Nov/Dec.. 2016

The SUMC Grapevine

Spencerport United Methodist Church

Pastor Jack Laskowski

―Easy Ways to Share Gratitude this Thanksgiving‖

Thanksgiving Day elicits a bounty of wonderful memories for

many people in the U.S. The crisp air. The smell of a turkey roasting and a pumpkin pie baking. The sound of a cheering crowd at a football game. All these can create warm feelings during this special time of year.

While the Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the U.S., thanking God for our blessings is a spiritual discipline that should not be limited to a single day. Along with expanding our waistlines, our preparation for and celebration of the holiday can be the impetus toward growing an attitude of gratitude that will carry over into the rest of the year. In his commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, John Wesley writes, “Thanksgiving

is inseparable from true prayer; it is almost essentially connected with it.” Giving thanks is as essential to our spiritual growth as prayer, which 1 Thessalonians calls us to do continually. These creative ideas will help us get started this Thanksgiving.

Fill a family Thanksgiving box. As part of your Thanksgiving preparation, create a Thanksgiving Box. Each day family members write on slips of paper something for which they are thankful that day and place them in the decorated box. The box will make a nice Thanksgiving table centerpiece, and when opened, a way to remember how blessed we are every day. You could add to it all year too of course. Serve someone. In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, many agencies serving those in need expand their work. Food banks, churches, and other service

Inside this issue:

“Easy Ways …” 1-2

Worship Opportunities

3

Food Shelf News 4

Spaghetti Dinner 5

Hat and Mitten Drive

6

Dress A Girl 6

Outreach Opportunities

7

Upcoming Events 8

Spaghetti Dinner Flier

9

Veteran’s Day Celebration

10

Christmas in the Barn

11

Birthdays and Anniversaries

12

Calendars 13-

14

The SUMC Grapevine

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organizations supply meals to the hungry on Thanksgiving .Centenary United Methodist Church in Los Angeles holds a sleepover for their youth called the “turkey lock-in.” On the night before Thanksgiving the youth prepare, and the next day, deliver meals to people in the community who will be alone on Thanksgiving. Ask your pastor for suggestions of places near you to serve or donate. Take time for quiet reflection. As the big day approaches, things get busier. Set aside some time each day to say thank you to God for all he has provided. “A Morning Prayer of Thanksgiving” by The Rev. Dr. LaGretta Bjorn is a great start. Make a Thanksgiving frame. As you and your family reflect on those things for which you are thankful, compile a list. A few days before Thanksgiving, neatly transfer the list onto a piece of paper you can then insert into a frame for a beautiful expression of gratitude to decorate your home. Invite someone new to dinner. Athens First United Methodist Church invites international students from the University of Georgia to spend Thanksgiving with their members. The students enjoy spending time away from campus and in family homes. Explore ways to invite those who may be alone or far from family to celebrate with you on the holiday. Share blessings together. When gathered around the table, many families will ask guests to share something for which they are thankful. In Thanksgiving Celebrations for the Home, MaryJane Pierce Norton suggests creating a list together, such as foods each person enjoys. Then together offer “thanks for the Earth and all with which we are blessed in the world God created.” Send cards to those we miss. Remember those who are not able to be with you this year by making or purchasing cards for them. “On Thanksgiving Day,” Norton writes, “invite all who are gathered in your home to sign and/or write a note on the cards to those who are missing.” Mail them the next day to share the gratitude. Create a keepsake of thanks. When you take that group photo around the table or in front of the fireplace, record not only the names of those in attendance, but also something for which each person is thankful. This will be a great item to revisit when everyone gathers again next year. See Thanksgiving Celebrations for the Home for more ideas of celebrating gratitude together. Include children. Involve the children celebrating with you by sharing the Child’s Thanksgiving Prayer. Use this prayer at the kids’ table as a grace or an after meal blessing, having one of the older children lead. Then encourage the kids to write their own Thanksgiving prayers, with which they could lead the adults in prayer later in the day. Voice your gratitude. If your family is musical, consider a Thanksgiving sing-a-long, as you might do with Christmas carols. Dean McIntyre offers Hymns for Thanksgiving Day from our United Methodist Hymnal and Songbooks that would be a great way to celebrate. He also offers a quiz of hymns with lines about thanksgiving in Musical Thanksgiving. Make a game out of who can guess the most. However you can, find ways to give thanks to God for all of his blessings throughout your celebration this year. Instill the habit of an attitude of gratitude, which will extend far beyond Thanksgiving Day

Taken from : http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/easy-ways-to-share-gratitude-this-thanksgiving

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All Saints Day – November 6

On Sunday, November 6, we will honor three of our beloved who joined the saints of heaven this year. Reta Lage, Jim Powell, and Gary Hicks will be remembered during worship.

