DISTRICT MISSION PROJECTS
The churches of our Northeast District of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference are joining together again this year to support one local and one international mission project. Last year our local project was to build a cabin at our church camp, Pocono Plateau, and our international project was “Nothing but Nets,” purchasing mosquito nets for families in Africa.
This year our local project is to raise money for our new Youth and Young Adult Ministries on the district. The money raised will subsidize two district-wide youth rallies, a retreat for young adults, and a training event for youth leaders utilizing a nationally know authority in youth ministry. The goal for the district is $10,000.
Our international project this year is at Mpasa Health Center in the suburbs of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa. This hospital is serves an area whose population has recently doubled due to an influx of refugees from the Sudan. Eighty percent of the people live below the poverty line and HIV/AIDS is rampant. Mpasa Health Center has no electricity! Our goal of $10,000 will provide the hospital with solar panels so it can have electricity for the first time.
Rather than have a ten week program as we did last year with “Nothing but Nets,” this year the FUMCB church council decided we will only take one offering, Sunday, February 21. Please come prepared to give!
CHURCH LEADER’S RETREAT
All the elected leaders of First United Methodist Church are asked to attend an afternoon retreat Sunday, February 7. We will enjoy a lunch at 12:30 in ER Hall and then spend time in training and planning, praying and worship, to prepare for our year working together. All members of Church Council, Finance Committee, Nominations and Leadership Development, Staff-Parish Relations, and the Board of Trustees are expected to attend. We will be finished by 3:00 p.m. Begin to pray now. What are God’s priorities for our church?
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ANGEL FOOD MINISTRIES
Cross Road Baptist Church invites you to purchase food through Angel Food Ministries. Each unit purchased includes meat, vegetables, starches, and a variety of other things and will feed one adult for 30 days at the low-cost of $30 per unit. Each month, the contents of the unit changes and AFM offers other specialty items at additional cost. Check out the menu on Angel Food’s website: www.angelfoodministries.com
Place your order at Cross Road Baptist on Monday, Feb. 8th, 7-8 pm, or Friday, Feb. 12, from 7-8 pm for food that will be delivered on Friday, Feb. 19, from 7-8 pm (Use ramp door on Second Street—order tables will be in the rear of the sanctuary).
Orders must be paid in full at the time of ordering with cash, money orders, or food stamps. Sorry, they can’t take phone or e-mail orders and they cannot accept checks.
HAITI RELIEF
On the weekend of January 17 First United Methodist Church of Bangor raised $1279.92 for Haiti relief. Our gift was sent off the next day to join over $1,000,000 already raised by the United Methodist Committee on Relief prior to Sunday’s services. UMCOR has had a long presence on the island supporting the Haitian Methodist Church. In fact the executive director of UMCOR, the director of mission volunteers for the UMC, and a UM consultant were in Port-au-Prince at the time of the earthquake preparing a new health mission. The two directors were both killed from injuries sustained in the collapse of the Montana Hotel. The work of the UMCOR continues and we will still be there long after the TV cameras and public attention have left.
LISA WILLIAMS TO GO ON HAITI
MEDICAL MISSION
In the near future, Lisa Williams, PAC, (wife of music director, Ellis Williams) will be leaving for a medical mission trip in Haiti sponsored by The Gaskov Clergé Foundation. It is extraordinarily important Lisa and her colleagues are as successful as possible. Here is another way to help that will have direct and immediate benefits to those with needs beyond our comprehension.
Lisa has participated in two medical mission trips in the past sponsored by The Gaskov Clergé Foundation. This foundation includes many Haitian-Americans on the board who not only have a very personal tie to the country of Haiti, but also know how to get resources to where they are needed most. If you wish to donate to them you may contact them at: http://www.gaskov.org/
Lisa and the team are working on acquiring and shipping supplies. You can view the list, both medical and non-medical at: http://www.gaskov.org/quakesupplies.html
Contact Lisa or Ellis with any items you wish to donate. Feel free to share this information with as many family, friends and acquaintances as possible. Ellis Williams, capitol@enter.net
484-221-0997.
