The Messenger

First & Wesley United

Methodist Church

89 Center Street

West Haven, Connecticut 06516

203-933-8795

October 2018

Welcome to October! Luther took the first step of the Reformation on

October 31, 1517 by posting on the door of the Castle Church the Ninety-

five Theses, which discussed mainly the errors of indulgences. Later he

challenged the authority of the Catholic Church directly and reformed the

Church, which was the beginning of the Protestant Church.

The worship was also radically reformed from the Catholic Church. First,

the Reformers disagreed with the Catholic priests who forbade the giving of

both bread and wine to the congregation at the Lord’s Supper. At that time,

the lay people, unlike the clergy, were supposed to receive the bread only at

the Lord’s Supper. The Reformers emphasized that the sacrament does not

belong to the priests only but to all believers.

Another important change is that the worship service began to be led for “unlearned” lay folk with both their

own language and music. (Before the Reformation, the worship was preceded by Latin, which was not their

native language.) The Reformers broadened and deepened the spirit of worship and gave the common people

a more intelligible part. As a result, the common people were able to follow and participate actively in the

worship service.

These two important changes are focused on the active participation of the laity during worship. We

Protestants have inherited the wisdom of the Reformers who insisted that the worship is a work of the clergy

and the congregation, not a work of the clergy only. As a Protestant minister, I encourage you to participate

actively in our worship service.

If you have special hymns you would like to sing during worship, if you would like to write a unison prayer,

or if you want to give a sermon as a Lay Servant, please let me know. If you want to serve as a worship

leader, please contact our worship committee chair, Christine Chan. This is the way that we make beautiful

spiritual work through which we praise, please, encounter, experience, feel, and touch the living Lord.

According to the liturgical theology of the Reformers, the Christian worship is not the personal work of the

clergy but a collaboration of both the clergy and the congregation. Let us collaborate to enhance our worship

service. Amen.

Sungmu Lee

Lectionary Readings for October 2018

October 7, 2018 • Job 1:1, 2:1-10 and Psalm 26 • Genesis 2:18-24 and Psalm 8 •

• Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12 • Mark 10:2-16

October 14, 2018 • Job 23:1-9, 16-17 and Psalm 22:1-15 • Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 and Psalm 90:12-17 •

• Hebrews 4:12-16 • Mark 10:17-31

October 21, 2018 • Job 38:1-7, (34-41) and Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c • Isaiah 53:4-12 and Psalm 91:9-

16 •

• Hebrews 5:1-10 • Mark 10:35-45

October 28, 2018 • Job 42:1-6, 10-17 and Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22) • Jeremiah 31:7-9 and Psalm 126 •

• Hebrews 7:23-28 • Mark 10:46-52

With Our Thanks...

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Greetings from Ghana! I write to thank you for your warm wishes, your love, care and concern. It was

such a joy and a privilege to spend my 78th birthday knowing that you were thinking and praying for

me. I humbly thank you for your thoughts and prayers and I thank the good Lord for allowing me and

my family to worship in the midst of the First and Wesley United Methodist Church family.

The honor the church bestowed on me by donating $800 in my name to St. John's Methodist Church in

Apowa, Ghana is not lost on me. My Family and I are grateful!

I pray that God continues to guide and guard you in all that you do, and that His spirit remains with

you always.

In Christian love,

Kwamena and Cecilia D. Amos

First & Wesley United Methodist Church October 2018

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

2 10-12p Prayer Group (101 Bellevue Ave. West Haven) 5:15p Youth Choir

3 7:30p Bible Study

4 10 Koinonia Café 6p Bell Choir 7p Adult Choir

5

6

7 World Communion Sunday 9:15 Adult Sunday School 10:30 Worship & Communion Children’s Sunday School 11:30 Celebration Coffee Hour 11:45 Worship Committee Meeting 4:30p Confirmation Class