Veterans’ Day – November 13

Join us as we honor those who have served our country during morning worship.

Thanksgiving & Gratitude – November 20 : Praise God from whom all blessings

flow!

Advent Begins with Hanging of the Greens November 27

During and after worship we will join together in preparing our hearts, minds & sanctuary for the coming of the Lord! Lunch will be provided.

Special Music for Christmas – December 18 The choir and children celebrate with

joy!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service : Lessons & Carols

December 24 at 7pm

Christmas Day “Come Comfortable” Worship Service

December 25 at 10:30

Wear casual comfy clothes, bring your favorite gift or toy and worship the Lord who gave us the best gift of all! Holy Communion will be shared.

Current Needs: Jelly, spaghetti sauce, cereal, boxed meals, canned pasta, canned meat (not tuna), Canned fruit, canned vegetables (peas, carrots, assorted), jello/pudding, peanut butter, hash, Toothpaste/tooth brushes, tissue, soap (bar or liquid), body wash, cookies, crackers, cake mixes.

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SPENCERPORT FOOD SHELF NEWS

In November, we at SUMC sponsor the Spencerport Food Shelf for the month. Shopping lists and paper grocery bags are available in the back of the church. (See list of current needs below.) Fill a bag or bring items in all month long. We will dedicate our collection of food during worship on November 20th.

We are also asking for donations of turkeys (12-18 pounds/frozen) for the Thanksgiving Baskets for Food Shelf families. If you are willing to donate a turkey, please let Sasha Stafford (352-4204) know. Drop off will be at the Food Shelf location on Sat, Nov. 19th at 9am.

Sasha and Dick Stafford are your Food Shelf representatives for SUMC. If you ever have questions you can contact them at 352-4204. Should you or someone you know could use help from the Spencerport Food Shelf, please call pager #277-4917 for help.

ROC the Day is November 29th. Just put in “Roc the Day” for search and then enter Spencerport Ecumenical Food Shelf to make a one time donation. Thank you for considering this fundraiser.

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Greg Frazier, a loving husband to Nicole and father to Maggie age 6 and Lucas age 4, son of Marcia and Paul Frazier of Spencerport, is currently being treated for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Greg was diagnosed on June 30th when he went the hospital for chest pains and was immediately sent to Roswell Park Cancer Institute to begin an aggressive chemo treatment plan. Greg is awaiting a bone marrow transplant at which time Roswell will again be his residency for another 6 weeks. Complete home care is then required for 70 days to follow. Greg has had to take an extended leave of absence from work in order to embark on this new journey to fight cancer. This journey has already and will continue to be an emotional, physical and financial burden for Greg and his family. We hope that you will join us in our effort to help Greg & his family. Your support will help defer rapidly accruing and non-covered medical costs along with support of future needs.

How Can You Help?

1. Continue to pray for Greg and his entire family

2. Sign up to serve or supply groceries needed for the spaghetti dinner (sign up sheets are on the back doors of the sanctuary or call Kay Brott)

3. Contribute a gift card or item for one of the silent auction baskets:

Baby Basket – contact Bev Compertore

Pizza & Movies – contact Angela Dorgan

Pasta & Sauce – contact Margaret Lyons

Thirty-One Tote with Snacks – contact Ann Lee Walker

TBA – contact Carm Miller

4. Provide Baked Goods, Candy or Treats for the Baked Food Sale (baskets, decorative plates & mugs are available to take home, fill and return – see Angela)

5. Bake/Bring 4 doz. Cookies for Dessert – sign up on door 6. Spread the word, hang the poster & invite your friends for dinner! (Pastor Jack and Debbie are the instigators & chief cooks for this important fundraiser.)

Thursday, Nov 10, 4:30 – 6:30 SUMC

Eat In or Take Out - $10 Silent Auction & Bake Sale

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If you wish to donate any hats or mittens this year, there is a basket at the back of the sanctuary. Any undies or socks are also being collected for times when there are “little accidents”. These items will be given to the Clara Barton School #2 in Rochester right before Thanksgiving.

Hat & Mitten Drive

Here is a photo of some of the dresses,

t-shirts and shorts from SUMC being

enjoyed by children in South Africa.

Dress a Girl

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OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES

Red Bird Donations: Donations are due by Nov. 6th. Although we are not doing a formal collection for hats and mittens, feel free to drop off anything you may have collected or made throughout the year. Collection baskets are in the back of the sanctuary.

