Please know our church and facilities remain closed due to the attempt at physical distancing to curb COVID-19.
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460 Main Street
Chatham, NJ-(973) 635-7740
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New Information this Week from our Pastor
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Special Charge Conference Meeting
May 28, 2020 at 5:30PM
Friends,
I would like to share some good news.
I am so grateful for
Nick Sfiris, (Finance Chairperson),
Tom Belding (Finance Secretary),
Ana Wahidy (Finance Manager), and
Hal Burlingame (Finance Committee Member and Co-Lay Leader) who worked quickly and wisely in submitting our application for the Payroll Protection Plan back in April. This is part of the 2 Trillion dollar federal stimulus package. We were awarded a loan for
$141,910 given by TD Bank which we expect to become a grant after we meet the criteria of using this money to support our payroll. This includes the payroll for the Chatham UMC and the Chatham Methodist Preschool staff. All United Methodist Churches that have received PPP loans/grants, as a matter of protocol, need to announce and hold a Charge Conference meeting with the only agenda item being to vote on receiving the loan/grant.
On
Thursday, May 28 at 5:30PM we will have a
Charge Conference meeting at which every member of the Church Council has voice and vote.
If any in the congregation would like to be a part of the zoom meeting, please email
revjmarkay@earthlink.net.
I am also grateful for the continued generosity of so many members of the Chatham UMC, who have mailed in checks, arranged payments through their bank accounts, and contributed through our website. In these difficult times, your collective generosity is a profound witness to the Spirit and to trust.
with love, with prayer, and with trust,
Jeff
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Friends,
Jesus cared about hungry people. When the overwhelming crowds assembled to hear him preach, unable to access food, he told his disciples: “You give them something to eat.” He also let his disciples in on an incarnational mystery, when we feed hungry people, we are actually feeding the Christ himself.
Food insecurity is growing in the greater Chatham community. Our church and the greater community have been generous in supporting the pop up food pantry located in front of our sanctuary. Additional opportunities to find assistance and to help each other are growing. We are creating ways to support these local efforts.
At this time, we have established the
CUMC Covid Relief Fund. By donating to this fund, our CUMC family can provide united and confidential aid to local endeavors. One such effort we are initially supporting with this fund is the purchase of $25 gift cards to ShopRite for "Chatham Weekend Meals". These cards are intended for our school children and families who are dealing with food insecurity. We are in communication with the School District, town Council Members, Boxcar, and "Helping Hands" (Chatham Weekend Meals)to distribute gift cards and seek additional resources for this growing list of families. This will be done with great respect and sensitivity by Pastor Jeff and other leaders in the Chatham community who are working together to get food to hungry people.
Checks can be made payable to Chatham UMC, and write in the memo line:
CUMC Covid Relief Fund.
CUMC members can also pay by via an online donation by clicking
Donate on our website and
selecting the
“CUMC COVID Relief Fund”
option.
Thanks in advance for your gracious generosity.
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We Remember in our Prayers...
Let us keep the
Rosnowski Family in our prayers as they grieve the death of Rob’s mother:
Stanislawa Z. Rosnowski, M.D.
Cards of love and support can be sent to:
Rob and Suzanne Rosnowski
15 Joanna Way - Chatham NJ 07928
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Looking for
The Upper Room
?
We have always offered the publication
The Upper Room on our Information Ledge near the church office. If you are looking for a copy, please know that we now have them available in the alcove at the back door entrance. Additionally, d
uring this time of anxiety and isolation
The Upper Room
wants to make it as easy as possible for people to find resources to support spiritual health. They are doing so by
offering the May/June 2020 issue, both in English and Spanish, as a free, downloadable PDF.
The Upper Room
also has created a webpage featuring resources to help create and maintain spiritual wellness during anxious times.
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Thank You for the Face Masks!
We are so grateful for those of you that took time to sew and/or donate Face Masks for Donald Underhill.
