e-newsletter Sept 28 2017

The Moscow United Methodist Church126 Church Street Office Phone: 570-842-7251Moscow, PA 18444 e-newsletter September 28, 2017World Communion Sunday – October 1 This Sunday, Christians from around the world will come together to celebrate World Communion Sunday. World Communion Sunday reminds us that as Christians, we live in relationship with people in every nation and land because through Christ we are “one in unity with all the world…”.As United Methodists, we also have the opportunity to lift up tomorrow'sleaders through a Special Sunday offering. Countless gifted and qualifiedpeople face financial obstacles that hinder them from preparing for thevocation God has given them. When we give on World CommunionSunday, we help change that reality for ethnic and minority students aroundthe globe. Our generosity supports education through UM scholarships and

Ethnic Scholarship/In-Service Training programs. A little while back, a church member suggested we have a monthly notice about one of our church funds to help our congregation know about our church finances and understand the different funds Moscow United Methodist Church has and how they operate. With our new e- newsletter format, we are beginning such a monthly educational piece called:MUMC’s Financing of Ministries for Christ This month we begin with a fund called the Capital ImprovementFund. This fund has a long and rich history at MUMC, most recently with the building of theeducation wing, 25 years ago. It is an amazing facility that allows so much in the way ofChristian education, music ministries and our church administration. The trustees are themanagers of our church facilities, which include not only the education wing, but also theSanctuary, which is 93 years old, the parsonage which is 150 years old, two parking lots, andthe beautifully maintained grounds surrounding all the buildings. Over the past few years it hasbecome evident that in order to keep our facilities in good order, capital improvement funds areneeded above and beyond the yearly maintenance expenses the trustees incur which includesinsurance, snow plowing, heating expenses, exterminating and many other yearly overhead andmaintenance expenses. This is not unusual and needs to be planned for either in the churchbudget or through a capital improvement fund. The church does have some modest investmentswhich are cautiously tapped for these expenses from time to time. Last year’s outside paintingand window caulking used some of these funds. A previous year’s repaving of the parking lotrelied on congregants’ donation. Each year, it seems, there is some significant capitalimprovement expense for the Capital Improvement Fund. This year, the trustees hope to repair the parsonage garage. Our Susquehanna Conferencein its standards for parsonages asks churches to provide either a 2 car garage or other weathershelter like a carport. Part of this is so that pastors can quickly get where they need to be in caseof pastoral care emergency or other church business during bad weather. Although MUMC hasa parsonage garage, bad drainage over the years has caused a broken-up concrete floor thatmakes it difficult to drive cars in and out of it safely. Additionally, the roof is deteriorating andneeds replacement. Initial evaluations of the garage indicate the structure is sound and will lastfor many years to come. Preliminary costs to repair the floor are $3000 to $6500 depending onwhether the church wishes to install drainage that would prevent the problem from reoccurringin the future or not. Initial estimates for the cost of repairing the roof are $3500. In themeantime, naturally, the trustees are working to procure additional bids in the hope of findingless expensive ways of repairing the garage. For present it looks like capital improvement fundsof up to $10,000 may be needed to complete this work.

In an initial outreach to some church members, the trustees have received $1600 towardsthe repair of the garage. We celebrate the generosity of our church members who havecontributed so far and thank them for their commitment to the upkeep and ministries of ourchurch! They are an inspiration to us. When the capital improvement fund reaches an amountsufficient for the trustees to begin work on the garage, they will do so. Because capital improvement funds are in addition to our weekly and monthly envelopeand offering plate giving that supports all the ongoing ministries and maintenance of ourchurch, not everyone feels they can contribute to this fund - and those who can, often can do soonly on occasion. From time to time, the trustees will alert the congregation of capitalimprovement needs and if any church friends wish to make a contribution, they are invited to doso by sending their check marked Attn: Capital Fund to either: • Moscow United Methodist Church, 126 Church Street, Moscow, PA 18444 • Placing it in the weekly offering plate - or • Placing in the church mailbox of our current trustee chair, John Havenstrite Thank you to all our congregation for the many ways they show generosity toward God’swork through Moscow United Methodist Church. Thanks to our trustees for their goodstewardship of our resources for managing our church facilities. Thanks to all our volunteerswho help us keep our facilities in good order. Next month: MUMC’s 2017 Fall Stewardship and Visioning program: Extravagant Generosity

Blessing of the Animals This Sunday, October 1, 2017 at 1 pm Moscow United Methodist Church Courtyard Rain or Shine Bring your pets on leashes, harnesses, or in a container for a blessing Sponsored by the Moscow UMC Sunday School and United Methodist Youth Fellowship (UMYF) For information, call 570-842-7251 Celebrate God’s Creation!



