April 30, 2017
Third Sunday of Easter 
​
Sermon
"Being Blessed On The Journey"

by
Barbara Marks
 
Please join us for worship
Sunday at 10:00 a.m.  

 at

The Elk’s Lodge
44 Maynard Street, Middletown, CT 

~
Scripture:

Acts 2:14a, 36-41
 &
Luke 24:13-35

Announcements
 
 
Connecticut District Conference – will be TODAY from 2pm – 4pm.  At the First United Methodist Church, 15 Pleasant Street (Corner of East Main St.), Meriden, CT 06450.  There will be a celebration of the innumerable contributions of District Superintendent Kenneth Kieffer, Administrative Assistant Dorothy Chamberlain and MUCH MORE!  All are welcome. 
 
Special Offering – will be collected for “Days for Girls” throughout the month of April…  Please leave your offering in the discretionary plate. 
 
Days for Girls –is an organization that provides quality sustainable feminine hygiene kits and education to girls and women in over 75 countries to help reverse the cycle of poverty.  Activities include sewing, ironing, folding, snapping, prepping, etc. Fabric donations are also appreciated. There are no requirements to participate, besides a desire to do so. All are welcome and encouraged to participate. Please contact Megan Camp for more information via email at megmariecamp@gmail.com, or in person at Sunday service!
 
Leadership Meeting – will meet Wednesday, May 3rd, 7pm at the Athenian Diner, 864 Washington Street.  Please see Pastor Barbara Marks for more information.
 
The United Methodist Men - meet at the parsonage for a men’s breakfast Saturday, May 6th, and the first Saturday of each month. And they will be hosting coffee hour on May 7th.  Bring a friend! See David Marks or Warren Western for more information.
 
Church Council – will meet Sunday, May 7 following worship services.  Update on Land Purchase and Community Service Event.  All are welcome and encouraged to come!
 
The Sew ‘n’ Sew’s - will meet the second Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m. at Heritage Commons.  And they will be hosting coffee hour May 21st.  Bring a brown bag lunch.  Please see Barbara Hendershot for more information. 
 
It is with great joy I announce The Rev David Gilmore – will be our guest preacher on Mother’s Day, May 14th.  Rev Gilmore was the keynote speaker for the Laity Convocation in the fall and I have invited him here to take a look at how the Middletown UMC might grow.  Please welcome him, and ask him any questions you might have, on church growth. 
 
Finance Committee - will meet Wednesday, May 10th at 7pm, at the Parsonage.  Please see Warren Western for more information. 
 
Trustee Committee - will meet Wednesday, May 17th at 7pm, at the Parsonage.  Please see Bill Collins for more information. 
 
SPPR Committee - will meet Wednesday, May 24th at 7pm, at the Parsonage.  And will be hosting coffee hour on May 28th.  Please see Sharon Riley for more information.  

Congratulations Church!! – What an outstanding effort you have put forth for Days for Girls ($552) and Raise the Roof Orphanage Project ($150).  Good Job.  What does it mean?  It means that you have kept 26 girls in school for 3 years.  You have also contributed 3 sheets of tin roofing (with a matching 3) of the 80 sheets needed to complete the roof to house orphans.  What a blessing!  This effort will continue through the month of April.  Give generously.

April 23, 2017
Second Sunday of Easter 
​
Sermon
"What it Takes to Believe"

by
Jesse Rader
 
Please join us for worship
Sunday at 10:00 a.m.  

 at

The Elk’s Lodge
44 Maynard Street, Middletown, CT 

~
Scripture:

Psalm 16
 &
John 20:19-31

Announcements
 
 
We welcome Jesse Rader to our Church pulpit this morning as our guest preacher.  Jesse comes to us from the Branford UMC.  He is just starting his journey on the Local Pastor track.  Please extend to him a hearty Middletown welcome!
 
 
Connecticut District Conference – will be Sunday, April 30th from 2pm – 4pm.  At the First United Methodist Church, 15 Pleasant Street (Corner of East Main St.), Meriden, CT 06450.  There will be a celebration of the innumerable contributions of District Superintendent Kenneth Kieffer, Administrative Assistant Dorothy Chamberlain and MUCH MORE!  All are welcome. 
 
 
Special Offering – will be collected for “Days for Girls” throughout the month of April…  Please leave your offering in the discretionary plate. 
 
 
Days for Girls –is an organization that provides quality sustainable feminine hygiene kits and education to girls and women in over 75 countries to help reverse the cycle of poverty.  Activities include sewing, ironing, folding, snapping, prepping, etc. Fabric donations are also appreciated. There are no requirements to participate, besides a desire to do so. All are welcome and encouraged to participate. Please contact Megan Camp for more information via email at megmariecamp@gmail.com, or in person at Sunday service!
 
 
SPPR Committee - will meet Wednesday, April 26th at 7pm, at the Parsonage.  Please see Sharon Riley for more information. 
 
 
The United Methodist Men - meet at the parsonage for a men’s breakfast Saturday, May 6th, and the first Saturday of each month. Bring a friend! See David Marks or Warren Western for more information.
 
 
The Sew ‘n’ Sew’s - will meet the second Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m. at Heritage Commons.  Bring a brown bag lunch.  Please see Barbara Hendershot for more information. 
 
 
Finance Committee - will meet Wednesday, May 10th at 7pm, at the Parsonage.  Please see Warren Western for more information. 
 
 
Trustee Committee - will meet Wednesday, May 17th at 7pm, at the Parsonage.  Please see Bill Collins for more information. 
 
