THE TRUMPET CALL

May 1, 2016

East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church

Our Vision
To challenge and encourage everyone in our
congregation to know and follow Christ by:
Growing as disciples through Christs
teachings
Connecting with one another in Christian
community
Serving Christ by serving others
Praising God as we worship Christ

Toms Trekies
Walk today, May 1st beginning at 12:20.
Meet in Fellowship Hall to get your team T
shirt.
After a prayer & team photo we begin
Walking up to ESU, around the campus &
Back to the church within the hour.
To donate on line:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?
fr_id=27301&pg=team&team_id=456449
Or write a check to NMSS.

Sunday Services and Studies

Please pray for

Traditional 8:30 am
Contemporary 10:45 am
Sunday School 9:45 am

walk and for all Living with MS.

The success of this alternative

Blessings, Tom & Kathy Hinkey

Pastors Corner
This week, I celebrate that we are moving closer to being able to offer a full spectrum of
online giving in our church. Soon, there will be a button on the website which will enable
things like credit and debit card giving and authorization for direct withdrawal from a
checking account. We may even have text giving at some point, and a giving app which
can be downloaded for smartphones to enable giving using a cell phone.
Why are we moving in this direction? All research done among "millennials" and other
younger adults tells us that younger people are not as likely to carry cash in their wallets
and purses the way that their parents and grandparents do. If younger people even have checking
accounts, they are for the purpose of sending electronic checks rather than writing out checks in longhand.
Until now, we have only offered these two options, along with those who have opted for ACH and EFT's
from their banking accounts. This means that younger people who want to give needed to go "old school"
in this one area of their lives when every other area of their lives involving transfer of funds has included a
whole array of options.
Our denomination has an agreement with one of the largest companies dealing with online giving, Vanco,
and we benefit from that agreement. Happily, Vanco also works in synergy with our church database, ACS,
making it much easier for our Financial Secretary, Cyndie Faunce, to account for donations through new
channels. In future Trumpet Calls, we'll give more detailed information about how to use these new
services and when they will become available.
Switching gears, I want all in our congregation to know that General Conference will soon be upon us. This
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is the once-every-four-year gathering of United Methodists from around

the world. This year, the gathering will take place in Portland, OR, from
May 10-20 and will include 850+ participants and many more spectators,
reporters, and observers. Like four years ago, when I was a clergy
delegate in Tampa, FL, the entire Conference will be live-streamed so
that people from around the world can view it on their home computers,
tablets, and phones. Go to www.umc.org to find a wealth of information
about General Conference and to find the link for streaming.
We want to give prayer support to the delegates who make up the
General Conference. The Rev. Paul Crikelair has put together a time of
prayer in most of our Mission Connexion churches for May 10. Our
ESUMC time slot is 11 am to Noon, followed by a simple luncheon. Then,
Paul has organized a daily prayer vigil which will take place sequentially
in all our churches. Our ESUMC day of prayer will be Saturday, May 14.
More details and a sign-up sheet will follow. At the end of the General
Conference, we will close out our time of prayer with a breakfast and
service of Holy Communion at Faith UMC in Stroudsburg. I hope and
pray that we as a congregation can support this effort with our prayers
and our presence! This Sunday in my series on the Old Testament, we
will examine the Law given to Moses, how Jesus interpreted it, and how it
applies to our lives today. I hope to see you in worship as we welcome
the month of May!
Pastor Jim (jtodd@esumc.net)

Read the Bible in a Year

The last couple of weeks weve been talking

about faith in passages from both the Old and New
Testaments. This week I was intrigued by the story
of Jesus walking on water as He approached the
disciples on the Sea of Galilee. There are three different accounts of this
event in Matthew, Mark and John. But the one I would like us to focus on
today is from Matthews Gospel: Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to
them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the
lake, they were terrified. Its a ghost, they said, and cried out in fear. But
Jesus immediately said to them: Take courage! It is I. Dont be afraid.
Lord, if its you, Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water. He
said Come.
Now you are probably familiar with the rest of the story. But let us
focus upon this scripture as a perfect example of how we confuse belief
and faith, because they are not the same thing. You see when Jesus said
Come, eleven disciples who believed in Jesus stayed in the boat, but
the one who had faith and activated it by stepping out was the one who
experienced the miracle. You see the difference is this; I can believe a lot
of things about Jesus, but faith always requires an action. We may claim
we are saved (or born again), but if we stop at that moment of belief and
do not act upon it we deny ourselves the power that comes from the
action of faith.
Time and time again in scripture we read examples of how human
response and action moved people forward to fulfill Gods directives. We
need to realize that as long as we rest in belief in Jesus without taking
actions of faith, Jesus will always remain a ghostly figure. But when we
step out in faith we will experience life changing transformations that
affect our lives and the lives of others. So my friends, if you want to walk
on water look for ways to activate your faith and like Peter, get out of the
boat!
Pastor Bob Hachtman
2

