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April 2015
Volume XXI Issue 4
“In worship, fellowship and service we seek God’s peace as revealed in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.”
The Madison Methodist The Madison Methodist The Madison Methodist
MessageMessageMessage
The United Methodist Church in Madison
24 Madison Avenue Madison, NJ 07940
“at the corner of Drew University”
[email protected] www.umcmadison.org
Tel: 973.377.1231
Encounters Along the Way
We may think of Easter Sunday as the end of the Lenten Season and in a way it is. It is also much more. I might call it the end of the beginning, but I won’t because that phrase has been overused. But the fact re-mains the story does not end with the empty tomb and in fact we might indeed say, for us, our journey is just beginning. Some of the earliest manuscripts of the gospel of Mark end with 16:7-8 where the disciples see a young man, dressed in a white robe who instructs them to go to Galilee where Jesus will meet them. Then in v. 8 - So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. On the other hand, the gospel of Luke does not end with the Resurrection. Rather Luke tells of two disci-ples meeting Jesus along a lonely road to a town we only know as Emmaus. But they two inspire us with expectation of what will come. The point is what follows Easter are the encounters along the way. This is what has inspired the church for over 2000 years! The reality of experiencing God in terms of the Living Christ or called The Holy Spirit. We too are on that road. Sure it is different. It may be paved and lit with streetlights but the fact remains. For if we seek Him, Jesus will meet us along the way. I look forward to sharing the journey with you. Grace and Peace,
2
Staff & Elected Officers 2015
Pastor Rev. Robb W. Shoaf, Ph.D Student Assistant Pastor
Chelsea Jackson Director of Music & Organist
Susan McAdoo, D.M.A. Director of Christian Education
Kathleen Keane Admin/Editor
Natalie Dines Sexton
Marlice Borecki
David Green Chair, Church Council Jim Balfe Treasurer Scot Guempel Financial Secretary Alan Voorhees Finance Chair Gordon Fleming Facility Management Vic Schumacher President, Trustees
Program Facilitators Nurture Ministries
Lisa Moro Outreach Ministries
Jeanne Eisele Witness/Igniting Ministry
Kris Pfeifer Worship Ministries
Lisa Carballo Education/Youth
Kathleen Keane & Chelsea Jackson
Trustees
Vic Schumacher Gordon Fleming
Mike Kroeger Luke McKinnon
Shin-Ok Ha Wade Merrick
JoAnn Van Sciver Nori Tadano
Dan Engel
April 2015
News from our Student
Assistant Pastor
Happy Spring Everyone!
As the ground thaws and the days grow a bit warmer, we
find ourselves entering into the Easter season, a time for
reflecting on and celebrating the life, death and resurrec-
tion of Jesus. As we enter into this joyous time, I want to
take this opportunity to share some of our recent suc-
cesses as a church, and provide some information about
upcoming projects.
First, I want to thank everyone for their hard work and
support with Stop Hunger Now. On Saturday March
28th, 80 people from Drew, Madison High School and 3
different churches crammed into Memorial Hall and pack-
aged 20,088 meals in 2 hours. It was a wonderful time
filled with fun, music and hard work. After the event we
celebrated with a potluck dinner and a time of fellowship.
Thank you to all who gave their time or financial offering
for this event. It was a success!
As we reflect on the success of programs like Stop Hun-
ger Now, we also turn our attention to upcoming opportu-
nities and projects. One amazing upcoming opportunity
is a visit from the Taizé brothers. These bothers from the
well-known monastic order in Taizé, France are passing
through New Jersey. They will be at Chatham UMC on
April 16th, and will lead discussion at 7 pm and prayer at
8 pm. This is a unique and special opportunity and I en-
courage all to try to attend. If interested please see me for
details.
The Youth Boston Mission Trip is quickly approaching,
and are youth are continuing to fundraise. One such fund-
raiser is the Easter Breakfast April 5th at 8:30 am. This
breakfast is typically youth sponsored, and this year we
will be taking donations for the Boston Trip during the
breakfast. So we invite you to come on out and enjoy
some great food and company as we celebrate the resur-
rection of Jesus!
Lastly, at the beginning of Lent I suggested ways we may
be more eco-conscious throughout the Lenten season. I
hope we were able to achieve little changes that added up
to big impacts. Now that Lent is coming to a close, I en-
courage us all to continue finding ways to show love, re-
spect and care for Creation.
