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From the Pastor’s Desk:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life… As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12, 9:5 New Revised Standard Version) As many of us were aware and possibly witnessed, on Monday, August 21st, a solar eclipse was visible in the United States, as it cut a narrow swath across the country from the Pacific North West beginning in Lincoln City, Oregon, at 11:46 a.m. EDT and ending in South Carolina at 5:04 p.m. EDT. Normally the moon is a mirror reflecting the sun’s light. Yet on August 21st, the moon temporarily went rogue! A solar eclipse occurs when the moon stands in front of the sun, that is, between the sun and the earth, blocking the sun’s light. The moon doesn't do this very often. The last time the moon positioned itself in front of the sun all the way across the contiguous United States was almost 100 years ago on June 8, 1918. In essence, during a solar eclipse the moon is upstaging the diva (the sun). Similar to the moon, for us as Christians, Jesus is the Son, and we aren’t. Unlike the moon, we should never attempt to step in front of the Son and block his light. We, similar to the moon are meant to be mirrors and reflect the light of God into the dark corners of the world, especially our particular corner. Here are a couple of lessons that I believe we, as Christians, can learn from mirrors: Good mirrors reflect light without distorting the light: As faithful followers of Jesus we aren’t supposed to distort the light, and/or make it into something it’s not. Mirrors need continual polishing and cleaning in order to function properly. As Christians, we’re polished and cleaned through our time spent in: reading scripture, Worship, practicing our various spiritual disciplines, etc.
Improperly functioning mirrors can cause damage: This can occur when we misuse the light of Jesus, twist his words and ignore the totality of Scripture. When we do this, our prejudices usually will result in causing harm to ourselves and others. Mirrors, by design aren’t meant to block the light, yet instead reflect the light: May we come to understand that we’re neither the light nor the source of that light. And that through the light of Jesus Christ, that grace, justice, mercy, and love are present and will shine in the dark places only if we’re a reflection, a mirror of Jesus’ light. Each of us is like a fragment of a mirror, whose design and shape aren’t entirely known by any of us, and only truly known by our ever creative and creating God. Yet as that mirror fragment, each of us individually and as the church, are meant to reflect light into the dark places of the world. And as a result, perhaps others may see and do likewise. May we, like the moon, strive to reflect the Son’s light.
"Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16 NRSV).
Blessings & Shalom, Pastor Mary
Rev. Mary Rublee Phone: 497-7041
Sunday Worship Schedule 9:00 AM Sunday Worship
10:00 AM “Coffee Time”
Faith Connections – September 2017 Ionia United Methodist Church
2120 Elton Rd., Ionia, NY 14475 585-657-6984 www.ioniaumc.org
Our Church Joys:
Darryl Rublee took his state exams in August!
Kimmie Tiffany will be going on the Telica, Nicaragua Mission Trip in January 2018!
Gwen Vary graduated from Bryn Mawr College! She is now at University of Buffalo Law School.
Jaxson was born on Aug. 17 to Erin & Joel Landcastle, grandson of Sheila & Bill Weld!
Alex Kenyon won medals at the AAU Diving National Championships & earned AAU All American Honors for his individual events!
Thank you to John Tolomay & Jim Dunne for mowing our lawn!
Thank you to Kay Bennett for weeding our gardens!
Our prayers are with the family & friends of Mary Green Bennett, who passed on July 8th. Our prayers are with the family & friends of Roy Parrish who passed on July 24th Judy Baldwin Betty Chapple Doris Daniels Mary & Jim Dunne Sue Garling Shorty Inglesby Shirley Kelly Ron Milton Elaine Parrish Bob Price MaryAnn & Cliff Pimm Cathy Weld Those battling disease Our home-bound Our military men and women in all places
Sundays, 10:20AM
Ray Vander Laan’s DVD series “Faith Lessons” will resume Sunday, Sept 17th after church.
Let’s decorate our whole hamlet for Fall Festival!
Sunday, Sept 10th : Pot-Luck Brunch
will follow our worship service!
Bring a dish to pass. Table service & beverages will be provided.
Ad Board Meeting: Tuesday, Sept. 19th, 7pm
Officers & chairmen need to attend to plan for this fall!
Trustees’ Meeting, Tues., Sept. 5th, 7pm
All-Church Conversation & Pot Luck
Sunday, Sept 24, 10AM
after a shortened 9AM worship service
During a Pot-Luck Brunch, we will have an important conversation about our church & our plans as a faith community. Pastor Mary will be attending since a substitute will be leading the Honeoye Falls worship in her place. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to talk together informally.
So bring a dish to pass and join us!
Used printer ink cartridges can be redeemed for coupons for supplies at Staples. Leave the ink cartridges in the box in Fellowship Hall. Thank you!
Our church continues to share God’s love with others in many ways – through volunteers and monetary donations. For more information, contact Dorothy Strapp 657-7598.
Our Veterans’ Dinner Mission prepares & delivers a dinner to the Veterans’ Club house on Foster St., Canandaigua on the 2nd Monday of each month. Call Dorothy Strapp 657-7598 to help!
