The Trumpet Call: Our Vision
The Trumpet Call: Our Vision
The Trumpet Call: Our Vision
Military Ministry
Our Vision
To challenge and encourage everyone in our congregation to know and follow
Christ by:
Growing as disciples through Christs teachings
Connecting with one another in Christian community
Serving Christ by serving others
Praising God as we worship Christ
Sunday Services
Traditional 8:30 am
Contemporary 10:45 am
Sunday School/Discipleship Classes 9:45 am
Pastors Corner
For those of you reading this on Thursday afternoon, there is still time to make plans to attend
our third Advent Study this evening, Sent. Its been a great study thus far, and I find the
examples provided by the participants in the video to be very down to earth and easily
relatable to all of our lives. Even if you havent been to either of the first two, please come to
the last two! A reminder: the third study is tonight and the fourth and final is on Sunday night,
since next Thursday is Christmas Eve and God has other plans for us then. We enjoy a great
simple meal at 6:00 pm in Fellowship Hall, served by Ana Price and her volunteers, then
move into Oberholtzer for a brief video and small group sharing. Were on our way home by
8:00 pm. Its a great way to center our devotional life during Advent and prepare us spiritually
for Christmas. The third study (Thurs. night) will even prepare us for our upcoming sermon
series starting January 3, entitled, Where is God When it Hurts?
Owing to the success of our red postcard distribution the last few weeks, whereby you have been challenged
to give out informational postcards to family, friends, and co-workers to invite them to our church, were doing it
again for our January sermon series. We have ordered 500 glossy postcards to be distributed at all three
services on Christmas Eve to get people -- especially those who might only show up in worship on Christmas
Eve and Easter -- to think about coming back to worship in the January when attendance can dip owing to the
weather. If we run out of cards on Christmas Eve or need more to hand out later, we will certainly order more. I
want to thank all of you who have been inviting people with our red postcards during Advent!
I will be participating in a Blue Christmas service on Monday night, December 21, 7:00 pm, at Cherry Lane
UMC. A Blue Christmas service (also sometimes called a Longest Night Service since it is held on the winter
solstice) is especially for those who have been affected by loss: loss of a loved one or other loss in ones life, or
for those who struggle to be filled with Christmas joy no matter what the cause. If this sounds like something
youd like to attend or know of someone who is struggling this time of year, please invite them to go directly to
Cherry Lane Church for the service, or meet me in the rear parking lot of our church at 6:20 pm on Monday
(Continued on page 2)
night, when I will be driving one of our church vans to the church for the
service. This service can provide a strong, faithful answer to the question,
Where is God when it hurts? The church is located on Cherry Lane Rd.
in Tannersville.
Of course, the big event within the next
week is Christmas Eve, when we will have
three very different services offered at
4:00, 7:00, and 10:00 pm. The first is the
Childrens service, a brief service geared
toward younger children and which will
feature LED candles which they can each
take home. It will be an interactive service
with children invited to participate in a
spontaneous Christmas pageant. The
7:00 pm service is a more traditional family service which will feature
much music and a brief Christmas message focused on the Love
Revealed theme weve been exploring during Advent. LED candles will
be given to children and wax candles given to youth and adults for the
culmination of the service in the singing of Silent Night. The 10:00 pm
service will feature lessons and carols and Holy Communion at the end of
the service. This service will also culminate in the singing of Silent Night
with candlelight. I hope and pray that one of these services fits your family
for Christmas Eve, and remember, it is never too late to invite someone
new! This Sunday, the fourth and final Sunday of Advent, we will explore
the theme of Humility: the humility of Mary foreshadowed the humility
her son would show later as he gave himself to us on the cross. I hope to
see you in worship!
Pastor Jim
Photo Caption
Stephen Ministry
Struggling?
Rejoice with those who rejoice;
mourn with those who mourn.
Romans 12:15
Its Christmas! So many happy
memories: family gathered together, a
beautiful tree, special worship services.
