Sunday, December 27, 2009
Christmas Eve Sermon
The December 24, 2009 sermon is now up on the North United Methodist Church website.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Worship Schedule Change
Sunday, December 27
One Worship Service
10:00 am
One Worship Service
10:00 am
This will be a service of Lessons and Carols, with a presentation by the Sunday School Children and the Choir.
Please assist in getting the word out to members who do not have access to the internet. Thank you!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
One Hour Delay
Today's Worship Service - December 20, will be delayed one hour.
Service is now at 11:30 am.
Notification of this change is posted on NBC and an update is on the church phone greeting message. If you know of anyone that may not access these sources, please help out by calling them. Thank you!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Website Updates
There is a new sermon on our website from December 13, 2009 and there is also a NCD and Health Team update. Check them out!
Worship Team
The (temporary) Worship Team is concluding their work and preparing to form a permanent working team.
Potential Worship Team members are requested to speak with Pastor Laurel.
Please indicate your interest on your attendance slip or speak with Pastor Laurel directly. This request includes those who are currently working on the temporary team (if interested in continuing), and those who hold positions as coordinators of various worship components such as - ushers, liturgists, fellowship time, altar guild, etc.
Thank you – Pastor Laurel looks forward to hearing from you!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The Alpha Course Starts January 14, 2009
- What is the meaning of life?
- What happens when we die?
- What relevance does Jesus have for our lives?
- How do we deal with guilt?
If you would like to explore questions like these, then ALPHA is for you.
What Is Alpha?
Anyone interested in finding out more about Christian faith. Adults of all ages are welcome.
Learning and laughter. It is possible to learn about Christian faith and have fun at the same time.
People meeting together. An opportunity to get to know others and make new friends.
Helping one another. The small groups give you a chance to discuss issues raised during the talks.
Ask anything. Alpha is a place where no question is seen too simple or too hostile.
The Alpha course will meet for ten weeks beginning Thursday, January 14, 2010.
In the Memorial room you will find brochures with registration forms and more information. Please speak with Pastor Laurel with any questions.
Friday, December 11, 2009
NUMC Event Planning Book
Looking for a good book to read? Let me suggest the NUMC Event Planning Book. Through the Natural Church Development (NCD) process we heard from our members that they wanted more opportunities to gather as a community of faith, but were unsure about how to go about it.
With input from many members of our community we have come up with the event planning book. This is guide for those who would like to organize and/or host an event. The book is divided into three sections:
With input from many members of our community we have come up with the event planning book. This is guide for those who would like to organize and/or host an event. The book is divided into three sections:
- Spiritual Growth
- Service to the Community/Church
- Fellowship
New In Our Library
Our "new" Quent Mangun Library is making some changes. In an attempt to strengthen the reference section, I have added the Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. It is a five volume set which provides material for biblical study.
Other additions include several books on dating and marriage which can be found in the 248 and 241 sections. Another new book is The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. It is a book written for the recent widow or widower. This book was mentioned in Newsweek magazine in their list of top new books.
In the near future there will be a shelf containing books used by the Wesleyan Study Group.
If you have been unable to be part of this group, here is an opportunity to find out what books they have been studying and enjoying.
Our library is a pleasant and attractive place to visit and I hope you will find some great books to enjoy and take home to read on a cold winter day.
Joan Byron, Church Librarian
Other additions include several books on dating and marriage which can be found in the 248 and 241 sections. Another new book is The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. It is a book written for the recent widow or widower. This book was mentioned in Newsweek magazine in their list of top new books.
In the near future there will be a shelf containing books used by the Wesleyan Study Group.
If you have been unable to be part of this group, here is an opportunity to find out what books they have been studying and enjoying.
Our library is a pleasant and attractive place to visit and I hope you will find some great books to enjoy and take home to read on a cold winter day.
Joan Byron, Church Librarian
Letter From the Pastor's Desk
During the Thanksgiving season as I watched a television commercial from a local jeweler, I marveled at the ingenuity of the offer. Those in the area who are unemployed or facing financial difficulty were invited to receive a free pendant with a tiny diamond that represents hope. Recipients were encouraged to keep up their hope for improvements in the economy and in their individual financial situation. The commercial also said that there were (this might be slightly off) 1200 pendants available but only several hundred had been claimed. Maybe those to whom the offer is made are reluctant to accept because there might be an obligation attached to the offer. I’m guessing; since in offers like this one, there is usually something tying you into acceptance or there is pressure to purchase an item .
I thought to myself, we offer hope to people every day of the year, in every season of life as the church has and continues to offer the hope of eternal life. This hope does not fade; this hope does not lose its value. This hope is sure, for the work of Jesus of Nazareth in redeeming the creation was done once, and for all.
We simply have to accept this offer, which comes to us as a gift, the gift of redemption. And the completed work of redemption began with the birth of the tiny baby in the town of Bethlehem, whose birthday we are preparing to celebrate in this season of Advent.
Not only do we celebrate this pivotal birthday, an event in history, we also eagerly anticipate the birth of the new creation as the Christ spirit is birthed in humanity. This second coming that we look forward to is the genesis for our hope. And this hope does not just restrict itself to improvements in the economy, but to every single aspect of our lives in this world, and the next.
This Christ whose birth we celebrate and rebirth we anticipate, is truly worthy of hope. I sing along with the hymn writer Edward Mote of UMH 368 “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness…On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” Enjoy the celebration. Delight in the anticipation.
Accept the gift of hope and eternal life, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3: 16, NIV)
Blessings,
Pastor Laurel
I thought to myself, we offer hope to people every day of the year, in every season of life as the church has and continues to offer the hope of eternal life. This hope does not fade; this hope does not lose its value. This hope is sure, for the work of Jesus of Nazareth in redeeming the creation was done once, and for all.
We simply have to accept this offer, which comes to us as a gift, the gift of redemption. And the completed work of redemption began with the birth of the tiny baby in the town of Bethlehem, whose birthday we are preparing to celebrate in this season of Advent.
Not only do we celebrate this pivotal birthday, an event in history, we also eagerly anticipate the birth of the new creation as the Christ spirit is birthed in humanity. This second coming that we look forward to is the genesis for our hope. And this hope does not just restrict itself to improvements in the economy, but to every single aspect of our lives in this world, and the next.
This Christ whose birth we celebrate and rebirth we anticipate, is truly worthy of hope. I sing along with the hymn writer Edward Mote of UMH 368 “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness…On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” Enjoy the celebration. Delight in the anticipation.
Accept the gift of hope and eternal life, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3: 16, NIV)
Blessings,
Pastor Laurel
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Season Of Change
Heavenly Father be with us during this season of change,
Help us to remember our community of faith is our family.
We are daughters, mothers, sons, and fathers.
Just as Ruth devoted herself to Naomi, help us to be devoted to this community.
It is our prayer that we will take Ruth’s words into our hearts;
“Your people will be my people..”
May we, as a community, seek security so that we may be well with You.
Amen
It is a season of change.
In New England the weather can change fast and it can be a challenge at times to keep up with the changes. I watched the trees turn vibrant with color and then become covered in an inch of white snow. Despite the unpredictability and rapid changes I love it none the less.
