WEST PITTSTON

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

“We love, because Christ first loved us.”

~ 1 John 4:19 ~

“Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ

for the transformation of the world”

To accomplish our mission we will …

Go and Invite … Welcome and Love … Nurture and Grow

Greetings in the name of our Savior and Lord, Jesus

Christ!

United Methodist pastor Maxie Dunnam for years was

the World Editor of The Upper Room devotional

magazine. He shares a story in his book PERCEPTIONS –

Observations on Everyday Life about a man who was

tired and weak all the time, with no energy whatsoever.

Finally the man decides to see a doctor. He proceeds to

tell the doctor, “I feel drained and exhausted. I don’t

seem to have any energy. I have a chronic headache. I

feel worn out all the time. What’s the best thing I can

do?”

Now the doctor knew that the man had a very busy and

hectic lifestyle. So he said to the man, “What’s the best

thing you can do? You can go home after work, eat a

nutritious meal, get a good night’s rest and stop running

around and carousing all night – that’s the best thing

you can do.”

The man pondered for a moment, then asked, “What’s

the next best thing I can do?”

Rev. Dunnam goes on to say that too often we choose

the next-best thing because we’re not willing to pay the

price for the very best. We’re not willing to give up

habits that are taking their toll on our physical health.

We’re not willing to give up activities and relationships

that are morally questionable. We’re not willing to pay

the price of spiritual discipline.

Rev. Dunnam concludes that there’s no point in seeking

a meaningful life if we are willing only to do the next-

best in finding it.

Friends, God desires the very best for us. He knew that

we needed a savior. Not just any savior would do. It

would have to be the absolute very best savior there

would ever be. It would have to be one who could

reconcile we who are sinners to Himself, the One

without sin. It would have to be the perfect sacrifice in

order to accomplish what needed done. That’s why He

sent Jesus. Jesus is that Savior. The perfect Lamb of

God gave His all for us that we might experience His

very best.

If God didn't hesitate

to put everything on the line for us,

embracing our condition

and exposing himself to the worst

by sending his own Son,

is there anything else he wouldn't gladly

and freely do for us?

(Romans 8:32)

(continued on next page)

These words of the apostle Paul from The Message

remind us that God’s love for us is so incredibly

awesome, that to do any less than our very best for Him

all of the time is inexcusable and unacceptable. Our

challenge today and every day is – to give Him the best

of our best – in all things – our talents, our time, and

our resources (yes – even financial resources) – all of

the time. My prayer is that every one of us would ask

Him to help us make this a reality in our lives so that

others will want to do the same.

On the journey with you,

Pastor Dave

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“I always wondered

why somebody doesn’t do something.

Then I realized I am somebody.”

—Lily Tomlin

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A WORK IN PROGRESS

A Christian is always in the process of becoming, never

in the state of having become. The Christian life is not

being pious but becoming pious, not being healthy but

becoming healthy, not being but becoming, not rest but

exercise. We are not yet [what we are to be], but we

are becoming it. It is not yet done and has not yet

happened. It is, however, going on and coming to be. It

is not the end, but it is the way.

—Martin Luther

THE WHOLE IS GREATER ...

Composer Iannis Xenakis said, “The collision of hail or

rain with hard surfaces, or the song of cicadas in a

summer field. These sonic events are made out of

thousands of isolated sounds; this multitude of sounds,

seen as totality, is a new sonic event.”

What would one cicada sound like, or a lone hailstone

hitting the ground? Would we even hear that? How

about one raindrop, one low rumble of thunder? But

put those individual sounds together in groups and

they’re powerful.

What can one coin in an offering plate accomplish? Or

one volunteer from an entire congregation? What if

John the Baptist’s lone voice had never been joined by

the disciples, and all the Christians after them, sharing

the Gospel?

One voice alone isn’t inconsequential, just as one coin,

one volunteer, one raindrop isn’t nothing. But if each

felt inconsequential and stopped contributing its

“sound,” soon there would be nothing. Conversely,

when many individuals stay in the game, soon they find

they aren’t alone at all. God brings their contributions

together, creating a whole new “sonic event”!

