Eight children and youth participated in the Kemp Church Music Symposium at Westminster Choir College, reports Tom Shelton, director children’s and youth choirs at PUMC. He attended along with music director Hyosang Park, and he gave one of the workshops. The singers 
included Leanne and Robin from the children’s choir, and from the youth choir — Andi, Rachel, Delaney, Yannick, Ava, and Blaine. Choristers from Nassau Presbyterian Church also participated. They were directed by Dr. Rollo Dilworth, a professor at Temple University.
Students versus Stereotypes
![Whistling_Vivaldi_Princeton_Cover-Art-Samples[2]-2 (1)](https://princetonumc.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Whistling_Vivaldi_Princeton_Cover-Art-Samples2-2-1-200x300.jpeg)
Sleeping bags covered the floor of the Youth Room when Princeton United Methodist Church welcomed freshmen from Princeton University for a “service sleepover” this week, part of the Community Action program that launches freshman year. As described in the Packet, they did a service project during the day and met for dinner, and went back to the dorms to shower. On the last night the students and team leaders– and some church staff — met to discuss this year’s ‘pre read book,’ Claude Steele’s Whistling Vivaldi: how stereotypes affect us and what we can do.
That book fits right in to the PUMC sermon series on “Gospel of the Nobodies,” especially “The Ethnic Other.” Steele will speak to the freshmen on September 12. Other opportunities to examine stereotypes and their effect:
Monday, September 14, an event in the department of African American Studies
Sunday, September 20, a panel at the Suzanne Patterson Center.
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
Finding Community at VBS
If 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
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!
This 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.
Back to school?
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).
Caring Kids for Summer Sundays
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!
Welcome to Scott Sherrill!
We 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?
Families at 10
Now 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.
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