Vernon United Methodist Church
Our Newsletter

NOVEMBER 2008

SPECIAL MISSION TRIP

Three of our members; Bob Mattern, Jim Haag, and Dave Howe, will be going on a mission trip to Slidell, Louisiana, along with others from the New England Conference, to work on the Hurricane damage reconstruction efforts there. This will be during the week of November 2nd through the 8th. We need to keep these men in our prayers as they respond to this special call to discipleship. Their first-hand experiences should be of interest to all of us when they return.

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

The adult Sunday School class meets at 9:15 on Sunday mornings and the subject matter for the near-term is "The Way of Prayer". This is in response to many who have expressed an interest in improving their prayer life. Many adults have found this class to be a great forum for Christian fellowship and learning. All are welcome and study materials are available at no cost.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

In the Home Stretch:

We have come through three quarters of the year and we're solidly on our financial plan at the end of September. Pledge income was slightly above the 100% level; a good thing. A successful Apple Festival in October will be a big help and our Public supper in November will add to the income story. These will help to erase the present deficit in the Program and Ministry account.

The roof reconstruction project is back on track and by the end of September we had paid $1,829.34 in loan payments and $24,869.09 in construction costs. We expect construction costs to increase as the job progresses.

The Fall financial campaign is under way and preliminary results are encouraging; especially in light of the current global financial uncertainties. We have also begun the budget-building process for the tear 2009 and hope to have a preliminary look at the budget situation in the next month or so.

Fund balances at the end of September, 2008, are as follows:

Program & Ministry	($994.59) Deficit
Fuel Fund	$1,104.76
Shared Expense Fund	$1,308.72
Mission & Outreach	$233.24
Memorial Fund	$6,016.05
Building/Renovation Fund	119,032.38
General Contingency Reserves	$0.00
Excess P&M Balance from 2007	$4,078.21
Trustee’s Bequests	$3,959.67

Dave Howe: Chair

WORSHIP COMMITTEE

WOW! It's November already. Did you remember to set your clocks back an hour? If not, no matter. Now is the time for us to look ahead to the coming of Advent - that special season of preparation for the coming of our Lord - the first time.

The Worship Committee would like to express a word of thanksgiving for the visit from the Tate Family as they teamed up, in their own down-home fashion, to present a very unique and enlightening presentation for Laity Sunday. I know which side of the family I want joining our Church.

The month of November brings with it, several special opportunities for Worship that are unique to this time of the year. We will celebrate All Saints Day today on the second. There will be a special moment of remembrance for those who have provided strong Christian witness in our lives during the service. Of course, there will be a community Thanksgiving worship service; Wednesday, November 26th (time and place to be announced later). Saturday morning the 29th will be the annual Hanging of the Greens work day and celebration as we decorate the Church in preparation for Advent. The first Sunday in Advent is then on November 30th. We also celebrate Student Sunday on this day. We hope to have some very special young people of our congregation leading the Worship Service that morning.

Don't forget the evening soup and Bible study will be held again during Advent, starting on December 4th. We have decided to change the day to Thursdays this year. There are no other groups using the facility and with us still in Fellowship hall, there will be no conflict with others. Because Christmas falls on a Wednesday, there will only be 3 Thursday studies. We could always use several volunteers to prepare the meal for one of the evening sessions.

Mark your calendars and plan on attending any or all of these opportunities for Christian fellowship and celebration.

TRUSTEES
ROOF PROJECT STATUS REPORT

The builder was also able to tighten up the tie-rods just over 2 inches - thus bringing the walls into better alignment than originally thought. This helps the overall stability of the structure since it has been brought back to being more in alignment.

We are not quite at the point were we know what is left in the contingency fund. I am anticipating that by the end of November that should be clearer to us and we can begin to address some of the other projects we may or may not be able to accomplish.

The big question everyone is asking: when is it going to be done? Obviously, it is heavily dependant upon the weather.

With fall almost over, keep an eye out for an announcement regarding the fall clean-up workday. We need to get the grounds ready for winter.

Remember too that the Worship Committee will need your help to "hang the greens" on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Keep in mind Jeremiah 29:11. "for God knows the plans He has for us, plans for our good and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope." Our part in all this is to keep on praying and having faith.

CONCERT INVITATION

North United Methodist Church, 300 Parker Street, Manchester, CT will have a Gratitude Choir Concert on Sunday, November 23 at 4:00 pm. We are inviting all the churches in our cluster to attend.

Rev. Margaret D. Goad

APPLE FESTIVAL 2008

I am happy to be able to report that this year's apple festival was a tremendous success on many levels. The day dawned bright and sunny, a lovely early fall day. The set up crew was efficient as usual and by 9:30 a.m. (a half-hour before we were set to open) we were selling our first pies and the first Attic Treasures purchase was made to very satisfied customers.

By 4 p.m. we had sold 90 pies, an amazing array of baked goods, pecks of apples, gallons of cider, bags of attic treasures and lovely hand-made crafts. We had fed our families, our neighbors and ourselves. We had shared in a wonderful day of fellowship and hopefully we had spread the message of our Lord, Jesus Christ, in our actions all day long.

In addition to our regular booths, we had two new booths this year; one selling delicious fresh popcorn and the other selling lovely hand-made cards, from which we benefited as well.

Of course, there is also a practical side to the efforts that we all make for the apple festival. I am happy to report that the financial rewards were substantial, a total of $1805.55 for the day. The profits for the individual booths is as follows: Pies $862, Pie Slices, Ice Cream, Apple Crisp $177.50, Food $198.80, Apples/Cider $39, Attic Treasures $198.25, Kountry Kitchen $169, Country Crafts $127, Popcorn $20, and Cards $14.

There are so many people who worked very hard to make the day a success. It was a text book team effort. I am sure there were many sore muscles from all of the hard work and I hope there were many warm hearts as a result of our efforts. Thank you so very much for your hard work; for shopping and selling, for setting up and cleaning up, for peeling and baking, for cooking, arranging, sewing and crafting and mostly for your support and willingness to pitch in. I am grateful and humbled by your hard work and wonderful smiles in the weeks leading up to the festival and all day long on October 4th.

Kathy Jo Winters

MISSIONS COMMITTEE

Town Pantry (860)872-7890:
Thank you to all who donated items for our October food drive. A special thank you to Kevin Morgan for taking the items over to the food pantry!!
The pantry is always looking for volunteers to help with filling monthly grocery bags, stocking shelves and bagging produce - just a couple of hours a week is fine - If you are able to help out, please call Martha Boyle at 872-9825.

Cornerstone Soup Kitchen:
VUMC served at the soup kitchen on October 29th. The last of our garden harvest - a large bag of big fat carrots- was taken there.

VIM to Slidell:
Three VUMC members - David Howe, Jim Haag, and Bob Mattern are leaving early Sunday morning, November 11th, to join a team going to Slidell the first week of November. They will be helping in the rehabbing of homes in this area devastated by hurricane Katrina - and again by this year's hurricanes. Please keep them and all those recovering from hurricanes and floods in your prayers.
The proceeds from the sale of Munson's chocolate bars were given to our VUMC team to take with them to use as needed.
There are still some bars left if you did not get your fill. Please see Renee Logan.

God's Creation Calendars:
There are still wall calendars available - remember these make wonderful gifts as well.

UNICEF:
Our little pre-Halloween collectors received a little over $36 last Sunday. Thank you!
These dollars help not only in providing food but also with medicines and vaccinations for children in need around the world.

Thanksgiving Food Baskets:
VUMC will again be filling six food baskets for HVCC for Thanksgiving. You will have the opportunity to "pluck the turkeys" for the items needed. All items will need to be received by Sunday, November 23rd, when we will assemble the baskets following services. Baskets will be delivered to HVCC on Monday, November 24th.
So---start looking for those sales and specials. (Remember that we will also be filling baskets for Christmas. If you find a really good buy, pick up some extras.)

News from Nicaragua:
We have received the autumn newsletter from Dr Belinda Forbes. She updates the conditions in Nicaragua and what the mission there is involved with. There is also an update on her family! This newsletter is available for you to read.

Heifer Project:
Don't forget to bring in your empty refundable bottles & cans.

Red Bird Mission:
Yes, we are still collecting Box tops for Education. You might be surprised at some of the participants in this program---for instance, I did not know that Kleenex participates-look at the bottom of the box.

Cooper Community Center:
Here's another episode of "Where do our mission dollars go?" Hattie B Cooper Community Center in Roxbury, one of Boston's poorest communities.
The center opened in 1916 (92 years ago!). It was founded to educate youth and keep them safe - the same issues Cooper addresses today. Cooper currently provides early education and care to 125 children daily through its Infant and Toddler program, Preschool, and After-school program. They also offer the "Forget-Me-Not" program for seniors, community computer classes and public access hours at its Timothy Smith Computer Center, and a summer camp for 60 children at Hale Reservation in Westwood, MA.
Cooper has a rich history of generations of service and its graduates can be found everywhere in the greater Boston area, as officials in State and Municipal Government agencies, as local business leader, and as committed members of the community.
Cooper's programs address the needs of children and their families living in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Jamaica Plain. Most of the families are either low income (44% are at or below the poverty level) and/or single parent (80%) families.

Red Cross Blood Drives:
For an appointment to donate, call 1/800-GIVE-LIFE (448-3543).
More than 600 blood donations are needed EVERY DAY in Connecticut!

Saturday, November 8th, 8:00 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Social Hall- Maple Grove
100 Franklin Street, Rockville

Tuesday, November 18th, 12:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
on the "Save a Life" bus at Vernon United Methodist Church
401 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon

Wednesday, November 26th, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Fitch Conference Center - Rockville General Hospital
31 Union Street, Vernon/Rockville

The next meeting of the Mission & Outreach committee will be Thursday, November 13th, at 7:00p.m. at VUMC. These meetings are open to everyone.

Lydia Dingle

ENJOY TODAY

You have the rest of your life to be miserable, so you might as well enjoy it today.

NOVEMBER SCRIPTURES

WORSHIP ATTENDANTS

LAMPLIGHTER DEADLINE
DECEMBER ISSUE

Please submit any articles you have for December (preferably by e-mail) by Friday, November 28th. Anything not received by 6 p.m. on that date will not be included in the newsletter. Thanks for your cooperation.
Roger White - editor, pro tempore
Email: vumcnews@sbcglobal.net

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