` 120 WEST MAIN STREET, NEW HOLLAND, PA 17557 Church Phone: 717-354-0226 Church Fax: 717-354-7942 Website: http://nhumc.us/ Pastor: Ray Voran Pastor Email: revoran@gmail.com
MAY 2013 One of the encouraging signs we have seen recently at New Holland UMC is the increase of the size of the choir. Val and I have been impressed with them since we came here, and it is nice to see the new faces. Since she does such a great job, I asked their fearless leader a few questions this month about her background and her time here at New Holland. Perhaps you already know this, but Juliet Mitton came to New Holland UMC in the fall of 2001 as the Choir Director and has been the Music Director/Pianist since 2005 or 2006. In addition to having one her favorite uncles for a pastor, Julie enjoys simply getting to know everyone within the church and being involved in the life and worship of the congregation as much as she is able. Of course, in addition to her official duties, she is very involved as she usually brings the Children’s message and helps with Sunday school. Since it is great to see the children’s enthusiasm each week, I asked Julie what her children enjoy about the church (hoping that they actually do like something). She said they love the kid’s message, Sunday school and VBS – they get excited on Sunday when it is time to go to church! What a great example for us! Julie has been developing her talents for many years. She graduated from Millersville University with a degree in music along with a concentration in piano performance. She then went on to Temple University where she earned a Master’s Degree in Music therapy. This led to her day job at Hospice and Community Care where she is a music therapist, working with those in Hospice care, getting to know the patients and family members, and providing comfort through music – a true ministry! God seems to have been preparing her for this ministry all along. As Julie says, “When I look back at some of the disappointments or loss in my life, I really feel like God has always been there. I don’t always understand why things happen – but I see that the things that happened have shaped me into the person I am today – and led me to where I am. When I look at my path, I see God’s hand and really feel that He was guiding me – whether I knew it or not. I experienced loss at a young age, and I feel that led me to be close to my family – brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins. They are my foundation and my support. As I have grown up and now deal with loss as my work, I feel that my family and my faith are what ground me. Through what I have experienced, I have empathy for what my patients and families experience.” She went on to add, “Music is my love. I hope through the music and music experiences I am able to provide a richer worship for those who come through the door to NHUMC.” She is certainly doing that, and we thank God for talented folks like Julie, Joyce Wilbur, and all the choir members who bless us all by enriching our worship services each week.
2 Pastor Ray Our Worship Service starts at 9:00 a.m. every Sunday. Sunday School is at 10:15 a.m. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saturday IGNITE service starts at 4:00 p.m. with fellowship; service at 4:30 p.m. Contacting Pastor Ray ~ email: revoran@gmail.com Home: (717) 656-0812 Cell: (717)333-6939 Look for me on Facebook: Ray Voran
Spring Cleaning Day (interior) – May 25 Memorial Day – May 27 ANNOUNCEMENT! Bazaar Workshops will start on May 14. The workshops will be held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. Anyone wishing to help create sale items for our bazaar is invited to come from 1:00-3:00 p.m. -- Jane Frybarger and Judy Trost
Regular Events Knit Wits – Every Saturday, 1:00-2:30 p.m. Knepper Care Group – Every other Monday at 7:00 p.m. (check calendar) Naval Care Group – Second and Fourth Tuesdays, 9:00 Community Senior Center – Second Thursday, 10:00 Seniors meet at Yoder’s Restaurant – Third Saturday, 11:15 a.m. Burgers-n-Bibles –First Thursday, 11:30 am, at Wendy’s Restaurant LUMINA ministry – Second Thursday ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Special May Events National Day of Prayer Breakfast at Yoder’s – 6:30 to 8:30 am, May 2 Deadline for “Imagine No Malaria” contributions – May 5 Mother’s Day – May 12 Chicken Barbeque – May 18, 9 am. – 1 p.m. Peace with Justice Sunday – May 26 2
Chicken Barbeque Has Been Scheduled As part of a new fundraising project, the Finance Committee has approved holding a Chicken Barbeque. The project was suggested by a new church member, Heather Bressi, who has also volunteered to chair the event. The Chicken Barbeque is scheduled for Saturday, May 18, 2013, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., or until sold out. The barbeque will be held on the grounds of the Garden Spot High School facing Route 23 across from Yoder’s Country Markets, East Main Street, New Holland. The location provides better access for the customer’s to drive in to the school. The chicken will be sold either as ½ chicken for $5.50 or a dinner (½ chicken, baked potato, applesauce, roll and drink) for $7.50. Advance tickets will be available by contacting the church during regular office hours or Heather Bressi at 717-455-2013. Nolts’s Chicken Barbeque, Manheim, will supply the chicken. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dates to Remember Saturday, May 25, 8 a.m. – Spring Cleaning Day at the chuch! Please plan to come help clean the interior of the church. If you have items stored here that will be reused, be sure they are marked appopriately. Graduate Recognition – As the school year comes to an end, we want to honor all our graduates. Please contact the church office (354-0226) if you or a family member is graduating from high school, college, or any other school or training.