Ruth is one of my most favorite books in the bible. It is one of the shortest books, but full of powerful messages of devotion and hope. The reading starts like this - Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you.” Naomi has lost her husband and her two sons and is returning home. She tells her two daughters-in-law to go back to their mothers’ homes. One of her daughters-in-law, Ruth, refuses and tells Naomi:- ―Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”
We pick up the story in Bethlehem where the two women are getting by on the scraps left in the fields after the harvest. Naomi seeks security for the future of Ruth whom she loves so much she calls her daughter; not daughter-in-law, but daughter.
We, at North, are facing another season of change. There is uncertainty in our future. We are not sure what will happen in the upcoming year. We are much like these two women and we are seeking security so that it may be well with us too.
In the NCD profile we scored highest in Loving Relationships. I encourage you all to read this short book as part of your prayer practice and see where it speaks to you about your relationship with North and this community of faith.
Best, Vickie
Singing Of Christmas
Just before bringing this news-letter to press, I was driving along listening to the radio and heard the announcer tell the story of the bishop in England who was anxious to change some of the words of Christmas carols. And example given was "O Come All Ye Faithless".
This was because the bishop was dismayed at the fact that so many of us seem to have lost the original meaning of Christmas. He had asked some Sunday school children in his jurisdiction what was at the center of the Christmas celebration. They had responded variously, "Santa Claus", "gifts" and "reindeer". Not even angels, a baby or magi!
I would have been shocked as well, but my response to this seeming lack of knowledge of the real meaning of Christmas is to ask us to turn again to the carols which all tell the story — the real reason for Christmas.
My neighbor across the street knows what’s at the center of Christmas. A Congregationalist, on the same day I was listening to the story of the bishop on the radio, she offered me a button which had been distributed at her church "Christ is the reason for Christmas", it said. She then told me of delighting to give one of them to a store clerk, who inquired about the one she was wearing. What a great non-obtrusive way to evangelize and to remind us of the reason for the celebration!
Of all the associations with the word Christmas, singing is one of the most widespread. Singing because Christmas is a joyous celebration and when we are joyful we tend to break into smiles and song.
Since the Christmas (originally the mass of the Christ) celebration began in the early church, the type of songs initially associated with the season are those that feature the events and personalities surrounding the birth of the child, Jesus.
My favorite carol is "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear", one of the more modern carols, relatively speaking, written in the 1800’s by Edmund Sears. This beautiful carol refers to the angels’ message on that first Christmas – "Peace on earth goodwill to all" found in Luke chapter 2 and to the message of peace that continues to come to us today through everyday angels. It calls to us who "toil along life’s climbing way with painful steps and slow" and bids us look forward to the time when "peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling and the whole world give back the song which now the angels sing." My hope is for a world just like that.
There are other beautiful carols as well, several of which are found in our United Methodist Hymnal. We know the popular ones – Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Joy to The World, Away in a Manger, O Come All Ye Faithful. (The one the bishop wants to change!)
I like to look at those less well known hymns and it seems as though my favorites all feature angels. UMH # 220 is Angels from the Realms of Glory, written by James Montgomery in 1816. It invites us to "Come and Worship, Worship Christ the Newborn King;" and #238 is Angels we have heard on High, which speaks of the shepherds who heard the angels’ song and invites us to "Come to Bethlehem and see" the wonder of the baby’s birth as we sing with the angels "Gloria In Excelsis Deo." (Glory to God in the Highest)
.
Hark, The Herald Angels Sing (UMH # 240) was written by Charles Wesley, one of Methodism’s most prolific hymn writers, in 1734. I am particularly drawn to the final stanza of the hymn that summarizes the reason for the celebration and points to Christ’s mission: "Mild, he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die. Born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth." I can think of no better reason to sing these hymns and all the others, even the unfamiliar ones, with gusto and spirit as they remind us of the real reason for the season, the real reason for the celebration.
So as you sing these carols this season, look at the words, enjoy the tunes and remember the real reason for the season as you give thanks. Have a Blessed, joyful Christmas!
This was because the bishop was dismayed at the fact that so many of us seem to have lost the original meaning of Christmas. He had asked some Sunday school children in his jurisdiction what was at the center of the Christmas celebration. They had responded variously, "Santa Claus", "gifts" and "reindeer". Not even angels, a baby or magi!
I would have been shocked as well, but my response to this seeming lack of knowledge of the real meaning of Christmas is to ask us to turn again to the carols which all tell the story — the real reason for Christmas.
My neighbor across the street knows what’s at the center of Christmas. A Congregationalist, on the same day I was listening to the story of the bishop on the radio, she offered me a button which had been distributed at her church "Christ is the reason for Christmas", it said. She then told me of delighting to give one of them to a store clerk, who inquired about the one she was wearing. What a great non-obtrusive way to evangelize and to remind us of the reason for the celebration!
Of all the associations with the word Christmas, singing is one of the most widespread. Singing because Christmas is a joyous celebration and when we are joyful we tend to break into smiles and song.
Since the Christmas (originally the mass of the Christ) celebration began in the early church, the type of songs initially associated with the season are those that feature the events and personalities surrounding the birth of the child, Jesus.
My favorite carol is "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear", one of the more modern carols, relatively speaking, written in the 1800’s by Edmund Sears. This beautiful carol refers to the angels’ message on that first Christmas – "Peace on earth goodwill to all" found in Luke chapter 2 and to the message of peace that continues to come to us today through everyday angels. It calls to us who "toil along life’s climbing way with painful steps and slow" and bids us look forward to the time when "peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling and the whole world give back the song which now the angels sing." My hope is for a world just like that.
There are other beautiful carols as well, several of which are found in our United Methodist Hymnal. We know the popular ones – Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Joy to The World, Away in a Manger, O Come All Ye Faithful. (The one the bishop wants to change!)
I like to look at those less well known hymns and it seems as though my favorites all feature angels. UMH # 220 is Angels from the Realms of Glory, written by James Montgomery in 1816. It invites us to "Come and Worship, Worship Christ the Newborn King;" and #238 is Angels we have heard on High, which speaks of the shepherds who heard the angels’ song and invites us to "Come to Bethlehem and see" the wonder of the baby’s birth as we sing with the angels "Gloria In Excelsis Deo." (Glory to God in the Highest)
.
Hark, The Herald Angels Sing (UMH # 240) was written by Charles Wesley, one of Methodism’s most prolific hymn writers, in 1734. I am particularly drawn to the final stanza of the hymn that summarizes the reason for the celebration and points to Christ’s mission: "Mild, he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die. Born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth." I can think of no better reason to sing these hymns and all the others, even the unfamiliar ones, with gusto and spirit as they remind us of the real reason for the season, the real reason for the celebration.
So as you sing these carols this season, look at the words, enjoy the tunes and remember the real reason for the season as you give thanks. Have a Blessed, joyful Christmas!
Monday, December 7, 2009
New Sermons and Music Online
The November 29, 2009 and December 6, 2009 sermons are now up on the North United Methodist Church website.
The children of NUMC singing Jesus Loves Me on November 29, 2009 is also now on the music page of our website.
The children of NUMC singing Jesus Loves Me on November 29, 2009 is also now on the music page of our website.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Christmas Party Saturday, December 12 at 5pm
Food, music, games and crafts for the whole family.
We will share a potluck. Chris Collins will play music for a carol sing. There will be some crafts/ornaments to make, and Anita Haynes will lead a game or two. Please plan to join in this fun evening – and please do bring friends! Sign-up in the Memorial Room or on Facebook.
