Union Church of Belgrade Lakes
Transcript of Union Church of Belgrade Lakes
Location: 67 Main Street, Belgrade Lakes, Maine
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 133, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918
Phone: 207-495-3599
Church Email: [email protected] Pastor’s Email: [email protected]
Website: unionchurchmaine.org
Union Church of Belgrade Lakes a United Methodist Church
Union Rider – September, 2015 Newsletter
FRIENDS
AND
NEIGHBOR
LUNCHEON
Soups, sandwiches, deserts
and more!
Thursday, September 10, 2015 from 11:30 to 1pm. Come Join
in the fellowship with our friends throughout the community.
There will also be a game of trivia, come test your
knowledge skills and have fun
playing against everyone.
A Daily Prayer From Taizé
Pastor Joe receives a
daily prayer from the
Taizé Community and
wanted to share this
particular one.
"Proclaim the Lord Christ holy in your hearts and
always be ready to answer people who ask you the
reason for the hope you have.”
1 Peter 3:8-17
“Nothing is more enduring than the memory of
past humiliations and wounds.
Such memories foster an attitude of
suspiciousness, sometimes lasting several
generations.
Gospel forgiveness, on the other hand,
enables us to go beyond the memory.
Will we be among those who gather up their
energies to curb all forms of mistrust,
be they age-old or brand new?” –from the writings of Brother Roger
Jesus’ peace is with you,
Pastor Joe
Location: 67 Main Street, Belgrade Lakes, Maine
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 133, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918
Phone: 207-495-3599
Church Email: [email protected] Pastor’s Email: [email protected]
Website: unionchurchmaine.org
WALK TO DEFEAT ALS September 13, 2015 marks the annual WALK TO DEFEAT ALS in Portland. As of this writing (Aug. 19th) Sue Gawler's team is leading the campaign to
raise funds. Her team has secured $18,895 toward their $20,000 goal with Sue being the top fund raiser for this event. Sue responded to her diagnosis with dignity, grace, and her multi-megawatt smile. She was dedicated to her family, friends, and community. If you would like to contribute to Sue's team effort to raise funds and her team’s desire to make a difference for ALL people with ALS you may join other Union Church members by making a contribution to "The ALS Association" in honor of Sue. Your tax deductible contribution may be in the form of cash, check, or credit card. Information and/or donor forms may be secured by contacting Colleen or Tom Crabiel @[email protected] or 269-615-4760. Or by contacting the Church Office to obtain this donation form. We walk, we pray, we now live remembering the life of Sue Gawler who died on August 21
st but not before
her life, her presence, her wisdom and smile changed many a heart.
_________________________________________
Our Stewardship
Campaign
Overview
2016 Seeds with Wings Report and Analysis
We are through the initial part of our pledge
campaign for 2016 and wanted to give you an
update. We began our campaign on August 2nd
sending out 121 letters to our members and friends.
Each of three weeks a member of our congregation
(Louise Young, Kelly Webster and Pastor Joe)
spoke on the significance of meaning of our church
in their lives and the importance in their own life for
giving to Christ’s ministry that takes place here at
Union Church.
Last year we received 61 pledges of support for our
ministry these totaled $98,409. Our goal for our
ministry in 2016 is to equal or exceed that amount
to fully fund our ministries.
To date we are gaining towards that goal with
32 pledges totaling $67,575.
Here are some interesting statistics:
We have 3 new pledging units this year
There were 9 pledges that were able to
increase their giving
There were 2 pledges that found it necessary to
decrease their giving
There are still 29 pledging units from 2015 that
have not returned their cards
May our giving to the ministry of Christ that emanates from Union Church become an opportunity for you to joyfully respond to the many gracious blessings of God you find in each day. --How else to demonstrate our gratitude than with a gracious gift?
We are most grateful for those of you who have
already pledged.
We are in high hopes to exceed last year’s goal of $120,000 to meet our ministry needs. Please remember, Union Church needs everyone to prayerfully consider their commitment of time and finances. This is how we will be able to achieve what it is that God is creating us to be, a growing spiritual faith community in the manner of Christ, where all are welcome and cared for...(from our Vision Statement!).
Sometimes folks, although it can make us uncomfortable, we have to talk about money in the church. With out financial gifts we just can’t get the work done that God calls us to. Our lives are so very busy
and it may be that sending in your pledge may have just
slipped your mind; so please be sure to prayerfully consider your gift to Union Church, and respond.
