Check out what's going on this week at the UMC of Red Bank! |
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Connections
Friday, January 8, 2021
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Worship Sneak Peek
January 10th, 2021 at 10am
Join us this second Sunday of the New Year as we continue to celebrate the Epiphany, a sudden moment of revelation. This Sunday, January 10th, our Bishop, John Schol, will be leading us in an Epiphany themed worship service. Please follow the links on our website to join the service. We look forward to connecting with you online this Sunday!
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Pastor Jess is on Renewal Leave
Due to the prolonged stress and pressure of ministry during COVID-19, our bishop has encouraged all our clergy to take a two-week renewal leave after Christmas. Pastor Jess will be taking this time for rest and renewal and returning January 8th. Rev. Tammy Young will be covering any pastoral care and administrative emergencies during this time. If you have any questions or pastoral care needs, please don’t hesitate to contact Rev. Young at young@umcredbank.org or 1 (732) 299-6203.
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Thank you from all of us at UMCRB for your very generous and kind holiday gifts and thoughts! |
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Backpack Crew Update
The Backpack Crew pantry is now open EVERY Monday evening from 5-7pm. The current donation needs are PASTA SAUCE and JELLY! The Backpack Crew has continued to serve the increasing number of people who are impacted by food insecurity in the midst of this health crisis. Food donations are greatly appreciated on the back porch of the church, Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm. Thank you for your continued support. Email us at backpackcrewnj@gmail.com with any questions.
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Stewardship Season 2021
Our Mission Matters!
Our 2021 pledged giving continues to rise and currently stands at $225,701.00. To those who have already pledged, we say, “Thank You”! If you haven’t yet had a chance to pledge, we invite you to make a difference in our community by pledging your financial support to our church and its mission in 2021. Whether meeting spiritual needs or physical needs in our community, our mission matters and your financial gifts are critical in maintaining our mission. Please join us in this important initiative by returning your pledge card to the church office or emailing your pledge to Sheila Leavitt, our financial secretary, at sleavitt@umcredbank.org. Together we make a difference!
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Children and Youth
Ministries Update
Please join us this week for an epiphany (or two) as our virtual Sunday School (K-5h) wraps-up its Stations of the Creche series with the Magi on Sunday, January 10th. (The Wise Men are a week off schedule this year due to social distancing). Friends, pets and camels are welcome. The journey begins at 9:00am via Zoom.
The search for God then continues at our Bagels & Faith class which gathers around at 11:30-ish AM also on Zoom. Links for both virtual classes can be found on the church calendar.
Parents - please take the time to enroll your children in Sunday School today through our ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM to help our teachers prepare for their classes! Many thanks!
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Youth Groups Meet Online - Wednesdays at 7 PM
Keeping ringing-in 2021 with the Youth Group family on Wednesday, January 13th at 7:00 PM. Virtual Youth Group 2021 is a great way to share the hope of God’s new year with friends, peers and cool leaders who care (and also love meeting new friends). Links can be found on the church calendar or through group leaders. For questions or information, please contact Tammy + at young@umcredbank.com or 732-299-6203.
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Church and Society Book Discussion, January 9th - Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
As part of our focus on systemic racism, we are encouraging members of the congregation to read Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. It is suitable for adults and teenagers (Jason Reynolds is a YA author), and it is consistently on lists of top books this year. We invite you to join the Zoom discussion on Saturday, January 9, 7pm – 8pm . There are two hard copies of the book available in the church office. Please email us here to borrow a copy.
