A United Methodist Church prayer on Labor Day:
Blessed are you who seek work but have not found it,
And those whose now is not yet what it may be. . .
Labor Day Sunday
End of summer — and Rev. Catherine Williams will preach the last sermon in the series of the Gospel of the Nobodies on “Labor Day Sunday.” It’s also the last Sunday to join the pick-up choir (come at 9 a.m.). An infant nursery is available, and children will remain with their parents for this family service. Activity bags are available in the narthex.
It is also the “first Sunday,” which means that there will be Holy Communion. This Sunday, it will be by intinction (walk up the aisle, receive the bread, and dip the bread into the cup.) All who believe in the saving grace of Jesus Christ may partake — and you don’t need to be a member of any church.
It is our custom for the pastors to serve Holy Communion to the residents of Stonebridge on the Monday after “first Sundays.” But because that would be Labor Day, Stonebridge residents will receive Communion on the following Monday, September 28. All are welcome here as well.
Let the fall season begin!
Backpack Blessings
Among the many blessings of today’s service was when Rev. Kaleigh Corbett blessed the backpacks at the children’s time. She gave them a take-home memory, their choice of key chains, and then they headed off to “Caring Kids” Summer Sunday with Scott and Deb Sherill. Children and teachers look forward to “Rally Day,” on Sunday, September 13, at 9:30 a.m., when they start the Sunday School year.
But a reminder: Next Sunday, Labor Day weekend, the service is at 10 a.m.
Sharing the Good News: 9/26
Social Media for Church — Sharing the Good Newswith Meredith Gould, author The Social Media Gospel
September 26, 2015, 9AM-4PM
$15 (includes lunch)
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
In this workshop, learn how to create strategy and craft tactics to use social media for communicating church and faith, plus making sure your website works. Lively, interactive, practical with nationally-known expert on church social media. Co-sponsored by: Xaverian Missions and NJ ELCA Synod. Register at: http://bit.ly/1IKs1ld
How to discuss hot button issues
Here is a training announcement from the Greater New Jersey Digest:
Learn productive ways to discuss hot button issues with your church. GNJ’s Board of Church and Society is hosting training focusing on helping church leaders facilitate discussions about difficult social justice topics. United Methodist Women Executive Secretaries Janis Rosheuvel and Mollie Vickery will lead a discussion on Racial Justice and White Privilege. The training will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.at St. John’s UMC (2000 Florence Avenue, Hazlet, NJ 07730). The registration fee is $10 per person. To register or learn more, contact Rev. Jonathan Campbell at pastorjcampbell@hotmail.com or 845-893-9157
Sidebar Stories: real life truths from ‘ordinary experts’
Are you passionate about a cause — neighborhood safety, addiction recovery, affordable education, housing and healthcare, racial equality and relations, veteran issues, incarceration and re-entry, gender issues, economic opportunity, parenting, mental health, gun control, the environment — and you have first hand experience with it?
A new nonprofit, Sidebar Stories, invites anyone to a free workshop this Saturday at PUMC. If you sign up, you will be called an “ordinary expert.” You will learn how to own and tell your story in a way that makes sure it will be felt by those who need to know where you’ve been and what you’ve seen.
Founded by hospice chaplain Ron King, Sidebar Stories helps people connect real life experience, storytelling and visual art. “We offer a full day workshop for people we call ordinary experts to share a personal story related to a significant social issue that has impacted their life (living on minimum wage, urban violence, disability, race relations, veteran’s issues, affordable housing, etc).” says Ron.
At the end of the workshop, you will have made a 3 frame storyboard that can be published or posted to help advocates for your cause determine policies and provide services. Sign up here for the Sidebar Stories pARTy — it’s free, and lunch is included.
“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas in the world today,” says Robert McKee.
And, says Maya Angelou: “There is no greater burden than carrying an untold story.”
It’s OK — whatever you need and how long it takes — it’s OK
For the sermon series “Gospel of the Nobodies,” based on the parable of the Prodigal Son, Rev. Kaleigh Corbett compared the desperation of the Prodigal Son, reduced to slopping pigs, to the desperation felt by those suffering from addiction, depression, self-injury, and suicidal thoughts. Our Associate Pastor for Children and Youth quoted a much-read blog post by Jamie Tworkowski, “There Is Still Some Time” illustrated in a poster above.
If you feel too much, there’s still a place for you here.
If you feel too much, don’t go.
If this world is too painful, stop and rest.
It’s okay to stop and rest.
If you need a break, it’s okay to say you need a break.
This life — it’s not a contest, not a race, not a performance, not a thing that you win.
It’s okay to slow down.
F0r the complete post by the founder of “To Write Love on Her Arms,” click here. It closes with these lines:
Other people feel how you feel.
You are more than just your pain.
You are more than wounds, more than drugs, more than death and silence.
There is still some time to be surprised.
There is still some time to ask for help.
There is still some time to start again.
There is still some time for love to find you.
It’s not too late.
You’re not alone.
It’s okay — whatever you need and however long it takes — it’s okay.
It’s okay.
If you feel too much, there’s still a place for you here.
If you feel too much, don’t go.
The unusual line, as Kaleigh pointed out, is the part about surprise. The good news “is that there is always time for us to be surprised, and there is always time for us to find the love of God no matter how far we stray.”
Here is more from her inspiring sermon
Back to VBS — and back to school!
Bring school supplies — and friends — to Vacation Bible School! Register now, and it starts with a family meal on Tuesday, August 11, at 5:30 p.m. Questions? Kaleigh@princetonumc.org,
The school supplies will be used for the VBS mission project. There are children in our community who will struggle to come to school with everything they need to be part of the fun! Try to bring the supplies to the office — or in the bin by the nursery — before Wednesday morning, but they will be welcome any time.
Crayons Markers Pencils Pens Colored Pencils Erasers Glue/Glue Sticks Rulers Stencils Highlighters Post-it Notes Notebooks All Sizes Folders Book Bags Water Bottles Dictionaries
The Window Riddle
Take a look at the stained glass window on the right. Better yet, go into the chapel and scrutinize it. Where is the door knob? If you are showing the windows to someone, adult or child, ask that question… and ask it to yourself!
In this episode of the popular video series, Chuck Knows Church, “Chuck” explains why churches have stained glass windows. PUMC is so lucky to have such beautiful ones.
The answer to the doorknob question can be found in a Warner Sallman painting. The door has no handle “because we must open our hearts for Jesus to come in.” The chapel is a wonderful place to let that happen.
Keeping watch over their flock by night
Instantly, when we see the phrase “keeping watch over their flock by night,” we recognize it as part of the Christmas story. Scott Sherrill, PUMC’s pastoral assistant, will use the familiar text (Luke 2:8-15) for his sermon on August 9 at 10 a.m. In the Gospel of the Nobodies series, he will talk about “The Night Workers.”
The 21st century night shift is more likely to be stocking shelves than herding sheep — but we’ll see what parallels he draws. Bring your friends, and there is the “Caring Kids” program for nursery through 6th grade!
In this month’s newsletter, Scott affirms: “So many good, vibrant, creative, and engaging things are happening in and through our church. It is a privilege to be a part of a church family that knows how important service is to others in the community, in the area, and in the world. It is a true blessing to be apart of a church that surrounds its members, visitors and community with the love of Christ.”
As you have guessed, the picture shown is of the shepherds in PUMC’s telling of the story of Christ’s birth, December 2014.