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** Moving forward, weeks that have a Newsletter coming out, there will be NO update sent. **

A Thank You Message From Sexton John Loewen

To my John Wesley family and friends; A sincere thank you for all the cards, treats & well wishes while I was out due to illness.

Much appreciated,

John Loewen

Letter From the Pastor

“With the loving mercy of our God, a new day from heaven will shine on us. It will bring light to those who live in darkness, in the fear of death. It will guide us into the way that brings peace.” Luke 1:78-79 (ERV)

This is part of what is called the song of Zechariah. Just a few verses earlier in the chapter, eight days after Elizabeth gives birth to their son John (the Baptist), filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah breaks out in a song about the promise that God will fulfill through this son. The song is the fulfillment of a long-held prophecy that one day God would finally bring salvation to His people and allow them to live without fear. What I love most about the words of Zechariah’s song is the hope of that new day that will usher times of peace. 

That’s how I have been feeling about General Conference over the last few days, like a new time of peace is coming. That’s what I hope at least. It isn’t to say that some of the conversations that have taken place have not been difficult, or that everyone feels the same way I do. I know that’s not the case. In fact, as I observed the conversations I felt that many of the African voices during our plenary were being dismissed and suppressed. It was hard to know what to make of that. Yet, as we go through our second week of General Conference, it is my prayer that we can begin a new day as the United Methodist Church, a day of hope without fear.

Perhaps, as I’ve heard some people here say, this is a new beginning. With disaffiliations now over, we have the opportunity to start over, and chart a new path for how we want to live together. We can finally become the inclusive church some have yearn for, and go back to focusing on our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Of course, that doesn’t diminish the sadness that some of us feel as we said goodbye to some of the people we knew. Personally, Wanda and I have family who decided to leave the United Methodist Church, and it’s sad; but we are still family.

That is what this is all about. Peace doesn’t come when we make our points, stand our ground or ignore the voices of others. Peace comes when we each realize that above and beyond all of our feelings, differences and opinions, we are all a part of one family. God’s family. We are all children of a Loving God who in Jesus gave his life so that all may be saved. Although General Conference isn’t over yet, I celebrate that God is guiding us into a new way that will bring peace, hope and unconditional love to all. 

I look forward to sharing in more detail with all of you soon. 

Peace and blessings, 

Pastor Rene 

Children and Youth

The next Children, Youth and Young Adult Meeting will be on Tuesday May 2nd at 5:30pm. Please contact Amy (amyclatanoffbrown@gmail.com or 508.274.1904) or Bill with comments or questions. 

The Children, Youth and Young Adult Ministry Team is looking for additional members. We have been tasked by the 2023 Strategic Planning Committee to create more opportunities for younger people in our loving community at John Wesley. We hope to recruit members who have an open heart for the younger people in our Upper Cape community and are ready to reach out to them. 

If you would like to talk to me or Bill Dorfner, Director of Children, Youth and Young Adults please email either or both of us here: Bill's email or my email.

Amy - CYYAMT Chair  

Youth News from

the Pier

Bill Dorfner, Director of Children, Youth, and Young Adults

Spring is here which means our Summer Mission Trip is just around the corner! There are just a few spots left for our trip to Harrisburg, PA this July 28- Aug 2. We will be fundraising throughout the spring and summer to keep the costs to a minimum, so please do not hesitate to sign up due to costs. Your commitment to attend the trip is all we need to confirm your spot on the trip at this point. While in Harrisburg, PA we will be partnering with the Youthworks organization and the community of Harrisburg to work on neighborhood projects to help those areas hit hardest by decades of economic difficulty in Harrisburg. Sign up today! Mission Trip Sign-up

Here at home, we are continuing to turn our youth center into a place where our students can come and have a great time while growing in their faith. Students in grades 7-12 meet each Sunday from 5:30-7pm, and more activities and events are being planned. In today’s world of chaos, it is so important for our students to have a place of their own where they can relax, have fun, and feel safe just being who they are and where they are in life. Ongoing improvements are being made to the center, including audio/visual and lighting as well as exterior aesthetics and activities. 

