Posts

Posted on

Songs for Congo: November 9

Karrin and Bill

Here is a way to support a cause founded by PUMC’s own Daniel Shungu, United Front Against Riverblindness. Together with another worthy charity for Congo, Woman Cradle of Abundance, UFAR presents its second annual benefit concert with 4-Time Grammy Nominee Karrin Allyson.

When: Sunday, November 9 at 3:00 PM
Reception with the artist will follow. Doors open at 2:30 PM.

Where: Solley Theatre, Arts Council of Princeton
Corner of Paul Robeson Place and Witherspoon St. in Princeton, NJ

Tickets are $70, $30 for students, and sponsorship opportunities are available.

Many at PUMC know how UFAR is working to stamp out riverblindness. We sent a mission team to the DRC five years ago. One-third of the 60 million people in the DRC are at risk for getting riverblindness, which starts with a rash and leads to sight loss, forcing children to leave school to care for parents.

But what is Woman, Cradle of Abundance, also known as FEBA? It aims to change the dismal future for many women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, known as one of the world’s most dangerous places to be a woman. Founded in 1999 by an ecumenical group of Congolese women, it supports a sewing school where girls learn a marketable trade. It also provides medical care and support for women and children living with HIV / AIDS, counseling for survivors of rape and forced prostitution, and school fees for orphans. The US partner is raising funds to help the Congo project build a Women’s Center.

Help both causes by enjoing a jazz afternoon with Karrin (shown here with her partner Bill McLaughlin). She is described as “always globetrotting and delighting audiences all over the world with her unique and personal style — straight from the heart.”

 

 

Posted on

Meeting Needs: Bentley Community Services

bentley
Dorothy Sterns-Holmes and Brant Holmes of Bentley Community Services have been providing fresh produce, frozen meats, and desserts for Cornerstone Community Kitchen for more than a year –and  now we can hear them speak at the UMM-sponsored breakfast this Sunday, October 12, 8 a.m. Topic: “Meeting Needs Brings About Restoring Self-Sufficiency”
 
Bentley Community Services is a charitable organization dedicated to  providing food, basic necessities, household goods, clothing and adult  education on an ongoing basis to struggling families in need. 

Brentley  welcomes and serves those who need a “hand up” rather than a “hand out” and  are prepared to participate in the unique  method of meeting  needs while working towards restoring self-sufficiency.  Bentley Community  Services encourages and provides the opportunity for its friends and neighbors in the community to join in and assist with their service.This program has been modeled from the Birch Community Services in Portland,  Oregon.

Please contact the church office by 12 noon – Friday, October 10,  with your attendance plans so that we can plan the breakfast for all who will attend by calling (609) 924-2613 or  email office@princetonumc.org. A $5.00 donation for breakfast is recommended.

2014 9 10 hands

 

Posted on

Meeting Tom Shelton

Tom's meeting

Eager to meet Tom Shelton, the successor to Yvonne Macdonald, more than 50 people flocked to the Fellowship Hall after the worship service on August 10. Pam Bradley, from the Staff/Parish committee, introduced him: With 22 years of youth choir experience, Tom has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is assistant professor of sacred music at Westminster Choir College ; he is also associate director of the Princeton Girlchoir and conductor of its Cantores ensemble.

“Children and youth are an important part of ministry,” said Tom, telling how excited he is to be joining the ministry here. “When children and youth lead worship, they are giving of themselves.”

Tom wants the choirs to include everyone and encourages children and youth to invite their friends. We can try to arrange carpools. The Lower Elementary Choir will meet on Wednesday, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and the Upper Elementary Choir from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., with the first rehearsal on September 10. The Youth Choir rehearses on Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m., and the first rehearsal is September 7.

Tom was peppered with questions from children, youth, and parents. From second graders in the front row, “Will we play instruments? Will there be parties? ” (Yes to both!) . Other than moving the elementary choir rehearsals from Tuesday to Wednesday, he plans to make no immediate changes to PUMC’s excellent music program, saying, “As we go forward together we will make any changes together.”

Posted on

Passing the Baton: Yvonne to Tom

yvonne headshot on web now 2011tom-175

This press release announces Yvonne Macdonald’s retirement and Tom Shelton’s appointment as director of music for children and youth

“When children and youth feel what the lyrics are saying, the beauty comes alive,” says Tom Shelton. He is the new director of music for children and youth at Princeton United Methodist Church (PUMC), succeeding Yvonne Macdonald, who retired from that post after 40 years.