Stephen Ministry

A Care Receiver Shares

At the beginning of my caring

relationship I didnt know what to
expect. I was just hoping someone
would help me through the darkness.
My expectations were met with a very
positive experience. My Stephen
Minister became very special to me.
As time went on, I became more
comfortable and felt I could open up
more. The most meaningful aspect of
my visits with my Stephen Minister
was being able to bare my soul, to tell
her of feelings that I could not share
with anyone else. My relationship
with God has grown tremendously! I
found a comfort I have not known
before. I would definitely recommend
Stephen Ministry to those in need.
For more information about Stephen
Ministry, contact Peggy Strack at 570421-3280, ext. 1023.
Beverly Beck will be celebrating her
90th birthday on Sunday, May 8th.
Cards may be sent to her:
Beverly Beck
Edgehill Nursing & Rehab Center
146 Edge Hill Road
Glenside, Pa. 19038
Hearing Assistance
Devices are Here!

ESUMC now owns several hearing

assistance devices which can be worn to
improve your ability to hear our worship
services. Please contact an usher to pick
up your hearing assistance device and
return to an usher after use.
Healthcare Equipment available:
Canes, crutches, walkers, adult potty
chairs, shower stools, Depends and more!

We are in need of a counter.

Two counters meet Monday mornings

from about 9-11 a.m., and work with the
Financial Secretary to count the gifts.
Job Requirements: Honest , good with
basic math skills, ability to maintain
privacy and confidentiality, and able to
commit to this job on a weekly basis.
If interested, contact the office at (570)
421-3280, ext. 1025.

Second Harvest Food Bank

Volunteers are needed on Tuesday,

May 3 to pack food boxes for low income

Seniors at the Second Harvest Food Bank
warehouse in Nazareth. Work starts at
8:30 and continues till all 2,000 boxes are
finished, usually by 1:00. Car pool will be
provided. Contact Pat Braun at 570- 2695043.

Blood Drive at ESUMC

June 29, 2016

Volunteers to help them with loading and

unloading the truck as well as set up and
break down.

. The money raised will be going to

purchase blankets for Family Promise to
use here at our church. We will continue
the penny war through the month of May.
The boys are now ahead
Current Balance $167.00

Read the Bible in a Year

122Joshua 21:20-45, Joshua 22,

John 3:1-21, Psalm 55:1-11
123Joshua 23, Joshua 24, John 3:22-36
Psalm 55:12-23
124Judges 1, Judges 2:1-5, John 4:1-26
Proverbs 11:9-18
125Judges 2:6-23, Judges 3, John 4:27-42
Psalm 56:1-13
126Judges 4, Judges 5, John 4:43-54,
John 5:1-15, Psalm 57:1-6
127Judges 6, Judges 7:1-8, John 5:16-30
Psalm 57:7-11
128Judges 7:8-25, Judges 8, John 5:31-47
Proverbs 11:19-28
129Judges 9, John 6:1-24, Psalm 58:1-11
130Judges 10, Judges 11, John 6:25-59,
Psalm 59:1-8
131Judges 12, Judges 13, John 6:60-71,
John 7:1-13, Psalm 59:9-19

UMW will be going on Saturday May 7 to

Hazelton Enlarged Ministries that has the clothing
bank where our ingathering clothes goes. We will
visit the clothing room and then go out to lunch.
We will leave the church at 8: 30 AM.
For more info contact Linda Drake at 570-424-6038.
May Dollar Challenge is paper products for VBS. Needed-napkins,
9 ounce cups, clear plastic cups, paper towels , small and large paper
plates.
May 5 - Thursday - National Day of Prayer
The 65th annual National Day of Prayer, May 5, 2016, is an
opportunity to see the Lords healing and renewing power
made manifest as U.S. citizens humbly come before His
throne. The theme for 2016 is Wake Up
America, emphasizing the need for U.S. citizens, corporately
and individually, to return to the God of our Fathers in reverence. To further
highlight the theme, the scripture for this year is Isaiah 58:1a: Shout it aloud, do
not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet.
For the May 5th observances, Dr. Tony Evans, Honorary Chairman, wrote
a special prayer to be simultaneously read throughout the nation at noon (ET). This
recitation will create a huge wave of prayer, flowing from one coast to the other,
illustrating the unity of Gods people and acknowledging His dominion over the
circumstances facing us. Individually, or with others, please pray for our nation at
noon Thursday, or at another time if noon won't work for you.
Dear heavenly Father, we come to You today as a humble people desperate
for Your supernatural intervention on behalf of our beloved nation. First, we thank
You for all the blessings You have bestowed on our land, blessings that have
allowed us to bring so much good and benefit to not only our own citizens but also
to the rest of the world. The very ideals upon which this country was founded were
based on biblical truths, no matter how some try to rewrite history to deny that very
fact today.
This is why our hearts are so broken over how You continue to be marginalized
and dismissed by both our people and our institutions. We are also saddened by
the fact that Your people have contributed greatly to the spiritual apathy that now
engulfs us. Our satisfaction in remaining religious without being fully committed to
living out the truths of Your Word has caused us to become co-conspirators with
the forces of evil that are destroying us as a society.
It is for this reason that we personally and collectively repent of our carnality and
recommit ourselves to becoming visible and verbal disciples of Jesus Christ.
Enable us, by Your Spirit, to no longer be secret agent Christians but rather to
publicly declare and live out Your truth in a spirit of love so that You feel welcome
in our country once again.
Thank You for Your promise to hear our prayers when we call to You with hearts
of repentance and obedience, which is how we are appealing to You today, Father.
On behalf of Your church, we affirm afresh the priority You are to us that You would
fill every dimension of our lives as we seek to bring You glory through the
advancement of Your kingdom in our personal lives, our family lives, and in the
lives of our churches and our government leaders. We confidently invite heaven s
intervention into all the affairs of our nation and we praise You in advance for Your
answer.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Save the date for VBS

