Author: barbarafox

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Finding Community at VBS

VBS 2014 Eby, Gillette, Roth, Blomgren, BarnesIf we look through the Vacation Bible School albums from years past, we see pictures of children who were in VBS just a short time ago — it seems like seconds — and now they are working in mission on the Appalachia Service Project. The fun and learning that happened  in church, at Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, has helped kids grow up to be Christian adults.

Vacation Bible School this year is three evenings, August 11 to 13, 5;30 to 8 p.m. Children will learn about God’s people (like Sarah and Abraham) and the parables of Jesus (the Good Samaritan). They will learn why it’s important to love your neighbor, and  do hands-on mission projects to help others.

Making Christian education happen is so important. Invite your neighbor’s children!

VBS is also a chance to be in community.  All adults, not just parents, are invited to join VBS for the family meal at 5:30 or for the closing worship at 7:45.

Please pray for the VBS team to effectively tell of God’s love. Call Kaleigh at 609-924-2613 or email kaleigh@princetonumc.org

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Caring Kids for August 2

Helping our children to have a “sense of mission,” to learn how to help others, is our focus this summer. After Children’s Time, preschoolers through rising 6th grade can choose whether to stay in worship or go to Caring Kids. Each week has a different focus — a Bible story and an activity. Last week in the Caring Kids program, the children made paper hand “hugs” for teens going away to college, based on I Corinthians 16:20:

All the friends here say hello! Pass the greetings around with holy embraces!

hugThis week, August 2,  children will make “Get Well Soon” gift bags for people Pastor Catherine visits while they are sick. In weeks to come, they will make “Welcome” signs for children whose families have just moved to Princeton so their parents can attend seminary and, on another Sunday, placemats for Cornerstone Community Kitchen.

 

 

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Communion Offering: Mercer Street Friends Food Bank

 

20121107-202343.jpgThis Sunday, August 2, our Communion Offering will support the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank.   It has been a leader in our community ‘s response to hunger in Mercer County since 1987.

The Food Bank originated with a simple aim: to link donated food to people in need. Today they are the largest source of government and privately donated food in Mercer County. 2.5 million pounds of food and groceries are distributed to 60 charitable food providers, such as food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters each year.

Your support enables Mercer Street Friends to provide efficient and effective food collection and distribution so that people in need can access free groceries and wholesome meals from a charitable food provider in their neighborhood.
Thank you for your generosity.

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Back to school?

ss 4-5 sageser

Love children and youth? Want to make a difference in a child’s life? Want to help our children and youth explore the love of God? Then teaching Sunday School might just be for you! The Education Committee is looking for a few more Sunday School teachers for the 2015-16 year. No teaching experience necessary – we will provide you with the curriculum and help you with resources. Can’t commit to every week? That’s ok too! Many of our teachers rotate and work together to create a calendar that works for them. We have openings for all ages (elementary, middle, and high school). Interested? Call or Email Kaleigh (kaleigh@princetonumc.org).

 

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Caring Kids for Summer Sundays

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Emily Gordonier reports on the Caring Kids program on July 19. “Carline Kimble and I led 7 delightful children in a crayon recycling program,” says Emily. “They enjoyed working together to sort broken crayons, gathered from throughout the church by by color, putting them into separate plastic bags. We wound up with a total of two gallons of crayons to be sent to a recycling company in Minnesota, Crazy Crayons, where they will be melted and used to make ‘new’ crayons for children in schools, hospital and churches.”

Children in preschool through rising sixth grade are invited to go to “Caring Kids” in Room 202 after the Children’s Time. Each Sunday they get to work on a different mission task. On July 12, the children wrote “encouragement” letters to soldiers.  Each week they take on a different mission task!

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Midsummer Opportunity on July 21

jie midsummer

Often PUMC participates in the Princeton Regional Chamber’s annual Midsummer Marketing Showcase (shown above, from 2013, Jie Hayes and Iona Harding spinning the wheel made by Tim Ewer). This year it’s Tuesday, July 21, from 4 to 7 p.m., Though we don’t have a table, we can all just go and mingle, talk to old and new friends, sample food and freebies, and enjoy the festivities. And it’s free!

Four years ago at this event, I encountered a sign designer, Raul Gutierrez and his wife Claire. Raul volunteered his services, pro bono, to create a much needed plan for wayfinding (direction) signs for PUMC. His plan was the basis for the first set of paper signs that we had. Now he’s helping us with the designs for permanent ones.

So if you can go to this event, identify yourself as a chamber member from PUMC!  You may meet someone who needs to explore their faith. You may meet someone you can do do business with. You never know what can happen from a chance encounter!

signed — Barbara Fox

 

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Welcome to Scott Sherrill!

scott sherrill headshotWe welcome Scott Sherrill as our new pastoral assistant, serving 1/4 time, in charge of fostering multi-generational ministries for our PUMC family. Prior to serving at PUMC he was the Education Intern at Trinity Episcopal, the Pastoral Intern at First UMC of Hightstown, the Lay Leader at Painesdale UMC and a frequent preacher at Chambers UMC.

Scott has been pitching right in, all along, to the work of this church. Last year, for instance, he helped with Vacation Bible School. Last month he preached on “God is Always With Us,” using as his text Psalm 121. He will preach again on August 9.

Scott will begin his third year at Princeton Theological Seminary in the fall as a M.Div student. Originally from Michigan and most recently the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Scott and his wife Deb — who is our fabulous office administrator — are enjoying the area but miss their kids, grandkids, and regular bridge games. Anyone for bridge?

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Families at 10

family fun in balconyNow that the church is air conditioned. it’s cool enough for families to sit in the balcony, where the kids can see what’s going on. They hurry up to the altar for Children’s Time, and then they are off to the Caring Kids program, where the craft is a mission project. All at 10 AM on Summer Sundays. Special for July — Lemonade on the Lawn for July 12.

 

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Grieving for the Charleston Nine

NINE_VICTIMS.transNot in Our Town will convene a special public session on Monday, July 6, at 7 p.m. to give all those affected by the tragic shooting deaths in Charleston an opportunity to openly express our sorrow, pain, anger, and fear. PUMC supports NIOT  and PUMC members are especially invited. This session of Continuing Conversations on Race and White Privilege will take place on the third floor of the Princeton Public Library and will have this format.

The environment will support deep and serious listening, say the organizers. “We will begin in some centered, reflective silence. Then we will ask people to freely verbalize their feelings and sorrow about the deaths. We will maintain 30 seconds of silence after each person expresses his/her thoughts. No questions or comments are to be made in response. African-American attendees will be given the opportunity to speak first, followed by each of those gathered as time permits.”

PUMC supports NIOT and PUMC members are especially invited.

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Third Anniversary for PCCK

outside chris cox and university volunteer at barbecueHere is a link to the article in the Princeton Sun about the third anniversary of Princeton Cornerstone Community Kitchen, and the Sun used this photo, with Chris Cox and a university volunteer. Who remembers July 4, 2012 when — because TASK was closed for the holiday — we brought out the grills and cooked an Independence Day feast on the lawn.  So much progress since then.

“This could not have happened without the many volunteers from The Jewish Center, Princeton University, local churches, high schools, others in the community, as well as the support of the Princeton United Methodist Church,” says Larry Apperson, the long-time PUMC member who founded  Cornerstone Community Kitchen. “June 3rd was the 158th consecutive Wednesday, including the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas, that PCCK, in partnership with TASK, has served a free meal to those in the community.”

As we post this, today is another Wednesday, folks are getting ready to welcome today’s visitors, and you can bet the decor will be in red white and blue! Soon — there will be a free bus to take our guests home after dinner.