e-newsletter 013119

The Moscow United Methodist Church 126 Church Street Moscow United Methodist Church Moscow, PA 18444 Office: 570 842-7251 Email [email protected] Website www.moscowumc.com e-newsletter January 31th, 2019 THE MISSON OF THE In This Newsletter UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IS TO MAKE Welcome New Members DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST Scholarship for College Russian New Year FOR THE Book Club TRANFORMATION OF THE Prescription Bottle Program Fresh Expressions WORLD Our Way Forward Charge Conference Minutes Our vision AD Council Minutes is to reach Stewardship Update new people Midwinter Prayer for Jesus Christ 1. Meet our Newest Members:

Traci and Tom joined our Moscow UMC family on Sunday, January 20, 2019, through reaffirmation of their faith. Traci and Tom were married at Moscow UMC 26 years ago and have continued a close connection to our church through Laurie Johnson (Traci’s sister) and Lynn Reese (Traci’s mom). Tom and Traci Greening 115 Bowens Road Spring Brook PA 18444 (570) 510-4263 (Traci) (570) 510-4262 (Tom) [email protected] Jennifer Scott began January 1, 2019 as Moscow UMC’s new musical director and accompanist on both piano and organ. Jennifer received her musical training at Wilkes University and has a wealth of experience in sacred music performance and choral conducting. She is currently a music teacher in the East Stroudsburg School District. Moscow UMC’s adult and children’s choirs are enjoying working with her as she settles in and our congregants are enjoying her weekly playing in worship. Welcome Jennifer!

MUMC’s August and Melba Fleckenstein Scholarship Thanks to the generosity of the Fleckenstein Family, Moscow UMC is pleased to announce applications for the 2019 August and Melba Fleckenstein Memorial Scholarship are open. This scholarship is for active Moscow UMC high school seniors applying to a trade or vocational college or school for higher education. Ian Hipps on viola, Mia Beviglia on piano and Daniel Jaggers on clarinet Music in Moscow celebrates Russian New Year’s Eve at Moscow United Methodist Church On Saturday, January 12, 2019, the North Pocono Cultural Society presented a special performance of Music in Moscow at Moscow United Methodist Church to celebrate Russian New Year. The concert was titled, Homegrown Chamber Music, and featured local musicians: Ian Hipps on viola, Mia Beviglia on piano, and Daniel Jaggers on clarinet. The three musicians’ showed considerable talent and expertise playing a variety of classical and modern music which showcased their instruments. Bravo!

Thursday, Feb. 7, 2018, 6 pm Thursday, March 7, 2018, 6 pm Manhunt: The 12-day chase Little Women & Little Men For Lincoln’s Killer (nonfiction) By By Louisa May Alcott 150 year anniversary James L. Swanson MUMC’s 2019 Book Discussions All Welcome !! Call 570-842-7251 for more information UPDATE ON OUR PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE COLLECTION Thank you to everyone who continues to contribute prescription medicine bottles to the Matthew 25 Ministries Project. A shipment of 1,278 bottles was sent on January 21, 2019. We started collecting in March 2017 and our first shipment went out in May, 2017. To date, including this January shipment, we have sent 11,176 bottles to be used for medicine distribution in third world countries. We will never know the long term impact of our donations on the lives of those who are able to receive their medicine in clean, capped bottles. The rules are easy: clean plastic bottles, with caps, NO LABELS…peel or soak off labels Questions: See Carol Verrone

Let’s kick of 2019 with our own resolution. This year we challenge each and every one of our United Methodist congregations to start a Fresh Expression of Faith! What’s a Fresh Expression of Faith, you ask? A Fresh Expression of Faith is a gathering of non-believers to gather for a common cause to build relationships and explore faith together. They take us outside our church buildings and into the community. This might be a gathering of people in a gym, coffee shop, or a park. A ministry that meets people where they are already gathering in new, exciting ways for Christ. To help you to start a fresh expression in your local community, there will be two workshop opportunities. One workshop will be held on March 30th in Williamsport. A second workshop will be conducted at the pre-conference workshops on May 29th and 30th. Visit the Equipping Vital Congregations website for more information. Let’s do this together! And, let’s have some fun along the way. Challenge the other churches in your area and district to join. Use #SUSUMCChallenge on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to show everyone what you’ve been working on. To keep updated with the challenge, visit susumc.org/bishopschallenge!

