PUMC’S NEWEST MINISTRY TEAM Two years ago, Princeton UMC's Production Team rose to the challenges posed by Covid to bring worship services into the homes of its members. Though the church has reopened for services, streaming will remain a preference of some members for a variety of reasons. Recognizing that technology will continue to evolve, PUMC created the Technology Ministry headed by Bill Gardner. While technology - email, Wi-Fi, etc. - has been part of the church's communications infrastructure for a long time, “Covid necessitated IN THIS ISSUE technology in a way that had never been used before - live streaming church services," says Bill. Using iPhones, iPads, multiple microPastor’s Notes 2 phones, and a Mevo camera, the team of clergy and lay volunteers Church Calendar 3 succeeded in bringing worship into living rooms. The success of that goal "highlighted the true importance of all our technology capabiliFarewell Interns 4 ties in the church. Pastor Jenny and I agreed that technology needed a Trustees Note 6 full voice on the Church Council," adds Bill. Since he was in the midst Farewell Evangeline 7 of "transitioning from tactical short-term answers to a strategic longterm solution," it made sense for him to take the lead and form a Bishop’s Message 8 team. Historical Tidbits 9 Christine Shungu and Bobby Walz also serve on the Technology Birthdays 11 Ministry. Both bring experience and commitment to the team. Christine has been instrumental in getting Breeze up and running, and Bobby has contributed his engineering skills to advance the church's technology capabilities. continued on page ten.
NOTES FROM THE PASTOR
Pastor Jae Hong
As the deadline neared to write these thoughts, I was slowly gathering my thoughts in an e-mail draft on my phone while lying on the floor of my boys’ room as they struggled to sleep. I thought it was coming together quite nicely! I was going to start with an ice breakertype question to let you know I have moved around a lot in my life (six times in 10 years!), to highlight the irony that with every new place we move into, we bring in the same old furniture. There was going to be a witty transition to how houses are relationships, furniture is our personal experiences that we feel define us, and that sometimes joy is not finding a new house but realizing you are not defined by the bedroom armoire your parents bequeathed to you in remembrance of them. Then something happened today that I will never forget the rest of my life. My family decided to brave the weekend Costco rush to purchase some household necessities and croissants. With an unexpectedly large receipt in hand, I was pushing the cart towards the exit with my three and five-year-old sons sitting shotgun as my wife walked more surefootedly behind, keeping the baby asleep in her carrier.
With daylight in sight, my five-year-old proceeded to hand the receipt to an older man to receive a friendly hello back as the smile behind my mask let my son know it was a welcomed interaction. As the employee handed back the receipt with two smiley faces on its backside, he started to tell my children that he can speak Chinese too. I immediately told him, “Stop,” and repeated it again. But as soon as the second “stop” left my lips, he repeated “Ni hao” twice to them. The man’s brow furrowed and voice grew defiant as he denied my assertion that he made a racist comment. The rest of my words were met with “have a nice day” laced thick with a tone that meant the very opposite. As we rolled away quietly to our car, my son asked, “What happened?...I’m Korean?” It was the first time I couldn’t protect my son, and I know it will not be the last. It was an absolute feeling of powerlessness and loss of control. Nothing I could say or do would help my son unhear those words or un-remember that man’s angry face, just like the same memories rooted in me and others who were told their places are in the margins of common society. What does joy look like in those moments and in these moments around us today? In the prolonged backdrop of a global pandemic, from the daily reporting of atrocities in Ukraine, from the constant echoes that the world and weather around us will never be the same, to the daily reminders of our own physical and mental frailty, we find ourselves anesthetized by the tidal wave of pain and despair that we try so hard to just not be pushed back any further. continued on page ten.
