Highlights of Upcoming Events - Faith United Methodist Church

Life Line
SEPTEMBER 2015 Newsletter of
Faith United Methodist Church
The View from Here
Church Council Nominations
The mission of our Church Council is to ensure the vision of helping people
connect in worship, grow in community groups, serve the body of Christ
and go into the world to make disciples of Jesus. The Church Council at
Faith Church serve the function of previously existing administrative
groupings (Staff-Parish Relations, Trustees, Administrative Board,
Nominations, Finance) including:
 Approve the Annual Budget.
 Approve the hiring of any member of the Leadership Team.
 Annually review the Lead Pastor in conjunction with the District
Superintendent.
 Approve all land acquisitions, facility construction and significant legal
obligations.
 When a special need exists, the Council can create a task force
consisting of a sub-group of the board and/or other church members.
This would include the election of new members to the Church
Council.
 Actively pursue learning opportunities as it relates to large church
structure and development. This could include books, conferences
and other learning tools.
Folks that serve on the Church Council should possess the following
character traits:
 Compassion (love for Jesus, his people, and his mission).
 Competency (skills consistent with human resources, operations and
stewardship).
Highlights of
Upcoming Events
9/01 - Worship Design Team Meeting
9/02 - Praise Kids (Children’s Choir) Begins
9/03 - Voices of Faith (Adult Choir) Begins
9/5-6 - Hands On Bible Club Kick-Off
9/07 - Labor Day - Church Office Closed
9/09 - Club FINS (Grades 5-7) Kick-Off
9/10 - Preschool Board Meeting
West Branch Christian Writers
9/11 - Mother’s Time Out Begins
9/12 - Potluck Dinner after Worship
Welcome Class
9/13 - Welcome Class
Faces of Grace (Youth Choir) Begins
FSM (Grades 8-12) Kick-Off
Church Council Meeting
9/13-20 - Family Promise Host Week
9/19 - Family Promise Amazing Adventure
New Member Class
9/20 - Bell Choir Begins
New Member Class
Leadership Development Class
9/26 - Faith Church at Mtv. Fall Festival
HOBC Meeting
9/27 - HOBC Meeting
Leadership Development Class
 Creativity (ability to look at the total of God’s resources and bring the
best into the church).
Leadership matters, especially as we continue to grow. We are currently
looking to nominate two or three people to serve on the Church Council
of Faith Church, beginning in January 2016. Please prayerfully consider
Worship Services @ Faith
whether this is a calling God may be placing on you. If you are interested
Sunday Mornings
in being considered for nomination for Church Council, please e-mail
Traditional Worship @ 8:30 am
Pastor Larry.
Pastor Larry will meet with potential nominees in
September, before presenting nominees to this year’s Charge Conference,
on Tuesday, November 24 at 6:30 p.m., here at Faith Church.
PL
Contemporary Worship @ 9:45 am
with Faith Café
&
Hands On Bible Club
For all children ages 2 - Grade 7
Saturday Evenings
Contemporary Worship @ 5:30 pm
&
Hands On Bible Club
For all children ages 2 - Grade 4
Nursery available at all services
Family Promise Host Week: September 13-20
I know this is a busy time of year for some with getting back
into the “back to school” routines. Please look at your
schedules and let us know where you can help out. We are
looking to add a few more volunteers since we have been
getting some families with more than one child. We partner
with Bethel UMC, Montoursville, on the corner of Spruce &
Montour. Whether you like to cook, eat, socialize, drive,
sleep, clean, help set up rooms for sleeping…did I mention
driving, eating and sleeping?! Many hands make less work
for all. Please contact Paula S. Robinson, Faith Volunteer
Coordinator, by phone/text at 570-244-6505 or by email at
[email protected].
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
Following worship - bring a dish to share!
JOURNEY Update
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(as of 8/24/2015)
Number of families that have made a pledge to
JOURNEY:
177
Total amount pledged to JOURNEY:
$2,168,663.20
Amount received for JOURNEY:
$ 867,406.31
Faith Musical Groups Starting Soon!
