40 years ago the Carrington children (including Bill Carrington and Florence Pomeroy) decided the legacy of their parents should be suppor�ng those pursuing educa�on beyond high school, so they started a scholarship for ELUMC members. Through faithful management of that Endowment Fund, its principle has con�nued to grow and the earned interest (as well as contribu�ons designated for immediate disbursement) offer scholarships each year. Last month when we buried Clifford Carrington we celebrated that family’s passion for students. A dona�on from his estate will go to the fund to ensure that their values are supported even a�er his death. In recent years, capital improvements to this building have been made possible by the generous gi�s of stock by members like Jim and Lois Harris who want to secure this church’s legacy. Such long-term investments ensure that this corner will be an effec�ve launching pad for ministry for years to come. If you want to help folks consider their legacy and how to use their financial resources to support what they value, we can help make that passion a reality. The Endowment Team needs a leader or two or three devoted to inspiring folks to make

sure their money supports the causes they care about and educa�ng folks about the wide range of op�ons available from gi�s of stocks, living trusts, annui�es, and wills. (Training provided). If your passion is educa�on, we also have an opportunity for you–we need 2 more Sunday School teachers this fall for an addi�onal class for a en�rely new age group. How exci�ng! If your passion is mission and outreach, you can help direct our efforts in helping others. The Lay Leadership team is currently working to discern the leadership our church needs to fulfill its mission in the coming year. (Please see page 5 for Leadership Openings.) If you’re interested in serving God by helping your congrega�on, let lay leaders Chris or Rick Hutchinson or me know.

June 2015

Pastor Kelly

photo by Fred Gagnon

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On June 14, we’re celebra�ng, with the

Carrington family, the 40th year of the

Carrington Scholarship fund. If you are a

past recipient of a scholarship, please join

us in worship in gra�tude.

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Fran T__ at East Village; Eleanor G__ at Wingate Hampden; Marilyn B__ at LifeCare, Wilbraham, Edie B__ at Redstone, and

Shirley P__ at Wingate. Special health concerns: Arnold C__ , Ken E__ (Denise’s dad), Barbara K__ (Carol J__ ’s mom), Helen L__ , Grace M__ , Phyllis R__ and Rose R__ .

Evelyn & Andrew Soucie June 2 Terry & Alan Robertson June 11 Julie & John Dunlop June 18

Beginning Monday, June 15,

church office hours will be

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Monday – Thursday

Regular hours will resume September 8

Thanks so much to the soup and bread makers and all who've par-�cipated in the Mission Shares

Marketplace. So far this year we've raised over $681 for church global missions. Way to go! The marketplace will return in September or October. Meanwhile, there are s�ll many ways to contribute to Mission Shares including through the use of the ser-vices provided by the Needlers & Menders group (see Theda Cornbower for details) and collec�ng loose change to “change the world.”

Thanks again Vance Gagnon

Have a great summer! (But don’s forget your check

to the church)

The Finance Team reports that we’re doing well on keeping up with our pledges but we are headed into

the lean summer months when cash flow is really �ght.

So, if you’re behind on your pledge and have the ability to catch up, please do so.

If you’re able to pay your pledge for the summer months in advance, please send in that check NOW.

Dear Friends in Mission: Thanks you for your support of the United Methodist Commi�ee on Re-

lief. Through the Advance, the designated giving channel of the United Methodist Church, 100 percent of your contribu�on will go to Living Gi�s: Heifer Interna�onal, Advance #982532. Your gi� received on 4/1/2015 of $34.75 is working with communi�es to end hunger and poverty. Giving through the Advance enables United Methodists to partner with one another in mission and ministry around the world. Thank you for joining with us to “Be Hope” to those who desperately need it.

Grace and Peace,

Roland Fernandes Emily Miller General Treasurer Associate General Secretary

It is with sadness that we bring you the news of the passing of Clifford Carrington & Don Wood. Clifford Carrington passed away on February 14 at his home in Chelsea. His commi�al took place on

May 18 at Hillcrest Park Cemetery.

Don passed away on May 14th. The church remembered his many years of service on May 18th. He was a faithful servant at the Pioneer Valley Free Health Service, the food program SERV & enjoyed the Singles Ministry, Men’s Fellowship & Trustees. The family specifically thanked the Men’s Fellowship who went to lunch with him just a few days before he passed.