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JUNE EVENTS June 5
Contemporary Issues Class Pick Up Choir Rehearsal Worship - Confirmation Sunday Newcomers Group Handbell Choir Love Lives On Stonebridge Gathering Divorce Support Group Youth Group
June 6
Monday Morning Bible Study AA Church Council
June 7
AA
June 8
Love Lives On Cornerstone Community Meal
June 9
AA
June 12
Contemporary Issues Class Worship - Graduate Recognition Sunday Acolyte Training Newcomers Group Handbell Choir Divorce Support Group Youth Group End of Year Party
June 13
Monday Morning Bible Study AA Children & Youth Formation Team Membership & Growth Team
June 14
AA Trustees Worship Ministry Team
June 15
Love Lives On Cornerstone Community Meal
June 16
AA Nominations & Lay Leadership Team
June 18
Pride Parade
June 19
Contemporary Issues Class Worship & Children’s Ministry Love Lives On Handbell Choir Divorce Support Group
June 20
Monday Morning Bible Study AA Stewardship/Finance Team Circle of Care
June 21
AA Communications Team
June 22
Love Lives On Cornerstone Community Meal
June 23
AA Staff Parish Team
June 25
Juneteenth Cookout
June 26
Contemporary Issues Class Worship - Baptism & New Member Sunday Small Group Leader Appreciation Lunch Adult Formation Team Witherspoon-Jackson Prayer Pilgrimage Divorce Support Group
June 27
Monday Morning Bible Study AA Vacation Bible School
June 28
AA Vacation Bible School Technology Ministry Team
June 29
Love Lives On Vaccine Clinic Cornerstone Community Meal Vacation Bible School
June 30
AA Vacation Bible School
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FAREWELL TO OUR ’21-’22 SEMINARY INTERNS As our congregation partners with Princeton Theological Seminary each year to host interns, we are so blessed to see them grow and flourish as they minister with us. From serving on ministry teams, to leading small groups, to participating in worship services, our interns have done an amazing job this year and we are so grateful! We asked each of them to give us the inside scoop on their experiences at Princeton UMC and where they’re headed next.
Tayler Necoechea “My seminary experience wasn't exactly conventional because for almost half of seminary we were online. But my two years as an intern at PUMC has shaped my seminary experience for the better, and I am grateful for that. Not only did Skitch and Jenny invest into me as a growing minister and disciple, but the congregation of PUMC has truly cared for me in these past few years in ways I had never expected. Throughout my time, I have grown more confident in my preaching and pastoral abilities, and I have been greatly inspired by our congregation's willingness to say 'yes and amen' to God's call on their lives. I am truly inspired by the ministry of our congregants, and even through the most difficult points of seminary, I always felt like I could show up to PUMC just as I am, because our church reminds me daily that I am enough because God is enough. It is one of the greatest blessings of my life to be able to say that I will be remaining at PUMC as an associate pastor, beginning this July. I have the honor of taking over our Children's Ministry, as well as Adult Formation and the Online Campus. As I had spent this last year praying to God about my next steps, I asked God to allow me into a space where I could be fully myself as I continue to grow as a minister. I can say with the absolute confidence that God answered this prayer. As I transition into this new role, I look forward to spending more time with you all as we grow in Christ, together.”
Emma Worrall “Being at PUMC taught me a lot about community and worship, specifically the beauty of intergenerational worship. I have known this before, but every Sunday at PUMC was a reminder. It was amazing to be part of a community that had families who have been at the Church for over fifty years, those who just joined, and everyone in between. The Church is truly its people, and that was very evident at PUMC in the way that the community embraced the interns and supported us. Thank you all for everything that you did to not only further my education, but to be a community for me as well. I still have one more year to finish my dual program (MDiv./Masters in Christian Education and Spiritual Formation). In the coming year, I will be working with the Center for Theological Inquiry as a research assistant on a research project for how the Church can better serve those with chronic illnesses.” 4
Hyelim Yoon
NEW COMMUNITY ART GALLERY AT PRINCETON UMC
“Princeton United Methodist Church has truly been a home for me where I could be fed, grow, and thrive. The love and support I received from PUMC nurtured me enormously in accepting my pastoral identity and confidently entering my first step of ministry. ThereThe are countless, lovely, meaningful experiences that I had through Princeton UMC during my MDiv journey: preaching God's words, teaching confirmation class, leading Worship Ministry Team, giving care calls, learning about diversity and being trained to be an anti-racist, etc. In each of these experiences, I received great love from God as well as from PUMC leaders and members. Going through the pandemic, which brought the virus of hatred against Asian Americans, gave me particular challenges in the last two+ years. I learned that it is an indispensable yet exceptionally challenging job for a minoritized preacher to preach about her own minoritized experiences and to preach with a prophetic voice in order to initiate systemic changes. Thankfully, the diversity that PUMC valued helped me to be courageous enough to preach prophetically about my own marginalized experiences. This journey has given me a passion to equip preachers of minoritized identities with theological foundations and preaching tools to be the ones initiating systemic changes through their preaching: how might a queer preacher preach to a non-queer dominant community, a woman preacher to a congregation that does not affirm women in ministry, a preacher with a disability to a congregation predominantly comprised of non-disabled persons, a racially-minoritized preacher to a white-dominant congregation, etc? To follow my passion, I will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Homiletics (Preaching) at the University of Toronto for the next four years. After the completion of the program and expanding my perspectives, I plan to come back to New Jersey and continue my ordination process and ministry, empowering other preachers and leaders in my new journey. Each week and every moment at Princeton UMC has been so precious for me. I will never be able to forget Princeton UMC, and PUMC will always be my home. Thank you so much for all the love and support you have given me, and please don't forget me! Soon, after my PhD program, I will come back to NJ!