Our Way Forward – The United Methodist Church The modern United Methodist Church grew out of faithful prayer and discernment. In 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren joined with Methodists to form a new denomination that ordained women, added racial equality and was ecumenically poised to address international political, economic and social problems – all in the name of Christ. Four years later in Atlanta, GA, Russell Kimmler, a delegate from Southern Indiana addressed a global gathering of United Methodists known as the General Conference. He stepped up to the microphone with a question. A committee that had studied the social principles was recommending changes to the church’s social position on homosexuality and other issues. Before the body was this statement: “Homosexuals, no less than heterosexuals, are persons of sacred worth who need the ministry and guidance of the church in their struggles for human fulfilment as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship which enables reconciling relationships with God, with others and with self. Further, we insist that all persons are entitled to have their human and civil rights ensured.” Kimmler wanted to know what was meant by “Homosexuals would have their human and civil rights ensured…” His question led to the first public debate on homosexually in the denomination and ended with the following addition to the Book of Discipline: “The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality, and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching.” Since then, every 4 years at General Conference, the church has wrestled with the question of gay and lesbian inclusion. Over the years, the conversation has deteriorated. In 2008 some 200 protestors interrupted the conference to make a statement by silently covering the communion table with a black shroud bemoaning conference actions that denied lesbians and gay the right to serve as clergy. In 2012, seeking to acknowledge our division over the issue, the General Board of Church and Society, petitioned General Conference to add the following statement: “As a denomination, we are conflicted regarding homosexual expressions of human sexuality.” The motion was defeated. We could not even agree to disagree. But then in 2015, the US Supreme Court established same sex marriage as a constitutional right. The ruled seemed to call the question of UNITY within the United Methodist Church. Do we AFFIRM the language of our Book of Discipline? Or, is there DISAGREEMENT in our biblical and theological interpretations? When the General Conference met again in 2016, the body was at an impasse. Delegates pleaded with the bishops to lead the church in a path forward. This was radical in our system. Bishops do not make legislation. The body decides. After extended meetings behind closed doors, a plan emerged for Conference’s approval. The bishops formed a 32 member commission to provide recommendations on

same sex marriage and the licensing and ordination of LGBT clergy. Over the course of 18 months, the Commission on A Way Forward worshipped, studied, argued and prayed. They conducted their work without taking a single vote and submitted their report to the council of bishops. Since then, reviews have been made by the judicial council, the highest legal authority in the United Methodist Church, and other denominational bodies. Feb 23, 2019, a special session of General Conference with lay and clergy delegates from every local conference will gather in St. Louis, Missouri to discern our way forward. This article is a summary of the Delegate Discussions Introduction Video © UMC To learn more, all are invited to a Delegate Discussions afternoon this Saturday, February 2 at 1 pm at the Clarks Summit United Methodist Church, 1310 Morgan Hwy, South Abington Township, PA 18411, (570) 587-2571. Under review are three plans for a Way Forward in Unity: One Church Plan; Connectional Conference Plan; Traditional Plan. They are outlined below with implications for local churches, clergy and Annual Conferences if they are adopted. Moscow United Methodist Church

Charge Conference Minutes At Hemlock Grove United Methodist Church Sunday, December 2, 2018, 1:30 P.M. Attendees: Pastor Jean Blackie, Ray Roese, Pat Verrastro, Linda Verrastro Rev. Marian Hartman opened the meeting with a service and prayer. Pat Verrastro was elected as secretary for the conference. All were in favor. The 2017 conference minutes were approved. All were in favor. The 2017 audit was approved. All were in favor. The 2017 trustee report was approved. All were in favor. No members are being removed by Charge. In our election of members to represent at Charge, we have one lay member, Muriel Smailes. Lay member was approved. The local officers and lay leadership reports were approved. Vacancies will be filled by lay leadership committee with approval by the Administrative Council. All were in favor. Parsonage inspections were approved. All were in favor. The Pastor compensation was approved by both the SPRC and the Ad Council. So moved. Safe sanctuary was approved. All were in favor. Lay speakers were approved. Pat Verrastro was approved as certified lay speaker. Conclusion. Note: Annual Conference will be held on May 30-31 and June 1 at the Hershey Lodge. Moscow United Methodist Church Administrative Council Meeting Minutes Monday, November 19, 2018 7:00 P.M. Attendees: Pastor Jean Blackie, Jack Carling, Paulette Fotta, Laura Havenstrite, Howard McIntosh, Dan Schilling Pastor Jean opened the meeting with a prayer, devotion, and Baptismal vows were read. October 29, 2018 Ad Council meeting minutes were reviewed. Jack motioned to accept the minutes. Paulette seconded the motion. All were in favor. There is no new Budget Report or Preschool Budget. They were approved at the last meeting, no changes. No questions or comments. Pastor Report Consecration Sunday seemed well received. Forty-one pledge cards were turned in. The rest were mailed out today to the people that did not attend. It had a good spiritual focus which is needed by the church, not a budget/business focus. A lot of work went into it from some key team members of all ages. For younger families participating, it provided a good opportunity for stewardship education and to encourage commitment to the church. Now that the church has been through it once, continue with it on a yearly basis and invite and teach new people to be part of the team – the

