THE TRUMPET CALL

Oct 2015

East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church

INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:

Our Vision

Stephen Ministry

Church Repairs

Opportunities

Discipleship

Planting Seeds

Sunday Services

Calendar

Traditional 8:30 am
Contemporary 10:45 am

Womens Retreat

To challenge and encourage everyone in our congregation to know and follow

Christ by:

Growing as disciples through Christs teachings

Connecting with one another in Christian community
Serving Christ by serving others
Praising God as we worship Christ

Sunday School/Discipleship Classes 9:45 am

Pastors Corner
As the weather turns colder, our thoughts turn to those who are without proper
shelter. I have heard troubling stories this past week about some of the area's
unsheltered people being kicked out of temporary shelters. If even the
temporary shelters are taken away, are they supposed to sleep exposed to the
elements? This past Monday night, we had one of our largest groups ever
show up for the Community Meal. A recent newspaper article quoted statistics
which say that one out of every three residents of East Stroudsburg borough,
and 27% of the residents of Stroudsburg borough, are below the poverty line.
This compares with a state average of 13.3% and a national poverty average
of 14.9%

Photo Caption

In light of the many challenges our area faces with those near or below the
poverty line, we could easily become depressed or overwhelmed. However,
there is good news to report! Last week, there was a "summit" of sorts
between our church, the Salvation Army, and the Street to Feet Day Center.
There have been some recent issues with communication between our various
agencies, and though the meeting started off tense with some defensiveness
being exhibited, by the end of the meeting we (with the power and presence of
God) had cleared the air and were in a much better place. Indeed, an email I
received right after the meeting from someone who had previously sent a
negative email was now positive, and the person was looking forward to our
next gathering -- praise the Lord!

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At our Community Meal this past Monday night, five persons showed up
from St. Matthew's Roman Catholic Church to volunteer in our soup
kitchen. Their new pastor, Father Shantillo, has been making a point with
his congregation that they need to be serving out in the community, and
they are definitely listening to him and taking the message to heart. We
appreciate this ecumenical cooperation, and if and when St. Matthew's
starts its own soup kitchen, we want to be ready to go over and support it
and return the favor.
On Friday morning, October 16, there will be a Homeless Summit in the
northwestern part of our county at Mt. Pocono UMC. Several of us,
including Faith Waters, Ana Price, other local people involved in homeless
ministry, and I will go to Mt. Pocono to give encouragement and resources
to our brothers and sisters who will begin to coordinate their homeless
response in that part of Monroe County. State Sen. Mario Scavello will be
there to lend his support, too.
These are all very encouraging signs and remind us how important
cooperation is among God's people. Looking at the challenges as an
individual or as a lone congregation, they are indeed daunting. King
Solomon, writing in Ecclesiastes, reminds us of the power of "greater than
one" in addressing challenges: "And though one might prevail against
another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly
broken" (Ecclesiastes 4:12). When we partner with someone else doing
God's work, we are a three-fold cord, as God is that third cord which binds
us together and gives us strength.
This Sunday, the theme of our Changing Lives series is "Connect." What
can you do to help connect with others doing God's will in the community?
Here's an idea: the cold weather shelter will be opening at the
Stroudsburg Wesleyan Church on November 1. Per borough ordinance in
Stroudsburg, the church cannot open the shelter until about 10 p.m., but
of course it gets dark and cold long before that. The church would like to
offer activities for people before 10 p.m., which would allow them to
welcome the homeless at 7:30 or 8:00. This could be games, Bible Study,
or other activities, and it is too much of a burden to place this level of
organization on the Wesleyan Church for a five month period. One of the
church's pastors has told me the church would be grateful for any help we
could offer. This does not involve sleeping over, but simply leading
activities for a period of time. Please let me know if this is something you'd
like to be involved in, and I'll connect you with the right people at the
Wesleyan Church. However it is you connect with others in the church
and community, may you feel the presence of God in that!
Pastor Jim (jtodd@esumc.net)
UMW Events All women of the church are invited to
all UMW meetings and events. The Northeast District
meeting will be Oct 3 at Pocono Lake UMC FROM 92. Linda Drake will speak about her Thailand mission trip.
November 10th will be the Thank Offering meeting at 9
a.m. in the Bridal Lounge.
Dec 11 will be set up for Breakfast with St Nicholas which
is Dec 12. We hope to see many of you. Questions?
Please contact Linda Drake at 570-856-9395.