Ashley Gonzalez “My internship has taught me so many valuable things about ministry. It allowed me to preach, provide pastoral care, create and lead small groups, care for a building, put together events, and many more things. However, the experience I am most grateful for is leading the prayer portion of Joys and Concerns during worship. This is a practice I will carry throughout my life in ministry. I am so thankful for the vulnerability that congregants expressed, the way I witnessed people mourn with one another and celebrate one another, and the challenge of not immediately trying to comfort someone or better their situation but experiencing their pain alongside them and presenting it to God, and the practice of actively listening to the prayers of others. Beginning June 1st I will start my new position at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church (FAPC) as their new Director of Engagement. This will entail overseeing all avenues of plugging new church members into community at FAPC. I will be doing so by leading small groups, planning larger events, working on a "contemporary" worship service, and leading service projects. I am so excited for this position, for what God has in store for me, and to meet my new coworkers. It has always been a dream of mine to live 5in 5 5 New York City and I cannot believe the time has come for that dream to become a reality!”
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Alex Hoshino “My internship at Princeton UMC has allowed me to learn about church administration and pedagogy from great leaders. I have one more year left to complete my MDiv and then I’ll be applying to Theology PhD programs.”
A NOTE FROM YOUR TRUSTEES MINISTRY TEAM A number of PUMC members have commented over the years that our oak pews, while lovely, are hard to sit on for long periods of time. We have heard you and we are ready to help! The Trustee and Finance teams will be offering our church friends the opportunity to “Sponsor-aPew.” There will be a sample pew cushion in the front pew of the sanctuary over the next few weeks so you can try it out. (These cushions come with a 15-20 year warranty.) If enough interest is expressed, we will invite you to sponsor full pew or half pew cushions in honor or in memory of loved ones. At the end of the campaign, donors will be able to choose to have their names printed in our Newsletter, along with their dedications, or remain anonymous. Send an email to loripantaleo@gmail.com, or a text message to 908-239-9608 if you have any questions, and to let us know if you are interested in sponsoring a half pew, full pew, or more than one pew. The approximate cost of the cushions will be: Full pew: $450, Half pew: $225. Any contribution will be much appreciated.
CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES! High School Graduates Amy Angello (Montgomery High School) Ava Blomgren (Princeton High School) Lukas Gessner (The Pennington School) Delaney McCarty (Princeton High School) College Graduates Amanda Ciccone (Ohio Wesleyan University) Kendall Elfstrum (Princeton University) Elise Gardner (Bucknell College) Logan Hillegas (Bucknell College) Yannick Ibrahim (Montclair State University) Lauren McCarty (Princeton University) Mayowa Oke (Princeton University) Graduate Degrees Raphael Aryeetey (Rider University, MBA) Carly Bartow (Princeton Theo. Seminary, MDiv) Ashley Gonzalez (Princeton Theo. Sem., MDiv) Tayler Necoechea (Princeton Sem., MDiv)6 continued onTheo. page ten. 5 Hyelim Yoon (Princeton Theo. Seminary, MDiv) 6
MY FRIEND, EVANGELINE By Mikaela Langdon
I've been a part of PUMC for almost nineteen years. I grew up in the choir and Sunday School program and was very involved in the youth group and ASP. In 2013, I took a church scholarship and the prayers of a community with me to college. After moving back home from college, once I had my Sunday mornings free again, I got the opportunity to serve as the Nursery Lead for the church that had been so central for my family over the last two decades. That's how I first met Evangeline Burgers. Before I met Evangeline, I met her son Henry. Not even two at the time, Henry was a curious and fun addition to our nursery class. He fit right in with our PUMC toddlers, so it was no surprise when I met Evangeline shortly after that she was just as wonderful. I was thrilled when she was given the Director of Children's Ministry position early into the 2019-2020 school year. Evangeline didn't take long to make a great impression on our children's ministry. Anyone who has met her knows that she is impossible not to adore. Her vibrant and bubbly personality makes her an approachable leader for both kids and adults in our congregation. She is also a hard worker and passionate about social justice. She made sure our Sunday School curriculum was inclusive and thoughtful. She brought in an array of children's books that inspire creative thinking and empathy. It was easy to see that she belonged in this role and in our community. When we shut down in-person events due to COVID, Evangeline and her team did not miss a beat. There was virtual Sunday School that met the very first week. Evangeline made sure that our children were a priority in a time of uncertainty and fear. I had the privilege of working closely with her during this time. It was truly amazing to see the thought and care she put into finding the Compassion Camp curriculum and implementing it in our zoom classrooms. She put together kits so that children could do
Evangeline dancing with Holy Spirit streamers at the 2021 community-wide VBS.