It isnt that way this year and your heart
aches. A Stephen Minister would like to
be there for you! Your Stephen Minister
will listen to you, care for you, pray for
you, and help you through this time of
pain.
For more information about Stephen
Ministry, please contact Peggy Strack,
570-421-3280, ext. 1023.
Members of ESUMC who are no longer
able to attend church, always enjoy
hearing from you! Cards and notes of
encouragement may be sent to:
Betty Smith
4 S Kistler St. Apt 225
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
Thank you!
45 members of the church family who are
no longer able to attend church received
plates of Christmas cookies and a small
wreath to remind them of the Saviors love
at Christmas. Thank you to everyone who
made the crafts, baked cookies, packaged
the cookies and delivered the cookies and
crafts! It was a wonderful team effort that
truly blessed those who sometimes feel
forgotten! Well done thou good and
faithful servants, and may you have a
very blessed Christmas!
Last Chance to
Order Poinsettias
for Christmas
2
Church-Wide Study
Love Boxes
Saturday, February 6, 2016 - 12:30-2:00 pm
Sunday School
Sundays @ 9:45-10:35 am
Childrens Church
Sundays @ 11:00-11:45 am
should have lived and died the death I was condemned to die. John 3:16
says, God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV) This is
truly great news, is it not? So why arent people running to our doorstep to
Weekly Youth Ministry Schedule
receive this wonderful message of grace?
Sr. High Bible Study
The gospel message never changes, but what has drastically changed is our
Mondays @ 6:30-8:30 pm
cultural climate. Growing up in the 60s and 70s, it was the norm to attend
church each Sunday, at least where I lived. Now, that is not the case. In fact,
Youth Praise Band Practice
many people dont consider it an option, even in times of crisis. Many
Wednesdays @ 6:00-7:00 pm
millennials, ages 18-34, identify themselves as nonreligious and do not see
JAM Jr. High Afterschool Program and
the church and its message as relevant. (see Pocono Record article on
Fellowship Meal @ 2:45-6:00 pm
unchurched millennials 12/13/15)
So what can we do? How are we to reach the unchurched and the nominally
JAM Jr. High Boys & Girls Study Groups Christian folks in our community? Adam Hamilton, co-creator of the CATCH
@ 6:45-8:00 pm
program, says before we begin to invite people to our worship services, we
need to answer three important questions.
Jr. and Sr. High Sunday School and
Fellowship @ 9:45-10:35 am
Why do people need Jesus Christ?
Contact: Scott Kuhnle, [email protected]
Why do people need the church?
Phone: 570-421-3280 Ext. 1013
Why do people need your particular church?
Contact Erica Dorsch, [email protected]
Phone: 570-421-3280 Ext. 1017
Two Positions
Events
Contact Us
The Joyful Noises Quartet still has CDs for sale. Donation is $10 and $3 goes
back to the ESUMC Missions. These would make wonderful stocking stuffers. See Doug,
Pete, or Bob, and dont wait too longthere are not many left.
Church Office
(570) 421-3280
[email protected]
Hours: 9 am to 3 pm
Mon thru Fri
Pastor
Jim Todd
[email protected]
Ext. 1014
Secretary
Maria Ragonese
[email protected]
Ext. 1010
Congregational Care
Peggy Strack
[email protected]
Ext. 1023
Youth Ministries
Scott Kuhnle
[email protected]
Ext. 1013
Childrens Ministries
Erica Dorsch
[email protected]
Ext. 1017
Finances
Sue Mertz
[email protected]
Ext. 1015
Financial Secretary
Cyndie Faunce
[email protected]
Ext. 1025
Maintenance
William Mack
[email protected]
Ext. 1018
Organist/Traditional
Music
Pauline Fox
[email protected]
Audio/Visual
Joe Dorsch
[email protected]
Contemporary Music
Doug Malefyt
[email protected]
Technology Support
Michael Corey
[email protected]
Ext. 1012