Week of April 2, 2023

Included in this issue:

  • This Sunday is Passion/Palm and Communion Sunday!
  • April Mission of the Month is Feed My Starving Children.
  • Save the Date - RISE Against Hunger
  • Last soup supper summary from March 29; Recipes wanted!
  • Offering envelopes have ARRIVED! See below for pick up.
  • DUMC Children's Ministries Newsletter and Praise Place info
  • Baptism's from March 26, 11:11 service-see Happenings section
  • NEW Women's Bible Study - Unfiltered, Sundays 4:30-5:30pm
  • April is Earth Month! Show your support by volunteering in the Garden of Eatin' this Saturday, April 1 at 9 am.
  • 12 Hours of Prayer is on April 5
  • Note: The Church Office will be closed for the Easter holiday on Monday, April 10.
  • Letter from the Trustees - Please read below!

Letter from the Trustees

Please read the attached letter from the Board of Trustees at DUMC.


Trustees Update - Parsonage Sale

 

The Trustees have voted and the Administrative Ministry have agreed to sell the parsonage this year. 

 

Paul and Elise Georgulis have been renting the parsonage since 20187. Our original agreement with them allowed for them to have the First Right of Refusal for purchasing the home should the church decide to sell. They are interested in purchasing the parsonage.

 

At this juncture we are looking to sell the home because the costs of maintaining it have become more expensive than our budget will allow. Most Pastors and Assistant Pastors now receive a housing allowance instead of a parsonage.

 

We have contacted the Conference and begun the procedure to sell. 

 

According to the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, the funds received from the sale of the parsonage may only be used for the Senior Pastor housing allowance and Capital Improvements. 

 

Right now we are working on all of the paperwork necessary for the sale and we look forward to having a charge conference to finalize the sale. 

 

Please look for the date for the charge conference in the very near future.

Current Worship Series

SUNDAYS IN LENT:

"Jesus as the Messiah" (from the Gospel of John)

9:00 am

Contemporary Worship*

Anchor

No Fusion

Nursery

Sunday School

Wesley Class

 

  10:10 am

Liturgical Worship*

Nursery

 

11:11 am

Word & Worship*

Nursery

Kids' Word

 

  *Live broadcast

For links: DoylestownUMC.com

Holy Week:


February 26 - The Messiah who chooses his disciples


March 5

The Messiah who rescues humanity


March 12 – The Messiah who breaks walls and builds bridges


March 19 – The Messiah who brings sight to the blind


March 26 – The Messiah who raises the dead


Communion Sunday 

April 2 (Passion / Palm Sunday) – Dramatic reading of the Passion from John’s Gospel



April 9 (Easter) – The Messiah who rose from the dead




HOLY WEEK

Thursday, April 6

Holy Thursday Drama

with Communion

(in person only)

7:00 pm

Friday, April 7

Good Friday Service

(in person only)

7:00 pm

April 9

Easter Sunday


The Messiah who

rose from the dead


9:00 / 10:10 / 11:11


There will be an early morning

Easter Celebration

in the outdoor chapel at

7:30 am (weather permitting).

View our website for more Lent & Easter information

Recent Worship Statistics & Happenings

Thank you to all who worship with us in person and online!



In-person attendance for March 26: 264

Online views: 444*



*Online numbers represent the number of views (or households), not the number of individuals watching. This number also includes children in Sunday School/Anchor and Kid's Word.

God's Garden of Eatin'!


Help is needed with spreading soil on

This Saturday, April 1 at 9 am.

*Please note corrected date

 

Please contact Barb Rocca if you are interested in participating in this outreach ministry. 

Community Easter Egg Hunt


Joe and Kathy Fluehr cordially invite all children, ages 0-10, to a FREE Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Bunny Sighting this Sunday, April 2 at 1:30 pm at the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home – Route 202 and Sandy Ridge Road. Rain or Shine!

