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The
Messenger First
United Methodist Church of Mexico
From the Pastor:
First, a story.
Imagine that God
has given us each ten apples, which represent our wealth or income. God
tells us that nine of the apples are ours to enjoy. We are to use some to
care for ourselves and our families, some to save for retirement, and some
to give away to others. But the tenth apple is holy to God. Giving this
apple to God first, before we consume the other nine apples, is a way for us
to express praise, love, obedience, faithfulness, worship, and devotion to
God. This tenth apple also serves to supply the resources for God’s
purposes to be accomplished in the world through God’s church. But, for many of
us, our lifestyles are such that nine apples are not enough! We think, How
can I pay the bills and have all the stuff I want with just nine apples?
So we decide that God won’t really mind if we take just a little bite of
his apple. After all, there’s that trip we really want to take, and it’s
really important. So we take a bite out of God’s apple-the one that is
holy to God and meant for God’s purposes. God
will understand, we think. Then, Christmas comes and we don’t have
enough money for all the presents we want to buy, so we take another bite
out of God’s apple. One day a medical emergency takes us by surprise.
Because we didn’t set aside an emergency fund, we must take another bite
of God’s apple. Buying a new car, dining out, spending on this or
that-each expense takes another bite out of God’s apple. Soon, all that is
left of God’s apple is the core! So we give the core to God and say,
“Here’s your portion, Lord!” God receives not our first fruits or our
best gifts, but our leftovers. Do you think
that God might think, You would really bless me if you recognized that this apple is mine and
gave it to me freely-not because someone made you feel guilty, but just
because you love me. You know, a
strange thing happens when we give the first apple to God. We’re not
tempted to eat it because it’s not there! And, with God’s help, we
somehow find a way to meet our needs and wants with the other nine apples! I guess I
don’t need to tell you that this is a story about stewardship of our
dollars (actually, it is about tithing!). This month we are concluding our time of worship and
study together around the area of stewardship, and on Sunday, November 8 the
whole church will have the opportunity to consecrate to God each of our own
plans for giving in the coming year. It is my firm belief that each one of
us needs to have the opportunity to be a “giver”, for our own
sake as well as the church’s. I cannot tell God that I am grateful for all
my blessings, and then offer my “apple core” back to God. I am grateful
that God has enabled me to learn how to welcome His guidance into my life as
I plan my financial affairs. And I’m
grateful for each one of you, too. My prayer for each of you is that you
might find joy abundant as you think, pray, and plan how to respond to
God’s blessings in your lives. Blessings, ---------- Important Dates November
1: Junior Youth Group
Meeting 6 –
7:30pm November 22: Finance Meeting, 8:45am November 22: Last day for Shoeboxes November 22: Senior Youth Group Meeting Fellowship Hall, 6:30pm November 26: Thanksgiving Day November 29: Advent begins.
TRUSTEE’S
ANNUAL
ELECTION
NIGHT **ALL
YOU CAN EAT** PANCAKE
DINNER TUESDAY,
NOVEMBER 3, 2009,
4:30 – 7pm All
are invited to attend. The meal
will include pancakes (plain & blueberry), French toast, sausage,
applesauce & beverage. Cost
will be -$6.00 for adults Thank
You, Thank You too… ~ Al Smithers and Velma Smithers for sponsoring this issue of the Messenger. ~ Had Fravor for updating the phone system at the parsonage. ~Alan Hanley for installing the new EXIT sign over the doorway in the front door of the church. And thank you to his company, Rombough Electric, for donating all of the necessary materials for the job. ~ All the bakers who contributed delicious baked goods to the Senior Youth Group Tasting Contest on October 4. ~ Thank you to all who assisted with the potluck meal following the Worship Service on Sunday, October 18. ~
Flora Kugler for coordinating our MACY’s fundraiser.
The proceeds were over $500.
`
UMMen’s Annual Pork Roast Dinner November
21, 4-7pm All You Can Eat Menu includes: Roast
Pork, mashed potatoes, gravy, bread dressing, applesauce, vegetables,
homemade pies. $7.50
adults, $5, ages 5-12 yrs Free, ages 4yrs and younger A
Special Thank You To: All
of the men and women who have so courageously served our country.
PEDALS,
PIPES, and PIZZA! The
fourth annual Pedals, Pipes and Pizza! Concert, held here, the First
United Methodist Church, will be from 10:00am to 11:00am, Saturday,
November 7.