Godspeed their success!
PASTY BAKE!
Our next pasty bake is Saturday, February 13, 2010, so place your orders with any Pasty Baker, Mary Miller, the church office, Richard Shaplin or e-mail at firstumcbangor@epix.net. We make our own pasties. If you would like to help make crumbs for the dough this process is done on Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. and then on Saturday we have an assembly line to complete the process of making the pasties. Order some and taste how delicious they are. If you would like to help with the making of the pasties or the cleaning up after, all you have to do is just show up at the church on that day. If you would like to help sell pasties for February 13 to your family, friends, co-workers, schools or any social event you attend, all you need to do is come to the office for a pasty order sheet or see Mary Miller or Richard “Shap” Shaplin and sell, sell, sell. Thank you for your help.
MEMORIALS for Howard F. Hoechst given by: Connie Yetter, Anna Straight, Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Getz, Mr. & Mrs. Craig Sleep, Dominick Tedesco, Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Fellin, Christopher Hoechst, Dolores Morris, Mr. & Mrs. William “Jolly” Miller, The Bangor Exchange Club, Mr. & Mrs. Peter Wisnosky, Mr. & Mrs. Carl Dutt, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Miller, Mr. & Mrs. Ellis Plowman, Helen Neumann, Mr. & Mrs. Fredick “Fritz” Jones, Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Renaldo, Mr. & Mrs. Walter Ronalds, Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Hoechst, Muriel Miller & Family.
On behalf of myself and my family, I would like to thank all my dear friends at First United Methodist Church for the thoughtful and caring concern shown to us on the loss of my husband, Howard. Your sympathy and kindness will always be remembered. A special thank you also to those of you who shared and helped with the memorial service and luncheon, your hard work helped us through a very difficult time. Bless you all, Becky Hoechst.
Library News: Our library is divided into 12 sections; each month we will feature one of them. The sections include:
· Bible
· New Testament
· Old Testament
· Jesus
· Family
· Biography
· Church History
· Ethics and Sociology
· Methodism
· Faith and Inspiration
· UMW Reading
· Fiction
February will focus on the resources we have in the Bible Section. There are various Bible translations available and there are numerous books helping us to research, study, and understand the Word of God.
Translations include:
· New American Standard
· Children’s Edition
· Today’s English Version
· New International Version
· King James
· Ecumenical Study Bible
· Amplified Version – The everyday life Bible with notes and commentary by Joyce Meyer
· “The Book”
· Various translations in large print
Study assistance includes:
· The One Volume Bible Commentary
· Christian Workers Commentary
· Many more books on researching the bible.
Check us out today, you won’t be disappointed. Please write your name, date, and book title on the sign-out sheet and keep the book as long as you like.
YOUTH CONFIRMATION
TO BEGIN IN JANUARY
Students in ninth grade and up are welcome to participate in our 2010 Confirmation Class. Learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus and a part of his church. The classes will be held on Sunday night from 6:30-8:00 from January to May. Those who choose to be confirmed will be confirmed and join the church on Pentecost Sunday, May 23. Contact Pastor Nicholson if you are interested.
AS A SIGN OF HER LOVE…
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."
Mark 12:41-44
There are many reasons to give and many excuses not to. Whatever the excuses available to this poor widow, she ignored them all and gave her all. God is an extravagant giver and that day this woman’s heart matched the heart of God. She will never be forgotten, and yet that day she probably did not even know anyone had noticed.
She wasn’t trying to impress anyone. She didn’t think she was going to balance the temple budget. It was all between her and God. Surely she gave out of her love in trust and gratitude to God. How does your giving express your love to God? It is not how much you have to give. It is how much heart you give with it.
UNITED METHODISTS IN MISSION:
AFRICA
Can you even imagine living in places where electricity, phones and the Internet are nonexistent or unreliable? That is the situation in Côte d’Ivoire, a West African country recently torn by civil war. How do people get information, especially in times of trouble?
Radio
Even the poorest and most isolated people can become better educated through this reliable technology.
