- May 30, 2023
- 8 min read
Hamburg United Methodist Church 116 Union St Hamburg, New York, 14075 (716) 649-8080 Worship Livestream: Sundays at 10 am Via Facebook Live & Youtube
Dear Saints,
First: Announcements!
Wednesday, June 14, the Rev. Matt French, pastor of Springville UMC and a District Associate, will be at Hamburg UMC at 7:00 PM to give us a presentation on the current tensions in The United Methodist Church around sexuality and the process of disaffiliation for a local church from The UMC. This will be a good time to gain some more information around the issues in the life of the denomination, how it might affect Hamburg, Versailles, Four Corners or Gowanda, and to better understand the current state of our denomination.
Wednesdays, June 7, 21, and July 5 in the Library and by Zoom, I will be offering a basic course on preparing and planning to lead worship. This Summer, there will be a follow-up class on Preaching. If you are interested in how planning worship for Sunday and special occasions in the United Methodist tradition, and perhaps wondering about a call to share in the Preaching Rotation on occasion, this would be a great opportunity!
I have been excited to see the energy and life, during worship on Sundays at Hamburg UMC, and also when I have had the privilege of being with folks at Four Corners and Gowanda (and I expect, soon, in Versailles)! The Holy Spirit is moving among the people of God in our congregations, and it is exciting to see new faces and energy!
I am also excited about the continued dynamism of our other ministries. I love worship and devote a good deal of my time and energy preparing and leading worship, but the ministries at Sparks of Hope, Respite, GROW, our various studies and Sunday school programs, hospitality, and all the other things we do NOT during the time we are in the sanctuary are equally valuable to the life of God’s people. Thank you for your service to Christ in all these areas, and in your prayerful support of the life of our congregations.
This Summer, I will be less available. I have discussed with SPRC and will be planning to take several weeks continuing-education time to complete the writing of my thesis. Given my personal life, where I have kids alternating weeks, this will also be alternating weeks. While I will mostly be in the Hamburg area, I will not be in the office those weeks, or preparing to preach on Sunday. We are blessed to have a number of retired clergy, as well as gifted lay people, who I trust to be able to fill any gap my absence might create. I will be providing further information about coverage and pulpit supply for those weeks as soon as the plan is finalized.
By Fall, I plan to submit and defend “Follow Me as I Follow Christ:” The Challenge of Theological Integrity for Itinerant United Methodist Clergy in the context of Theological Pluralism as experienced by pastors in the Niagara Frontier District, which is the final step in my Doctor of Ministry program. The work has taken longer than I intended, but I hope it has borne fruit in the way I live in ministry with you. I believe we learn how to live as Disciples of Jesus Christ by walking with others who are Disciples. For a pastor to facilitate this, (s)he needs to live in a way that discipleship is visible, and be able to express his/her understanding of God honestly and clearly. When this is true, all of us who follow Jesus at Hamburg, Versailles, Gowanda and Four Corners UMC are both empowered and encouraged to do the same. Let’s continue to walk with Jesus, and tell the world we love God and all the people we meet.
In Christ’s Service, with you,
Pastor David Nicol
Announcements from the Office
Office Closures
The Church Office will be closed on Thursday, June 1st, and Friday, June 2nd, due to Staff Vacation time (Cristina) and Annual Conference (Pastor David). The office will resume it's regular scheduled office hours on Monday, June 5, 2023.
Cristina will be out of the office on Thursday, June 29, and Friday, June 30th, with additional days at the beginning of July. Office hours for that time period will be announced at a later date.
The office will be putting together an announcement slideshow for the gathering space. Content is accepted weekly and due on Wednesday Morning to the church office.
**Please note for repeating slides, the last Sunday it should be run.
Office hours
Monday- Thursday: 9am-2pm
Friday: 9 am-Noon
Email us!!
Pastor David: PastorDavid@hamburgumc.org
Jeannine Vanwey: Music@hamburgumc.org
Lisa Link: ChristianEd@hamburgumc.org
Kathy Manguso: Treasurer@hamburgumc.org
Patrick Fitzgerald: AV@hamburgumc.org
Cristina Glover: Office@hamburgumc.org
CHURCH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
In Remembrance:
Susanne Goodrich – passed on to her eternal resting place on May 24, 2023. Thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.
Joys:
Congratulations to Jim Flynn, (pictured above with Pastor David, and Jim's wife Lori), who was honored during the May 7 worship service for his 20 years on our church staff. He was presented with a plaque by SPRC, and there was a cake at Coffee Hour. We are grateful for his dedication and commitment to our church - cleaning, setting up and breaking down, mowing, shoveling, and so much more. THANK YOU, JIM!!!
New Members:
Note: This is a correction to the listing in the May newsletter.
On Easter Sunday, April 9, we welcomed the following persons into membership at Hamburg UMC transferring from South Park UMC in Buffalo:
James Krell, Sr.