Food Cupboard Aware of an emergency grocery need? Call Mary Ann & Cliff Pimm, 905-5299 or 369-5917. Bags are ready to go & with confidentiality.
Hands of Hope Kitchen Provides a free noon meal every Wednesday at the East Bloomfield Firehouse on Main St. - “Neighbors Feeding Neighbors” They need volunteers to prepare the meal – call749-2694 or email [email protected]
Free Food-Link Food Pantry - held in the
Blessing Room Parking Lot at St. Bridget’s
Church, Bloomfield, 2nd Friday, 4-6PM rain/
shine. Registration begins 3PM.
Benincasa, the hospice in Mendon, is in need of Volunteers! The nursing staff provides volunteers with all the guidance & training that is needed. Please contact Benincasa at 624-8070.
1 Hayden Price Yvonne Stone
Nate Talley 7 Tom O’Brien
Maureen Thompson 9 Cheryl O’Brien 10 Jacob Garling 13 Cathi Parrish 14 Brad Bennett 15 Ron Stonewell III
Dorothy Strapp 18 Mary Willis 21 Lynn Brien Lauren Twardokus 22 Paul Inglesby 23 Bob Price
Hanna Schlenker 24 Karen Strapp 25 Margaret Tiffany 26 Jenny O’Brien 27 Holly Parrish 28 Dale Twardokus 29 Clifford Pimm 30 Betty Chapple
Why Attend Walk to Emmaus? The walk to Emmaus is an experience of Christian spiritual renewal and formation that begins with a three-day short course in Christianity. It is an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ in a new way as God’s grace and love is revealed to you through other believers.
The Men’s is Oct. 12-15 and the Women’s is Nov. 2-5, at Faith UMC of Lancaster NY
http://emmaus.upperroom.org/
For more information contact Darrell Rublee, email [email protected] or phone 585-721-7237.
Drop off your Pop Cans & Bottles for Missions into the crate
behind the church. The money will be used for our church’s missions!
Saturday, Sept. 16th – all day! Our 20th Annual Fall Festival
& 14th Annual Tractor Parade
Delicious Food!
Pancake Breakfast 7:30-10 AM
Chicken BBQ 11:30AM til sold out
Chow Hut: 10AM-4:30PM Hot Dogs, Burgers,
Sausages, Chili, etc
Hayrides to Observatory
Dessert Wheel & Coin Toss
Games for all ages; Displays
Vendors, Crafters
Scout Demonstrations
Donations for the Dessert Wheel We need lots of cakes, desserts, cookies, brownies, breads, etc for the booth. Drop off at church kitchen Friday Sept 15, 5-8pm or, Sat. before noon. Set the items on the tall shelves in Fellowship Hall.
Volunteers Needed:
Set up on Friday
Chow Hut – contact Judy Baldwin, 582-2595
Chicken BBQ – Mary Twardokus 657-7722
Tractor area –- contact Dick Belding 657-6819
Games - contact Dorothy Strapp 657-7598
Cake Wheel – contact Norene Adams
A (Brief) History of the People of The United Methodist Church from the
“Interpreter” magazine May 2017
1751-75: Crossing the ocean As the movement grew, so did pressures to separate the Methodists from the Church of England. John Wesley refused – and remained an Anglican priest until his death. The Wesleyan movement spread to America and in 1771, Francis Asbury arrived to begin 45 years of ministry, much of it to people on the frontier. Among those with whom Asbury bonded was Philip William Otterbein, a German clergyman. Emigrating from Ireland and providing leadership to what would become the Methodist Episcopal Church were Philip and Margaret Embury and Paul and Barbara Heck. New York's Wesley Chapel opened in 1766. It is still an active congregation – John Street United Methodist Church. The first annual conference was in Philadelphia in 1773. William Watters became the first native-born American itinerant preacher.
1776-99: A church is born John Wesley utterly opposed the American Revolution. In the aftermath, with American Methodists having few options to receive the sacraments, Wesley appointed lay preachers Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey for ministry in America and commissioned Thomas Coke as superintendent of America's Methodists. Wesley charged Coke to commission Asbury to serve with him as Wesley's deputies. Asbury refused to accept the assignment unless he was elected by the free vote of the American preachers. His election came in the Christmas Conference of 1784, and the Methodist Episcopal Church was born. 1785 saw the first Book of Discipline published. The young Methodist Episcopal Church experienced its first division in 1787 as some African-American members left. They would form the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in New York. Missions began reaching the Channel Islands, France and Spain.
(to be continued in October)
“Carry out a random act of kindness with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” Princess Diana
Changes in our church newsletter
Over the summer we have decided to make a change in the way we distribute our church newsletter each month starting in October! You may choose to have the newsletter either mailed to you or emailed to you. Please complete the form that is in this newsletter and return it to the church – either by mailing it to the church or placing it in the offering plate.
