The Trumpet Call: Our Vision
The Trumpet Call: Our Vision
The Trumpet Call: Our Vision
Pastors Corner
Last week, I shared how we as a congregation can make an impact in Hurricane Harvey
clean up and restoration. In the short term, we can give money (write Hurricane Relief or
something similar on your check) through UMCOR, in which 100% of your contribution goes
directly toward those affected. We can make flood buckets or clean up buckets (they are
the same thing by different names) which will go toward affected areas. Longer term, we can
send mission teams to affected areas to directly help those most in need of rebuilding their
homes.
Now another hurricane is barreling toward the US: Irma. Behind Irma is yet another storm: Jose. Behind Jose?
Who knows, but we are still only a little more than halfway through a very active hurricane season. I call upon
all of us to pray for the state of Florida, and perhaps prayers will also need to be lifted up for residents of
Georgia and South Carolina as well. Regarding the flood buckets, as I announced last Sunday, our church has
three main responsibilities for these buckets which are being collected and filled by the member churches of
our Pocono Mission Connexion. Those items are: dish soap, air fresheners, and the buckets themselves. Here
is the exact wording for each of those items, so that we make sure we get specifically what is needed for the
buckets: Dish soap, 16-28 oz. bottle, any brand; 1 Can air freshener, aerosol or pump; 5-Gallon bucket with
resealable lid. Buckets from fast-food restaurants or bakeries can be used if washed and cleaned. Do not use
buckets that have stored chemicals such as paint or pool cleaner. Advertisements on the outside are
acceptable. There are other things on the list, which you may purchase and donate as well. Nothing will go to
waste, but we request the three items mentioned above be our highest priority for the buckets. We will
temporarily collect these items in Classroom B (off Oberholtzer), and they will be transported to Stroudsburg
UMC. From there they will either go to Mission Central in Mechanicsburg or to a Mission Central Hub in
Allentown. Please visit the UMCOR website for more information about what is being done and for a full list of
needed flood bucket supplies (www.umcor.org).
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In other news, our newest all-church study, Act Normal, will be starting on Sunday, September 17. Im excited
about this study and the ways it can help all of us to think about the new normal Jesus brought about with his
ministry. We will do something different this time around. In the past, people gathered in classrooms to view the
videos and have discussion. This time, we will offer the video in Fellowship Hall for all to view together. We might
pick up a few new people who had intended only to enjoy fellowship and refreshments in Fellowship Hall. For those
who do still intend to do that, dont worry! The videos only last 7-9 minutes and will begin at 9:50 in Fellowship Hall.
After the end of the video, people will disperse to their classrooms and Fellowship Hall will return to normal. Wed
love to have as many involved as possible in the study, so please make sure to sign up this Sunday, September 10,
so that we have materials on hand for next Sunday.
One person very excited about our new study is our Bishop, Peggy Johnson. Shell be here to preach on September
24th, and when she asked me what was going on in the church and what would be a good preaching theme, I
mentioned the Act Normal study. I signed her up for our RightNow Media subscription, and she watched each of the
videos. She will be referring to the study in her message that Sunday, so it would be great if everyone was involved
in the study and to be as conversant with the material as is our bishop! Sue Mertz and the Merry Marthas group are
planning a great meal for that Sunday, followed by the burning of our mortgage. Our church is now debt-free for the
first time in many years, and this is certainly something to celebrate. Please see the schedule for that day elsewhere
in the Trumpet Call. Ill look forward to seeing you this Sunday, as we bless the backpacks!
Pastor Jim