I hope you all have a wonderful April, and may we find
time to enjoy the coming of Spring, and share in deep
community with one another.
Chelsea Jackson
3
Other News ... Bits and briefs
April 2015
Did you know… UMC Madison has a Facebook page?
Search “United Methodist Church in Madison,” and see
updated photos and updates.
Sunday School News
We are looking for teachers for next year's Church
School. You do not need any experience working with
children or knowledge of the Bible, just a love of knowl-
edge and sharing. If you are interested, please reach out to
Kathleen Keane at [email protected].
Save The Date
Please continue to support the Interfaith Food Pantry
through your donations. During 2014 the Pantry distributed
over a million pounds of food—1,010,117 pounds. This is
13% more than in 2013 and 47% more than in 2011. Assis-
tance was provided to more than 11,400 Morris County resi-
dents. Items especially needed now include:
Canned fruit
Soups
Peanut butter
Cereal
Canned beans
Rice (1 or 2 lb. size)
Baby food (stage 1 fruits)
Interfaith Food Pantry
New members Received March 29
On Sunday March 29th it was our joy to formally re-
ceive Nick Murphy and the Deutsch Family, John, Melissa,
Lily and Jackson.
Fa
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r
Tr
a
d
e
Ne
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APRIL 2015
May Newsletter Deadline: April 20
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 6:30 am Men’s Breakfast 7:00 pm Book Study
2 7:30 pm Worship Service
3 7:30 pm Worship Service
4
5 7:30 am Early Service 8:30 am Break-fast 10:00 Worship Service 11:15 Coffee Hour
6 8 pm AA
7 7:30 Trustees Meeting 8 pm AA
8
6:30 am Men’s Breakfast
9 8 pm Chancel Choir
10
11
12 8:30 am Early Service 10 am Family Worship & Sun-day School 11:15 Coffee Hour/lunch
13 3 pm Tutoring 8 pm AA
14 8 pm AA
15 6:30 am Men’s Breakfast 7:00 pm Book Study
16 7 pm Taize
Brothers visit Chatham UMC
8 pm Chancel Choir
17
18
19
8:30 am Early Service 10 am Family Worship & Sunday School 11:15 am Coffee Hour
20 3pm Tutoring 8 pm AA
21
7:30 pm Church Council 8 pm AA
22
6:30 am Men’s Breakfast
Newsletter Deadline
23 8 pm Chancel Choir
24
25
26
8:30 am Early Service 10 am Family Worship & Sunday School 11:15 am Coffee Hour
27 3 pm Tutoring 8 pm AA
28 8 pm AA
29 30 8 pm Chancel Choir
Maundy
Thursday
Good
Friday
Easter
Sunday
5
April 2015
Fenestration, fenestration, fenestration or as the song
from the famous musical Hair goes, "Let the sunshine in…”
In other words, the window replacement project at the Par-
sonage, in the Lounge, in the office, and in the Education
Building is complete. Next on the list is the installation of
a replacement floor covering in Memorial Hall. We will
also be raising the floor area where the organ currently sits,
followed by regarding and reseeding the summer refresh-
ments lawn area as soon as the weather permits.
Vic Schumacher
Trustees News
Someone Need a Bible!
On March 27 the Naomi Circle of United Methodist
Women attended a moving performance of Pergolesi’s
Stabat Mater. A very reflective and devotional sacred
piece, presented as a part of the Lenten Organ Recital Se-
ries at Grace Church. Soloists Patricia Ruggles and Elena
Bird participated along with organist Anne Matlack.
After the recital we enjoyed lunch and fellowship with
Patty and others at Grace Church.
The Naomi Circle is continuing to collect for The
Neighborhood Center of Camden, New Jersey, which is
supported by United Methodist Women and the Board of
Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. The
Neighborhood Center helps with the needs of young
adults, senior citizens, children and teenagers in Camden,
an area of extreme poverty. The donations continue to
come in, and so far we have sent checks totaling $505 to
the Neighborhood Center. Donations can be made by
collection of quarters in plastic medicine vials (please use
your own vial) or by placing a check payable to “United
Methodist Women” in the offering plate. Please note
“Neighborhood Center” in the memo portion of your
check. Thank you.