BABY NEWS

On Saturday, May 16 at 8:12 p.m., baby Micah Christopher was born to Meghan and Rev. Ken Mantler of Bridge-water UMC in Bridgewater, MA. Mommy and baby our doing well. He was born at 7 lbs. 7 ounces, and was 21 inches long. Please keep the Mantler family in your prayers.

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T��� S����� ELUMC I�

O� T�� M���. . .

July — We’re moving to

the chancel area so we can worship in the round.

On July 12 we move to St. Mark’s Episcopal for our annual joint service (and the Congrega�onalists

from the rotary are joining us). Rabbi Mark Shapiro will be preaching. So�ball rematch following the service. (Contact Gary C. if you can be on the team, a cheerleader, or a medic).

August – In August we move outdoors to the front

lawn and evening worship at 6:30 pm. Bring your own lawn chair. Ice cream treats will be available. August 28-30 (Fri-Sat-Sun) - We move to a campsite at the Partridge Hollow Campground in Monson for an ALL-Church Camping Adventure. (See ar�cle at le�.) We will break camp Sunday in plenty of �me to get back to the evening worship Hymn Sing on our front lawn. (See From the Music Director on page 7)

In 2014, 25 of 57 U.S. annual confer-ences paid full appor�onments

to support the na�onal and interna�onal minis-tries of the general church. That number is up from 20 in both 2012 and 2013, and it’s the highest number in at least 10 years. The New England Conference is proud to be one of the confer-ences that are, by their example, demonstra�ng the importance of our connec�onal giving.

Our Place provides a nourishing lunch for the homeless each day.

Summer months are usually a �me for renewal a chance to relax and possibly see new sights. But there are so many who never have this chance.

As we get caught up in our plans for the summer and enjoy our �me away, let’s remember those who are homeless; those who have a hard �me finding joy in their day.

Our Place needs pasta in order to provide the monthly lunch from ELUMC. Please help fill the pasta shelf with name brand Zi� or Rigatoni.

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Every lay leader puts their own par�cular stamp on the job of leading the congrega�on. John Dunlop was a business execu�ve with agendas, charts, mission statements and quan�fiable goals. Sco� Grabowski was (and is) a pastoral leader visi�ng the sick folks at home and keeping track of the physical & emo-�onal health of staff & members. Kelly Greene had her finger on the pulse of the congrega�on seeking feedback and developing rela�onships. The Hutchinsons now offer their gi�s in the style that is uniquely theirs: Camping. They’ve reserved a campsite at Partridge Hollow Campground in Monson. “The Cove” is a private loop surrounded by woods with a fire pit in the center. All the campsites have water and electricity. The campground has a pool, wading pool, horseshoe pit, play-ground, etc… The cost is $76 per family which includes 2 adults and 2 children. Day trippers can come for the day for a fee. You need not have camping equipment to par�cipate — we have extra stuff. For more details please contact Rick Hutchinson. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to experience our lay leaders in their natural element helping us to love crea�on and build rela�onships outside our normal rou�nes.

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Thanks to all those who worked to make the Spring Fair such a success including the Family Ministries Team who sold refreshments.

Spr ing Fair

Rick Hutchinson works the grill while Liz Gelinas serves a

happy customer.

A beau�ful day to go to the Spring Fair.

The Fergusons seem very interested in local honey at one of the many vendors offering their products.

Kelly Greene and Louise House had lots of sweet treats for sale at the Bake Sale table.

Sco� Grabowski & Steve Chandler were there to greet every-one as they arrived.

Bailey & Demitre enjoy a game of badminton.

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P������� �������� �������� ���������� �������� Edited from a UMC.org Feature by the Rev. Angela Flanagan*

May 4, 2015

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but…”

most of us have realized that words can hurt too. While we as adults have matured and acquired to a greater or lesser degree an ability to weed out negative or hurtful lan-guage, we generally acknowledge that chil-dren are particularly sus-ceptible to hurtful words. Language matters. We know that.

Overall, we as a society and as people of faith rightly put value on protecting children from language we deem nega-tive, hurtful, or inappropriate.

We know our words matter, but our culture (and the Church with it) has a blind spot when it comes to adoption language. As a parent who has adopted children, I know that no one intentionally uses harmful language to talk about adoption, but the problem is that few of us have giv-en much thought to the effects of the language we already use.