8 Columbus Day 7p CNLD Meeting

9

5:15p Youth Choir 6p Missions/Outreach Meeting 7:30p Finance Meeting

10 10 Prayer Shawl (Sharon Ewen’s 615 Lambert Rd. Orange) 7:30p Bible Study

11 10 Koinonia Café 6p Bell Choir 7p Adult Choir

12

13 9-10:30 Men’s Breakfast 4p Special Olympics

14 9:15 Adult Sunday School 10:30 Worship Children’s Sunday School 11:30 Anointing for Healing and wholeness 11:30 Coffee Hour 11:45 Craft Corner

15 16 5:15p Youth Choir

17 7:30p Bible Study

18 10 Koinonia Café 6p Bell Choir 7p Adult Choir

19

20 5-7p Love Meal

*Messenger

Articles Due

21 Laity Sunday 9:15 Adult Sunday School 10:30 Worship Children’s Sunday School 11:30 Coffee Hour

22

23 5:15p Youth Choir 7p Trustees Meeting

24 7:30p Bible Study

25 10 Koinonia Café 6p Bell Choir 7p Adult Choir

26

27

28 9:15 Adult Sunday School 10:30 Worship Children’s Sunday School 11:30 Coffee Hour 12P Youth Group: Corn Maze at Bishop’s Orchard

29

30 5:15p Youth Choir

31 No Bible Study

* Annual Harvest Fair will be held on Saturday, November 3rd, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.

* For further updates, visit www.firstwesleyumc.org/calendar.

Missions and Outreach

The community picnic, hosted by the men, was quite successful with about 50 people in attendance on

September 8. We were represented on the Green at WestFest on September 8.

Koinonia Cafe, on Thursday mornings 10-noon continued all summer, and is well-attended by up to a dozen

people.

We still hope to host a Veteran's breakfast on October 13.

We will be collecting the following items for Thanksgiving baskets: canned fruits and vegetables, packages of

instant potatoes and stuffing, cranberry sauce, and turkey gravy. We also place a Stop & Shop gift card, which

can be purchased from Dave Smith, in each basket.

We will be celebrating the coming holidays with several events: the Christmas breakfast on December 1, the

Alternative Christmas Market on December 2 and 9, and gifts for our Covenant to Care social worker's clients.

We are also considering a mission trip in 2019, possibly to Ghana.

We will be discussing these and other mission activities at our next meeting on Tuesday, October 9 at 6pm.

Everyone is welcome!

Wednesday bible study –

continues at 7:30pm in Kendall Hall. Our study continues with Life lessons from Matthew Lucado. Please

consider taking part in some lively discussions and great fellowship. Everyone is welcome!

Praise and Worship Concert on December 9th at 4:00pm!

Come celebrate our 150th anniversary with a free concert at First & Wesley United Methodist Church! Our

concert will include a wide variety of sacred music. All donations made will be used to purchase an electronic

drum set for our church. For more information, please contact Christine Chan (203)927-4679.

2018 - 2019 Confirmation Class

Class is open for students in 8th grade & up.

If you would like to join the class please speak to Pastor Lee.

The next meeting is on Sunday, October 7th at 4:30pm.

World Communion Sunday

October 7th is a Churchwide Special Sunday of the United Methodist Church. Your gift helps promising

scholars become leaders. The offering funds graduate racial-ethnic scholarships, with at least one-half of the

annual amount reserved for ministries beyond the United States. Donations also provide for undergraduate US

Ethnic Scholarships and Ethnic In-Service Training Programs.

First & Wesley United Methodist Church

Church Council Meeting Sunday, September 30, 2018

The meeting will take place following service. All persons associated with our Church (members or not) are

encouraged to attend and share their ideas and opinions. Please feel free to contact me with questions,

comments, or requests to add agenda items.