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“If you lack knowledge, go to school.

If you lack wisdom, get on your knees!

Knowledge is not wisdom.

Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge.”

—Vance Havner

ACTIVITIES / EVENTS CALENDAR

~ August 2015 ~

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1

2 WORSHIP

10:00 AM

FELLOWSHIP TIME

11:15 AM

3 SMALL GROUP

STUDY 1:00 PM

AD-COUNCIL

6:00 PM

4 YOUTH,

FAMILY & FRIENDS DAY

@ KNOEBEL’S AMUSEMENT PARK

5 FOOD

PANTRY

9:00 AM –

12:00 PM

6 YOUTH

SERVING @ RUTH’S PLACE

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

7

8 LUNCH

WITH THE PASTOR @ 11:30 AM

@ AGOLINO’S

9 WORSHIP

10:00 AM

FELLOWSHIP TIME

11:15 AM

ACOLYTE TRAINING 11:30 AM

10 SMALL GROUP

STUDY 1:00 PM

11

12

13

14

15

16 WORSHIP

10:00 AM

FELLOWSHIP TIME

11:15 AM

17 SMALL GROUP

STUDY 1:00 PM

18 BREAKFAST

WITH THE PASTOR @ 9:00 AM

@ AGOLINO’S

19 FOOD

PANTRY

9:00 AM –

12:00 PM

20

21

22

23 BLESSING

OF PRAYER CARDS

& BACKPACKS

@

WORSHIP

10:00 AM

FELLOWSHIP TIME

11:15 AM

24

25

26

27

28

29 YOUTH

SERVING @ ST. VINCENT’S SOUP KITCHEN

9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

30 WORSHIP

10:00 AM

FELLOWSHIP TIME

11:15 AM

31

LOOKING AHEAD …

PLEASE NOTE … There will be a meeting for everyone interested in our JUNE 19th

– 25th

, 2016 HENDERSON SETTLEMENT MISSION TRIP on Wednesday, September 2

nd, from 6:00 PM until

7:00 PM.

General information, forms, and fall fundraiser to be discussed. All Youth as well as anyone that will be 13 years or older by June 18

th, 2016 who are interested in this mission trip should

attend this meeting.

FORGIVENESS:

A JOURNEY FILLED WITH CHOICES

By Emily Snell

from the March-April 2015 edition of INTEPRETER magazine

All that's needed for forgiveness to take place,

sometimes, is for the victim or survivor to have

permission not to forgive.

The Rev. Anne Robertson discovered this to be true

early in her ministry when a young woman came to her

office, saying she couldn't be a Christian anymore

because she couldn't find it in her heart to forgive her

abusive father.

"‘I can't forgive him, and the Bible says I have to. I can't,

so I can't be a Christian anymore,'" Robertson said the

woman told her.

But forgiveness is not something that can be forced,

Robertson told the woman.

"She had a choice. He was not entitled to her

forgiveness," said Robertson, a United Methodist

clergywoman who is director of the Massachusetts Bible

Society. "She left my office forgiving him and sort of

floating on a cloud. All she needed to forgive him was

the permission not to. She was physically different

when she left that office. It wasn't anything I did. It

was just letting her know that forgiveness is a gift."

Forgiveness will look different depending on the specific

details of each person's circumstances and

relationships, says the Rev. Marjorie Thompson, but

there are common aspects in every situation.

Thompson is the author of two books on forgiveness.

"I think the outcome of forgiveness is a sense of peace,

a sense of empathy and compassion for the other

person, and a sense of inward freedom from carrying

around the burden of feeling wounded or resentful,"

Thompson said.

A way of life

Sometimes forgiveness is viewed in its simplest form as

accepting an apology, but the Rev. L. Gregory Jones of

Duke Divinity School says there is much more involved.

Forgiveness "is a way of life that involves words,

feelings and gestures," he says. "We often think that

forgiveness is largely about saying something, and we

don't pay enough attention to both the emotions that

are involved and the actions or gestures that need to be

offered."

