The Family CircleA Publication of Fairview United Methodist Church

254 Robinson Street Binghamton, New York 13904

607-724-6886 FairviewUMChurch1@gmail.com Website: www.fairviewumcbinghamton.wordpress.com

FEBRUARY 2018

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From Pastor Jan

This year I taught the Adult Sunday School Class using Reuben Job’s book “Three Simple Rules.” It is based on John Wesley’s ideas for living: Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God. To stay in love with God Reuben suggests that we need to find ways to nurture and grow in our faith. It doesn’t just happen. It’s about being intentional following the spiritual disciplines. Wesley thought it was important to have personal devotional time, study the scriptures, attend worship, observe fasting and be renewed by taking communion. I highlighted a few ideas related to worship that some have asked me to share. Weekly worship is important. It grounds us for the week. We join in praise of God, in fellowship with others and corporate prayer. We hear the word of God both ancient and new and the music speaks to our souls. Together, with the body of Christ, we realize we are not alone and others are there to support and care for us. It is important to prepare for worship. Come with an open heart. Turn off your cell phone, put your “to do” list aside. Use some time in the morning for prayer or the ride in to ask God to help you be ready . Be silent during the prelude. Allow that space of time to enter the quiet and invite the spirit to descend on you. As I drive to church I ask God “What do I need to learn today and who do I need to see?” It helps me get ready for the word God may bring to me and gives me eyes to see the person who may need a pastor, some attention or simply an encouraging word. Sometimes, especially lately after the death of my dad, the one I need to see is the church member who becomes pastor to me during this time of grief. “What do you do during worship to help you stay in love with God?” I asked the class. They had some great thoughts. One person turns their hands over during the reading of scripture as a way to help receive the word of God. Another is careful to look all around her and notices how the sanctuary is set, who is around her, is careful to witness what is going on. Another shuts his eyes when the choir sings so he can concentrate on the music and not be distracted. Several take notes on the bulletin about the lesson learned during the sermon, or names of folks that need to be prayed for during the week. There is more to do after worship. Each week there is a theme and often “homework” of sorts. There may be suggestions of something we can do or be as we seek to grow in faith. Think about it, consider how that idea can fit into your life. What is God calling you to do and how can you put that into action? Is there any tug to follow through as a disciple in some way? What do you need to follow up on if you are a church leader? Who might you need to call who seems to be missing? A simple idea is to bring the bulletin to someone who wasn’t there and tell them they were missed. Is there something coming up this week at church that you can invite a friend to attend with you? A few folks re-read the scriptures that we read in church. They consider them again during the week to give them some more thought about what God is saying to them personally. On February 14 we will start the journey through Lent. It is a season that leads to Easter. It is a

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space of time set aside to help us grow in our faith. It is forty days that encourages us to stay in love with God. One way to “stay in love” is making the most out of our worship. May we grow in our friendship with God and each other as the days unfold. See you in church!

Pastor Jan

Leading Us in Worship………February 2018

February 4 Holy CommunionGreeter: Daniel RuizLiturgist: Ellen GardinerUshers: Dave Tyler, Kevin Emmons, Dave Gardiner, Sue BartonAcolyte: Nathaniel EvansScripture: Isaiah 40:21-31, Mark 1:29-39Sermon: “Mount Up With Wings as Eagles”

February 11 Greeter: Debbie TweedieLiturgist: Blenda SmithUshers: Jeremy Kimball, Jim Burlingame,

Sandy Burlingame, Linda MerrittAcolyte: Hannah Noonan Scripture: Lamentations 3:19-26, Psalm 90Serrmon: “Coming to grips with white privilege”

Evening Service (Led by Praise Band)“Come and Find a Quiet Center: Seeking Silence”

February 18 First Sunday of LentGreeter: Addie PinneyLiturgist: Joe CoonsUshers: Alan Slocum, Mark Slocum Mike Purdy, Michael GarrenAcolyte: Elena Rose Scripture: Genesis 9:8-17, Psalm 25 Mark 1:9-15Sermon: “Thrown into Wilderness Places”Special Music: Zeb Carson, solo

February 25Greeter: Brenda ErnstLiturgist: Liz GdovinUshers: Joan Murray, Penny Daugherty, Karon Lewis, Linda PurdyCrucifer: Erin BentleyAcolyte: Averie AndresScripture: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16, Psalm 22 Mark 8:31-38Sermon: “Practicing Random Acts of Kindness”Special Music: Valley Harmony Men’s Quartet

Our Worship AttendanceDecember 3 125 10 100 Evening 49 17 159 24 104 Christmas Eve 178 31 55January 7 84 14 79 Evening 18 21 119 28 113

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Jesus is a never-ending love story.

