Vernon United Methodist Church
Our Newsletter

NOVEMBER 2009

ROBERTA'S REFLCTIONS

Remember the little game you played by interlocking your fingers: "Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the doors and here come the people."? Did you grow up going to church every week, sometimes more? My parents and grandparents social life was centered around the church. People just "went to church".

Gone are those days in the United States. A new campaign was launched in May of 2009 by our national United Methodist Church. It is called, "Rethinking Church". It begins by acknowledging that times have changed: the majority of the USA does not attend a house of worship. The United Methodist Church is declining in membership in the US, while Methodism is booming in Africa and Korea.

"Rethinking Church" to become more outwardly focused and engaged in our communities. We can no longer expect people to come because we are here. It gives us creative ways to be present at soccer games passing out water bottles with our church name on it, cleaning bathrooms door to door, passing out cookies outside sports games and at town meetings.

"Rethinking Church" calls us Christians back to what Jesus did: He went out into the community to spread the Gospel and "do church." He did not wait for people to come to him. We are a movement of people called to transform the world, not just to stay within our four walls and minister just to each other.

Church can no longer be just a noun, a place, a building. It has to become an action verb, "doing church". We are called to do and be the church in our communities and world. Some of our congregation has joined those in our district in rebuilding homes hit by hurricane Katrina. Others volunteer in the schools or nursing homes or soup kitchens. Kathleen O'Connor spoke on Laity Sunday about how God freed her from alcoholism. She now shares her faith every week in the community. How is God calling you to share your faith?

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, stated that "the world is my parish." I hope you share more ways that you think our church can an active noun in our communities.

Roberta L. Williams

COLLECTIONS FOR HAITI

Did you know that Lempi Hanniford coordinates our collect items desperately needed in Haiti? A Christian dentist in Connecticut has taken this on as his life mission. Several times a year he oversees the loading of giant packing containers. Then he flies to Haiti to personally oversee the unloading of these badly needed items. He wants to make sure they get to those in dire need and are not stolen or sold on the black market Haiti is the poorest and most densely populated country in the Western Hemisphere. Most people are illiterate and few have electricity. We need all kinds of things, even partially used candles. We need small toys that need no batteries such as tiny cars and trucks, etc. Here is a partial list:

Canned or Jar Food
Spam, Treet, or equivalent, Corned Beef
Tuna in Oil (they need the calories)
Beef Stew, Canned Carrots
Creamy Peanut Butter in plastic jars only
Boxed baby food - no jars
Vegetable Seeds in packages

Toiletries
Household supplies
Batteries, hand can openers
zip lock bags, candles (not in glass jars)
sewing supplies-safety pins, threads, needles and pins
pill Bottles - small and medium (no large)
backpacks, pocketbooks, umbrellas
school Supplies calendars, solar calculators
adhesive labels

Roberta L. Williams

LADIES BIBLE STUDY GROUP

The Ladies Bible Study Group meets every Wednesday at noon at the church. On the last Wednesday of the month we meet at a local restaurant for an hour of study followed by lunch. All women are welcome to join and come when they can.

Phyllis Goehring

FINANCE
WE CAN DO IT!

That's the theme for our Stewardship campaign this year and we are under way! Pledge cards have been mailed out and our goal for total pledges is $62,000 to meet anticipated expenses. We think this is an achievable goal and we are praying that all will engage in that friendly talk with God about their response to this challenge. Let's all get excited about the possibilities!

At the end of September, our financial situation continued to be close to the plan. Our deficit in Program and Ministry was a bit higher than hoped, but our successful Apple Festival should make a dent in that. Many thanks to Kathy Jo Winters and all those 'helpers' who made it a success in spite of it being a rainy day. (Wasn't that neat the way God held the rain off until we finished!) We also want to thank Rene Logan and the 'breakfast crew' who also gave us a delightful shot in the arm with the proceeds from the public breakfast on October 17th. We have a pot roast supper scheduled for November 21st and the special Christmas offering coming up in December. Both of these events should enable us to close the Program & Ministry gap by year's end and maybe even give us a bit extra as a cushion for 2010. Let's move forward with hope and prayer!

Fund balances at the end of September, 2009, are as follows:

Dave Howe

MISSIONS

Monthly collections:
OCTOBER-UNICEF
Thank you, to all who have been dropping "trick or treat for UNICEF" coins and bills into the pumpkins in the fellowship hall.

NOVEMBER-Food Baskets for HVCC
VUMC will be putting together five (5) food baskets to provide Thanksgiving meals for clients of HVCC. Feathers and leaves on the display board in the fellowship hall have the items needed written on them. Please pluck some feathers or pick some leaves if you are able to provide some of the items. All items will need to be at VUMC by Sunday November 22nd.
The baskets will be assembled after service on the 22nd in preparation for delivery to HVCC on Monday, November 23rd.
A note on size of turkeys: "Our" families have four to five members in each, so any turkey over 10 or 12 lbs would be great.

DECEMBER - Food Baskets for HVCC
In December, VUMC will provide the same five families with a Christmas basket. Those selections will be available on Sunday, November 29th. The Christmas baskets must be completed by Sunday, December 20th for delivery to HVCC on Monday, December 21st.

Christmas Wreaths:
We will again be ordering undecorated Christmas wreaths from the United Methodist Economic Ministry in Salem, Maine. The Western mountains of Maine are an area of extremely high unemployment and under-employment. The making of these wreaths is a vital industry to the residents of this area. We will be ordering fifteen wreaths (They will be here MUCH earlier than last year, I promise!). The wreaths are on 12" rings and after they are filled with the fir tips measure approximately 20". We will again be decorating "to order". If you have extra ribbons or Christmas decorations (ornaments, picks, etc) we would welcome the donation of these items to help with the decorating. Anyone interested in a wreath decorating party - please let me know. You do not have to be a professional - just interested in a fun project.
Now is the time to talk to anyone you think would be interested in purchasing one of these wreaths and get a pre-order from them.

India:
India has recently suffered through several periods of extreme flooding. One of the most severely affected areas is the area in which the sewing schools established by the Harvey Foundation are located. Jim Harvey has communicated that the schools themselves seem to be in good condition; however, the surrounding villages have been devastated. The Mission committee has sent $350.00 to the Foundation to aid in the recovery. If anyone wishes to add to this contribution, simply put your donation in an envelope marked "India" and we will see that it is forwarded. For those who may be new or recent members, several years ago VUMC was a part of the initial establishment of a sewing school in India through the Harvey Foundation. That first school has expanded to at least four schools and has given a number of women in that area the means to an income.

Heifer Project:
We are getting close to having a whole cow! Keep those empty, refundable bottles and cans coming. A reminder that an excellent Christmas gift ( or birthday, or anniversary, or whatever occasion) is to donate an animal in the recipient's name. You would receive a card to give to your giftee telling about the gift. See me if you are interested.

Monthly calendar for 2010 - looking for ideas
The response to the monthly mission material collection this past year was heartwarming!
Your Mission committee is now looking ahead to 2010 and would appreciate your input on what to put on our next collection poster/calendar. Please let any committee member know of your suggestions and ideas.
Committee Members are:
Lempi Hannaford, Lauri Tucker, Eleanor Stead, Colleen Morgan, Carl Tyler III, Al Dingle, Renee Logan (honorary members Kylie and Sierra Bowman), and Lydia Dingle.

This and That:
· A Reminder that the God's Creation calendars are available for those who signed up for them (and for those who did not) The cost is $6.00 per calendar.
· Sunday, November 29th is Student Sunday. This is one of the special Sundays in the Methodist Church and the special donation goes to support through scholarships many students throughout the country.

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!

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! 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!