War. A century later this day is still celebrated. This year The United Methodist would like to honor the mothers who have lost children to malaria. Here at NHUMC we encourage you to give a donation in honor of a special person in your life – a mother, daughter, niece, grandmother, aunt … All these donations will be compiled into a special Mother’s Day bulletin listing the names of all those you have chosen to honor or to remember. Use the special donation form in your bulletins or on the table at the bottom of the stairs to designate those you wish to honor or remember. Put it, along with your donation, in the secretary’s church mailbox or in the offering. Today The United Methodist Church operates more than 300 hospitals, clinics and health posts throughout Africa. “This healthcare system is vital to saving lives and overcoming this preventable disease,” said Bishop Thomas Bickerton, who chairs the United Methodist Global Health Initiative. Your gifts will provide these facilities with resources, such as rapid diagnostic tests and malaria medication that will help mothers who are trying to nurture their children as they suffer from the effects of malaria. -- NOW committee
Honor Your Mothers As You Help Fight Malaria In Africa 85-90% of deaths from malaria are women and children under five. “Imagine No Malaria,” a ministry of the United Methodist Church, is launching a campaign so that mothers in Africa will be able to fight malaria and see their children grow into thriving adults. In 1870 Julia Ward Howe called for an International Mother’s Day to honor mothers, especially those who had lost sons in the Civil 3
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Two-Day Annual Book Sale Will Be Held in June This year the New Holland United Methodist Church will hold its annual Book Sale on Friday, June 7, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, June 8, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It is coming up FAST! As you are spring cleaning, please consider donating your used and unwanted books to this annual event. Any current gently used books that you are willing to donate would be greatly appreciated. The chairperson, Loretta Zimmerman, says that text books and magazines will not be offered at the sale so please do not bring them to the church. All other books may be brought to the church during regular church hours. Please call the secretary at 717-354-0226 to make arrangements to drop the books. Our proceeds will be going to the Red Bird Mission in the Appalachian region of Kentucky to minister to poverty-stricken children. Thank you all for any help you can give for this mission. -- The NOW Committee
Conference News From Pastor Ray You may already be aware of this if you attend church meetings or keep up with the news out of the conference office, but there is a plan in the works to decrease the number of districts in the Eastern PA Conference from 6 to 4. This resolution will be voted on at the Annual conference later this month. Now, I would understand if a person’s first response to this news is “so what?” Well, while the mission, vision and ministry of New Holland United Methodist Church will continue regardless of the number of districts within our conference, I think it is worthwhile to consider a few aspects of this change. 4
On the economic side of things, this move will mean that approximately $140,000 annually will be diverted from administrative expenses to ministry opportunities. An additional savings of $120,000 (again approximately) will be realized each year in the conference budget. Naturally, this move will mean that each district will be larger and include more churches. The exact boundary lines are not chiseled in concrete at this point, but the idea is for our church (along with most of Lancaster County) to be a district that would go from the Susquehanna River in Columbia east to Chester, south of Philadelphia. It would include roughly 120 churches – an increase of 40 to the current Southwest District. Since District Superintendents will be responsible for a larger area as well as a larger number of churches, each congregation will be encourage to be involved in a small group, or Connexion, of churches from their area. These churches will join together for special worship services (such as Ash Wednesday or Maundy Thursday), training, community service or whatever they feel is most appropriate to be God’s representatives in their neighborhoods. Again, none of this is finalized, but it is like that we would be included in a Connexion with the four other UM Churches in Eastern Lancaster County School District (EUM, Rancks, Terre Hill, and Churchtown) and possible another one or two churches that are on the borders of the school district. A group of folks that include representative from each church would then decide what ministry opportunities the Connexion should pursue. Since we already join with both Ranck’s and EUM churches on different occasions, this will not be a totally new experience for our church. I am excited about the possibilities, and of course, we will report back from the annual conference with the
