This past Monday, several members of our Missions Team went to Philadelphia to see the work God
is doing through Luke and Alisan Billman as part of the Shores of Grace Philadelphia ministry. You
may remember that when our church was first introduced to Luke and Alisan, they were working with
Luke’s brother and sister-in-law, Nic and Rachael Billman, in Recife, Brazil as part of the original
Shores of Grace ministry. Shores of Grace continues to operate in Brazil, and our church still faithfully
supports that ministry through our Faith Promise offerings. We also now support Shores of Grace
Philadelphia, but we had not yet seen the ministry firsthand.
I was thinking about Emmanuel McIntyre as I went on this trip, because as it turns out, the church where Luke and Alisan
are based in the Germantown section of Philadelphia is the same church where I preached my very first “solo” sermon,
similar to what Emmanuel did this past Sunday in our church. I was a ministry intern in the summer of 1976 as a very
young and naïve college student, having just finished my first year of college and having felt the calling to ministry. I
remember (nervously!) preaching two sermons that summer working alongside the Rev. Herb Snyder who became a
mentor to me. Forty three years later, I went back and stood in that same pulpit in a sanctuary which has barely changed
from that time. The parsonage where I lived that summer is the very same place where the Billmans now make their
home with their three children.
The photo below shows our group with the Billmans. Luke and Alisan are to the left and in front. Left to right on the trip
were Alberta Deiter, Lynn Pappalardo, Pat Braun, Nee Dodoo (thanks for driving, Nee!), Joyce Moeller, myself, and Ray
Moeller, seated.
Luke and Alisan are living and working as true servants of Jesus Christ! Luke memorably described a group of people
he’s been working with who are homeless and mostly drug addicts. He was talking to one of the men in the group who
was truly moved by the work Luke and Alisan are doing. He said, “You know, there are three churches that come by here
to give us food each week. They shove the food out of the van and drive off. There are another three who get out of their
vans but they don’t make eye contact with us. But you’re different! You care, you talk to us, you love us.” That kind of
caring opens up the possibility of sharing the Gospel with someone who truly needs it, which they do at every
opportunity.
The Billmans work with the Philly Project (another of our mission partners) to train youth who come for a week to
experience the Philly Project. They train them in street evangelism and to date have provided this training to more than
175 youth. In fact, we were to observe one of these training sessions while we were there, but Philly Project had to
cancel at the last minute. No matter, it provided more time for us to talk to the
Billmans and to ask them many questions. It was a great day, and not because
I was able to walk down “memory lane.” What made it great was seeing not just
two faithful disciples, but an entire faithful family, living out their commitment to
Jesus Christ in a tough neighborhood. Your gifts to Faith Promise will help to
show the Billmans that we care about the important work they do and that they
are an extension of our own ministry! 1
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jim
Linda’s Bargain Box Sale
Do YOU Bake?
at ESUMC
All meetings are
held downstairs in
the Community Room of the
Education Building
*excluding GriefShare*
AA
Keep It Simple
Thursdays & Saturdays
8:00pm-9:00pm
Serenity House
Saturdays
5:30pm-6:30pm
Sundays
4:30pm-6:30pm
NA
Just For Today
Monday-Saturday
12:00pm-1:30pm
New Beginnings
(Women’s Group)
Wednesdays
6:00-7:30pm
Attention Church Planning for the future is hard when you’re still paying
for the past! Listen—there’s a better way! Take control
As ESUMC Laity and Staff begins the planning process of your money with Financial Peace University (FPU)!
for next year’s calendar of events, we’re working This nine-lesson course uses biblical wisdom and
together to plan and coordinate meetings, events and common sense to help you tackle budgeting, pay off
special activities for 2020. debt, and make your money work for you! FPU includes
In reviewing the ministries that fall under the oversight of your member workbook and a year of free online
the Congregational Care Team, we recognize that we resources through Financial Peace Membership. Join us
haven’t held many Fun & Fellowship events since Sarah Wednesday nights at East Stroudsburg United
Kuhnle resigned leadership of the Fun & Fellowship Methodist Church, September 4th—October 30th! For
committee to become our Outreach & Evangelism Team more information, contact Mike & Darla Piancone at
Leader in 2018. In other words, Fun & Fellowship has (570) 421-7443 or fpu.esumc@gmail.com! You can also
been inactive for several months, due the absence of a read about FPU and sign up online at
coordinator. www.fpu.com/1089706.
However, we realize how important these fun,
relationship-building activities can be and we are very
instersted in reviving this ministry!!!! If anyone from the
Church has interest in helping us organize and plan, fun
social events for the Congregation, please let us know!!
Creative thinking, organizing and delegating skills are
highly needed for this role.
If you, or someone you know from ESUMC, is interested
in helping us put Fun & Fellowship back on the calendar,
please reach out to Rachel Thomspon, at
rthompson@esumc.net, for more information on this
important ministry!
What Is GriefShare?
EAST STROUDSBURG
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
83 SOUTH COURTLAND STREET
EAST STROUDSBURG, PA 18301
S U N DAY S E R V I C E S & T I M E S
8:30 AM Traditional Worship 9:45 AM Equipping Hour 10:45 AM Contemporary Worship