Childrens Workshop Rotation 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Sunday

The theme of this years workshop rotation is Healing, Miracles, Compassion and
Power
Here are the stories/topics that will be learned:
Four Friends (Luke 5: 17-26)
The Widows Mite (Mark 12: 38-44)
Advent and Christmas (Matthew 1:18-25; 2: 1-12)
The Call of Moses - The Burning Bush (Exodus 3: 1-15)
Moses, Plagues and Passover (Exodus 7: 14-12:32)
Easter- Trial and Crucifixion (Luke 19: 28-40; 22:14-23:56;224: 1-12)
The Resurrection (Matthew 21: 1-11, 27:32-66, and 28: 1-10)

Stephen Ministry

Support
When I said, My foot is slipping, your love, O Lord, supported me. Psalm 94:18
Support is something we
all need. God gives us support
through Christian brothers and
sisters. Let us all be sensitive to
one anothers needs and take time
to support each other through
prayers, phone calls, encouraging
chats after church, visits. For
those experiencing life struggles
that seem to be overwhelming,
please consider a Stephen Minister to walk beside you! For more
information about Stephen Ministry, please contact Peggy Strack,
570-421-3280, ext. 1023.
Members of ESUMC who are no
longer able to attend church, always enjoy hearing from
you! Cards and notes of encouragement may be sent to:
Beverly Beck, Edgehill Nursing
and Rehab Center, Room
119, 146 Edge Hill Road
Glenside Pa. 19038
Hearing Assistance
Devices are Here!
ESUMC now owns several hearing
assistance devices which can be
worn to improve your ability to
hear our worship services. Please
contact an usher to pick up your
hearing assistance device and
return to an usher after use.

The Joyful Noises Quartet

CD: We can now offer our
CD for sale. Price is $10
and $3 goes back to the
Church Mission effort,
(youth, adult or community). See Doug, Pete,
Bob, or the Church Office,
for the CD, titled Beautiful
Savior.

The Chili Cook Off

is scheduled for
Nov. 14th from
4:30pm- 7:30pm
4:30 pm-5:30 pm Dinner
5:30 pm-6 pm Judging of
Desserts
6 pm-7 pm Games

7 pm Prizes

Childrens Church
for Children in
Grades K-3
We need 2 volunteers each
week. It will begin at about
11 a.m. when the children in
grades K-3 are dismissed
from the Contemporary Service and concludes at the
end of the service. Material
will be provided to conduct
Childrens Church. Please
pray and think about volunteering for this important
ministry. Email Pam OBrien
pobrien@esumc.net.