Everett Worthington Jr., a clinical psychologist and

professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, said he

thinks forgiveness, unlike reconciliation, "happens

inside people's skins, not in relationships."

Worthington offers two categories of forgiveness.

Decisional forgiveness, he explains, occurs when one

person makes "a decision to not seek vengeance and to

treat the person as a valuable and valued person,

regardless of what the person has done. "Emotional

forgiveness", he continues, is "a gradual erosion of

negative unforgiving emotions – resentment, bitterness,

hostility, hatred, anxiety and anger – and their

replacement by positive emotions like empathy,

sympathy, compassion or love."

Forgiveness is a choice

Some Christians sometimes perceive that Scripture

teaches forgiveness is required, but these experts say it

is not something that can be extended out of obligation.

"God makes us free to forgive or not forgive,"

Thompson said. "There is nothing automatic about

forgiveness. It is either from the heart or it is not real.

Forgiveness costs us something, as it cost Jesus. Most

forgiveness involves a journey of some kind. I don't

think we should expect ourselves to instantaneously

forgive someone when we are wounded."

While the journey toward forgiveness should not be

rushed, there is plenty of evidence to prove forgiveness

is a good thing for which to strive.

"We forgive because we will never really find freedom

or peace of heart without it," Thompson said. "Holding

onto bitterness is corrosive to our own soul."

According to research, Worthington said, forgiveness

contributes to better physical health – such as better

immune function and less risk of heart problems; better

mental health due to "less rumination, and thus less

depression, anxiety and anger;" and better spiritual

connection.

There are biblical reasons to forgive.

"We forgive because that has been modeled for us,"

Thompson said. "God's design ultimately is for

reconciliation and harmony within and among the

human family. Forgiveness isn't just about amending

the past; it's about building a road into the future. I

think the design of God is reconciliation, and God is

urging us toward that greater harmony and

empowering us to engage with each other for that

purpose."

Unconditional forgiveness?

Jones, author of Embodying Forgiveness: A Theological

Analysis, agreed, saying forgiveness is "the only way in

which we can show what it means to be forgiven and to

be people capable of love. We need to be committed

to developing the habits and practices of forgiveness as

a way of life."

Knowing the specifics of those practices is, he said, "a

matter of wisdom and discernment in any situation."

And there are certainly times when forgiveness should

not be given unconditionally.

"There are lots of contexts in which I would say we need

to practice loving enemies," Jones said, explaining that

unconditional forgiveness of those who intend to do

harm only perpetuates a dangerous cycle.

In instances of abuse, for example, he said, "the fullness

of reconciliation can't be experienced because the other

person is not repentant."

Worthington agreed. "For Christians, we can and

should forgive everything, as a decision," he said. "But,

we might not reconcile with many people. If it is

dangerous, risky, unwise, reconciliation is not called

for."

Forgiven again – and again

Ultimate forgiveness and reconciliation are found in

Christ. Though we have already received his

forgiveness, we come to him again and again,

acknowledging our failings and our need for grace.

Confession helps us grow, Robertson said, as we

examine our imperfections and strive to be more like

Christ.

"What God is looking for is honest repentance, that we

honestly want to change," she said. "The only way we

become better is if we are conscious of the things we've

done wrong. When we hear ourselves repenting of the

same thing night after night, week after week, that can

begin to speak to us in a way that it doesn't if we push it

aside. While it may not make a difference in the

forgiveness we get ultimately from the hand of God, it

does make a difference in our becoming more Christ-

like in our daily lives."

Worthington, who is a fellow in the Religion and

Spirituality division of the American Psychological

Association, shared similar thoughts.

"While Christ's death for us, and Resurrection, are free

gifts, we receive the gift by acknowledging our

neediness of forgiveness, by asking," he said.

"It's not a question of whether God is willing to forgive

us; it's a question of how we need to be reshaped in our

lives," Jones said. "It's not that we are changing God or

that somehow God is maybe not going to forgive us.

Our own change of life is part of what it means to

receive forgiveness, and that is learned by us naming it

in relationship to God in prayer and to people."