Remember Our “Seniors”NOW is a good time to remember our seniors and those who are shut-in….with a call, a note or better yet make a visit.

Vestal Nursing Home Betty Buck Room C144 105 W Sheedy Road Vestal NY 13850At Home Larry & Sarah Baker 146 Old State Rd Binghamton NY 13901

Louise Disbro 110 Chenango Place Apt 4A Binghamton NY 13901

Evelyn Evans 130 Robinson Street Binghamton NY 13904

Nellie Hickok 156 Bigelow Street Binghamton NY 13904

John Hillard 54 Bigelow Street Binghamton NY 13904

Ernie Huyck 80 Fairview Avenue Apt. 109 Binghamton NY 13904

Paul & Ethel Jones 64 Ahern Rd Binghamton NY 13903

Katherine Roe 33 Riverside Street Binghamton NY 13904

A special THANK YOU goes to:~ Jean Balmer for soliciting many donations for our annual Cabaret~ all who have provided food and given of their time to the Free Soup & Salad Meal~ Debbie McMichael, Robin Eastman, and Barb Becker for orchestrating the beautiful Christmas play~ everyone who participated in the play~ everyone who made cookies or purchased cookie trays to support Sky Lake Scholarships  THANK YOUS……………..I would like to send a huge thank you to Robin Eastman, for listening to my crazy ideas, and making them happen! I wanted to make a dove

fly for the Christmas pageant, she and her dad helped figure out how.... and made that dove fly right into the manger! Thanks, My Friend!Debbie McMichaelDear Fairview Church Family, Thank you so much for all of your concerns, thoughts and prayers during my husband’s illnessa nd passing. We never realized how much love there was among our church family and how blessed we all are for having each other. We expecially want to thank Pasator Jan for her prayers and beautiful funeral service, Katie for her music, Robin and Dave for all they did at the funeral. We certainly can’t foret to thank the “Kitchen Crew.” You were so great knowing what to do and when to do it. Everything was so delicious and well organized. Once again, thank you so much to everyone for allyou did. We are so happy to call you our church family where love and caring are a part of who we are.

May God bless each and every one.Love, The Merritt Family Linda, Gain, Dan and Becky, Al and Debbie McMichael

Our Lenten Journey Begins Ash Wednesday Is February 14. (Valentine’s Day) We will gather around the “Old Rugged Cross” in the Fellowship Hall at 7:30 PM. We start this holy season together with the imposition of ashes and music and message to help us begin the season of Lent. We will fast from meetings in March and attend to our spiritual lives. Hopefully we can put aside church business in order to create some space to grow in our faith. Soup and Scripture will be back on Thursdays through Lent. Gather at lunch time 12-1:30 PM or come at night 6:00-7:30 PM. We start with a simple meal of soup, bread and water.

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Volunteers needed to make soup and bring bread. Sign up sheets will be out soon! Cabaret 2017 is officially closed.  Many thanks to all that made this event so successful.  The profit for this year was $4006.47 and we were able to send $3700.00 to Ministry Shares.  Stay tuned for information on 2018 Cabaret.  Never too early to start making baskets and working on your talent!!!   ~ Karen Gdovin, Cabaret Chair  From the “Kitchen Mouse” The kitchen towel drawers are fairly empty! Please return any towels, dish cloths, and pot holders you took home for washing. In mid-February the kitchen counters will be cleared. As soon as possible please pick up any dishes or other miscellaneous items you have left behind in the church kitchen. Thank you!

DISCIPLE BIBLEWe have begun our Disciple Bible Class. Twelve of us are gathering each week to take an extensive look at the Old Testament. This 12 week class has us reading the bible each day and considering the stories of our matriarchs and patriarchs. The group gathers each week to watch a video, discuss the reading, pray and grow in our faith. Truly as we get more connected with the scriptures we get more connected with God and with each other! The class is taught by Pastor Jan with Elizabeth Noonan assisting. Please pray for our class as they grow deeper in faith.

EVENING WORSHIP Join us for the next Evening Worship February 11. We start with refreshments from 6-6:30 PM and worship begins at 6:30PM. Led by our Praise Band, we try some new and creative ways of worshiping. Last month Marcia Focht led us in considering how we are connected to God, ourselves, and each other. We even tossed yarn around and made a rather

awesome web the symbolized the ways we are connected. This service has welcomed folks from other churches and folks who were not able to attend morning worship. If you haven’t checked it out yet-why not come this month? Bring a friend. This month the theme will be “Finding a quiet center-seeking stillness.”

