Winthrop United Methodist Church

October 2017

M E S S E N G E R

Pastor’s Renewal Leave October 11, 2017 – November 22, 2017

Plans are in place to provide coverage for church activities during Pastor Ned’s upcoming renewal leave.

With the help of several local clergy and the laity of WUMC, “business as usual” is expected to continue dur-

ing Pastor’s time of spiritual and physical rest, refreshment, and reflection. The following clergy and laity will

serve in specific ways as listed below:

Guest Clergy/speakers:

Rev. Heidi Chamberland – October 15 Anne Carter – November 5

Rev. James Mentzer – October 22 Randy Schiller – November 12

Ken Bryant – October 29 Barbara Hamblin – November 19

Pastoral Emergency Coverage

Rev. Kathleen Decker-Szakas Rev. Joe Chamberland

Rev. Myung Eun Park Rev. Kristin White

Emergencies Outside Office Hours: Ken Bryant (395-4762 or 931-7288)

Home/Hospital/Nursing Home Visitation

Jill Howes Anne Carter

Lynda Pratt Ken Bryant

Communion Officiant: John Neff

Communion Elements: Bobbi Wheelock

Children’s Message: Jan Leighton

Church Building: Trustees

Emergency Financial Assistance: Marty Allen and Alden Small

Stewardship: Marty Allen

Office Coverage During Barbara’s Absence:

October 19 – Jill Howes October 25 – Lynda Pratt

October 20 – Lynda Pratt October 26 – Judy Johnston

October 24 – Judy Johnston October 27 – Bobbi Wheelock

As is the usual practice, please call the church office with any questions, concerns, or requests. Office staff

will be able to either assist you or refer you to someone covering your specific need. All team and committee

activities will continue as usual. God’s blessings on Pastor Ned as he embarks on this time of renewal and

growth!

Our Mission and Purpose

The mission of the Winthrop

United Methodist Church is to be

a Christian community that

invites all people to participate

in God’s love.

Our purpose is to live out the mission through

nurture, outreach and witness.

Hello everyone! I recently did some rearrang-

ing in your church library to

make better use of our space. I

decided to put some of our extra

books in Fellowship Hall for you to take and keep.

So take a look at these books on Sunday and take

anything you would like.

Also John and Helen Neff recently gave us a

generous donation of books by Maine author, Dor-

othy Clarke Wilson. Wilson lived in Orono,

Maine...her husband was a pastor at the Orono

Methodist Church. She wrote biographies of such

people as Paul Brand, a doctor who worked with

folks in India with leprosy, as well as a book about

Abraham Lincoln's mother and step mother. You

might want to check these out. Remember we

have a wide variety of fiction and non fiction

books as well as children's books.

Happy reading, Jan Leighton

Harvest Supper

Our annual Harvest Supper

fundraiser will be held on Saturday, October 14th

from 5 to 6:30 pm. Sign-up sheets for food dona-

tions and kitchen help are in Fellowship Hall so

please help with food donations and if you can,

help with meal prep, serving our guests and/or

clean up on Saturday. We will need help setting

up tables and decorating them as well and if we

have enough people signed up to help, will prob-

ably only need to do it all on Saturday starting at

9 am.

Monetary donations are greatly appreciated as

the hams and other food items and paper prod-

ucts have all gone up since last year. The less we

have to purchase, the more the church benefits!

We need food donations of potatoes, carrots,

cabbage, onions, coleslaw, applesauce, apple and

pumpkin desserts, ingredients for punch, apple

cider and rolls. Town & Country has closed so

we will be looking for the same quality hams

elsewhere. We also will need donations for 100

"FALLISH" napkins and heavy duty "FALLISH"

plastic dinner and dessert plates and/or bowls.

Please feel free to contact me, Sue Phillips, at

(207) 462-9400. You may need to leave a text or

voice message but I will get back to you. Any

and all suggestions are always welcome.

If you have worked at the Harvest Supper be-

fore, you know it is also a FUN raiser and you

may even get to sample the ham before-hand!

Medical Devices Ministry

Do you or someone you know have a

temporary need for a medical device? Our church has

a lending program that might help. We have a supply

of donated crutches, canes, walkers, wheelchairs,

shower chairs, etc. that people can use when they are

recovering at home from an injury, surgery, or other

medical issue. Please see Chris O’Connell or make

your request at the church office. If we have it, we’d

love to have you borrow it.

WUMC Prayer Chain

Our church has an electronic prayer

chain which enables instant sending of

prayer requests to a large number of prayer warri-

ors made up of members of the WUMC congrega-

tion.