There are two reasons to ask God for forgiveness,

Thompson said. "One is to recognize and acknowledge

our failing and our need for the forgiveness that is

already given in Christ," she said. "There is the

necessity to recognize those moments when we need it

and to seek it, understanding that the gift is already

given. The second is to appropriate it - to take into our

minds and hearts again that gift, to really allow it to give

us courage and to heal us and restore us so that we can

learn and grow from our mistakes."

Emily Snell is a freelance writer based in Nashville, Tenn.

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“Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free

and realizing you were the prisoner!”

- Max Lucado

“We are most like God when we forgive.”

- Anonymous

4th … Nicholas Guzzo

5th … Elizabeth Kleinfelder

5th … Drew Smith

10th … Carole Smith

10th … Jesse Smulligan

11th … Robert Dushok

11th … Marian Wilson

12th … Brendan Graham

12th … Rhoda Jones

12th … Ken Williams

13th … John Kleinfelder

14th … Harold Oriel

21st … Amy Graham

21st … Nancy Rodano

24th … Linda Burritt

25th … Kathryn Cebula

29th … Jim Fisk

29th … Robert Galloway

29th … Pat Rinker

29th … Donald Shearer

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THANKS FOR THE THORN

“My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn. I

have thanked Thee a thousand times for my roses, but

not once for my thorns. I have been looking forward to

a world where I shall get compensation for my cross, but

I have never thought of my cross as itself a present glory

… Teach me the glory of my cross, teach me the value of

my thorn.”

– George Matheson

4th … Bill & Lois Yeomans

9th … Dan & Bev Belles

11th … Mark & Elaine Pachamovitch

12th … John & Grace Kleinfelder

18th … Charles & Phyllis Bell

20th … Carl & Lisa Lumley

23rd … Allen & Joanne Austin

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THE ROAD OF LIFE

God of our life,

there are days when the burdens we carry

chafe our shoulders and weigh us down;

when the road seems dreary and endless,

the skies gray and threatening;

when our lives have no music in them,

and our hearts are lonely,

and our souls have lost their courage.

Flood the path with light,

turn our eyes to where

the skies are full of promise;

tune our hearts to brave music;

give us the sense of comradeship

with heroes and saints of every age;

and so quicken our spirits

that we may be able to encourage

the souls of all who journey with us

on the road of life,

to your honor and glory.

—St. Augustine

PLEASE NOTE THIS CHANGE IN DAY …

Join Pastor Dave for some good food and good

conversation on Saturday, August 8th, at 11:30 AM at

Agolino’s Restaurant in West Pittston. Everyone is

invited to join us.

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We will have “ACOLYTE TRAINING and RETRAINING” on

Sunday, August 9th, at 11:30 AM. This is for all children

and teenagers who have never served , but are

interested in serving in this ministry as well as for all

those who have and are currently serving in this

ministry.

PLEASE NOTE THIS CHANGE IN DAY …

Join Pastor Dave for some good food and good

conversation on Tuesday, August 18th, at 9:00 AM at

Agolino’s Restaurant in West Pittston. Everyone is

invited to join us.

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Our YOUTH will be serving at RUTH”S PLACE on

Thursday, August 6th, from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM.

They will be cleaning and making signs for RUTH’S

PLACE’S October 4th fundraiser. Contact our Youth

Director, Erin DeJoseph (570-956-7593 or

MCCARTHYE25@yahoo.com) if you will be joining us

Our YOUTH will be serving at ST. VINCENT’S SOUP

KITCHEN on Saturday, August 29th, from 9:00 AM – 1:00

PM. They will be helping with Kitchen Service Work.

Contact our Youth Director, Erin DeJoseph (570-956-

7593 or MCCARTHYE25@yahoo.com) if you will be

joining us.

Our Small Group study, Christianity and World Religions

… Wrestling with Questions People Ask by Adam

Hamilton, continues from 1:00 PM until 2:30 PM on

Mondays, August 3rd, 10th and 17th.

