Author: barbarafox

Posted on

Ringing for the Red Kettle

All hands are needed to ring the Salvation Army bells in the week before Christmas! Choose your location — Palmer Square, Hinds Plaza, or in front of the church — and sign up early to get the time slot you want. Days: Tuesday to Saturday, December 19 to 24.

These 2013 photos by photographer Edem Timpo show how much fun it is to help people donate to the Salvation Army. Fun — but dress warmly!  Ding aling aling aling!

francisco-cabus-ring-11517193924_6d29ee8255_c
Eileen and Michael Francisco Cabus in 2013, photo by Edem Timpo

These 2013 photos by photographer Edem Timpo show how much fun it is to help people donate to the Salvation Army. Fun — but dress warmly!  Ding aling aling aling!

iona-and-11517279086_2d83e54d2b_c
Tim Ewer and Iona Harding ring the bell in Palmer Square

 

timpo-bell-ring-2013-11517307403_c1a856b1f3_c
Edem Timpo, the photographer, captures her mom taking a donation to the Red Kettle in Palmer Square
lula-2013-11517222724_2a257b1d48_c
Lula Crawford greets passersby in front of ‘the friendly church on the corner.’ Photo by Edem Timpo
Posted on

Celebrate with Bells!

hyosang-1

Celebrate the season with a free Christmas music concert every Sunday at 5 at Princeton United Methodist Church, corner of Nassau and Vandeventer. This Sunday (12/4) hear handbell choirs and a solo handbell artist — Hyosang Park of Duo Grazioso. It’s free! Questions? Call 609-924-2613 or office@PrincetonUMC.org or go to http://princetonumc.org/

On 12/11 enjoy a musical “Twas the Light Before Christmas directed by Tom Shelton plus a potluck dinner and carolilng. On  12/18 choirs and instrumentalists play Christmas carol favorites.   We hope you will join us!

Posted on

Longest Night Service: December 20

2015-12-24-20-15-55Our Longest Night service is a worship gathering — we commemorate the birth of Christ in a manner more subdued than the typically festive Christmas services.

This low-keyed service provides a spiritual and affective space for the grief that accompanies loss of any kind, loss most keenly felt around this time of year. Music, prayers, candles, bells, and rituals all come together in ways designed to support and nurture faith in the midst of loss.

This year’s theme is “The Gift of Love;” it highlights our need to give and to love, and the symbiotic relationship between the two, so beautifully demonstrated in the Christmas story.

We would be pleased to have you join us for this hour of worship and reflection on Tuesday December 20th at 7:30pm, the evening before the winter solstice, the longest night of the year.

Rev. Catherine Williams  Associate Pastor of Pastoral Care

Posted on

Singing Joy and Ringing Faith

2016-11-lower-elementary

Today, to illustrate “giving thanks” for 9:30 service at Children’s Time,  Tom Shelton presented five of the youngest choristers singing folk favorites like  “Kumbayah,” “I’ve Got the Joy in My Heart” and “This Little Light.” It was such a blessing to hear them. Here is the video — see and hear for yourself!

This choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 4:30 and is open to all at no cost. It will join the older children to sing at the 9:30 service on December 4 and to present “Twas the Light Before Christmas,” an Advent musical, on Sunday, December 11, at 5 p.m.

Even the very youngest children, the three-and-four-year-olds, can enjoy singing. Shelton visits their class on some Sunday mornings.

2014-duo-grazioso-21
Duo Grazioso: Hyosang Park, left, solo handbell artist, with pianist Akiko Hosaki

At both the 9:30 and 11 a.m. services, the congregation was blessed by hearing the handbell choir play two spirituals. Enjoy video,  taken from the balcony. Hyosang Park directs the ringers in arrangements by B,  Ingram of “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” and “Swing Low.”

The next opportunity to hear handbells ring will be Sunday, December 4, at 5 p.m., when Park directs the Handbell Choir and the Handbell Ensemble. As a special delight, Park will play solo handbells, along with Akiko Hosaki, as part of Duo Grazioso.

It was a joyful time of giving thanks.

Posted on

Some come for the food, some for the fellowship

cck-teeth
This week a dozen children learned about dental health at Cornerstone Community Kitchen

Cornerstone Community Kitchen served 130 meals on china plates this week; founded in 2012, it is in it’s fifth year. In addition to nutritious meals CCK now offers a clothing closet, art classes, and English as a Second Language lessons.

larry
Larry Apperson, who had b the vision and has the energy to lead the CCK mission.

Just announced: Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert and the Princeton Council will present an award to our Princeton Cornerstone Community Kitchen for the work it is doing in doing in Princeton. 