Richard Memmott

Church Council Chair

Telephone: 203) 934-1953:

Email: ctmemmott@aol.com

DRAFT AGENDA

• Call to order

• Welcome and Opening Prayer

• Discussion, correction, and acceptance of minutes from our last meeting

• Reports from service and administrative groups and individuals:

- Treasurer and Finance – A discussion and vote

- Staff-Parish Relations – A discussion and vote

- Window Campaign – A discussion and vote

- Trustees

- Memorial

- Lay Leader

- Stewardship

- Nurture

(Worship Committee, Music, Ushers, Altar Guild, Communion Stewards, Worship Leaders, Greeter’s

Ministry, Flowers, Prayer Notes, Coffee Hour)

- Outreach

(Missions and Social Concerns, CoNAM and Public Events)

- Witness

(Adult Education, Lay Servants, Membership and Evangelism, Publicity, Website and Messenger).

- Children’s Ministry

(Sunday School, Youth (MYF), Vacation Bible School)

- Pastor

• Old business not previously considered

• New business

• Next meeting dates

• Closing prayer

Fundraiser

Just a reminder that Dave Smith is selling Stop and Shop cards to members and friends of First and Wesley.

Whether for buying groceries or to give as a gift, as an added bonus, you can earn Stop & Shop gas rewards for

every $1 spent on gift cards.

It is hard to believe that more people don’t take advantage of this marvelous way to raise money for the church.

If you buy a gift card from Dave Smith you get the full face value at the register and Stop & Shop sends a

percentage to the church. It couldn’t be simpler and it doesn’t cost you a dime.

The “Community Cookout,” hosted by First & Wesley Men's Group, was quite successful

with about 50 people in attendance on September 8th.

Thank you to all the Men's Group members who put on a delicious end of summer cookout.

Great Job everyone.

It was a lovely church-wide, community picnic and we’re so happy that the Word spread!

One “Can” Help!

Every Sunday First & Wesley UMC is collecting non-perishable food items to help fight hunger in West

Haven, CT. Please place your food donations in “HOPE & WHEAT” wagon in narthex (Center Street

Entrance).

Donated food items go to WHEAT’s food pantry (every Sunday) and Project Hope Soup Kitchen (3rd Sunday).

Coffee Hour

Please help us keep the Coffee Hour going. Coffee

hour is needed. We all need the chance to meet after

church and chat with our friends. We need kind-hearted

souls to take a turn at serving coffee after church

services. Coffee, punch, milk and sugar are set up for

you ahead of time, all you need do is put it all out just

before the service is over. Please see Myrna Clinton, or

call our church secretary at 203-933-8795.

Pastors Discretionary

Fund:

Please consider giving a “Love

Offering” to Pastor’s discretionary fund. You may place

your gift in the container on the back table of the

sanctuary. If you wish to write check to the church,

please write “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” in the memo

section.

Tell us if you have a member information change:

example- name change, address change, marriage,

birth, death, etc.

Email: firstwesleyumc@gmail.com or send to the

Church office.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Articles for the November 2018 Newsletter are

due by October 20th.

Please mark your calendars.

EVERYONE IS A REPORTER

If you give me the- who, what, when, where and

why, I will write your article for you –

Email to dollar.signs@snet.net or

call 203-213-6363 and leave a message.

Please send me your email address to speed up

delivery of the newsletter.

Thank you, Bill Hunt

Pennies From Heaven The Native American Penny

Collection for Conam is ongoing

to provide very much needed food and fuel. Please help

the Sunday school students by giving them your loose

change each week to support those in need.

A/V WORSHIP SUPPORT TEAM

If you are interested in helping out during our morning

worship by running the PPT for the service or monitoring

the sound, please see Helen Smith or call/text her at 203-

444-2362. Also, if you are interested in programming the

PPT for Sunday morning worship, we really need one or

two more people who would be able to do this. Again, talk

to Helen Smith if you would be willing to use your

computer skills to aid in our worship! Thank You!

Prayer Group Will meet for a time of fellowship, spiritual study, and

prayer on Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018 from 10 AM to

Noon. Please come to Richard and Thelma's home, 101

Bellevue Avenue, West Haven, CT.