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Join us for this Small Group study, Christianity’s Family

Tree … What Other Christians Believe and Why, by Rev.

Adam Hamilton. This study will be held at our church

from 1:00 PM until 2:30 PM on the following Mondays

… September 14th, 21st, 28th and October 5th, 12th and

19th. Please contact our church office (655-1083) by

September 1st. if you will be joining us for this study

and for book price information.

Join us for this Small Group study, A Disciple’s Path …

Deepening Your Relationship with Christ and the Church,

by Rev. James Harnish. This study will be held at our

church from 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM on the following

Thursdays … September 17th, 24th and October 1st, 8th,

22nd and 29th. Please contact our church office (655-

1083) by September 1st. if you will be joining us for this

study and for book price information.

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Join us for this Small Group study, The Wired Word.

This is a continuous weekly current events study. Each

weekly installment includes biblical commentary and

discussion questions related to a topic in the news that

week. This study will be held at our church from 6:30

PM until 8:00 PM on Thursdays starting on September

17th.

Each lesson is independent of the others, so you can

choose which weeks you will participate, but you must

contact our church office (655-1083) by the Monday

before the study in order to receive that week’s lesson.

CONFIRMATION CLASS

Confirmation / New Member Class for teenagers

(grades 9 and up) will held on selected Sundays from

4:30 PM until 6:00 PM beginning in September and will

end on Pentecost Sunday, May 15th, 2016. We will be

using the CREDO –CONFIRMATION material as our

guide. We will be going on several field trips as part of

this class.

Please contact our church office (655-1083) by

September 1st, if you want to be part of this class. We

can accept no one after that date.

A letter will be sent to those who sign up for this class

with much more information including information

about our first get-together as well as the schedule for

the rest of the class.

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APPLE FESTIVAL / FLEA MARKET

Join us for our APPLE FESTIVAL / FLEA MARKET on

Saturday, September 26th. As always, we will have

some delicious apple pies, apple dumplings as well as

may other baked goods and ice cream too. We will

have many, many flea market sale items as well as

books and games for you to purchase. And, don’t forget

our silent auction will be part of the day as well.

If you have items to contribute / donate for our flea

market sale, you may do so from 8:30 AM until 12:00

PM Mondays through Friday. PLEASE … NO furniture …

NO televisions … NO appliances.

SAFE SANCTUARIES

ONLINE TRAINING

As the Body of Christ (the Church) we want to make

every possible effort to a people of integrity and honor

by providing a safe place for every person, especially for

our children, youth and vulnerable adults. In order to

do so we require that persons serving (working) with

these groups of must have their proper background

checks updated every three years.

Once again employees and volunteers may go to the

Conference Website (susumc.org) and take the Safe

Sanctuaries Online Training. It can be found on the Safe

Sanctuaries page of the website. The process will take

you through Trak-1, but it's the Susquehanna

Conference Training. You can go to the following link to

access the training - CLICK HERE. If you have questions,

please contact Jeanette Borosky (817-1339 or

JMB641@verizon.net) or Pastor Dave or Anne Horton

(ahorton@susumc.org)

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All children, youth and students are invited to bring

their backpacks to worship on Sunday, August 23rd for

our BLESSING OF THE PACKPACKS.

PRAYER CARDS

One of the greatest ministry opportunities we have is to

pray for our children / students. We want to support

our children / students throughout the 2015-2016

school year. One way we do this is by having persons

from our congregation commit to praying for this child /

student throughout the school year as well as contact

him or her with cards, notes, phone calls, e-mails, small

gifts for their birthday / special occasions. If you have a

child or grandchild we can pray for, PLEASE CONTACT

OUR CHURCH OFFICE (655-1083) … FILL IT OUT ALONG

WITH ALONG THEIR PICTURE … AND GIVE IT TO PASTOR

DAVE OR TURN IT IN TO OUR CHURCH OFFICE BY

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16TH.

We will bless these cards during worship on Sunday,

August 23rd and then distribute them to those persons

who commit themselves to praying for the entire school

year for the child / student whose prayer card they

receive.