PLEDGE CARDS
This is a reminder to please return your pledge cards at Sunday Services or by mail as soon as possible.
Your attention to this is greatly appreciated.
Your attention to this is greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Reminder: One Service This Sunday
Sunday December 6th, One Service at 10:00 am
Directly following service, after a 15 minute break for fellowship, there will be an All Church Conference to approve the 2010 Church Budget and Nominations followed by a Congregational Meeting facilitated by Barbara Lemmel.Childcare is available, please send your children downstairs after fellowship time.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Altar Flowers
Altar Flowers are a wonderful way to acknowledge the Memory of a Loved One or Celebrate a special person or occasion. Forms are available in the Memorial Room to make such requests. Any questions may be directed to the flower steward, Doris Timbrell (860-649-6494).
We are currently in need of Altar Flowers for December
Christmas Card Mailbox is now available
The North United Methodist Christmas Mailbox is available for exchanging holiday cards. The mailbox has alphabetically labeled slots. Please remember to check each week for cards by last name. The box will remain available until Sunday, January 3. Please check for your mail each week.
Monday, November 23, 2009
November 22, 2009 Sermon Online
The November 22, 2009 sermon is now up on the North United Methodist Church website.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Seasonal Sharing Update: THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
Thank you to delivery volunteers who delivered food baskets this morning - Great work!
We still need volunteers to deliver food for Christmas. Please sign-up in the Memorial Room.
Christmas gift lists will be ready in November.
We still need volunteers to deliver food for Christmas. Please sign-up in the Memorial Room.
Christmas gift lists will be ready in November.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Youth Meet and Greet
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22 at 5PM
All youth are invited to a Meet and Greet with Pastor Laurel, here at the church at 5 pm. Pastor Laurel would like to get to know the youth and their experiences at North, as well as how they view their role here at church and what hopes and desires they have. Please plan to join the Pastor for refreshments and conversation. Questions may be directed to Heidi Lenhardt.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Rescheduling the Adult Fellowship Christmas Party
The December 11th Adult Fellowship Christmas Party is being rescheduled because there is also a family fellowship event planned for the same weekend. The new date of the Adult Holiday Fellowship Party will be decided and publicized next week. Our apologies for any inconvenience.
Family Christmas Party Saturday, December 12 at 5pm
Food, music, games and crafts for the whole family.
We will share a potluck. Chris Collins will play music for a carol sing. There will be some crafts/ornaments to make, and Anita Haynes will lead a game or two. Please plan to join in this fun evening – and please do bring friends!
Sign-up in the Memorial Room.
November 15, 2009 Sermon Online
The November 15, 2009 sermon is now up on the North United Methodist Church website.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Nov. 8 Sermon Online
The November 8, 2009 sermon is now up on the North United Methodist Church website.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
A Huge Thank You
Many thanks to the volunteers who helped to repair the damage to the parsonage and bring it up to an acceptable state for the new renters. Several sessions were required to finish all the necessary work. The walls were repaired, washed, and painted; the garage door was repaired; the trash in the yard was removed and the holes filled in; the siding was repaired; and some plumbing repairs were made. The new tenants also helped with the painting, which was a welcome gesture
“GIVE without GIVING?” YES YOU CAN!!!
“GIVE without GIVING?”
YES YOU CAN!!!
Raise Money For
North United Methodist Church With No Selling
With Scrip fundraising, friends and member families of the church simply do their regular weekly shopping with gift cards from America's favorite retailers. With each purchase, NUMC earns cash rebates that can quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars a year - money that can be used for whatever our organization needs.
Scrip is a powerful fundraising tool because families generate revenue through purchases they would make anyway. Groceries, clothing, toys, gifts, even gasoline can be purchased with scrip. An organization of 150 families easily spends between one and two million dollars per year on food, clothing and other essentials. If those families use scrip for their purchases, they can raise as much as $40,000 to $80,000 per year for their organization --without spending an additional penny.
Great Lakes Scrip Center offers a deep selection of scrip gift cards from America's favorite retailers. GLSC works with our partner retailers to offer hundreds of gift cards with substantial rebates.
NUMC buys the scrip gift cards from Great Lakes Scrip Center at a discount, and re-sells them to our organization members for full face value. The discount - from two to fifteen percent or more - is a rebate retained by NUMC as revenue. It’s that easy!
A few examples of retailers and the discounts they offer:
The 3 week total is approximately - $500 raised for the church through routine spending. Great work everyone, and keep those orders coming! Information sheets on the program are available in the Memorial Room.
Thousands of non-profit organizations across the United States are joining together with retailers to raise money. They do it with "Scrip" the revolutionary fundraising method that can raise tens of thousands of dollars for our non-profit organization without the hassles of traditional fundraisers.
Founded in 1994, Great Lakes Scrip Center has helped more than 14,000 non-profit organizations raise more than $250 million dollars with Scrip.
Shopping Cart Fundraising™Thousands of non-profit organizations across the United States are joining together with retailers to raise money. They do it with "Scrip" the revolutionary fundraising method that can raise tens of thousands of dollars for our non-profit organization without the hassles of traditional fundraisers.
Founded in 1994, Great Lakes Scrip Center has helped more than 14,000 non-profit organizations raise more than $250 million dollars with Scrip.
With Scrip fundraising, friends and member families of the church simply do their regular weekly shopping with gift cards from America's favorite retailers. With each purchase, NUMC earns cash rebates that can quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars a year - money that can be used for whatever our organization needs.
Scrip is a powerful fundraising tool because families generate revenue through purchases they would make anyway. Groceries, clothing, toys, gifts, even gasoline can be purchased with scrip. An organization of 150 families easily spends between one and two million dollars per year on food, clothing and other essentials. If those families use scrip for their purchases, they can raise as much as $40,000 to $80,000 per year for their organization --without spending an additional penny.
Great Lakes Scrip Center offers a deep selection of scrip gift cards from America's favorite retailers. GLSC works with our partner retailers to offer hundreds of gift cards with substantial rebates.
NUMC buys the scrip gift cards from Great Lakes Scrip Center at a discount, and re-sells them to our organization members for full face value. The discount - from two to fifteen percent or more - is a rebate retained by NUMC as revenue. It’s that easy!
A few examples of retailers and the discounts they offer:
99 Restaurant 13%
Amazon.com 4%
Borders 9%
Auto Zone 5%
Barnes and Noble 9%
Exxon 1.5%
Cheesecake Factory 5%
Chuck E. Cheese 8%
Express 10%
Cold Stone Creamery 8%
Dunkin’ Donuts 4%
Hallmark 4%
Dell Computer 4%
Fashion Bug 8%
Sears 4%
Foot Locker 9%
Great Harvest Bread 8%
KFC 8%
Harry and David 10%
Home Depot 4%
Stop and Shop 4%
Home Goods 7%
Hyatt Hotels 9%
Lord and Taylor 8%
Take a look at the complete list of hundreds of retailers in PDF format by checking the website at www.glscrip.com.
This program has begun and will continue on each Sunday. Cards may be ordered and paid for on any given Sunday, and then picked up on that next Sunday one week after ordering.
Anita Haynes will be available today in the Memorial Room to take orders and answer questions.
We also have a need for volunteers to take turns hosting the “Scrip” table on Sunday mornings. Please speak with Anita to schedule a Sunday. Thank you!
