Hamburg United Methodist Church 116 Union St Hamburg, New York, 14075 (716) 649-8080 Worship Livestream: Sundays at 10 am Via Facebook Live & Youtube
From The Desk of Pastor David Nicol
Dear Saints,
August has been a busy month for us! In this Newsletter cycle, we begin to welcome a partnership with Four Corners UMC, Versailles UMC, and Gowanda UMC in a new way. I have been appointed Coordinating Pastor (meaning I will oversee a rotation of lay preachers, assisted by retired clergy, to lead worship, and care for their Conference-related administration). While this is an additional appointment, on top of my continuing responsibilities for Hamburg UMC, I hope over time the four congregations will build relationships that will further our work for the Kingdom of God in our region.
Also, on the first Sunday of August, I was blessed to be asked to officiate communion at Lincoln Memorial UMC, and doubly blessed that Greg Crispell, a retired Elder in the Conference who has been a part of the Hamburg UMC community for several years, agreed to lead worship in Hamburg! What a blessing to continue to build relationships with the brothers and sisters at Lincoln, while also having an opportunity to ask Greg to become better known to all of you! I give thanks to Greg, and to Victor Metivier, and Dick Caldwell who you already know, for all their willingness to offer wisdom and support to the congregation and its pastor.
The month of August has already been hard on the Hamburg UMC community. As I write on the 15th, Hamburg UMC has experienced an unusual amount of grief. Funerals for Dick Bish and Pat Slomba have already passed, and Bob Montgomery and Karen Cook are planned. As we continue to grieve the losses of those whose lives once made ours richer, I hope we can celebrate their presence in the communion of saints who inspire us to live for Jesus.
There remain challenges, but also wonderful things happening in the life of the community. Sparks of Hope has seen great ministry successes, including a powerful Open House, not to mention Respite, Cozy Quilts, and the rest of the activities of the Church! I’m sure by the time you receive this, HUMANGO will have been a fun and joyous event as well!
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not thank all of you who (by the time this letter reaches you) helped in moving my parents from the house in Honeoye to their new apartment in Hamburg. My life has been challenging this year, and this move was definitely not an easy piece of it, but God is gracious, and serving among you has been a blessing in the midst of this time.
In Christ’s Service, with you,
Pastor David Nicol
Dear Friends, Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ. After a season of prayer and discernment, I havdecidedon to retire from the active episcopacy on Dec. 31, 2022. Yesterday, I submitted my request for retirement to the Northeastern Jurisdiction and the Council of Bishops. I have not made this decision lightly and it is the right one for personal and spiritual reasons. The divide within the United Methodist Church has lessened my joy for this role and changed my sense of whether my gifts, convictions, and leadership as a residential Bishop are best for the United Methodist Church in the future. The writer of Ecclesiastes says: “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.” Jodi and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to serve with and among the people of Upper New York over these last 10 years. We look forward to returning to Pennsylvania to be closer to our children and other family. Over the next few months, I will continue to offer all I can to assist leaders and congregations of Upper New York in preparing for days of ministry ahead that will honor God, boldly share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and increase God’s kingdom. The mission of “making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” continues. Thank you for praying for us and be assured of our ongoing prayers for each of you. With gratitude and love,
Mark J. Webb
Adult Sunday School class will resume starting September 11
with classes in the Parlor at 9 am. All are invited to attend.
Announcements from the Office
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
If unable to serve on your appointed date,
please make arrangements to switch with another Steward
Welcome Back Choir
The choir will begin singing for the season on Sunday, September 11, 2022 On our first Sunday, we will sit in the front and lead the hymns. Our first anthem will be on the following Sunday, September 18, 2022.
Everyone is welcome to come and sing with the choir. Rehearsals are Sunday mornings beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the corner room upstairs.
Please contact Jeannine with any questions. I hope to see you there.
Homespun Holiday Bazaar: Helpers of all Kinds Sought!
The annual Homespun Holiday Bazaar is planned for Friday, Nov. 4, and Saturday, Nov. 5 this fall and we are getting ready with crafts, baked goods, the return of community vendors— and more! Profits will benefit ministries supporting women and children right here and across the world.
