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Interfaith Vigil for Peace and Racial Justice

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In response to the massacre in Charleston, an Interfaith Vigil for Peace and Racial Justice will be held Wednesday, June 24. Sponsored by the Princeton Clergy Association and Mt. Pisgah AME Church and the Coalition for Peace Action, it begins with a march  at 7 p.m. at Mt. Pisgah AME Church, ending at Tiger Park at 7:30 p.m. in Palmer Square. As darkness falls, at 8:45 p.m. there will be a candlelight vigil.

This is one way to respond to Bishop John Schol’s call to prayer: For more information, click here

And here is a post from the United Methodist Church national communications, about a vigil in Charleston, pictured above.

Photo by Lekisa Coleman-Smalls, United Methodist News Service

 

 

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Bishop John Schol’s call to prayer

 Early this morning, in a letter and on the website, Bishop John Schol called for all Greater New Jersey United Methodists to join together to be witnesses to bring an end to violence and racism. “I further call us to prayer. Our actions must be steeped in prayer and let us pray for the nine victims and their families. Let us pray for the Emanuel AME Church and their ministry. Let us pray for the community of Charleston. And let us pray that our words and actions will heal and unite the Church and our communities.”

Here is the complete message from Bishop Schol

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June 14 Celebration Potluck Luncheon

Since my childhood, one thing I have always associated with being a Methodist is food, particularly potlucks. When Methodists celebrate, there is always a potluck.

On June 14, we have a LOT to celebrate. On that Sunday in worship, we will be recognizing our high school graduates, the acolytes, the Discipleship Bible Study members, our Sunday School teachers, the PUMC scholarship recipients, and our youth volunteers.

AND we will be recognizing and celebrating the Gillette family as Pastor Anna, Trey, Eric, Jeff and Peter leave us as Anna becomes Senior Pastor of Marlton United Methodist Church. We have been so blessed to have Anna, Trey and their family with us.

Let’s do what we do best – celebrate with food and fellowship. We will gather for a potluck lunch in the Fellowship Hall following the 11 o’clock service.

So pull out and dust off that favorite family recipe. If you like, bring a few copies to share! Stay tuned for how to sign up.

Let’s celebrate the Methodist way – with food and fellowship!

– Iona Harding

 

 

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UMC bishops for pro-humanity church

At a conference in Berlin, 70 years after World War II, The United Methodist Council of Bishops issued a pastoral letter on racism to the 12.8 million people of The United Methodist Church affirming the sacredness of all lives and renewing their commitment to work for an anti-racist, pro-humanity church.

Racism is prejudice plus intent to do harm or discriminate based on a belief that one is superior or has freedom to use power over another based on race. . .

The evidence is overwhelming that race still matters, that racism is woven into institutional life and is problematic to communal health. This reality impacts every area of life – in the church and in the world. . .

We commit to lead, model and engage in honest dialogue and respectful conversation and invite people of faith everywhere to join us.  Let us repent of our own racial bias and abuse of privilege. . .

 We renew our commitment to work for a Church that is anti-racist and pro-humanity, believing that beloved community cannot be achieved by ignoring cultural, racial and ethnic differences, but by celebrating diversity and valuing all people.

For the complete letter, click here.

Our own bishop, Bishop John Schol, just returned from that conference in Berlin. In his pastoral letter, he writes

You cannot visit a concentration camp and ever be the same again. I plead with you that when you see prejudice and hatred in the world to do something. As a people of faith we are called to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God. – Micah 6:8.

 

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Getting our fingernails dirty — close to home

These volunteer opportunities refer to organizations on PUMC’s outreach web page — or speakers at a United Methodist Men’s breakfast within the past two years. Each has current volunteer opportunities. The PrincetonUMC blog has live links to the web pages.

Boy Scouts of the USA.

CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates: trained volunteers represent children at court.

Contact of Mercer County: compassionate listening, crisis intervention and safety services.

Cornerstone Community Kitchen: meal prep & cleanup, scheduling, sorting clothing.

Crisis Ministry: food pantry, assistance with rent, utilities, medicines: cooking demonstration assistant, and pantry intake helpers.

 A Future with Hope: rebuilding homes and lives after Hurricane Sandy: weeklong construction projects, or donate, or sell tickets to the Thunder game June 9th.

