FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK…..
Dear Church Family,
For most of life, I think we fight God. We keep trying to show Him what we were made for. We keep giving Him better ideas, we keep working for something bigger and greater than anything he seems to have in mind. For many of us, by the time we are in mid-life, we feel we somehow have missed out on some of the great things we were born for. We fight with God over this.
Like Jacob in Genesis 32:22-29 we wrestle with God and with men. We fight to become something other than who we are. In verse (26) Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” God granted Jacobs request in verse (27) when he asked him, “What is your name?” Like Jacob we struggle and fight with God until we become content with whom we are. Only then will God truly bless us.
Today I write to you, knowing God made me not to impress you. Not to be perfect or a genius. Not to make a million dollars!
God made me to be uncomplicated in my faith. To enjoy the changing of the leaves, to watch children and kites and sunsets and rainbows and enjoy them. To take your hand regardless of whom you are or how you look. To listen to you, to accept you right where you are. To love you unconditionally.
God made you and me to be real. To be honest. To be open and to strive to become our own best person.
In His Service,
Pastor Joe and Bonne
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sunday School – 8:30 AM in the Community Building
Choir Practice Every Wednesday at 4:00pm
You may reach Pastor Joe at 570-465-7303 or his cell #570-267-4570
Every Wednesday Pastor Joe will be at the church from 2-4pm if you need him.
Sunday, October 4th – World Communion Sunday
Monday, October 12th – Presbyterian Women will meet at noon. Bring your lunch.
Meeting will begin at 12:30.
Monday, October 12th – Columbus Day
Saturday, October 17th – Family Supper, 5:30 in the Community Building. Bring a dish to share.
Wednesday, October 21st – Men’s Action Group – meeting & breakfast – 8am in the
Community Building
Sunday, October 25th – Reformation Sunday
Tuesday, October 27th – Newsletter Deadline
Thank you to all who helped and donated and baked for the Rummage Sale/Bake Sale – over $1300 was made. Thank you to all who helped with the new sidewalk – it is beautiful!
Prayer Shawl Ministry – We have several shawls ready. If anyone knows of anyone in need of one, please let Carolyn White know. Also, if anyone is interested in making shawls at home and wants to donate them to this ministry, please give them to Carolyn White for distribution. Thank you!
Bill’s Kid This is a mission project to help the Children’s Home in Binghamton. The money that
we donate helps to buy Christmas presents for the residents of the home. Hopefully to make their Christmas a little more joyful. It got its name from Rev William Townsend, who is the Chaplain at the Home. Bill use to do pulpit supply here and we wanted to do something for his “kids”
The mission will run from Sun. Oct. 4th through Sun. Nov. 1st. Envelopes will be available
or you can use your regular envelope and mark it “Bill’s Kids”.
ATTENTION LADIES & GIRLS…Come join us for our Fall Gathering Celebrating
“The Sweetness of the Lord” on Saturday, October 24th from 10 to 2 pm. If possible, please bring a covered dish to pass for lunch. We will have three chocolate fountains, ( dark, milk, and white) and other sweet treats to share. Any questions please see or call Bonne at 570-465-7303.
The Women of The Franklin Hill Presbyterian Church
Dear Readers: Roger Hayden tunes our church piano as well as many others. He is a talented musician and teacher and writer of a new piano lesson book. Little did I know he was the sort of writer you will read, when you log into this website:janeupdate2015.blogspot.com His wife suffered a stroke so severe, her survival was in question, however, with great medical care at Hershey and now continuing at Allied, she is on a slow recovery road. His writing is a testimony to his faith in God and his devotion to his wife of 41 years. It is an exceptional read. You will see that he has the dates in a column on the right. Begin at the bottom so you read them in chronological order and you will soon find yourself swept along in their incredible journey. You will find it a blessing, and guide you as you pray for them and others.
Help Needed: Every fourth Friday/Saturday of each month at the First United Methodist Church in New Milford for the Feed My Sheep program. Feed My Sheep is helping to feed and clothe approximately 150 families in our area. We are a non-profit organization.
Friday from 1-5 pm; Saturday from 9-1. Please contact Linda Monteforte 570-290-4043 if you have any questions or are interested. Whatever time you might have would be greatly appreciated.
Clothing and monetary contributions would be greatly appreciated and also needed. We are looking for good, clean, used clothing. Donations can be dropped off within the church doors.
We receive items from the Weinberg Regional Food Bank each month but fill in with other items we purchase to help round out the selection for our sheep. Checks can be made out to:
First United Methodist Church, PO Box 436, 69 Pratt Street, New Milford, PA 18834. We are a 501c3 organization through the Susquehanna Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Update on Rev. Silvanus Malaho in Kenya. This past month Rev. Malaho has been focusing on getting his children, natural and adopted, into schools. He spent a lot of time and our funds to get children into schools, and then after just two days, the teachers went on strike, demanding better salaries. That meant spending time and funds to get the children back home again. Now the children are involved in planting fruits and vegetables. Last month he was in the hospital with serious Malaria outbreak. Recovery is slow and difficult but student’s education is high priority. He also invites, again, visitors, or missionaries from Franklin Hill church, to his church and village. He has repeatedly invited someone from our church to visit his village. Emmanuel, his son is hoping to enroll at Keystone college in January 2016. However, there are numerous administrative and financial hurdles to deal with. We will pray for the best outcome. And as always, he says a great abundant THANK YOU for all our support for his cause. Jim Kessler
MENS ACTION GROUP *** If anyone is in need of transportation and/or assistance for doctor or hospital appointments, please contact Bill Printz at #570-967-0858, or e-mail bjprintz@frontiernet.net
***If anyone needs visitation or for a friend, neighbor or family member, please contact Ken Post at #570-879-4219, or e-mail kpost@echoes.net OR Bill Printz at #570-967-0858 or bjprintz@frontiernet.net
***For help with small projects for church family and neighborhood, please call Pastor Joe Travis at
#570-465-7303 or email him at joetravis@live.com
Loose Change Offerings
1st Sunday – Local Missions
2nd Sunday – Local Missions
3rd Sunday – Kenya/Rev. Malaho
4th Sunday – Building Maintenance
5th Sunday – Habitat for Humanity (whenever there is a 5th Sunday)