At this time, Donald and his colleagues have received enough face masks to ensure their safety.
We are not seeking additional donations at this time. Thank you again for your generosity in this time of need.
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Birthday Wishes are Welcome!
The Wilcox Family would like to invite those who know
Dave Wilcox to send him a letter or card for his birthday on
May 17
th.
Dave and Peggy have been faithful members of Chatham UMC for a very long time. His address can be found at:
David Wilcox c/o Abigail Dankert
Brookdale Senior Living
8 James Street Florham Park, NJ. 07932
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ALERT! NEW DEADLINE of June 2
nd
Celebrate Class of 2020
Do you have a loved one who is scheduled to graduate this spring? Although many ceremonies have been cancelled or postponed this year, we would like to recognize and honor your graduate. If you are graduating or have a loved one that is graduating from Middle School level or above, please let us know.
Please include
: the individual's name, from where they are graduating, if their studies are continuing, and the name of the next school they will be attending.
Information must be received no later than Tuesday, June 2
nd.
A special graduate insert will be included as a link in the Weekly Enews for Father's Day weekend as well as in our online worship experience for that weekend.
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Thursday, May 14
th
Did you miss our
Prayers Live @5 on Facebook last night? Don't worry. You can
rewatch by clicking here. You don't need to be on Facebook to rewatch this link. If you would like to participate this coming
Wednesday, May20
th on Facebook or you would like to submit a prayer request, see the information below for
Wednesday, May20
th
.
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Sunday, May 17
th
Our worship service will be posted on Facebook, YouTube,
and our Website by Saturday morning.
We hope you will worship with us, and share the links with those who have no church or cannot worship at their church during this time.
Sunday Zoom “Virtual Coffee & Conversation”
Join Us at 10:00am by clicking image below:
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Meeting ID:
680 233 812
Password:
015665
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Prayers Live at Five on Facebook
All are invited to tune into a brief Facebook Live event on
Wednesdays at 5:00 pm
. We will be lifting up some prayer practices that might be helpful as we navigate this new landscape. If you have prayer requests that you would like lifted up, you can type them into the comments section of the FB Live event or you can
email them to Pastor Jeff at
revjmarkay@earthlink.net
These Wednesday Prayers videos will be stored on our Chatham UMC Facebook page for those who are unable to participate on Wednesdays at 5PM.
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Sunday's Worship
:
Look for Pastor Sharon’s message for children on the worship video!
Sheets for readers and non-readers are available below for you to print at home!
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T
he Zoom Log-In for the following meet ups are the same each week but it will be emailed again on Saturday. Email Karen at
youthchatumc@optonline.net
or text 973.908.4474 if you'd like to be added to this email list.
Sunday School Kids
(PreK-3
rd
grade):
meet online Sunday morning at 9:30am
.This Sunday’s theme: UNEXPECTED. Is there a better word to describe God? As we explore the story of Paul, Silas, and the Earthquake (Acts 16:16-34) we’ll get a few surprises and learn how God shows up in our lives in unexpected ways. We’ll also get creative and see how singing can help us feel better when we’re upset or worried.
Submerge Class
(4
th
-7
th
graders):
meet online Sunday morning at 10:30am.
This week’s theme: INSIDERS/OUTSIDERS-VISIONS & SURPRISES and our story is from Acts 10:1-48– have a Bible handy! The conversion of Cornelius (and you could say Peter, too) will challenge us to consider how we can be set apart for God’s service without setting up a barrier between ourselves and the people we are called to love and serve
Submerge / Tween Time:
T
hursdays at 4:00pm on Zoom.
Time to hang out, play some games, connect and help each other thru this time of social distancing.
Confirmation Class:
meet online at 11:00am
.
We’ll turn things around this Sunday and have the confirmands ask the questions of the leaders! Ron says think of some good ones – questions about Christian attitudes, Methodism, ethics, or what the teachers believe.
High School Discussion Group:
will meet Sunday at 1:30pm on Zoom. This week’s topic: Seminarian Surprise!