Thank you from the Chairman of the Strawberry & Raspberry Socials:
To each & every person that helped to make the 2017 Strawberry & Raspberry Socials a complete success, I am sending you a huge Thank You very much!! My thanks includes those that donated food, money &/or time to this annual tradition. We had our challenges & we rose above to conquer &make the best of the weather situation. We were even lucky enough to run out of a few food items (especially the ice cream that I didn't get to enjoy) - That means we are doing something right. We served many folks, from our small community as well as those that travelled from other towns near & far. These folks were very appreciative & complimentary of our meals & service. I would like to send a special shout out to our church youth that helped out. You all had smiles on your faces as you served, ran, cleaned, poured & sweat. With each passing year, we learn to do something differently. Sometimes the saying "if it isn't broken, don't fix it," applies. I am always welcome to an idea to improve a situation, so please don't hesitate to send me your thoughts. Until next Strawberry & Raspberry Social time, thank you again and God bless!! Bambi Talley
Our Upcoming Events
Sunday, Oct. 1st Pot-Luck Brunch
Monday, Oct. 9th Dinner for Veterans
Friday, Nov. 3rd United Church Women
Sunday, Nov 5 Pot-Luck Brunch
Sat., Nov. 11th Church Charge Conference
Monday, Nov. 13th Dinner for Veterans
Nov. 13th -20th Operation Christmas Child Collection (not relay station)
Sat., Nov. 18th Holiday Fair Craft Show & Candy Booth
In Our Area:
Free Community Dinner 2nd, 3rd, 4th Saturdays
of every month at 1st Presbyterian Church, 70 E
Main, Victor. Everyone is welcome!
1st Weds of every month. 5-7pm: Spaghetti Dinners, at Honeoye United Church of Christ
Wednesdays, Sept. 13 & Oct. 11, 3-7pm, Country & Blue Grass Jam East Bloomfield UMC - great music & food. Music-free! Meal - $6, children under 5 free.
Thurs, Sept. 21- Community Lunch- All are welcome at E. Bloomfield UMC for lunch & fellowship. Doors open at 11:30am, lunch served 12-1. Free will offering accepted. The church is handicapped accessible.
Ministry Directory
Ad/Board Chairman: Bambi Talley
Finance Chairman: Scott Layton 465-2039
Financial Sec.: Norene Adams 624-5463
Food Pantry: MaryAnn &Cliff Pimm 657-7338
Lay Leader: Russ Kenyon 314-2327
Missions: Dorothy Strapp. 657-7598
Newsletter Editor: Mary Twardokus 657-7722
Staff/Pastor Relations: Dick Belding
Treasurer: Sue Vary 315-939-4406
Trustees Chairman: Don Frelier 657-4504
Sanctuary Chair: Jennifer Layton 455-7602
Photos of some of our events this year!
Rummage/Garage Sale – May 19 & 20
Strawberry Social
“Enjoy life. Be healthy. Share a smile."
“Forgiveness is a form of gratitude. When we forgive others, we show them the mercy that we have often received and been thankful for." Sarah Ban Breathnach author, "Simple Abundance"
Some of the “Go M.A.D. Day Youth at work in our community on April 29th!
“Life’s most persistence & urgent question is “What are you doing for others.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ionia United Methodist Church PO Box 8 2120 Elton Rd. Ionia, NY 14475
Sat., Sept. 16th
on our church grounds!
Pancake Breakfast 7:30-10AM
Chicken BBQ 11:30AM til sold out
Chow Hut 10-4:30
Tractor Parade 1:00 PM
Dessert Wheel & Coin Toss
Children’s Games
Vendors & Crafters
Hayrides to observatory
Scout Demonstrations
Indoor Displays
Fun all day long!
PRSRT STD
NON-PROFIT ORG
Holiday Fair Craft Show
Nov. 18, 9:00AM – 3:00 PM
Crafters in 105 booths!
Free admission & parking
Handicap accessible
Lunch available
at the Bloomfield Elementary School
Maple Ave/Route 444
Sunday Worship Schedule
9:00 AM Sunday Worship
10:00 AM “Coffee Time”
Changes To Our Church Newsletter
Over the summer we have decided to make a change in the way we distribute our
church newsletter each month. We have decided not to renew our US Postal Service
Bulk Mailing Permit for $225/year. The Bulk Mailing Permit required at least 200 copies
be mailed each month and additional postage to be paid for each piece.
We feel that our newsletter is important to communicate with our church family and
community. So that everyone will be able to access our newsletter, we will distribute
the newsletter in the manner in which each household prefers. Starting in October,
church newsletters will either be emailed or be mailed by first class mail.
We will also have extra printed copies available at the church.
Please check off below which way you would like to receive your newsletter starting in
October.
Place this form in the church offering plate or mail it to the church by folding this page,
attaching a stamp, and mailing it to the church.
Name(s) _______________________________________________
______ Mail a printed copy to this address:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
______ I would like a printed copy but I will pick it up at church each month
______ Email my/our newsletter to this/these emails:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Ionia United Methodist Church
P. O. Box 8, 2120 Elton Rd
Ionia, NY 14475
