Check out what's going on this week at the UMC of Red Bank!
Connections
Thursday, August 24, 2023
Pastor Cam's Weekend Update
Reminder: We have resumed in-person worship and continue to live-stream the service on our website and YouTube channel.
A big thank you to Steven Russell for leading the beautiful music we have had in worship during Evan’s sabbatical, to Rob Long for leading in worship last Sunday and to Rev. Henritzy for being available on call during Pastor Cam’s beach week!
Kitchen Happenings...
Great news! Our new refrigerator has arrived just in time for all the exciting things that will be happening this fall around the church. In keeping with our Green Faith Commitment the new unit is Energy Star Certified. Thank you to the Backpack Crew for offering space in the food pantry refrigerator during the down. And thanks to the folks who were involved in getting the new appliance ordered and installed. We are deeply grateful!
UWF Craft Group-8/29
Craft Group will meet on Tuesday, August 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Library Lounge area. You are invited to come for all or as much time as you have available. Come to help us make greeting cards or bring your knitting or other crafts to do with us.
Craft Group meetings in September will be on Tuesday, September 12 and Tuesday, September 26.
Stop by our Card Table in Fellowship Hall after our 10 a.m. service on Sunday mornings. In September we will begin displaying our fall cards. If you watch the service from home and would like to purchase some of our cards ($1.00 each), please contact Peggy Wien (732-842-5424). We could arrange delivery to you. We have cards for all occasions as well as cards that are blank inside for you to use to write notes. Right now we have some Back to School (or to College) cards which are nice to send with a note wishing the student a good school year. Card purchases help United Women in Faith (UWF) make their budgeted mission donations.
Sanctuary Choir & Hand Bell Choir Rehearsals Start September!
Sanctuary Choir will resume rehearsals starting Thursday, September 7 from 7:00-9:00 pm. Hand Bell Choir resumes rehearsals on Thursday, September 14 at 1:00 pm. For more information on this and any of our wonderful music programs, contact Evan Courtney, Director of Music Ministries, at ecourtney@umcredbank.org.
Youth Happenings-
A full compliment of Sunday school classes starts back up September 10th. Littles (2-4 year olds) Room 110, Early Elementary (5-2nd Graders) Room 112, Tweens (3rd-6th Graders) Room 114. The Sunday school morning begins with Embodied Prayer and singing in Room 114 and then kids are dismissed to their classrooms). Bagels & Faith for High Schoolers will start back up at 8:45 on September 17th. Youth groups for 3rd - 12 grades are starting back up on September 13th. Please register for both Sunday school and Youth Groups on our website or click https://www.umcredbank.org/youth-programs/.
Pollinator Garden Update
Want to know why it’s called the Pollinator Garden? Well stand in front of the Blue Hyssop plants at the left, South, side of the garden and observe the activity. For the past 4 weeks we’ve been seeing bumblebees, honeybees, butterflies and assorted smaller insect feeding and doing their bits in the pollination process. Once we even saw a Goldfinch, our State bird, in the plants. These pollinators are on other flowers but seem to like the Hyssop best!
Janie & George
Door Monitors for Community Group Meetings Needed-
We are in need of volunteers for our team of door monitors for the community group meetings during the week. If you are available on Mondays and Tuesdays from 11:45-1:15 and/or Wednesdays from 12:45-2:30, please contact Amanda in the office with your availability or sign up at www.signupgenius.com/go/9040F45ABAF2FA0FE3-community. We appreciate the constant generosity of our congregation here and send our heartfelt thanks to all who lend their time to help us serve the community.
Thank You for Pledging!
We are wrapping up the pledging phase of the Capital Campaign! With $269,840 pledged we are almost 90% to our pledge goal of $300,000! We are so grateful for your partnership in building out our vision of being the best, most welcoming church we can be. 
Book Club- September Selection
The next UWF Book Club meeting will be on Thursday, September 28 from 1:00-2:00 pm in the Church Lounge. The selection to read for this meeting is "The Lacuna" by Barbara Kingsolver. All are welcome to attend. Contact Helen Vetter for more information
Worship Readers-
Would you lend your voice to our worship service on Sundays? If this interests you, visit www.signupgenius.com/go/9040f45abaf2fa0fe3-worship1#/ to sign up to read. We appreciate the generosity of this congregation always being willing to serve our church in many ways. Contact Amanda in the office with any questions or if you need help signing up.
Mark Your Calendars and Register Your Teams!
Backpack Crew Pantry
Donations Always Welcome
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 though Friday from 9 am to 3 pm.
The current donation request is CANNED FRUIT of any kind.
Thank you for your continued support. Email us at backpackcrewnj@gmail.com with any questions.
Pastoral Care
If someone is hospitalized or in need of pastoral care, please contact Pastor Cam at (732) 747-0446.