crafts at home with their families. She organized and trained volunteers to be there every Sunday morning before the cameras were on. She went beyond her job description to make the children and families at PUMC feel cared for and loved. Evangeline's role as Director of Children's Ministry is sadly coming to an end. She and her growing family (Henry is getting a baby sister!) are moving to Michigan this summer. However, we haven’t seen the last of her here at PUMC! During the pandemic, being a multi-talented woman, she was able to add Communications Director to her title. I feel so blessed to have worked alongside her in this as well as the chair of the communications team. She has brought new energy and life to our church's online presence over the last year! We are so fortunate that, following her maternity leave, Evangeline will continue to work remotely in that role. While Evangeline is a great church employee, she is an even better friend. I'm so grateful to know her and have a friend for life in her. To Evangeline, Alex, Henry, and Baby Girl Burgers, on behalf of the PUMC community, we wish you all the best in your new adventures in Michigan! 7 7
MESSAGE FROM BISHOP SCHOL ABOUT MASS SHOOTINGS Speak tenderly, comfort my people says God. -Isaiah 40:1 Dear Friends in Christ, There are no words. Shootings and killings in the last two weeks of African Americans in a Buffalo, NY supermarket, an Asian church in Southern California and a school in Uvalde, TX leave us all hurt, wondering and angry. We grieve for those who died and their families. We pray for their souls, their peace and their comfort. What good is it if you claim to have faith but don’t do anything about it. -James 2:14 Something is wrong, something is broken and we are not protecting children, people of color and other vulnerable populations from rage, hatred, guns and mental illness. As a Nation and even more so as a church, we are failing to preach, teach and act to bring an end to the sins of hatred, division, racism and cure the illness such as mental illness. We live in a time when politicians as well as community and church people speak in ways that creates further division, fear and even rage. We even cheer when someone representing our views spews hatred and harm. Our encouraging “our side” or saying or doing nothing only inflames incivility and violence. If you say you have faith and do nothing, or if you say you have faith and your words create division, it is not faith in Jesus Christ. We all can pray and comfort those who mourn. Today we are called to support one another because acts of hatred like these can open up old wounds of those around us. Be sensitive to one another and comfort each other. Let us also work together to end the sin of racism, advocate for an end to gun violence and support better and more mental health care and offer a witness of Christ that does not tolerate those who spew hatred, division and violence. I call all of our churches to pray this weekend and find specific actions your church will take to stand against and do something about the hatred and violence in our communities and world. Keep the faith!
Bishop John Schol The United Methodists of Greater New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania
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HISTORICAL TIDBITS Princeton UMC’s second pastor, Israel Saunders Corbit, was said to have been a brilliant orator, and church membership increased by 150 people during his tenure. Corbit was quite rigid, and actually removed Oliver Bartine and others from the Church rolls for failing to attend class meetings! Bartine left and joined the Cedar Grove church, but returned when Rev. Samuel Monroe was appointed as our third pastor. Corbit was responsible for setting up our church’s record keeping system. (SEE “Princeton Station” 1850 steward records below) In April 1849, the Conference changed Princeton M.E's status from Circuit to Princeton Station. The new building was dedicated on October 17, 1849. At the time, the church still had $1,600 in debt. A special offering was asked for that Sunday, but the offerings came up short, so the trustees approved of "the females" setting up a fair to help liquidate the debt. The fair was a success, and enough funds were raised to pay off the debt. (Go Methodist Women!) In the end, Dr. Oliver Bartine (the man Pastor Corbit had removed from the rolls) got his revenge, and was the first man to be married (to Miss Mary Cotrell) in the church in 1850.
Princeton Methodist Episcopal’s steward records from 1850.
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Tech Team continued from page one.
