The BelfryOf the Gouldsboro & Thornhurst United Methodist Churches

Pastor Peg KnapichCharge Office: 570-842-7139

United Methodist ChurchGouldsboro - Thornhurst Charge

495 Main StreetGouldsboro, PA 18424

Email: gb_thcharge@netzero.netWeb Address: http://gouldsboro-um-church.com

Belfry Editors: Ronda Powell/Debbie Buchanan

Charge Office Hours:  Ronda Powell, Charge Secretary, 570-842-7139                   Wednesday and Friday, 9 AM to 12 PM

Pastor’s Office Hours:Gouldsboro Church: Friday, 9 am – 12 pm

Call 570-842-7139 for an appointment

Thornhurst Church: Thursday, 12 pm – 3 pm Call 570-842-1434 for an appointment

Gouldsboro Sunday School: Sunday, 9:30 AM - 10:15 AM (Children)Every Thursday @ 10:00 AM (Adult)

Thornhurst Bible Study: Sunday, 10:15 AMThornhurst Sunday School: Sunday, 9 AM

Deadline next Belfry: September 20, email AnnDee1956@aol.com

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Gouldsboro Mission Statement: To welcome all who long for more meaning in their lives, to be a fellowship of those who seek to follow Jesus, and to encourage and support each other in discipleship.

Thornhurst Mission Statement: To strengthen and support and help each other grow as disciples of Jesus Christ and, by the power of God’s love, to help transform the world around us.

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PASTOR’S THOUGHTS

It is the time of year when school begins again, the temperature begins to dip and it seems that a new year begins. Fall is around the corner and with it comes Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Take time to enjoy each day as it comes – too often we skip past everything to get to Christmas. I am looking forward to the fall colors with all the forestry and foliage around. It is exciting to me to learn new traditions and expectations. Enjoy each day as it comes – learn how to participate in the moment instead of anticipating the next thing. JUST BE! If you have a winter address please be sure to let the office (Ronda – 570-842-7139) know the address (mailing and e-mailing) so that we can keep you updated of what is happening in the church while you are away. I encourage everyone to consider a spiritual discipline as a daily and/or weekly routine. Spiritual disciplines include praying, reading a devotional, reading portions of the Bible, Bible study and accountability or covenant groups. If you have ideas or suggestions for the Belfry – please contact Debbie Buchanan or myself.

Pastor Peg

We are adding some new things to the Belfry this month, such as recipes, book reviews, some games, etc. The Pastor has also included a bible challenge game and you can win a prize if you answer them correctly and are the first to call her. There will be one winner from each church. There is also a fun quiz about the month of September for fun. If anyone would like to add something for October, please send email to AnnDee956@aol.com.

DATES AND EVENTS COMING UP

Sept 16 – 10:30 AM – Disciple Fast Track – 24 week study of Genesis to Revelation. Study book may be purchased at Cokesbury for $33.95. More information below. See Pastor Peg for more info.Sept 22 – Worship & Discipleship Meeting – 6:30 PM Gouldsboro UMC – All welcomeSept 26 – 4 Fs – Fourth Friday Food & Fun – 6 PM – Thornhurst UMC (monthly potluck supper and time of games and fellowship

For additional meetings in September, see calendar attached.

Oct 1 – Hymn Sing and potluck dinner – 6 PM - Thornhurst UMC (Covered dish and favorite songs sing-a-long)

Oct 7 and 8 – LifeTouch Photo Directory photos – Schedule your family portrait time from 2:00 – 9:00 each day at the Gouldsboro UMC. Our goal is to get as many family photos of members and friends as possible.

If you are not able to get your photo taken on these dates – PLEASE submit a photo to Pastor Peg to be included in the directory.

Photos can be taken with your pet, your favorite sports equipment, a generational photo. There is NO OBLIGATION to purchase any additional photos. Every family (family is a single person or multiple persons in one photo) who gets a photo taken

will receive a FREE 8X10 photo and photo directory book. Every family who schedules an appointment with an email address will receive a $10 coupon

towards a purchase (the email can be yours, your grandchild’s, your child’s, your neighbor – any valid address – where LifeTouch can send a reminder notice).

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Every senior citizen, military person (active or retired), first responder (fire, police, EMT, etc) will receive a 20% discount coupon towards a purchase (one 20% coupon per family).

Everyone who brings a canned good or dry goods item to their photo shoot will receive a $5 coupon towards a purchase (one $5 coupon per family).

These 3 coupons can be combined towards a photo (an 8X10 photo costs $25 – use all 3 coupons and you can purchase that 8X10 for $8 – this is in addition to the free photo you will receive).

Friends and family (not related to the church) are invited to get a photo taken also. (They can use the coupons but will not receive the free photo or directory).