HomeFront : helping homeless families: tutors, computer tech, clerical

Housing Initiatives of Princeton : paint, probono services, advocate for affordable housing.

The HUB: drop-in Saturdays for those with unique challenges: friendly helpers.

Isles: garden docents, organizing IT equipment, event photographer, special projects

Mercer Street Friends: teach computer skills, write tech support or FAQ documents, collect and refurbish computers, one-time parenting workshops like scrapbooking, resume building.

Not in Our Town: an interracial, interfaith social action group, programs vs prejudice.

Princeton Community Housing: affordable rental housing. need PUMC representative.

Princeton Healthcare System: reception, visiting, retail.

Princeton Human Services: help with events like the Wheels Rodeo.

Princeton Senior Resource Center: Visit shut-ins, read to children, assist in office.

Threads of Hope: once monthly Saturdays — sort clothing, offer hospitality

Trenton Area Soup Kitchen: tutor, serve meals on 4th Tuesdays,

Salvation Army of NJ: teach brass instrument, event photographs, registration, teaching.

Urban Promise Trenton: afterschool and camp programs: tutoring, teaching.

Volunteer Connect: nonprofit for skills-based volunteer jobs

Womanspace: residential emergency shelter program for battered women and their children: tutors, Spanish translators, collecting newspaper stories for  grant applications.

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Help give homeless children the best summer ever!

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For homeless and vulnerable children in our community, summer often means facing dangerous streets, not having enough food to eat, suffering significant learning loss and missing out on lots of fun. Hard economic times have increased the number of families coming to HomeFront, for help….and they are turning to us.

Can you sponsor a homeless child for HomeFront’s camp program this summer?  One child, one week: $135. We will be gathering a special collection through June 1 to spread God’s love among the most vulnerable members of our immediate community.
Please make your check payable to Princeton UMC and enter: HomeFront Summer Camps in the memo line. Your gift will be collected and blessed with our regular offering.  Thank you for your generosity.

Other opportunities to serve the homeless families of Mercer County through HomeFront:
-volunteers age 17-25 are needed to staff summer camp
–volunteers of any age are needed for administrative help
-volunteers for HomeFront’s GED program: especially in math
-matching gift donations to renovate a large new housing facility
–donations: new linens, housewares, furniture, to equip transitional homes
-large freezer for donated food

To help, visit HomeFrontNJ.org or call 609-989-9417, x 107.

 

 

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UMM Breakfast: Summer Camps by Home Front

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Connie Mercer, founder of Home Front, helps us celebrate Mothers’ Day by telling about summer camp for 165 children from struggling families. Sponsored by the United Methodist Men, who provide a delicious hot breakfast with all the trimmings, the breakfast is Sunday, May 10, 8 to 9:15 a.m. and is open to all. Suggested donation, $5.

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Children in Mission: May 10

group photo kits P1010888 cropped During Lent, the 2nd-5th grade Sunday School Students collected supplies and bagged hygiene kits which Church World Service will distribute to those in need. Thanks to all who participated!! We made 31 kits and learned about service in a hands on way. All the teachers were very proud of the enthusiasm for helping others that the children demonstrated.

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On Sunday May 10 during 9:30 Worship, we will bless these kits before mailing them to CWS for distribution. The children will have the opportunity to help with the presentation. 

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Hyosang Park, solo handbells on 6/7

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One person, two bells is the usual method for playing handbells. In fact, fewer than a dozen solo handbell artists using four octave handbells concertize in the Eastern United States.

This rare kind of concert will be held on Sunday, June 7, at 4 p.m., when PUMC’s music director, Hyosang Park performs. Hyosang and pianist Akiko Hosaki comprise Duo Grazioso, and they attract wide renown.

Duo Grazioso will also make a special appearance on Saturday, May 9 at 4 p.m. when the ringers from Westminster Choir College will perform. Tickets are $20, $15 for seniors.

Hyosang directs the PUMC handbell choir, which plays for worship on second Sundays. Four ringers from that choir == Anna Gillette, Alex Farkas, Robert Scheffler, and Bill Gardner — will contribute to the June 7th program.

So come and bring your friends and those who love handbells! This concert is free, and the freewill offering will benefit the Ministry Fund.

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