MISSION AND OUTREACH 2017 was a banner year for Missions & Outreach. The committee gives a huge round of applause to Sue Boucher for her leadership and encouragement over the last 3 years. She is a hard act to follow but fortunately will remain on the committee! Welcome 2018...brand new year with much mission work ahead. The Food Pantry is collecting new bath towels and wash cloths for our families. It is hard to believe that they may only have 1-2 towels for a family of four...we would like to give them out on Monday, February 12th. The advent boxes were very helpful to begin our year of giving. Several boxes are still out..if you took one and haven't turned it in yet...please consider returning it soon. Our Free Soup & Salad Meals are being well attended by the community...consider attending or volunteering to bring something or helping with set up or clean up. It would be helpful if different committees would take a month to be in charge. We are looking into having a formal sign made to announce each dinner. The Memorial Committee has asked for Wish List items and this is ours. By the time this newsletter goes into the mail our 3rd Annual Soup and Chili Cook-Off will have happened. I'm sure it was a success. Whitney Place Rescue Mission continues to be a popular mission project at Fairview.

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Our collection of mittens, scarves, and so on were well received by Calvin Coolidge School. We gave well over 400 items. The Social Worker and Nurse at the school were overwhelmed with appreciation. With the zero and below temperatures we hope many were kept warm with your donations. A Big Thank You to all! More projects will be coming along for each of us to have the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community. ~ Sue Boucher and Blenda Smith

MAINES GIVEBACK PROGRAM If you have filled out an application for a Maines Source Giveback Card you must pick up your card at their Courtesy Desk. Cards will NOT be mailed to you or to the church. If you shop at Maines and have not filled out an application please do so. They are available in the Narthex. The church gets a percentage of the totals of our member spending. It is an easy fundraiser!!

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN Looking forward to what 2018 has to offer all of us! We ended 2017 donating to many mission projects throughout our church and community...including our Food Pantry in honor of our shut ins, to the church for heat, to the Sky Lake Fund to send children on a special summer adventure. Our Bazaar and Victorian Tea will take place on Saturday, January 27 from 9-2:30 pm.

The UMW group is getting smaller and we have plenty of room for new members. Please join us on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:30..OR let us know what would help to get you interested. We have 4 tables available for the Birthday Tea on June 12, Tuesday at 7:00.For Information please contact Sue Boucher at 724-5084 OR

Blessings to all in the new year..Sue Boucher, President

SISTERS OF LYDIAAll Sisters are welcome to our table…we encourage you to attend our group…for faith building and sisterhood. Please join us on Monday, February 5th at 6:30pm in the Bouton Room. If you have the book, please read Chapter 7. See you then!

~ Sue Papastrat

UGLY QUILT MINISTRY

My Brother’s Keeper “ugly” quilt ministry is being resumed at Fairview. Briefly, donated fabrics are made into sleeping bags and distributed FREE to the homeless. There is no sewing knowledge required. Just the ability to thread a needle through three layers of fabric and tie a knot. We will be meeting in the Bouton Room every Monday afternoon from 2:30 to 4:30 (or whatever time you can give), beginning February 5th, and each fourth Monday of the month from 6:00 to 8:00 in the evening. This is a fabulous ministry that

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provides warmth to the homeless. Will you join me in providing that gift to those in need?

~ Karon Lewis

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Congratulations to us!! What a church! We have paid 100% of our 2017 Ministry Shares. We worked hard and can see the efforts of our commitment. Ministry Shares support many things, including

Missions and ministries as nearby as Sky Lake (& 5 other camps throughout the Upper New York Annual Conference) and as far away as around the world,

Seminary students preparing to become our clergy,

Leadership training for Lay Servants, Conference Council on Youth Ministries, and Older Adult Ministries,

Justice & mercy ministries led by our Social Holiness Team, Committee on

Native American Ministries, and commissions on Religion & Race and the Status & Role of Women,

Creation of new faith communities. And, much more.

The Finance Committee has exciting plans to support our financial status and grow Fairview United Methodist Church. Stay tuned for details.