With your pledge of support towards our ministry for 2016 we will plan ahead. With your pledge we will accomplish the ministry God is calling us to.
[late breaking news…as of September 8th we have just received in 6 additional generous pledges.]
Location: 67 Main Street, Belgrade Lakes, Maine
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 133, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918
Phone: 207-495-3599
Church Email: [email protected] Pastor’s Email: [email protected]
Website: unionchurchmaine.org
Help Wanted: Newsletter
Reporter/Publisher. We are looking.
for someone who enjoys sharing what’s
happening throughout the Church and spread
the good news with others. Mary Dionne
says it only take a couple of hours to piece
together. Please let us know if you would be
interested in taking on this Ministry.
Infinite Loop Robotics would like to invite you to our own competition, Mainely Spirit, on Saturday, September 19 from 8:30 to 5:00 at Messalonskee High School. Admission is free; there will be craft tables and food for sale. Our robotics team has worked hard for months to build a robot to perform the
task for this game season. A season starts in January; runs through April with completion to the World Championship, then continuing through the end of the year with off-season events, like Mainely Spirit. This year’s game is called RECYCLE RUSH which is a recycling-themed game played by two Alliances of three robots each. Robots score points by stacking totes on scoring platforms, capping those stacks with recycling containers, and properly disposing of pool noodles, representing litter. As part of this event we are asking for donation of new or gently used books as a community service project.
During this time of year we accomplish most of our fundraising. Our team members are expected to fundraise for 30 hours each. This helps raise the money needed to fund our budget of $59,000. This includes the cost for: the Robot Kit; additional registrations fees; materials; plus travel expenses. This fun competition is one of the many ways we raise money, we rely on your donations, as well as the many bake sales, tag days and sponsors.
FIRST Robotics is not only a club for our team; it is a way for them to learn hands on. These students in the four years they are on the team will learn: programming, mechanics, engineering, and business. Infinite Loop is a student lead team; they make the choices needed to run a business and work as engineers. Our team currently has 23 members with an equal balance of girls to boys.
We hope you will join us at Mainely Spirit on September 19th so we can show you first hand what robotics means to us!
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The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden
to work it and keep it.
Genesis 2:15
With Fall just around the corner, the Memorial Garden
needs volunteers to help weed, water and get the garden
ready for the upcoming winter season. This is a
wonderfully reflective way to serve the church and
communion with God’s creation. Please consider
signing up to help!
Location: 67 Main Street, Belgrade Lakes, Maine
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 133, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918
Phone: 207-495-3599
Church Email: [email protected] Pastor’s Email: [email protected]
Website: unionchurchmaine.org
HARVEST
FESTIVAL
2015
Summer flew by and now it is that time of year again when plans are getting underway for Union Church’s annual Harvest Festival. It is the big draw in town; many folks have already asked about our event and are looking forward to attending again this year! Octoberfest is on October 10, 2015 10 a.m. to
3 p.m. Be thinking about ways you can help out -
many hands needed! Lots of volunteers needed to
make this a success again this year. Hoping that each
and every one of you will come join us in the fun and
fellowship as we share in our preparations. It is a
great way to connect with old friends, meet new
friends and get incorporated into the life of the
church and community.
We will be meeting right after the 9:30 service on
Sunday, September 20th. We will regroup to see
where everything stands so we know what else is
left to take care of. ALL ARE WELCOME to
come to this meeting and subsequent meetings
thereafter. New ideas are always entertained, so
put on your thinking caps. ALL ARE WELCOME to
volunteer your talents in preparing for the event
and working on the day of the event. It truly is a
very fun day and you get to work with your Church
Family and meet all the town folk that come take
part in this special event.
In the meantime; save the date, start canning,
crafting, woodworking, picking out your recipes for
baked goods and items for our freezer (soups, ice
cream sandwiches, etc.). Go through and identify
which jewelry items and/or Halloween/Christmas
decorations you no longer want to keep, we will have
tables for those items on the front lawn of the
Church to draw people to our Event. If you know any
shopkeepers; see if they would be willing to donate
something to our Silent Auction. Look for “really
good” things in your attic or basement that you can
donate to the auction, or make something using your
special talents.
