THE MESSENGER
The Newsletter of the Lake Winola United Methodist Church
Pastor Gay Irwin January/February 2017
570-378-2535 (home) 570-309-5547 (cell)
e-mail:
570-378-2806 (church office) e-mail:
Church location: 326 Maple Dr. Lake Winola
Pastor’s Page
Happy New Year!
Blessings to each of you as we open the pages to a brand new year! God is GOOD. 2016 is behind us and the coming year is full of promise. Our God never fails and we can count on His goodness and grace, no matter what challenges we meet along the way.
Each New Year seems to challenge us to improve ourselves, to start doing some things that we’ve neglected to do, to add a little discipline in areas where we’ve slacked off, and to learn a little more about specific subjects or topics that we realize would be good for us. We can call it self-help or self improvement, but I’d simply like to consider it a plan for growth or maturity. One word that describes it best is discipline and as Christians we are being prepared to be God’s disciples. In Hebrews 12 we are taught about life’s lessons and how we, as Christians, can correctly approach and accept them. We are taught…
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,[a]and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of[b] the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners,[c] so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children—“My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him 6 for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.” 7 Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? 8 If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. 9 Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. 11 Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
Discipline is God’s way of showing that He cares for us and is with us in the midst of our challenges. Thankfully, discipline is not something that crowds out our joy or our hope. Instead, we should be giving thanks and appreciate the growth that we witness as we reflect on our past experiences. My prayer for each and every one is that we rejoice in the goodness and grace of God and witness first-hand how God’s love is reflected in our lives. God Bless You in all your pursuits in this coming year!
With the New Year comes lots of planning and that means meetings. Please check the church activity calendar to stay updated on the activities that apply to you and your family. Are you new to a Committee or Council of the church? Don’t miss out on any of the upcoming meetings. Thank you for your kind support and willingness to participate in our church activities. Our success depends on all of us!
With Love and Prayers as we move forward into the blessings of the New Year,
Pastor Gay
Contents
Message from Pastor Gay Irwin
Church in Action
Sunday School
Memorial Fund
Flower Sign-up – bulletin board
Chili Cook-off
Men’s Venison Diner
Soup Dinner
Prayer concerns
Our Church in Mission
Music On the Lawn
Clothing Ministry – on going
Ugly Quilts – on going
Food Pantry – on going
Aluminum Can Recycling – on going
Church Activity Calendar
Sunday School
The holiday season was an active time for the Sunday School. The students worked hard to create costumes, practice parts, learn the song and put on the service for the church. I want to thank all of the students and their families for their support of our Christmas program. We hope that it added to the joy of the congregation's Christmas celebrations. We continue to meet each week. The younger class has been learning about different people in the Bible like Queen Esther, Paul, Moses etc and how their actions showed God at work in their lives and how he works in us too. The older students are also meeting and continue in discussing their lessons as well. We are happy that many of the Sunday School Students have taken part in helping in the Sunday service and look forward to seeing more in the future
Memorial Fund
Memorial has been established Margaret “Peggy” Kresge
If you would like to make a memorial contribution for anyone, please make check out to Lake Winola United Methodist Church Memorial Fund and mail to the church at LWUMC, PO Box 400, Lake Winola, PA 18625.
Flower donations are needed to place on the altar on Sunday mornings. If you have flowers in your garden please consider signing up in honor, of or in memory of, or even to Glorify God for what he has given you.
If you are placing flowers for a special occasion please pick a date and write on the Flower Calendar or contact the Church Office and let Barb know the details. Thank you.
Chili Cook-off
A chili Cook-off will be held on January 28th from 4:30 – 6:30. Make a pot of Chili, Cornbread, Cupcakes or Cookies and come eat with us. You don’t have to cook and the meal is free. Judge the Chili and enjoy the fellowship.
37th Annual Men’s Venison Dinner
Friday, February 3rd, 2017 at the Lake Winola United Methodist Church
Dinner starts at 6:00PM sharp, program to follow ---- History of Ricketts Glen
Open to men and boys of the community
Bring something to share
Any questions, call David McGovern @570-378-2950, after 5:30PM
Super Soup Supper
Saturday, March 4th, 2017 5:00 to 7:00 pm
Lake Winola United Methodist Church
326 Maple Drive, Mill City, PA
Different soups, salad, bread, beverage & dessert will be available.
Come sample all the soups offered.
Free will offering accepted.
Our Church in Mission
Music on the Lawn - 2017
The Music on the Lawn Committee is getting ready to start the planning for our 9th annual Music on the Lawn event to be held on Saturday, August 26, 2017.
As the event grows we are always looking for new people to be part of the committee. The committee has lots of wonderful ideas, but sometimes we have to put those ideas aside because we sometimes don’t have the people to help support these ideas. I pray that God might lead you to our committee meetings to help us grow this event and make it stronger. I pray for guidance for myself and the committee to keep growing this event and to keep helping the mission that it stands for.