program provides variants for continued use so it doesn’t get old. Rev. Jeff Rarich has agreed to consult with the preschool board and the ad council on good ways to raise needed funds for the preschool. The Church Conference is December 2, 2018 at 1:30 pm at Hemlock Grove United Methodist Church in Greentown. All the reports are ready. Everyone is invited. There was a Music in Moscow request for a concert on January 12, 2019. Dan Schilling, Trustee chair is ok with it. Pastor Jean motioned to allow them to use our building for the concert, Howard seconded the motion. All were in favor. A mission request to help insulate a house was received. We are working with Gouldsboro UMC volunteers and contributions. Moscow UMC had an anonymous contributor of $130 and Dan Schilling donated materials. The work is to be done this week. The Book Club is set for the first quarter – Led by Lois Linko and Muriel Smailes. Financial Peace University starts in January – Led by John & Laura Havenstrite. A Grief Group will be held on Wednesdays in December – Led by Pastor Jean. Betty Jones handles the Angel Tree. There are a few more names that may or may not already be added to the Angel Tree list. Paulette will check with her to see if she is aware of these names. Chris Yevitz has requested the church buy a label writer. It makes labels and prints out postage. They are on sale for about $100.00. There still money in the budget as of the end of October. Paulette said the UMW will pay for it. She will talk to him and help him get it ordered. Lay Leadership Still waiting on a few positions and continuing to work on the ones still needed. All paperwork is ready for the charge conference. Trustees Trustees meeting was October 4th. Dan reviewed the meeting minutes. Pastor Jean asked Howard about the Building and Use Policy and about possibly having a lease policy added. SPRC An organist was interviewed on Saturday. Also have another organist that inquired and took an application. Permanent Endowment Jack reviewed the report dated November 19, 2018. The Frontier MUMC Endowment Fund balance is $23,286.69. $20,000.00 of that is loaned to the Learning Tree project. The Ivy Trust Fund is $10,000.00 and loaned to the Learning Tree project. The Fleckenstein Education Endowment total balance is $49,376.03. The Resolution of the Fleckenstein Scholarship was reviewed. There have been questions regarding the preservation of the principle. Jack spoke with Bill Wright about what Keith Fleckenstein wanted from this scholarship when it was written. Jack is recommending the tenth paragraph be changed from “Whereas, upon transfer of funds to Moscow United Methodist Church, the church will have the sole discretion as to how and where the funds will be invested, with the preservation of the principle governing the overall strategy; and” to “Whereas, upon transfer of funds to Moscow United Methodist Church, the church will have the sole discretion as to how and where the funds will be invested; and”. Discussion was held on this change. There was no second. The motion failed. Pastor Jean wanted to know if the scholarship can be advertised. It was agreed to advertise the scholarship and try to award two. Missions Karen Kobeski has been in touch with the Greater Scranton Homeless Coalition. She wants us to get involved to help. There are currently two families in Moscow that could use help. Motion to adjourn the meeting by Paulette, Pastor Jean seconded the motion, all were in favor. The next meeting will be the Charge Conference on December 2nd. A special meeting will be called to approve a new organist, if needed.

Stewardship Update on Consecration Sunday 2018: A Spiritual Approach to Giving to God As believers in God and followers of Jesus, we give to God’s ministries in order to grow spiritually and fulfill our commitments to be disciples and members of Christ’s Body, the church. Consecration Sunday offers education in spiritual giving and encourages believers to consider stepping up their giving in grateful response to God’s gifts of life, love, faith and community. On November 18, 2018, Moscow UMC celebrated Consecration Sunday. Our guest speaker was Rev. Jeff Rarich, Pastor of the Salem Community UMC and an expert consultant in stewardship and church financial plans. Forty-one individuals and families completed Estimates of Giving cards that day with a total of $86,668 committed for 2019. Other known contributors not present were known to have a history of giving $67,112 over the previous twelve months; cash offerings per year average $8,802 and other sources of revenue should total about $4,118. That gives an estimated income of $166,702 for 2019 which represents a 14% increase from the most recent 12 month period. Since then, another 21 individuals and families have returned Estimate of Giving cards for an updated total of $115,028 committed for 2019. Thanks to our financial secretary and administrative assistant for their work in tallying up our numbers for our yearly statistical reporting and budgetary planning for the coming year. Many thanks to our generous church members and friends who support the ministry of Jesus Christ here at Moscow UMC.