Pastor's e-Note
February 23, 2021
Dear my good friends near and far,
 
Today is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!
 
It is good to welcome this new day. It is also good to be alive in God’s grace and Spirit. No matter what is going on in life, we can still say that life is good because God is good. This claim doesn’t ignore the reality of challenges and issues in life; instead, it reaffirms that God’s goodness overcomes darkness and God’s love has the final word. 
 
So, during this season of Lent, I invite you to stay connected to the goodness of the Lord. As Psalm 23:6 states, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” It is a powerful way of living in the Lord.
 
Are you having a difficult day today? Are you dealing with unsurmountable challenges? Are you carrying such a heavy burden on your shoulders?
 
I say to you that your difficulties, challenges and burdens are temporary. These things do not define who you are or where you need to go. The goodness of the Lord does. May your life space be filled with God’s goodness today and always!
 
May the love and peace of Christ guide your hearts and minds as you follow him each day. Take care, stay warm and see you in church.
 
Blessings,
 
Rev. Jennifer
This Weeks Scripture - Psalm 23
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.”
Worship With Us
Midweek Evening Prayer & Communion Service
February 24 at 7:00 p.m.
This service will be offered through ZOOM. Rev. June Tamburro will lead this prayer service and Holy Communion will be shared. 
Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

View bulletin
To join this service by phone, call 1 646 558 8656
Meeting ID: 847 8831 7528
Passcode: 815503
Sunday Online Worship Service
February 28 at 10:00 a.m.
Rev. Jennifer Cho will preach her sermon, “Bedrock or Stumbling Block?” and the scripture reading is Matthew 16:13-19, 21-23). Little Angels, Mary Beth Gruber, Foundation Singers, Karl Dietel, and Margin Alexander will present various music. 

You can view this worship service through our Facebook page or through a link on our website.
Prayer Requests
Please join us in praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are in need of prayers.

Let us share prayers of comfort for Kelly Armstrong, sister of Jerry Velmer; Scott, cousin of Linda Pauli; Seymore Grey, father of Pastor Alicia Grey; Gail and Fr. Ed Zelley and Nancy Manger.
Missions
Food Drive Donations
Thank you for donating food to our neighbors. Please bring your non-perishable/non-expired items to the church, and place them in our “Food Bank” containers.

If you would prefer, you can bring your items to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County located at 9E Easy St, Bound Brook, NJ 08805. Thank you very much.
Find Something for You and Your Family
In the Grant Dittman Memorial Library
Search the catalog online to find what wonderful books and media are in the library. Or come meet with a librarian and browse the collections together. Appointments are available on the following days:
Mornings – Tuesday and Thursday
Afternoons – Monday through Saturday

Featured Items
For Lent (Feb.17 – April 1)
Pray. Act. Pray Again, by Kathleene Card
A 40-day walk with God. This book presents versions of familiar prayers from Psalms, the Gospels, and the Epistles with commentary on how they can motivate action. They will help you respond to God's call to prayer. There is a special prayer based on the 23rd Psalm to be used every Sunday and a final meditation on the meaning of the Resurrection.
For Purim (Feb. 25 – 26)
Doing Our Part, Friends and Heroes, DVD Series, Episode 9.
The Bible comes alive for children and the whole family! It's Purim time, and while Macky and the gang act out the story of brave Queen Esther, Diana shows courage as she helps refugees through the dangerous streets of Alexandria. Through these adventures and Bible stories, kids learn the values of bravery and generosity. (In the Media Collection.)
Directions for Reserving and Picking-Up Items
Contactless curbside circulation service continues. Search the catalog to find what wonderful books and media are in the library. Send an email to the librarian listing the items that you wish to borrow. You will be notified when they are ready to be picked up at the doors to the church.
BRIDGEWATER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
651 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD • 908.526.1414
BRIDGEWATERUMC.ORG