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The Messenger August, 2009 From the Pastor... by: William Palmer (This is an update of my October 2007 message.)
The other day I was talking to a good friend, who
is also a good church member, and he said something that kind of
stunned me. He asked “Are we (in the church here ) really as
bad off as lots of people think?” As we continued to talk that day I
tried to point out some of the great things about this church. As
I’ve thought about that question-“Are we in this church ‘as bad off’
as some think?”-I realize that I haven’t done part of my job too
well. Let me try here to set the record straight.
While we, as a church and as church members, aren’t quite perfect
(yet!) we are surely not “bad off”. We worship each week in a
well-attended, inspiring service (yes, I do have a bias here, but
folks tell me it is true); we meet in a variety of small groups each
week to study God’s Word; our music program is excellent-choir, bell
choir, the newly-formed band (now the Mexico Brass!), and many
talented individuals inspired and guided by Carolyn; our youth group
is large and flourishing (now we have TWO youth groups!); our
finances might not be robust but we are meeting our expenses; our
church’s outreach in mission is local, national, and
international-and is exciting and growing each year!
It is true that our building has presented us with a lot of
challenges this year (and every year!), but we are in the process of
looking at any and all possible “fixes” thanks to a dedicated group
of folks that we call the “facilities” team (now the A.S.A.P. team).
Their meetings are listed in the bulletin, and they welcome any and
all suggestions. The “church growth” group is in the process of
working through a “healthy church” checklist-looking at several
vital aspects of congregational life: evangelism, education,
stewardship, and more. We sent a good number of kids to church camp
this summer, and we’re already planning how to send even more next
year! (Thirteen kids, in 2009!)
We’re just kicking off this year’s Sunday School (that was October;
we just ended a successful year!), which will begin each Sunday in
the sanctuary and then move up to the class area. This will give the
kids a chance to join us in church each week, and then become the
Sunday School as a group. The adult Sunday School, and the
junior/senior high group, continue to meet before the worship
service each week and are exciting and lively places to be!
Do we have problems here in First UMC? You bet we do; after all
we’re human. And, we’ve been together for 199 years in this place.
(Make that 201 years, and counting!)
Are we “bad off” here in First UMC? You’d better bet we are NOT!
Next year-our 200th anniversary year in Mexico-we
celebrate where we’ve been and where we’re going! (And, what a
celebration!!) If you want to know what is great about our church,
just look around. Or, you can ask me. I’m a big fan!
Sincerely,
Bill
(Like a lot of “old” sermons, this is all still so true! And, so
worth saying again!)
Bill
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Important Dates
August 1: Praisin’ the Son Music Festival Noon -9pm. Pennellville
UMC
August 8: Elliot Ringwald’s Organ Recital, Sanctuary, 10am
August 8: Vine and Cheese Garden Party The Aldrich Home,
6:30-8:30pm
August 9: Finance Meeting, 8:15am
August 11: ASAP Meeting
August 16:Unity Acres all day picnic. Mass at noon followed by
picnic for public. Desserts and/or soda appreciated.
August 20: Reverend Palmer to preach at Dempster Grove Campground
Route 104B, Dempster, 7pm
August 23: Stewardship Prayer Meeting 9:30am, church
August 23: Friendship Circle Picnic at Sue Morton’s, after Worship
August 30: Outreach Committee Meeting, Following Worship Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank You, Thank You to...
Please join us for a... Vine and Cheese Garden Party Saturday, August 8, 2009 ~ 6:30 - 8: 30pm At the gardens of John and Carol Aldrich, 125 Spring Street, Mexico, NY
This event promises a summer evening of delicious hors’
d’oeuvres, sparkling beverages (non-alcohol), live music by
Don Williams, and delightful ambiance - all with friends and
neighbors. Valet parking is available. This will be an event
to remember for years to come. Tickets are $28 per couple, and
$15 per single. These can be purchased ahead at Greco’s Touch
of Country, Hart and Stone, Uptown’s From Hair On, or by
calling Marilyn at 963-4509, or Carol at 963-8802. Tickets may
also be purchased that evening at the garden gate. All
proceeds will support the upcoming ASAP elevator project. The
elevator, based in the Fellow- ship Hall, will make all three
levels of the church accessible to everyone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Praisin’ the Son Music Festival - An Evangelism Event!!!