results of this vote along with the other resolutions. Please be in prayer for Win, Loretta, and all the delegates to Annual conference this year. May we always be moving forward in serving God and fulfilling the mission of the United Methodist Church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. -- Pastor Ray
Hear ye, Hear ye Kingdom Rock is coming to NHUMC for 2013 VBS! Beginning Sunday, June 16th, every Sunday at 10:15 a.m., children and adults alike are welcome to join in Kingdom Rock Vacation Bible School! We hope to see you there! In preparation, the Christian Education Committee will be placing a display up in the narthex requesting supplies for this summer’s Vacation Bible School, Kingdom Rock! Pick out a tag or two and return the tag with the supplies to the counter behind the mailboxes by May 26th! Thank-you! ~The Christian Education Committee
I would like to thank Pastor Ray and Val, plus the entire congregation, for the prayers Michael received... which made him smile and lifted our spirits. -- Michael Bressi
Thank you, church, for the cards and prayers at Ivan’s illness and home-going. Thank you, Karen Miller and her helpers, for the wonderful luncheon after the funeral. –Jane Frybarger
It is wonderful to see that the choir is growing. Thank you to the new faces and all the faithful choir members who provide the musical leadership in our worship services. – Pastor Ray
Cheers to Gary Zimmerman who has been making coffee and providing Sunday morning snacks for some time. -- Fred Naval
Thank you to Tim Hess, Sheila Arment and Tim Arment for providing the supplies so that we could have flowers to hand out to the ladies of the church on Mother’s Day. – Pastor Ray
Thank
you to Gary Zimmerman for providing the coffee on Sunday mornings. 5
6 Pastor Ray appreciates the assistance in keeping everyone awake! -- Pastor Ray
Thank
you for your giving to the Native American Sunday offering (Note: this year NHUMC gave $73 towards this cause). – Sandi Scianciulli, Conference Committee on Native American Ministries
Anniversaries: May 20 Gary and Kay Trostle May 25 Kevin and Loyda Brendle May 27 Graham and Jane Webster May 27 Nate and Ginny Smith May 28 Gordon and Betty Heal Please call the church office (354-0226) so we can update our records if your name was missed.
NHUMC
received a certificate in grateful recognition of our 2012 financial support for Peace with Justice. – UM Eastern Pennsylvania
Our United Methodist Expenses
Birthdays: May 4 Jeremy Good May 6 Kay Trostle May 7 Lucinda Boone May 10 Ann Hansen May 12 Joe Mitton May 17 Ethel Davis May 21 Mary Jane Delgado May 22 Dolly Blessing May 23 Anne Hall May 24 Ryan Stoltzfoos May 26 Ashley Baxter May 27 Bill Middleton May 29 Rachel and Ben Wagner May 31 Dee Sauder 6
One of the expenses we face monthly is our United Methodist Conference Accounts. For several years we were unable to pay the full amount that we were billed each year for the various accounts. Changing to a gas heating boiler and having Pastor Ray on a part-time basis has been two of the largest factors, which beginning in 2012 and continuing into 2013 has helped us pay more to the Conference. One of the best ways to explain our Conference expenses, I thought, would be to let you know what all of the eleven accounts are defined as. • World Service – Giving to this fund empowers evangelistic efforts, stimulates Bible study and spiritual commitment, encourages church growth and discipleship, and help God’s children everywhere. Every dollar we give to this fund will support a child who is beginning to ask about God or an adult who is reaffirming their beliefs or who is coming to Christ for the first
time. World Service is the lifeline to a long list of Christian missions and ministries throughout our denomination. •
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General Church – This is the fund that supports the following: Ministerial Education, Black College, Africa University, Episcopal Fund, General Administration, and Interdenominational Cooperation. There are many grants also offered from the General Church account, such as Peace with Justice Grant, Ethic Local Church Grant, and the Human Relation Day Grant.
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CRSP Defined Benefits for Pastor Ray – The monetary offerings to this fund provides a secure monthly income to our Pastor in his retirement.
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CRSP Defined Contribution for Pastor Ray – This account allows a contribution of 3% of the Pastor’s compensation for retirement. Upon retirement the Pastor can then determine what funds they would like to invest in.