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Adult Education Class
Sundays at 9:00 am & Wednesdays at 7:00 pm
For the new year, we are starting a new book: Unbelievable by John Shelby Spong. Its premise is that many “traditional Christian beliefs” are no longer believable in light of modern science, scholarship, and understanding of the world. Bishop Spong seeks to challenge beliefs that we may have grown up with or felt we “were supposed to believe” but which do not fit with the way the world is understood in the twenty-first century. He then seeks to delve deeper into what is the experience of God or “the Holy” that gave rise to these explanations that evolved into beliefs, creeds, and dogmas of the institutional church. This book is his development of an understanding of Christian principles that he can believe with integrity, that is without having to sacrifice the growing human knowledge of the world. If you want to look deeply at what you believe about God, Jesus, original sin, the virgin birth, miracles, atonement theology, Easter, the ascension, ethics, prayer, life after death, and universalism, please join us for a great book and lively discussion. If you are one who never could quite say you believed some of those things the church taught, this class is especially for you. You may find that in light of Bishop Spong’s insight you can find and hold to the kernel of truth and avoid the unbelievable stuff that makes that “leap of faith” distasteful.
Bishop Spong is retired from the Newark Diocese of the Episcopal Church, a world-class scholar, a renowned author, and gifted speaker. We will benefit from video presentations on this book and related topics as well as working through his writing in detail. If you are looking for a strong voice in progressive theology, he is one of the best!
We meet Sunday mornings at 9:00 and Wednesday evenings at 7:00. Zoom links are on the calendar on the church web site. If you have questions or concerns about how to access the Zoom connection (or anything else), please contact Mark Hackler at 732-918-0344 or hackler@optonline.net.
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Diaper Drive Results
A big thank you to all who donated to the UMW December Diaper Drive! We are happy to report that with your contributions we have donated 2,136 diapers and 48 packages of wipes to Maker’s Place diaper bank. This helps fill a huge need for struggling families and single mothers trying to provide basic needs for their young children. A special thank you goes to Robin Foster who managed the order and delivery of the diapers. May we all have a Blessed New Year!
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Bible Study with Pastor Jess
Thursdays 1-2:30 pm
Because of the holidays and Pastor Jess's post-Christmas renewal time, our Bible study will not meet again until January 14th. For more information and links to the meetings please visit our website. Contact Pastor Jess for more information.
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Balance and Strength Training - ON LINE Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:00 pm
Join us for online Balance and Strength Training with Janet Tartaglia. Beginners welcome! Items needed: chair (with no arms) and weights (can be 2 16 oz. water bottles), or you can choose to follow along without the weights. Exercises done with chair or standing, no floor work. Join the Zoom meeting by following this link: https://zoom.us/j/96916489677 or call: (646) 876-9923 Meeting ID: 969 1648 9677# Password 7470446
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Online Yoga - Wednesdays at 9:30 am
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UMC of Red Bank Church Reopening Plan Update
Indoor Small Church Group Meetings Approved
As the ministry of UMCRB continues strong in the time of COVID, with the goal that zero infections are spread through our church activity, we bring you this update about our church reopening plan. Our church is working on a multi-phased plan for reopening our church building in the midst of the COVID pandemic. The church office is open in a limited way on Tuesday-Thursday from 9-2 and Fridays from 9-1:30 pm. The calendar of events on our church website has up-to-date information about ongoing ministries and how to join in.
While worship services will remain virtual at this time, at the October 26 Church Council meeting, the council approved policies required to once again have church sponsored, small group, meetings inside the church building. In preparation for small group gatherings, several safety and extra facility precautions have been established. I urge you to review the information found at the links below to learn more about small group meetings at the church.
We are so excited to be moving forward in our building reopening plan, with the proper safety
precautions and cleaning schedules in place, so we may gather together as a community of faith. Let’s all remember our shared goals of keeping ourselves, each other, and our community safe, and do our part by faithfully following the approved safety protocols. If you would like to schedule an indoor, small group meeting please contact Sheila Leavitt at 732-747-0446 or sleavitt@umcredbank.org. And remember, when possible, meeting virtually is still the safest approach. If you would like to schedule a virtual Zoom meeting please reach out to me at jbnaulty@umcredbank.org.
Feel free to check out more information on our multi phased reopening plan on our church website. We encourage you to check back for updates as we move to upcoming phases.
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Pastoral Care
If someone is hospitalized or in need of pastoral care
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