If you have a request, or if you would like to

become a prayer warrior and be added to the prayer

chain, please e-mail Christina Kennedy at

ckenny@roadrunner.com.

Hannaford Cards

Just a reminder that Hannaford

cards are available for purchase

every Sunday in Fellowship Hall following wor-

ship. There are denominations of $25, $50, and

$100. Five per cent of the proceeds from the sale

of the cards go to the church, which amounts to

approximately $1,200 per year.

Taffy Apple Salad

An old-fashioned recipe, tried and

true, and so easy! Serve as a salad

or as dessert.

3 cups diced apple, not peeled

1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple, not drained

1 cup dry-roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

1 (8oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed

1 (3 oz.) box instant butterscotch pudding

1 cup mini marshmallows

Mix together in a large bowl. Cover and chill until

ready to serve.

Can be made 1-2 days ahead. Store in airtight con-

tainer in refrigerator.

Submitted by Barbara Hamblin

Prayer Shawls

One of the ministries of our church is

a prayer shawl ministry. A number of talented

folks connected to the church knit or crochet

beautiful shawls. The shawls are knit or crocheted

with prayers said as they are being lovingly creat-

ed. Once they are completed, they are made avail-

able to people suffering from illness or injury.

The shawls have brought real comfort to many

people since this ministry began. If you know

someone who would be comforted by receiving a

prayer shawl, please speak to Shelley Gearheart or

Jan Leighton. Or if you would like to make a

prayer shawl to share, you may speak to one of

these ladies. ALSO…..It’s time for….

Annual Mitten Challenge!

It’s time to get your yarn and needles ready and

start knitting mittens and hats for our annual Mit-

ten Challenge! These warm items will be distrib-

uted to children through Tabitha’s Closet. Let’s

see how many we can create from now until the

first Sunday of December when we turn them in.

Anyone with questions, comments, suggestions or

a need for materials, can contact Shelley Gear-

heart at 377-7815.

THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO!!

Church Budget Update

The church budget for the current

year is $ 172,400. This pays for the

salaries of our pastor, secretary, custo-

dian and the music director; mission

shares paid to the New England Conference that

support many ministries and missions; nursery

care; expenses for program teams and the cost of

operating and maintaining our church building.

About 90% of the budget to support this budget

comes from pledges and non-pledge contributions.

This generous pledge and non-pledge income has

been allowed us to meet our budgeted expense for

the last several years. That is something to cele-

brate! We are doing okay in the current year but as

of the end of August, pledge and non-pledge in-

come is about $ 5,750 below the budgeted amount.

August is 2/3 (66%) of the year but the actual

amount received is 62.8%.

This is a request and reminder to keep your giv-

ing up-to-date to the extent this is possible for you.

This will allow the church to continue paying our

commitments on time and provide assurance that

total funds for the year will be available.

Thank you very much for your continued stew-

ardship and please contact me if you have any

questions or would like more information.

Jeff Toothaker, Treasurer

458-3862

Jtoothaker56@gmail.com

In Memory of

David Rogers

1941-2017

David Freeman Rogers died early Sun-

day morning, Sept. 3, 2017, at his home

on Greenwood Avenue, Winthrop. David

was born June 26, 1941, the son of Earl

R. Rogers and Ruth House Rogers. He attended school in

Winthrop and graduated from Winthrop High School in

1959. In high school, Dave played football for four years,

and was co-captain in his senior year. He also played

baseball and basketball, sang in the glee club and Mozart

Choir, and played the trumpet in the school band. He at-

tended U.M.O. and graduated in 1964 with a degree in

secondary education. He taught high school math, physics

and science for 20 years in Maine. In 1983, he went to

work for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools,

teaching math and science overseas for another 20 years.

While overseas, he taught at Kadena High School on Oki-

nawa; Woodbridge High School at RAF Bentwaters in

England; W.T. Sampson High School at Guantanomo

Bay, Cuba; Zama American High School at Camp Zama,

Japan; and at Wurzburg American High School, Germa-

ny. He retired in 2003 and returned to Winthrop. After

retirement he worked for Enterprise in Augusta, driving

cars, which he very much enjoyed.

David loved golf: it was his passion and his life, but more

than golf he loved his two dogs, Weasel, a rescue from

Okinawa; and Tomo, a rescue from Japan.

Dave was a very dedicated family man, always thinking

of, visiting and looking out for other family members. His

jovial and joking manner will be missed.

