Potluck and DS December 1st

Charge Conference * Sunday-December 1, Heidi Chamberland, our District Superintendent, will meet with SPRC at 9:30am, followed by Worship at 10:30. At the completion of the service there will be a potluck lunch, and the Charge Conference immediately following lunch.

The Birthday Club

Want to have fun and give back to your community through MACC?
Participate in The Birthday Club™ !!!

What is The Birthday Club™ ?
Food donations made in honor of a special event! In addition to celebrating birthdays, The Birthday Club™ is used for a variety of celebrations including anniversaries, pro-motions, graduations, SuperBowl parties, and other special occassions. Any occasion is perfect for The Birthday Club!

Check it out at: http://thebirthdayclub.net

FAMILY FELLOWSHIP ITALIAN DINNER

FAMILY FELLOWSHIP
ITALIAN DINNER
Saturday, November 9 * 6:00 PM

All are invited to gather for an evening of
fellowship and good eats!

Stephen's Ministry Program Presentation

Stephen's Ministry Program Presentation
Sunday, September 29
Directly following Worship Service

Members of Stephen's Ministry from Westfield, MA will provide an informational presentation about Stephen's Ministries. The program will run for approximately 2 hours which includes a luncheon.

We extend an invitation to all members and friends of NUMC who are interested to learn about this ministry, and to be prayerful about exploring the possibility of such a ministry here at North.

We hope you will plan to attend and join in the conversation!

Please let the church office know if you plan to attend so we can have an approximate count to plan for the luncheon.

Planning Meeting

Sunday, September 8 from 12 p - 4 p

LEADERSHIP/DISCIPLE PLANNING MEETING 

There will be a POTLUCK followed by a MEETING to make plans for the remainder of this year and 2014.

Topics will include (but are not limited to):

• Mission Work
• Holiday Worship Services
• Fellowship Events 
• Fund Raisers 
• Additional special planning 

Please mark this event on your calendar and prayerfully consider the gifts and talents you possess which can contribute to the commitment we all hold to the Mission of North UMC.

 We look forward to a productive and inspiring time together!

 A sign-up is available in the Memorial Room.

New Tidings

The September and October edition of Tidings, our newsletter, is now available on our website,http://numc.axelhouse.com/tidings.html.

 This issue is packed with information and opportunities. Please take a couple minutes to look it over.

 It only takes a couple clicks to share, it may be just what someone needs!

NEW Bible Study with Pastor Dave

6 Week Study begins Tuesday, September 10 * 6:30pm

CHANGE the WORLD — Recovering the Message and Mission of Jesus

Linking Bible study to global mission and local service projects, this six-session small group resource enables congregations to discuss and act on the imperatives of scripture.

Each week, participants will read and discuss a gospel story, watch a video profiling an inspiring, world-changing mission effort, and envision together how they can change the world locally and globally. Participants won’t just read about Jesus feeding the 5000 or healing the lepers, but will be inspired by contemporary ministries feeding the poor and preventing malaria. Participants will be challenged to take a leading role in the congregation’s missional efforts, serving in a homeless shelter as a group, raising funds for disaster relief, or planning a church -wide day of service.

Jesus called us to follow him, to live a life of active faith, feeding the poor, healing the sick, welcoming the alien, and rescuing the desperate. It’s easy to get stuck in our religious habits of just going to church, tossing a few bucks in the offering plate, and occasionally reading our Bible—but Jesus has bigger plans for us. We are called to be his hands and feet in the world. He wants to use us to change the world.

Study sessions begin with a potluck. Please sign-up in the Memorial Room.
Questions may be directed to Pastor Dave.

New Sermons Available

Be sure to check out the latest sermons available to be listened to at http://numc.axelhous.com/sermons.html

New Sermons Up

Check out this week's sermon as well as last week's on our website. Thanks to Jack Bertrand of JB Electronics for making us able to have sermon recordings to share again. If I hadn't been able to catch up on what I missed last week I wouldn't know about the frog in the pot!

July/August Tidings available

Check out the July/August issue of our newsletter Tidings. Read the greeting from our new pastor and catch up on all that is going on.

UMCatalyst News Notes 6/26/2013

Follow this link to read the latest in e-news for clergy and laity in the New England Conference:

UMCatalyst News Notes

Be sure to also check out old issues in the News and Publication Archives of the New England Conference of The United Methodist Church

UMCatalyst News Notes 6/19/2013

Follow this link to read the latest in e-news for clergy and laity in the New England Conference:

UMCatalyst News Notes

Be sure to also check out old issues in the News and Publication Archives of the New England Conference of The United Methodist Church

UMCatalyst News Notes 6/12/2013

Follow this link to read the latest in e-news for clergy and laity in the New England Conference:

UMCatalyst News Notes

Be sure to also check out old issues in the News and Publication Archives of the New England Conference of The United Methodist Church

UMCatalyst News Notes 5/29/2013

Follow this link to read the latest in e-news for clergy and laity in the New England Conference:

UMCatalyst News Notes

Be sure to also check out old issues in the News and Publication Archives of the New England Conference of The United Methodist Church

UMCatalyst News Notes 5/22/2013

Follow this link to read the latest in e-news for clergy and laity in the New England Conference:

UMCatalyst News Notes

Be sure to also check out old issues in the News and Publication Archives of the New England Conference of The United Methodist Church

UMCatalyst News Notes 5/8/2013

Follow this link to read the latest in e-news for clergy and laity in the New England Conference:

UMCatalyst News Notes

Be sure to also check out old issues in the News and Publication Archives of the New England Conference of The United Methodist Church

UMCatalyst News Notes 4/24/2013

In this issue…
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Donations for families affected by Marathon tragedy
• Society of St Andrew Announces Feinstein Challenge
• Musical Helpers Needed for Learning Centers at Annual Conference
• NEJ United Methodist Volunteers Seeks Mission Coordinator
• Have you considered Pilgrimage as a spiritual practice?
• Massachusetts Bible Society Offers Bible Study Materials
• CMA District Announces Leadership Event - "You Might Be A Leader, You Can Be A Great Leader!"
• Preachers Aid Society - Third Occasional Clergy and Parish Professional Family Camp
• Strategic Planning Team to report and engage with Annual Conference 2013
• Share the love. Save a life. A Mother's Day tribute
• Missionary Belinda Forbes in New England
• Reminder: Annual Conference Registration deadline May 1
• Reminder: Applications being accepted for staff position
• NEJ Commission on Archives and History to meet in New Hampshire
• Resources from the General Board of Discipleship
• Appointment Changes Announced

AROUND THE CONFERENCE
EVENTS
CLASSIFIEDS
UMC.ORG NEWS

Follow this link to read the latest in e-news for clergy and laity in the New England Conference:

UMCatalyst News Notes

You can also check out old issues in the News and Publication Archives of the New England Conference of The United Methodist Church

New Tidings

The May/June issue of our newsletter is now available on our website.
Sermons have been added as well.

This Sunday is our Communion Breakfast

Hello Everyone!

This coming Sunday, May 5 is our Communion Breakfast Sunday.  There will NOT be Sunday School, and the congregation will sit at tables with families and friends during the service.  Following the sermon and communion, we will all share in breakfast for the remainder of the service and into fellowship time.

Thank you to all those who have already signed up to bring something to share at the breakfast.

For anyone who did not have the opportunity to sign-up, please find below a short list of items still needed. If you choose to donate something, items should be brought to church by 9:30 on Sunday morning please.

Items still needed:
Apple Juice - 2 bottles
Grapes (3 lbs) - 4 bags
Berries/Melons
Baked Goods (no nuts)

Please send a reply with what you intend to donate.

Thank you!

 

Irene Fitzgerald

Office Manager
North United Methodist Church
300 Parker Street
Manchester, CT 06042
860-649-3696

Together in Christ a letter from Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar

Easter 2013

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord!

As we read the Gospel stories of the first Easter morning, we see different kinds of reactions and responses to the Easter. Many of the early players in the resurrection story were not able to understand the Easter at first glance. Some of them were terrified, some were confused, and some were filled with sadness. However, as we read the Gospels we soon realize that it was only when the disciples encountered the Resurrected Christ in person that things changed! Some of the doubting and confused followers of Jesus became the witnessing community!

As we reflect upon these stories around the first Easter morning in the context of the 21st century, we need to acknowledge that the climate around us today is not much different from that first Easter morning. Reactions and responses to Easter are varied, even today. Many in the world, and sadly some in the Church too, look at Easter in terms of Easter bunnies, Easter candies, and Easter lilies. Though these things may be a part of the celebration, they are not the main subject of the Easter message. Though we may share the message of Easter in many powerful ways, one of those messages may be found in our hymnal: "Christ the Lord is risen today, alleluia" (Charles Wesley). As baptized Christians, it is our responsibility as Easter people not only to sing this but to proclaim this message to the world through our prayers and actions. Therefore, as we celebrate Easter, may we ask the following questions of ourselves:

• What does Easter mean to me?
• In what ways do I experience the resurrected Christ?
• As people of God (the Church), in what ways do we enable our neighbors to experience the resurrected Christ? 

It is my hope that all of us ponder these questions prayerfully so we may all blossom for the glory of God, filled with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

One of the amazing factors of Easter is that the Risen Christ took time to answer all the questions posed to him and quenched the doubts of the people by addressing their questions. The people around us in their search for faith do ask questions! During his earthly ministry, the Risen Christ encountered and engaged people from various backgrounds such as Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman, and a legal expert who came to him with the question “What must I do to gain eternal life?” (Luke 10:25) by showing them the marks of the reign of God through deeper dialogue. Likewise, may we as a Church take faith questions in the spirit in which they are asked and do our best to answer them in the spirit of the Risen Christ.

As I am writing this message, I am also asking myself how I, as your brother in Christ and as your Episcopal leader, am doing in this area. It is very important for us to be honest with one another and answer the questions that are being asked of us to the best of our ability and knowledge.

One question I have been asked in some quarters is what I meant when I said in one of my recent letters in regard to the Boy Scouts of America’s position on inclusion of homosexuals, " We recognize that there are many strong opinions and considerations on many sides of this issue, and my prayer is that we will be faithful to the Scriptures and to our social principles, and that our words and actions will witness to the world that we are the church of Jesus Christ.” What I meant by this was that the 2012 Book of Discipline states, "We affirm that God's grace is available to all. We will seek to live together in Christian community, welcoming, forgiving, and loving one another, as Christ has loved and accepted us. We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry with all persons." (¶161 F)

I truly appreciate your care in asking me to clarify what I meant. It really means a lot to me. I hope and pray that as Easter people, we remain in dialogue with one another as people of God.

Prema joins me in wishing you and your loved ones a blessed, joyful, and powerful Easter.

Your brother-in-Christ,
Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar