The Flame The Owego United Methodist Church, 261 Main Street, Owego, NY 13827

Telephone: 607-687-2417 Email: owegounitedmethodist@verizon.netWebsite: www.owegoumc.org Flame Articles to: faithatwork@stny.rr.com

The Flame may be read on our website owegoumc.org – if you are notreceiving your newsletter by email and wish to do so, please let the church

office know so we can add you to the list. Thank You!Purpose Statement: Who We Are – The people of the Owego United Methodist Church are being transformed by the

biblical message and the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, so as to grow and flourish as children of a loving God.What We Are Called to Do – Our purpose is to use God’s empowering spirit through acts of faith, fellowship and

service to share Christ’s love that we may be a blessing to the world for the glory of God.Senior Pastor: Rev. James W. Stevens Editor/Typist: Deborah Borrelli

OUMC Worship Schedule – June 2017Sunday, June 4, 2017 Pentecost Sunday/Communion Worship Times: 8:15 & 10:30 am

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21 Sermon: “Pentecost” Rev. James W. Stevens

Sunday, June 11, 2017 Worship Times: 8:15 & 10:30 am

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-2:4a Sermon: “My First Job” Rev. James W. Stevens

Strawberry Festival Saturday, June 17, 2017

Sunday, June 18, 2017 Father’s Day/Graduation/Acolyte Sunday Worship Times: 8:15 & 10:30 am

Scripture: Genesis 18:1-15 Sermon: “Oh Sure, It’s All Fun and Laughs Till…” Rev. James W. Stevens

Sunday, June 25, 2017 Worship Times: 8:15 & 10:30 am

Scripture: Genesis 21:8-21 Sermon: “Family Is Tough” Rev. James W. Stevens

Have you ever offered to tie a child’s shoe only to have them reject your offer and say, “I can do it myself!” Two reactions follow on your part – or at least my part when it’s been me. Number one, you sit back and watch the process with humor or joy if it’s someone else’s child, or number two, if it’s your child, you either sit back and watch proudly, or jump in and say, “Sorry beloved child of mine, but I don’t have time!” Whereupon you snatch them up and unceremoniously tie their shoe, sometimes dodging the kicking feet and ignoring the screams of protest.

Ever think about how God deals with that with us? As parents, we want our kids to grow up and be able to tie their own shoes, and that usually happens. On the other hand, we rarely expect them to do algebra at the age of five, and know they’re going to need our help on some of the big things. God approaches us carefully, faithfully, and lovingly. He knows that there’s a LOT we can’t do at all without His help. A LOT as in, well, everything. There are things we are designed to do on our own with little prompting, breathing comes to mind, on the other hand, let’s not forget who created the process in the first place… so, yeah, pretty much everything. And yet, how often do we say to God – by words, or by action – “NO! I want to do it myself !!” God rarely snatches us up and forces us to sit still while He lives our lives, but He DOES stand by, waiting patiently for us to recognize our need for Him – at whatever level that moment of life requires – so that at our request, He can engage with us – carefully, faithfully and lovingly. While all of us “good little Christian boys and girls would NEVER reject the Lord, the truth is, when we cease to pay attention, when we only come to Christ when we are in quicksand up to our neck – having thought that surely we could swim through it ourselves – we are indeed the victims of our own rejection of the one we have claimed to have given all the control in our lives.

So next time you realize that your spiritual shoe is untied, grab a seat, but before you start to retie, spend a moment to ask for help. Then, let the laces fly! Trust me, submission to the Lord leads to success at levels we can’t even imagine, while rejection is always doomed to failure and destruction. But like a good parent, God is waiting patiently for us to say, “Uh, I need help…”

Love in Christ,Rev. Stevens

New Bible Study Wednesday, at 1:00 pm

in the Ruey B. Stickney Memorial Chapelwith Rev. Jamie in leadership.

We invite all to come and grow in your knowledge of God!

Editor’s Note: This Bible Study is not empirical. If you miss a time or two, you will not get lost. Just come when you can, bring your Bible, and immerse yourself in the Word of God. You will be glad you did – and more important, you will be blessed.

The Dortheans The Dortheans thank all who volunteered their help with the rummage sale. Your help was very much

needed and appreciated! We will hold a bake sale on the lawn of the Wesley House during the Strawberry Festival again this

year. We welcome donations of baked goods from everyone. We ask that you have the items at the church no later than 4:00 pm on Friday, June 16th so we can price them and set up display tables. And don’t forget the Men’s Group will be hosting a delicious chicken barbeque that day.

Mark your calendars for the Harvest Dinner on September 30th. Details to follow.

Church Ladies with Typewriters Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to

cripple children. The sermon this morning: ‘Jesus Walks on the Water.’ The sermon tonight: ‘Searching for Jesus.’ Miss Charlene Mawson sang ‘I Will Not Pass This Way Again,’ giving obvious pleasure to the

congregation. For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

Missions – We thank you for supporting our Soap for Hope collection for Tioga County Rural Ministries.

Congratulations, Lexi Lavin on your success for raising funds for Walk for Water – a World Vision project. She and her family and others from our church walked 3.7 miles on May 6th to collect funds to be used to provide safe, clean water to people in the world who have to walk an average of 3.7 miles in order to get the

water for their families on a daily basis.

Our June Project is collecting diapers and baby wipes for the Kids In Need of Diapers (KIND) project sponsored by the Owego Baptist Church. This collection will run June 1 through June 25. Place your donations in the box on the Missions table. If you need these supplies for your child(ren), stop at the house next to the Baptist Church on the 4th Saturday of every month between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

Not sure what your blood pressure is? Been under stress lately? Feel like your heart is racing? Once a month, the Missions Committee will make sure you can have your blood pressure checked in Fellowship

Hall.

Check out the pictures in Fellowship Hall of our church members who traveled to New Windsor, MD to work at SERRV. SERRV is a nonprofit, fair trade organization dedicated to lifting disadvantaged artisans, farmers, and their families out of poverty. If you want to know more about SERRV, go to their website, www.serrv.org. You can browse or download a brochure of their high-quality artisan items that include everything from home goods to food to clothing to holiday decorations (maybe early Christmas shopping?)

One of our members has been accepted into the Local Pastor’s program and is on her way to becoming a Licensed Local Pastor! Who is that someone? Our own Debra “Deb” Arnold!

Mother of Matthew, Justin, and Nathan. Member of our women’s Sunday School class. Soprano member of our Chancel Choir. Woman extraordinaire! As part of her journey, Deb has been offered a two-point charge: Deposit and Hale Eddy.

Please offer your congratulations and prayers to Deb and her family as they forge this new path in their

lives. She starts on July 1.

Congratulations to our High School Graduates

Nathan E. Arnold Makenna L. Kallin Aaron TaftMason Ford Gary N. King Kate QuigleyBrendan Graham Mallory A. NeiraNathaniel J. Hodges Chase Palinosky

Congratulations to our son David for graduating from Wake Forest University School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree on May 15, 2017. David, we are so proud of you and know that you will be an excellent attorney! May God continue to bless you as you move on to the next phase of your journey! We love you!

Love, Mom and DadDeb and Joe Swenton

Congratulations to Bri Cart on receiving her bachelor's degree from Keuka College . ALSO to announce that Bri and Taylor Stewart are now engaged  and planning a December wedding!

Maryanne VanBurger

The Binghamton District Lay Servant Committee would like to sincerely thank the Owego UMC for its hospitality and use of the building to facilitate the spring Lay Servant classes. Special thanks go to the following people:

Pastor Jamie for his leadership and willingness to teachMarilyn Ochs for her leadership on the committee to coordinate the hospitality efforts with the host churchesBetty Jo Bogart for preparing the coffee and setting up the serving tables

As a co-leader of the District Lay Servant Committee said in her note to the church, “The hospitality table laid out with such love and care has not been rivaled yet! Thank you for making Owego such a welcoming and accommodating church.”

Please look in The Flame and in your church bulletin for upcoming fall classes. If you are so inclined, classes may also be taken on-line. Go to www.beadisciple.com for more information.

IMPORTANT MEMO

FROM: Pastor Jamie, Karen Harper, Marilyn Ochs

TO: All Parents

If your child is 12 years old or older and would like to join the church, this is the time to sign up! Pastor Jamie, assisted by Mrs. Harper and Mrs. Ochs will teach the weekly class during the Sunday School hour from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. starting in September when Sunday School resumes.

It’s not a boring class. Lots of activities are included. For instance, the children take a road trip; there are missions opportunities; join in a one-day retreat. And best of all, they make new church friends. So many of our youth remain friends with their fellow confirmation class students for years.

Please let us know by June 18th your wish to enroll your child so we can begin preparation over the summer.

If you have any questions, please ask any one of us.

Our love to you in Christ,

~ Pastor Jamie ~ Mrs. Harper ~ Mrs. Ochs

In Memory of Bill Lawrence

Do you remember Bill Lawrence?  He was head usher for our church for many years.  He also owned Bandler, Stiles & Keyes men’s clothing store, one of the oldest operating stores in Owego.  Bill was a true gentleman and loved people. Some of you will remember him greeting you every Sunday. Yet others will not have had to opportunity to know him. It has been nine years since his passing and hard to believe seventeen years since the store closed. A book has been published to preserve some history of the store that was established in 1865 and some wonderful memories of this true gentleman. Price is $15.00. Contact Linda Shields at 687-5398 or e-mail at lshields1@stny.rr.com

Church Ladies with Typewriters Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around

the house. Bring your husbands. Don’t let worry kill you off – let the Church help! Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get. A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music to follow.

11th AnnualUnited Methodist Night

at theBall Game

Thursday, June 22nd6:30 pm

NYSEG Stadium$8.00 per person

The National Anthem will be performed by Boulevard UMC, Sarah Jane Johnson Memorial UMC & Tabernacle UMC church choirs

This year proceeds will be given to local organizations … Ramp it Up (Broome County Council of Churches ramp program) Society of St. Andrew Upper Room

Please join us this year for more fun, fellowship and money to share with others, estimate the # of tickets you need for your church or group, call (607)785-0406 or e-mail me at kensummers28@gmail.com

I will get them to you, looking forward to hearing from you!

1.2.3. John Sokol

Lori Weaver4.5. Julie Kaufman

Deborah (Arbes) Thaddeus6. Kadeine Peterson7. Katie Hines

Nancy Kaufman8. John Swindell

Rebecca Wright9. Gail Barton

Kristine (Stanndard) Maslin10. Mackenzie Anders11. Austyn Conti12. Casey Berwald

Melissa KeeslerJacque Millar

13. Brian Ford14.15. Robert Fenner16. Richard Reynolds

Sean Whitney17. Taylor Aubel

Debbie MilliganLinda Shields

18. Patty Barber19. Angelia Hutchinson

Andrea Spurgin20. Doug Sherman

21. Briana Sokol22. Daniel Braman

Jacqueline HawkinsJoseph ChristMelody Patterson

6/2017

23. Brian MorseMcKayla McDonald

24.

25. Angie (Ott) AceyKevin CummEarl HartmanAlex JonesChris Nickels

26. Hannah (Barnhart) Woodburn

27. James Luciani

28. Kristopher Murray

29. Crystal BennettSandi Jo HaxtonLogan Neira

30.

Happy Father’s Day

Are we missing your birthday?Please let the church know

by calling 687-2417.June Birthdays

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

6 pm—Act Dinner7 pm—Chancel Choir

2

4:45 pm—Celebration Choir

3

4 Pentecost Sunday

Church Picnic

5 6

10 am—Craft Group7 pm—Worship Mtg.

7 8 am—Men’s Group1 pm—Bible Study7 pm—Men’s Group7 pm – Evangelism Mtg.

8

6 pm—Act Dinner7 pm—Chancel Choir

9

4:45 pm—Celebration Choir

10

8-10 am - Pancake Breakfast

11 9:30 am—Missions7 pm—Emmaus Reunion Group

12 13

10 am—Craft Group

14 Flag Day 8 am—Men’s Group1 pm—Bible Study7 pm—Men’s Group7 pm – Finance Mtg.

15

6 pm—Act Dinner7 pm—Chancel Choir

16

4:45 pm—Celebration Choir

17

 Strawberry Festival Bake Sale Chicken BBQ

18 Father’s Day11:30 am—Blood Pressure CheckGraduation SundayAcolyte Sunday

19 20

10 am—Craft Group2 pm—Lay Servant Class

218 am—Men’s Group11:30 am—Dorthean Lunch @ParkView1 pm—Bible Study7 pm—Men’s Group7 pm – Admin. Board

22

6 pm—Act Dinner2 pm—Lay Servant6 pm—Chancel Choir Picnic @Hickories

23 24

25 26 2710 am—Craft Group2 pm—Lay Servant Class7 pm—Trustees

28

8 am—Men’s Group1 pm—Bible Study7 pm—Men’s Group

29

2 pm—Lay Servant6 pm—Act Dinner

30

2017“Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. Psalm 119:66

Owego United Methodist Church261 Main StreetOwego, NY 13827owegounitedmethodist@verizon.netwww.owegoumc.org

June Events

June 4 – Pentecost Sunday – Church Picnic at the ChurchJune 10 – Pancake BreakfastJune 17 – Strawberry Festival – Bake Sale & Chicken BBQJune 18 – Father’s Day – Senior Recognition & Acolyte Recognition

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