PLEASE

PRAY DAILY FOR ME

TEACHER APPRECIATION

What is a teacher, if not a mirror in which we perceive

the divine image hidden in the soul? What is a teacher,

if not a sower of seed and a cultivator of young

gardens? What is a teacher, if not a shaper of souls and

a guide who gently shows the right path for the

journey? What is a teacher, if not the most hopeful of

dreamers, who plants and nurtures and sees the bright

destiny and harvest of the work even when the student

cannot? What is a teacher, if not a shepherd watching

over the flock and leading it to abundant pastures?

Dreamers and sharers of dreams, sowers of seed and

guides who chart the way, mirrors of goodness and

shepherds of grace — it is for these teachers and this

ministry that we give abundant thanks to God.

—Author unknown

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PRAYER — IT'S IN OUR GENES

I don’t think prayer is merely a sociological

phenomenon. I don’t think it’s something we do just to

fit into a community or when we’ve exhausted all other

options. I think it’s hardwired into our spiritual DNA.

God is the inevitability of humanity’s search for true

meaning.

—Jared Brock, A Year of Living Prayerfully

A BROKEN BODY

The video for “Broken Together,” a contemporary

Christian song by Casting Crowns, features a married

couple struggling through a lifetime of faults and

failings. But the song’s message applies to church

families, as well, according to lead singer Mark Hall.

Instead of trying to appear perfect and put-together on

Sundays, he says, Christians need to be real with one

another in an honest, “broken together” community.

“In community,” Hall says, “we can tear the plastic off

and just be ourselves. We can say, ‘You know what, we

don’t have it all together at our house, and it’s kind of a

mess. But Jesus lives in this mess, and he’s walking with

us through it.’”

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A PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED

Dear Lord, we pray for our Christian brothers and sisters

who live where trouble is brewing. Many suffer

persecution in lands far and near. They face violence

and harassment, hunger, kidnapping, oppressive laws

and efforts to destroy their belief in you. Let them feel

your mighty hand of love and protection as they go

about their daily tasks. Let each person find strength,

courage and wisdom in you. When troubles surround

them, may they dwell on your sacrifice and guidance.

Give comfort to those grieving the loss or suffering of

loved ones. Generously meet daily needs for shelter and

food. Provide a safe worship place for those whose

churches have been destroyed. Provide safe passage to

those who must leave families, communities and

country for new surroundings.

Thank you for allowing your children to be the remnant

you hold dear. We pray these things in Christ, our

persecuted but victorious Savior. Amen.

—MaryAnn Sundby

ALUMINUM CANS

We collect ALUMINUM CANS for recycling. Proceeds go

towards purchasing food for our FOOD PANTRY. We

have a container on our MISSION TABLE in the front

hallway for your contributions.

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GENERAL MILLS BOX-TOPS

FOR EDUCATION

We collect GENERAL MILLS BOX-TOPS FOR EDUCATION

for Montgomery Elementary School (next door to our

church). We have a container on our MISSION TABLE in

the front hallway for your contributions.

Life's most urgent question is:

“What are you doing for others?”

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

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FOOD PANTRY

Non-perishable food items are always needed for our

FOOD PANTRY. Some suggested items are cereals

(especially children’s cereals), rice, noodles, canned

meats, stuffing mixes, gelatin and pudding cups,

cookies, paper towels, toilet paper, soap, laundry

detergent, and shampoo. We have a container on our

MISSION TABLE in the front hallway for your

contributions. Fresh produce from your gardens is

greatly appreciated on the days the Pantry is open.

Our Food Pantry is open to the public from 9:00 AM

until 12:00 PM on the first and third Wednesdays of

each month.

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others.”

- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

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SCHOOL SUPPLIES

We collect SCHOOL SUPPLIES throughout the year for

Montgomery Elementary School (next door to our

church). We have a container on our MISSION TABLE in

the front hallway for your contributions.

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“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us;

what we have done for others and the world

remains and is immortal.”

