Category: Missions

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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.

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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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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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Do you have an app for that?

Our world is dominated by electronic communications and devices, and now we have a way to make contributions to the church through direct electronic means.

Through our Princeton United Methodist website, those wishing to make a contribution may do so now. Just go to princetonumc.org/giving to begin. Through this page, donors may use direct withdrawal from their banking or saving account or from their credit/debit card of choice.  Donors have an option of making a onetime gift or have it withdrawn continuously on the schedule chosen.

Not only may gifts be made to our operating, capital or matching giving opportunities, but also funds may be designated to the Appalachia Service Project, our Cornerstone Community Kitchen, or other designated options.

You will find a QR code on that page, if that’s what you prefer. It’s a different kind of “selfie!”

 

 

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Bishop John Schol: Pray for Nepal and Baltimore

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I and United Methodists around the world grieve deeply about the impact of the earthquake in Nepal and the unrest in Baltimore. I call all of our congregations this weekend to pray for the people of Baltimore and Nepal. James 5:13-16 is a powerful scripture on prayer. It includes these lines: If any among us are suffering, pray… The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. The people of Nepal and Baltimore need the powerful and effective prayers of United Methodists.

In Nepal, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake has killed thousands and destroyed homes, buildings and communities. In Baltimore, Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African-American male died while in police custody.

The earthquake in Nepal has shattered lives. We as United Methodists have already begun to mobilize relief and recovery efforts by raising money and supporting churches and local organizations in Nepal. The United Methodist Church began its work in Nepal 60 years ago when we partnered to open a clinic. Today we have five missionaries in Nepal and they and their families are all safe. Our recovery work for the people of Nepal will span many years and I invite you to be generous with your prayers and giving.

A string of deaths of African-American men by police officers has set many communities on edge. For eight years I was the bishop of the Baltimore-Washington Conference and I know the people and communities of Baltimore. It is a dynamic city with outstanding leaders and people. The violent protest in Baltimore is a struggle of larger issues of racism and poverty. There is fear that the system does not treat people equally. I call on United Methodists to pray for the family of Freddie Gray, the leaders and residents of Baltimore and for each of us to work toward healing the wounds of racism and poverty.

The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Let us pray for the people of Nepal and Baltimore. Let us work in our own communities to address the injustices of poverty and racism and to be good stewards of God’s creation.

Keep the faith!

John Schol, Bishop
The United Methodist Church

Greater New Jersey