Refreshments and pizza will follow. Organist
Abel Searor and his student, Elliot Ringwald, will perform music by a
variety of composers, entertaining to both children and adults. Pedals,
Pipes, and Pizza! is free and open to the public. 17th
ANNUAL AUCTION REPORT
Again this year's annual auction was a great success. The Auction
Committee thanks everyone who helped in any way. Thanks to all who
worked months to plan and set up, all who baked for the bake sale and
planned and prepared the lunches, all the young people who showed the items
for sale so well, all who generously donated items to sell, and to the
buyers who opened their checkbooks so willingly, we say a sincere THANK
YOU.
Special thanks to Pastor Bill for auctioneering again this year and to Shirl
Field & Shawne Helker for chairing the event.
Thank you to Judy Von Zagorski for handling the Silent Auction again
and to Georgia Halstead for typing the booklet.
Thank you to all the others who helped to make it all a
success.
The auction was a success thanks to your hard work and generosity. The
monies raised, well over $6,000, are important to the church budget. Sincerely, the Auction Committee of 2009 Recipe
Corner:
This month’s
recipe comes to us from Sue Morton.
Sue baked this cake and entered it in the Mexico Public Library
Annual Anything Apple Contest recently and she won second place with it.
Sue borrowed the recipe from Rosanne Russ who says that it originally
came from Jeanette Backus.
“So you can see it is destined to be printed in the First United
Methodist Church newsletter,” says Sue.
Apple Crisp Cake 1 ¼ cup oil 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 cup nuts 3 cups apples (peeled and cut in chunks) ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups flour
LET
YOUR CHRISTMAS SPIRIT SHINE with
CANDLES
IN THE WINDOWS The
ASAP Committee (Accessibility and Safety Achievement Project), is excited
to announce the next endeavor to raise funds for the handicap accessible
elevator in our church.
The goal is to have an
electric candle in each window of the church during the Christmas Season.
Each candle is available for sponsorship, at $15 per candle, either in
honor or in memory of a loved one.
The soft glow of the candles will shine as a beacon of light
representing Christ’s light that has come to us in a dark world.
To request a candle please fill out the form below and mail this,
with a check, to the First United Methodist Church, POBox 255, Mexico, NY,
13114. All other
contributions for ASAP may be sent to the same address or put into the
ASAP envelopes in the pew pockets. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Candle
in Honor
of:____________________________________________________________________ Candle
in Memory
of:__________________________________________________________________ Purchased
by_________________________________________________________________________ Number
of Candles___________________________
Amount Enclosed:_______________________ ---------- The
Accessibility and Safety Achievement Project is moving forward in leaps
and bounds. At this point in
time the new handicap accessible restroom is completed and in working
order in the Fellowship Hall. In
addition, the new guard rails are in place in the rear parking lot of the
church. Special thanks to
John and Carol Aldrich for their planning and oversight of the restroom
project, and to Had and Linda Fravor for the same on the guardrail
project. Currently the
ASAP account total is $21,669.98. This
balance is prior to the bill being paid for the restroom.
Thank you to all for supporting ASAP to make our church building
more accessible and safe for all who enter in.
---------- Introducing Angel Food Ministries Angel
Food Ministries is a nationwide, non-profit, non-denominational, volunteer
food co-op.
This ministry is available to everyone with no income restrictions,
or qualifications.
Orders are placed once a month and the food arrives once a month in
Pulaski.
Each month the food menu/order, consisting of both fresh and frozen
items, is different with a wide variety of options available to meet
family needs.
Please find the November menu/order (due 11/7), and more
information, on the hall table outside the sanctuary. Please call 842-4058
to place an order.
Additional information can be found at www.angelfoodministries.com.
---------- OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD "Shoe
Box Project" Again this year we will be participating in the Shoe Box Project. Millions of gift filled shoe boxes will go to needy children in nearly 100 countries. It's a wonderful opportunity for you or your child to share with children who are suffering because of war, natural disasters, poverty or illnesses. To many, this may be the only gift they will receive this Christmas season. The shoe box can be filled with gifts for a girl or boy from 2 - 14 years of age, with a variety of gifts, such as small toys, school supplies, personal hygiene needs, hard candy, gum, etc. It is requested that you enclose a check for $7 per box, made out to "Samaritan Purse" to help with the cost of processing and transportation. You may bring your box to church any time before November 22nd or call 963-3646 to make arrangements for your box to be picked up. On Sunday, Nov. 22nd, the boxes will be taken to a collection site to be on their way to make children somewhere in the world very happy. ---------- On
Giving Thanks…
Give
thanks to the Lord; for He is good!
His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 118:1
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