Livingston United Methodist Church

290 West Hobart Gap Road

Livingston, New Jersey 07039

Church:  (973) 992-0640         Parsonage:  (973) 992-2186

Website:  http//www.gbgm-umc.org/Livingston/

E-mail:  Livumc@aol.com

 

 

 

Newsletter for May 2006

 

Dear Livingston Church Family,

Greetings to you in the Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 Some years ago, a sociologist also a very well known Baptist preacher, Tony Compolo, dropped in at an African-American church in Philadelphia. When he related his experience later, the astonishment he'd felt that day was still palpable. "For an hour and a half," he wrote, "the minister preached one line over and over. For an hour and a half, one line—­ "It's Friday. But Sunday's comin'!"

He started softly by saying, "It's Friday; and Jesus was dead on the tree. But that was Friday, and Sunday's comin'!" Somebody yelled, "Preach it, brother!” It was all the encouragement he needed.

"By the time he finished," the sociologist reports, "I was exhausted. At the end he just yelled at the top of his lungs, “It's Friday!” and all five hundred of us yelled back, “But Sunday's comin'!"

 There is someone with a ‘but’ much larger and more transgressive than any conjunction you ever started a sentence with. (I mean, 'with which you ever started a sentence'.) Easter is God's great ‘but’ to death. And from Easter onward it is proper and even required that every sentence of our lives should begin with it! Easter gives us a chance of new life, new beginning and hope. It is God who turns our mourning into dancing!

My brothers and sisters, it is always nice to remember where you have come from so that you gather strength for the journey ahead. Our journey toward Easter began with the putting of the ashes on our foreheads to remember that we are mortals. The Friday Night Family Lenten Services brought us together in Café Style worship experience in which we shared our faith journeys together in the light of Jesus’ last journey on the earth. During the Holy Week, we waved the palms and welcomed Jesus in our hearts. On Maundy Thursday we heard the words of his disciples questioning their own intentions in the drama “Is It I Lord?” and then we shared a Seder meal together. This brought us to a closer & deeper understanding of the Lord’s Supper in its original context (i.e. the ethnic food and culture that Jesus grew up on). And on the day of the resurrection we had a beautiful sunrise service followed by a glorious Easter worship service with lots of great music and involvement. I sincerely thank all those who participated in all these services to make them wonderful and moving experiences. My friends, God has given us this great gift of resurrection which needs to be utilized in our daily lives. So when we are lost, bitter, lonely, anxious, and have given up, we can rise up from the ashes with the flame of resurrection. Our journey does not stop on Easter, but continues with hope of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, which rejuvenates and revitalizes the faith community.

Be with us and we are with you in bringing Love and Hope to the world.

Pastor Anna  

 

                                                                              

Our Special Condolences …

  We were saddened by the news that Etta Kern, a long time member of this church, had passed away during the Lenten season. She had both taught Sunday school and was a teacher in Livingston for many years. Etta is survived by her daughter Ellen Berry of the LUMC and granddaughter Marietta. We shall continue to keep them in our prayers through this time.

 

Spring Pancake Bunny Breakfast

This event was indeed a mission and witness event of the church, which was a great success. I sincerely thank all the people who participated and made this into a wonderful experience for the children. God works through us to bring healing and wholeness in the world. We were able to give more than $1,700 to the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, NJ. This was a great missionary partnership with the Union United Methodist Church. I recently received a letter from the Easter Bunny thanking our church for partnering with them in this mission.                                             Pastor Anna

 

Outstanding Holy Thursday & Seder Meal 

If you were not on hand for our Holy Thursday worship, you missed a meaningful evening. The drama given by our men’s “Is It I, Lord?” was thought provoking and self-examining. Communion was reflected in our first ‘Last Supper’ with a Seder in Fellowship Hall. We are so indebted to the Arnott family who hosted the supper and to all others who contributed to make it such a joyous, yet religious experience. It was a tremendous responsibility and we thoroughly appreciated all your work. Thanks Gordon, Carol, Justin, Jeffery and all others that helped to make the night a success. Kudos, also, to Pastor Anna, Joey Aguas, Bob Smith, Herb Hickman, Rich Copley, Tony McGuire and Sushil for all their planning and hard work to make the night so exceptional!