Please contact Kathy Gerard (Chair) at
[email protected] or Carol Johnson at
[email protected] (Chair of Silent Auction)
if you have any
comments/questions/idea
s and would like to step up
and volunteer.
Thank you and God Bless!
__________________________________________
Gobble, Gobble!
On Saturday, August 15th
, Union
Church held our annual Turkey
Dinner. Shelly Fitzgerald
chaired the event with Val & Horatio cheering her
on and working right along side her. It was a huge
success! Thank you Shelly for your ministry with
this dinner that so many look so forward to
attending to enjoy a most delicious meal.
Location: 67 Main Street, Belgrade Lakes, Maine
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 133, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918
Phone: 207-495-3599
Church Email: [email protected] Pastor’s Email: [email protected]
Website: unionchurchmaine.org
Returning now from the Community in
Taizé (July 17-27), I remain ever grateful
for this opportunity to bring a group of
youth there, to accompany our Bishop
Sudarshana Devadhar, to worship with others from over 40
nations across the globe, to join in prayer, in silence, in song
with over 2,700 voices there that week, within the Christian
faith. The Gospel ministry here is of Reconciliation –listening,
praying, and fostering communication.
Here in this French hilltop village of about 38 buildings and
180 people is a Christian Faith Community established back in
about 1940 by Brother Roger. Ever listening, observing,
responding to the leading of God, Roger and then other
Brothers began to see and experience youth (1971) from
throughout Europe and then the world come to join them for
worship, prayer, song, silence. –so they adapted to
accommodate that amazing work of God. New music; simple
phrases and melodies, multiple languages. Enlarge what was
even at the time a new facility; break out the back wall to
triple its capacity. Tents, dormitory, simple facilities to
accommodate upwards of 5,000 and more a week.
As I saw; our youth joining youth of the world, we few older
adults (over 30 in age) about 300 of the 2,700, our group of
14 joined by about 4 others from the U.S., I began to see, to
experience Taizé not as a sort of monastic community, not a
place of worship, not a music type and style, not a small town
in France, as if a place of geography on the globe –but Taizé
as a hilltop well of prayer, a deep well.
Taizé, a place like where Jesus’ disciples; Peter, James and
John, experienced the theophany Transfiguration of Jesus
(Lk 9:28-36), a hilltop place like where Moses experienced the
theophany of the burning bush (Ex 3), like where and when
Ezekiel came to know of God, and God’s vision for God’s
people –dry bones coming to life, life in the desert, new life
coming to those on the hillside meadow where God in Jesus
fed the multitudes. Here was a place, a God-experience,
profound, soul nourishing, soul touching, an infilling of life
breath (Gen 2:7, Jn 20:22). Taizé is no common place on
earth. Here the Holy Spirit is at work,
transforming lives, mine, and millions more.
Thank you for sending me.
Pastor Joe
Worship Planning Retreat
Saturday, October 3rd
[check with the office for time and place]
Membership Class
United Methodist 101
October 18th and 25th, 11 -12:30
Are you a member of our congregation and would like
to know more about the United Methodist Church?
Or are you perhaps interested in joining the church
membership? Here is your chance to participate in this
shared learning opportunity.
For those attending that may later choose to become a
member of the church our Service of Membership will
be held on, Sunday, November 15th
Annual Church Conference
Saturday, November 14th, 10 a.m.
All are welcome to attend the annual meeting of
our church. All of our membership is invited to attend
for the voting that takes place at this annual meeting.
Upcoming Special Worship Services, 9:30 a.m.
September 20th, Our worship service will include a time
of Remembrance of our sister in Christ, Sue Gawler.
September 27th, Baptism Service
October 11th, Blessing of the Animals
November 1st, All Saints Sunday & Blessing of Prayer
Shawls.
November 8th Veterans Day Service
November 15th, Membership Sunday
Many thanks to Don Petersen, the Worship Team and
Kathy Gerard as we begin to introduce our new Name
Tags. These are helping us
to get to know our
worshiping neighbors. -Our
pew-buddies.
Location: 67 Main Street, Belgrade Lakes, Maine
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 133, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918
Phone: 207-495-3599
Church Email: [email protected] Pastor’s Email: [email protected]
Website: unionchurchmaine.org
Union Church of Belgrade Lakes
United Methodist Church
67 Main Street
P.O. Box 133
Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918