Oct 11 – Pork and Kraut dinner at Thornhurst UMCOct 19 – Steamtown Train to Gouldsboro – 12:00 Lenoxville Band concertOct 23 – 7 PM - Chi Rho Concert - the clergy choir of Susquehanna Annual Conference - in concert at

Lakeland High School, Scott Twp.  Sponsored by the Carbondale Cluster of United Methodist Churches.  Free will offering taken.

Nov 16 – 7 PM – Charge conference meeting – at Moscow UMC with cluster groupNov 30 – Steamtown Train to Gouldsboro Dec 6 – Christmas in Gouldsboro – 7:00 SPARK Gospel Singers Dec 7 – Steamtown Train to Gouldsboro

A great big thank you to all those that helped at the Chicken BBQ @ GUMC on Saturday.

Labor Day in the United States is a holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It is a celebration of the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of their country.Labor Day was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, who organized the first parade in New York City. U.S. President Grover Cleveland  in 1887, established Labor Day as an official holiday in September to support the Labor Day that the Knights favored.

September facts

1. The name September comes from the Latin septem for seven, since this was the seventh month of the Roman calendar. The month was named during a time when the calendar year began with March, which is why its name no longer corresponds with its placement in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It had 29 and 31 days but it later was changed to 30 days by Emperor Augustus.

2. Shakespeare did not mention September in any of his plays.3. In 1752 in Britain, September had only 19 days as we changed from Julian to Gregorian

calendar.4. September is the only month in which share prices have more often fallen than risen.5. The only US president to have had a September birthday was William Taft (president

1909-13).6. Richard Saunders, the 17th century English astrologer and physician, said it was good

to eat pomegranates and goats’ milk in September.7. September starts on the same day of the week as December each year, but does not

end on the same day of the week as any other month in the year.8. “My favorite poem is the one that starts ‘Thirty days hath September’ because it

actually tells you something” (Groucho Marx).9. At least six films have had the title ‘September’, which is more than any other month.10.The zodiac signs for September are Virgo (August 23 - September 22) and Libra

(September 23 - October 22)

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11.September has three birth flowers: the forget-me-not, the morning glory and the aster. Forget-me-nots represent love and memories, asters represent love as well, and the morning glory represents unrequited love. These are all very passionate flowers.

12.The birth stone for the month is the sapphire. The sapphire represents clarity of thought, intuition, and peacefulness. In traditional medicine it is used to treat fevers and reduce inflammation. Sapphire reduces anxiety and procrastination and gives the wearer luck.

13.Band-Aids were invented in the month of September.14.George Eastman got his patent for the roll-film camera, in September of 1888 and the

Eastman-Kodak company soon was off to becoming one of America's major corporations.

15.September is National Chicken Month16.September is National Potato Month17.September is National Rice Month18.September is National All-American Breakfast Month19.September is also Cholesterol Awareness Month in America.20.September is also 'Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month.'

Read the Bible from start to finish in 1 year, from Genesis to Revelation – Each month we will add the readings to the Belfry for the following month.

Sep 1: Gen 1-3 Sep 2: Gen 4-7 Sep 3: Gen 8-11 Sep 4: Gen 12-15 Sep 5: Gen 16-18 Sep 6: Gen 19-21 Sep 7: Gen 22-24 Sep 8: Gen 25-26 Sep 9: Gen 27-29 Sep 10: Gen 30-31

Sep 11: Gen 32-34 Sep 12: Gen 35-37 Sep 13: Gen 38-40 Sep 14: Gen 41-42 Sep 15: Gen 43-45 Sep 16: Gen 46-47 Sep 17: Gen 48-50 Sep 18: Ex 1-3 Sep 19: Ex 4-6 Sep 20: Ex 7-9

Sep 21: Ex 10-12 Sep 22: Ex 13-15 Sep 23: Ex 16-18 Sep 24: Ex 19-21 Sep 25: Ex 22-24 Sep 26: Ex 25-27 Sep 27: Ex 28-29 Sep 28: Ex 30-32 Sep 29: Ex 33-35 Sep 30: Ex 36-38 

NP Dry Goods Assignment – Sept 14

Tooth paste (TUMC) – Laundry Detergent (GUMC)

DISCIPLE Fast Track - The beloved Bible Study enjoyed by millions - NOW available in a time frame that fits your busy life!  It is scheduled for 24 weeks of 75 minute class sessions.  Genesis to Revelation in a 12 week Old Testament, 12 week New Testament format.

Classes begin on Sept 16th.  Tuesday mornings from 10:30 - 11:45 am at Gouldsboro UMC.  Contact Pastor Peg for more info at 570-842-7455 or pearlebell@gmail.com .

