July, 2016

The Belfryof the Gouldsboro & Thornhurst United Methodist Churches

Pastor Peg KnapichCharge Office: 570-842-7139

Cell: 570-239-7189Web Address: www.gouldsboroumc.org

Facebook page: Gouldsboro & Thornhurst United Methodist Church

Gouldsboro United Methodist Church495 Main Street

Gouldsboro, PA 18424Email: gb.thcharge@gmail.com

Worship: Sunday 11:00 AMSunday School: Sunday, 10 AM - 10:45AM (Children)

Every Thursday @ 10:00 AM (Adult)

Thornhurst United Methodist ChurchPhysical: 342 Old River RoadThornhurst, PA 18424-0245Church phone: 570-842-1434

Mailing address: 495 Main Street, Gouldsboro, PA 18424Email: ThornhurstUMC@gmail.com

Pastor’s Office Hours: by appointmentCall 570-842-7139 for an appointment

Worship: Sunday 9:00 AM

Belfry Editor: Debbie BuchananDeadline next Belfry: July 25, email

AnnDee1956@aol.com

Idle Hour Lanes presents Christian Youth and Family Nights. Friday nights in the summer. July 15th, August 5th and August 12th. 7-9:00 pm. This is a smoke free and alcohol free event.

Contemporary Christian Music! Two hours of cosmic bowling. Pizza and soft drinks provided! Special door prizes! Shoe rental included. Phone 570-489-7526 for reservations (limit to 2 lanes per group)2008 Scranton-Carbondale Hwy. Scranton.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval.  By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so

that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. - Hebrews 11:1-3

Dear Friends,

The story is told of a weak and sickly man who lived in a cabin in the mountains.  One night his cabin filled with glorious light and he had a vision from God.  The Lord told the man he had work for him to do and showed him this huge boulder sitting in his front yard.  God told the man to go out and push on that boulder every day for eight hours a day.

The man did this day after day, from morning until night.  The first week was exciting, the second week he noticed little real change, the third week he measured the rock’s distance from the cabin, and daily he checked to see how far he had moved the rock.  After 6 weeks of seemingly useless pushing, he questioned his vision.  Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

One morning, as he went out to push the rock, he started crying and saw how useless his work really was; he couldn’t handle one rock and there were many more all around. He sat down near the boulder, crying, angry, and bitter.  He felt he had failed.

The Lord came to him and responded compassionately, “My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so?”

“Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move the rock.” (Author unknown)

I do not know what the Lord has in store for our churches and the future, but I know that we will continue to be obedient to the understanding that we have for each of our churches to be beacons of light to a world filled with fear and brokenness. May it be we continue to serve God in faithfulness as we discern where the Spirit is leading.

Grace and peace,Pastor Peg

NEW CHRISTIAN BOOK

"Charlotte Malone, the owner of a successful bridal shop in Birmingham, Alabama, believes the "right" dress finds its bride, not the other way around. But Charlotte can't find a dress for her own upcoming wedding. When she discovers a beautiful hundred-year-old wedding gown in a battered trunk with a welded lock, she’s compelled to uncover the

mystery of the dress and the three women who wore it. Eleni Pappageorge's light, airy voice fits this lovely story of faith, mystery, and magic. Her Southern accents are convincing, and one can hear a smile in her tone.  Although her portrayals of the story’s elderly female characters are sometimes a bit “gushy,” they simply add to the charm." 

Sermon on the Mount Bible Quiz

1. The Sermon on the Mount can be found in which book?

a. Matthew 5:1-7:29b. Luke 7:1-9:62c. Mark 2:1-4:41d. John 5:1-7:53

2. Blessed are the _____: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

a. Meekb. Mercifulc. Poor in spiritd. Pure in heart

3. Blessed are the _____: for they shall be called the children of God.

a. Peacemakersb. Mercifulc. Meekd. Pure in heart

4. Blessed are the _____: for they shall obtain mercy.

a. Meekb. Peacemakersc. Poor in spiritd. Merciful

5. Blessed are the _____: for they shall inherit the earth.

a. Pure in heartb. Meekc. Mercifuld. Peacemakers

6. Blessed are they _____: for they shall be comforted.

a. Which do hunger and thirst after righteousness

b. Which are persecuted for righteousness sake

c. That weepd. That mourn

7. Christ said He came to _____ the law.a. Destroyb. Fulfillc. Add to d. Change

8. Christ speaking on the law of murder said: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother _____ shall be in danger of the judgment:

a. For any reasonb. Without a causec. With just caused. For no reason

9. Where should we lay up our treasures?a. In a bankb. In our housec. In heavend. In a safe place

10. For where your treasure is, there will your ____ be also.

a. Mindb. Heartc. Hoped. trust

About July

Anti-Boredom Month Baked Bean MonthBlueberries Month Culinary Arts MonthHot Dog Month Ice Cream MonthPicnic Month Pickle Month

Parents' Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of July. President Bill Clinton established Parent's Day in 1994.

