Easter Message & Pastor's e-Note
March 31, 2020
Dear Church Family and Friends,

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Can I be frank with you? I am grappling with this question: How do I write an Easter letter for my parishioners when everyone is struggling with the current global health crisis? The Coronavirus is changing our lives and communities with a major force. 

There is a widespread anxiety and challenges like many of us have never seen before. The fear we are experiencing is real, and I find myself praying for you and your loved ones more deeply and more often. May the peace of Christ be with you! 

Easter is coming to announce to us and the world that Jesus is risen from the dead. The news of our Lord’s Resurrection is becoming much more meaningful and powerful for me, and maybe for you, too. So, I invite you to join with me to journey from Good Friday to Easter, from fear to faith.

Friends, we are God’s Easter people. With joy, we can sing again: “Because he lives, I can face tomorrow; because he lives, all fear is gone; because I know he holds the future, and life is worth the living just because he lives.” It is, indeed, good news for us and for all the world.

We have the following Holy Week and Easter services for you and your invited guests. Please note that these services are done via Online or Zoom.

  • Palm Sunday Online Service:  April 5 at 10 am
  • Holy Thursday Zoom Service: April 9 at 7 pm
  • Good Friday Zoom Service: April 10 at 7 pm
  • Easter Sunrise Zoom Service: April 12 at 6:30 am
  • Easter Sunday Online Service: April 12 at 10 am
We invite you to share your Easter offering through our website. If you would prefer, you may mail this Easter gift to the church office. This Easter offering will help your vital congregation to share the Good News of our Lord and change lives with love and hope. Thank you, in advance, for your generous offering.

May the peace, love and hope of the Christ be with you. Happy and Blessed Easter!

Grace and Peace,
Rev. Dr. Jennifer Cho
Join Us Online For This Week's Services
Midweek Service
Wednesday, April 1 at 7pm
This service will be offered through Zoom. Barb Kucsan will bring her devotion, “The View of the Last Supper” and we will lift up prayers together. As we join together as a community of faith with whom Christ is present, we will set symbols on our table to remind us of his promises through a "Love Feast."

Scripture reading: Matthew 26:20-21, 25-29

View bulletin here.

You may also attend the midweek service by phone: 1-929-205-6099
Meeting ID: 699 897 355
Palm Sunday Online Worship Service
Sunday, April 5 at 10am
This Sunday we will worship together online. Rev. Jennifer will share her sermon, "Welcome the King!" Rev. June will lead us in prayer and Matthew Zabiegala will present the musical selections. 

Scripture reading: Matthew 21:1-11

You can view this worship service through our Facebook page or website at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. Service links will remain active after the scheduled worship time.
Local Mission Opportunity
Food Bank Network of Somerset County is continuing to serve our community during this crisis. It is very easy to donate on their website as listed below or send a donation or drop off food.
Somerset Food Bank
9 Easy St. 
(off Chimney Rock Road, near UPS facility)
Bound Brook, NJ
Mon-Fri 9:00 - 2:30
Franklin Food Bank
224 Churchill Avenue
Somerset, NJ 08873
PO Box 333
Somerset, NJ 08875-0333
FISH is also still delivering food and distributing ShopRIte or Walmart gift cards. Gift cards can be sent to:
Allison Caulfield
1031 Tullo Farm Rd.
Bridgewater NJ 08807
New Small Groups Opportunities
Join us after Easter for 2 new exciting small groups offered online via ZOOM. Stay connected to friends and grow in your faith! No weekly reading, just drop-in and enjoy the conversation and learning. Please register with Rev. June to receive the ZOOM link,
"Regarding Ruth" 
Tuesdays 8-9pm
(April 14, 21, 28, May 5)
This small group is a 4-week study of the book of Ruth. Come and meet this intriguing figure from the Hebrew Scriptures, who is also one of the ancestors of Jesus.
“Encountering Christ: Exploring the Sacraments”
Wednesdays 8-9pm
(April 15, 22, 29, May 6)
This study is a 3-week video based series featuring bestselling author, Rachael Held Evans
Week 1 - Introduction to the sacraments
Week 2 - Baptism
Week 3 - Holy Communion
Prayer Requests
We invite you to pray with us for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We pray for the Kinch family, as Bob's cousin, Jim, was received into God’s eternal rest. Prayers are also requested for Laura, sister-in-law of Nina Manger.
BRIDGEWATER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
651 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD • 908.526.1414
BRIDGEWATERUMC.ORG