May 2026 Newsletter
- Cristina Glover
- May 1
- 9 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Hamburg United Methodist Church 116 Union St Hamburg, New York, 14075 (716) 649-8080 Sundays at 10 am
Also Streamed Via Facebook Live & Youtube
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In the Easter season we hear the stories, Jesus lives! This seems so natural because it is the story every year, and in some sense all year long. I have been re-reading N. T. Wright recently, the Anglican bishop, New Testament scholar and theologian who has helped significantly change the conversation in the contemporary Church about the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection, the hope of the Gospel, and the purpose of the Church in profound ways. His influence on how contemporary Christians reclaim a biblical and first-century understanding of the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection is hard to overstate.
Wright suggests that for much of our recent history, Christian theology has either seen the resurrection as a miracle to be defended or reinterpreted, rather than God’s first act of transforming the world. Depending on how we have decided to deal with miracles, this central claim of Christian faith has had different outcomes, but both resulting from similar 19th and 20th century philosophical assumptions, and there has been a down-stream ripple effect on the rest of Christian thought as a result. If the resurrection is either a miracle or a symbol, but not more than that, it is not the foundation of Christian ethics and mission. If, however, the resurrection is really the first act of God’s new creation, everything depends on Easter, on Jesus’ resurrected time with the disciples, his ascension into heaven, and the sending of the Holy Spirit.
“The disciples are assuming that for the kingdom to be restored to Israel will mean some kind of national superiority, perhaps a military defeat of Israel’s enemies. But what Jesus has in mind is every bit as much the fulfillment of God’s long-delayed plan for Israel and the kingdom. Jesus has now been raised from the dead as Israel’s Messiah, and Israel’s Messiah, as the psalms and prophets insist, is the world’s true Lord… That, of course is the true message of the ascension story that follows immediately: as every Roman knew, the one who ascends into heaven is enthroned as the divine Emperor (Wright, 2018, p. 242).” Jesus’ resurrection and ascension are not just some miracle, but God’s claim that this broken, divided world filled with greed, violence, war and idolatry rightly belongs to God as embodied in Jesus Christ who is Lord of all. That is, after all, what Peter claims in Acts 10:34-43 when speaking to Cornelius, a Roman centurion!
The mission is not to overthrow Rome, or take over its power, but to announce the truth that every corner of the earth and all aspects of life belong to the Way of Christ. “His messengers, his emissaries, are to go off into all territories of which he is already enthroned as Lord and to bring the good news of his ascension and his wise and just rule… And that is of course exactly the pattern that follows in the whole book of Acts. The apostles are not offering people a new religious experience… Nor are they telling them that God has done an extraordinary miracle that shows how powerful he is… They are to go and tell the world that Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, is the world’s true Lord and to summon them to believing obedience (Wright, 2018, pp. 242–243).” Is Jesus' new life a profound miraculous act of God? Yes. Does Jesus’ resurrection promise everlasting life for us? Yes. But the final question is key–what does that call us to do, what does it mean to live differently because of the resurrection?
When we realize that the key question for the apostles and the first Christians was not if the resurrection makes sense (which is doesn’t by any normal, earthly logic), but what it means for Jesus to be raised from the dead, ascended to heaven, and made Lord of all, it should move us to ask different questions as well.
Easter calls us to see the world differently, and to live differently as a result. We are to rethink our allegiances, and the way we order our lives. Faithfulness to Jesus and faith in Jesus as Lord is not just about forgiveness of sins and everlasting life, it is about a world where sin and death never again have the last word, and we are empowered as those who have heard the Good News to enact the Good News in and through our lives. When Jesus told the apostles (and through them the Church) that “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:18b-20),” he wasn’t giving them a purely spiritual, otherworldly task! Go and tell everyone that God wants a world of justice and righteousness, where love of God and love of neighbor is the order of the day, where the poor are uplifted, everyone has enough, and everyone is invited to a new life that focuses worship on the One who made heaven and earth, and who promises to remake it. Our task, if we hear the Good News, is to use all the aspects of our being to make today more like that eventual promised renewal. I hope you hear that as both challenging and Good News! Our mission, if we choose to accept it, is to conform our lives, our Church, and our communities to Christ by centering the ethic of love and justice, filled with mercy and grace.
Serving the risen Christ, striving to live like Christ, with you,
Pastor David Nicol
Celebrating Jeannine VanWey’s 10th Anniversary
Please join us in celebrating Jeannine 10th Anniversary as Music Director with HUMC. Jeannine started as Music Director and organist the first weekend of April 2016. We appreciate the beautiful music that she provides along with the Chancel Choir and Handbell Choir!
Thank You, Jeannine!
We are so glad to have you as part of our HUMC Family!
Important Announcements from the Church Office
The Church office will be closed on Monday May 25, 202
The Church office will be closed on Friday May 8th and Friday May 22nd, as Cristina will be out on PTO. Emails and voicemails will be answered iin the order they are received upon her return
Content for the gathering space slide show 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
Emily Slocum: Treasurer@hamburgumc.org
Patrick Fitzgerald: AV@hamburgumc.org
Cristina Glover: Office@hamburgumc.org
What is United Methodist Student Day?
United Methodist Student Day is one of six churchwide Special Sundays designated to support ministries and causes important to the entire United Methodist Church. On this day, we come together to invest in the future of our church by supporting students’ education and their journey of faith.