2023 OFFERING ENVELOPE UPDATE:


2023 Offering Envelopes have ARRIVED!

They are available for pick up in the Lobby at your convenience. Please let the office know if you no longer need envelopes or if you don’t see a box with your name and need one.


Thank you for your patience...and for your faithful giving!

Joyous News

Baptisms

 

The rite of Holy Baptism was celebrated at the 11:11 Service on March 26, when 

Brandt William and Violet Rose Kreuter, children of Michael and Breanne (Hoekstra) Kreuter were baptized by Pastor Sunil. 

 

Click here to view the video of the Baptisms.

DUMC Community Corner-What it can be?


Do you have something that you want to share with the church and the community? A story, quote, joke, verse, scripture, or happy news within your life? We want you to be a part of our newsletter!


Please send in your information to noel@doylestownUMC.com by noon on Mondays and we'll enter it in the upcoming week's newsletter.

Ministry News

Wendy Arnott, Director

WArnott@DoylestownUMC.com

Laura Siegle, Assistant Director

LSiegle@DoylestownUMC.com

DUMC Children’s Ministries Newsletter

 

This week we introduced our 1st Children’s Ministries Newsletter. This newsletter will replace the Sunday school email that was sent weekly.

 

If you did not receive the newsletter and would like to, contact Wendy at WArnott@Doylestownumc.com

NURSERY CARE


Our Nursery care is available for children, 0-5 years of age on Sundays. Nursery hours are 8:50 am - 12:15 pm. The Nursery staff and volunteers are “Safe Sanctuary” certified and have completed all relevant background checks. REGISTER HERE! Registration only needs to be completed once. For more details contact Wendy at:

WArnott@Doylestownumc.com


Does your child have some good news to share? Let us know by clicking here and we will give them a shout out!


For more information contact Wendy

Do you love the great outdoors?

Would you like to share your love

of God with children? We are looking for adults (18+) to join DUMC at Pocono Plateau July 9 - 15 as a camp counselor! 


Contact Wendy for more details at WArnott@Doylestownumc.com.

DUMC Week at Pocono Plateau

July 9 - 15

 Into The Wild (4th - 7th grade)


Run into the wild to find new and unique experiences, as we introduce you to fun activities both individually and in a team

setting. Each camper will discover ideas and activities that challenge their personal capabilities and strengths. Campers will

experience God through community, recreation, and bible study. They will also learn about wilderness survival skills like building a campfire, creating a lean-to shelter, in addition to identifying poisonous plants and snakes. Perfect for the camper who loves exploring outdoors! Activities include climbing tower, boating, swimming,

archery, slingshot, nature exploration, and campfire cooking. Evenings include campfires and games!

Visit Poconoplateau.org to register.

 

Scholarships available.

Contact Wendy Arnott for more details.

Learn more about Children's Ministry

For more information

about Student Ministries,

please contact Pastor Paul PGeorgulis@doylestownumc.com

267-245-7874

Elevation

Sunday, April 2

6:00 - 7:30 pm

 

Join us this Sunday at Elevation as we begin a two-part series that will walk us through Jesus’ final week by hearing eyewitness accounts from those who were closest to Him. We will be enlisting the help of our friends, The Skit Guys, to walk us through this journey.

 

We will also be playing an interactive group game, eating food, watching our always hilarious Stupid Video of the Week, and having small group discussions.

 

Hope to see you there!

 

For more information, contact Pastor Paul: PGeorgulis@DoylestownUMC.com or 267-245-7874

Click here for DUMC Student Ministries 2022-2023 Calendar.

Learn more about Student Ministries

For more information about Grief Share and other programs of Caring Ministries, please click the link below or contact Becky Van Dine:

 

Email: Becky Van Dine

Phone: 215-813-7436

Thursday nights

7:00 - 9:00 pm

Room 2

 

Click here for more info!

