A Founder’s Day Thank you
Some of our 50-year golden members at Grace United Methodist Church
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Our Founder’s Day celebration came together in some surprising ways, with unexpected changes, but it was a success none-the-less, and its all thanks to you! I want to give a specific thank you to those who took on leadership for the event. Some of you will recall that this event is combined with festivities for the Sunday School and much of the planning would typically happen through the Sunday School director position. Our church has had gaps in that position as we seek to hire a new director, so several folks stepped up to fill the void. Hilda Gomez, Asha Anand and Emily Neville were instrumental in making Founders Day happen, so the first ‘thank you’ goes to them!
We also had Carol Freeswick organizing the food, drinks and desserts. The Winiarskis returned for their second year of grilling making sure those hot dogs and hamburgers were delicious. Patricia led our children and helped to organize the 9/11 flag-planting that happened between the worship service and the food. Ian and Colby made sure we had sound available. Asha had an awesome craft that let the children make there own bubble wand, which fit nicely with our theme about the Holy Spirit. Jack and Mark helped set up tables and chairs (along with the Neville boys, Davy and Halloran!). Gwen and Laura had a booth set up for Mathnasium in Wyckoff. Many of you donated food, and so many delicious desserts! It was an all-out success, and I’m grateful to all of those who helped and participated. Thank you!
As part of Founder’s Day, we also had the many 25- and 50-year members of Grace come forward for a picture after the service. Each received a carnation for 25 or 50 years of membership, and it was a blessing to see so many of the saints of the church there to mark the occasion. I want to offer a particular warm welcome to those who, for the first time hit the 25 and 50 year milestones. Welcome to a very exclusive (but inclusive) club! For another year, Mr. Whiteman has retained the title as longest living member of Grace United Methodist Church, having become a member January 1st, 1941! Take a look at the picture of our many, incredible members here at Grace.
The 25- and 50-year members at Grace United Methodist Church
I do want to give an update on a few things here at Grace. One is that we continue to look for a Sunday School director. We have had several candidates come forward, but none has been the “right” one, so we continue to look for the best fit to help our program thrive. If you know someone who might be a good fit, let us know! You can find the job posting on the Grace UMC Facebook page. In the meantime Patricia has agreed to continue to oversee our children’s programming along with our amazing Sunday School teacher volunteers. I know my boys are loving Sunday School these days so something good is happening there, for sure!
I also want to offer a hearty ‘thank you’ to our Trustees, who have organized much needed work around the church. If you come by sometime during the work week in the next few weeks, you’ll see construction happening all around. The facia board and gutters are being repaired and replaced around the entire building. So far the work that is completed looks beautiful! I’m looking forward to the completion of that project and the renewed look that it will give to our church.
We also have a few changes happening inside the building, as well. The worship committee met over the summer to discuss a few changes. Mostly it is rearranged furniture as we turn the bell tower into a information center that will let people sign up for events happening in the church. This committee also provides flowers and decorations for the sanctuary every week, so I hope you’ll tell some of our worship committee members how much you appreciate their efforts. Along with some of the indoor changes, people have asked for the coffee hour to be served from the bell tower, closer to where the people are. So, this week, as we return to a weekly indoor coffee hour, you’ll find some hot coffee waiting for you without having to go anywhere special! Remember, coffee is only served when someone signs up to provide it! Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers over the summer who provided for the outdoor reception. We hope to have the same kind of response of volunteers throughout the rest of the year. You’ll find a sign-up board in the bell tower, right next to where the coffee is served, so sign up to create a warm, welcoming environment for folks after church.
We are also starting new member classes soon, and you can check out all of the short-term small groups I will be leading over the next year (including new member classes) on our website at www.gumc.org/study. There are several interesting topics this year, but I am most excited for ‘The Gift of the Nutcracker.’ Can you believe I have never seen the Nutcracker before? This Christmas will be a first for me as we explore this ballet through the lens of Christ and culture.
Regarding the long-term, the church is participating in the Pathways for Congregational Development program. A small group is coming together to discuss the strengths of the church, growing opportunities, and to discern how we can more faithfully serve God with the people, the gifts and the resources we have. I invite you to be in prayer for the Pathways team. You can learn more here.
One last note for you. This morning many of us heard word that Tom Kemper has come out of his surgery in good health and in high spirits. Many of you have prayed for him throughout his cancer journey, and we are so grateful for this good news today. I take it as a sign of the faithfulness of God; not that everything will always go well for us. It won’t, and we will always face trials throughout our lives. It is a sign of faithfulness, because we know that no matter where we go, no matter what we may face, God is always with us, and these acts of grace remind us of that. Keep praying for Tom, for each other and for Grace as we seek to be an inclusive community passionately following Jesus Christ. God bless!
— Pastor Brian Neville