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism." - Erma Bombeck

FLEA MARKET AUGUST 6TH 8 AM – 2 PM VENDORS WANTED CALL GARY KLEIN (570-842-6106) GOULDSBORO UMC

Answers to Sermon on the Mount quiz 1. A, 2. D, 3. A, 4. D, 5. B, 6. D, 7. B, 8. B, 9. C, 10. B

Old Tyme Fiddlers

July 29th 7 pm

Thornhurst Fire Co.

Ryan Reber, Hannah Clark, Mari Pizzuti, Jacob Ware and Noelle Ware have been meeting with Pastor Peg to learn more

about the United Methodist Church and what it means to be a member. On July 17, these 5 youth will be confirmed into the church families of Gouldsboro and Thornhurst UMC’s during our charge picnic. On July 24, GUMC will have a recognition and reception for Ryan, Hannah and Mari. On Aug. 7, TUMC will recognize and have a reception for Jake and Noelle.

Some ways to follow up on ‘If you need anything …’

From Dear Annie:

I used to be one of those who, when I heard that someone was ill or injured, would say, “If I can do anything to help, please call me.” I meant it with all my heart, but of course, no one ever called, so I wrongfully assumed they were OK. Then disaster struck our home. My husband fell down some steps and suddenly was a quadriplegic. Not only did it forever change our lives, it also

made me realize that even though I needed help, I was hesitant to reach out. So here is my advice to those who really want to be of assistance but don’t know how:

1. If it’s the season to do something around your house (mow the grass or clean the gutters), your friend will need to do the same thing. If your snow needs shoveling, so does hers. If your leaves need raking, so do hers. Don’t ask. Call and say, “I have an extra hour. I’m going to run over and rake your leaves,” and don’t take no for an answer. My pride kept me from asking, but I would gladly have accepted help from someone who insisted.

2. Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep. We had a neighbor who told us on four separate occasions that he would come by to fix a broken door but didn’t show up.

3. Cook something. We can no longer afford to go out to dinner, nor can we justify the expense of the special van needed to transport my husband to a restaurant. I am so tired of eating nothing but my own cooking. If you make an extra amount of anything, your friend would probably appreciate your sharing. People tend to bring food for the first couple of weeks, but now, months later, a meal would be so wonderful, and I would be so grateful. Anything I don’t have to cook tastes delicious.

4. If your friend isn’t “tool educated” or “computer literate” and you are, you could be a huge help. I have several things that need fixing with a power drill and I’m not good at it and don’t have the time to devote to practicing. Right now, I’m building a sidewalk to our patio. It would be great if someone called to say, “I have two free hours. What do you need help with?” One neighbor came by to remove our storm doors when it occurred to him that I couldn’t do that myself. I could have kissed him.

5. Call to say you are coming over to visit. We both feel so isolated. I would love for people to stop by so I have someone to talk to and he could have a friend watch a baseball game with him. People come when we specifically invite them, but they never call to suggest coming over. I get it. Before, I didn’t know what we’d talk about. But the truth is, I wouldn’t care if we talked about the weather. I want to hear how “real” people live, not just rehash what our life has become.

-Exhausted after 10 months.

Dear Exhausted: Your suggestions are excellent. Most people want to help, but they don’t know how to do it. And they don’t want to impose by insisting on cutting the grass, dropping off a meal or asking to stop by for a visit. We hope they will take your words to heart.

We have saved 20,000 lives by raising $200,000. Our current goal: save another 80,000 lives by raising another $800,000. About 600,000 deaths occur each year to mostly children under the age of five years. The Global United Methodist Church has a goal of $75 million to eradicate malaria in our lifetime.We have reduced the mortgage by $200,000 at Mission

Central Warehouse in Mechanicsburg. Our goal: reduce the mortgage by another $800,000. 2 million plus lives are touched and served by the resources that flow through Mission Central each year. Bishop Park is asking every church to give a minimum of $100 each year to this mission.

