The

Messenger

The Newsletter of the Saugerties United Methodist Church

Church Office # 845-246-7802                                                              Dr. Buddle’s Cell Phone # 1-845-706-0418

         “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.”

Psalm 100:4

“Which Is It?”

            How do you view your relationship to Christ and His holy Church? This is the question that I pose to you and myself on this month when we observe Thanksgiving Day because I see these things as being interrelated to each other. Some of the ways that people respond to Christ and His Church is 1. obligation 2. responsibility 3. privilege 4. thankfulness.

            1. Obligation to me means that we must do something whether we want to do it or not. We have to do it. Is you relationship to Christ and His Church based on having to do things like attending worship services, working on committees, being involved with fundraisers, attending meetings, taking part in study groups?

            2. Responsibility is closely linked to obligation as we have a responsibility or something like that we need to be faithful to or others will not think as highly of us as we wish them to think. We go about our lives attending church functions because it is our responsibility to do so. I have given my word that I would do this or that therefore I have to do it, I might not enjoy it and as soon as I can get rid of this responsibility the better.

            3. Privilege to me means that that which I do is an honor to do. I am doing it as a servant expressing my faith through a variety of ways. It is an honor to be asked to serve in this way. People must think highly of me thinking that I can do what has been asked of me!

            4. I am doing things because I am thankful, truly thankful for the gifts, the money, the time I have on this earth to make a difference for others for Christ and His Church. What I/we are doing is bring satisfaction and reward personally and to others. It is changing the lives of those with whom I am dealing and want to do it to the best of my ability. God has done so much for me/us that we wish to respond to the tasks that we place our hands and minds to.

(Continued on page 2, column 1)

            Which is it? What best describes what you are doing? Which can bring the biggest satisfaction by serving in this manner? Which response will bring continued service over the long haul?

Sermon Snapshots

November 20^th - “When He Had Given Thanks”

                           John 6: 1-14

Somewhere I have read that sin at its roots is ingratitude. It is taking blessings for granted instead of with gratitude. It is taking our blessings as what is owed us. Now as believers in God we have someone to thank. We can sing with the Jew of old: “Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all his benefits.” Buber, the great Jewish theologian has written that he who takes what is given him, in his lifetime, and does not experience it as a gift, is not really receiving...the gift turns into a theft. How is it with us? Do we see and accept our blessings as gifts from our creator? Do we take our blessings for granted or with gratitude? My subject is: “And when he had given thanks”

Consider first that some people do not give thanks because they have a short memory. Memory is important for thanksgiving. Unless we remember the blessings of yesterday and yesteryear, how can we give thanks or be thankful?

Consider that many do not give thanks to God because they are too obsessed with the unpleasant. We see only the hole in the doughnut, not the doughnut. Our thoughts are never on the blessings we have.

Consider finally, that some people need their blessings removed before they learn what they had, but forgot. When a loved one passes away or when a relationship ends we remember the meaning of that person to us but did not think of it when they were with us. Our soldiers in Iraq find that they had taken for granted many of the things of home, but now that they do not enjoy them, long for what they had.

Let us then on this day of Thanksgiving this week not take things for granted but with gratitude. Bless the Lord, O, my soul and forget not all his benefits.

November 27^th - “Keeping our religion clean”

                           I John 3: 1-7, James 1: 19-27

What effect are the churches having on the mortals or our society? What happened to the standards of right and wrong? Too often we have assumed that the mere existence of thousands of churches across our land is a sign of virtue. If only we could get our entire population enlisted in some religious organization, it is thought, and have God mentioned as often as possible in our public life, then all would be well. That, however, is not the point of view of the Bible. For there is a wrong kind of religion and that is a superficial religion. Just enough to keep our consciences clean. Religion delegated to Sunday morning. The Bible gives us examples of all these kinds of wrong religions and from beginning to end is concerned with what I have called “keeping our religion clean.” The historical books of the Old Testament tell the story of how the religion of Israel keeps getting corrupted and needs continual reformation. The psalmist reminds us to create in us “a clean heart, O God, a renew a right spirit in us.”

John the Baptist, comes on the scene with his challenge to traditional piety and his summons to repentance. The most blistering words of Jesus Christ were reserved for the corruptions of religion and his most urgent call was for a pure faith in God that had practical results. Well, what is it that goes wrong? How can our prayers, our worship, our faith in God, our religious convictions get fouled up?

1. It can happen by disuse. By not keeping the Sabbath, by not reading the holy scriptures, by not making God a priority. All of us make choices and many times God is not included in them.

To keep our religion clean we not only have to maintain regular habits of prayer and worship, but we have to keep our minds open to what God is telling us. We can’t expect our faith to be a real power if we are living on the faint memory of what we absorbed in Sunday School at one time in our lives.

2. All of us are tempted to use religion for our own ends, we want God to be on our side. We want him to be at our beck and call, especially in emergencies. We want him to guarantee our happiness and success.

A bid step towards cleaning our religion comes when we realize that it’s not something to be exploited for our own use, but essentially the finding and the doing of God’s will. Thou shalt not have any other gods before him.

3. Finally we might take a look at the way our religion gets cluttered up with so many unimportant things that we forget the clean, clean center– the love that Christ inspires for God and our fellow human beings. Sometimes our doctrines get in the way and we feel we have a corner on God. He becomes our possession. Or it might be that our activities get in the way. We lead bury lives we serve on many committees, we are busy oiling the machinery of the church that we forget its purpose. We get weighed down by a thousand different concerns. We need to set ourselves quietly and sincerely in the healing presence of Christ to hear what he has to say to us this day and each day.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For the fourteenth year, the Council is sponsoring a Christmas Toy Store for needy families in the Saugerties Area. The Saugerties Reformed Church on Main St. will host our annual event. The dates are Friday, December 9^th, and Saturday, December 10^th. Last year, more than 300 children had a truly merry Christmas, thanks to the generosity of all of you and so many others in the community.