                                                                                                                Teena Kreismer

The Easter Sun Rose with Magnificent Brass

 

A handful of the congregation rose with the sun to start an early Easter Sunday outdoors in front of the church.  The service was led by Pastor Anna. After the opening hymn and prayer outdoors, the sunrise adulation continued in the sanctuary accompanied by the rousing blast of the brass quartet. Gordon and Jeffrey Arnott, Marney Zacher, Greg Smith, Brigid Mcdonald, Tony Mcguire, Joey Aguas and Sushil   roused our hearts with the reassurance that “He Lives” in magnificent brass. After the praise and worship, a breakfast was enjoyed by all in Fellowship Hall which included lots of fruit, bagels and muffins. Most of the early risers returned later for the10:30 Easter celebration as well.                                                                                Karen Sinclair

Altar Easter Lilies

 

Many thanks to those families who honored and remembered loved ones with Easter lilies for our Easter services. It was a beautiful tribute and added greatly to our Easter worship. The altar was overflowing with lilies trumpeting the sound ‘Christ is risen today’. It was a magnificent sight to be seen!

                                                                                              Teena Kreismer

 

HOW WONDERFUL!  HOW MEANINGFUL!

The Observances of the Lenten season, Holy Week and glorious Easter day at our church!

From the Ash Wednesday communion ceremony followed by our Lenten Sunday worship services and the unique Friday evening sessions readying ourselves for the commemoration of the important events of Holy week – the pageantry of Palm Sunday, the Maundy Thursday evening service with events leading into Good Friday followed by the very special Seder meal communion on through to the wondrous proclamation of “He Lives!” on Easter Sunday. 

It was grand!  And there were so many of us involved in all the ACTIVITY!  Youngsters, adults and seniors with some newcomers and guests – sharing their interests, talents and friendship.  The sounds of brass, piano and organ, the choir voices, the solos, the duet, the quarter, the dances, the dramatic readings, the preparation of special foods, the singing of everyone, the artistic displays, the beautiful Easter lilies – all providing an impressive environment for the scripture readings, the old lessons revisited and the new teachings for today’s world.

 

Interwoven with all of it, the fellowship, the conversations, the interaction, and the working together with others sparked learning with new insights to the events, the personalities involves, the spiritual messages, and an assessment of our own humanity – a desire to learn more, to care more, to love more, to share and help more.

What a Hallelujah Chorus!!

                                                                                                                                              Bill Lyons

Weekday News

 

    Weekday held its ‘Annual Art Show’ on March 23^rd & 24^th with each class creating a masterpiece to display on the stage in Fellowship Hall. Parents and relatives were invited to view the exhibits, and many came to sing the praises of jobs well done!

    Presently, each class is studying the life cycles of the butterfly and is eagerly awaiting the transformation from caterpillar stage. When this occurs, we will be releasing our beautiful butterflies from the playground out into the world.

    In May, we will be incubating about a dozen chicken eggs which we hope will hatch into adorable baby chicks. Once hatched, they will be returned to ‘Quiver Farms’ in Pennsylvania to grow up enjoying life on the farm.

                    

                                                                Carol Matanin, Weekday Preschool

 

 

IT’S A GIRL!

Janet Jelly became a grandmother

 for the 8^th time on 3/28/6 when her

 daughter, Sue, and son-in-law, Tom,

 gave birth to Rebecca Claire Bradley

 (she was #6 for them!)

Congratulations to all!

 

Lilies at Easter

 

   As in keeping with our beautiful tradition, Easter Lilies will be overflowing on the altar during the Easter season. Similar to the poinsettias at Christmas time, lilies will be available to be purchased by all in memory or to honor loved ones and put on display on the altar for Easter. Each plant can be purchased for $15.00 through Teena Kreismer, and taken home after the Easter service, given to a shut-in, or (if we can work it out this year) given to re-hab or hospital patients if you wish.

  Please watch for the up-coming order forms in the weekly church bulletins and in the April Crossroads and think about who you would like to honor or keep in our prayers this Easter season. As always, a list will be provided in the Easter bulletin with whatever sentiments you provide.

 

He Holds My Hand

When I am grieved, down-cast, alone,

And tears flow down my cheeks unknown,

He drives the sorrow from my heart,

New happiness and joys impart;

He holds my hand,

That is enough. 

Why should He all my burdens bear?

Why should He all my sorrows share?

And when my feet are wont to stray

He guides them on the narrow way.

I only know when roads are rough,

He holds my hand,

That is enough. 

Because of Jesus’ love for me

He trod the road to Calvary;

He paid the ransom price for me

And shed His blood upon the tree.

Now, if my path be smooth or rough,

He holds my hand,

That is enough. 

Just trust Him and His cleansing blood,

And rest in His great matchless love;

He came, your precious soul to save,

                                                  That you, eternal life might have;

               And if your path be smooth or rough

                          He’ll hold your hand,

                            ‘Twill be enough.