Youth Group Hangouts: Thursdays at 5:30pm on Zoom for High Schoolers, Confirmands, RISE team.
Virtual VBC is in the works!
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This
Saturday, May 16
th
at 11:00 a.m. the Chatham UMC
Ukulele Orchestra will host an online sing and play-a-long!
The
Covenant Choir is starting work on their first virtual choir project! The Choir will be singing Tim Oseik’s
Like A River In My Soul. All singing friends are invited to participate;
for more information contact music director, Peter Hill at
petepiano@mac.com.
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All are invited to
Wednesday Prayers via Facebook Live at 5PM.
This will be done every Wednesday for the foreseeable future.
If you have people and situations that you would like lifted up in prayer, please email them to:
revjmarkay@earthlink.net
and indicate whether you want the prayers to be confidential, or shared with the greater Chatham UMC community.
You are invited to hear Pastor Jeff tell the story of an anxious drive to the hospital for his son Matthew’s birth 20 years ago, as well as participate in some contemplative practices and prayer by clicking on the link to our Chatham UMC Facebook page:
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A Time of Guided Meditation and Prayer…
Prayers lifted on May 13, 2020
For those who want to join hundreds of others who have been praying for the following people and situations, keep reading, and thank you.
- Wendy, a single mom, who has recently suffered a debilitating foot injury while moving from Chatham into a new home in FL to be near her aging parents. She is struggling trying to take care of two (older) children - one of which suffers from mental illness and severe anxiety (accentuated by the pandemic). Prayers for their family as they care for each other. (Annie)
- Prayers of thanks and joy for both Tom D and Tom G. Tom D has recovered from Covid19 and is home getting stronger by the day. Tom G remains in the rehab center - tested positive for Covid19 but is stable. (Annie)
- For a baby who is recovering from a procedure today.
- For those who are food insecure,
- For those responding with generosity and sensitivity, Brian, Edit, Annie, Carolyn, Len, Joann and countless others.
- For my Afgan friends and their families, they live in Kabul and Nangahar
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The scriptures and prayers that are being shared this week are below:
Scripture:
Psalm 103:1 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
A prayer that can be prayed over the phone, with a text, or in our daily prayers:
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads us through this time of unknown.
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads us through this season of lament.
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads us into life.
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Volunteers are always needed for Ministry Outreach within CUMC
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Bread Ministry
:
If you would like to be involved in our Bread Ministry, please contact
Edit Ostrom
at:
nyuszi@mac.com
or
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Pop Up Outdoor Food Pantry
Take what you need or leave what you can.
A second shelving unit has been added to accommodate growing local need and pantry item contributions.
We are also grateful for the greater Chatham and Madison Community who have contributed to this new expression of care.
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Communities of Care Chatham UMC has recently set up
Communities of Care for those who wish to receive a call, a text or an email from someone at the Chatham UMC community.
If you would like to be in such a group,
please email the church office by clicking here.
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OPPORTUNITY FOR ONLINE LITURGISTS!
We’re reaching out to all church members for pre-recorded Gospel readings. We've created easy to follow instructions- just grab your cell phone and click below!
(Please remember to film Sunday’s Gospel message by the previous Tuesday!)
- Click Here for instructions
- Click Here to Sign Up for Your Slot Please note that dates are listed as Tuesdays on our Sign Up Genius because recordings are due on Tuesday.
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Seeking Resources/How to Help
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We offer links to resources you may need to help you or your loved ones through this trying time. Because CUMC has always been a loving community of dedicated ministry, we know you are also seeking ways to give back to those in need.
If there is a resource you would like to add,
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All submissions for next week's CUMC Weekly E-news are due to Eileen Ruggiero by Tuesdays, 2:00 PM Submissions may be emailed to
chatumc@optonline.net
.
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460 Main Street
Chatham, NJ-(973) 635-7740
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See what's happening on our social sites:
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