Young Adult Ministry: Quest

Our young adult ministry kicked off on April 20 as we attended an amazing concert and worship experience at Agannis Arena in Boston. Chris Tomlin’s “Holy Forever World Tour” with opening group Cain was a great opportunity for us to spend time together while experience some of the best contemporary Christian music ever written and recorded. One of the best parts of attending a Chris Tomlin event is that his focus is more on leading worship than performing. So many times through the evening, he just allowed the thousands in attendance to lead the singing, which is an amazing experience!

Our young adult ministry seeks to connect those who are beyond their high school years, but not quite ready to buy that minivan! Whether you are in college, starting or just getting established in your career, single, married, or just navigating this thing called “adulting”, we want to connect you with others who are also on a quest to find out what God has in store for them in this current stage of life. 

Upcoming events include bowling, ax throwing, baseball games, kayaking, and more! Go to the Young Adult tab on our pier270.com webpage and check out our young adult ministry activities, or you can also contact Bill Dorfner at youth.jwumc@gmail.com. We would love to see you at our next event! 

Coming this Summer to JWUMC!

Take the JWUMC Summer Plunge, a VBS for Everyone, Every Age. Save the dates, as we will be hosting a church-wide VBS for four Wednesdays in July 2024. Our Theme is SCUBA - diving into friendships with God. 

This is a great opportunity for everyone in our church to build connections and new friendships with each other while also building our relationship with God. Each night will include a dinner, followed by general sessions with skits and music and age-appropriate breakout activities and lessons. 

Mark your calendars now for each Wednesday (July 10,17,24, and 31) and start talking to your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and that person who just cut in front of you at the store. ALL are welcome this summer!

Hello from your Worship Ministry Team! We appreciate all the positive responses to the Holy Week worship services. We continue to strive “to provide worship experiences that enhance love, reverence and understanding of God, encourage us to live a Christian life in today’s world and inspire a response to Christ’s commission to make disciples.”

In our latest meeting, we discussed the pros, cons, and challenges of moving our Contemporary Worship service into the chapel. Our projected date of moving the service is May 19^th which happens to be Pentecost, the traditional “birthday” of the Christian church, a time of new beginnings. We think that is appropriate!

Plans for celebrating Mother’s Day (May 12^th) and Pentecost (May 19^th) are in full swing. We hope you will be blessed by these services.

Be sure to make use of the suggestion cards located at the welcoming booth in the lobby. Suggestions may also be shared with a team member or via e-mail sent to Betty Smith: campingkat@comcast.net. We are looking at ways to implement some of the suggestions that have already been received.

You will notice the new, improved “Prayer Station” located at the back of the sanctuary. This change was sparked by one of the suggestions we received. Our focus on the importance of prayer has also been enhanced by making a change from prayer time after the service to prayer time during the last hymn. This was very meaningful when first tried on April 14^th. Details are still being worked out. Thank you, Pastor René and Karen Camp on your continued efforts.

Until next time, “Shalom, Chaverim! Peace, Friends!”

Under the leadership of Tracy Jaekel, we have set a goal to develop 24 different videos over the next year. We will soon be opening a website page where the videos will be posted for easy viewing by our parishioners and the community at large.

Please enjoy Welcome to John Wesley by clicking the link below.

HERE

Please enjoy Christmas Eve at John Wesley by clicking the link below.

HERE

On May 4^th, together with the Congregational Church in Waquoit, we will host the Boston Eastern Heritage Chorus.