Front of ESUMC

Church Brick Pointing

Hello Fellow Parishioners,
The Trustees would like to fill you in on the major upgrades we are undertaking on
the exterior of the church. You may have noticed the driveway blocked off and
the scaffolding on the front of the church. Slate, mortar and concrete in old buildings need to be replaced in time due to the extreme weather changes and constant exposure to sun, rain and heavy snow. We have had some problems with
leaks and water damage on the south side (dialysis side) in the balcony stairway.
Beside the leaks on the south side we also noticed a large crack in the brick in the
shape of a stairway down the north side (office side) of the church. A roofer and
fellow parishioner, Bill Hund, found several displaced slate on the sanctuary roof
and a couple of masons looked at this crack and said it was imperative to correct
this defect on the north side before ice formed in the crack and we had some major leaking problem on that side of the church. We hired a mason, Tony Ascherl,
who has pointed out other areas that have required immediate repair. We are so
happy to have this work taken care of before we have enormous problems, but it
is depleting our Capital Reserves to $0. These projects (roof repair was $6,360
and masonry repairs so far $25,000) are relatively inexpensive in comparison to
the cost of Stroudsburg United Methodists $200,000 exterior repairs. We hope
we are helping to prevent further interior damage by tackling this problem now
before it escalates into something more major. If anyone can make a donation to
help bring our Capital Reserves back up we would appreciate it. This fund is there
for crisis situations and God only knows what is around the corner on another
rainy day. Your donation is greatly appreciated.
Another item the Trustees would like to address is thanking SWAT (Seasoned
Workers Action Team) for their hard work in cleaning the church over the past
several months. The Fellowship Hall has had some major cleaning done as well
as the kitchen. I do believe we have the cleanest kitchen in all of Monroe County
due to the diligence of these hard workers and Ana Prices leadership. We are
blessed beyond measure for the contributions of time and effort by all who come
to help out. Please note that this team of workers meets once a month and welcome all who want to contribute. It is fun, productive, and seeing the results
makes it worth the effort. We want to have Gods home clean and well maintained. So come join us on October 26, at 9am. Light tasks, heavy tasks, whatever, there is a job for all. Contact person : Bob at 570 223-7076.
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Connie Moyer

Opportunities to Serve
Counter
We are in need of a counter, now that Gertrude Blitz has moved to
Nevada.
Two counters meet Monday mornings from about 9-11 a.m., and work
with the Financial Secretary to count the gifts.
Job Requirements: Honest , good with basic math skills, ability to
maintain privacy and confidentiality, and able to commit to this job on a
weekly basis.
If interested, contact the office at (570) 421-3280, ext. 1025.

Blood Drive
November 10th. 1 pm 6pm. Need volunteers to help unload and load
truck around Noon and then again at 6pm when drive is over.

Discipleship For Youth and Adults

Here is a great lineup for the first part of the Fall; seven
opportunities for you to deepen your faith:
The Stine class, using a study on the Book of Acts. Meets in Rm.
10, downstairs in the main building.
The Brown/Rosenberger class, using a study on
prayer. Meets in Rms. 8-9, downstairs in main building.
Womens Study Group, Discovering God's Will for Your Life,
from Women of Faith. Meets in Choir Room, downstairs in main
building.
Tim Malefyt leads Life, Money, Legacy by Dave Ramsey. Meets in
office building, Conference Room on 1st Floor.
Cathy Saunders leads Believe as Jesus Believed; the
Transformed Mind. Meets in office building, Stephen Ministry Room,
2nd floor.
Sharon Hachtman leads, Face to Face, Meets in Mens
Classroom off of Oberholtzer Hall.
Bob Hachtman leads a study for leaders of CATCH, Meets in
Bridal Lounge off of Oberholtzer Hall.
Since classes have already started, there is no need to sign up: just find
the class you want to attend and go! Everyone will be accommodated!
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The altar flowers are sponsored by

individuals in honor or celebration
of a loved one living or deceased,
and as well are given to the Glory
of God. Starting in October, the
cost of Altar Flowers will increase
from $15 per vase to $25. You
can still sponsor one or two arrangements, as you wish. There
will also be a new procedure for
ordering flowers. A list will be submitted to the Florist on a monthly
basis, so if you are ordering flowers for November, the cut-off will
be October 30th. You can place an
order by calling the church office
with your request or sending an
email to Maria or Mike
at
church@esumc.net . On the
weeks where no one is sponsoring
flowers, our beautiful silk arrangements will adorn the Altar. Many
thanks for your cooperation in this
transition.

Open Positions at
ESUMC
Due to the recent restructuring
of our music ministry and a
staff resignation, we have
some open positions for the
congregation to consider.
These are positions which can
be either paid or volunteer, and
you are welcome to share them
with your friends who may be
interested and qualified. They
are: Director of Bell Choirs and
Chimers, Director of Chancel
and Childrens Choirs, and Director of Childrens Ministries.
Please see or contact Jill
Malefyt for more information:
jillb@ptd.net.