Disciple Fast Track book - $33.95Order from Cokesbury (800-672-1789 or www.cokesbury.com )ISBN # 9781630886356

FOOD FOR THOUGHT (by Nancy Frantz):

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Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited until you try to sit I their pews. People are funny; they want to be in the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of

the church. Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn’t belong. I don’t know why some people change churches. What difference does it make which one you

stay home from. Don’t put a question mark where God put a period. He who angers you, controls you! If God is your co-pilot, swap seats. Don’t wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.

FAVORITE RECIPE

Parmesan Baked Pork Chops 

4 boneless pork chops 1 T. olive oil1 C. parmesan cheese (I used Kraft) 1 C. Italian bread crumbs1 tsp. pepper 1 tsp. garlic powder

On a plate combine the last 4 ingredients. Rub the pork chops with olive oil and then dip (coat) each one in the cheese mixture. Press the mixture over the pork chops to make sure they are well covered in it. Line a pan with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Place the pork chops on the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

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Red Bird Shoe Box Mission  

It is hard to believe that Christmas is only five months away reminding us it is time to start thinking about the Red Bird Adult Shoebox Mission Project.  Plans are being made to make delivery the first week in December.

The area in Kentucky that the Red Bird Mission serves has been hit economically harder this past year and the need is even greater. The three counties are some of the poorest in the United States. Average income is less than $7,000. a year.  Last year we took 739 boxes and we would like to make that our goal again.  Let’s pray we can do it.

 The list for the shoeboxes has changed.  Please give FULL size containers.   The list includes: Toothbrush, Tooth Paste, Comb and/or Brush, Shampoo, Deodorant, Hand Lotion, Chap Stick, Nail Care Supplies, Razors and Shaving Cream, Soap, Wash Cloth, Work Gloves or Mittens, Hat and Scarf, and Socks.   Please do not put candy in the boxes. Candy can be sent in a separate bag. 

None of this is possible without your prayers and support .  This will be our 9th year doing this project, and about the 15th year this mission has been in service.  We feel this is an important mission and needs to be continued.  We are hoping someone will be willing to take this mission over in 2015.  If any questions please call Paulette Towner, 570-853-809 or email  ntowner@echoes.net .

We also take used, but not abused, clothing, shoes as well as cleaning supplies and toilet paper.  Red Bird also has a need for large plastic storage containers.   

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A GOOD BOOK TO READ, TRY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

One Light Still Shines: My Life Beyond the Shadow of the Amish Schoolhouse Shooting

By Marie Monville

“My story is not about my past, but about your future,” says Marie Roberts Monville.  In the startling tragedy of the Amish schoolhouse shooting at Nickel Mines, one story has never been told; Marie Roberts Monville, the wife of the man who created such horror, tells her story for the very first time. It is a story of sorrow and destruction, but also one of majestic deliverance, unending compassion, breathtaking forgiveness, and grace-filled redemption.

 The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears

By Mark Batterson

“Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn’t just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. It’s a mechanism whereby God accomplishes great things in us.” Do you ever sense that there’s far more to prayer, and to God’s vision for your life, than what you’re experiencing? It’s time you learned from the legend of Honi the Circle Maker—a man bold enough to draw a circle in the sand and not budge from inside it until God answered his prayers for his people. What impossibly big dream is God calling you to draw a prayer circle around? Sharing inspiring stories from his own experiences as a circle maker, Mark Batterson will help you uncover your heart’s deepest desires and God-given dreams and unleash them through the kind of audacious prayer that God delights to answer.

 

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YES! MAGAZINE INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC, 2008. Photo by Niko Guido, istock.

In the last few years, psychologists and researchers have been digging up hard data on a question previously left to philosophers: What makes us happy? Researchers like the father-son team Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener, Stanford psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, and ethicist Stephen Post have studied people all over the world to find out how things like money, attitude, culture, memory, health, altruism, and our day-to-day habits affect our well-being. The emerging field of positive psychology is bursting with new findings that suggest your actions can have a significant effect on your happiness and satisfaction with life. Here are 10 scientifically proven strategies for getting happy.

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Savor Everyday MomentsPause now and then to smell a rose or watch children at play. Study participants who took time to “savor” ordinary events that they normally hurried through, or to think back on pleasant moments from their day, “showed significant increases in happiness and reductions in depression,” says psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky.

Avoid ComparisonsWhile keeping up with the Joneses is part of American culture, comparing ourselves with others can be damaging to happiness and self-esteem. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, focusing on our own personal achievement leads to greater satisfaction, according to Lyubomirsky.

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Put Money Low on the ListPeople who put money high on their priority list are more at risk for depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, according to researchers Tim Kasser and Richard Ryan. Their findings hold true across nations and cultures. “The more we seek satisfactions in material goods, the less we find them there,” Ryan says. “The satisfaction has a short half-life—it’s very fleeting.” Money-seekers also score lower on tests of vitality and self-actualization.