Learn more about Caring Ministries

Feature Articles

From the desk

of Pastor Sunil


Dear Friends

 

“God weeps with us so that we may someday laugh with him” (Jurgen Moltmann, German theologian). This beautifully sums up what Jesus did for us as we look at Good Friday to Easter. In fact that is precisely how God wants us to see history – past, present, future – through His eyes, now that Jesus came and died for us, and rose to life to give us hope and a future.


Read more...

Lay Leader Insights:

The Positive Power of Every Word

by Alita Reynolds


"Words are powerful! We have all experienced the positive and negative effects of so-called “mere” words.

Need some proof of the power of words? The world - heaven, earth, humans, and animals - came into existence by our Creator with God’s words. 

We enter into the presence of God with words.  God’s voice, His words, keep us ready and alert to listen to Him.Think of the POWER of His Words!


Read more...

April Mission of the Month:

Feed My Starving Children

Every year, millions of children die from preventable causes such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria and undernutrition. Hunger is still causing nearly half of deaths in children under 5 years old. From this data, we estimate at least 6,200 children die each day from causes related to undernutrition. This is heartbreaking. 


Read more...

Donate to Mission of the Month

Advanced Planning Notice: 

The Annual DUMC Rise Against Hunger Meal Packing Event is moving

from July to October


8 am until approximately 2 pm (in 1 hour shifts)

 

Mark your calendar for the Friday, October 20, 2023 Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meal-packing event.


Get Involved – Make a Difference – Change the World

Prayer Corner

Praying for our Congregation,

Community, and World


Praise: Baptism of Violet & Brandt, good friends, Spring flowers

 

Health & Healing: Betty, Diane, Dino, Irene, Jack, Roy, a son, Rob's wife, Corrine, Maya, Regan, Dori, Danielle, Mary, Tracey, a friend, Carol, Danny, Jimmy, Cal, Rob, Bill, Jean, Karen, Paul, Charlene, Beverly, Elizabeth, Mary, Kathy, Norma, Joe, Morgan, Lindsey, Jason, Ed, Joanna, Beth, Nancy

 

Life Struggles: Zachary, a friend, Reconciliation & healing, HS Srs, our borders, Ambre, Chris, Ed, David, Julie, Carolyn, Ukraine, Turkey/Syria, MI, those serving abroad, those without faith, mass shooting at a christian school, Reading factory explosion

 

Hospice: Jim, Jamie, Dave, Leslie

 

Grief: Family & friends of Dominic Testani and Glean Price (Mother of Bob Price); Moran & Doh families 

 

"Generous persons will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25

 

~Laurie Lewis and the Congregational Care Team

 

CLICK HERE to submit your prayers and praises! 

Our Next 12 Hours of Prayer:

Wednesday, April 5

6:00 am to 6:00 pm

 

Sign up now to tap into the power of prayer...linked to your DUMC sisters and brothers! Let's cover the ministry in a solid twelve hours--and see what God wants to do in, through, and among you!

Sign up here!

Opportunities to Serve and Engage

Next Caring for Friends food packing event:


Wednesday, April 19, 12:30 pm

in the DUMC kitchen. Click here for more details.

March 29 (Week 5)

Lenten Soup Supper

THANK YOU!


A BIG Thank You to Karen Condit and Cindy Biehl for coordinating the soup suppers. The return of this tradition has been a real blessing! Thank you to all of the volunteers who set up, prepared soups and desserts, packed up leftovers and helped clean up! This week 70 people attended, 9 soups were donated, and $211.04 was collected for The Vine with an overdall total of $1224.61 to purchase tents for an Outreach partner! Please click the button below to donate electronically through Realm if you want to support The Vine.

Donate to The Vine

RECIPES WANTED!