We are asking for donations of New Unwrapped items for infants through eighteen years old. The donations will be collected on Wednesday, December 7^th. Please help us in this effort to make this Christmas a blessed one for all of the children in Saugerties.

We would also greatly appreciate any volunteers to help with this worthy project. Help is needed for toy pickup, Wednesday, December 7^th from 10:00 a.m. to noon; set up of the store at the church Thursday, December 8^th at 2:00 p.m.; man the store on either Friday, December 9^th from noon to 3:00 p.m. or Saturday, December 10^th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 246-0024.

God Bless,
Sue Andersen,
Chairperson

Stewardship

My dictionary describes stewardship as a management position, someone who manages another’s property. For our church stewardship committee, this works on two levels. They manage the money that you pledge for the upkeep of our church building. But even more importantly, we are all stewards of the boundless gifts that God has bestowed upon us.

The world news of late is filled with crisis after disaster, after disaster. It certainly has been a heads-up for those of us who have felt secure and perhaps become complacent. All of our worldly possessions are gifts from God. All of them can be lost in a heartbeat by wind, water or earthquake. It is at that point that we realize our most prized possessions are the people we love, our God and the Hope that He offers.

As stewards, we reach out to those in need, no matter were they are. We have always reached out to those in our congregation and our community to remind them of God’s love and the Hope that He offers for a brighter future.

The stewardship committee’s theme this year is "an attitude of gratitude creates many blessings." Many of you have been busy writing down your blessings to share with the rest of us. For me, that is one of the greatest blessings, sharing with my church family. With renewed gratitude this year, I have been made aware of all my many blessings by all the tragedy I have seen in the world.

Let’s all help to honor our most prized possessions. Let’s make sure the people we love know how much we love them. Let’s make sure God knows how thankful we are for all our blessings. Let’s honor God by extending our love to all the strangers in need by offering them Hope.

As you all know, people are what make a church. But they need a place of operation. Help us to maintain our church building.

As Karen Reynolds pointed out in the September Messenger, a vision with a task is the Hope of the world.

Marilyn Bucher for the Stewardship Committee

Please join us in participating in

<>Operation Christmas Child!

What: share the joy of Christmas with a less privileged child

How: fill shoe boxes with gifts, toys and personal items - be sure to follow Operation Christmas Child guidelines

Where: bring filled shoe boxes or donations to our Church lobby

 When: November 13^th or 20^th

Holiday in the Village

Church Fair

I've had a peek at some of the wonderful new crafts for the fair. The Trash and Treasures is filled with wonderful treasures this year. I can almost smell the yummy items for the bake table! I can't wait for the Fair! But I'll have to wait until:

Friday, Nov. 18^th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 19^th from 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m.

This year for the first time, there will be a Bag Sale on Saturday from 12:00 to 2:00 for the Trash and Treasures and used books departments.

We will have:

            Baked table and homemade food items

            New books

            Recycled treasures

            Silent Auction

            Recycled books

            Recycled jewelry

            Recycled toys

            Pecans

            SERRV gifts from around the world

For the first time we are offering Tacos on Friday evening and again a luncheon on Saturday.

There will be fun things for the kids to do. It's not too late to volunteer to help! It's a lot of fun and we can always use more help!

You can contact: Marilyn Bucher, Diane McDowell or Joan Robinson

All Saints Day

Sunday, November 6^th is observed as All Saints Sunday in our worship service of Holy Communion. We will remember those who have entered into eternal glory since last November 1^st. The names of those who have died will be listed in the Sunday bulletin, candles will be extinguished for each individual and prayers offered. Family members are invited to participate in the service by extinguishing the candle of their loved one. If Pastor Buddle conducted the funeral service, the names of these people will be in the bulletin without request. If you would like the name of a loved one included in the bulletin, you are invited to phone the church office at 246-7802 before November 2^nd.

Stewardship Sunday

This year Stewardship Sunday is November 13^th, 2005 with the Rev. Joyce Wilkerson bringing the morning message (Pastor Buddle will preach at the Catskill UMC in her place). You will be invited to turn in your estimate of giving card for 2006 at this service. A luncheon will follow the service in the Fellowship Hall.

Hanging of the Greens

Advent Walk

On the first Sunday in Advent, November 27^th, we will have a Hanging of the Greens service at 10:45 a.m. with the Advent Walk starting at 6:00 p.m. in the churches of Saugerties. Let us get advent off to a good start by attending these services.

Charge Conference

The Charge Conference will be held December 1^st at 7:30 p.m. at the Quarryville UMC. Reports for the booklet need to be in the church office by November 10^th. Let us have a good attendance at this important yearly meeting.

Free, Free...

1. Futon frame and mattress are free to anyone who will just come and haul it away! 2. Fire place insert. Call Gerry Rosenberger if you are interested @ 246-7160.

Congratulations to...

Amber Haley & Billy Gaddis on the birth of their daughter Haley on October 1^st, 2005 in Kingston. She weighed in at 6 lbs. 13 ounces. The maternal grandmother is Wendy Falzano.

♣Al & Diane McDowell on their wedding on October 15^th, 2005.

♣Tammy Goodwin & Christopher Reed on their October 29^th wedding. Tammy was our former church secretary.