~ Blenda Smith, Scribe

From the Trustees Table With the new year will come new projects! Trustees will continue to paint and improve the look of the building. This year the Sanctuary is 60 years old and it is in need of sprucing up. We will be replacing windows and doing more painting. Trustees are starting a Work Day EVERY Wednesday from 1 pm to 3 pm. We will be doing everything from painting to repairing pews. If you are free, join us every Wednesday or come occasionally as you are able. It has also come to our attention that with the closing of High Street UMC the Boy Scout Troop that has called High Street home for about 100 years, needs a new home. We have reached out to them and they would like to come and join us. We will need to make room and will be cleaning out the third floor on or about April 8. Hope to see and welcome some of you on Wednesdays.

~ Robin Eastmas, Co-Chair

Charitable To All

“The lowest and worst have a claim to our courtesy.” ~ John Wesley

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond

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nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ

Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

MUSICAL NOTES

I offer my special thanks to our choirs for their great job offering wonderful music during our Advent and Christmas services. The Children’s Choir tried their hand at chimes and it was wonderful! We enjoyed welcoming back Kelly Emmons and Eleanor Poore who were home for Christmas. They always add so much to our Chancel Choir and Christmas Eve would not be complete without hearing Kelly sing “O Holy Night.” Well done singers and ringers! In December we also welcomed the piano and cello duo who are “Shepherd and Ewe.” In February we will be blessed with musical guests Valley Harmony, Men’s Quartet on February 25 and soloist Zeb Carson on February 18. It’s never too late if you want to try out one of our choirs.

~ Pastor Jan

Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud. Maya Angelou

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

     The Christmas Play on December 17th, was a success. Many of Fairview's children, youth, and some adults presented a beautiful play. A dove even "flew" all the way from the ceiling in the balcony, down to the manager where Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus waited!      After, the Soup and Sandwich Luncheon welcomed around 125 people. With 9 different soups available, everyone enjoyed the variety and enjoyed the Fellowship. We even had a visitor from the North Pole. Santa came - jingling all the way!     Sunday School continues to thrive. Java and Jesus welcomes 15 to 20 adults each week and the Nursery through Junior/Senior High keeps growing with visitors. There's always room for more!      The Sky Lake Scholarship Committee will be meeting in April to discuss scholarships. If our cause speaks to your hearts and you'd like to make a donation, or gift a scholarship please see Jamie Andres or email MrsJAndres@gmail.com. We Appreciate your thoughtfulness. Scholarships are based solely

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Running low on faith? Stop in

for a fill-up onSunday morning.

Sunday School for all ages @ 9:15

Worship @ 10:30

on donations and/or through fundraising. Hope your days are filled with warmth and your cup runneth over!

~ Jamie Andres, Chair    

 Is it Spring yet??? 

Thanks to all that did an Advent food Box this year.  We received back 20 boxes which certainly helped fill the Pantry shelves.  The curb side pick up worked well as Mother Nature has not been kind so far this year.  We have been giving out approximately 27/28 boxes each week and that number is down a little, I am sure due to the sub- zero temperatures.    A big thank you to all who continue to support the Food Pantry with food and monetary gifts.  It is because of you that we are entering our 5th year of our Food Pantry.   We will again this year be doing our Valentine Day Towel Give-Away for our pantry families.  We will give towels, wash clothes and personal care items to each family.  We will be looking for these donations and thank you in advance for all that you can do to help with this project.    We have applied for the Gault Auto Give Back which would be $2500.00 for our pantry.  If we are selected we will give instructions as it is a voting system and will need your help!!   Karen Gdovin – Pantry Co-Chair “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same”  Luke 3:11 

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact

gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.

TOWELS – WASH CLOTHS PERSONAL CARE ITEMS

We will again this year be having our towel and personal care items collection for our food pantry families.  We are asking for your help on this.  Looking for new towels and wash cloths  and personal care items – toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap and deodorant.  They will be given to the families on the February 12th pantry day so we will need these donations by Sunday February 4th.  It was such a great success last year and so appreciated by the families.  Thanking  each of you in advance. 

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The following is a list of all the businesses that contributed to Cabaret 2017.  Due to their generous contributions the event was a major success.  Please try to use their services whenever possible to show our appreciation. 

Applebee’sApple HillDenny’sFive GuysFraternity Chinese RestaurantFrosty Joe’sGoodyearGrande’sHooplaJane’s DinerJody’s DinerMichelangelo’s Pizzzeria & RistoranteMidas Oil

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Moe’sMonroe Tire Red OakMr. Tire Remlik’sNezuntoz Schneider’s Market

Park Diner Spot DinnerParlor City Collectables Sweet Frogs

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