The Congregational Care Ministry would like to create a recipe book, filled with the delicious recipes from the Lenten soup suppers. If you have provided a soup and would like to participate, please drop off a copy of your recipes to the recipe box in the lobby -OR-

you can email Cindy Biehl or Karen Condit

Blood Drive


Doylestown United

Methodist Church

Overholt Hall

320 E. Swamp Road (Route 313)

Doylestown, PA 18901

Tuesday, April 25

3:00 - 8:00 pm


Click below or

call 1-800-RED-CROSS

Click icon above for what to do before, during and after donating blood.

Schedule an Appointment

UNFILTERED


Unfiltered is our NEW weekly women’s Bible study, focusing on the modern struggles and joys of being a Christian, and overall adulting. Together we will take an unfiltered look into the women of the Bible and finding peace in the world around us. Starting next week we will begin exploring-


Grace: A Bible Study on Ephesians for Women

by Keri Folmar



Unfiltered meets Sundays from 4:30-5:30 pm

For more information, please contact Wendy Arnott at WArnott@Doylestownumc.com

Reflections Womens'

Bible Study

Tuesdays, 7:00 - 9:00 pm


"The Chosen Season 2"; April 11 - April 25 in Room 2 (in person only).

Sunday Night Bible Study

for Women

Sundays, 6:30 - 8:30 pm


"31 Verses to Write on Your Heart" by Liz Curtis Higgs; runs until April 2 in Room 22. 

Click on the images below for more information.

We are in need of coffee volunteeers!

For even more ways to get involved at DUMC:

The Preschool at DUMC

   Visit our Website  

In Case You Missed It....

"Living In The Overflow"

Sounds of Faith

"Ah Dearest Jesus"

Eva Houtlon, Cello and Randall Hartman, Organ

"I See Grace"

Power of Grace

Coming Up....

-Good Stuff Thrift DUMC Spring Collection Drive: Sat. April 22, 9 am - 12 pm

-Spring Clean up day: Saturday, April 29 from 9 am - 12 pm

-Philadelphia Bronze Handbell Choir Recital: Saturday, April 29 at 4 pm

-Childrens' Spring Musical: Saturday, May 6 & Sunday, May 7

-Feed My Starving Children Food Pack: Friday-Sunday May 19-21

-Confirmation Sunday, May 21 at 9 am


For a detailed calendar of

what's coming up

in the next four weeks,

Click here!


Your event isn't listed? Need to reserve a room?

Please call (215) 348-5224 or

email Cindy Betancourt.

 

Missed something in the last edition of Connections? Click here!

Want to connect with a staff member?

Please feel free to call or email us!

Pastor Sunil Balasundaram, Senior Pastor

Pastor Paul Georgulis, Assistant Pastor

John Bechtel, Business Administrator

Cindy Betancourt, Receptionist

Noel de la Pena, Office Manager

Wendy Arnott, Dir. of Children's Min

Laura Siegle, Asst Dir of Children's Min

Kristian Frikke-Schmidt, Contemp. Worship Ldr

Laurie Lewis, Lay Leader/Min of Visitation

Temple Sieger, 11:11 Worship Leader

Diana Durbin, Director-Adult Bells

Jane Gregoire, Director-Youth Bells

Stephanie Hume, Director of Music

Randall Hartman, Organist

Kristen Bound, Social Media Coordinator

Ethan Luginbuhl, ProPresenter Tech (not shown)

Scott Shead, Live Streaming Technician

Trevor Foster, AVL Technical Coord

Ken Buckner, Wknd Bldg Spct (not shown)

Mark Charles, Evening Building Specialist

Sean Smith, Facilities Manager

Call us - phone: 215-348-5224 (phones are answered M-F, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm)

Click Here for Staff In-Office Schedule

 

To schedule facilities, please contact Cindy Betancourt.

 

Email submissions for Connections 

to Noel@DoylestownUMC.com

by 12:00 pm on Monday

Connect With Us

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Prayer Requests

Questions? Email Us

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Doylestown United Methodist Church

 

320 East Swamp Road

Doylestown, PA 18901

 

Main number:

215-348-5224

 

Worship Service Hotline:

267-245-7870

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