Laurie Hagerich
Sunday School News
The UMC Seeds hosted an Egg
Hunt on Saturday, March 28th. We
were joined by families from the
church as well as families from the
Acorn Academy. It was very sweet.
We celebrated Palm Sunday,
March 29th in a room full of crafts
where the Youth and Confirmands
helped the Church school children
make all sorts of fun Easter crafts.
Kathleen Keane
United Methodist Women
Through the rest of the Spring and I hope beyond we will
have a chance to understand the Bible a bit better.
The lectionary readings for each Sunday will be based on a
narrative lectionary. What that means is we will look at
the stories of the Bible as a way of better learning and un-
derstanding how God empowers us as in our lives.
So, this is Good News. In fact I would like to share it with
others! I have purchased some young readers’ Bibles as
well as some Bible translations that are very easy to read
(“The Message”). I want us to offer them to those who
visit the church and desire to have a Bible. So, if they do,
we will provide one for adults and/or children.
Of course while supplies last! But we can always get more!
The point is for so many people The Christian Faith and the
book that proclaims it are a history that remains a mystery.
We as Christians can help change that, for them and for
ourselves.
Do you know someone without a church home? Do you
know someone who has been frustrated, felt left out from
the life of faith and has no way of getting back in?
Invite them to church! And let us offer them this gift.
I will share more about this in the coming weeks after
Easter! May God’s Grace and Peace abide for us all.
Robb W. Shoaf
6
April 2015
OUTREACH MINISTRY TEAM Lenten Speakers series and Easter Offerings
Stop Hunger Now returned
on Saturday, March 28th,
for an ALL CHURCH and
GUESTS meal packaging
extravaganza with the goal of
20,000 meals for distribution
overseas. This effort was led
by our Youth and funded
through a generous grant from the Jones Fund Endowment.
Thank you to all the volunteers from our congregation and
other local partners! We will learn the destination of our
meals when they are loaded into a container with another
approximately 300,000 meals. Learn more at
www.stophungernow.org.
Other Outreach News
Our partnership with the Interfaith
Food Pantry of Morris County
was recognized during a ceremony
on March 13th with the dedication
of the Giving Tree for 2014 con-
tributions displayed in the recep-
tion area at their Morris Plains
facility. Katy Galton is on staff as
Nutrition Educator and helps to
bridge our relationship with IFP.
Thank you to everyone who
brings in groceries to share or par-
ticipates in food distribution and
home delivery as well as the annual Thanksgiving distribution
effort.
CUMAC (Center of United Methodist Aid to the Community,
CUMAC/ECHO), incorporated in 1986 as an urban mission
of the United Methodist Church in Paterson, is celebrating
their 30th anniversary of service. CUMAC started as a vision
of one teacher who made it his mission to feed hungry stu-
dents. The services and reach of CUMAC has expanded over
these past decades. Their food support reaches more than
40,000 people. In addition to the food pantry, CUMAC runs a
clothing closet and thrift store, provide housing and shelter
support for homeless clients and offer coordination to other
social services.
Jeanne Eisele
Our Easter Offering is designated to three organizations:
First Friends, providing support and advocacy for immi-
grants in detention in New Jersey; Roots & Wings, providing
vital support for young adults aging out of foster care in
Morris County; and UMCOR – One Great Hour of Sharing,
a special offering to cover overhead costs of the agency and
allow 100% of designated contributions to go directly to each
project.
During the 2015 Lenten Speakers series, we heard from
Chelsea Jackson about her experiences in El Salvador and
Bill Westerman spoke to us about the compassionate efforts
of First Friends – a non-profit organization that provides
visitation and non-legal assistance for immigrants held in
detention centers in northern New Jersey, and we also heard
from David Shertzer, who spoke to us about Roots & Wings
– a non-profit
support or-
ganization
providing
young adults
who age out of
foster care
with safe
housing, edu-
cational sup-
port and counseling to aid in their successful transition to self
-sufficiency. During the ‘brunch’ each Sunday, people cheer-
fully gathered in fellowship to discuss these worthy projects
and our commitment to all of God’s creation. A round of ap-
plause and a big thank you to everyone who helped make
these Sunday gatherings a success.
