From the Pastor's Desk …

I am so grateful to have a newsletter back again. I believe that communication is a key in functioning well together as the body of Christ. My prayer is that the newsletter will be a place where we all literally get on the same page with each other. In order for this to work well we need to hear from everyone. We need to hear from committees and individual members; we need stories, recipes, events and much more. I am so thankful to Deb Rosene for spearheading this project. I hope that through the newsletter ministry we will be well connected with each other and everyone, from the youngest to oldest will have a better understanding and appreciation of what is happening in our congregation. As we move into the Easter Season and warm weather stay tuned to what God is doing in our midst and don't forget to write!

Blessings and love to you all,

Pastor Jessica

What in the world is our pastor up to in April?

Pastor Jessica will be attending the National Workshop on Christian Unity from April 18th through April 22nd. This year the workshop is in Tampa, Florida. She will be attending the following workshops: Building the New Fire (Ecumenism with youth and young adults), Racism as an Impediment to Ecumenism, and Preaching Ecumenism. She will be meeting with and learning from top religious leaders of a variety of denominations including the President of the National Council of Churches, Michael Kinnamon.

 

In addition to this week of Continuing Education, Jessica is looking forward to taking her whole family to the Seder dinner on April 1st, the Good Friday service on April 2nd, taking the youth group to the park on April 10th, being a part of our District Day of Learning on April 17th and working on some church projects the weekend of April 24th. It is looking like it will be a busy but blessed month!

From the desk of the editor…….

Welcome to the inaugural issue of the new RVUMC monthly faith lift! I am excited to be the editor of our newsletter. My objectives in producing this publication will be as follows;

1)      This publication is your voice. Its content will only be as good as the contributions. Participation is essential from many individuals to make this newsletter successful.

2)      This publication will be sustainable. To reduce costs and be good stewards for the environment, I will be distributing this newsletter via email as well as posting a copy to our website. Limited hard copies will be at church.

3)      The newsletter should grow and change along with our congregation. Please submit new ideas to me for consideration by the church council.

4)      Informative and Fun. Along with providing you info on what is happening, I hope to include articles that may lift your spirits and encourage contemplation.

 

Deb Rosene

 

 

 

Enough!!!

Enough is a book by Adam Hamilton that Pastor Jessica suggested reading in conjunction with a series of sermons she presented last fall. When I purchased it from her she mentioned it was one of the best books she had read in 2009 and I have to admit it left an impact on me.

The most meaningful thing I took away from reading the book was the concept of creating a savings account for giving. One of the most important things my father taught me was to save first and live on what's left over. I save for my retirement, for emergencies and college, and even Christmas but I never thought about saving for philanthropic purposes. I enjoy giving, but it was always a function of looking in my checking account and seeing what I could afford and writing a check.

This year I decided to do something different. I decided to take 10% of my annual bonus (yes I am very fortunate to be able to receive a bonus) and 10% of my tax refunds and create a savings account for giving. I may not be able to tithe my regular earnings, but this was a way I could afford to tithe. I was surprised at the result - I gave and there was still enough left for me. It felt great to be able to give a special donation to the church and also help a family member. I plan to look for other opportunities throughout the year to add to my account. For many of you on limited or fixed budgets, this may not be possible, but for some this approach may bring a new sense of joy when you are able to have funds available to help a cause, an individual or an organization you want to support. Deb Rosene

 

 

Mark your Calendar!!

Saturday, May 8th - 8a - 12n

Day before Mother's Day Breakfast Scrambled Eggs, Pancakes, Hash Brown Casserole, Sausage, Bacon, Bagels, Donuts, Beverages and more. Bake Sales - buy a dessert to take home.

$ 7.00 Adults, $ 5.00 Children 4-10 , 3 & under free

Volunteers, bakers and eaters needed!

Tastefully Simple Fundraiser - Open to the Public­ - Friday, April 16th 7p

Tastefully Simple offers a wide selection of convenient, easy-to-prepare foods designed to help people spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the rest of their lives. This demonstration is brought to us by our own Jennifer Patuto.