Our language can send confusing and even hurtful messag-es to God’s children, those who have been adopted, and those who interact with those who have been adopted (so, everybody!). This is an issue we as the church should care about.

It is nearly impossible to improve our adoption language if we don’t know a) what to avoid, b) why this language is harmful, and c) what language would more accurately and positively communicate what we are trying to say.

For example, the common phrase “put up for adop�on,” has a disturbing origin. Historically, this phrase comes from a bygone era when children from East Coast ci�es in the U.S. were put on trains to the Midwest where they were literally “put up” on the train pla�orm to be selected for adop�on. If this process sounds a li�le like the sale of slaves or the way we pick out animals or food, then you can un-derstand why this is not a posi�ve phrase to use. A great alterna�ve is to talk about children being “placed for adop-�on,” or birthparents “making an adop�on plan.”

Photo courtesy of the Rev. Angela Flanagan.

Continued on page 6

L � � � �� � � �� O � � � �� � �

Educa�on Team – meets 7-8x a year to execute the Edu-

ca�on program for children and adults. Includes curricu-lum, Sunday School Superintendent, Safe Sanctuary Pro-gram, family ministry fun events and Vaca�on Bible School

Endowment Team – Most work done not through

mee�ngs but through PR, policy development, individual advising, and online resources.

Outreach/Stewardship – The craziest hybrid team of

mission interest and making sure the church has the funds to fulfill its mission. Co-chairs Ruth Owen and Tom McGowan always bring great chocolate to keep the mee�ngs moving along. They meet on Thursday nights every 6 weeks or so August through June with some mee�ng over dinner at the McGowan’s house.

Reconciling – Spearheading our efforts to draw the circle

wider within our community and the larger denomina�on. This is a wide open team willing to determine the work structure based on its newest members.

Worship – Time intensive but well worth the effort to

create MM-good worship (meaningful and memorable). This team allows for maximum crea�vity and the most flexibility in scheduling with set-up efforts at off-�mes and Sunday mornings.

Media Team – Runs the media board and sound for wor-

ship services. Also develops ar�ul, crea�ve themes for slides and video resources. No mee�ngs. Work done on-line and through email on your own �me.

Trustees – monthly mee�ngs on 2nd Mondays addressing building concerns.

Finance –no mee�ngs with work done through email and

online databases. Not interested in teams or administra�ve or program min-istries? No problem, serve the Lord through direct minis-try. Eileen Brogan always needs those able to visit people and/or take them communion. This ministry can be done on your schedule in 20-minute intervals. No experience necessary and she'll teach you all you need to know.

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Complimenting adoptive parents can sometimes send unintended messages as well. Phrases like, “It’s so wonderful that you adopted,” or “She’s so lucky to have you as parents,” are based on unhealthy assumptions. First, we as adoptive parents are the grateful/lucky/blessed ones to get the chance to parent these amazing children.

Adop�on also involves a loss. Children grieve the loss of what could have been—the loss of their birth family raising them, the loss of a sense of connectedness, the loss of important medical and social history. It doesn’t ma�er how difficult the situa�on of their adop�on was—it is s�ll a loss. As adop�ve parents we walk through that loss with our children, acknowledging that pain and grieving with them. Focusing on how “lucky” they are denies children the right and space to grieve the real loss they have experienced.

It also glorifies us as adop�ve parents when in reality we are no different than any other parents. We wanted to be parents, so we became parents through adop�on and we love our children. There is nothing heroic about that. Implying that there is sends the message to our children that it takes special people to love them, that somehow the love their parents have for them is charity.

Instead, saying something like, “I see how very much you love each other,” or “I’m happy for you and your family” will suffice.

Yes, you’ve probably said some of these things, and of course you never meant harm by it. You care for the wellbeing of children and would never inten�onally say something hur�ul to them. That’s the point—to equip us to be more inten�onal about our adop�on language.

I don’t write this to make you feel guilty. My family started our adop�on journey over five years ago, and I s�ll catch myself slipping up with some of these every now and then. It happens. Language pa�erns are hard to break. It takes inten�onality, work, prac�ce, and �me. We didn’t know be�er before, but now we do.

Will you commit to changing your language around adop�on? Will you help others understand the importance of posi�ve adop�on language?