This program has begun and will continue on each Sunday. Cards may be ordered and paid for on any given Sunday, and then picked up on that next Sunday one week after ordering.
Anita Haynes will be available today in the Memorial Room to take orders and answer questions.
We also have a need for volunteers to take turns hosting the “Scrip” table on Sunday mornings. Please speak with Anita to schedule a Sunday. Thank you!
Wesleyan Study Group Update
November Meetings:
3rd and 17th
The WSG began its fall meetings with a viewing and discussion of Constantine's Sword, a documentary based on James Carroll's book. This fall we are studying of Erik Kolbell's book: What Jesus Meant- The Beatitudes and a Meaningful Life.
3rd and 17th
The WSG began its fall meetings with a viewing and discussion of Constantine's Sword, a documentary based on James Carroll's book. This fall we are studying of Erik Kolbell's book: What Jesus Meant- The Beatitudes and a Meaningful Life.
Friday, November 6, 2009
The Giving Tree
The Manchester Area Conference of Churches (MACC) will again participate in the Giving Tree for the Christmas Season. Volunteers from North United Methodist Church will staff the Christmas Tree at the Buckland Hills Mall to collect donated gifts for MACC clients on Tuesday, November 24 from 9 am—6 pm and Friday, December 11 from 9 am—6 pm. Shoppers take a tag from the tree, purchase a gift for a client (many are children but there are also adults) and return it to the tree. All names on the tree are pre-screened clients who have received MACC services during the year. The volunteers assist shoppers in selecting tags and accept the gifts as they are returned by shoppers.
The time slots for volunteers are two hour intervals. Please speak with Jan Miller (860-646-6619) with any questions.
The time slots for volunteers are two hour intervals. Please speak with Jan Miller (860-646-6619) with any questions.
Tell Me The Story... Giving the tithe
Many people wonder, where did the idea of tithing come from? Who said I should give a tenth of my income to the church? What if I can’t afford a tenth? What then? Will God be displeased with me?
The Concept of tithing (giving one tenth of one’s income) comes straight out of the bible. The first mention of tithing is in Genesis Chapter 14. Abram (later Abraham) had returned from a successful battle and in the wake of his success, presented a tenth of everything he owned to Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, who declared that God had "delivered [your] enemies into your hand"(vs. 20)
Offerings and gifts are also deeply seated in scripture. Offerings are a way of expressing thanks to someone or something that has already given to us, or done something for us, as with Abraham. Our offerings may be anything – money, assets (land, buildings, stocks, time, talents). Tithing though has come to be associated with money, as that is our primary medium of exchange. In the days of the Hebrew Bible, there were various media of exchange, so people might have tithed their flocks or their harvests. Tithing has been revived as a practice in the contemporary church; but the early church was supported through "freewill offerings".
Whatever the method we choose for supporting our faith community, regular committed giving of the prevailing medium of exchange (in our case, the dollar) is necessary for the work of the church to go on in the world.
God loves a cheerful giver, writes Paul to the church at Corinth, and so "each one should give what s/he has decided in his/her heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion" (2 Cor.9: 6-8 NIV adapted). I think that is sound advice. As we search our hearts and listen to the leading of the Spirit, we will give cheerfully and generously, according to our ability. As we set the spiritual law of giving and receiving into motion, our gifts return to us "pressed down, shaken together and running over". Let’s all be generous givers as we have received in abundance from heaven’s storehouse.
The Concept of tithing (giving one tenth of one’s income) comes straight out of the bible. The first mention of tithing is in Genesis Chapter 14. Abram (later Abraham) had returned from a successful battle and in the wake of his success, presented a tenth of everything he owned to Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, who declared that God had "delivered [your] enemies into your hand"(vs. 20)
Offerings and gifts are also deeply seated in scripture. Offerings are a way of expressing thanks to someone or something that has already given to us, or done something for us, as with Abraham. Our offerings may be anything – money, assets (land, buildings, stocks, time, talents). Tithing though has come to be associated with money, as that is our primary medium of exchange. In the days of the Hebrew Bible, there were various media of exchange, so people might have tithed their flocks or their harvests. Tithing has been revived as a practice in the contemporary church; but the early church was supported through "freewill offerings".
Whatever the method we choose for supporting our faith community, regular committed giving of the prevailing medium of exchange (in our case, the dollar) is necessary for the work of the church to go on in the world.
God loves a cheerful giver, writes Paul to the church at Corinth, and so "each one should give what s/he has decided in his/her heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion" (2 Cor.9: 6-8 NIV adapted). I think that is sound advice. As we search our hearts and listen to the leading of the Spirit, we will give cheerfully and generously, according to our ability. As we set the spiritual law of giving and receiving into motion, our gifts return to us "pressed down, shaken together and running over". Let’s all be generous givers as we have received in abundance from heaven’s storehouse.
Tomorrow from 2-4 p.m. Fashion for Good Annual Fashion Show
Doors open at 1 p.m. Show starts at 2
TICKETS $25 : Call 860-647-0440
Clothes from Chico's and White House/Black Market, Somerset Square, Glastonbury and Fashion commentary from Stylist Claudette Fried
Don't miss this fun event in the beautiful and spacious Church of Christ, 595 Tolland Turnpike, Manchester, CT.
Parking and wheelchair access
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Correction for Service date and time
November 29 will be two services, 9:00 am and 10:30 am as usual. Children will be participating in worship at the 10:30 service while preschool and kindergarten students attend class.
Sunday, December 6 will be one service at 10:00 am and there will be Sunday School classes for all children and youth. Directly following service there will be an All Church Meeting, and All Church Conference to approve the 2010 Budget and 2010 Nominations which were not finalized at the Charge Conference in October. Please plan to attend.
Sunday, December 6 will be one service at 10:00 am and there will be Sunday School classes for all children and youth. Directly following service there will be an All Church Meeting, and All Church Conference to approve the 2010 Budget and 2010 Nominations which were not finalized at the Charge Conference in October. Please plan to attend.
Thank you!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Newsletter Deadline
This is a reminder that all articles and notices for the December Issue of Tidings should be submitted to the church office by November 16th.
Over 50’s Fellowship Wednesday, Nov. 4th - Quilts
The Over 50's will meet on Wednesday Nov. 4 at 12 noon. Bring a sandwich. Dessert and Beverage will be provided. Neva Slater's daughter, Ginny, will talk about quilts. All are welcome. Linda Gates. Any questions can be directed to Linda Gates at 647-9756.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
November 1, 2009 Sermon Online
The sermon from November 1, 2009 is now available online at the NUMC website.
WONDERFUL WORSHIP CELEBRATION!
Despite the weather – grey clouds and sporadic showers – those who made it to the Welcome celebration for Minister Chris Collins and Pastor Laurel Scott reported having had a grand time on Saturday October 3 when the service of praise, worship and welcome was held at North UMC.
Visitors from Boston, Lowell and New York arrived in the pouring rain, but once inside found that a warm welcome awaited them. Shelby Condray, a Master of Divinity student from Boston University School of Theology where he was part of Pastor Laurel’s preaching lab group, presided over the afternoon’s program. Clergy in attendance included the Rev. Gary Richards of the New Covenant United Methodist Church in East Hartford, and retired clergy, Revs. Stan Cusy and Joyce Whetstone who all participated in the service.
