610-543-2110

SWARTHMORE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 129 Park Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081

www.swarthmoreumc.org

January 2018

From the Pastor:

If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away;

see, everything has become new (2 Corinthians 5: 17) Frances Ridley Havergal, an English religious poet and hymn writer, took New Year’s Day very seriously, always using it as a time of reflection and often composing a poem to send to friends expressing her feelings about the new day and year. The one she wrote in 1874 has become immortal. She was thirty-six at the time, and she dashed off this poem and had it printed on a specially designed greeting card to be sent to friends. The card was captioned: “A Happy New Year! ever such may it be!” The inside said:

Another year is dawning; Dear God, let it be,

In working or in waiting, Another year with Thee; Another year of progress, Another year of praise, Another year of proving

Thy presence all the days. God in Christ is always with us, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I pray that all of us continue to walk closely with our Lord so that we may all be growing into the persons God intends for us to be. If you ever feel disconnected from God one way or another, here is another year for us, you and me. Don’t look back. The past is past. God graciously gives us a second chance—another year—to walk with Him. All we have to do is to accept it and live it with joy and gratitude. HAVE A BLESSED NEW YEAR!

Love and Peace,

Sukja

What’s Inside

Pastor’s Message Serving Schedule 2 Events & Groups 3 Worship & Notes 3 Faith & Life 3 Thank you 4 Strategic Planning 4 Outreach Notes 5 Book Club 5 2018 Nominations 6

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Thank You for Your Service!

Readers: January 7: Penni Flick January 14: January 21: January 28: Children’s Message: January 14: January 21: January 28: Ushers: January 7: Andy Lewis and Bev Stewart January 14: Rick Sultzer and Susan Kelly January 21: Bev Stewart and Rick Valelly January 28: Wes and Christine Hutchinson Fellowship: January 7: January 14: January 21: January 28: Counters: First Sunday Andy Lewis and Marion Purdy Second Sunday Rick Sultzer and Hogie Hansen Third Sunday Bill Flick and Harriet Hudgins Fourth Sunday Barb Weir and Charlie Hoover Fifth Sunday Bill Flick and Harriet Hudgins Altar Flowers: January 7: In honor of Penni Flick to thank her for all of her seasonal decorating of the church January 14: January 21: January 28: Please call Peggy Mattox at the church office (610-543-2110) to let her know if/when you cannot serve on the date for which you signed up so that a substitute may be arranged.

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All the World’s a Stage Theater Groups at SUMC

MARPLE-NEWTOWN PLAYERS—SPOTLIGHT THEATER

Performances at Swarthmore UMC

UPCOMING EVENTS AT SUMC

Please join us for the following events:

January 7: Strategic Planning Meeting, following worship January 10: SUMC Book Club Meeting, 7:30pm (see article) January 14: Strategic Planning Meeting, following worship January 17: PBJ Night, 7:45pm Centennial Room February 2: Interfaith Hosting Network (see article) ==============================================

Deadline for the February Caller is Tuesday, January 23rd Be sure and let the Church office know about any events you would like published

WORSHIP NOTES January 7: Gen. 1:1-5, Ps. 29, Acts 19:17, Mark 1:4-11 January 14: 1 Sam. 3:1-10, Ps. 139:1-6, 1 Cor. 6:12-20, John 1:43-51 January 21: Jonah 3:1-5,10, 1 Cor. 7:29-31, Matthew 1:14-20 January 28: Deut. 18:15-20, Ps 111, 1 Cor. 8:1-13, Mark 1:21-28

Faith and Life Class

January 7 and 14: Faith and Life will not meet due to Strategic Planning Task Force meetings that take place on those dates. January 21: In honor of the past Monday’s MLK, Jr. Day, Bruce Stephens will present / share his research on Crozer Theological Seminary, where King graduated as valedictorian in 1951. January 28: Hugh Roberts, a representative from Fair Districts PA, will speak about the important work his organi-

zation is doing to stop gerrymandering. Redistricting will happen after the 2020 Census—but it will only be fair if we change the state constitution first. Fair Districts PA is a nonpartisan, citizen-led group working to do just that.

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Thank you to Mary Marissen

After ten music-filled years, Mary Marissen will be leaving her position as Director of Music Ministries after Sunday, December 31, 2017. At Fellowship Hour that morning we will thank Mary and celebrate her many gifts that have nourished our spirits and our tradition through her beautiful music and her gentle and creative leadership.

Director of Music Ministries

In February, 2018, Ms. Yun Joung Park, a Swarthmore neighbor, will become our new Director of Music Ministries. The interviewing committee was very impressed with the gifts that she will bring to us. We look forward to having her with us to continue our tradition of beautiful music in our church life.