Do it not just for my kids, but for the thousands of children who deserve to have their iden�ty, their story, and their family respected, valued, and protected. This is who we are as people of faith. We are people who care deeply about all God’s children. We are also people who respect the power language has to shape our self-esteem, our a�tudes, and our very lives.

*The Rev. Angela Flanagan is an adoptive parent and serves as Associate Pastor of Calvary United Methodist Church in Mount Airy, Maryland.

Special music coming up:

June 8th Special guest, Evelyn Harris for a

Gospel Pentecost celebra�on

June 15th Choir Apprecia�on Sunday

Adop�on Language, con�nued from page 5

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EDUCATION APPRECIATION

SUNDAY, JUNE 14

TO OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS

YOU'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE - Teacher Appreciation Poem

Thank you for the time you give To each child who looks to you;

You truly make a difference By all you say and do.

For as you touch each tender heart,

You leave your imprint there; And always they'll remember you--

How much you really cared.

Keep on loving, keep on caring, Sharing Christ as you do,

For one day they'll return to say, “Teacher, I do thank you.”

“You've made a difference in my life.

I'm who I am today, Because you gave your time to teach

And show to me God’s Way.”

©by Linda J. Stevenson

"Fair are the woodlands, fairer s�ll the meadows, robed in the blooming garb of spring..."

Do you recognize this hymn? You will, later in the sum-mer. On August 30 for the last evening service of the summer, we will be having a good old-fashioned hymn sing! It will be a small service of prayer, scripture, per-haps a medita�on by Yours Truly, and lots of hymns. Come prepared with your favorite hymns in mind, and I'll try to take us through as many as we can.

We've had a wonderful year in the music program. Our rescheduled Mardi Gras luncheon raised over $500. We added new members to the chancel choir. We had amaz-ing celebra�ons at Christmas and Easter, and some won-derful premieres of original music for Advent and Easter. Both choirs dug in and did a lot of tough, good skill-building work - and it has paid off, judging by your com-ments and apprecia�ve applause in worship!

Many thanks to the members of the Choirs!

*Diane Chandler, Theda Cornbower, *Suzanne Dodson, Sco� Grabowski, *Steve Hilbun, *Bill Johnston, *Joan McGowan, Kim Obara, and Pa�y Richards. *Bell Choir members

Thank you so much for all the ways you support and en-courage the music program. I hope more folks will search their hearts and consider joining us in the fall. In both groups, we always have room for more - and the more, the merrier!

Peace and blessings, JT

We have a problem, too many children!

Well, that’s not REALLY a problem; it’s a blessing. But it means we need another Sunday School class this fall and another teacher or two and a class assistant.

Can you help make a difference in our children’s lives?

Serve the Lord and support our growing educa�on program!

Talk with Laurie Conz about how you can help.

June 17 – July 29

Get to know The United Methodist Church through this six-week online

course. New and old members alike can dive into the church's history, structure, beliefs and more.

Registra�on is open un�l June 16. Sea�ng is limited. Sign up today!

https://www.umctraining.org/course/206

SAFE SANCTUARIES

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Address Service Requested

East Longmeadow United Methodist Church 215 Somers Road, STE 2

East Longmeadow, MA 01028-2998 413-525-7416 • a reconciling congrega�on

www.elumc.org

THE SUNDAY EXPERIENCE

8:30 a.m. – Bible Study for Jr./Sr. High & Adults 10:00 a.m. – Worship & Church School (pre-schoolers through Grade 5) Professional child care is provided for “Cribs & Creepers”/“Toddlers & Twos.” 11:15 a.m. – Fellowship Time

The Methodist Messenger is a journal of the ministry of The East Longmeadow United Methodist Church. Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL JULY 13-17, 2015

"In God we live, move, and exist." Acts 17:28a, CEB

You're invited to experience God's unstoppable love with ELUMC for G-Force VBS! Join the volunteer team as we explore God's love in ac�on!

For more informa�on or to find out how you can help by volunteering your �me or gi�s, contact: Laura Kinney at meanielk21@yahoo.com or

Amanda Grimaldi at amandalee1113@comcast.net

Registra�on is open for children ages 3-11 at:

www.cokesburyvbs.com/elumc2015

For the on-line church calendar follow this link:

http://57650311.view-events.com/

Cheshire UMC’s

mission trip to Nicaragua.