One of the first tasks of the new ministry team was to decide its mission going forward. How does one set specific goals when technology changes so rapidly and the needs of a church can expand unexpectedly? Their answer: "Our mission is to enable the use of technology by anyone in the church that needs it and to provide an enduring solution [to those needs] that is easy to work with," states Bill. Assisting the Ministry Team is the Audio/Visual Team which prepares and runs all live-streamed events for the church, including Sunday worship and all special services. The A/V team includes Ian Macdonald, Stephen Offer, Pastor Skitch, staff, as well as many seminary interns. He adds that the A/V team is always looking for new volunteers and members: “No technology skills required!” The team has been working on enhancing the church's live-streaming setup, including a stateof-the-art soundboard and professional streaming studio. "Our goal is to simplify our livestreaming so that anyone is able to participate in the production effort," explains Bill. Beyond refinement of live streaming, the team is “looking to improve adoption and data sharing across our various applications (Breeze, Mighty Networks, Google, etc.),” he adds. Additionally, and of great importance, “We are working to secure our data and protect the privacy of our members.” In prioritizing projects, the team meets monthly with Pastor Jenny and works to “determine the balance between areas of need and achievable projects in a reasonable timespan,” he explains. During quarantine, Bill Gardner worked behind the curtain, so to speak, helping to turn the balcony into a sound and projection studio. Now, as head of the church’s newest ministry, Bill and his team move front and center in using technology in the best ways possible to enrich PUMC.
Such a commitment takes a lot of time, and while it is clear how the church benefits from Bill’s generosity, what draws him to volunteering? “I always saw technology as something I did just to earn a living. At church, I can use my skill set to deliver solutions that bring comfort and joy to members who cannot always come to church. It is a truly fulfilling position, and I am glad I can give something back to so many people who have always supported me and my family,” he explains. Pastor’s Notes continued from page two.
With such thoughts, I find solace and strength that the Bible given to us is rooted in these very moments of uncertainty. Joy is the attitude that God’s people adopt, not through circumstance, but because of their hope in God’s love and promise. Through the spectrum of tale and message in Scripture, the thread of joy is woven throughout with reminders that “weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Ps. 30:5). Joy is not the absence of suffering, but that suffering is not the final answer. Though we live in a fallen world struggling with our own fallen natures, we are able also rejoice in tandem to our suffering because there is an answer in the personhood of Jesus Christ. The beauty of this call to live in joy, beyond the horizon of the darkness before us, is that we are called to live together. The Holy Spirit leads us together through our differences, through our weaknesses, and through our despair, that we and the world may see the Kingdom of God on earth. As we venture into our exploration of this Contagious Joy, I pray for fateful encounters with the Holy Spirit, and that like Paul, we may learn the valuable skill to surf the tidal waves of sorrow with rejoicing (2 Cor. 6:10). - Pastor Jae
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JUNE 2022 Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
1 Michael Burton
2
Fri 3
Sat 4 Beverly Masters
5 Barbara Fox Francia Francisco Pam Pisani Robert Scheffler
6 Stacy Chick
7 Kevin Ewer
8 Emelia Timpo
9 10 Christopher Burton Daniel Prakash Tom Rinehart
11 Claudia Cruz John DiStase
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13 Zion Hicks Bob Meola Phoenix Roth
14 Sienna Rowe Daniel Shungu
15 Diane Wolf
16 Deena Prakash
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18 Abby Meola
19 Heather Hansen Jenny Smith Walz
20 Sydney DiStase Bill Hight Kirsten Rinehart
21 Victoria Offer
22 Katheryn Ranta
23 Sandra Richardson
24 Jennifer Gromada Caroline Houston Richard Kahn Missy Leonard Cecelia Luna Valerie Newhall Awoye Timpo Susan Victor
25
26 John Macdonald
27
28 Medina Arthur
29 Michael Cabus Jane Wilson
30 Hazel Cheng Leslie Levey Christian Turner
Karen Longo-Baldwin Stephen Offer Tom Tong
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7 Vandeventer Avenue Princeton, NJ 08542 609-924-2613 princetonumc.mn.co
Rev. Jenny Smith Walz, Lead Pastor Rev. Skitch Matson, Kingston Campus Pastor Jae Hong, Pastor of Pastoral Care Hyosang Park, Director of Music Tom Shelton, Director of Youth Choirs Julia Hanna, Accompanist Tyler Mathiasen, Office Manager Evangeline Burgers, Dir. of Comm. & Kid’s Ministry Gilmar Enamorado, Custodial Ministry Lawanda Coney, Custodial Ministry Santos Gonzales, Custodial Ministry Mikaela Langdon, Nursery Care Lead Tayler Necoechea, Intern
Princeton United Methodist Church is a Stephen Ministry Congregation
THANK YOU TO OUR JUNE NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTORS Pastor Jae Hong Kate Lasko Mikaela Langdon
Lori Pantaleo Evangeline Burgers, Editor
Do you have something you’d like to see in the newsletter? Ministry Team news, or something to feed our congregation on our discipleship journey? Email news@princetonumc.org There will be a break from newsletters this summer. The deadline for the September issue is August 15th.