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CPP for Pastor Ray – This provides death, disability and survivor benefits for our Pastor.
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CMF – Connectional Ministries Fund helps to support UM missionaries, schools and hospitals all over the world. CMF sends in teams to assist those in need around the world. They have many projects of all sizes to work on.
Mandatory Health Care for Pastor Ray – This is a fee charged to every
church for each eligible clergy member. This fee includes enrollment in the employee assistance Plan and coverage for a $10,000 Life Insurance Plan. •
Direct Billing: Retired Clergy Pension & Health Obligation – This fund is comprised of the Pre-1982 Pension Plan, Retiree Medical Insurance, Administrative expenses of the EPA (Eastern Pennsylvania) Board of Pension and Health Benefits, and an amount for “uncollectible” funds. The EPA Board of Pension and Health Benefits can no longer assist with this annual payment so, beginning in 2012 our church is expected to pay 100% of the amount we are billed.
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Connectional Health Care – This account is billed to every EPA local church. This amount includes the cost to support missional churches, the cost to support clergy on incapacity leave, and 15% of the total amount needed to return to the Conference Health Care Reserve Fund, within policy limits.
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Property and Liability Insurance – The Conference Board of Trustees is in charge of maintaining the group insurance for coverage on our churches. The Property and Liability Insurance must be paid in full by every church each year.
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Worker’s Compensation Insurance – This provides protection against accidents for our employees at the workplace.
8 I hope this has helped you to understand what each of the different Conference accounts have been set up for. If you would like to donate to any of these accounts specifically you may mark which account on the front of your envelope under “Other”. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. -- Blessings, Sandi Rapp Finance Chair
Free Community Meals 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. May 16, 2013 Third Thursday of every month Ranck’s United Methodist Church at the New Holland United Methodist Church Dinner is served with all ages welcome. -- Dee Kopicz, Outreach Chair at Ranck’s United Methodist Church (610-223-8207)
Prayer and Praise
• Dina McCarty, friend of Shiela Arment’s
mother, stage 3 cancer • Annual Conference and our delegates • Dottie Hararas, sister of Cathy Williams, treatment for cancer • Peggy Graber, family friend of Dave and Judy Trost, treatment for cancer • Ivan Frybarger family, on his recent death • Max and Megan (Riehl) Demianovick, on their recent marriage • Jeff and Karen Miller family, in the death of Sharon Miller, Jeff’s step-mother • Alice Weiler, recovering from fall, fractured ribs and injured shoulder • The Boston bombings
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SERVER SCHEDULE FOR THIS MONTH Nursery May 5 Barb Mask & Nesta Petit-ton May 12 Donna Sandoe & Neika Boisrond May 19 Selma Wells & Nick Boisrond May 26 Liz & Mark Lennon, Beatrice Gauthier Lay Readers May 5 Francesca Artus May 12 Jim Boose May 19 Tim Hess May 26 Sandi Rapp
The Call:
An LED Team Update By Kip Wolf
In the month of May, as we consider the Acts of the Apostles, we reflect as well on how 8
the Spirit has fallen on us at New Holland UMC. The active participation and “living out” of our faith has been truly inspiring. We continue to worship and minister in new areas, both inside our regular programs at NHUMC and outside with interactions with ESSN (Elanco Social Service Network) and other “external” programs. As we consider the MANY programs and groups that meet at NHUMC, we look forward to engaging each other in new and exciting relationships, each providing their own new opportunities to share our faith. Whether simply attending worship or by seeking opportunities for “accidental” interactions with other people who gather at the church facility, we have daily opportunities to gather, engage and share. We plan to provide snacks and refreshments at “strategic” times when other groups gather at NHUMC (like Boy Scouts or Al-Anon). We are confident that these will provide “Godincidents” rather than coincidences to meet new people where they are to share the love of Christ. Also the IGNITE group continues to meet outside the church building on a monthly basis, each time providing new and unique opportunities to gather, engage and share with others. These blessings will surely provide
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opportunities to share the joy of salvation with others. As we worship and pray this month, we should encourage each other to read and refresh our familiarity with the Acts of the Apostles, particularly considering the second chapter, verses 1-31. Remember the Day of Pentecost and how the Spirit has or may fall on us in the coming months; and, how we are prepared to follow our call to IGNITE the Light! Reading: ACTS 2:1-31