The chorus will sing from 3PM-4PM. We will be serving coffee, tea and desserts after the event. We are in need of desserts. There may be more than 100 people. 30 of whom will be singing. If people could make desserts even if they do not plan on attending the event it would be appreciated. Hospitality is very important to the Asian culture. We want to welcome the singers and their guests!! The Waquoit church will also reach out to their members. Christine and Maryellen will prepare the set up with the help of those who can set up tables. We will also need help cleaning up. Tables can remain set up for coffee hour on Sunday. Also, if anyone is available to take photo’s that would be wonderful as well!!! If you do take photos kindly submit the to Lyndsey. She would like to get them on Facebook and new pictures for the directory. jwumcfalmouth@comcast.net

Also, during the months of July & August we will be doing “Coffee Hour Lite”.

That means we will serve cold drinks- iced tea, lemonade, juice, and light snacks. Mixed fruit, watermelon, strawberry short cake, cookies.

So many people are on vacation we thought we would lighten it up. If weather permits, we can serve outside or in the lobby or both for those of you who want to stay out of the sun.

Youth & Hospitality are assigned to July and Outreach Ministry has August.

Looking forward to Summer!!!

Grateful,

Christine & Maryellen

Welcome and Invitation ~ Lianne Carbone

Our team goal for now is Building an inviting place so that when they Come, they will find it easy to stay.   (Not to quote a movie line or anything). 

To that end, please use the 3 cards and white boxes that you will find at church. 

Welcome Card: for anyone new or not yet engaged in our fellowship

Suggestion Card: Anything you would like to suggest  

Prayer Requests: Please note the box is now in the sanctuary at the back wall to the right as you walk in. 

We have a good process in place for following up.

THANKS!

There are lots of ideas being worked on, including a “Welcome Back” plan for those we haven’t seen in a while, and of course the big Welcome and Information Desk for the lobby. It’ coming! You’re going to love it! By next year we’ll be ready to do lots of Inviting!

Blessings, Lianne

Men's Breakfast ~ Matt O'Connor

Hello Men of John Wesley!

Men’s Breakfast on Tuesday, May 21 at 8:30 am in Woods Hole! Our very own Rob Blomberg has been a long-time volunteer at the Woods Hole Historical Museum and has agreed to provide a walking tour of Woods Hole for our May breakfast. Unfortunately, this means breakfast won’t be served on the 21^st. However, you can grab a coffee and a “Bear Claw” at Pie in the Sky across the street to eat as we stroll the streets of Woods Hole. We’ll meet at the WH Historical Museum at 8:30 am with parking available at the Museum. The Woods Hole Historical Museum is located at 579 Woods Hole Road. If you have any questions, please contact Matt O’Connor down below.

Prayer Chain 

Our JWUMC prayer chain is a confidential prayer email chain list. The prayer requests are sent out, and the team prayer warriors are asked to pray for those requests. We generally keep them on the list for about a month unless they are requested to continue. If you are interested in joining in praying for others, contact Karen Camp at 508-737-1636 or nerakpmac13@gmail.com.

Prayer Cards

We now have prayer cards for requests for prayers with various choices of the prayer options. It’s now located on a table at the back of the church as you exit the sanctuary. The cards are picked up and distributed appropriately on Sundays and Wednesdays. They are confidential.

Prayer Team

On the second (during the last hymn) and fourth (directly after the service) Sundays of the month, there is a prayer team to pray for those who would like to have confidential prayers for themselves or others. If you are interested in joining as a prayer team member, contact Karen Camp at 508-737-1636 or nerakpmac13@gmail.com.

Greeters  

Hello! Welcome! Thanks for coming to JWUMC! Greeters are the first impression to our church. The summer schedule is currently being developed so if you are interested in being part of the welcome, contact Karen Camp 508-737-1636 or nerakpmac13@gmail.com.

Bible study

There is a book study group on Monday nights at 6 pm in the library. We are using the book, Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus by Lois Tverberg. We are doing two chapters per week from April 29 through June 17. You can order your book online. If you are interested in joining or have questions, contact Karen Camp at 508-737-1636 or nerakpmac13@gmail.com.

Card Ministry 

We have a list of birthdays of JWUMC members from years ago, but if you’ve not received a card, please add your name to the perpetual calendar on the hospitality bulletin board, if you would like to have your name listed in the newsletter and receive a card.