“Passing the baton to Tom Shelton is a joy and an honor for me,” says Macdonald. “Easing the transition is my belief that seeds sown over the years both in faith–and in music — are blossoming. I know the choirs are in excellent hands.”

With 22 years of youth choir experience, Shelton has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is assistant professor of sacred music at Westminster Choir College of Rider University and conducts the Princeton Girlchoir’s high school ensemble. He is also a prolific composer and aims to write special pieces for the PUMC choirs, ages three through high school. Shelton will be assisted by Anna de Groot.

Schools can teach character development, says Shelton, “but in church we can teach spiritual values. I encourage each child to relate the essence of the song to a personal experience in their lives.”

“We plan to make no immediate changes to PUMC’s excellent youth music program,” says Shelton.

Located at the corner of Nassau and Vandeventer in Princeton, PUMC is a diverse congregation whose members come from many surrounding communities, backgrounds, and faith histories. For information on joining the PUMC choirs, call 609-924-2613 or office@PrincetonUMC.org or www.princetonumc.org.

Posted on

Walks and Talks on Race re Mike Brown

The Princeton community will host a parade and rally on Saturday, August 23, 2 to 4 p.m. “to insist on Justice for Mike Brown and to share our common grief, dismay, anger, and our commitment to future change.”

Not in Our Town (NIOT) Princeton, in partnership with the Princeton Public Library, will host a special session of Continuing Conversations on Race on Thursday, August 28, 7 to 9 p.m. PUMC belongs to NIOT.

Also responding to the events in Ferguson, the UMC’s Greater New Jersey Conference will hold a “Just in Time” conversation about race on Saturday, August 30, 9 to 3:30 p.m. at Turning Point United Methodist Church, 15 South Broad Street, Trenton. Free but registration required, call Dr. Vanessa Wilson, 609-388-8852

Re Saturday’s rally: All are invited to join in solidarity and determination to fight for “equality and justice for all”—the words we say when we recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
DATE: Saturday, August 23
TIME: 2-4 p.m.
PLACE: Gather at 2 PM at Tiger Park (with the bronze tiger!), Nassau Street, just up from Palmer Square, Princeton—from where we will march peaceably along Nassau Street and Witherspoon Street to Hinds Plaza next to the Princeton Public Library
HINDS PLAZA: speeches, demonstrations of solidarity, cries for justice, songs and poems as you wish; each individual should probably keep remarks to 3 minutes
SIGNAGE/PLACARDS: If you bring a sign to the parade and rally, it should use language FOR justice, healing, and (radical) reform, and NOT “against the police” (we have an outstanding police department in Princeton which has worked long and hard the last couple of years to build much better relationships through their community/walk/bike the streets methods, not just sitting in patrol cars.) Signs should not be on poles and should be lettered so as to be visible from the street.
Say the organizers: Never again (we have said so many times) and now we must say it again, mean it, and live the words.

Posted on

Webinars for Christian Educators

For Christian educators –Sunday School teachers and parents — here is a link to online resources provided by Parish Resource Center, Long Island West.

Potential courses include Called to Teach: An Online Course for Sunday School Teachers, September 15 – October 6, 2014.

Then there are webinars that can be heard any time after the air date.

Teaching and Ministering to Tweens
Thursday, November 6, 2014
7 pm to 8 pm EST

Working with Exceptional Children: ADHD and the Autism Spectrum
Thursday, September 4, 2014
7 pm to 8 pm EDT

Focusing on the True Meaning of Christmas with Children
Thursday, October 2, 2014
7 pm to 8 pm EDT

Equipping Families to Teach the Faith to Their Children
Thursday, December 4, 2014
7 pm to 8 pm EST

To get an email with complete info on the webinars, ask Anna@princetonumc.org. Most webinars cost $10 and the Christian Education committee budget can help with the cost.

Posted on

Trenton as a Mission Field

All United Methodist Women are invited to Turning Point United Methodist Church in Trenton next Sat., Aug 16th from 12-3 p.m. for an open house and BBQ for “friends” of the church. UMW and PUMC have been supporting Turning Point’s many efforts in reaching out to their community. We are invited to come and see the work that is being done there.

“We have a great story to tell,” say the organizers.”Come hear about what we are doing, and how others can join in to transform Trenton.”

There will be a Video Presentation of Point Ministries, a Tour of Church Facilities, and the chance to Meet and Greet Ministry leaders and Participants.