- Albert Pike

RUTH’S PLACE

SHELTER

FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN

We collect personal care items throughout the year for

RUTH’S PLACE (a shelter for women and children in

Wilkes-Barre). If possible, we’d like to collect NEW

UNDERWEAR and SOCKS for the children and their

mothers. We have a container on our MISSION TABLE

in the front hallway for your contributions.

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“I expect to pass through this world but once.

Any good therefore that I can do,

or any kindness that I can show to my fellow-creature,

let me do it now.

Let me not defer or neglect it,

for I shall not pass this way again.”

- William Penn

☺ FUNNY HOW … ☺

☺ Funny how a $20.00 bill looks so big when you take

it to church, but so small when you take it to the

market.

☺ Funny how big an hour serving God looks and how

small 60 minutes are when spent playing golf, fishing or

playing bridge.

☺ Funny how long a couple of hours feels spent at

church, but how short they are when watching a movie.

☺ Funny how we get thrilled when a football game

goes into overtime, but we complain when a sermon is

longer than the regular time.

☺ Funny how laborious it is to read a chapter in the

Bible and how easy it is to read 200-300 pages of a

bestselling novel.

☺ Funny how we believe what newspapers say, but

question what the Bible says.

☺ Funny how people scramble to get a front seat at

any game, but scramble to get a back seat at church

service.

☺ Funny how we need 2 or 3 weeks to fit a church

event into our schedule, but can adjust it for a social

event at the last minute.

☺ Funny how much difficulty some have learning a

simple gospel well enough to tell others, but how

simple it is for the same people to understand and

explain gossip about someone.

☺ Funny how we can't think of anything to say when

we pray, and don't have any difficulty thinking of things

to talk about to a friend.

☺ Funny how we are so quick to take direction from a

total stranger when we are lost, but are hesitant to take

God's direction to be found.

☺ Funny how people are so consumed with what

others think about them rather than what God thinks

about them.

☺ Funny how so many churchgoers sing Standing on

the Promises but all they do is sit on the premises.

Tithe Chart

Yearly Income (1,000s)

