Wesley United Methodist Church 40 West Main Street, Strasburg PA 17579

Church email address: wesleystrasburg@verizon.net Web: www.wesleychurch.us

717.687.6392 Volume 8, Issue 10

WESLEY MESSENGER

October 2016

Worship Schedule

1

Pastor’s

Ponderings 2

Worship 3 & 8

Pageant 4

Friends at Home 5

Missions

Trustees

6

6 & 7

Education 7

Community &

Church Events 8 & 9

Inside this issue:

O u r M i s s i o n : W O R S H I P G O D ; S E R V E G O D ; W I T N E S S f o r G O D ;

b y t h e P O W E R o f G O D t h r o u g h t h e H O L Y S P I R I T .

Worship Schedule

8:30 a.m. Traditional ~ 10:50 a.m. Contemporary

9:45 a.m. Holy Grounds Fellowship in Epworth

10:00 a.m. Sunday School

Sunday October 2—20th Sunday after Pentecost

10 a.m. Combined Worship—World Communion Sunday

We Were Made to Thrive!

Sunday October 9—21st Sunday after Pentecost

What’s Your Idol?

Sunday October 16—22nd Sunday after Pentecost

God Answers Hannah

Sunday October 23—23rd Sunday after Pentecost

God’s Promise to David

Sunday October 30—24th Sunday after Pentecost

Honoring the Prophet

Office Hours:

8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Monday, Tuesday & Thursday

Office Phone: 717.687.6392

Rev. David Alderson - Pastor

Kim Badman - Organist/

Choir Director

Julia Medina—Worship Leader

Laura Martin - Treasurer

Holly Miller - Secretary

2

Pastor’s Ponderings … In lieu of the Pastoral Ponderings for the month of October, I would like to submit an idea for

the church newsletter moving forward. I thought it would be interesting that we hear from all of

you. I would like to propose that church members start to write for each monthly edition.

Each month I will accept your thoughts related to biblical passages and/or church interests.

(How has God been working in your life?) Upon approval I will submit them to Holly to include in

the newsletter. For example, say you found an interesting passage of scripture that was special to

you, and you had some thoughts related to that passage that were distinct, and may have touched

you in a special way. Write about it—others would love to hear it—and it could help them along on

their spiritual journey! Upon approval we will include it in a future edition of the newsletter.

I feel this is a great way to display testimonies of God’s faithfulness in our lives and in the life of

the church.

My devotional thought for today came out of a passage from Galatians 3:38, where Paul writes,

“There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and fe-

male; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” Additionally, the apostle wrote to the church at Rome

(Rom. 12:5), “in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of

one another.”

Each of us has different gifts according to the grace given to us by God. Perhaps your gift is writing?

Perhaps it’s teaching? Perhaps it’s encouraging others? Whatever the gift, God has given it for

a reason. Let’s start to use those gifts for his sake and for his glory. After all, we are ONE in Christ!

So get writing, and send your thoughts in a Microsoft Word or PDF format to my email. We await

your ponderings !!! (dralderson@verizon.net).

Share your thoughts!

3

Karen Bender, Chair-Worship

Kim Badman, Organist/Choir Director

John Botham, Head Usher wORSHIP

Christmas Pageant Schedule

Date Time Event

November 13 3:00 p.m. Pageant Rehearsal (No Choir)

November 20 3:00 p.m. Pageant Rehearsal (Choir)

November 28 & 29 TBA Scenery Setup

December 4 3:00 p.m. Dress Rehearsal

December 9 7;30 p.m. Pageant

December 10 7:30 p.m. Pageant

December 11 4:30 p.m. Pageant

December 11 7:30 p.m. Pageant

December 12 TBA Scenery Teardown

The time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son.

Luke 2:6-7

4

John 15:12: This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Team Wesley 2016 invites you to join us for our next meeting - Tuesday, October 4, at 7 p.m.

* * * Pennies for Missions

In the month of July, Wesley raised $46.43 through Pennies for Missions. Pick up a soup can on the counter in

the Epworth Room. Then at home, for every meal you eat, place two pennies in your soup can. On the last

Sunday of each month, look for the basket marked “Pennies for Missions” and place your pennies there.

All pennies collected are used to support Wesley UMC mission projects. Next Pennies for Missions

collection is October 30.

missions Chair - Open

Team Wesley: Lynda Houck

WESLEY’S WISH LIST

Trustees Committee has compiled a wish list of things that would improve some areas of our church property. If you would like to make a donation toward any of these items or purchase them outright, we would greatly appreciate it. Every little bit will help us reach our goal of upgrading our buildings for church use and rental space. Please include a note with your do-nation telling us what you would like your gift to go toward. If you have any questions, see Kay Graybill or Vickie Buller.