Praise Kids (Kids’ Choir) begins Sept. 2 at 4:00 pm
Voices of Faith (Adult Choir) begins Sept. 3 at 5:30 pm
Faces of Grace (Youth Choir) begins Sept. 13 at 4:00 pm
Bell Choir practice begins September 20 at 11:00 am
If you are interested in joining any of these groups or want
more information, please contact Lisa Konkle at 570-2744623 or Tony Sharp at 570-368-2459.
Commitments to JOURNEY can still be made by contacting
Linda via email at [email protected], phone 570-3682459, or mail 700 Fairview Drive, Montoursville, PA 17754.
Thank you for your continued generosity to Faith Church
and to JOURNEY!
Mothers’ Time Out
Mothers’ Time Out is ready for a new season. We will start up
on Friday, September 11 from 9:15 am - Noon. We lovingly
welcome children from infant through age 4. We ask that you
bring a “sippy” cup for your child with their name on it and
also, to clearly label your child’s diaper bags for us. A snack
will be provided. This ministry is for families of Faith Church
and there is no charge. We look forward to seeing you on
Fridays. MTO Grammies
Celebrate Our Faith Journey Display
Stop by Room 10 to see the display of items that Celebrate our Faith Journey. We are just beginning to assemble items for
display and we are looking for people to join us on a team to preserve our Faith Church history for future generations to enjoy.
We also need your input on deciding how to preserve the painting from the previous building on Broad Street (refer to letter
insert in the August Life Line). Please contact Kitty Hofer or the Church Office.
September Sermon Series
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September 3/4 - “History of the Bible”
September 10/11 - “Is the Bible Reliable?”
September 17/18 - “How to Study the Bible”
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Bring your family, coworkers, friends, youth group or club
There will be food, carnival games, a silent auction, ropes
course, competition and lots of fun for the whole family
Faith Church’s Praise Team will provide live music
Registration begins at 10:00 am on Saturday, 9/19
Registration fee of $50 per team to support the homeless
Teams of 4-8 people (one under age 18)
Location - Faith UMC in Montoursville
Gain an eye-opening perspective of homelessness in
Lycoming County
Don’t have a team? Come out for fun with the family and
check it all out
Event starts at 11:00 am
Marion Handley
Director of Children’s Ministries
[email protected]
570-368-2459
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Nursery & Hands On Bible Club
Weekly servant opportunities available! Please consider helping out - even if you don’t currently have school-aged children.
We promise, you will be blessed. Sign up on the clipboards beside each classroom or contact Marion.
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Saturdays at 5:30 pm
Ages 0-2 Room 21
Ages 2-3 Room 22
PreK-Grade 1 Room 23
Grades 2-4 Room 25
Sundays at 9:45 am
Ages 0-2 Room 21
Grades 1-2 Room 25
Ages 2-3 Room 22
Grades 3-4 Room 13
Pre-K Room 24
Grades 5-7 Room 16
Kindergarten Room 23
HOBC Servant Needs for 2015-2016
st
 Teacher for 1 -2
grade Sunday morning class serving every
other week
 Individuals willing to commit to serve in HOBC weekly for the
length of the 2015-2016 academic year (not summer)
 Individuals willing to use their musical or theatrical gifts in HOBC
serving either monthly or bi-monthly
 Individuals willing to serve as “prayer partners” for our HOBC
classes. These folks would adopt a class and pray for the
teachers, children, and families daily.
HOBC Material Needs for 2015-2016
Important Upcoming Dates
September 5-6
nd
HOBC 2015-2016 Kick-off, kids report to
their new classrooms!
September 19-20 Presentation of Bibles to 3rd Graders
September 26-27 Meeting for Parents and Interested
Servants to Discuss Orange Curriculum
Please bring in donations of school supplies including
 Glue sticks
 Construction paper
 Markers
 Crayons
 Scotch tape
 Masking tape
 Hand sanitizer
 Gift cards for Staples or Amazon
Please drop off donations in Room 16 or your child’s HOBC
classroom.
Bible Presentation Weekend for 3rd
Graders
We are excited to present your third grader
with a Bible! If you have a third grader in
your family, please contact Marion or call the
church office at 570-368-2459 to ensure your
child is on the list to receive a Bible. The
Bibles will be presented on Saturday,
September 19 and Sunday, September 20 at
the beginning of each contemporary service.
Parents and Teachers Take Note!
The state of Pennsylvania has changed the laws for background checks
required for all paid staff and unpaid volunteers working with children.
