnitz Fund and the congregation of First United Methodist Church, Middletown. Thank you for helping us make downtown Middletown a destination for the arts!
October Birthdays
1 Glenn Slama
2 Mary Emmert, Nevin Markle
4 Virginia Jenkins, Jen Tucker
5 Charles Beck, Kelly Kidd
7 Bette Fletcher
11 Bob Wieneke
12 Jenny Kerr
15 Hilda Trent
17 Michael McNeil
18 Jeff Dickson
23 Karen Walke
26 Becky Rutledge,
27 Sue Diefenbach, Sue Irwin, Charlene Mackall
30 Kay Fraley, Vera West
31 Jonah Rogers