A prayer that could be said by us all:

Lord of all power and might, maker and giver of all

good things, we need your strength. The shelter of your

loving care and a time of quiet in your presence.

So we come to you in all our activities and meetings that

we may be joined to one another here in our church.

May we all take time for reflection and for learning with

each other. Amen!

Adult Sunday School

The Adult Sunday School class is for anyone too old

for the teenager’s class. We meet in Kendall Hall

during Sunday school hour, 9:15 – 10:00 each Sunday

morning, for energetic, lively, and wide ranging

discussions on how our faith impacts our daily lives.

We are continuing our study of the book, Noah Built His

Ark in the Sunshine, by James W. Moore. The aim of

this book is to help us build our faith, spiritual maturity,

and gratitude so that, as the author says, we can pray

“Lord, whatever this day may bring, you are here, you

are in it, you are with us.” Some sample chapters are

“Building the Ark of Compassion,” “Building the Ark

of Confidence,” “Building the Ark of Trust in God,”

“Building the Ark of Purpose.”

Come join us for an energetic and enlightening time!

Recycling of

Plastic Bags

Stop & Shop accepts plastic bags

for recycling. The collection box

is inside the entrance.

Have you visited our Church Website lately?

It is truly beautiful and informative.

The Church calendar is updated as needed and you can check on dates and times of

meetings and events.

Website is firstwesleyumc.org

Check it out!

Youth Choir News

Come and sing!

If you are in Kindergarten or up, you are invited to

come and join the youth choir. We will be singing once

a month in church, have holiday parties and have a

good time praising the Lord. We meet on Tuesdays

from 5:15 to 6:00 pm.

Youth Group News

We will be going to Bishop’s Orchard to conquer the

corn maze on October 28th after church. The cost of

the corn maze is $7 each. Helen will have permission

slips available for anyone interested in going. We

usually have at least two teams and see who can find all

the checkpoints first!

Also, we are planning on doing leaf raking on Nov.

24th. If you are unable to rake your lawn, let Helen,

Jim Stuhlman, or Jen know.

Jim Stuhlman Jen Werle Helen Smith

Every Sunday at 10:30 a.m., adults and children

gather in the sanctuary to begin worship

together. Children (ages 4 & up) are invited to

go to their Sunday School class after a

Children's Message.

Sunday School will give children the opportunity

to:

• Understand themselves as children of

God

• Explore and deepen their relationship

with God through Jesus Chris

• Love and serve God and neighbor

For more information, contact Gail Bartozzi with

questions - e-mail a.g.bartozzi@sbcglobal.net or call

the church office.

The Craft Corner, a group of youth grades 5 and

up meet the second Sunday of each month from

11:45 – 1:15 to make Get Well and Thinking of

You cards or holiday cards. It’s a lot of fun! We

chat, create, and laugh. Bring a sandwich and a

drink. Chips and dessert will be provided.

Contact Gail Bartozzi if you are interested in joining our

group or have questions – call the church office or e-

mail Gail at a.g.bartozzi@sbcglobal.net.

October Birthdays

1 - Joshua Jerrell

Eulalee Miller

8 - Dennis Kopec

David Hawkes

15 - Sharon Ewen

18 - Beth Ammon

David Warner

24 - Thurmon Whitley

27 - Eula Wilson

30 - Marisa Jerrell

Hyeonjin Kim

October Anniversaries

There are no anniversaries in the

month of October.

If you would like to include someone for

birthdays or anniversaries please see below.

Example- name change, address change,

marriage, birth, death, etc.

Email: firstwesleyumc@gmail.com or send to

church office.

The Messenger First & Wesley United Methodist Church

89 Center Street West Haven, CT 06516

Phone (203) 933-8795

www.firstwesleyumc.org

Email: firstwesleyumc@gmail.com

Reverend Sungmu Lee

Sunday Worship Time: 10:30 am

The October Newsletter