Weekly Tithe 10%

Annual Total Tithe

Sacrificial Giving 15%

Annual Total 15%

Sacrificial Giving 20%

Annual Total 20%

$5 $9.62 $500 $14.42 $750 $19.23 $1,000

$10 $19.23 $1,000 $28.85 $1,500 $38.46 $2,000

$15 $28.85 $1,500 $43.27 $2,250 $57.69 $3,000

$20 $38.46 $2,000 $57.69 $3,000 $76.92 $4,000

$25 $48.08 $2,500 $72.12 $3,750 $96.15 $5,000

$30 $57.69 $3,000 $86.54 $4,500 $115.38 $6,000

$35 $67.31 $3,500 $100.96 $5,250 $134.62 $7,000

$40 $76.92 $4,000 $115.38 $6,000 $153.85 $8,000

$45 $86.54 $4,500 $129.81 $6,750 $173.08 $9,000

$50 $96.15 $5,000 $144.23 $7,500 $192.31 $10,000

$55 $105.77 $5,500 $158.65 $8,250 $211.54 $11,000

$60 $115.38 $6,000 $173.08 $9,000 $230.77 $12,000

$65 $125.00 $6,500 $187.50 $9,750 $250.00 $13,000

$70 $134.62 $7,000 $201.92 $10,500 $269.23 $14,000

$75 $144.23 $7,500 $216.35 $11,250 $288.46 $15,000

$80 $153.85 $8,000 $230.77 $12,000 $307.69 $16,000

$85 $163.46 $8,500 $245.19 $12,750 $326.92 $17,000

$90 $173.08 $9,000 $259.62 $13,500 $346.15 $18,000

$95 $182.69 $9,500 $274.04 $14,250 $365.38 $19,000

$100 $192.31 $10,000 $288.46 $15,000 $384.62 $20,000

$105 $201.92 $10,500 $302.88 $15,750 $403.85 $21,000

$110 $211.54 $11,000 $317.31 $16,500 $423.08 $22,000

$115 $221.15 $11,500 $331.73 $17,250 $442.31 $23,000

$120 $230.77 $12,000 $346.15 $18,000 $461.54 $24,000

$125 $240.38 $12,500 $360.58 $18,750 $480.77 $25,000

$130 $250.00 $13,000 $375.00 $19,500 $500.00 $26,000

$135 $259.62 $13,500 $389.42 $20,250 $519.23 $27,000

$140 $269.23 $14,000 $403.85 $21,000 $538.46 $28,000

$145 $278.85 $14,500 $418.27 $21,750 $557.69 $29,000

$150 $288.46 $15,000 $432.69 $22,500 $576.92 $30,000

WEST PITTSTON

FIRST UNITED

METHODIST CHURCH

408 Wyoming Avenue

West Pittston, PA 19643

Phone: 570-655-1083

Office Hours:

Monday – Friday … 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

E-Mail: firstumcwestpittston@susumc.org

Website: www.westpittstonumc.com

Like us on Facebook:

Facebook.com/westpittstonumc

Pastor Dave Walker

+ + + + + + +

Sunday Worship:

10:00 AM

+ + + + + + +

“You must love the LORD your God

with all your heart,

and with all your soul,

and with all your mind,

and with all your strength … AND …

you must love your neighbor as yourself.”

Mark 12:30-31

BIBLE READING SCHEDULE

FOR AUGUST

Courtesy of HEARTLIGHT® Internet Magazine -

http://www.heartlight.org

Tips for reading through the Bible:

First … READ the passage for the day,

listening closely to what God is saying.

Second … EXPLORE what the Bible has to say

by asking questions.

Third … ACT on the truth

by finding one thing you can do.

Fourth … PRAY the verses you have just read

back to God.

1st … Psalms 119:1-88 … 1 Thessalonians 5

2nd … Psalms 119:89-176 … 2 Thessalonians 1

3rd … Psalms 120, 121, 122 … 2 Thessalonians 2

4th … Psalms 123, 124, 125 … 2 Thessalonians 3

5th … Psalms 127, 128, 129 … Acts 18

6th … Psalms 130, 131, 132 … 1 Corinthians 1

7th … Psalms 133, 134, 135 .. 1Corinthians 2

8th … Psalms 136, 146 … 1 Corinthians 3

9th … Psalms 147, 148 … 1 Corinthians 4

10th … Psalms 149, 150 … 1 Corinthians 5

11th … 1 Chronicles 1, 2, 3 … 1 Corinthians 6

12th … 1 Chronicles 4, 5, 6 … 1 Corinthians 7:1-19

13th … 1 Chronicles 7, 8, 9 … 1 Corinthians 7:20-40

14th … 1 Chronicles 10, 11, 12 … 1 Corinthians 8

15th … 1 Chronicles 13, 14, 15 … 1 Corinthians 9

16th … 1 Chr. 16 … Psalms 42, 44 … 1 Cor. 10:1-18

17th … Psalms 45, 46, 47 … 1 Corinthians 10:19-33

18th … Psalms 48, 49, 50 … 1 Corinthians 11:1-16

19th … Psalms 73, 85 … 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

20th … Psalms 87, 88 … 1 Corinthians 12

21st … 1 Chronicles 17, 18, 19 … 1 Corinthians 13

22nd … 1 Chronicles 20, 21, 22 … 1 Cor. 14:1-20

23rd … 1 Chronicles 23, 24, 25 … 1 Cor. 14:21-40

24th … 1 Chronicles 26, 27 … 1 Corinthians 15:1-28

25th … 1 Chronicles 28, 29 … 1 Cor. 15:29-58

26th … 2 Chronicles 1, 2, 3 … 1Corinthians 16

27th … 2 Chronicles 4, 5, 6 … 2 Corinthians 1

28th … 2 Chronicles 7, 8, 9 … 2 Corinthians 2

29th … 2 Chronicles 10, 11, 12 … 2 Corinthians 3

30th … 2 Chronicles 13, 14 … 2 Corinthians 4

31st … 2 Chronicles 15, 16 … 2 Corinthians 5