Education opens doors and creates opportunities for leadership, service, and faith development. By supporting United Methodist Student Day, we celebrate the power of learning and the important role education plays in developing faithful, thoughtful Christian leaders. This special Sunday reminds us that education is not only a personal achievement—it’s a ministry we share together.
Why Does It Matter?
Education shapes the leaders who will guide the Church and serve communities in many ways. Yet, many students connected to The United Methodist Church face financial obstacles to pursuing college or graduate degrees.
United Methodist Student Day matters because it provides scholarships that help remove those barriers. By supporting this Special Sunday, we invest in students preparing for careers in ministry, service, and beyond—equipping them to lead with faith, wisdom, and compassion.
When we give on United Methodist Student Day, we’re building a stronger Church and empowering the next generation to carry forward God’s work in new and meaningful ways.
Support the Ministry
Give through the offering envelopes in the gathering space or donate online here.
What Does My Giving Support?
Special Sundays give us a chance to focus our prayers and support on important ministries all year long—uniting our gifts to multiply our impact. Every dollar given on United Methodist Student Day goes directly to scholarships for United Methodist students. These funds support a diverse group—from those preparing for ordained ministry to others pursuing professions that serve their communities. Your generosity removes financial obstacles and opens doors for future leaders to answer their call.
When Is United Methodist Student Day Celebrated?
our Church will be observing United Methodist Student Day on May 14 feel free to give a special offering that day, or any of the days that follow.
Sandwich Ministry
Sandwich Ministry is an Outreach Program that represents HUMC people in action. Our church helping others in our community.
These families suffer from food insecurities, housing instability, lack of transportation and anxieties.
We serve sandwiches and fruit to the people living in hotels within the Hamburg Area.
Come Join Us!
We meet every Friday at 2:0ppm in the church kitchen. At 3:00pm we deliver to the families.
At that time we offer hope and shine a little of God's love. This is God's grace to all.
We would like to thank our congregation for their prayers and support. We have the faith to continue.
Sandwich Ministry operates on the generosity of individuals of our church who providing the supplies for the ministry.
Questions ask Ginger & Leo.
Adult Sunday School
John Meader's Adult Sunday School will continue 9am in the Parlor
All are Welcome
NEW H.U.M.C ‘s Book Exchange
Effective immediately any member may On your honor Take one book leave/one book from our book case located on the mezzanine 2nd floor by the elevator.
(This experiment has no connection with the Church Library
located off the Gathering Space)
These will be books you personally own and trade
for one available in the bookcase. If you have other current in good condition books you wish to donate they would be appreciated to maintain this experiment.
Thanks for helping. Any question ask Pam Walters or Jerry Schneggenburger
Due to continued technical issues with Facebook Live, We will be streaming solely to Youtube for the foreseeable future.
Please make sure to "Like" and "Subscribe"
Ongoing Fundraiser Little Lamb Fundraiser:
Please consider donating your empty bottles and cans to the Bottle & Can Redemption Center at 4255 Clark Street in Hamburg. Thank you!
RETIRED MEN’S FELLOWSHIP
The Retired Men’s Fellowship of Hamburg UMC will gather for their monthly lunch on Tuesday, at 12 Noon at ZJ’s Restaurant in the Hamburg Village Plaza. Come and share your joys and concerns. All retired men are invited. Come and bring a friend for good fellowship and good food.
Any questions? See Dick Caldwell.
Dick Caldwell, facilitator
Dive into a Good Book- Join the HUMC Book Club.
This month Book Club will meet on Tuesday May 26th at 10:30am in the Library due to Memorial Day. We will be discussing David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
Book Club is Zoom-friendly. Contact Karen Klimecko for more information
Tai Chi is back to in-person practice in the Fellowship Hall
2026 Coffee Hour Schedule
MAY : SPRC
JUNE: FINANCE
JULY : TRUSTEES
AUGUST:PRAYER CARE SHARE
SEPTEMBER: COLUMBARIUM
OCTOBER: MEN’S GROUP
NOVEMBER: FINANCE
DECEMBER: SPRC
Groups are to provide goodies/ snacks
each Sunday of the month they are scheduled.
CALLING FOR COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS
Did you know HUMC has committees whose members volunteer to host coffee hour once or twice a month? Most of these volunteers are on several committees where they are repeatedly hosting to provide goodies each Sunday.
We are opening this ministry up to Individuals or families who would be willing to occasionally be hosts or hostesses.
It’s simply making coffee, lemonade, bringing homemade or store bought items, and cleaning up afterwards.
A sign-up sheet is located on the counter in the gathering space, outside the front office
Where you can pick a Sunday of your choosing.
Would you consider joining in this time of fellowship?
Please get in touch with Sue Gagne with any questions.
Medical Equipment Lending Closet
Hamburg UMC has a medical equipment lending closet. It is located in Room 18 in the basement. Please check the closet before purchasing wheelchairs, walkers, commodes, crutches, canes, etc. The equipment available constantly changes. If you have medical equipment you are no longer using, you may donate them. We cannot take soft items such as gauze pads, diabetic supplies, incontinence, bandages, etc. For questions, please call Caroline Schneggenburger at 716-289-0541.
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 or text Barb Meader at 716-548-4139 or email her at bmeader712017@gmail.com, or contact anyone who is a Prayer, Care, and Share member, or Cristina in the church office. Our ministry is to pray daily for 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” (Phillipians 4:4-7)