2 clocks - Pole Barn 2 bagless vacuums - Pole Barn & Fellowship Hall Tile - Pole Barn kitchen area 1 kitchen stove - Pole Barn Gas Stove - Fellowship Hall 6 knobs for cabinets - Pole Barn 50-70 Banquet chairs - Pole Barn 7 gallons of paint - Pole Barn, Asbury bathrooms & Sunday school rooms 2 Ping Pong sets New tea towels & wash cloths - All kitchens Love Seat - Pole Barn Vanity & faucet set - Fellowship Hall ladies bathroom Material to build 2 high top tables - Pole Barn Curtains - Fellowship Hall ladies bathroom Curtains - Asbury ladies bathroom Rug - Pole Barn eating area & small room

5

Adult Sunday School

There are two Sunday School Electives for Adults to consider:

How Is It with Your Soul? is the question The Inquirers Class is asking this fall as they study the book of

that title by Priscilla Pope-Levison and Jack Levison. This resource brings into balance the inner and outer

dimensions of the Christian life. Organized around four verbs—pray, learn, mentor, and transform—the

book challenges us to become more vibrant disciples of Christ. The first two verbs—pray and learn—

communicate the power of inspiration, receiving, inbreathing. We are exploring how to pray and learn in

ways that restore, revive, and revitalize who we are. The last two verbs—mentor and transform—

communicate the power of action, giving, reaching out. These will help us mentor others and become

agents of transformation in ways that restore, revive and revitalize our churches and our world. Led by

Laura Martin, the class is open to all.

This summer The Wrestling with Words Class: has been studying two books. Every Last Tie, a memoir written

by David Kaczynski, brother of the notorious Unabomber, a powerful story which raises issues of faith and family,

forgiveness and justice, mental health, healing, wholeness, right and wrong. The class has also delved into Max

Lucado’s Come Thirsty: No Heart Too Dry for His Touch. If you would like to join in these discussions, please

contact Roy Rineer.

Coming Up:

To anyone who enjoys books & Sunday school:

I had heard of Marilynn Robinson’s novel Gilead years and years ago, but never got around to reading it until a

few weeks ago. This book is about John Ames, an old man who is the preacher at a small church in a small mid-

western town. He is writing a letter to his young son. He knows he will not live to see the boy grow up.

Although not much seems to happen in this book, in reality Everything happens. This is a story about regret

and joy, about life and the human condition, and most of all about the inexhaustible, limitless grace of God.

This is a really, really good book. We will be reading and discussing this book starting in November. If you

need book, just let me know! - Roy C. Rineer

Christian Education Chair: John Lewis

Cradle Roll: Betty Heffner

Nursery Coordinator: Open EDUCATION

Community Aid Box

is Here!

Wesley is partnering with a faith-based 501(c)3 organization, Community Aid, by placing a clothing col-

lection bin on our property in a place visible to the public. At a time when countless communities are struggling

to stay financially afloat, Community Aid has stepped forward as a beacon of hope for many of them. Estab-

lished in 2009, Community Aid’s primary focus is to raise funds for distribution to local schools, churches,

synagogues and nonprofit charitable organizations.

The clothing donated in the bins is removed several times each week and sold in Community Aid thrift

stores. Based on the weight of the clothing in each bin, Wesley UMC is awarded a quarterly cash donation per

pound. In addition, partners such as Wesley receive free clothing vouchers to be used by the needy in our area

at one of the Community Aid thrift stores. Following six months of partnership, the church is eligible to apply for

a grant of up to five thousand dollars.

6

Sunday, October 2 10 a.m.

We will join together with our Wesley brothers and sisters

as one body in Christ

to celebrate Communion and worship our Creator.

Sunday school will begin at 9 a.m.

Following the service we will meet in The Firehouse

for a Fellowship meal.

- Let us worship together -

Church & community Fall fun Fest Saturday, Oct. 8

11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Needed: Donations for Silent Auction

(Please place them in the church office)

Needed: Make A Scarecrow Donations

Plastic Grocery Bags, Newspapers &

Children’s Old Clothes

(Please place them at the mailboxes)

Needed: Volunteers to help the day of the auction!

(Sign up in Epworth)

See you all there to enjoy the Cake & Bake Sale Auction, Silent Auction, Come Make a Scarecrow &

Painting Pumpkins! & always Food: we’ll have Walking Tacos, Hot Dogs.

Questions about how you can help? See Wanda!

& chili cook-off!

The Same Day

Gather your chili recipes & enter your best

for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate!

Entry fee is $5. See Wanda for all the details.

7 Church Directory Updates

Please make the following changes to your Church Directory.

In Loving Memory of those who have entered into life eternal:

Jan Nusbickel - June 8, 2016

Ralph Lockard - Tuesday, June 18, 2016

Address/Phone Number Changes:

Ken & Dottie Book

28 St. Mark Avenue

Lititz PA 17543

Phone & email remain the same: 717-471-3668 & kdbook@gmail.com

Church & community

First Ever

STRASBURG DAY

Saturday, October 15

at Strasburg Jaycee Park

Family fun all day long

9:00 a.m. Crop Walk Begins

10:30 a.m. Children’s Activities

11:00 a.m. The Good Fat band

12:00 p.m. Corn Hole Tournament

1:00 p.m. Family Singer/Entertainer Steven Courtney

2:00 p.m. Evangelist Finney Cherian

Brought to you by the Strasburg Ministerium

with special thanks to these generous sponsors:

Sight & Sound Theatres

Turkey Hill

L. H. Brubaker