Musical numbers were rendered by the North UMC Chancel Choir under the direction of Chris Collins – Order My Steps (Burleigh/Schraeder)and God So Loved the
World (Stainer); PRISM Praise Group We Will Dance (Ruis/Cole) Days of Elijah (Mark/Cole) and Awesome in This Place. Minister Chris Collins played ―Great is the Lord (Smith Schraeder) and Humoresque (Dvorjak) on the organ . Barbie Turley and daughters Sarah and Katherine rendered a liturgical dance to ―Lord of the Dance. After worship the reception was held indoors. Following is a greeting sent by the Massachusetts Interfaith Committee on Worker Justice which was not received in time to be read at the service:
From Anthony Zuba, lead organizer of the Massachusetts Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, Boston, Mass.:
Visitors from Boston, Lowell and New York arrived in the pouring rain, but once inside found that a warm welcome awaited them. Shelby Condray, a Master of Divinity student from Boston University School of Theology where he was part of Pastor Laurel’s preaching lab group, presided over the afternoon’s program. Clergy in attendance included the Rev. Gary Richards of the New Covenant United Methodist Church in East Hartford, and retired clergy, Revs. Stan Cusy and Joyce Whetstone who all participated in the service.
Musical numbers were rendered by the North UMC Chancel Choir under the direction of Chris Collins – Order My Steps (Burleigh/Schraeder)and God So Loved the
World (Stainer); PRISM Praise Group We Will Dance (Ruis/Cole) Days of Elijah (Mark/Cole) and Awesome in This Place. Minister Chris Collins played ―Great is the Lord (Smith Schraeder) and Humoresque (Dvorjak) on the organ . Barbie Turley and daughters Sarah and Katherine rendered a liturgical dance to ―Lord of the Dance. After worship the reception was held indoors. Following is a greeting sent by the Massachusetts Interfaith Committee on Worker Justice which was not received in time to be read at the service:
From Anthony Zuba, lead organizer of the Massachusetts Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, Boston, Mass.:
Peace and many blessings to all of you from the Massachusetts Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice. On behalf of our committee I would like to commend Laurel Scott at the beginning of her new ministry and express our gratitude for the service Pastor Scott has given over the years to the United Methodist Church and to all the people of God. I want to recognize especially the work Pastor Scott has done as a UMC leader for working families and members of unions, as well as low-wage workers who are immigrants and people of color. She is without any doubt the leading voice on labor justice issues in the New England Conference. I have known Pastor Scott for nearly three years. I was a student in her preach-ing class at Boston University School of Theology. As co-chair of the executive board of the Massachusetts Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice she has also been my theological mentor.
Pastor Scott’s ministry to low-wage workers is to be highly praised and needs to be en-couraged and supported. I hope North United Methodist Church will support this cause and continue the good work Pastor Scott has advanced. Thanks, and may God’s blessings be abundant for you and all the members of North United Methodist
Letter from the Pastor’s Desk
Dear North UMC,
At this time of year, we become caught up with preparations – preparations for the Christmas celebration, for visits with family and friends, for gift-giving and receiving. We also look towards a new calendar year with new challenges, new taxes, new discoveries, new inventions, and we wonder if we will be able to keep up with the quickly changing world around us…
For many, part of the anxiety about the New Year surrounds our financial status. Those of us who work think about the increases in demands on our salaries while others wonder about the state of their investment and annuity income. And those of us in the church are involved in annual stewardship campaigns. But stewardship is not a once-a-year issue; nor does it involve just money. Stewardship is a year-round issue, in fact it is lifetime concern (or should be).
Our stewardship is of our lives – all aspect of our lives, for as Christians we believe that we have been entrusted with the care of the whole creation – the earth and everything in it – that we have been given the instruction by the creator to ―dress and keep, and ―replenish the earth (Genesis 1,2). So we are to care first for our selves – body, mind and spirit, and then we are to care for others and for the world around us. That is stewardship. It includes as well, the medium of exchange we use to get goods and services (the dollar) and the value associated with the things we have been given to take care of (land, buildings, transportation mechanisms, tools, instruments, etc).
So that as we enter a season in which we count and give thanks for all our blessings, let us begin with the blessing of life itself and the blessing of the time, our most valuable asset. Then let us give thanks for the people in our lives who accompany us on our journey; and let us give thanks for the earth which yields food and other goods that allow us to enjoy many conveniences of modern living.
But let us also be careful to make decisions that will allow us to ―replenish the earth – to sustain healthy levels of soil, air and water. These decisions (like recycling and using biodegradable and organic products) are the kind that allows each of us to impact the sustainability of the earth. When we make decisions to treat our bodies gently and to get proper rest, nutrition, and health care, we are being faithful stewards of our lives. When we give of our time, our talent and our treasure as faithful stewards to support our faith community we participate in God’s mission, which is to save the world and repair the creation. As we make a commitment to the mission of God through the church, let us step up boldly and renew our commitment to make our community a model community of God’s kin-dom through our stewardship commitment. As we increase our capacity to give, we simultaneously increase our capacity to receive. Let us together see and live into a future of growth in every area of our lives. Let’s make sure to return our commitment cards for 2010 indicating our gifts of GOLD (money) FRANKINSENSE (service, time) and MYRRH (sacrifice).
Blessings,
Pastor Laurel
At this time of year, we become caught up with preparations – preparations for the Christmas celebration, for visits with family and friends, for gift-giving and receiving. We also look towards a new calendar year with new challenges, new taxes, new discoveries, new inventions, and we wonder if we will be able to keep up with the quickly changing world around us…
For many, part of the anxiety about the New Year surrounds our financial status. Those of us who work think about the increases in demands on our salaries while others wonder about the state of their investment and annuity income. And those of us in the church are involved in annual stewardship campaigns. But stewardship is not a once-a-year issue; nor does it involve just money. Stewardship is a year-round issue, in fact it is lifetime concern (or should be).
Our stewardship is of our lives – all aspect of our lives, for as Christians we believe that we have been entrusted with the care of the whole creation – the earth and everything in it – that we have been given the instruction by the creator to ―dress and keep, and ―replenish the earth (Genesis 1,2). So we are to care first for our selves – body, mind and spirit, and then we are to care for others and for the world around us. That is stewardship. It includes as well, the medium of exchange we use to get goods and services (the dollar) and the value associated with the things we have been given to take care of (land, buildings, transportation mechanisms, tools, instruments, etc).
So that as we enter a season in which we count and give thanks for all our blessings, let us begin with the blessing of life itself and the blessing of the time, our most valuable asset. Then let us give thanks for the people in our lives who accompany us on our journey; and let us give thanks for the earth which yields food and other goods that allow us to enjoy many conveniences of modern living.
But let us also be careful to make decisions that will allow us to ―replenish the earth – to sustain healthy levels of soil, air and water. These decisions (like recycling and using biodegradable and organic products) are the kind that allows each of us to impact the sustainability of the earth. When we make decisions to treat our bodies gently and to get proper rest, nutrition, and health care, we are being faithful stewards of our lives. When we give of our time, our talent and our treasure as faithful stewards to support our faith community we participate in God’s mission, which is to save the world and repair the creation. As we make a commitment to the mission of God through the church, let us step up boldly and renew our commitment to make our community a model community of God’s kin-dom through our stewardship commitment. As we increase our capacity to give, we simultaneously increase our capacity to receive. Let us together see and live into a future of growth in every area of our lives. Let’s make sure to return our commitment cards for 2010 indicating our gifts of GOLD (money) FRANKINSENSE (service, time) and MYRRH (sacrifice).