David is survived by his brother, Dana, and his wife Jo-

Anne, of Vero Beach, Fla.; niece, Danielle Rogers, her

fiance Kevin Perry, and her daughter Jaidyn, of Cooper

City, Fla.; nephew, Derek Rogers, his wife Jale, and their

two children, of Cyprus; Jill Howes; two stepsons, Char-

lie King, of Winthrop, and his sons Lucas and Nathan

King, of Smethport, Pa.; and Paul King, his daughter

Katie King and Katie's mother Kim King, all of Wayne;

and his aunt, Johanna Macomber, of Winthrop, her two

children Melody and Bradley, and their children and

grandchildren. He leaves behind many cousins in the

Winthrop area, and friends all over the world.

A special thanks to Melody Jenkins for all her help and

guidance. Loving thanks to Paul and Charlie King, Dana

Rogers, and Jill Howes who were his faithful caregivers

for 18 months; and to Mike Diamond and Steve Anderson

and Androscoggin Home and Hospice care who were

with him daily for the last two weeks of his life. Hats off

to the Winthrop High School Class of 1959, who sur-

rounded David with love, visits, food and rides.

A memorial service to celebrate Dave's life was held

Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, at the Winthrop United Meth-

odist Church, with a reception immediately following

at the Alfred W. Maxwell Jr. American Legion Post

40, Bowdoin Street, Winthrop. Burial will be at a

later date at Glenside Cemetery, Winthrop. Memo-

ries, condolences, photos, and videos may be shared

with the family on the obituary page of the website

at: www.khrfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in

David's name to the

Pastor's Discretionary Fund

Winthrop United Methodist Church

P.O. Box 136

Winthrop, Maine

or to the charity of your choice.

Wonder Awhile Nursery School off to a great start! We have 49 children attending throughout the week.

Sadly, there are no morning openings. However, we have openings in the afternoon for any four or five year

olds you may know. Praise God!

We hope you have enjoyed the farm animals as you have come in the side door. During September we

learned about farm animals and shapes and colors. If you are around on the afternoon of Oct 13, stop by for

some Stone Soup and bread. We are having a Family Fun Afternoon for families to meet other families.

October is a very busy month! During October we will go apple picking, visit the pumpkin patch, talk

with fire fighters about fire safety along with a tour of the fire station, and have a police officer come visit

each class to talk about Halloween Safety. We will have a Costume Shop in our Dramatic Play area. Watch

for our Halloween Parades through town where we give homemade pumpkin cookies to merchants and peo-

ple we meet on the street.

Wonder Awhile Nursey School is pleased to be hosting a Monday Morning Playgroup from 9:30 – 11:00

for children under three years old. Please let any families you know about this wonderful new program for

young children. This is a great opportunity to welcome new families into our church.

THANK YOU to everyone who have donated books, pasta, tape, drop in visits and prayers. Thanks for

all your support! We feel very blessed and proud to work for this our Church

Wonder Awhile does many fundraisers throughout the year. We are currently in the middle of a Village

Candle fundraiser. If anyone is interested in ordering candles, there is a booklet and order form on the

counter in the office or you may speak with Jane, Jessica or Erika.

Wonder Awhile Nursery School will be hosting a Trunk-or-Treat for the

families and friends of the nursery school. This is safe alternative to

trick-or-treating on Saturday, October 28th from 4-6 pm at the Winthrop

Middle school teachers’ parking lot. We will be joined by Winthrop

Police, State Police, and Game Warden Services with possible visits from the ambulance and fire services

and a few other agencies. If anyone would be willing to donate a bag or two of candy, just leave it in the

Nursery School area or give to Jane or Erika directly! Thank you!

Elevator Reminder We are fortunate to have an elevator to

ease access to our second floor sanctuary,

but please keep in mind that the elevator will not oper-

ate unless both the gates and doors are completely

closed.

When you exit the elevator, please be sure to close

the gate and the door behind you. Only then will the ele-

vator be available to the next person who needs it. And

if you see a visitor trying to use the elevator, please stop

and assist them to make sure they close the gates! Thank

you.

Don’t forget to bring your “empties” to church on the 1st Sunday of each month. The money raised will be used to give monetary gifts to graduating seniors in the spring. Or bring them to the Redemption Center on Route 202 beside Barrows.

Just ask them to credit the Methodist Church account.

News From the Teen Room!

Sunday school has started up again! In the teen-

age room we started talking about these letters

“P’pej K. Dersgee” that represent people/stories in

the Bible. This is very interesting!

The Christmas pagent will be played by the

youth of our church. Get ready to see an amaz-

ing pagent this Christmas. The pagent will include

plenty of songs, wonderful actors and actresses,

and a different view of Jesus’ birth!

Do you remember the fun songs the kids used to

sing in the sanctuary before going off to Sunday

school? Well, they’re back! Many older

kids remember singing songs like “I am a C” and

“He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands”,

etc. But the little kids never got a chance to learn

and sing any of the songs, so we’re bringing them

back!