Contact Anne F through the church office for directions or carpooling information.

Also needed: a basic sewing machine for a family in need. If anyone has an older machine, contact Anne through office@princetonumc.org

Posted on

Step forward with your talents

SUMMER SUNDAY ARCHIVE

Step forward with your talents! Richard G did that, 22 years ago, when he wrote a series of plays about Bible stories for “Summer Sundays.” Now this program is an integral and much-loved staple of the Christian education program at PUMC.

Kids love it. Who wouldn’t? Older children get to dress up in costumes (we have a fabulous costume stash) and use their thespian talents. They don’t have to memorize lines — they read through the script once on Sunday morning and then they perform it. Young ones do a craft that relates to the play and then get to watch the play. Plus, of course, refreshments.

Going by the maxim that we learn 10 percent of what we hear and 80 percent of what we experience, these thespians surely will remember these Bible stories. Some 50 skits are rotated from year to year. This year’s focus is on women in the Bible: Queen Esther, Miriam (Moses’ sister and prophetess), Ruth, and Mary Magdalene. Also — King Nimrod and the Tower of Babel, Jesus and the Demon Pig, The Christmas Donkey (a donkey who accompanied the Kings through the desert) and a new one, yet to be written, about Peter in prison.

The cast changes weekly, of course, due to family vacation schedules. Richard officially ‘retired’ from active duty three years ago, and this year’s Summer Sunday supervisors, Ed F and Andrew H, with help from Ian G, contact each prospective thespian every week, so they have a cast list in mind. Walk-ins and visiting children are encouraged. Just bring your ready-to-read child or visitor to Rooms 204/205 at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, now through August 24.

Meanwhile, young children and older kids who aren’t in the play come to Room 202 for crafts, creatively devised in the early years by Cindy G and then Laura F to coordinate with the Bible story. Then, during her freshman and sophomore years in high school, as part of earning her Girl Scout Gold Award, Elizabeth T designed the crafts to echo a wide variety of Bible stories and ran the program when Laura wasn’t there. Now Elizabeth is assembling a catalog of the plays.

What can be more fun than dressing up and acting out? Or of watching your child do it? Hint: parent volunteers welcomed and needed! Helping in the craft room at Summer Sundays is a perfect volunteer opportunity, a one-week-at-a-time commitment and there’s rarely any prep required. We’d love to give our long-time regular teachers a summer break! The signup sheet is on the bulletin board next to the Library.

When you ask Richard about how he used his talents for Christ’s service, he is self-effacing, downplaying his role, saying it was a family project, with the four of them (Cindy and the now-grown Heather and Rory) doing craft cut-outs in front of the TV and making suggestions on the stories. “”Peggy Fullman asked me once where I get the ideas. I told her I honestly don’t know; when I need an idea, it pops up. Peggy said I’m letting God in, and what comes out is His, slightly filtered through a mortal brain. I’ll go with that.”

Surely the rest of us are harboring unused talent and abilities. What talent or idea is God filtering through our mortal brains?

This article appears in the August newsletter. Above, an archival photo. Below, picture taken by Charles P a couple of Sundays ago.

current Summer Sunday

 

 

Posted on

Meet the Neals at VBS

Neal Family

Meet Josiah — Mercy — Wes — and Jerusha! Vacation Bible School students will have the chance to make friends with children who live 8,000 miles away. In our evening program entitled “Can You Hear Me Now? God Calls Kids Too!” preschool children through incoming 6th graders will meet — through videos — a missionary family working in Fiji. Set for Tuesday to Thursday, July 29 to 31, 5:30 to 8 p.m., the VBS program is free by registration. Dinner is included, and parents are invited to stay.

Twelve-year-old Mercy Neal and her eight-year-old brother, Josiah, are moving from their home in Belleville, New Jersey to Fiji, an island in the South Pacific. Their parents — Rev. Wesley Neal and Rev. Jerusha Neal, both graduates of Princeton Theological Seminary — will teach at a seminary there.

“The children and youth of Princeton UMC will be writing to Mercy and Josiah, and they will also support the Neal family with prayer and fund raising,” says Anna Gillette, associate pastor for discipleship. “VBS children will hear Bible stories about God calls children into discipleship.” Crafts, music, mission projects and games will tie the week’s theme together.

For information or to register — or sign up to help — call 609-924-2613 or email Anna@princetonumc.org.