Blessings,
Pastor Laurel
Saturday, October 31, 2009
November Tidings Newsletter Online
The November issue of the Tidings monthly newsletter is now online at the NUMC website.
Monday, October 26, 2009
October 25, 2009 Sermon Online
The sermon from October 25, 2009 is now online at the North United Methodist Church website.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Raise Money For North United Methodist Church With No Selling
“GIVE without GIVING?”
YES YOU CAN!!!
Raise Money For
North United Methodist Church With No Selling
Thousands of non-profit organizations across the United States are joining together with retailers to raise money. They do it with "Scrip" the revolutionary fundraising method that can raise tens of thousands of dollars for our non-profit organization without the hassles of traditional fundraisers.
Founded in 1994, Great Lakes Scrip Center has helped more than 14,000 non-profit organizations raise more than $250 million dollars with Scrip.
Shopping Cart Fundraising™
With Scrip fundraising, friends and member families of the church simply do their regular weekly shopping with gift cards from America's favorite retailers. With each purchase, NUMC earns cash rebates that can quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars a year - money that can be used for whatever our organization needs.
Scrip is a powerful fundraising tool because families generate revenue through purchases they would make anyway. Groceries, clothing, toys, gifts, even gasoline can be purchased with scrip. An organization of 150 families easily spends between one and two million dollars per year on food, clothing and other essentials. If those families use scrip for their purchases, they can raise as much as $40,000 to $80,000 per year for their organization --without spending an additional penny.
Great Lakes Scrip Center offers a deep selection of scrip gift cards from America's favorite retailers. GLSC works with our partner retailers to offer hundreds of gift cards with substantial rebates.
NUMC buys the scrip gift cards from Great Lakes Scrip Center at a discount, and re-sells them to our organization members for full face value. The discount - from two to fifteen percent or more - is a rebate retained by NUMC as revenue. It’s that easy!
A few examples of retailers and the discounts they offer:
99 Restaurant 13%Take a look at the complete list of hundreds of retailers in PDF format by checking the website at www.glscrip.com.
Amazon.com 4%
Borders 9%
Auto Zone 5%
Barnes and Noble 9%
Exxon 1.5%
Cheesecake Factory 5%
Chuck E. Cheese 8%
Express 10%
Cold Stone Creamery 8%
Dunkin’ Donuts 4%
Hallmark 4%
Dell Computer 4%
Fashion Bug 8%
Sears 4%
Foot Locker 9%
Great Harvest Bread 8%
KFC 8%
Harry and David 10%
Home Depot 4%
Stop and Shop 4%
Home Goods 7%
Hyatt Hotels 9%
Lord and Taylor 8%
This program will begin October 25th and continue on each Sunday. Cards may be ordered and paid for on any given Sunday, and then picked up on that next Sunday one week after ordering.
Anita Haynes will be available today in the Memorial Room to take orders and answer questions.
We also have a need for volunteers to take turns hosting the “Scrip” table on Sunday mornings. Please speak with Anita to schedule a Sunday. Thank you!
Set Your Clocks Back
Daylight Saving Time Ends at Midnight, October 31
This is a reminder to change your clocks next Saturday night so you will not be late for church on Sunday morning!
This is a reminder to change your clocks next Saturday night so you will not be late for church on Sunday morning!
All Saint's Day
On October 30, the eve of All Saints Day, in 1517, Martin Luther, a young professor of theology in Wittenberg, tacked to the local church door an open invitation to debate the issue of Christian penance and forgiveness. He posted 95 "theses" for consideration. It was the first act in what was to become the Protestant Reformation—a protest against various religious assumptions of that day and an attempt to reform certain teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Churches.
As United Methodists we are heirs of a renewal movement influenced by Luther's initiative and shaped by John Wesley and others looking toward reform in the late 18th century Church of England.
The annual Reformation Sunday, the last Sunday of October, is a time to remember, to praise the courage of men and women who have dared to raise their voices and exert the energy of their faith to gain clearer understandings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Reformation Sunday is also a time to confess the fractures within the church as the Body of Christ in the world. It is a time to thank God for the ecumenical spirit that in recent decades has brought many Protestant denominations closer together and also begun to bridge divides between Protestant and Roman Catholic.
All Saint's Sunday is next Sunday, November 1. We will acknowledge members of NUMC who have passed away in the past year with the sounding of the bell.
We will also provide an opportunity to acknowledge friends and loved ones who are no longer with us by inviting members to place a flower (in remembrance of those loved ones) on the altar in a communal vase.
Please note the name(s) you would like to recognize and honor on the back of your attendance slip.
If you choose to submit a name(s), please bring flowers with you on Sunday, Nov. 1 to add to the vase during worship.
As United Methodists we are heirs of a renewal movement influenced by Luther's initiative and shaped by John Wesley and others looking toward reform in the late 18th century Church of England.
The annual Reformation Sunday, the last Sunday of October, is a time to remember, to praise the courage of men and women who have dared to raise their voices and exert the energy of their faith to gain clearer understandings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Reformation Sunday is also a time to confess the fractures within the church as the Body of Christ in the world. It is a time to thank God for the ecumenical spirit that in recent decades has brought many Protestant denominations closer together and also begun to bridge divides between Protestant and Roman Catholic.
All Saint's Sunday is next Sunday, November 1. We will acknowledge members of NUMC who have passed away in the past year with the sounding of the bell.
We will also provide an opportunity to acknowledge friends and loved ones who are no longer with us by inviting members to place a flower (in remembrance of those loved ones) on the altar in a communal vase.
Please note the name(s) you would like to recognize and honor on the back of your attendance slip.
If you choose to submit a name(s), please bring flowers with you on Sunday, Nov. 1 to add to the vase during worship.
*REMINDER, Please wear name tags every Sunday
Pastor Laurel is still learning names, and we would also like to be ready for and inviting to visitors. Thank you so much!
Anyone in need of a name tag, please note it on the back of your attendance slip on Sunday morning and one will be made for you.
Anyone in need of a name tag, please note it on the back of your attendance slip on Sunday morning and one will be made for you.
MYF Fellowship in October
October 25th Bring a Friend Bowling Night
MACC Christmas House Tour and Holiday Shopping Boutique Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Manchester Area Conference of Churches Cordially Invite You to a Benefit Christmas House Tour and Holiday Shopping Boutique Saturday, December 5, 2009. Click the image to the left to see the flyer.Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of their Historic home at 123 Boulder Road in Manchester, the Rainville family welcomes guests to tour their historic home decorated from top to bottom. There will be dedicated areas in the house set up for guests to purchase delightful holiday gifts.
Limited tickets available, early reservations recommended. Tickets are available at Inspirations, 65 East Center Street located to the right of Cavey's and Rocco's. Store hours Tuesday through Saturday 10-4. Tickets also available by phone. Call 860-643-9884.
Donation $25.00.
Each donor will receive a $10.00 coupon for Inspirations in 2010. There will be no tickets available at the door. Kindly make checks payable to MACC Food Pantry. Easy parking for the tour. A shuttle service will bring you right to Rainville's front door!