The presentation will take place on Monday, November 28th, during the Princeton Council meeting. The meeting starts at 7 PM, Municipal Building, 400 Witherspoon Street.

Says Larry Apperson, founder of CCK: “It will be my pleasure and honor to attend and accept the award on behalf of all volunteers that have worked with tireless love to make Cornerstone successful, and on behalf of our financial donors who support our expanding programs so generously.”

Some come for the food, some for the fellowship, all are served on china plates with table decor and live music.  In it’s fifth year it’s fulfilling a real need.

 

Posted on

Brown Bag It on November 20

2016-november-cropped-brown-bagOnce again the children of our Sunday School will decorate shopping bags for the church family to fill, with gratitude, for those who are insecure in providing food for themselves and their families.

On November 20 our sanctuary will be filled with Brown Bags to care for the families and individuals served through Arm in Arm (formerly Crisis Ministry).
Through its three Client Choice Food Pantries, and delivery to the elderly and homebound, Arm in Arm has served more than 4,000 households with high-quality food, nutrition education, and health screening during the last year. More than 40% of its clients are below the age of 17, and 25% are 55 and above. These house-holds have intermittent food insecurity and can “slip between the cracks” of government supports.

arm-in-arm
Princeton UMC has been walking alongside Arm in Arm since it was formed more than 30 years ago. In addi-tion to providing healthy food to our neighbors in Mercer County, Arm in Arm has stabilized the housing of nearly 700 struggling families by helping with back rent or mortgage, rapid rehousing, security deposit help, utilities back payment, and case management. It also provides job skills and employment readiness
So, be part of the hope and join with your congregation in walking “Arm in Arm” with your community. Pack up your bag, fill it with love, gratitude and non-perishable food (especially heart-healthy, low-fat and sugar free varieties). Bring your Brown Bags of Gratitude to the Sanctuary on November 20 and celebrate the grace of God and the generosity of our church family.
Would your committee or small group like to sponsor its own “Brown Bag” meeting? Great idea! For more information and encouragement, contact LaVerna Albury at 609-658-3830.

Posted on

November 13: Nancy Duff, welcome back!

2016-november-umm-duff
Nancy J. Duff

We are so glad to welcome Nancy J. Duff back to PUMC! Nancy will speak at the UMM breakfast in Fellowship Hall on Sunday, November 13, at 8 a.m. Nancy visited us regularly when her husband, David C. Mertz, served here as Associate Pastor. He is now the pastor of First United Methodist Church in Westfield.

Based on her class at the Princeton Theological Seminary on the doctrine of vocation, her topic will be Called by God, exploring four aspects of God’s call in our lives.

  • We are called into being for a divinely appointed purpose.
  • We are called to glorify God in all that we do.
  • We are called to make a space where others can glorify God.
  • We affirm the freedom of God to call individuals to different tasks.

Nancy Duff grew up in Texas and attended Union Presbyterian Seminary in Virginia for her M.Div. and Union Theological Seminary in New York for her Ph.D. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) she has taught Christian Ethics at Princeton Theological Seminary since 1990. Her courses include “The Ethics of Resisting and Accepting Death,” “The Theology and Ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer,” and “The Ethics of the Ten Commandments.” One of her intriguing publications is “Praising God Online”

A hot breakfast is served at 8 am, and the program starts at 8:30. Everyone is invited; a $5 donation is requested.

Posted on

Sing Once, Pray Twice says Dr. Z

2013-dec-zumbrunn-photo“St. Augustine says that to sing once is to pray twice,” says Dr. Karen Fanta Zumbrunn. On Tuesday, November 8 at 10:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall she will share stories about familiar hymns — including special days and childhood favorites — and we will sing our way through the church liturgical year. All women are welcome; bring your own lunch and dessert and beverages will be provided.
Known for her swinging foot-tapping jazz piano style, “Dr. Z” has degrees from Ohio State and Harvard and a Ph.D. from the University of California at Bezumbrunn-cdrkeley. Combining college teaching with performance, she played at the Blue Note in Paris with well-known European and American musicians. A sought-after performer in the area, she has recorded two CDs — Twilight World and  Snowfall with her trio.
As a Christian and a longtime member and Sunday School teacher at PUMC, Karen regularly tutors reading at TASK in Trenton. She shares her enthusiastic music at PUMC’s Advent family celebrations, and for two years directed the musical program at Kingston UMC. She and husband John have two grown children, Sterling & V, and three grandchildren.

Says Karen: “If technology disconnects us from basic human interaction – ALL generations can sing. We unite with those around us and share in faith with those who have gone before us.”