- You think John Wesley was the 13th Apostle.

- You think God's presence is strongest on the back three pews.

- You think "Amazing Grace" is the national anthem.

- Your definition of fellowship has something to do with food.

-- you know that a circuit rider is not an electrical device-- your church is named for a geographical location rather than for a saint

Reading to Seniors: A Novel Idea!In Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird, the author tells us how Jem, just a young lad,

lopped off the tops of old Mrs. Dubose’s camellias. As a punishment, Jem was required to read to her until her alarm went off, and she kept extending the time. Later, we learn that the time was extended so that Mrs. Dubose could gradually increase her time off of morphine. She was sick and she wanted to die morphine free. Jem’s father, Atticus described her actions as true “courage.”

Reading to seniors may have been more commonplace then (the story is set in the South during the 1930’s). But it’s a good idea. It involves seniors in good stories that can be developed over a period of weeks, and it also gives them human contact and opportunities to chat about other things as a part of the visit.

The choice of reading material can be left up to the senior person, or the reader can share her or his favorites. Reading is something many seniors are no longer able to do. But, while their eyesight may be failing, their hearing may be fine and their imagination are still intact! That’s why the power of words, metaphor and simile still speak – even to the homebound.

From Home Touch Spring 2016 editionWit & Wisdom for weddings and marriages:

Daughter texting to her Dad: “Daddy: I am coming home to get married soon, so get out your check book. I am in love with a man who is far away from me. I am in Australia and he lives in Scotland. We met on a dating web site, became friends on Facebook, had long chats on Whatsapp. He proposed to me on Skype, and now we’ve had two wonderful months of relationship through Viber. “My beloved and favorite Dad, I need your blessing, good wishes, and a really big wedding.

Lots of love and thanks. Lilly.”

Dad replied with this text: “My dear Lilly: “Like wow! Cool!! I’d suggest you get married on Twitter, have fun on Tango, buy your kids on Amazon, and pay for it all through Paypal. Oh, and when you get fed up with this new husband, you can sell him on eBay. No need to thank me.

Lots of love, Dad.” —via Bobbe Lyon Maitland, FL

Charge picnic – July 17Gouldsboro State Park pavilion

10:00 am – Baptism of Mari Pizzuti @ Gouldsboro Lake10:30 am – Confirmation worship @ pavilion

11:30 – covered dish luncheon

Gouldsboro UMCInformal summer

Gouldsboro UMCInformal summer

Rev. Phyllis Bowers coming to Gouldsboro UMC

on November 6 She will lead worship.

Covered dish to follow. Workshop on investments,

endowments and planned giving. Rev. Jim Maxwell will lead

worship at 11:00 am @

Gouldsboro UMC

Sept. 18

Covered dish to follow

Presentation of Mission

Trip to Honduras to follow

United Methodist Stewardship Foundation

“Miracles From Heaven” is based on the incredible true story of the Beam family.  When Christy (Jennifer Garner) discovers her 10-year-old daughter Anna (Kylie Rogers) has a rare, incurable disease, she becomes a ferocious advocate for her daughter’s healing as she searches for a solution. After Anna has a freak accident, an extraordinary miracle unfolds in the wake of her dramatic rescue that leaves medical specialists mystified, her family restored, and their community inspired.Available July 12th

1 – Jean Murphy 4- Linda Wahlers 4 – Scott & Michelle Jordan 5 – Sally Rebyack 8 – Pastor Peg 10 – Mike Shyna 14 – Paige Wendling 14 – Joanne Stellmann 17 – Nancy Moreau 18 – Ralph & Shirley Muller 19 – Jacob Ware 20 – Monica Dombek 23 – Sabrina Dombek 23 – Gary Griffton 26 – Gary & Sue Klein 26 – Larry & Colleen Dombek 27 – Shirley Carr 29 – Cindi Fiorani

July Birthdays

July Birthdays

and

Anniversaries

August 8 – 11 6-8 pm Grace Lutheran Church

Vacation Bible School

July 25 – 31Maple Lake UMC6:00 – 8:30 pm

Bible storiesGamesCraftsMusicFun

Sat. Jul 30 – FUN DAY

11-2 pm

Bounce toys

Water games

Hotdogs

Sun. Jul 31

JULY 30

THORNHURST UMC

9:00 am-2:00 pm

VENDORS WELCOME

call Barbara Hudson @ 570-643-6605

Vacation Bible SchoolVacation Bible School