Community – Page 8 – Princeton UMC Blog

March 21, 2018March 21, 2018

Prayers for all involved

Pastor Ginny Cetuk wrote about the incident on Nassau Street yesterday; a standoff between the police and an armed man in Panera Bread ended in tragedy. An excerpt below, the complete text here.

…..At the same time, I am deeply saddened by the death of the man. We are called to pray for him and for his family. We cannot know the desperation he knew that led to his actions, but God does.

Please join me in praying also for all involved today. No doubt the shock and trauma of their encounter with such a volatile and violent situation will last for a long time. The next time you visit Panera Bread, I hope you will express your concern for the employees you encounter.

And, finally, let us pray for all who have some kind of mental illness that leads them to feel lost and hopeless. They and their families need our support and prayers…..

Blessings in Christ,
Ginny

Pastor Trey Wince was quoted in this Courier News article by Nick Muscavage about the standoff.

For some time, Princeton United Methodist Church allowed members of the public in to warm up over a bowl of free soup, but later was put on lockdown too. The church, which is on the corner next to the Panera, was offering free tortilla soup as part of its Lenten luncheon program.

But the Rev. Trey Wence decided to invite in “rubberneckers” for some hot soup and fellowship. “The theme of our Lenten celebration is Help a Neighbor, and this seemed to fit,” Wence said.

August 18, 2017October 6, 2020

Christian musical heritage: September 12

Singing has been an important part of Christian worship since the church’s foundation. Join Dr. Karen Zumbrunn on Tuesday, September 12 as she traces our Christian musical heritage from Gregorian chant through Gospel music including a rich sampling of African-American spirituals. We will learn the background and sing heartily selections including “Give Me That Old Time Religion,” “Do Lord,” “Down By the Riverside,” and others.

This Circle of Friends program begins at 10:30. Bring your lunch and a friend– beverages & dessert provided! Let’s worship God in song!

July 13, 2017October 6, 2020

Ecumenical Service August 6

Everyone is invited to participate in Princeton’s Joint Effort Safe Streets Program from August 4 to 13. Entitled “Looking Back and Moving Forward” it will focus on the historic role of the black church in the Witherspoon-Jackson (W-J) community. For details, click here.

A Joint Effort Princeton Ecumenical Service will be held at the Miller Chapel of the Princeton Theological Seminary at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 6. It will recall the stories of the black churches in Princeton in words and music.

“The black church in Princeton — including Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church, First Baptist Church of Princeton, Mt. Pisgah African Methodist Episcopal Church, and Morning Star Church of God in Christ — has a story of faith, leadership, history, and community service and is a treasure trove of events and personalities of the W-J community,” says lead organizer John Bailey, a Denver-based political who grew up in Princeton. He launched this celebration a decade ago.

A youth basketball clinic is scheduled for Friday, August 11 from 9 a.m. to noon on the Community Park courts, and the Pete Young Sr. Memorial Safe Streets Basketball Games will take place all day on Sunday, August 13, also on the CP basketball courts.

Other highlights include a time capsule ceremony; a critical issues discussion; awards ceremonies for area youth, elected officials, and community leaders; a golf long ball contest; an art and photography exhibit; a book signing and dialogue with Kathryn Watterson; a walking tour; a community concert; music and other entertainment; workout and conditioning sessions; and more. Here is the schedule.

June 20, 2017October 6, 2020

New Breakfast Program

Ross Wishnick and Larry Apperson made this exciting announcement:

After several months of planning and discussions, we are pleased to announce the commencement of a new and free breakfast program that will begin on Tuesday June 27 at the Witherspoon Presbyterian Street Church. The collaborators of this new initiative includes Princeton Cornerstone Community Kitchen, Princeton Human Services and Send Hunger Packing Princeton, the Witherspoon Presbyterian Street Church. and the Trenton Department of Parks and Recreation.

First, we’d like to acknowledge our gratefulness to the Church for their enthusiastic willingness to host the breakfast all summer long. And second, we’d like to thank Trenton’s Fiah Gussin, Trenton Parks and Recreation, for the support she has provided in helping us get the program approved by the USDA.