The Pennellville United Methodist Church is hosting a music
festival on Saturday, August 1, from noon - 9pm. The
performers and times are: Noon - The Tired Hands String
Band; 1-3pm - Diamond Someday Bluegrass Band; 3-4 pm -
Dennis Shortslef; 4-6pm - The Atkinson Family Bluegrass
Band; 6-8pm; Les and Linda Green; 8-9pm - open jam session.
BBQ Chicken dinners will be available at noon only. Hotdogs,
chips, soda and salads will be on sale throughout the day.
We will also have a bake sale and used book sale.
Performances will be outside in a tent, so please bring your
lawn chair. There is no admission charge but each
group will take a freewill offering and sell their CD's on
site. For more information, please call 315-695-4434.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2009 A GRAND SUCCESS!!
Over 30 children from pre-school to sixth grade enjoyed five
fabulous days of TAKE THE PLUNGE Vacation Bible School from
July 20 - 24. The children learned about Jesus as they took
the plunge into obedience, worship, courage, faith and
service. Six teens and several adults guided the children
through games, snacks, songs, crafts, and Bible stories. The
VBS Mission Project was a loose change collection in a large
water container. The total collected will go toward an
Advance Special United Methodist Mission Project that works
on providing clean water in Africa. Thank you to all who
assisted with Vacation Bible School! And, a special thank
you to Sue Morton for coordinating this year’s program.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Recipe Corner: This month’s recipe comes to us from the south where Sue Morton discovered it on a recent trip. She tried it out with relatives that visited Mexico during the month of July and received many favorable comments. Her husband Duane liked it too! Thanks Sue! Blueberry Trifle
In a small pan, stir together 1/2 cup blueberries, 2
tablespoons sugar, the cornstarch and water. Bring to boil;
cook and stir 5 minutes or until sauce is clear and
thickened and berries pop; cool. Add 1 cup of the berries.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine yogurt, cheese and the
remaining sugar and stir until smooth; stir in sherry or
juice. To serve: In individual 6 - 8 ounce dessert glasses,
spoon about 1/4 of the cake cubes into glass; top with
heaping tablespoon of blueberry sauce and about 1 1/2
Tablespoons of yogurt mixture; repeat layers; garnish each
glass using remaining 1/2 cup berries. Cover and refrigerate
at least 1 hour. Makes 4 servings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BABY BOTTLE COLLECTION
Many thanks to all who contributed to the baby bottle
collection between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. The
total collected was $905.This dollar amount will be
divided between the fund that supports our youth attending
church camp this summer and the New Life Crisis Pregnancy
Center in Mexico
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ August Auction Early Bird Specials
No, the auction will not be in August - BUT anyone
completing a donation form or contributing to the
auction fund by September 6, will be eligible for
prizes. Our goal is to publicize the auction listings
throughout the month of September, feature items, and
post images and items on the church website*.
Please help us make the October 3rd First United Methodist Church Auction the best ever. Thank you. * www.mex1umc.com August Auction Early Bird Donation Form
Name________________________________Address__________________________________
Phone________________________________Email____________________________________
Please describe or name the items (s) donated. Thank you.
o
Food_______________________________________________________________________
o Gift Card, Gift Certificates
(s)____________________________________________________
o Items(s)____________________________________________________________________
o Services(s)__________________________________________________________________
o Themed Basket
(s)____________________________________________________________
o
Other________________________________________________________
This form should be sent to be sent to First United
Methodist Church, Attn: Auction Committee, PO Box 255,
Mexico, NY 13114.Or it may be placed in the August
Auction Early Bird Box in the narthex.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Public Pipe Organ Recital Featuring Elliott Ringwald
Elliot Ringwald, son of Fred and Karen Ringwald and a
sophomore at Mexico Academy and Central High School,
will present his first public pipe organ recital in
our Church Sanctuary on August 8, 2009, at 10am.
A dress rehearsal for this recital will take place on August 1, 2009, at 1:00 pm, at the same location, and is also free and open to the public. Elliot, son of Fred and Karen Ringwald, is a private pipe organ student of Abel Searor, Music Director of the West Baptist Church of Oswego, NY, and a Syracuse University, Crouse School of Music, Master's Candidate. Elliot is ready to offer his first full public recital. The performance will last approximately one hour, and is free and open to the public. |