We are looking for help of all kinds from all ages (and genders) of our HUMC members, loved ones, and HUMC friends to make this event a success:
Save the date of Sunday, Oct. 31 (right after service) to help move items in preparation for the setup of the bazaar.
Then during that week of the bazaar, there will be days designated to help with tables set up.
We will need help with the final setup (assisting vendors) and posting signs, for example, on Friday, Nov. 4.
Finally, with a big event like this, a cleanup crew is always needed! (Sunday, Nov. 13)
…Can we count on you or your loved ones to pitch in and make the work light when many hands work together?
Watch for signup sheets in the Gathering Area. You can also contact Rose Caldwell (716) 713-9548 or Sharon Tiballi (716) 980-6171 anytime to let them know you are IN!
Thank you and God bless you for serving Christ in this way!
BAKE AND FREEZE FOR THE NOVEMBER BAZAAR
The Holiday Homespun Bazaar this year will be November 4-5. Baked goods will be in great demand. Quick Bread, cookies, pastries, sweet rolls, and pies sell quickly. As usual, we will provide little pie tins on the counter in the Gathering Space. (Many people who live alone like to have pie but the larger ones are too big for them). Many items can be made and frozen ahead of time. Whatever you can contribute to our bake sale will be appreciated! More information will be given in the October newsletter. If you have any questions you may call Barb Meader(716-648-1273) or email Bmeader712017@gmail.com
In Remembrance:
Joyce A. Bourne – born 1933; entered the church triumphant July 14, 2022
Patricia A. Slomba – born April 2, 1944; entered the church triumphant July 15, 2022
Paul W. Staley – born February 23, 1954; entered the church triumphant July 25, 2022
Dick A. Bish – born September 17, 1934; entered the church triumphant July 29, 2022
Karen A. Cook – born January 31, 1945; entered the church triumphant on August 5, 2022
Robert L. Montgomery, Jr. – born November 9, 1937; entered the church triumphant on August 8, 2022
David P. Wade – born August 21, 1964; entered the church triumphant August 16, 2022
The righteous live forever; their reward is with the Lord. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends.
Peg and Bob Hunt – celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on August 9. Flowers were placed in the sanctuary in their honor on Sunday, August 7th.
JULIA PLATT SCHOLARSHIPS
Congratulations to the following youth who received Julia Platt Scholarships for the coming college school year:
From Hamburg UMC:
John Edie – University of Albany
Sarah Edie – University of Vermont
Alyssa Paskie – University of Rochester
From Lincoln Memorial UMC:
Kadeena Lewis – Howard University
Sarah-Elizabeth Noel – Howard University
CALLING ALL KIDS, YOUTH, AND ADULTS AGES 2-102
Sunday, September 4 is a special day for you. Bring your backpack, tote bag, briefcase, or whatever you use for daycare, school, college, the office, or church meetings to the morning worship service for a special blessing by Pastor David. It will be a great way to start off the school year and bless your daily job and/or your mission and ministry for our church.
On behalf of the family of Dick A. Bish, we would like to thank the members of our Hamburg United Methodist Church family for all the kindness, prayers, love, and support during this difficult time. We praise God for his many blessings and consider the members of the HUMC to be one of those blessings.
With the deepest gratitude , The family of Dick A. Bish
Dave Welsh, a friend of Cheryl Bell's brother, has been on our prayer list for several years because of ongoing cancer issues. He received a Cozy Quilt in September 2021, and it made a profound impact on his life.
He felt so loved by prayers from people he had never met, and by the making of this personalized quilt. He began to take it every place he went. It has been to every surgery and treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering, prayed over by NYC policemen, and prayed over by priests at St. Patrick's Cathedral. It has gone to Lake Placid, Lake George, Saratoga Raceway, and even a taping of Saturday Night Live. Most recently the quilt was at Niagara Falls. Dave refers to it as his security blanket.
Dave was determined to attend a worship service at HUMC to give testimony about the wonderful impact of Cozy Quilt, and the prayer group, and on July 31, 2022, he did. It was a powerful and moving testimony. He was then presented with the Cozy Quilt Ambassador award by Maureen Park. The love of God was on display that day.
Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church founded First Fruits Food Pantry to assist families battling food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing fresh produce and meats every Saturday Sign up Online to Volunteer
SCYC proudly welcomes vocalists for the 2022-2023 season. Middle School and high school students who wish to enrich their musical learning and vocal abilities are encouraged to register. No prior experience is required. Choir practices will be held Thursday evenings from 6 pm to 7 pm once per week from September through May. Choir members will perform once a month at Hamburg United Methodist Church and other venues within our communities.
Music selections will include challenging, fun, well-written, and varied pieces that will suit everyone in the audience.
The goal of the Southtowns Community Youth Choir is to uplift our communities through high-quality choral music and to provide musical education to singers through structured programming. The Choir provides a safe setting where youth can explore and develop musical literacy and vocal technique while becoming confident performers.
Many thanks to Hamburg United Methodist Church, whom through their sponsorship, there is no fee to participate in this program. However, it is expected that participants will attend weekly practices and performances that are held once monthly.
BOOK SALE
Donations of new, almost new, and gently used books are needed for the annual Book Sale held during the United Women in Faith bazaar on November 4 and 5. Books can be for children, youth, and adults, fiction and non-fiction, fact and fun, for pleasure reading or information. NO TEXTBOOKS PLEASE. Books should be left in the hallway by the mailboxes any time before October 15. Any questions??? see Dick Caldwell.
Please contact Linda Szal Sutton at linda3@roadrunner.com if you have any questions.
BOOK CLUB
Book Club will meet Monday, Sept 26, at 10:30 am in the Library. Please join us to kick off the new year. We will be discussing Anthony Doerr's 2015 Pulitzer Prize Winning fiction " All The Light We Cannot See". We will also be choosing books to read for 2022. If you have any favorites please bring your list to share with the group.
WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY
Sunday, October 2 is being celebrated around the world as World Communion Sunday
by many Christian denominations. As a part of this celebration, the United Methodist Church receives a special offering that is designated for scholarships for youth and young adults who are facing financial obstacles that make higher education difficult or impossible. Offering envelopes will be available with the offering plate in the sanctuary. Others may include this offering electronically or in whatever way you give. Offerings may be given any time in October.
RETIRED MEN’S FELLOWSHIP
The Retired Men’s Fellowship of Hamburg UMC will mark the beginning of the fall
season with their monthly lunch gathering on Tuesday, September 20 at Noon at ZJ’s
Restaurant in the Hamburg Village Plaza. All retired men are invited. Come and bring a friend for food and fellowship.
Dick Caldwell, facilitator
HUMC CHURCH LIBRARY
Jesus: His Life and Teachings by Joseph F. Girzone. Based on the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the author captures the drama, majesty, and compassion of the greatest story ever told in language that will open the heart of anyone who reads this book. From the birth of the Messiah to the wedding at Cana, the Sermon on the Mount, the Passion, and the triumphant Resurrection, each episode and lesson from the life of Jesus are rendered with freshness and wisdom. Through the story of Jesus' life, there is powerful evidence for everyone of what true intimacy with God is.
Sabbath – Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller. In today’s world, with its emphasis on success and productivity, the rhythm of life is lost as well as the balance between work and rest. We long for time with friends and family; we long for a moment for ourselves. The tradition of the Sabbath has become an oasis of sacred time within our busy lives. In this book, the author shows how to create a special time of rest, delight, and renewal – a refuge for our souls. It could be a day, an afternoon, an hour, or maybe a short walk. The stories, poems, and suggestions in the book teach us how to use our Sabbath time of sacred rest to refresh our bodies and minds, restore our creativity, and regain our inner happiness.
Sweet September by Tricia Goyer. Sweet September is a story from the Home to Heather Creek Series. September is harvest time, but the Slater children are not getting into the spirit. Emily, Christopher, and Sam all have their concerns and problems. Grandmother, Charlotte is determined to get them back on track. By chance, Christopher finds an old piece of metal and wants to find out where it came from which unlocks a forgotten time in the family’s history. As the kids pull together to find answers, they learn more about each other and the love that binds them together. Lessons from their past give them hope for the future.
As the cooler days of autumn arrive, there will be time to find a comfortable place to relax and read. Visit our church library to find 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)
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