Strategic Planning Process Since our last report and discussion with the congregation on November 5, the strategic planning group has met twice in November and has meetings planned for January 7 and January 14. Hal and Ralph have also had the opportunity to meet with our District Superintendent, Dawn Taylor-Storm. We continue to work toward recommendations for the Administrative Council to consider, and hope to again report to the congregation in the near future.

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He has showed you, o Mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?

Just this: To do Justice; To love Kindness; and to walk, humbly, with your God.

OUTREACH—Touching Lives for Christ For as much as you have done unto these, you have done unto me.

OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES January 2018

Let me extend many thanks to everyone who donated to our Alternative Christmas projects in December. We collected enough money to purchase a heifer ($500) and more for Heifer International. We also had a nice collection of hats, gloves, socks and baby items for City Team. Thank you for your generosity.

You may recall that we collected money in September for hurricane relief from Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. Recovery from those two hurricanes has been progressing with a robust response from government and charitable organizations. But the response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, which followed shortly after the other two hurricanes, has not begun to meet the huge need there, largely because of the loss of infrastructure such as the electrical power grid. The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference has committed to a fundraising campaign starting January 6, Three Kings Day, to aid the Methodist Church in Puerto Rico as they assist the residents of the island. Their goal is to raise $100,000 by the time of annual conference in June. If you would like to donate to this cause, you can designate your gift to the Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief Fund.

Save the date—Saturday, February 24, 2018. It is Chili Cook Off time at SUMC! Now is the time to tweak your recipes for the competition.

The next PBJ Night is scheduled for Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 7:45 p.m. Come and make PBJ sandwiches to benefit the Life Center of Eastern Delaware County and City Team in Chester. We provide the peanut butter and jelly and you are asked to provide two loaves of sliced bread.

Swarthmore Presbyterian Church will be hosting Interfaith Hospitality Network the last week of January. Our day to help them actually falls in February on Friday, February 2, 2018. We will be providing dinner, social time, and overnight hosting. Please contact Janice Ciampa if you would like to help families in transition in Delaware County.

And our first Grace Café hosting of the year will be on Super Bowl Sunday, February 4. If football is not your thing, this is your chance to participate in an alternative Super Bowl party.

There are many opportunities to sign up for hosting of Fellowship Hour in 2018. Please see the signup sheets in the Centennial Room. Thanks to everyone who has graciously provided hospitality this past year.

SUMC Book Club Dates

Meetings are the second Wednesday of each month, at 7:30pm The book club will meet on January 10th at the home of Nanette Tobin:

517 Elm Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081

Discussion book is A Gentleman in Moscow.

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Nominations 2018 Lay Leader - (2018) Lay Delegate – Anne Hansen (2018) Administrative Council Chair – Nanette Tobin ( 2018 ) Membership Secretary – Janice Ciampa (2019) Trustees 2018 2019 2020

Linton Stable Carolyn Stephens Alison Masterpasqua Edward Parent Penni Flick Charlie Hoover Staff Parish Relations 2018 2019 2020

Carolyn Stephens Ralph Ciampa (Chair) Susan Kelly Kay Hoover Cathy Darrell Harriet Hudgins Ex-officio: , Lay Leader (2018) Finance 2017 2018 2020

Greg Brown Andy Lewis (Treasurer) Sam Parsons Bill Flick (Financial Secretary) Rick Sultzer Wes Hutchinson Ex-officio: Nanette Tobin, Admin Council Chair Outreach Janice Ciampa (chair) Judy Luzak Sheila Bell PJ Flick Carolyn Stephens Mary Anne Patterson Lisa Lee Mary Drott Jan (Gigi) McBreen Pat Parsons

Education Committee 2018 2019 2020 Christine Hutchinson (chair) Bruce Stephens Sheila Bell Judy Luzak Michal Figura Nominations Committee—Sukja Bang, Pastor (Chair) 2018 2019 2020

David Page Bruce Stephens Pat Parsons Susan Kelly Administrative Council Andy Lewis, Treasurer (2018) , Lay Leader ( ) Lisa Lee (2020) Ralph Ciampa, SPR Chair (2019) Mark Stewart, At-Large (2018) Janice Ciampa, Outreach Chair (2019) Kay Hoover, At-Large (2018) , Finance Chair ( ) Nanette Tobin, Admin Council Chair (2019) Christine Hutchinson, Education Chair (2018)

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Swarthmore United Methodist Church 129 Park Avenue Swarthmore PA 19081

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