Cancer and your heart - Open to the Public - Monday, April 19th - 7p

Come hear about Cancer and your heart with a speaker from the St. Barnabas Healthcare Group. This program is brought to us by Tamara Cunningham.

What Drug Companies Won't Tell You and Your Doctor Doesn't Know! Tues, April 27th - 7-9pm

Public Lecture by Dr. Michael Murray, N.D. Suggested Donation; $ 5.00 Learn about the secret keys to true healing, real answers to serious health issues, the real safety and efficacy of Rx drugs, how to use natural medicines & how to live healthier, longer. This speaker is brought to us by Healthy Balance of Lebanon.

 

Staff Parish

The Staff-Parish Committee is currently involved in a number of interesting projects. First was an initiative to develop a "Collections List".  The committee surveyed the congregation to determine what organizations they support through the collection of everyday items around the house, for instance; Pull-Tabs, Box Tops, shoes, cancelled stamps, and other items. 

It turns out that there are eleven different types of collections underway, designed to help different initiatives. Collection bins are located inside the church entrance. The Collections List is available in this Newsletter, on our web site, and will be available at church. Keep a copy in a convenient place at home and set aside these normally discarded items to help a worthy cause.

Staff-Parish is also happy to announce that the church has purchased a new laptop computer. The new system will be used principally for the new financial accounting software. Our old computer simply could not handle the new accounting programs which required an upgrade to newer technology.

The good news is that we now have the computing capability to use the most advanced finance programming on the market. In addition, we can now offer the previous financial laptop to our pastor, which will provide her with improved computer capabilities as she follows her calling. For instance she will be access

 

e-mail at home, process documents using Word, and be able to be mobile with any project. The Reverend may also take the laptop to a meeting where she can capture and share information. We are examining the possibility of loading PowerPoint onto this system to allow for the creation of presentations which can be shared with the congregation, or for visits at a parishioner's home or the hospital.

This evolution in technical capabilities will facilitate many of the day to day administrative responsibility of staff, and enhance Pastor Jessica's ability to help us all on our Faith Journey. Rich Schultz

Celebrations April Birthdays

4/1 Jonathan Campbell 4/2 Melissa(Winship) Burschnski 4/5 Knox Felter 4/12 Lois Larmour 4/19 Barbara Galusha 4/23 Carole Hamblin & Deb Rosene 4/30 Michael Patuto

Anniversaries 4/3 Nancy& Bill Wilson 4/6 Jim & Annie Walls

Don't Forget

Spring is Here!!!! And so is spring cleaning. Remember to save the good items for the church to sell at Town Yard Sale. Your past contributions have made this our most successful fundraiser of the year! The yard is usually the second week in September.

 

Recipe of the Month

Apple Cake - Courtesy of Mary Walls

From Homemade with Love - Home tested recipes from the members of RVUMC

1 ˝ c salad oil

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

2 ˝ c flour 3 c raw apples

2 c sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1 c chopped nuts

 

Line a 9 x 13" pan with parchment or waxed paper or grease & flour the pan. In a bowl, add sugar to salad oil along with the two eggs. Beat at low speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and add slowly to wet mixture. The batter will be stiff and have the consistency of dough. Fold in nuts and chopped apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 -55 minutes.

Congregation Classifieds - Sell, Swap it, Give it away!

Free to a good home. Oak Barrister style book case with glass doors. Very heavy.

Contact Deb Rosene at 236-9048

 

 

 

 

Coming Next month

Youth Happenings!

Prayer Concerns

Please submit your articles or information to Deb Rosene by April 18th. Soft copies preferred, may be emailed to irishrose423@comcast.net

 

Loaves of Love

When you are doing your spring cleaning, consider setting aside a couple of can goods for our Loaves of Love food pantry. Contributions are always needed to assist our community members in need. Food stamps do not cover personal hygiene products, so consider purchasing an additional shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, feminine hygiene essentials, etc. when they are on sale for donation.