Coming June 20-24 from 9-12
To register go to link below:
http://www.esumc.net/vacation-bible-school-2/
Thank You to the church family for the Used
Clothing Drive for Family Promise. We collected
104 bags of clothing.
God Bless you and thanks again,
Sharon Gerberich
3

Events

Contact Us

Save dates to enjoy Organ Series concerts:

July 10 Variety of styles with Joe Dorsch and professional

guest singers Nicole Snyder Rideout and Vale Rideout, with
Offering to benefit Family Promise
September 25 Ensembles with Christopher Johnson, Organist at
Riverside Church in New York, Joe Dorsch, and Pauline Fox
Both events are at 3:00 p.m., free and public.

Team Hoey and (ESUMC) Pocono Fight Relay for Life

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser
Fellowship Hall 4:00 p.m.7:00 p.m.
Silent Auction 4:00 p.m.6:30 p.m.
Adults $10.00Children $5.00
The Older Adults will meet May 11, at 11:30 am. The meeting will feature
Attorney Kirby Upright, a lawyer who deals with elder issues. He will talk about
wills, power of attorneys, and related subjects that are of interest to seniors. After
his talk there will be a question and answer period. Even if you have wills, and
they were drawn up long ago, the laws change and you might want to see if they
are still valid. This is your chance to see if you are current free.
Remember, this is open to all who are over 55. If you want to join us, you are
welcome. There is no charge to join us, just help with the food. We ask for $1.00
to cover expenses and a dish to share if we are eating a meal that needs it. When
we take a trip, you are expected to pay any entrance fee and help with

gas. But no dues or that sort of thing.

We plan to have Barbeque sandwiches next meeting. That and
macaroni and cheese will be provided, so please bring a dish to pass that
will accompany it salads, desert. etc.)

New Church DirectoriesSign Up Now!

A photographer from Re:Member Church Directories will be here to take
your photograph for a new church directory during the weeks of May 1621 and May 23-28. Sign-up for your photo session on Sundays April 17 &
23 or May 1 in Oberholtzer Hall, or you may also sign up online at this
website:
https://instant-scheduling.com/sch.php?kn=763&typId=54921&step=2 .
If you are photographed for the directory, you will receive a FREE 8X10
portrait and a free copy of the directory. You will have the opportunity to
purchase additional portraits if desired. Please help us draw our church
family closer! Sign up today!
Recovery Meetings Available in The Community Room of Office
Building Basement
NA: Monday through Saturday 12:00 P.M. to 1:30 P.M.

Just for Today

Wednesday 6:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. New Beginnings (Womens Group)

AA: Thursday & Saturday 8:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.

Keep It Simple

Scan QR to ESUMC Website

East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church

83 S. Courtland St.
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
www.esumc.net

Church Office
(570) 421-3280
church@esumc.net
Hours: 9 am to 3 pm
Mon thru Fri
Pastor
Jim Todd
jtodd@esumc.net
Ext. 1014
Secretary
Maria Ragonese
mragonese@esumc.net
Ext. 1010
Congregational Care
Peggy Strack
pstrack@esumc.net
Ext. 1023
Youth Ministries
Scott Kuhnle
skuhnle@esumc.net
Ext. 1013
Childrens Ministries
Erica Dorsch
edorsch@esumc.net
Ext. 1017
Finances
Sue Mertz
smertz@esumc.net
Ext. 1015
Financial Secretary
Cyndie Faunce
cfaunce@esumc.net
Ext. 1025
Maintenance
William Mack
wmack@esumc.net
Ext. 1018
Organist/Traditional Music
Pauline Fox
foxes@esumc.net
Contemporary Music
Doug Malefyt
dmalefyt@esumc.net
Audio/Visual
Joe Dorsch
josephdorsch@gmail.com
Technology Support
Michael Corey
mcorey@esumc.net
Ext. 1012