A few Sundays ago on Rally Sunday, Septem-

ber 10th, many people of our church had

fun bowling and watching! We played plenty of

games and lots of pictures were taken of us having

fun! While we were bowling we had soda and yum-

my pizza. Thank you Christian Ed team for the won-

derful time! Be sure to join us next year for Rally

Day!

Sincerely, Autumn Gerry

Christian Ed Committee

Sunday School has opened for the year. We now

have four classrooms. They are pre-K and K,

grades 1-3, grades 4-5, and the youth group.

Classes are open to all children and youth who

would like to join in the fun and learning about

God. We meet in the Sanctuary at 8:45 am for

music, and then to classrooms until 9:45 am.

The youth group is already learning lines for

the Christmas pageant. They will have their own

reporter for the Messenger this year, and are plan-

ning to raise money for a mission trip to the Heif-

er Foundation. They are certainly a busy group

of youth.

For the month of November for Thanksgiving

the children are planning to prepare meals for

shut-ins and folks who might be alone for the hol-

iday.

The Rally Bowling Day was a great deal of

fun! All who attended had a great time, and are

looking forward to next year.

People who would enjoy being a teacher or

angel are always welcome. If anyone would like

to join the Sunday School team, please contact

Lynda Pratt, at 377-8748.

Adult studies are having a large attendance

this fall which is wonderful. They are studying

The God We Can Know. Teachers for adult

study rotate from week to week. This class also

starts at 8:45 am, with coffee and tea available.

There is always coffee in Fellowship Hall for

people who are staying while their children attend

Sunday School. Feel free to join in.

Never look at what you have lost; look at what

you have left. Robert Schuller

Blessings Lynda Pratt

October newsletter: Trustees reporting.

It's truly fall time...sorry, however, that we don't

have any pears to fall for those waiting. Seems the

"bicycle brigade" was watching also and managed

to clean us out. Just hope that those not hitting the

street were eaten by same.

Leaves are floating down and green bags of them

are welcomed at the 72 Main St. site to "toast

up" the posted ell conference room. Our tenants

are great sports even as we had to relocate a pos-

sum and now probably a skunk or two not yet cap-

tured by Jeremy, our man of the hour. He is a live

trapper and does a great job as our be-kind-to-

animals trapper.

Trustees are in a holding pattern for the time being

if white lining the parking lot doesn't count. Plans

for the future will be group painting of the kitchen

and Fellowship Hall ceilings...prior to having the

floor coverings replaced.

Been by the Church after dark lately? Check it out!

The bell tower is beautiful. The light shines

much more brightly and more attractively now.

The spire is white thanks to your Council Chair-

man (A.S.) having dreams

ahead. Research regarding a sound system is being

done and the bell parts are out for repair esti-

mates. If all goes well, we can soon have the rope

in place and, yea all kids, we can pull for outside

sound again.

We're hopeful that all plows and shovelers are in

place for winter snow removal, and those other

wintry things. Don't forget to help us out if you

find a spot or two of ice (oops, I said the word) shy

of sand. We'll have the seasonal buckets ready.

Enjoy the fall season, the decorations, and our

warming up to the holidays. If the FARMER'S

ALMANAC is on the right track, we all need to be

ready, be kind, be caring as we help each other by

reaching out in fellowship and love. GOD is good,

all the time, GOD is good.

Sue Thomas

September has brought in a beautiful fall, with

many generous hearts. Volunteers have all been

working very hard to conquer this “mountain of

plastic”. A request for extra volunteers was asked

in church on September 17th, to work on Monday

September 18th. This church’s members did what

they always do; 16 people volunteered on Mon-

day to climb this mountain of plastic. We won!

The mountain top has been reached!. THANK

YOU to ALL who helped with this project. It

took a village and the village was there. We AL-

WAYS can use new volunteers though!

Tabitha’s Closet was open the two regular Satur-

days this month. 222 people shopped for 651

family members. There were 43 new people shop-

ping and $37 in the donation jar. So many people

take and also give what they can. This is truly

God at work. 23 towns were represented this

month.

Mission teams have gone home for the summer,

but Tabitha’s is still in their hearts. The Methodist

Church in Montgomery Square, North Wales, Pa.

sent a package of school supplies and personal

products. Praise God.

During the month of September we had a family

new to Augusta, Maine, who came from Syria as

immigrants to Arizona and settling in Augusta.

There are 12 members of the family! It was a joy

to welcome them to T.C. and help them with bags

and bags of clothing, even winter coats, boots,

and cleats for the teenaged boys so they can play

soccer. It was a day that shows us God’s grace!

