|
Connection E-News
February 20th, 2024
| |
|
Dear Friends,
What a busy and fun-filled week we had! In between two snow storms, we celebrated Ash Wednesday, Shrove Tuesday (Thursday) Pancake Dinner, and a Youth-led worship service.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. God told Adam and tells us today that “For dust you are and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19) It is God’s way of showing us the beauty and mystery of the circle of life. This meditative service was full of ambient music, scripture and prayer, and people enjoyed the Labyrinth Walk afterward.
We had a wonderful and fun-filled Shrove Tuesday (Thursday) Pancake Dinner with Dixieland Band. What a great way it was to celebrate our time together before we begin our Lenten journey! A heartfelt thank you to Pam Lester for leading this event and to all who assisted in making this community gathering a success.
We also had an inspiring worship service where our youth shared powerful testimonies of their experience at the Midwinter Advance Retreat based on the theme “Hope Arises!” The message was clear – “We matter to God, and God will continue to care for us in our life’s journey.”
A new Lenten sermon series, “Through the Valley,” begins this Sunday. We will discover how God embraces us as we face hardships, grief, temptations, and injustice. All Lenten small groups have begun to study Adam Hamilton’s book, “Luke.” As we study Luke and see Jesus’s concern for those who were considered unimportant, we hear a hopeful and inspiring word for our lives today.
Let us walk closer with Jesus during this holy Lenten season. God bless you now and always.
Grace and peace,
Rev. Jennifer
| | |
|
|
In-Person / Live stream
Lenten Season
February 25th at 10:00 a.m.
Rev. Dr. Jennifer Cho will share her sermon, "Why Lament?" Our scripture reading will be taken from Psalm 13. The music will be provided by Wesley Ringers, "When We All Get to Heaven," the Sanctuary Choir, "Lenten Meditation," and our Foundation Praise Team will lead us in song.
| |
Calendar of Events over the this week | |
|
Monday, Feb 19th
● New Member’s Class at 7 p.m. (Zoom)
Tuesday, Feb 20th
● Tuesday Drop in Bible Study at 10 a.m. (Zoom and Room 25)
● Cherub Choir at 5:30 p.m. (Fellowship Hall)
● Festive Ringers at 6 p.m. (Sanctuary)
● Jubilation Ringers at 6:30 p.m. (Sanctuary)
● Tuesday Lenten Study at 7 p.m. (Zoom)
● Program Staff Meeting at 8:15 p.m. (Zoom)
Wednesday, Feb 21st
● BUMC Youth meeting at 6:30 p.m. (Youth Lounge)
| |  |
|
Thursday, Feb 22nd
● Thursday 30-minute Prayer at 10 a.m. (Zoom)
● Wesley Bell Rehearsal at 6 p.m. (Sanctuary)
● Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal at 7 p.m. (Sanctuary)
● Foundation Rehearsal at 8 p.m. (Sanctuary)
Saturday, Feb 24th
● Men’s Lenten Small group at 9 a.m. (Zoom)
Sunday, Feb 25th
● Sunday School at 9 a.m. (for all grades PreK-12)
● Adult Lenten Sunday Class at 9 a.m. (Room 25)
● Sunday Worship Service at 10 a.m. (Live-Stream available)
● Adult Lenten Sunday Class at 7 p.m. (Zoom)
| |
Young Families are collecting toiletries
for the veterans! | |
|
Saturday, March 9th 1 - 3p.m.
The Young Families will be collecting travel size toiletries for the veterans at Veteran's Haven North in Glen Gardner New Jersey.
Veternan's Haven North ensures that homeless veterans are treated and cared for in a dignified, compassionate, and professional manner so as to reach an optimal level of independence and aid them in re-acquiring the life skills and ability to live in the community while maintaining their self-sufficiency, dignity and honor.
Over the next few weeks we will be collecting travel size toiletries (for men and women). A donation list is below.
| | |
|
Donation List: (travel size- men and women)
shampoo/conditioner
bar soap
deodorant
tooth paste
tooth brushes
dental floss
combs/brushes
lotion
body wash
shaving cream
razors
cotton balls
q-tips
chapstick
Once we have collected the toiletries, the Young Families will meet to decorate bags and package them for the veterans. If you would like to help decorate and pack bags, please sign up using the link below. Light refreshments will be served.
| |
Easter Baskets - United Women of Faith | |
|
Until Sunday, March 24th
United Women in Faith will once again be preparing Easter Baskets to be distributed to families in need through FISH and other local mission organizations. Your donations of:
· individually wrapped candy and snacks
· small toys, games & books
· teen items and personal care products
would be greatly appreciated. Items may be left at the Mission Closet in the large Easter collection basket now through, Sunday March 24th.
| |
|
Meal Packing Event
Sunday, April 7th 9 a.m.
We are again going to pack meals for Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now). Rise Against Hunger is a hands-on international hunger relief program that coordinates assembly-line packaging of highly nutritious meals for needy third world countries. The food is distributed through the schools, which helps keep the children in school. Of course, education is a means to break the cycle of poverty.
Our goal for this event is to pack 20,000 meals!
If you are unable to attend in person, please consider donating using the link below.
| |
Coffee Fellowship Volunteers | |
|
If you would like to sign up to be a host,
please sign-up on the bulletin board, or you can email Lisa Kautz at lmkautz@verizon.net.
| |
Winter Mission Drive for I-Rise | |
|
The deadline for collection as Feb. 29, 2024
collecting the following items:
Winter boots in various sizes (gently used)
Hats, gloves and mittens for all ages.
Pillows (new), twin and queen sheets
(new or gently used and clean, no flannel)
Pots and pans (gently used or new),
cooking utensils such as spatulas, spoons, tongs
*10 days more to donate to the I-Rise Mission Drive.
| |
|
Rise is a program sponsored by the Reformed Church of Highland Park. It is an official affiliate site of the Untied States Committee for Refugees & Immigrants (USCRI). Its mission is to assist recent refugees and asylees with finding housing and jobs, learning English, cultural orientation, and finding health care and mental health support. Most recently there has been an influx of refugees from Ukraine, Haiti, Afghanistan and South America, many of whom have suffered trauma from wars and extreme poverty. Groups collaborating with I-Rise including Christian churches, mosques, synagogues and local universities. I-Rise welcomes any and all support for their mission and they are grateful to BUMC for assistance with collecting needed items.
*10 days more to donate to the I-Rise Mission Drive.
| |
For Those In Need of Support | |
|
If you have found yourself struggling, or going through a particularly stressful life change, we invite you to meet with one of our Stephen Ministers. In meeting with a Stephen Minister, you will receive one-to-one, confidential, Christ-centered care.
To be connected with a Stephen Minister, please contact Mary Beth Gruber.
| |
- Prayers for Laurie Fontenello
- Prayers for Mike Rubinfeld
- Prayers for Maggie Guyton
- Prayers for Sally Stevenson
-
Prayers for Larry Ebert
| |
|
Food Drive Donations
Thank you for donating food to our neighbors. Please bring your non-perishable/non-expired items to the church, and place them in our “Food Bank” containers.
If you would prefer, you can bring your items to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County located at 7E Easy St, Bound Brook, NJ 08805. Thank you very much.
| |
|
Sharing your gifts with Bridgewater United Methodist Church is extremely important. Without these gifts, BUMC would not be able to provide its programs and ministries for members and friends.
Thank you for your support of BUMC!
You can use this QR code or click here for sharing gifts.
| |
| | | |