James Krell, Jr., Trevor Krell and Rachael Krell
Julie Krell
Jason Krell
We look forward to sharing with them in worship and ministry.
Holiday Homespun Bazaar coming in November
As you can tell by its name, our annual bazaar has always highlighted homemade items that are sold to raise money for our church and for the mission work of what was formerly “United Methodist Women” but now ”United Women in Faith”. Here are some homemade item ideas for both men and women to make:
Sewing: placemats, runners, aprons, pot holders, tote bags, wine bottle holders, glass cases or cell phone cases, garden flags, wind socks
Knitting or crocheting: scarves, hats, mittens, sweaters, shawls, afghans, baby things
Woodworking: cutting boards, bookends, bird houses, small magazine racks, toys
Special creations for children
Gifts for teachers or others: packaged treats like popcorn, nuts or candy
Eldercare items: catch-alls for walkers, bibs, lap blankets, décor for room
Jewelry: necklaces, bracelets, scarf necklaces
Décor: wreaths, dried flower arrangements for fall or Thanksgiving, winter or Christmas, wall or table decorations, ornaments, candle holders
Artwork: decorated vases or jars, ceramics, notepaper, thank you notes, artwork display.
Photography: homemade photo frames, photo displays, calendars, other items that make use of photos on phones
Young plants
Things for Pets: leashes, collars, coats, pillows, toys
So many possibilities – Do these mentioned whet your creative appetite? You only need to check the internet to see even more ideas for bazaar crafts. It is early but a good time to start some projects. Would you all think about contributing? More information about the bazaar to follow.
PEACE WITH JUSTICE SUNDAY
JUNE 4, 2023
One of six churchwide Special Sundays with offerings of The United Methodist Church, Peace with Justice Sunday enables The United Methodist Church to have a voice in advocating for peace and justice through a broad spectrum of global programs. This special offering benefits peace with justice ministries through the General Board of Church and Society and in our own conference.
Moved by Christ’s love to pursue reconciliation and peace, honoring the dignity of every individual made in Christ’s image, the United Methodist Church is unwilling to turn a blind eye to injustice. Offering envelopes are on the table at the entrance to the sanctuary, next to the offering plate just inside the sanctuary and at the Welcome Center for your gift to support programs of peace in Jesus name. Donations may be given Sunday, June 4 or anytime in the weeks ahead.
Join us for Book Club. We meet on the 4th Monday of the month at 10:30 am in the church library. The following are the upcoming book selections. June - Horse by Geraldine Brooks;
September - The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave.
Book Club pause for summer break during the months of July and August. Our Monthly Meetings will resume on Monday, September 25th.
RETIRED MEN’S FELLOWSHIP
The Retired Men’s Fellowship of Hamburg UMC will have its monthly lunch gathering on Tuesday, June 20, at 12 Noon at ZJ’s Restaurant in the Hamburg Village Plaza. All retired men are invited. Come and bring a friend for food and fellowship. Retired Men will take time off during July and August, with lunch gatherings beginning again in September. Dick Caldwell, facilitator
Hope, Faith & Healing – How Your Outlook Can Help You Fight Disease by Carol Turkington, Candyce Norvell, and Kim Campbell. Recent studies show that those who live with hope and faith have a better chance of being – and staying – healthy. A positive outlook alone can boost your immune system and protect it from stress-related illnesses. Imagine what faith in a higher power can do! See how a strong faith can result in better overall physical health, fewer and less severe symptoms of disease, lower risk of serious diseases, and faster and more complete recovery. Maintaining wellness is a lifelong journey. This book shows how to use your hope and faith to keep you well along the way.
Loving God by Charles Colson. “Love the Lord your God” Is the greatest commandment of the Christian faith. So what does it mean to love God? The author’ answers are rooted deep in the tradition and heritage of the Christian faith. His view of what it means to love God if practiced by just a fraction of those who profess to follow him, could radically alter the makeup of both the church and the culture. His call to love God is compared to Christ’s call to those fishermen who left their nets and took up the task of changing all of history. This book will force you to think, to feel, to question, and can challenge your radical obedience and commitment.
A Painted House by John Grisham. Grisham’s novel is inspired by his own childhood in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little rented house that has never been painted. When the cotton is ready, they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it. As they work, Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old boy could possibly be prepared for and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will change the lives of the Chandlers forever. It is a moving story of a boy’s journey from innocence to experience.
Summer will soon be here – a good time to relax and read. Our church library has a good collection of books for your reading enjoyment.
Join us for a virtual fellowship! This group is a place to share prayer requests, devotions, concerns, joys, and even some humor with your church family. Join the Hamburg UMC Fellowship group on Facebook.
PRAYER CONCERNS? If you would like someone added to our church prayer list, call Barb Meader (648-1273) or email her at bmeader712017@gmail.com, or contact anyone who is a Prayer, Care, and Share member. Daily we lift the concerns that have been shared with us.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 4-7)
