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

Sunday Services
8:30 a.m. Traditional
10:45 a.m. Contemporary

Discipleship &
Sunday School
9:45 a.m.10:45 a.m.

October 4, 2015

The Trumpet Call

Pastors Corner

Last Thursday night, I was pleased to welcome my friend,

Rev. Dr. Max Jaouen, to Oberholtzer Hall, to share about his
work with evangelism with members of our church. The first
invitation had actually gone to Max from Rev. Bob
Hachtman, and I was delighted to learn that Max could come
and join us. Max serves as senior pastor of the First United
Methodist Church of Lansdale. In an amazing Godincidence (as opposed to a coincidence), our Lay Witness
team is traveling to that very same church this weekend for our youth and adults
to share their Christian testimonies with members of Maxs church!
Though we had extended an invitation to the entire church
body to come and hear Max, we had a very small group. Max
was undeterred, and in fact said that he was glad that it was a
small group because in that intimacy, he was willing to share
stories with us he might not have otherwise shared in a larger
group. Max made it clear he was not there to share any
secrets to an effective evangelism program or give us his best
techniques. If anything, he rejects programs and techniques in
favor of genuine and honest communication with people who
do not yet know Christ.

Rev. Dr. Max Jaouen

Max encouraged each of us to tell our stories. He modeled that for us by telling
us many of the ways God has been working in his life and in the lives of those
around him. When we tell our story, no one can argue or dispute what we are
saying because we are telling our own story, not someone elses. One of his
memorable stories was about a conversation he had at an airport with a French
woman whose only desire was to be on a plane back to France the week after
September 11, 2001. He boldly proclaimed to her that she would be on the plane,
even though the chances of her getting the last seat were practically nonexistent. He had prayed for God to lead him, and believed God prompted him to
make the outrageous claim, which at the last moment before the doors to the
plane closed, proved to be true.
This Sunday, in our last sermon in the series on Gods Invitation, well look at
how God prompted the first followers of Jesus to share the name of Jesus with
others, and how that led to life-changing commitments and re-ordering of
priorities. Those God prompts resulted in the revolution which today we call the
Christian faith and which claims more than 1 billion adherents around the world.

East Stroudsburg United

Methodist Church
83 S. Courtland St.
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
(570) 421-3280
church@esumc.net
www.esumc.net

As we move deeper into a post-modern/post-Christian world, we have both

greater opportunities and greater challenges in presenting the Gospel. Perhaps
we see evangelism as so difficult that we only focus on the challenges. Ill help us
to see the opportunities as well, so that all of us can begin to feel more equipped
to share our faith with others.
This is also World Communion Sunday, that Sunday when we humbly receive
the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, with brothers and sisters all around
the world. Though we know that different churches and denominations all have
many differing beliefs about Holy Communion and how often it should be given,
we know that on this one Sunday, we at least partially fulfill Jesus prayer recorded in the Gospel of John, that they [meaning we] may all be one. (John
17:21). To symbolize the worldwide nature of the church, you will hear other languages used this Sunday. I hope to see you in one of our two services!
Pastor Jim Todd (jtodd@esumc.net)

Outreach/Opportunities
Stephen Ministry

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of

trouble. He cares for those who trust in
him. Nahum 1:7
Each of us has times when we are lonely, grieving, hurt. When we suffer, we
can find comfort through Christ. One of
the ways that He offers his comfort is
through the care of others who have experienced His
comfort in the midst of their sufferings. Stephen Ministers are ready to offer this Christ-like care to those in
need. For more information about Stephen Ministry,
please contact Peggy Strack at the church, 570-4213280 ext. 1023.

Members of ESUMC who are no longer able to

attend church, always enjoy hearing from you! Cards
and notes of encouragement may be sent to: Frank and
Mary Barnes, 945 Mt. Zion Rd., Stroudsburg, Pa. 18360.
Farewell, Trudy!
Gertrude Blitz will soon be moving to Nevada
to live with her daughter. Trudy has been an
active member of ESUMC since 1948! She
participated in the Davis Sunday School class
and helped count the church offering for over
ten years. Thank you, Trudy for your faithful
service! May God richly bless you as you begin a new
chapter in your life! Cards may be sent to Trudy Blitz at
351Inverness Ave., Pahrump, NV 89048.