Leadership Workshop Saturday, December 5th from 8:30am to 2:00pm
This workshop will include breakfast and lunch. Pastor Laurel would like to have as close to 100% attendance as possible. The purpose of the workshop is to plan programs and the budget for 2010 and there will be reports of the workshops attended at the Leadership Institute in Leawood, Kansas by Pastor Laurel, Jim Glass, and Irene Fitzgerald..
All church leaders have been contacted by email and are requested to put this date on their calendars and make their best effort to be present for this important session. If you have not already done so—Please R.S.V.P. as soon as possible. There is also a sign-up in the Memorial Room.
*Please note – While all leaders and administrators of the church are requested to attend, this session is open to ALL members and friends of NUMC. Please prayerfully consider joining us as we plan for 2010.
All church leaders have been contacted by email and are requested to put this date on their calendars and make their best effort to be present for this important session. If you have not already done so—Please R.S.V.P. as soon as possible. There is also a sign-up in the Memorial Room.
*Please note – While all leaders and administrators of the church are requested to attend, this session is open to ALL members and friends of NUMC. Please prayerfully consider joining us as we plan for 2010.
Help Rocco's Support MACC Thursday, November 26, 2009
Join Team Rocco's and help those less fortunate this Thanksgiving! Donate $10 or more to become a 2009 Team Rocco's member & get a free t-shirt.
Help us beat our 2008 donation of $1600 to MACC! All proceeds will be donated to MACC in support of the Community Soup Kitchen, Emergency Homeless Shelter and Community Food Pantry in Manchester.
Watch the Manchester Road Race at Rocco's - Rain or shine!
Fashion for Good Annual Fashion Show Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 2-4 p.m.
Doors open at 1 p.m. Show starts at 2
TICKETS $25 : Call 860-647-0440
See Marlene Camper for tickets on Sunday mornings.
Clothes from Chico's and White House/Black Market, Somerset Square, Glastonbury and Fashion commentary from Stylist Claudette Fried
Don't miss this fun event in the beautiful and spacious Church of Christ, 595 Tolland Turnpike, Manchester, CT.
Parking and wheelchair access
Knitting Ministry November 2nd at 1:00 pm
The Knitting Ministry will meet on the first Monday of each month at 1:00 pm. Our next meeting will be on November 2nd. We continue to make Prayer Shawls, Chemo Caps for local Cancer Centers, Lap Blankets for Hospice patients, and ICU Blankets for Manchester Hospital. For those unable to attend our Knitting Group, please continue to knit or crochet, at home. We appreciate all that you can contribute to our Ministry. If you would like to donate yarn, or funds to purchase yarn, for our projects, please let Irene know. If you need answers to any questions, please contact Lucy Falk.
Annual Charge Conference Tuesday October 27th at 7:00 pm
Annual Charge Conference Tuesday October 27th at 7:00 pm
Wesleyan Study Group October 20th at 7:00 pm
Next Book Discussion: What Jesus Meant- The Beatitudes and a Meaningful Life . The cost of the book is $6.40. We will have our first discussion on the book at our Oct. 20th meeting at 7:00 pm. Contact Carolyn Gimbrone (643-9310) with any questions.
Image Permission
NUMC is working to further extend our outreach and evangelism to the community. As such, a beautiful brochure has been created and the website is continually being updated with pictures of church events. Please contact the church office to let us know A.S.A.P. ,if you DO NOT want your image published by the church.
Seasonal Sharing
Seasonal Sharing sign-ups are in the Memorial Room.
We need turkeys for Thanksgiving, turkeys and hams for Christmas.
We will start collecting canned goods for both holidays in early November.
Christmas gift lists will be ready in early November.
We need turkeys for Thanksgiving, turkeys and hams for Christmas.
We will start collecting canned goods for both holidays in early November.
Christmas gift lists will be ready in early November.
Property Committee Requests
We would like to remind everyone that several years ago the Trustees established a sub-committee - "Property Committee". This committee is solely responsible for organizing and addressing all repairs and maintenance of our buildings. As a result, the policy for any repairs, modifications, or maintenance in and around the building is as follows:
If you notice a need within the church building or on the grounds, it is to be brought to the attention of the Property Committee by filling out a Request Form. These request forms are found in the narthex information center by the mailboxes. Once you have completed a form you may place it into the 'Property Committee' mailbox. The committee will then asses the need and decide on an appropriate course of action to meet the need. We respectfully ask that all members and friends of North Church use this policy and forms for all requests and trustee approval.Any questions regarding this policy may be directed to:
Co-Presidents of Trustees, Jan Miller and Jim Williamson.
Assisted Listening
Please note that the church now has several listening aid devices for use during worship. Please see one of the ushers for assistance.Be sure to check it out.
Come visit!!
Sermons on Website and CD
Listen to a Sermon
Sermons are available for your listening pleasure on the church website or by borrowing a CD from church. Please Call the church office with any questions at 860-649-3696.
Sermons are available for your listening pleasure on the church website or by borrowing a CD from church. Please Call the church office with any questions at 860-649-3696.
Tidings, The NUMC Monthly Newsletter
Did you know that all the information included in Tidings each month - and more! - is posted on the North Church website every month? Tidings appears in an identical format to what has been mailed out in the past with all the lovely decorative touches. Just click where it says "Tidings" under "News and events" in the menu on the left edge of the screen and you will be presented with a list of the months of Tidings that are available. Just click the one you are looking for and enjoy!
Altar Flowers
Altar Flowers are a wonderful way to acknowledge the Memory of a Loved One or Celebrate a special person or occasion. Forms are available in the Memorial Room to make such requests. If you have any questions, please speak with Doris Timbrell, our Flower Steward (649-6494).
Meditation Group
Tuesdays from 7:30 - 9:00 pm
Join in practicing engaged Buddhist meditation. All are welcome regardless of your backgrounds or affiliation
Additional information is available in the Memorial Room
Questions may be directed to Tom Duva, 729-2342.
Join in practicing engaged Buddhist meditation. All are welcome regardless of your backgrounds or affiliation
Additional information is available in the Memorial Room
Questions may be directed to Tom Duva, 729-2342.
Newsletter Deadline
This is a reminder that all articles and notices for the November Issue of Tidings should be submitted to the church office by October 15th.
Thank you, thank you
Thank you to all for your appreciation of our work with the Youth. It has been a pleasure and an honor to work with them. A special thank you to the Arendt family for hosting a fantastic gathering at their home and ordering up a beautiful day!
Tim and Charlene
MACC Food Pantry
North Church welcomes food donations which may be placed in the grocery cart in the church Narthex. These on-going donations are delivered to the Food Pantry weekly. The pantry is always in need of the following: soup, peanut butter, jelly, tuna, mayonnaise, pasta sauce, mac & cheese, canned fruit, cereal.
Thank you for your continued support!
Thank you for your continued support!
Tell me the Story...Prayer is the life line…
I love books in fact I love information — however it comes to me. Until now, it has mostly been in the form of books. I attend many conferences and in the large group atmosphere of a convention/conference I enjoy the ritualistic visit to vendors who ply the tools of the trade — which often includes books. In my case, it is the trade of Faith.
At last year's United Methodist General Conference I collected my usual share of books, and since I never have the time to read all the books I collect, they usually sit on a shelf in my library until the occasion comes for them to be used. Recently as I looked around for other books to use for an impending meeting, the title of a book sitting in an unpacked box caught my attention: TOO BUSY NOT TO PRAY.
