Worship this Sunday, September 12th will focus on God’s hope for mankind as detailed in Jeremiah 4:27 and Luke 15:1-10. Pastor Cheryl Meachen's sermon will explore the remnant of hope in humanity as illustrated in Jeremiah where God is furious and plans to destroy the people because of their sinfulness, but not all of them. This is complemented by Luke’s story of the lost sheep, where Jesus asks his audience to consider whether they would leave the 99 to seek after the lost one. Tim and Bunny Fogg will provide music for the service on guitar and flute including hymns full of grace, including Amazing Grace. The choir returns to the sanctuary this week to provide special music.
During a Mission Moment in worship this coming Sunday, Robert Baldauf, Worshipful Master of Brattleboro Masonic Lodge #102 will discuss Warm Hands, Warm Heart, Inc., a Vermont non-profit organization, in partnership with Vermont Masons, who are sponsoring a children’s clothing drive for Vermont’s most vulnerable citizens - our children. Please look into your closets, storage areas, and most importantly, your hearts and donate new and gently used outerwear, innerwear, underwear, sleepwear, shoes and socks and school clothing for children: newborn to the 3rd grade (ages 9-10). Collection sites from Aug 15th through Sept 30th include this church and any of Vermont’s 87 Masonic Centers.
A meeting of the Vermont District Mission Team will be held at the Middlebury UMC on Wednesday, October 20, 1-3 p.m. to elect leaders, consider how to use funds from Troy Conference designated for Vermont missions, and more. Contact Rene for more information at lwilbur@vermontel.net
The Men’s Group is meeting on Monday, Sept. 13th at 6pm. They are planning a dinner and silent auction for Friday, Sept. 17th as a church fundraiser. Creative donations are needed by next Friday. Items already received include two handmade quilts, vintage golf clubs, a meal at your home, a handmade afghan, a bean bag chair, auto service, 2 quarts of maple syrup, a bride doll, a round table, 2 large china dolls, dessert a month for a year, a computer desk and a serving Genie. Registration begins at 5pm with bidding until 6:45. The meal will include pot roast with potatoes, gravy, carrots and peas, dinner rolls, coffee and dessert. The buffet line begins at 6pm with one seating. The cost is $10; children under 12 free with parent. Final bids will be announced at 7pm. Please invite your friends and neighbors to this fun event.
Warm Hearts, Kindred Friends, a three-day Academy for Spiritual Formation will be held October 14-17, 2010 at Rolling Ridge Retreat & Conference Center in North Andover, MA. Guided by the question “In an age of Facebook friends, global village connections and yet persistent stories of abuse, how can we cultivate and expand spiritual friendships, become companions with others on the journey?” led by Wendy Wright, retreat leader in contemporary spirituality and writer of “Sacred Dwelling and The Vigil” and portions of the Companions in Christ series. For more information, please contact Rosemary McNulty at (978-682-7676 x. 201 or RMcNulty@neumc.org).
A Stewardship Team from the Finance Committee is busily preparing this year’s campaign and needs your help! Consider hosting a table by making followup calls and leading a short bible study. Sign up to provide entertainment like a skit, song, dance, story, jokes or other entertainment are welcome!. Our Consecration Dinner is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 12th and our next Stewardship Planning meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 13th at 5:30pm.
The Trustees have scheduled a Work Day on Saturday, Sept. 18th from 9am-noon. Please join us at the parsonage to take care of some of the overgrowth that occurred when the home was unoccupied. Some of the ways you can help include rototilling gardens, sharing perennials or bulbs from your garden, resetting the sidewalk and patio stones, preparing the deck to be stained, and painting the front porch columns. Alternatively, you could help Pastor Cheryl prepare lunch for the workers or purchase fall flowers like chrysanthemums, sedum and kale to be planted at the church in the two entry planters, around the bell and around the sign at the street. Sign up to help!
A regularly scheduled church council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 15th at 6:00 pm and our District Superintendent has scheduled our annual Charge Conference for Wednesday, September 29th at 7:00 pm. Please plan to attend these important church meetings.
The Fundamentals of Financial Stewardship are Spiritual! Our church is blessed to host a Faith and Money Seminar on Saturday, October 23rd from 9am-3. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to learn more about this important topic and also to prepare a worship service, serve a meal and host our new colleagues from the New England Conference. Join us for a day of joyful and participatory worship, dialogue and practical workshops on personal and congregational financial stewardship including managing church assets, socially responsible investing, trustee responsibilities; planned giving through wills, gift annuities, charitable trusts and capital campaigns; integrating faith with financial resources. Please sign up to help with worship, preparing and serving the meal or to attend this important seminar.
United Methodist membership means sharing our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness in this church. How are you equipped to lead and participate? The Lay Leadership Committee is accepting self-nominations to any committee, mission or ministry, existing or new. Please drop a note in Pastor Cheryl’s box or send an e-mail to Cheryl.meachen@gmail.com to identify your gifts, ideas and willingness to serve!
The Community Justice Network of Vermont unites the efforts of Vermonters seeking to make restorative responses available for people whose lives are disrupted by conflict or crime. Volunteers are needed for the Reparative Probation Program. This program brings together offenders on probation with a panel of 4-5 community volunteers to discuss the impact of their crime and ways in which they can make fair and reasonable amends. The panel meets once a month for two hours. Join us on Monday, October 25th at 6:00pm and visit http://www.brattleborocjc.org/ to learn how you can participate!
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