Discipleship For Youth and Adults

Here is a great lineup for the first part of the Fall; seven
opportunities for you to deepen your faith:
The Stine class, using a study on the Book of Acts.
Meets in Rm. 10, downstairs in the main building.
The Brown/Rosenberger class, using a study on
prayer. Meets in Rms. 8-9, downstairs in main building.
Womens Study Group, Discovering God's Will for
Your Life, from Women of Faith. Meets in Choir Room,
downstairs in main building.
Tim Malefyt leads Life, Money, Legacy by Dave Ramsey. Meets in office building, Conference Room on 1st
Floor.
Cathy Saunders leads Believe as Jesus Believed; the
Transformed Mind. Meets in office building, Stephen
Ministry Room, 2nd floor.
Sharon Hachtman leads, Face to Face, Meets in Mens
Classroom off of Oberholtzer Hall.
Bob Hachtman leads a study for leaders of CATCH,
Meets in Bridal Lounge off of Oberholtzer Hall.
Since classes have already started, there is no need to sign
up: just find the class you want to attend and go! Everyone will
be accommodated!

Childcare will be provided. Please kindly RSVP

by November 1st if you are able to attend,
along with the ages of children for childcare.
Cost of retreat is $10; scholarships available.

Planting Seeds for Ministry Growth

is an annual training at Hopewell
United Methodist church near
Downingtown. This years event is
scheduled for Saturday, November
7, 2015, from 1:30-6:30 pm. The
theme this year is A Force
OUTSIDE the Fortress, which will
help train, empower, and inspire
Gods people to step beyond the
fortress of the church building and
fully deploy the mission of Jesus
into the world.

Keynote speaker this year is The

Rev. Mike Slaughter, lead
pastor of Ginghamsburg UMC in
Ohio. Since his appointment to
that church in 1979, Mike has led
the congregation in attendance
from 90 to almost 5000. A leading
figure in the missional church
movement, his Sudan Project
initiative has invested over $6.1
million in Darfur since 2005. He
has written numerous books,
including Christmas is Not Your
Birthday, which encourage all
Christians to be in mission to a
hurting world.
Detailed information about this 12th Annual Planting Seeds for
Ministry Growth event, including ministry workshop descriptions,
schedule, and registration, is available at
http://www.hopewellumc.org/planting-seeds. A print-and-mail
registration form is available there as well. Please dont delay in
registering. Seating and workshop slots are limited. We hope to
have a good representation from ESUMC, and Pastor Jim or
Scott will be driving one of our church vans for all who would
like to go. We will leave at 11:30 a.m. (pack a bag lunch) and
return by about 8:30 p.m. Please let them know you are registered so that we have an accurate count for the van.

Opportunities/News
Childrens
Ministry News
Childrens Workshop
Rotation which started
September 20th
JESUS IS SWEET
Psalms 104:34 My
meditation of him shall
be sweet: I will be glad
in the Lord.
Please note that classes start in the large group
Sunday School area at 10 a.m. and ends at 10:45.
Children need to be picked up by a parent/guardian at
10:45. Registration for Workshop Rotation will be sent
to you via email. Please fill out the registration form
promptly so we can plan accordingly.

Christ Servant Ministries

Basic Course*
Faith UMC
1160 Clause Drive,
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
Instructor: Judy Ehninger
Registration Fee: $35

December 11, 2015: 7 10 pm Part 1

December 12: 8 am-3 pm Parts 2 & 3 (brown bag
lunch)
PREREQUISITES:
1 - Desire to serve Christ

The theme of this years workshop rotation is Healing,

Miracles, Compassion and Power

2 - Committed to witnessing through church and community

leadership, caregiving ministries, and spoken communication

Here are the stories/topics that will be learned:

3 - Willing to improve skills by training for service

Four Friends (Luke 5: 17-26)

The Widows Mite (Mark 12: 38-44)
Advent and Christmas (Matthew 1:18-25; 2: 1-12)
The Call of Moses - The Burning Bush (Exodus 3:
1-15)
Moses, Plagues and Passover (Exodus 7: 14-12:32)
Easter- Trial and Crucifixion (Luke 19: 28-40; 22:1423:56; 24: 1-12)
The Resurrection (Matthew 21: 1-11, 27:32-66, and 28: 1
-10)

Childrens Church for Children in Grades K-3

We need 2 volunteers each week. It will begin at about 11
a.m. when the children in grades K-3 are dismissed from the
Contemporary Service and concludes at the end of the
service. Material will be provided to conduct Childrens
Church. Please pray and think about volunteering for this
important ministry. Email Pam OBrien pobrien@esumc.net.

Open Positions at ESUMC

Due to the recent restructuring of our music ministry
and a staff resignation, we have some open positions
for the congregation to consider. These are positions
which can be either paid or volunteer, and you are
welcome to share them with your friends who may be
interested and qualified. They are: Director of Bell
Choirs and Chimers, Director of Chancel and
Childrens Choirs, and Director of Childrens Ministries.
Please see or contact Jill Malefyt for more information:
jillb@ptd.net.
On your way to the Organ Concert on
October 18, stop by Stroudsburg
UMC on Main St. to get your car
washed by members of our Pocono
Mission Connexion. We are supporting
Pocono Plateau in their purchase of a
new truck. Car wash runs from 12:303:00 pm; cost is whatever you donate.