United Methodist Church radio in Côte d’Ivoire plans to broadcast for the first time on Christmas Eve 2009, amplifying hope in a country still healing from war. Radio Methos (101.6 FM) will have programs about relevant subjects like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS; ways to generate income; childcare; and hope from the gospel message…all of this in the residents' own context, and in their own languages.
How many can we reach? As many as 1 million people in Abidjan and 3 million in rural areas will hear Radio Methos – many of them receiving Lifeline solar-powered radios for their family and community.
Remember this mission in your prayers throughout December and especially on Christmas Eve when broadcasting begins .
PHILIPPINE TYPHOON RELIEF
The Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table, meeting in Lake Junaluska, N.C., in early November made an urgent appeal to the people of The United Methodist Church to ease the suffering of our sisters and brothers in the Philippines. Recent flooding and subsequent landslides have claimed lives and caused great suffering. The death toll exceeds 1,000 because of four successive typhoons and the related health issues that followed. With more than 9 million persons affected, an estimated 1.3 million persons are displaced while the economic and agricultural impact is still being assessed.
The Churchwide Appeal for Philippines Disasters will provide humanitarian relief and support the ministries and congregations of The United Methodist Church in the Philippines. Our United Methodist brothers and sisters desperately need our support. More than 200,000 United Methodists in 1,372 local churches in the Philippines pray that we will stand beside them through these storms.
We have designated Sunday, December 20, to participate in this church-wide appeal. You may also donate online at UMCappeal.org .
PASTY BAKE! Our next Pasty bake will January 9, 2010. Come and join us for the fun and fellowship. If you are tired of turkey come and get a pasty for a change. Helpers are needed to make and bake the pasties, to help clean up after the bake, and also to help bag and put the pasties in the freezer. You can also help by selling the pasties for $4.00 each. Come to the office or see Carolyn Shaplin, Richard “Shap” Shaplin or Mary Miller for forms. You can place an order by calling the office 610-588-4673 or by e-mailing firstumcbangor@epix.net. The Pasty Bakers thank you for your orders and your help.
LIBRARY NEWS: Sometimes we experience hardships in our everyday living, but the knowledge that God loves us and will never leave us gives us strength. Your church offers many types of support for difficult times including the library. The library has a lot of books that address hardships, feelings, and what God’s word advises. Here are a few excellent resources:
· From the UMW reading section - The House Where the Hardest Things Happened, by Kate Young Caley
· From the Faith and Inspiration section - The Flames Shall Not Consume You, by Mary Ellen Ton
· From the Faith and Inspiration section - Finding God When Life’s Not Fair, by Lee Ezell
· From the section on Jesus - When All Else Fails… Read the Directions, by Bob Smith
· From the section on the New Testament - The Sermon on the Mount Resource Book, by W. D. Davies.
· From the Biography section - Child of Rage, by Glenn Hester & Bruce Nygren
Please write your name, date, and book title on the
sign-out sheet and keep the book as long as you like.
INTRODUCING OUR NEW MEMBERS. Hello our names are Jerry and Robyn Piperato. We have 2 children one 10 year old son Dakota and one 2 1/2 year old daughter Kelsey. We moved to Roseto 2 years ago from Mt. Bethel, PA. We love our house and our new town. We also have found a new church family. We enjoy spending time together as a family. I’ve worked for the A&P for 24 years and Jerry is a general contractor. We like to be active outside and enjoy our new boat.
Guest Article:
FOR THOSE WHO GRIEVE
OVER SEAN LEWIS
There are many people that enter our lives. They share with us their joys, sorrows, love and pain. God has a plan and purpose for people who become a part of our lives. We are not to judge why, but maybe to learn why. Some people are with us for a long time, and some are less fortunate and not to be with us for long. What do you think is your purpose in life? Do you have a plan or guidance to help you along your way? Does life seam to you to have more negative things than positive things? Then make a difference and turn it around. Make the difference for others and yourself and make Sean proud of who you can become. Sean was one man we all know to be a good, caring person to a lot of people he knew. He was liked by many teens; he touched their hearts through his kindness and love. Although Sean has passed away, his love he showed for you and others, should continue to grow. Yvonne Albert.