Have Meaningful Goals“People who strive for something significant, whether it’s learning a new craft or raising moral children, are far happier than those who don’t have strong dreams or aspirations,” say Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener. “As humans, we actually require a sense of meaning to thrive.” Harvard’s resident happiness professor, Tal Ben-Shahar, agrees, “Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable.”

Take Initiative at WorkHow happy you are at work depends in part on how much initiative you take. Researcher Amy Wrzesniewski says that when we express creativity, help others, suggest improvements, or do additional tasks on the job, we make our work more rewarding and feel more in control.

Make Friends, Treasure FamilyHappier people tend to have good families, friends, and supportive relationships, say Diener and Biswas-Diener. But it’s not enough to be the life of the party if you’re surrounded by shallow acquaintances. “We don’t just need relationships, we need close ones” that involve understanding and caring.

Smile Even When You Don’t Feel Like ItIt sounds simple, but it works. “Happy people…see possibilities, opportunities, and success. When they think of the future, they are optimistic, and when they review the past, they tend to savor the high points,” say Diener and Biswas-Diener. Even if you weren’t born looking at the glass as half-full, with practice, a positive outlook can become a habit.

Say Thank You Like You Mean ItPeople who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis are healthier, more optimistic, and more likely to make progress toward achieving personal goals, according to author Robert Emmons. Research by Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology, revealed that people who write “gratitude letters” to someone who made a difference in their lives score higher on happiness, and lower on depression—and the effect lasts for weeks.

  SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

GUMC 9 – Karen Forrest 15 – Youn Kim10 – Butch Carr 17 – Dominic & Ann Fontana12 – Peggy Lewis 24 – Butch & Anne Carr14 – Dick Roberts 26 – Robyn Metcalf

TUMC 8 – Robert Chase 15 – Robert & Maryjane Greiner 9 – Christian Griffaton 19 – Robert & Jeanine Chas13 – Madison Blumer 26 – Jim & Wendy Martielli

Questions about September – Answers below.

1. Which goddess did the Ancient Greeks honor in September?a. Artimusb. Herac. Ceresd. Demeter

2. September is named for the number seven. True or false?a. trueb. false

3. What is September’s birth stone?a. Emeraldb. Opal

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Get Out and ExerciseA Duke University study shows that exercise may be just as effective as drugs in treating depression, without all the side effects and expense. Other research shows that in addition to health benefits, regular exercise offers a sense of accomplishment and opportunity for social interaction, releases feel-good endorphins, and boosts self-esteem.

Give It Away, Give It Away Now!Make altruism and giving part of your life, and be purposeful about it. Researcher Stephen Post says helping a neighbor, volunteering, or donating goods and services results in a “helper’s high,” and you get more health benefits than you would from exercise or quitting smoking. Listening to a friend, passing on your skills, celebrating others’ successes, and forgiveness also contribute to happiness, he says. Researcher Elizabeth Dunn found that those who spend money on others reported much greater happiness than those who spend it on themselves.

c. Amberd. Sapphire

4. What is September’s flower?a. Sunflowerb. Morning-gloryc. Chrysanthemumd. Dahlia

5. By what name is the full moon nearest to the autumnal equinox known?a. Autumn moonb. Golden moonc. Harvest moond. Gathering moon

6. What Jewish festival is known as Rosh Hashanah?a. Independence D ayb. Feast of the harvestc. Day of Atonementd. Jewish New Year

7. The length of time between the March equinox and the September equinox, is the same as the time from the September equinox to the next March equinox. True or false?

a. Trueb. False

8. Which President declared Labor Day to be a legal holiday in the USA?a. Taftb. Rutherford B. Hayesc. Grover Clevelandd. William McKinley

Answers:1. D. Demeter. Demeter was the goddess of the harvest in Greek mythology. Ceres was

her counterpart in Roman mythology.2. A. true. Although it is the ninth month of the year in the modern calendar, in Roman

times it was the seventh month. Julius Caesar reformed the calendar making it the ninth month, but the name remained.

3. D. sapphire. The sapphire, although most commonly thought of as blue, can be a variety of colors.

4. B. morning-glory. The morning-glory is so called because its flowers open in the morning, but close in later day sunshine. Some sources also consider the aster as the flower for September.

5. C. harvest moon. The harvest moon rises soon after sunset for a few days around September 23. For several nights in a row the time that it rises changes very little. This means that farmers in the northern hemisphere can harvest their crops by the light of the moon after daylight has gone.

6. D. Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah is the first day of the Jewish month of Tishri. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) the tenth day of Tishri. The Feast of the Harvest (Shavuot) is in May and Independence Day is April 17.

7. B. false. The elliptical path of the earth around the sun means that there are seven more days (six in a leap year) between March 21 and September 23.

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8. C. Grover Cleveland. President Grover Cleveland declared it a legal holiday in 1894. Labor Day, is the first Monday in September. Canada also celebrates Labor Day on the first Monday.

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