4 - Committed to study of the Bible and the power of prayer,

5 - Written approval from local Pastor
--------------------------------------------------------------------

REGISTRATION FORM
Christ Servant Ministers Basic Course
December 11
Name ______________________ Phone _________________
Street Address ___________________________________
City, State, Zip _______________ E-mail ______________
Church

East Stroudsburg UMC District ___Northeast_____

Please mail completed form & check for $35 to:

George Hollich, Conference Director
212 West Orchard Drive
Palmyra, PA 17078
For more information call George at:
717-838-2812 or E-mail: hollich@comcast.net
*The CSM Basic Course needs between 12 and 20
participants to insure a meaningful experience.
Courses not meeting these participation levels may be
cancelled or split into multiple courses. Upon
completion of the CSM Basic Course, an individual is
recognized as a Local Church Servant. Completion of
an additional 10 hours of approved training is needed
for recognition as a Christ Servant Minister.
Registrations are confirmed based upon the date payment is received. Checks can be made payable to:
George Hollich, CSM Director. To allow time for
mailing of homework materials and adequate time to
prepare, completed registrations & checks must be received by Nov. 27, 2015.

On Saturday, October 3, 2015 the Pregnancy

Resource Center of the Poconos will be holding
its annual Walk for Lifea fundraiser for the center
that helps many facing crisis pregnancies. It is a
wonderful opportunity to take a stand for life with
other churches in the area and support the ministry.
Anyone can participate! You may call Lori at 908362-1688 for more information.
UMW Events:
All women of the church
are invited to all UMW
meetings and events. The
Northeast District meeting
will be Oct 3 at Pocono
Lake UMC FROM 92. Linda Drake will speak
about her Thailand mission
trip. November 10th will be the Thank Offering
meeting at 9 a.m. in the Bridal Lounge.
Dec 11 will be set up for Breakfast with St Nicholas
which is Dec 12. We hope to see many of you.
Questions? Please contact Linda Drake at 570856-9395.

Calling All Artists!

October 18, 3:00 pm Organ Concert by

Christopher Johnson

of NYC with sacred, classic, and Broadway

styles, plus our own bell ringers, sax, timpani,
and piano. Fine Art Exhibit all day by artists of
our congregation. Open to the public, free,
with reception to follow. To be a greeter, donate refreshments, help set up or clean up,
contact Pauline Fox at foxes@esumc.net.
More details at.http://www.esumc.net/organ-events/.
Staff Contact Information Main Office: 570-421-3280
Pastor: Jim Todd
Secretary: Maria Ragonese
Congregational Care: Peggy Strack
Youth Ministry: Scott Kuhnle
Childrens Ministry: Pam OBrien
Technology Support: Michael Corey
Finances: Sue Mertz
Financial Secretary: Cyndie Faunce
Maintenance: William Mack
Organist/Trad. Worship: Pauline Fox
Contemporary Worship: Doug Malefyt
Audio-visuals: Joe Dorsch
Fellowship Hall Kitchen
Church (Inside Breezeway)

jtodd@esumc.net
mragonese@esumc.net
pstrack@esumc.net
skuhnle@esumc.net
pobrien@esumc.net
mcorey@esumc.net
smertz@esumc.net
cfaunce@esumc.net
wmack@esumc.net
foxes@esumc.net
dmalefyt@esumc.net
josephdorsch@gmail.com

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Come share your fine art pieces in

our annual art exhibition on
Sunday, October 18, 2015.
Share the beauty and light of your creations in
Fellowship Hall from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. In
conjunction with the Organ Concert Series, our fine
art exhibition will allow our church family, as well as
general public, the opportunity to appreciate your
talent. If you would like to exhibit a painting, drawing,
sculpture, needlework, photography or other fine art
piece, please contact Liz Green at hulswitgreen@aol.com or Pauline Fox: foxes@esumc.net.
The altar flowers are
sponsored by individuals in
honor or celebration of a loved
one living or deceased, and as
well are given to the Glory of
God. Starting in October, the
cost of Altar Flowers will increase from $15.00 per vase
to $25.00. You can still sponsor one or two arrangements, as you wish. There will also be a new
procedure for ordering flowers. A list will be submitted to the Florist on a monthly basis, so if you are
ordering flowers for November, the cut-off will
be October 30th. You can place and order by calling
the church office with your request or sending an
email to Maria at mragonese@esumc.net or Mike
Corey at mcorey@esumc.net. On the weeks
where no one is sponsoring flowers, our beautiful
silk arrangements will adorn the Altar. Many thanks
for your cooperation in this transition.