If you know of someone who’s ill or could use a “thinking of you” card, text Karen Camp at 508-737-1636 or email nerakpmac13@gmail.com.

Cross-Cultural Worker 

 A presentation will be coming to update some people & introduce Allison to others.

Agape

A new committee has formed to centralize and coordinate care for members. 

Our vision is a laity centered holistic mission ministry where people are equipped to serve as congregational care ministers through home/hospital/extended family facilities, death and grieving support, prayer, cards, and phone calls.

Our purpose is to provide timely, compassionate care, prayer, & member support.

The next meeting is May 29 at 1:30 at the JWUMC library.

If you are interested in joining the team, contact Linda Duane.

Library 

We are thinking about making one side of the library fiction and the other side nonfiction. If anyone is interested in helping rearrange the library and add John Wesley stickers inside, please let Karen Camp know.

Plant Sale Friday, 5/24, 9:00-6:00 & Saturday, 5/25, 9:00-2:00 - Please spread the word to your friends, family and neighbors! This is a great community event with fresh from the nursery Annual & Perennial Plants, Hanging Baskets, Herbs & Vegetables!

We are continuing to collect for the Falmouth Food Pantry. The most needed items are Apple Juice, Canned Tuna, Canned Chicken, Chicken Noodle Soup, Italian Dressing, Ranch Dressing, Ketchup and Garlic Powder (3-4 OZ).

Deuteronomy 15:11 " For the poor will never cease to be in the land: therefore I command you, saying, you shall open your hand wide unto your brother, to the poor, and to the needy".

Bonnie Valade

   I came here to visit my mouse cousin, and I was so taken with the JWUMC church that I decided to move to Cape Cod.  My cousin said I could tell you about all the wonderful observations I’ve made since I moved here. Home, sweet home!

     There are some interesting items in the fellowship hall on the back shelf mini boutique. One item looks like it could be a nice Cape Cod rental for me.

     A couple of the books were added to the church library that looked tasty enough to be a snack, but instead I just read them. May I suggest exploring all the different Bible versions. I sure was glad to see John back at work taking such great care of my new home! Look out for the prayer table at the back of the fellowship hall. I crawled around and checked out all the interesting items. The chapel repairs and upgrades have really made it a great place for me to relax and meditate. I have had a good time meeting the nice new secretary, Lyndsey & meeting Ellie, a really nice treasurer! My compliments to all of you who have been using the kitchen as I have been trying to find a little snack to nibble on with no luck. Not even the men’s breakfast left me a crumb on which to nibble. Course, I got a lot of fascinating information to nibble on for my understanding.

      Oooo! The community gardens are starting to get prepped! I will so help out by nibbling on the weeds, maybe even bring a few of my friends. In preparation for the summer Olympics, I have enjoyed jumping on and spinning around the vibrant banners in the Sunday School wing. If you would like to see some unique and intriguing items, visit with the pastor in his office. For example, on a shelf there’s a dove of peace wood carving by Roy Smith that is really impressive. Last month I tried to give blood to the monthly blood drive, but, unfortunately, I didn’t meet all the qualifications. Do you?  Did you see those two sweet, young boys helping their grandmother set up the altar one Sunday as she prepared the altar!

       On that one warm April day, I was so glad to have our old church steeple bell outside to grab some shade. It also gave me some time to read all about it in Ken Peal’s historical article/book. I so enjoy the new location of the greeter table as it’s a great perch to watch all the comings and goings of all the groups meeting in our church. I even had a friend tell me that they were noticing that our church always has cars in the parking lot. She said that it must be really busy church.

      Have a blessed month!

The Church Mouse

Birthday Wishes for May: 

Let us celebrate life among our church family. 8th~ Aline Wood ~ 21 Brian Linton ~ 25 Linda Duane ~ 26 John Geoghan~ 29 Henry Brown



It's a great thing to have a birthday, a gift from God. Please give your birthday information by recording it on the calendar on the Fellowship bulletin board.