Our Easter Offering also lifts up the exceptional work of the
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) through
the annual appeal for One Great Hour of Sharing. This
special offering covers operating costs to ensure the con-
tinuation of the promise that 100% of each designated gift for
disaster relief goes directly to that effort. When we meet the
needs of those who suffer we answer Jesus’ call to ministry:
Moe Information:
First Friends: http://www.firstfriendsnjny.org/
Roots & Wings: http://www.rootsandwingsnj.org/
UMCOR: http://www.umcor.org/UMCOR/
“I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was
thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and
you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me
clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I
was in prison and you visited me.”
(Mt. 25:35-36, CEB)
7
Our Church Family
April 2015
Known Birthdays
in April Charlotte Rose Robinette
Charles Wiley McIntosh
Logan Ayash
Robert Henderson
Lance Carriere
Melina Ayash
Kyle Van Sciver
Eric White
Tara Kathleen Manz
Jane Frances Cyganovich
Jaelyn Atterbury
News from
Family Promise
People we remembered in prayer
Michael Leist
The Campbell Family
The Koes Family
Wade Merrick
Richard Tisch
Alida Geiger
Nancy Lutz
Kris Pfeifer
c offee hour is a time of fellowship and sharing. It would
not be possible without the dedication and sharing of
everyone that help make this fellowship time possible.
Thank You
On March 26 Family Promise hosted its annual Volunteer
Recognition Dinner, An Evening of Promise at Meadow Wood
Manor in Randolph. Jeanne Eisele, Chelsea Jackson, Parker
Loesch and myself represented UMC Madison. There was
good food and fellowship, along with many good speakers, in-
cluding Rev. Barry Winchell of Bethlehem Church in
Randolph, a congregation that recently became a host Church
and installed 2 showers and laundry facility in their Church for
the families. Another speaker was Solomon, a young shelter
resident of 7 months duration, who during his stay in shelter
formed close bonds with many volunteers and was able to
graduate from high school, find a job and be accepted into col-
lege where he is continuing his education.
This year’s Community Impact Award was presented to 9 year
old Benjamin Calao, a Madison resident, parishioner at St. Vin-
cent Martyr Church, and author of a series of biographies of
famous people. Ben has been compassionate and eager to help
others from a very young age and was inspired to help Family
Promise when he learned about the program in religion class.
He wrote the books over several months and began selling them
for $5 each to raise money for Family Promise. Ben has so far
raised over $3,000. The books can be purchased at Short Sto-
ries or Tons of Toys in Madison. As Ben says, “This is not for
fame, this is not for money, It is to help people. I want people
that are less fortunate to have the same opportunities as the rich
and famous.” It was a joy to see Ben honored, hear him confi-
dently deliver his humble and inspirational speech and receive a
standing ovation.
Family Promise gave an update at the dinner on Our Promise, a
new drop-in center to meet a gap in services created when a pre-
vious program, Our Place, closed. Our Promise will be located
at The First Baptist Church, at 51 Washington Street, in Morris-
town. Our Promise will provide a safe place for people during
the daytime hours to address basic safety needs and case man-
agement services. Clients will also be able to utilize the center
as a mailing address. Morris Habitat for Humanity is helping to
renovate the space for this exciting new program. Our Place
was supported by UMC Madison with a grant from the Jones
Fund in the fall of 2014. Family Promise also continues to up-
grade its Day Center with a Family Room addition in partner-
ship with Morris Habitat for Humanity, as well as new flooring
and interior painting.
Many thanks to Chelsea Jackson and parents of our youth, who
organized and cooked a meal for Family Promise on March 11
for their Parenting Program, which was delivered to the Day
Center in Morris Plains. Laurie Hagerich
8
Stop Hunger Now — 2015
Worship Schedule
Early Morning Worship 8:30 a.m.
Family Worship & Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Childcare is available for infants and toddlers.
Coffee and Fellowship 11:15 a.m.
Coming Up: April 2 Maundy Thursday 7:30 pm Service
April 3 Good Friday 7:30 pm Service
April 5 Easter Sunday 7:30 am Early Sunrise Service
8:30 am Breakfast
10:30 am Family Service
April 7 Trustees Meeting 7:30 pm
April 16 Taizé Brothers Event at UMC Chatham at 7:00 pm
April 21 Church Council Meeting at 7:30 pm
Check our website for more information: www.umcmadison.org