| Tom and Marsha Judson were on hand for the Connecticut Food Bank's open house tour of their new 80,000+ square foot storage and distribution facility at Research Park in Wallingford, CT. They are the proud parents of Carolyn Russell, a Food Procurement Officer at CT Food Bank, who has helped to put in place amazing logistics for distributing healthy foods to six of Connecticut's eight counties from this facility and a satellite facility in Fairfield, CT. With one in five families not able to meet their basic needs for nutrition in Connecticut, CT Food Bank's work is more important than ever. Many foods supplied are surplus goods from local supermarket chains. The quantity of food managed helps to keep the cost of feeding people down - for as little as fifty cents a person per meal. Opened in October of 2015, the brand-new distribution facility houses huge aisles of basic foodstuffs, as well as enormous refrigerator and freezer units - don't call them "walk-in" fridges, they're drive-in sized, and then some! The quality of the food is first rate, with an emphasis on healthy eating wherever possible. Mobile food pantry vans visit communities across the state regularly, staffed by people like Jose, who make it a point to be in ministry to all those in need. No income pre-qualifications are needed - get a ticket, get on line, and you'll have access to healthy food. Overcoming the "dignity barrier" is one key point to helping people to step forward for healthy eating. Education is also in the mix, with mobile vans also available to provide classes and adults hands-on experiences with healthy food preparation. CT Food Bank also supplies many local food pantries across the state, such as Middletown's Amazing Grace food pantry. First UMC Middletown celebrates Marsha and Tom's ongoing leadership in ministries for families needing food and dignity in our community, and all those who help in our community to bring food justice to all in need. For more information please contact ctfoodbank.org or contact our office for opportunities to make a difference in the world in loving service to God's creation. |
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For God, all things are possible. - Mark 10:27 This Sunday, January 31st, after worship and fellowship, you have the opportunity to begin to shape the future of First United Methodist Church, Middletown. Your voice and your efforts will matter and make all the difference!
This first in a series of all-church meetings will begin to explore how to take concrete steps towards implementing the mission and the means to fulfill God's plan for United Methodism in Middletown. John Parent, our Church Council Chairperson, will chair the meeting, and we will be able to shift to acting as a voting Church Council quickly as required to make important decisions. Our new Lay Leader Debbie Camp and Pastor Barbara Marks will also be helping to lead the meeting, listening to your voices and helping to lead us towards the promising future that God has prepared for us. Seminarian Associate John Blossom will provide presentation materials to help frame and moderate the discussion. All voices will be heard without dominance and with respect and good moderation, so that we can begin the work of discerning the way forward through the exciting opportunities that lay before us. Our mission is the key focus of this first meeting, but we will also be discerning how to move in a deliberate and committed way to defining the mission fields and the means to fulfill our mission. Bring yourself, your ideas, your hopes, your dreams, open hearts, and open minds. May God help us to do the rest, for in God, all things are possible, indeed! Love playing music? Want a place to share a spiritual message through music? First United Methodist Church Middletown is a place where you can do that, with appreciative and ecouraging audiences - for up to $100 per performance. We call it #FirstMusic. We are now holding auditions for monthly performances at our church by local musicians who have a message that they'd like to share with others. We do not require specifically Christian music, though it is welcome, and previous experience with worship music is not necessary. If you have instrumental, vocal, or a group music talent that has something to say, in any musical genre, then let us help you to say it! Auditions will be held on an appointment basis at our church parsonage, 221 Ridge Road in Middletown. Our Music Director will be available to encourage and support you in your performance, and can help you to succeed. For more information and audition scheduling, please contact John Blossom by voice or text at (203) 293.8511, via email at outreach@fumcmiddletownct.org, or send us a message on Facebook or Twitter. We hope that you will share your music with us some time soon! Downloadable Poster:
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