DATE:                       2/18/2012

LOCATION:             First UMC (Newton) 111 Ryerson Ave, Newton, NJ  07860

TIMES:                      Starts 8:30 am             Ends 1:15 pm

Event Schedule
8:30 am- 9:00 am – Registration (light breakfast provided)
9:00 am – 9:45 am – Gathering Worship
10:00 am- 11:30 am – First Session Workshops
11:45 am – 1:15 pm – Second Session Workshops

Note:  No lunch break will be provided

The workshops you can choose to attend will include the following:

 Staff-Parish Relations Committee- SPRC members & Pastors

  It All Begins Here: Making the Best of a Few Workers – Lay Leadership, Spirit Team, Missions, Worship/Music

 The Promise and Purpose of Discipleship – open to all

 Life-Changing small Groups- open to all

 Stewardship 201 – Finance and Stewardship

 Children and Prayer – Sunday School teachers, Youth Workers etc.

 Growing a Healthy Church with Natural Church Devbelopment – Visioning, Worship, Staff Parish, Ad Council

 Are You a Facebook Official? – Evangelism, Witness, Spirit Team, Communications

 Youth Leader’s Tool Box – Youth Workers, Pastors

 Employee-related Taxes – SPRC, Finance and Treasurers

 Year-End Statistical Reporting – Pastors, Finance and Treasurers

 Worship and Media – Worship Committee, Lay Leaders, Pastors

 Intro to Lay Speaking – open to all

 Vacation Bible School – Children and Youth coordinators, Pastors

 General/Jurisdictional Conference Q & A – open to all

Brochures are available in the church vestibule. Registration is due by February 13. There is no charge to attend these workshops. Funding for the District Days of Learning is provided by your contributions to the Shared Ministry Fund.

This is an equation for the church at work. It’s like that great hymn #558 in our United Methodist Hymnal. The refrain reminds us “I am the church, you are the church, we are the church together.” None of us can or should try to be the church on our own. Likewise, the “we” cannot exist without our participation.” The church, by definition, is the collective Body of Christ. The Apostle Paul goes to great length to explain to us how every part of the Body is important, and serves different functions.
We United Methodists are blessed to be part of a denomination that is called “connectional.” That means that we are not only part of a community here in Milford, but part of a national and international community as well. Sometimes people see that larger structure as the big, amorphous “they.” But that’s simply not the case. It is you and I, along with many others, who make up this larger community of faith. We elect persons to represent us and our views in the larger church. We are able to help people in need across the world because the network of ministry is already established. United Methodists are able to make a powerful statement for the sake of Jesus Christ in our world. It is definitely a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
As we begin this new year of ministry together, I invite you to consider where you fit into the equation. Be part of the “we” that serves our God every day.

Blessings,
Linda

Giving a message of trust in God, Sunday’s anthem was S. Albrecht’s & J. Althouse’s “Come Follow Me”

See you in church!
Linda

(photo credits clockwise from left: Mark Holthusen, Melissa Clifton, Getty Images, subrosa-blonde.blogspot.com, photobucket.com - scorpio_chika)

“Using the energy of the Super Bowl to mobilize youth in a united national effort to care for people in their local communities who are hungry and those in need.”

This is the Mission Statement for the Souper Bowl of Caring. This charity is a national movement of young people working to combat hunger. Last year the charity collected $9,605,368.08 in cash and food items to give to 10,173 different charities. 100% of your donations will be given to a local hunger-relief charity. Bring a can of soup on Super Bowl Sunday, and wrap a donation around it with a rubber band to help out your community.

World Communion Sunday – October 2 &  MUMC Church Conference @  6:00 pm (SPRC @ 5:00)

Gideons in worship — October 9

Steeple dedication — October 16

CROP Walk –  The Tri-States CROP Hunger Walk raises funds to fight hunger in Milford, Matamoras, Port Jervis, and around the world. Food collection, music, and other family activities make it a great way to help those in need. Join your friends, family and neighbors as we walk to end hunger one step at a time! Walk is Sunday October 16, 2011. Registration begins at 1:30 PM and the walk begins at 2:00 PM. Impact your community & world – walk with us!

Fifth Sunday All-generational worship– October 30

Dedication of shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child — November

Advent starts — November 27

Please bring with you any donations of school supplies and/or lunch box foods for the families in our area who need our help. We will bless them with prayer, keeping in mind those who will receive them.

See you in church!

Pastor Linda

Rulers* Crayons*Backpacks*Lunch boxes*Loose-leaf paper*Pens and Pencils*Spiral notebooks*Computer supplies

It takes a lot of supplies for families to send their children back to school.  For many, the expense is overwhelming.  We can help!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 28 Please bring donations of school supplies and food for school lunches to worship. As we bless the backpacks of our own children, we will bless the supplies that will go to local children and families in need.  Be blessed to be a blessing to others.

Life is tough.  Sometimes we think we’ve got it covered.  Then, when we least expect it… SPLAT!

This Sunday we will read Psalm 86, verses 11-17.  It is David’s prayer asking God for help with people who are threatening him. But he doesn’t ask God to zap the bad guys.  He asks God to grow him spiritually so that his faith gives him what he needs to deal with things.   Something to think about!  Join us Sunday as I unwrap it further. See you in church!

Linda