 

--June W. Mills

                                                                                                                             Give Thanks to the Lord

 

The Church’s Birthday: Pentecost

On June 4^th, we will be celebrating Pentecost, the church was born.  It was the day that the people received the Holy Spirit which energized the community of faith.  It empowered the community to witness the realm of God through such acts as preaching, teaching and healing.  It was the time when people from all over the world had gathered together speaking different languages and came together from different cultural traditions.  But when the disciples preached the word of God, these people could understand the preaching as if they were speaking in their own languages.  Even though they were different, they were one in Spirit.  My brothers and sisters, we are going to celebrate different ethnicities, cultures and food.  All are encouraged to bring your own or an interesting ethnic specific food (or simply a delicious dish or desert) for a potluck luncheon in Fellowship Hall after the worship service. Let us make this day a true Pentecostal celebration!  Wear something RED if you can!

                                                                                                Pastor Anna

 

 

Missions

During the month of May our Missions Project will focus on the Church World Service – Blanket Program.  We do this each year involving the whole church with the Church School taking an active role.  Our young people will “sell” a blanket(s) to members of the congregation on Mother’s Day at a charge of $5.00 each.  You may honor a mother or contribute in loving memory of someone.  You will receive a remembrance to give to the person for whom you have donated your $5.00. All funds are sent to Church World Service which purchases blankets for people in areas of extreme poverty, crushing burdens, and those in need in some 80 countries throughout the world.  During our church worship service the youth will portray the many uses of these blankets.  You can make your donation to this project by making a check to Livingston United Methodist Church and marking it “Blanket Program”.  Last year we were able to purchase through Church World Service more than 100 blankets.  Let’s see if we can top that number this year.  Mother’s Day is May 14^th this year.  Let’s remember our mothers by “buying” a blanket in their honor.

 

Farewell

 

We are so happy to learn that Peg Odenthal has just left us to live with her son and his family in Oregon.  It is the only proper thing to do, inasmuch as she will no longer be living alone.  However, we are saddened to be losing one of our oldest members.  Peg and Harry Odenthal and their family lived on Walnut Street, just about 4 or 5 houses past the church.  What an honor for our church to have these devoted families carry on in lean earlier years so that today we have our beautiful building for worship of God and serving our community.  We are indeed indebted to all those who passed through our doors before us.  They have left us a great legacy to serve God and country.  We need all of you t help us carry the torch for our future.And now a big thank you, Peg, for all you have done for our church.  I did ask her about her birthday and learned she is celebrating another milestone on May 25.  It would be a nice surprise to send her a card to let her know of our love for this great lady.  She will be at 33602 Rodney Street, Warren, Oregon 97053.

YOU’RE INVITED

Young People’s Ministry - Dream, Pray, Live, Share

 This spring we are starting a New Youth Group that is going to meet on Sunday Afternoons from 3 – 5 p.m. twice a month, starting May 7^th.  Praising God in the afternoon will give us awesome opportunities to cast off the cares of this world while we take time to just be who we are; children of God.  Imagine youth and youth leaders singing praises to God, studying the Bible together and engaging the word of God offered to us by our amazing Leader Alan Chorun.  Alan is a Music and Math teacher in East Orange School.  We are grateful to him for offering his gifts and talents for this ministry even with his busy schedule.

We are in need of a lot of Sports Equipment.  There will be a lot of fun and games.  Please bring your baseball bats, basketball and any other sports you enjoy.  Invite your friends to  join us, since the theme of United Methodist Church is “Open Doors, Open Minds, Open Hearts.”  We will have trips to different places this summer.  One of them is “Wild West City,” and other parks.  We will have a mission trip once a month.  This Sunday, April 23^rd we will visit Care One Nursing Home, Livingston at 3:00 p.m.

                                                            In Christ,  Sushil Bhujbal

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALTAR FLOWERS

                                               

If you would like to present the altar flowers for our regular services, just call the church office or Teena Kreismer, (973)992-6376, with your request.  We do have openings on the following Sundays: April 30, May 28, and June 25.  These altar arrangements are sent to us by Hanover Floral and cost $25.00.

 

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    “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness,

but shall have the light of life.”

 

                                    John 8:12

 

Thank You, Lord

 

Thank you, Lord, for simple things

that brighten every day

like sunshine in the morning

and daffodils in May. 

Thank you, too, for friends who care

when tears begin to fall

and thank you, too, for answered prayer . . .

the greatest gift of all! 

Thank you for each spring bouquet 

and for the summer rose,

for rainbows in the meadow

and for every stream that flows. 

Thank you, Lord, for simple things

which really are quite grand

for each one is a miracle

wrought by the Master’s hand!

                                                                            --Clay Harrison

                                                                                           Day by Day

 

 

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