e-Note from Martin - Nov 8 Issue

Dear Church Family, This week’s e‐note will address the following topics:

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Impressed Once Again Moving Toward Normality 2012 Commitments What You Said

Impressed Once Again: Last week I made my first visit to the “Sunny Day Club.” This exceptional ministry helps people who are struggling with dementia. It offers a weekly place of activity, love and dignity for people with serious cognitive challenges. It also provides a much needed weekly respite for their caregivers. I was deeply moved by the love and care that our volunteers offered the members of the Sunny Day Club. The longer I’m here, the more impressed I am by both the breadth and depth of the ministries at BUMC. If you would like more information about The Sunny Day Club ministry please contact Rev. Erin Racine at eracine@bumc.net or Katie Anderson at katienash@comcast.net or 370‐9467. If you would like to watch a video about The Sunny Day club, click here.

Moving Toward Normality: After several weeks of start‐up worship services, and a look at core congregational practices that lead to vitality (Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations), and a series on biblical finances—I’m ready for some “normal” worship

services. This Sunday’s message, titled “The Land Between” (Numbers 11:4‐17), will seek to be pastorally encouraging, especially for people who feel like they are located more in the wilderness than the Promised Land. The following week we’ll celebrate Thanksgiving, which is one of my favorite services of the year. And then we’ll move on to Advent and Christmas. After several months of unique start‐up laps around the track, I’m looking forward to getting into a more normal worship rhythm at BUMC. 2012 Commitments: If you have not already done so, please fill out and return your 2012 volunteer forms and pledge cards. Click here to complete your commitment cards online. We will consecrate them during our worship services on November 19th and 20th. 2012 will be a crucial year for BUMC, so please be generous with your “prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness” (United Methodist membership vows).

What You Said: Last week I completed my 44th listening sessions with the staff and congregation. These sessions have been extremely helpful in getting acquainted with our church. I’m deeply encouraged by the incredible good will expressed about BUMC by our congregation. I was also impressed by the many good ideas you have for our future. If you would like to read a compilation of what you shared with me, please click here.

I hope to see you this weekend at one of our four worship services as we explore “The Land Between.”

Finally, it was good to receive the following eighteen new members: George, Wendy, Gray and Anderson Attmore; Bill and Gloria Salmon; Scott, Bridget, Jake, Savannah, Courtney and Gracie Hill; John Whipple; Jane Bondurant; and Jon‐David, Ashlee, Jack‐Charles and Caroline. Welcome to our church family.

In Christ's Love and Service, Martin