On a Mission… Adapted from an article by Julie DwyerSept. 25, 2017 | United Methodist News ServiceWhile Irma, Harvey and Maria dominate news headlines, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) hasn’t forgotten about Matthew. That storm left a path of destruction from the Caribbean to the southeast United States nearly a year ago. Haiti was the hardest hit with more than 500 people killed, while catastrophic flooding left more than 47 dead in the U.S., more than half of those in North Carolina. “We’ll be at it for five more years,” said the North Carolina Conference’s Bishop Hope Morgan Ward of recovery efforts in the state. “We have moved into the long-term recovery phase and are rebuilding homes.” UMCOR has been aiding families affected by natural and manmade disasters around the world since 1940, also providing humanitarian relief, including assisting refugees, addressing world hunger and poverty and conducting other sustainable development work in more than 80 countries. UMCOR’s disaster response is a three-stage process: an emergency stage; a relief stage to help homeowners assess damage and stabilize their homes if possible, while also caring for their emotional and spiritual needs; and the long-term recovery stage. “We really are there for the long haul,” said the Rev. Russell Pierce, interim executive director. Being the last to leave after a disaster is a calling card for the United Methodist Committee on Relief, and a sign of hope for those starting the recovery process in the wake of Harvey, Irma and Maria. UMCOR’s disaster response process starts with a request from the resident bishop or church partner in the area for financial or material resources, volunteers or technical assistance. UMCOR emergency grants are issued to help conferences respond immediately. The relief agency continues to work closely with conferences during every stage of the disaster. “We focus on the following phrase: ‘What does this person in this community need to recover from this disaster?’ That’s the phrase that brings the most respect both to the survivor and to the community, and also to our conferences,” said Catherine Earl, director of U.S. disaster response. “We all have to recognize that the community owns the disaster. The conference lets us know when they are ready for volunteers and the kinds of skills they need to help, keeping the survivors always central to our work.” There are well more than 10,000 UMCOR-trained volunteers ready to be called into service, Earl said. As is mandated by the Book of Discipline, every conference has a disaster response coordinator who leads the local efforts and works with Early Response Teams from around the country. For information on becoming a volunteer in mission (VIM), see Pastor Jean or contact Ron Lucas, our district VIM trainer/coordinator at 570-406-8409 or [email protected]

FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP VICTIMS OF RECENT HURRICANES, EARTHQUAKES, & NATURAL DISASTERS On the local level, “it’s The United Methodist Church responding, but UMCOR is the one that’s equipped them to respond,” Rev. Russell Pierce said. One hundred percent of all gifts goes directly to disaster relief.The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) offers these ways in whichpeople can help after a disaster:1. Continue to pray for those whose lives have been affected, as well as EarlyResponse Teams, disaster coordinators, and the many volunteers who are workingtirelessly to provide relief.2. Make relief kits – right now two kits are in dire need: Hygiene kits and Cleaningits. For information on items for each kit, get a list at church or go towww.missioncentral.org. Bring individual kit items or complete kits to church orsend to Mission Central, our closest UMCOR’s relief-supply depots.3. Please send your monetary gifts to UMCOR either directly to the SusquehannaConference office at 303 Mulberry Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050-3179 or placethem in the offering plate at church. Checks should be written payable to theSusquehanna Conference and designated in the memo line with the number 2180 ifthe money is to be used for national disaster relief or the number 2470 if the moneyis to be used for international disaster relief. You may want to designate the moneyfor both causes by writing your wishes on the check. One hundred percent of allgifts goes directly to disaster relief.4. Donate only those items requested.5. Wait for an invitation to volunteer.

Church Meetings Coming Up Monday, Oct 2 – 5 pm – Monthly prayer meeting Tuesday, Oct 3 – 6 pm – Trustees Thursdays in October – 6:30 pm – Nominating Committee Tuesday, Oct 10 – 6 pm – SPRC Tuesday, Oct 10 – 7 pm – Administrative Council Other Events in October: Blessing of the Animals – Oct 1 at 1 pm Coffee Hour after Worship – Oct 8 around noon Chi Rho Singers Concert – Oct 26 at 7 pm