As a result, all parent helpers must submit state background checks and
either FBI fingerprints or a notarized affidavit in order to serve with our
kids. This new legal requirement means that even if you recently
obtained a Trak 1 clearance you must request new clearances. Our
Children’s Ministries rely on parent involvement! Thank you in advance
for completing the paperwork so that we can continue to be a place that
welcomes children.
Contact Marion Handley with questions and to obtain your paperwork
packet.
Think Orange!
 Begins Wednesday, September 2
 All kids will meet from 4-5:00 pm
 Still separated into two groups -
Group 1 - Ages 4-Grade 1
Group 2 - Grades 2-4
 Register online at www.faithum.net/
praisekids
No, not the color . . . beginning in
September our children will have a
new curriculum for Hands on Bible
Club. Orange is designed to instill
basic truths of the Christian faith to
children as they grow and to guide
children in learning to apply those
truths to daily life.
Check it out at http://thinkorange.com!
GROW
CHURCH WIDE SERMON SERIES
Every fall we experience a church wide sermon series. Everyone can experience a Community Group for this short term series,
as we offer multiple ways to find that fit! Whether you grab a few friends or join an already existing group, there is something
for everyone. This year we will journey through 5 weeks of community by becoming “Wiser Together”. Consider joining us for
this series! Below are some possible ways to do this.
 GRAB AND GO BAGS: These bags are an easy way to experience a short-term study together with people you already
know, in your own home. We place special emphasis on these bags during a church wide series, but they are also readily
available all year long! All you need to do is sign out a bag, read through the helps, and personally invite some friends or
family you like to hang out with!
 MERGE: A small group experience where faith and life meet. This open ongoing group for both men
and women covers relevant topics with a video based study, in a larger group setting. This is a great
option if you don’t know too many people at Faith, and would like to build some relationships.
Meets each Monday 6:30-8pm, on Faith campus. You would find details to sign up in the church
lobby area.
 JOIN AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED GROUP for the series: We have groups that meet on a continual basis that someone can
dive right into. The present list of available groups is below. If interested, please call the church office at 570-368-2459.
Sunday
Adult MIXED Sunday School: meets on campus at Faith in Room 10 at 9:45 am. Contact is Gerald Eisley at 570-433-2607.
Monday
MERGE - MIXED Group: meets on campus in Faith Café from 6:30-8 pm. Contacts are Rebecca & Tony Sharp at 334-803-4444.
(Childcare provided.)
Tuesday
N/A
Wednesday
MEN’S Group: on campus at Faith in Room 13 at 6:30 am. Contact is Tony Sharp at 334-803-4443.
WOMEN’S Group: meets at Panera at 6:00 am. Contact is Susie Gehr at 570-447-3353.
Thursday
WOMEN’S Group: meets on campus in Room 10 from 12:00-1:30 pm. Contact is Lori Glover at 570-447-6886.
Friday
N/A
Saturday
MEN’S Group: meets at Mel’s Café at 9:00 am. Contact is Rick Wurster at 570-419-5598.
Welcome Classes
New Member Classes
Welcome Classes are being offered Saturday, September 12
New Member Classes are being offered Saturday,
at 6:45 pm and Sunday, September 13 at 11:15 am at Faith
September 19 at 6:45 pm and Sunday, September 20 at
Church in Room 10. Attending a Welcome Class is one of
11:15 am at Faith Church in Room 10. We’ll explore
the requirements for membership at Faith Church. The
Connect, Grow, Serve, Go - mission and vision of Faith
session will be relaxed and informative as you learn more
Church. Join us on the journey of Faith! You must have
about our church, our denomination and membership
completed a Welcome Class before attending this class.
expectations.
To register for any of these classes, please call the church office at 570-368-2459.
If you will need childcare, please contact Linda Michael Huffman at [email protected] or 570-368-2459.
SERVE AND GO
Go . . . Go . . . Go in 2015
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Fall Festival (Children’s Activity Area): September 25-26 See below for details of
how to help
Volunteers in Mission trip: October 4-10 (See details below)
Trunk or Treat: October 31 (or trick or treat date set by the borough) Contact
Pastor Rusty if you, or your small group is interested in leading this event!