 
Amazing Grace Donations – can now be brought to church any Sunday.  In addition to tuna and cereal, they are looking for donations of oatmeal, coffee and soup.    Please contact Marsha Judson with any questions at (860) 346-0005.
​

​

Our thanks to everyone for a joy-filled Easter celebration, with bright Easter joy rolling away the stone of our doubts and fears in the light of Christ's resurrection! Flowers, families, young adults, long-time members, wonderful music - what could be better than to experience faith with such warmth and hope. See our photos below.
Easter is just the start of getting our faith rolling for the year. We invite you to keep your Easter joy rolling in the days and weeks ahead:

• Add prayer to your daily life; a devotional reading like The Upper Room can help you to get started.
• Join a study or prayer group.
• Ask about how you can participate in our worship and mission teams
• Share your faith life at home and in our community.
• Reach out for the help that you need to let God heal the dark places in your life.
• Help others to find new light. Listen to them, pray with them, and invite them to worship.

Take it all at your own pace, but remember, Jesus didn't stop at the door of the tomb - Jesus kept on walking. And so can we, a day at a time!

Two condemned criminals faced death at the side of a man named Jesus, an innocent man, whose crime was being the Son of God, who offered forgiveness, love, healing and hope to them and everyone. How can we not want to be with him as he goes into his kingdom?
Please join us Thursday, April 13th, 7PM, at our 221 Ridge Road fellowship house living room, to experience  being with Jesus at his Last Supper and his sacrifice on the cross, both offered to us as the embodiment of God's love for us in Jesus Christ. 
Stay a while afterwards as you wish for contemplative prayer, and prepare your heart for God's amazing gift of Easter joy.

April 9, 2017
Palm/Passion Sunday 
​

Sermon
"Palm Passion Drama"

by
Barbara Marks
 
Please join us for worship
Sunday at 10:00 a.m.  

 at

The Elk’s Lodge
44 Maynard Street, Middletown, CT 

Announcements:
Holy Week -
 

• Maundy Thursday service on April 13th, at 7 p.m. 221 Ridge Rd
• Easter Sunday- April 16- 10am Elks Ballroom 44 Maynard St

 
Easter Flowers – money is now OVERDUE…  Please forward your payment to Nancy Burton or the church office.  And remember to take the flowers that you ordered after the Easter Service. 
 
RESTORED-Lenten DVD Book Study – TODAY - What comes to mind when you hear the word mess?  Your home? Your schedule during a particularly busy week at work? Your family? Messes are a part of being human and a part of living in a messy and broken world.  The good news is that God is in the mess – not making the mess but working to redeem and restore it. 
 
Special Offering – will be collected for “Days for Girls” throughout the month of April…  Please leave your offering in the discretionary plate. 
 
The Sew ‘n’ Sew’s - will meet the second Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m. at Heritage Commons.  Bring a brown bag lunch.  Please see Barbara Hendershot for more information. 
 
Finance Committee - will meet Wednesday, April 12th at 7pm, at the Parsonage.  Please see Warren Western for more information. 
 
Trustee Committee - will meet Wednesday, April 19th at 7pm, at the Parsonage.  Please see Bill Collins for more information. 
 
SPPR Committee - will meet Wednesday, April 26th at 7pm, at the Parsonage.  Please see Sharon Riley for more information. 
 
The United Methodist Men - meet at the parsonage for a men’s breakfast Saturday, May 6th, and the first Saturday of each month. Bring a friend! See David Marks or Warren Western for more information.
 
Amazing Grace Donations – can now be brought to church any Sunday.  In addition to tuna and cereal, they are looking for donations of oatmeal, coffee and soup.    Please contact Marsha Judson with any questions at (860) 346-0005.
 
Days for Girls –is an organization that provides quality sustainable feminine hygiene kits and education to girls and women in over 75 countries to help reverse the cycle of poverty.  Activities include sewing, ironing, folding, snapping, prepping, etc. Fabric donations are also appreciated. There are no requirements to participate, besides a desire to do so. All are welcome and encouraged to participate. Please contact Megan Camp for more information via email at megmariecamp@gmail.com, or in person at Sunday service!
​
​

Our church's participation in the Middletown Refugee Resettlement Coalition continues, as the coalition welcomes a new refugee family to our community. Our latest family comes from Syria, and their young children will appreciate gifts of children's books especially. Best age ranges: 1-4 years.

The family will also benefit from gift cards for local grocery stores and pharmacies for food and general supplies. The family follows "Halal" guidelines for their foods (similar to Kosher food guidelines), to the gift cards will allow them to make the most appropriate choices according to their traditions.

If you have any donations for the family, or questions about how you may participate in the coalition's work, please contact John Blossom

​Our much appreciated pianist Catherine "Cassie" Wilson will be performing in a reading/performance of a new musical that she was written for her Wesleyan music program with a collaborator. Titled "If Sand Were Stone," the performance should run around an hour and a half. No tickets!

Saturday, April 8th at 7pm in Beckham Hall (in the building Fayerweather) at Wesleyan. 55 Wyllys Ave.

To express your interest in attending, please visit the event page on Facebook for this performance at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1871873489769063/


Congratulations, Cassie! 

First UMC Middletown worship is great, isn't it? Well, how do we explain this to the world? How can we tell how warm, fulfilling and hopeful our church can be?

This video, posted on both YouTube and our Facebook page, tells the story of a typical day of worship and fellowship at our church. It shows how we grow from an empty room to a people filled with faith, empty the room, and then bring our faith and fellowship to our parsonage. It captures the life of our church, which you can share with others online, and in person. We have a GREAT church, one that seeks to bring God glory every day. Share that joy with others - by sharing this video and all of our messages of hope for the world.