Planting Seeds for

Ministry Growth is

an annual
training at
Hopewell
United Methodist church
near
Downingtown.
This years
event is
scheduled for
Saturday, November 7, 2015,
from 1:30-6:30 pm. The theme
this year is A Force
OUTSIDE the Fortress, which will
help train, empower, and inspire
Gods people to step beyond the
fortress of the church building and
fully deploy the mission of Jesus
into the world.

Calendar

Keynote speaker this year is The

Rev. Mike Slaughter, lead
pastor of Ginghamsburg UMC in
Ohio. Since his appointment to
that church in 1979, Mike has led
the congregation in attendance
from 90 to almost 5000. A leading
figure in the missional church
movement, his Sudan Project
initiative has invested over $6.1
million in Darfur since 2005. He
has written numerous books,
including Christmas is Not Your
Birthday, which encourage all
Christians to be in mission to a
hurting world.
Detailed information about this
12th Annual Planting Seeds for
Ministry Growth event, including
ministry workshop descriptions,
schedule, and registration, is
available at
http://www.hopewellumc.org/
planting-seeds. A print-and-mail
registration form is available there
as well. Please dont delay in registering. Seating and workshop
slots are limited. We hope to have
a good representation from
ESUMC, and Pastor Jim or Scott
will be driving one of our church
vans for all who would like to go.
We will leave at 11:30 a.m. (pack
a bag lunch) and return by about
8:30 p.m. Please let them know
you are registered so that we have
an accurate count for the van.

Contact Us

Events

Office (570) 421-3280

church@esumc.net

Paragraph about events

HIKING There will a church hike on Oct. 25 for our annual best trail hike on

the AT near Camp Mohican in NJ. The views are spectacular for this approx. 3
hour hike. Bring lunch, snacks, water and enjoy the exercise. Meet in the Church
parking lot at 12:30 p.m. we leave at 12:45 sharp. Also, trying to organize a
week day hike. Anyone interested in that or questions with the 10/25 hike, call
Bob, 570 223-7076

SWAT Monthly meeting of Seasoned Workers Action Team will be on Mon-

day, Oct. 26 from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Meet in the conference room of the office
bldg. For new people this group does odd jobs around the church, (painting,
cleaning, etc.). We also have a few laughs and get things done for the betterment
of our facility. any questions, call Bob at 570 223-7076.

Organ Concert
October 18, 3:00 pm Organ Concert by Christopher Johnson of
NYC with sacred, classic, and Broadway styles, plus our own bell
ringers, sax, timpani, and piano. Fine Art Exhibit all day of works by
12 artists of our congregation! Open to the public, free. Bring your friends for a
delightful concert and beautiful welcoming reception.

Pastor
Jim Todd
jtodd@esumc.net
(570) 421-1014
Secretary
Maria Rogonese
mragonese@esumc.net
(570) 421-1010
Congregational Care
Peggy Strack
pstrack@esumc.net
(570) 421-1023
Youth Ministries
Scott Kuhnle
skuhnle@esumc.net
(570) 421-1013
Childrens Ministries
Pam OBrien
pobbrein@esumc.net
(570) 421-1017

Bell Choir
Bell Choir will play this Sunday morning at both services!
Come, listen, and be blessed!

Finances
Sue Mertz
smertz@esumc.net
(570) 421-1015
Financial Secretary
Cyndie Faunce
cfaunce@esumc.net
(570) 421-1025
Maintenance
William Mack
wmack@esumc.net
(570) 421-1018
Organist/Trad. Worship
Pauline Fox
pfoxes@esumc.net
Audio/Visual
Joe Dorsch
josephdorsch@gmail.com

East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church

83 S. Courtland St.
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
www.esumc.net

Contemporary Worship
Doug Malefyt
dmalefyt@esumc.net
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