This month 34 prom dresses were sent to the Cin-

derella Project of Maine. This is a program that is

getting started back up.

Thanks to all the volunteers, and people who have

donated clothing. It takes all of us working to-

gether.

If we did not have the winter, the spring would not

be so pleasant: If we did not sometimes taste of

adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. Anne Bradstreet

Blessings Lynda Pratt

Hello! I'm Clara Szakas. I'm a junior at Winthrop High School and a member

here at the Winthrop United Methodist Church. Recently, I was accepted as a par-

ticipant in the Mission of Peace trip to Cuba! This is a program that is run through

the Northeast jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church. This trip will consist of

11 days, during which I will do things like visiting communities and churches in

Cuba, seeing mission sites there, and worshiping in new places! The trip is taking

place this December to early January. Between now and November, I need to raise

enough money so I can go. I have raised about $2,500 and I still need around $2,000. So far, I have

gotten support from the New England Annual Methodist Conference, some other churches in our

district, my parents, and pitched in with money from my summer job. I hope that some of you will

be willing to contribute to help make this mission possible for me.

The Winthrop UMC has set up a treasury account for me, and any donations would be happily

accepted and put into the church account. You can reach me for more information at

19cszakas@winthropschools.org . Thank you for supporting me and this ministry!

Peace be with you!✌

Current WUMC Mission Projects

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)

U.S. Disaster Response # 901670

on-going need for assistance

Donate on-line at umcor.org or check payable to Winthrop UMC with memo line “disaster response “

School Aid for children of our sister church “El Buen Pastor”

In Sabana Grande, Nicaragua

More info at the back of the church

Check payable to Winthrop UMC with memo line “Nica. School aid”

Mission of Peace – Cuba Dec 28 – Jan 12, 2018

Northeast Jurisdictional Council on Youth Ministries of the United Methodist Church.

Clara Szakas from our congregation has been selected to be part of this mission.

To help support the cost of her trip make check payable to Winthrop UMC

with memo line “Mission of Peace”

For cash donations , please include a note indicating which project you are donating towards.

Women’s Advent Retreat

Saturday, December 2 Winthrop United Methodist Church (58 Main Street)

9:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Retreat Leader: Rev. Heidi Chamberland

When you hear the word BEHOLD – what does it mean to you? For me it is a word that brings me to prayer;

to an awareness of God’s holy Presence. It is a word that calls me to pay attention, to stand in awe of, to be

aware that I’m about to see, feel, touch, experience something of tremendous spiritual strength that can only

draw me deeper in the mystery of Emmanuel…”God with us.” I invite all women to consider giving yourself

this one day apart as we begun the busy Advent Season, which if we allow it can become just one crazy day

after another getting ready for Christmas.

BEHOLD! What is the “good news of great joy” the angels are proclaiming to you? Let’s “cultivate attentiveness” to-

gether so we don’t miss one holy invitation to BEHOLD on our own journey to celebrate the true meaning of

Christmas.

TO REGISTER, email or call Rev. Heidi Chamberland

heidichamberland@gmail.com 1.860.888.2934 Cost? $20 (Due upon arrival at retreat)

Be not afraid; for BEHOLD, I bring you good news of great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day

in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10 RSV)

WUMC 2017 Advent Devotional Book

The Worship Committee invites all who worship at WUMC to contribute to

the 2017 edition of the WUMC Advent Devotional Book. Please prayerfully consider writing a short

(300 words or less) narrative about a Christmas memory, tradition, or reflection that has touched your

life. Select a Scripture passage that relates to your devotional. (The Worship Team can help with this.)

Give your devotional a title, and end with a short prayer. This format follows that of The Upper Room

Devotions; we also have copies of previous Advent Books in the office that can serve as a guide. The

books will be distributed on the first Sunday of Advent, December 3rd. The deadline for submission of

devotions is November 10th. Thanks to all who contribute to this special project.

Winthrop United Methodist Church

P.O. Box 136

Winthrop, ME 04364

Church Office Hours:

Tuesday—Friday 9 a.m—2 p.m

(207) 377-8620

P.O. Box 136 58 Main Street

Winthrop, ME 04364

Ned S. Crockett - Pastor Jill Howes - Lay Leader

Barbara Hamblin - Administrative Ass’t

Email: office@winthropumc.org Pastor Ned: pastor@winthropumc.org

Sunday Worship service 10:00 a.m.

Sunday School Begins September 10th!

www.winthropumc.org www.wonderawhile.org

The mission of the Winthrop United Methodist Church is to be a Christian community that invites all people to participate in God’s love. Our purpose is to live out the mission through nurture, outreach and witness.

2017