Operation Christmas Child: November 2015
Thanksgiving baskets: In association with McCall Middle School
2015 Christmas Offering: supported ministries/organizations (TBA)
Pastor Rusty Wolfinger
Associate Pastor
[email protected]
570-368-2459
Oak Hill, West Virginia . . . Here We Come!!
The FIRST Volunteers in Mission trip that Faith Church has
sponsored will take place this October. On October 4-10,
2015 we will be traveling to Oak Hill, West Virginia. We’ll be
partnering with the Oak Hill United Methodist Church and
will be working on a variety of projects for senior citizens
and others in need. The cost for the trip will be $275 per
person. We’ve had a few planning meetings; however,
there is still plenty of time to sign up. Contact Pastor Rusty
at [email protected] or 570-368-2459, for an
information packet or if you have any questions.
The Lycoming County Life Chain will be held on Sunday,
October 4, 2015 at 2:30 pm on the “Golden Strip”.
Registration starts at 2:00 pm. If you want to show your
support for the sanctity of human life, you may join a
group anywhere on the Golden Strip.
Faith Church at the Fall Festival
Faith Church is continuing our service journey outside the church and into the community by volunteering to provide crafts and
an obstacle course in the “community craft tent” at the Fall Festival this year on September 26 from 3-5:00 pm. The Fall
Festival Committee is : Betsy Bjorkman, Jane Zimmerer, Heather Ramsey, Erin Bennett, Tina Remsnyder and Andrea Lucas. If
you have equipment/ideas for the obstacle course, please contact Erin (570-772-5622) or Andrea (724-372-0532). If you are
interested in helping with donations for the children’s crafts, see the following list.
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100 small mesh bags - any color (to fit 4”x4” squares)
6 rulers (can be used)
14 permanent black markers
100 4”x4” felt squares
900 wooden circle discs (plain 1”)
2 skeins black yarn
150 large wooden popsicle sticks
6 regular sized packets of crayons (basic colors)
150 small round balloons/assorted colors
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150 plastic Easter Eggs - regular size, all colors
300 sticker eyes
300 pipe cleaners - multi colors
4 rolls silver duct tape
120 orange/40 black paper plates (8” - 10”)
3 packages of glue dots
100 regular sized round balloons
8 bottles Elmer’s glue
75 regular sized cans Playdough
Bins for collection of the above items are in the Narthex/Lobby. Coming soon - sign-up sheets to help with crafts the day of the
festival. Many hands make little work. Thank you for your support!
Sharon Atherholt, Chair (570-447-5291)
Trunk or Treat Will be Here in No Time!
We are looking for individuals or a small group to lead this
“Go” event. Contact Pastor Rusty if you or your small
group is interested in leading this.
This Samaritan’s Purse ministry provides Christmas gifts for
needy children throughout the world. Individuals and families simply pack a shoe box(es) with suggested items and
we will deliver them to a Samaritan’s Purse collection site
in mid-November.
Service Opportunity: If you or your Community Group
would like to help assemble boxes, contact Pastor Rusty.
Empty shoe boxes will be distributed October 17-18 and
24-25. Boxes may be returned between October 31 and
November 15 to the tables in the Lobby and Faith Café.
Faith Church Council
Faith Church Leadership Team
Larry Leland, Lead Pastor....................................................................lleland@faithum.net
Rusty Wolfinger, Associate Pastor...............................................rwolfinger@faithum.net
Diane Dunlap, Office Administrator......................................................office@faithum.net
Marion Handley, Director of Children’s Ministries …………………[email protected]
Jared Hetherington, Dir. of Student Ministries …………………[email protected]
Linda Michael Huffman, Business Manager/Nursery [email protected]
Deb Ottenmiller, Director of Group [email protected]
Tony Sharp, Director of Worship.........................................................tsharp@faithum.net
Ryan Tira - Chairperson
Emily Miller - Recorder
Ron Gearhart
Michael Kinsey
Carol Larson
Ben Meckbach
Crystal Miller
Jeremy Ramsey
Faith United Methodist Church
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Phone #: 570-368-2459
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.faithum.net Facebook: www.facebook.com/faithmontoursville
If you would like to receive the newsletter (in color!) via email, please contact the church office.
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Faith United Methodist Church
700 Fairview Drive
Montoursville PA 17754
Life Line
SEPTEMBER 2015
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