Our first committee meeting for this year’s event will be on Tuesday, February, 28th at 7:00 in the meeting room of the Lake Winola church. I hope to see you there.
As always I thank the people of the Lake Winola and Falls United Methodist Churches for your continued support in this mission project of the church.
Please watch the bulletin and upcoming newsletters for more information.
Thank you and God Bless,
Mark Frear
Music on the Lawn Chairperson
January Activities
January 15th / Sunday Night of Prayer – St. Mary’s of the Lake at 6:00PMJanuary 16th / Bible Study – 6:30PM at the Parsonage
January 17th / Administrative Council - 7:00PM
January 18th / Prayer Meeting - 7:00PM
January 19th / Clothing Room open – 9:00AM
Food Pantry open – 9:00AM
Ugly Quilts – 9:00AM
Bible Study – 12:30PM
Choir - 6:45PM
January 21st / Emmaus – 9:00-11:00AM
January 23rd / Staff/Parish Relations Committee – 6:30PM LWUMC
January 24th / Joint Board Meeting – 7:00PM LWUMC
January 25th / Prayer Meeting – 7:00PM
January 26th / Ugly Quilts – 9:00AM
Bible Study – 12:30PM
Choir – 6:45PM
January 28th / Chili Cook Off and dinner – 4:30-6:30PM
January 29th / Worship, Food & Fellowship – 4:00PM Sr. Center Community Room
January 30th / Mission Monday – 6:30PM
Bible Study – 6:30PM at the Parsonage
January 31st / Finance Committee Meeting – 7:00PM
February Activities
February 1st / Prayer Meeting – 7:00PMFebruary 2nd / Clothing Room open – 9:00AM
Food Pantry open – 9:00AM
Ugly Quilts – 9:00AM
Bible Study – 12:30PM
Choir – 6:45PM
February 3rd / Venison Dinner – 6:00PM History of Rickettes Glen
February 6th / Bible Study – 6:30PM at the Parsonage
February 7th / United Methodist Women – 7:00PM at the Senior Center Community Room
February 8th / Prayer Meeting – 7:00PM
February 9th / Ugly Quilts – 9:00AM
Bible Study – 12:30PM
Worship Committee Meeting – 6:00PM
Choir – 6:45PM
February 13th / Bible Study – 6:30PM at the Parsonage
February 15th / Prayer Meeting – 7:00PM
February 16th / Clothing Room open – 9:00AM
Food Pantry open – 9:00AM
Ugly Quilts – 9:00AM
Bible Study – 12:30PM
Choir – 6:45PM
February 18th / Emmaus – 9:00-11:00AM
February 20th / Bible Study – 6:30PM at the Parsonge
February 23rd / Ugly Quilts – 9:00AM
Bible Study – 12:30PM
Choir – 6:45PM
February 26th / Worship, Food, & Fellowship – 4:00PM Sr. Center Community Room
February 27th / Mission Monday – 6:30PM
Staff/Parish Relations Committee – 6:30PM
February 28th / Music on the Lawn Committee Meeting – 7:00PM
March Activities
March 1st / Ash WednesdayMarch 2nd / Clothing Room open – 9:00AM
Food Pantry open – 9:00AM
Ugly Quilts – 9:00AM
Bible Study – 12:30PM
Choir – 6:45PM
March 4th / Soup Dinner – 5:00 – 7:00PM
March 5th / Scout Sunday
March 6th / Bible Study – 6:30PM at the Parsonage
March 7th / United Methodist Woman – 7:00PM at the Sr. Center
Prayer Concerns
Long Term Illness:
Dottie Konopotski / Paul Williams / Barbara CarpenterLillian Rayno / Anne Hermes / Charlotte Frisco
Elijah Sabo / Aiden Holman / Julie Gilmer
Ernie Hunt / Fran Phillips / Lois Fritsch
Robert Reese / Skip & Mary Janet Heise
Home Bound:
Naomi Kresge / Lorriane Clark / Jean Keeler
Joan Schlacter
Assisted Living:
Faith DixonBernie Swierczynski June Biscus
Electronic Giving
The Finance Committee would like to remind everyone that our church offers Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
for our congregation. EFT is provided as an additional option for giving. Electronic Funds Transfer allows our church members to contribute electronically from their checking or savings accounts directly to the church bank account on a steady and uninterrupted basis.
As one who is enrolled in EFT, I can say it is an easy and consistent way of giving. Our service is run through Vanco Financial Solutions. Anyone interested in more information or an application on this, please see me at church or call me at (570) 291-2049.
Yours in Christ, Linda Duggan Church Treasurer