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The Messenger July, 2009 From the pastor…
I
am not a betting man (which should please my district superintendent!) but if
I were I would bet on two thoughts as a “sure thing”. First, everyone
in Oswego County knows what “lake effect” means: for kids, it means at least
one, often more, days off from school; for adults, it means shoveling,
plowing, and white-out driving! If you live around here, you know all about
“lake effect”.
The second “sure thing” is that almost none of you know (yet) about
something called “Lake Effect Cooperative Ministries”, or “L.E.C.M.”. This
weird-sounding “thing” is a very exciting opportunity for doing ministry in
our part of God’s world. Many of the United Methodist churches in Oswego
County are loosely joining together to resource and support each other in our
separate church’s ministries.
What am I talking about? Well, suppose that one church has a ministry to
provide winter coats to the needy. Instead of one congregation trying to
gather coats all by themselves, maybe several other congregations might like
to pool their resources. The result: lots more coats for people in need, and
the joy of working together with folks from other churches. Or, suppose that
one church has, over time, developed a great VBS (vacation Bible school)
program. Instead of each neighboring church trying to start from the
beginning, the VBS-church might want to share resources, ideas, and advice
with her neighbor churches. The result: better, more effective, and less
frustrating VBS’s all around.
The pastors of most of the UMC’s in the county are already meeting regularly,
to try to develop a framework for the churches to use in setting up this
ministry. But, and this is important, the success of “L.E.C.M.” will
depend upon the involvement of the people of each church. It is the hope for
this fledgling ministry to meet regularly in a kind of ministry council, to
study and plan how to live into this idea. Each participating church will need
to send a representative or two to these meetings. In the future, I can see
the churches banding together to offer lay speaking classes, Bible studies,
and workshops on items of interest to our church members.
I am very excited about this opportunity to join with our sister United
Methodist churches, to work more closely at the challenging work of making
disciples for Christ. If this idea grows wings it is possible that the words
“Lake Effect” will not produce that automatic shudder every time we hear them.
Please pray for this new development in ministry in Oswego County, and please
be open to the Spirit’s working in and among us.
Blessings.
Bill
-------------------- IMPORTANT DATES
July 4: Independence Day
July 11: Cookout at Unity Acres
July 12: Finance Meeting, 8:15am
July 12: Freewill offering to collect for VBS snack and supplies
July 12: Friendship Circle Work Mtg.
July 14: ASAP Meeting, 6:30p.m.
July 20 - 24: Vacation Bible School 9am - Noon
August 8: Vine and Cheese Garden Party: 6:30 - 8:30pm John and Carol Aldrich’s
---------- Thank You, Thank You too:
----------- Congratulations to our 2009 High School Graduates: Abigail Anderson Gabrielle Ariola James Darling Joelle Dimon Robert Dotter Jonathan Franey Whitney Gayne Courtney Pachoud Daniel Spicer Courtney VanWormer Justin VanWormer Ashley Yerdon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cookout at Unity Acres ~ July 11
The Outreach Committee is organizing our church’s
annual cookout at Unity Acres. Generally between 75 and 100 men make the
Catholic work farm their home and we like to give them an afternoon off in the
kitchen one day each summer. The UMM have graciously agreed to buy the hot
dogs and hamburgers for the cookout. A clipboard is circulating for sign-up
for the salads, baked beans, and cup cakes, as well as those (typically 14)
who will travel with the food to Orwell to prepare and serve the meal.
There is also a collection box in the Narthex for hygiene items for the men ~
such as disposable razors, shaving cream, soap, shampoo, tooth brushes, and
toothpaste. Providing a cookout for the men at the Acres is always a rewarding
experience. If you are interested in participating, and have not seen the
clipboard, please call Kelly Freihofer at 963-3936.
Thank you for all your support to our friends at the Acres.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Central Lakes District New District Superintendent
"Central Lakes District (Mexico is a part of this) welcomes Rev. David
Underwood as our new District Superintendent, effective July 1, 2009. Rev.
Deborah O'Connor-Slater will become the Director of Transitional Ministries
for the New York West Area, also on July 1."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2009 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Take the Plunge!!! The dates and time for this summer’s Vacation Bible School Session are set for: July 20 - 24, 2009 ~ Monday - Friday ~ 9a.m. - Noon
This year’s VBS will be very COOL! It is a water theme park adventure where
children will build relationships with each other and, more importantly, with
Jesus. There will be Bible Lessons, Crafts, Music, Games, and Snacks each day.
If you have a child (or a neighbor’s child) in grades K-6 this is the place to
be for that week! Older children are welcome to assist the teachers. Please
call if you can volunteer: 963-3566.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In Memory of Don Buck...
A memorial fund has been started at the church in memory of Don Buck. Don was
active in our church, from the 1950’s through the 1970’s, as a Sunday School
teacher and superintendent, and he was the driving force behind the 240
Couples Group in our church. Contributions to the Don Buck Memorial Fund may
be mailed to the church or labeled and put in the offering plate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wisdom from Winston Churchill... “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. Taken from Pastor Bill’s sermon on June 21. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cans, Candy Bars, and Baby Bottles...
Thank you to everyone for supporting the many efforts to raise funds for our
youth to attend church camp this summer. We are counting 14 going this year!
The cans you collect, candy bars that you sell (or eat!), and the change in
the baby bottles really adds up. Many thanks!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RECIPE CORNER: Looking for a dip for vegetables or chips at a summer
cookout or gathering? Look no further. This month’s recipe is from our
church cook book, “Treasures From Heaven”, and was contributed by Sue
Jackson.
Shrimp Dip
1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 Tablespoon garlic
1/4 lb. cream cheese (softened) 1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 cup shrimp (8 ounce can), chopped
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon parsley
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup scallions Pinch of salt.
Mix above ingredients together and serve as a dip.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please join us for a... Vine and Cheese Garden Party Saturday, August 8, 2009 ~ 6:30 - 8: 30pm At the home 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 Wellienes, delightful
ambiance, all with friends and neighbors. Valet parking 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 at Greco’s Touch of
Country, Hart and Stone, or by calling Marilyn at 963-4509, or Carol at
963-8802. All proceeds will support the upcoming ASAP elevator
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Community Garage Sale a Success!
The Friendship Circle held a garage sale on June 20, and raised $442.75.
All the money will be go to the church General Budget. Thank you to all
who worked, baked, and purchased. Items left went to the Salvation Army
and Unity Acres.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Special Thanks to: Dave and Sharon Anderson f or several years service as leaders of the United Methodist Youth Fellowship.And, the group welcomes the Behlings and the Mungers as new leaders. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ASAP UPDATE The Accessibility and Safety Achievement Project (ASAP) account now totals $20,000. Work on the new handicap accessible restroom in the Fellowship Hall is moving forward. John Aldrich and team are currently designing the restroom and bids will soon be sought.. Great work! Thank you to all who contributed in any way. |