July 2008
Newletter “From the Pastor”
New Associate Pastor Begins Ministry July 1
The Rev. Rosanna Suh (rhymes with huh) officially begins her tenure as Associate Pastor at Grace UMC starting July 1. She is jumping in feet first as she is going with the youth to RISE for the Mission Work Week, which will leave on Sunday, July 6 (15 youth and 6 adults will be going). Since the RISE group will need to leave before worship begins that day, Rev. Suh has agreed to be in worship with us on Sunday, June 29. I pray that you will be in church in the coming weeks to greet her personally and to welcome her as she begins her ministry here.
Founder's Day to be Celebrated July 27 with 140th Anniversary Luncheon and Special Guests
Grace Church was incorporated on July 31, 1868. Each year we celebrate the founding of the church on the last Sunday in July and honor our "Silver and Gold" members (members who have been members 25 years and more). I also like to invite someone who either served Grace UMC in the past or who entered ministry from Grace to be our guest preacher that day. This year our preacher will be the Rev. Robb Shoaf, who served as Associate Pastor her from 1979 to 1981. He currently serves as pastor at the UMC in Madison, NJ. Following the service we will hold a luncheon at which he will share some personal words and at which three "Gold" members will share a story about the church in Paterson. I am looking forward to celebrating this day with Robb and all our members. I hope that you will be able to be present to welcome him and celebrate this great day in the life of our church.
Preview the Stephen Ministry on July 22
Over the next year we at Grace UMC will be exploring an exciting new ministry which, if adopted, will empower laity for ministry and have a huge impact on the way we minister to each other as a church family. This ministry is a part of "The Stephen Series," which is a complete system for training and organizing lay people to provide one-to-one Christian care to hurting people in and around our congregation.
The Stephen Series provides congregations with the structure, training, and resources to set up and administer a complete system for lay caring ministry (called Stephen Ministry) in the congregation. In Stephen Ministry congregations, lay caregivers (called Stephen Ministers) provide one-to-one Christian care to the bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, separated, divorced, unemployed, relocated, and others facing a crisis or life challenge. Stephen Ministry helps pastors and congregations provide quality caring ministry for as long as people need it.
A preview of this ministry will be presented at the Administrative Council meeting on Tuesday, July 22. All interested persons are invited to attend.
Submit Your Favorite Hymns on July 13 for our Annual Hymn Sing on July 20
Each year I like to conduct a hymn sing on one of the summer Sundays during worship. This year the hymn sing will be on July 20. However, it is on the week before the hymn sing (July 13) that you will be invited to write the names of your favorite hymns on a slip of paper during worship in preparation for the hymn sing. From your submissions we will compile a list of the favorite hymns of the congregation to guide us during the hymn sing (and we will let you know what are the "Top 10" hymns of Grace Church this year). Throughout the coming year I will use the list of all the favorites as a guide for selecting hymns for worship. Each week I will try to use at least one or two (and sometimes all three) hymns that are "Congregational favorites" and ensure that we include in each worship service hymns that are beloved by our members.
Short-Term Bible Study to Start in September
Beginning on Monday, September 15, I will be leading a 10 week study of the Book of Psalms, the "prayer book" of the church. This is a part of the Disciple Short Term Bible Study method, and uses videos with scholars and pastors along with a study book and brief daily readings. Our orientation meeting will be on Monday September 15 at which the study books will be distributed, and our first class will be on September 22. If you are interested in joining this group, give me a call
May Your Summer be a Time of Renewal
When I was younger, it seemed that things "slowed down" in the summer. It was a time of rest and relaxation, of recreation and renewal. As I get older, I am convinced that there is no such thing as a "slow" time of the year anymore. Even so, as the days have grown warmer and longer, and as schools take a break, the opportunities to enjoy the out-of-doors increase and many people try to get away from the routine of the rest of the year. Phyllis and I will be going to a wedding north of San Francisco in August (I have been asked to conduct the ceremony for the son of a friend). We have never been in that part of the country before, so we are looking forward to taking a week or so to drive through the redwoods, visit the Napa Valley, and explore the city of San Francisco. (We hope to spend a few days on the Jersey Shore sometime this summer, too!) Whatever it is you are about this summer, I pray it will be a time of renewal for you. (And whether you are in-town or out-of-town anytime this summer, remember to take time to worship and not to let your faith take a vacation.)
Yours in Christ,
David E. Wiley III