The meals will be available from 7:30 to 8:30 Monday through Friday throughout the summer. They are available for Youths 18 years of age and younger. The meals need to be consumed on premises. The address is 124 Witherspoon Street, the corner of Witherspoon and Quarry Streets. Children will be greeted at the door

This new program is an exciting addition to the already robust and growing sources of food and meals in our Princeton Community. More information can be obtained by calling the Human Services office at 609-688-2055.

Ross Wishnick

Larry Apperson

June 9, 2017October 6, 2020

Passing the baton with Brahms: Lyn Ransom

Princeton UMC has been blessed with wonderful music directors; Lyn Ransom held that post 30 years ago, in the same time period that she founded the VOICES chorale. After 30 years she is retiring from VOICES; she will direct the Brahms Requiem with the Riverside Symphonia on Friday, June 16, at 8 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium.

Also on the program is Randall Thompson’s Frostiana. Soloists include Rochelle Ellis, soprano, and Mischa Bouvier, baritone.

The choristers from Voices were kind enough to sing (excerpt here) at the memorial service for Lynn Hight, who with her husband Bill was a charter member.

The Brahms is “deeply spiritually based in me,” she told Anthony Stoeckert for an article in the Packet. “I’ve just loved this piece and I’ve identified with it.”

For tickets, ranging from $25 to $45, click here.

April 21, 2017October 6, 2020

Communiversity is April 30

Youth will lead the 9:30 a.m. service, under the direction of Skitch Matson, and Tom Shelton will direct musical selections from the Youth Choir.

At 1 p.m. the Communiversity fun begins. The Feed Truck Cafe begins to serve espresso, and the ASP bake sale begins. At 2 p.m. enjoy the musical, directed by Thomas Shelton. Lots of folks will be able to access PUMC rest rooms and enjoy the seating in the Feed Truck Cafe. A prize wheel will entice passersby, and we host two charities — the birds from Woman, Cradle of Abundance, and Womanspace.

Join us! we need volunteers!

March 9, 2017October 6, 2020

Cooks in Our Kitchen

On almost every Friday this spring, we welcome cooking classes to our kitchen. Princeton Adult School held two classes in February, and a mouth-watering array of menues will be prepare by five different cooks. Prices range from $60 for one class to $130 or $170 for three classes — and of course you get to taste what you cook. Go to the “Get Exploring” section of www.princetonadultschool.org/

Greek Pastries and Savories, taught by Iphigenia Yiacas, March 10, 17, April 28

Cook Like a French Chef, taught by Virginie Cartier, March 31, April 7, April 21

Gefilte Fish Without Guilt, taught by Ellen Goldblatt, March 24

Vegetarian Cooking with Whole Earth, with Melissa Printon, May 5.

Bibim Bop, taught by Inkyung (Anna) Yi, May 12

As the saying goes, “Nothing says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven.”

March 7, 2017October 6, 2020

Lula’s Lenten Lunch Soup

For the first Lenten Tuesday, Catherine Williams led the service and Lula Crawford prepared the lunch. Everybody loved her African Spiced Yellow Split Pea and Potato Soup so much that we prevailed on her to share the recipe. Note she uses white potatoes rather than sweet potatoes, “too sweet” she says.

February 23, 2017October 6, 2020

Laura Bratton: Overcoming Adversity

When you’re in your thirties and the book you’ve written about your life has just been published, you must have done something amazing. The “you” in this case is the Reverend Laura Bratton ’10, author of Harnessing Courage: Overcoming Adversity with Grit and Gratitude (Clovercroft Publishing, 2016). Richard Trenner wrote this in a post for Princeton Theological Seminary, see the rest here.

Many Princeton UMC members attended Laura’s talk and booksigning. Here is a link to our post on her book and a photo of them getting their books signed (thanks to Richard Trenner for both photos).

Learn more about Laura Bratton’s life and work at http://www.ubiglobal.org/.

Watch the full video of Bratton’s talk on PTSEM’s Multimedia page.