I had been thinking of the rigorous and tight schedule I had been following of late. Still trying to settle into a reasonable routine in this new place, I sometimes pray on the run. "Lord you know how busy I am, so in the midst of all the things I am responsible for, I am asking that you put some order into my life and forgive me for not stopping to pray."
That title brought me back to reality. TOO BUSY NOT TO PRAY. None of us should be too busy to pray, for prayer is our lifeline. In fact, what author Bill Hybels (who incidentally pastors one of the nation's largest churches, located in Illinois) was saying in that book is that the busier we are the more we need to pray — especially those of us who are leaders in the Christian faith.
Hybels himself admits that there were times in his life when he thought he was too busy to pray; times when his prayers seem hollow; times when he did not know what to say to God.
But through realizing that he could not face the challenges confronting him alone, that he could accomplish far more if he connected with the divine power that created and sustains us, he began again to have a disciplined prayer time with amazing results.
Sometimes the lure of the world gets to us — even pastors. We sometimes feel an obligation to be all things to all people, forgetting that our business is God's business and that Godpower is ultimate, far more than we could ever possess by ourselves.
When we take time to be alone with God, to just sit and listen to God, we find that we come away from that time with clearer minds, with guidance for everything and anything we might face.
God loves each of us and delights to hear from us, Hybels says. And Jesus reminded us that if we seek first God's kingdom, all necessary things would be added to our lives. So no matter how busy we might be, we should always find time to pray, and somehow the ten minutes we set aside for God each day expands to a delightful twenty, then thirty and soon we find that we don't want the day to go by unless we have first checked in with heaven.
At last year's United Methodist General Conference I collected my usual share of books, and since I never have the time to read all the books I collect, they usually sit on a shelf in my library until the occasion comes for them to be used. Recently as I looked around for other books to use for an impending meeting, the title of a book sitting in an unpacked box caught my attention: TOO BUSY NOT TO PRAY.
I had been thinking of the rigorous and tight schedule I had been following of late. Still trying to settle into a reasonable routine in this new place, I sometimes pray on the run. "Lord you know how busy I am, so in the midst of all the things I am responsible for, I am asking that you put some order into my life and forgive me for not stopping to pray."
That title brought me back to reality. TOO BUSY NOT TO PRAY. None of us should be too busy to pray, for prayer is our lifeline. In fact, what author Bill Hybels (who incidentally pastors one of the nation's largest churches, located in Illinois) was saying in that book is that the busier we are the more we need to pray — especially those of us who are leaders in the Christian faith.
Hybels himself admits that there were times in his life when he thought he was too busy to pray; times when his prayers seem hollow; times when he did not know what to say to God.
But through realizing that he could not face the challenges confronting him alone, that he could accomplish far more if he connected with the divine power that created and sustains us, he began again to have a disciplined prayer time with amazing results.
Sometimes the lure of the world gets to us — even pastors. We sometimes feel an obligation to be all things to all people, forgetting that our business is God's business and that Godpower is ultimate, far more than we could ever possess by ourselves.
When we take time to be alone with God, to just sit and listen to God, we find that we come away from that time with clearer minds, with guidance for everything and anything we might face.
God loves each of us and delights to hear from us, Hybels says. And Jesus reminded us that if we seek first God's kingdom, all necessary things would be added to our lives. So no matter how busy we might be, we should always find time to pray, and somehow the ten minutes we set aside for God each day expands to a delightful twenty, then thirty and soon we find that we don't want the day to go by unless we have first checked in with heaven.
Letter From The Pastor's Desk
Dear North UMC,
Thank God for diversity and thank God for convenience. When my hours are long at the office and I don't feel like preparing a meal at home, take out restaurants are indeed a blessing.
The custom at Chinese restaurants is to receive a fortune cookie with each meal — even take out. I recall that not so long ago, the pieces of paper found in these fortune cookies contained Chinese proverbs or sayings. Lately, though, they have had a distinctively Western ring to them. Often I don't read them, but a few weeks ago as I enjoyed a Chinese meal at the office late one afternoon I decided to read the fortune cookie I had received. One side read: "Learn Chinese" with the Chinese word for Orange, and the pronunciation (chéng). On the other side was the "proverb": "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit." How true I thought, we have to practice excellence. Excellence doesn't just happen. There is nothing casual or lukewarm about excellence. We have to be intentional about excellence.
Excellence requires that we get out of bed half an hour earlier, (not a pleasant thought at this time of the year) that we practice with an eye towards accomplishment, improvement and growth. We can only say "It'll be alright" when we have prepared ourselves, when we have put in hours of practice and preparation. This is true for the Olympic athlete, the artist, the actor, the singer, the instrumentalist, the writer, the preacher. It is also true for every member of Christ's church. In order to move towards the perfection that is our goal, to be like Christ we must practice being like Christ, every day in every way, not just when others are watching. Excellence must become for us a habit doing all things well. This is especially true when we are gathered as a community that is representative of the body of Christ. All worship leader — liturgists, ushers/greeters, Sunday School teachers, choir and congregation. Let's make excellence our habit.
Blessings,
Pastor Laurel
Pastor Laurel
Rethink Church
When you hear the word “church” what do you think of? A building? A sanctuary? A quiet place? A tall steeple?
How about people? Do you think of people when you think of church?
The new United Methodist Church campaign invites us to rethink church. Church visionaries have been engaged in the process of re-envisioning church, and are encouraging the rest of us to do the same.
In being the church we become the Word of God, a word of love, a word of hope, a word of abundance a word of grace for a world that too often senses hatred, despair, cruelty and lack.
In being the church we invite all of God’s people to join us. In being the church we truly have open hearts, minds and doors (I know, lots of you liked that one!)
Rethink church is a challenge for not only are we asking those outside the church to rethink how they think of us, we challenge ourselves to re-think how we “be” church and then do church in a new way. Not just because it is trendy to reinvent oneself, but because, quite frankly, as we look at God’s blueprints and honestly examine our lives, we have much to improve. SO let’s together rethink church and redo church for the sake of the gospel.
For more information see the links to the Rethink Church campaign and to the 10thousanddoors.org website that is an aspect of the campaign as found on a new page on our website, Links To United Methodist Resources.
How about people? Do you think of people when you think of church?
The new United Methodist Church campaign invites us to rethink church. Church visionaries have been engaged in the process of re-envisioning church, and are encouraging the rest of us to do the same.
“The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place, the church is a people”says the first verse of UMH # 558.
"I am the church, you are the church we are the church together."And so we are all encouraged to be church, not just go to church. We are encouraged to “Stand on the promises" (of God) rather than just “sit on the premises” (a book title).
In being the church we become the Word of God, a word of love, a word of hope, a word of abundance a word of grace for a world that too often senses hatred, despair, cruelty and lack.
In being the church we invite all of God’s people to join us. In being the church we truly have open hearts, minds and doors (I know, lots of you liked that one!)
Rethink church is a challenge for not only are we asking those outside the church to rethink how they think of us, we challenge ourselves to re-think how we “be” church and then do church in a new way. Not just because it is trendy to reinvent oneself, but because, quite frankly, as we look at God’s blueprints and honestly examine our lives, we have much to improve. SO let’s together rethink church and redo church for the sake of the gospel.
For more information see the links to the Rethink Church campaign and to the 10thousanddoors.org website that is an aspect of the campaign as found on a new page on our website, Links To United Methodist Resources.
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