Christmas on the Canal:

We will once again be welcoming the community into our church home for some warmth, free hot chocolate, cookie decorating and of course rest rooms. Maybe even a little Christmas karaoke in the sanctuary?

Look for sign-up sheets later in November.

Veterans Outreach:

Ideas are still in the works, but some thoughts are:

Providing a cookie tray from our cookie exchange

Provide a meal for the house on a Saturday ( when dinner is not provided for them)

As the residents transition to independent living provide them with a "starter" box of household / kitchen items

Keep eyes and ears open for more information!

Rummage Sale Update

In case you didn't know we have been blessed with an overwhelming amount of early donations this year !!! This should keep me busy all winter sorting! It looks like a disaster area to some I'm sure but I just stand in the middle of it and just take it all in with a smile and warmed heart. Bev, Chip and I have been selling some items on line and have already raised almost $100. If you see something that you like snatch it up now !!!! and leave a donation with one of the OUTREACH team members. It may not be there in the Spring.

In addition a few things have been donated i.e. Winter boots and coats have gone to the clothing cupboard; hats, scarves and mittens have been added to the Hat/Mitten drive; a box of real treasures are going to be sold at Jill's Antiques in Brockport. As usual nothing goes to waste. Tentative date is May 6th.

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If you would like a visit, please contact Carm Miller or leave a message on the church

answering machine.

Carm Miller 638-6483 or emailcarmmmiller@aol.com

UPCOMING EVENTS

December 11th:

Cookie exchange after worship. Look for a sign up sheet on the door to know how many cookies to bake.

January 29th: Save the Date! Tailgate party and “regift” bingo after worship. .

February 11th : Next Nurture/Outreach meeting is February 11, 2017- not too soon to think of new outreach opportunities and fellowship events. All are welcome!

Nov. 6th : UNICEF boxes are due !

Nov. 6—13th:Anyone wanting to submit a veteran's picture for the wall, just post it! Name, rank, service are appreciated. The wall be displayed during this time.

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Friday,

November 11

7:30 pm Celebration Concert

by Jacek Blaszkiewicz

Come and join us for a fun-filled evening of patriotic

music as we celebrate our veterans.

First Congregational United Church of Christ

("The White Church")

65 Church Street, Spencerport, NY

(585-352-3448)

Concert is free - Freewill offering will be taken.

All proceeds will be given to the Warriors Family Assistance Program with all

funds being used in the Monroe County area.

Nov. 3rd: Paul & Kathy Hargis

Nov. 4th: PJ & Mary Strom

Nov. 25th: Joe & Betty Laws

Dec. 4th: George & Beverly Frick

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November

6: Dolores Indovino 7: Don Lage 8: Beth McNall 11: Josh Frisch 13: James McKinney

15: Greg Utter 17: Brian Compertore 19: Leila Miller 22: Chris Bourne 24: Emma Hull

3: Jennifer Weaver 5: Jeff Weaver 6: Joanie Rogers 7: George Strom 9: Chip Compertore

14: Carol Ashworth 15: Ruth Miller 16: Samantha Kaser 29: Charlie Weaver

December

“6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

~1Corinthians NIV

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4

NA

5 Charge

Conference

9-11am

Brockport UMC

6 Holy Communion

&

All Saints Day

7

8 9 Choir

Rehearsal

10

Spaghetti

Diner

Fundraiser

4:30 –6:30pm

11 NA

12

13 Worship &

Veteran’s Day

Remembrance

10:30 am

14 15

Ad Council

7:00pm

16 Lunch Bunch

12:00 PM @

Slayton Place

Choir

Rehearsal

17 18 NA

19

20

21

22

23

24

25 NA

26

27 Soup Luncheon

& Hanging of

the Greens

11:30 am

28

29 30

Choir

Rehearsal

Choir Rehearsal @ 7:00pm

NA @ 7:00 pm

NOVEMBER

Veteran’s

Day

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Choir Rehearsal @ 7:00

NA @ 7:00 pm

1 2

NA

3

4 Holy

Communion

Christmas on

the Canal

1-5pm

5 6 7 Choir

Rehearsal

8 9 NA

10

11 Cookie

Exchange

11:30 am

12

13

14 Choir

Rehearsal

15

16 NA

17

18

19

20 21 Choir

Rehearsal

22 23 NA

24 Christmas

Eve

Candlelight

Service

7:00pm

25 Christmas

Day-

Regular

Worship

26

27 28 Lunch Bunch

12:00 @

Slayton Place

Choir

Rehearsal

29 30 NA

31 New Year’s

Eve

DECEMBER