THE TRUMPET CALL

East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church

January 17, 2016

Bible in a Year

Our Vision
To challenge and encourage everyone in our congregation to know and
follow Christ by:
Growing as disciples through Christs teachings
Connecting with one another in Christian community
Serving Christ by serving others
Praising God as we worship Christ

Sunday Services
Traditional 8:30 am
Contemporary 10:45 am
Sunday School/Discipleship Classes 9:45 am

20GENESIS 40, GENESIS 41:1-40

MATTHEW 14:1-21
PROVERBS 2:12-22
21GENESIS 41:41-57, GENESIS 42
MATTHEW 14:22-36, MATTHEW 15:1-9
PSALM 12:1-8
22GENESIS 43, GENESIS 44
MATTHEW 15:10-39
PSALM 13:1-6
23
GENESIS 45, GENESIS 46, GENESIS 47:1-12
MATTHEW 16:1-20
PSALM 14:1-7
24GENESIS 47:13-31, GENESIS 48
MATTHEW 16:21-28, MATTHEW 17:1-13
PROVERBS 3:1-10
25GENESIS 49, GENESIS 50
MATTHEW 17:14-27, MATTHEW 18:1-9
PSALM 15:1-5
26JOB 1, JOB 2, JOB 3
MATTHEW 18:10-35
PSALM 16:1-11
27JOB 4, JOB 5, JOB 6, JOB 7
MATTHEW 19:1-15
PSALM 17:1-5

Pastors Corner
First, I want to thank all of the congregation on behalf of our staff for the wonderful end-ofyear "Love Gift," which brought in $3,825 to be distributed among our 16 staff members (plus
our unpaid nursery coordinator). This is a much higher amount than the previous year, and we
truly are thankful and humbled that you include us in your Christmas giving. We have a great
staff, and everyone truly enjoys working here at East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church. I
am thankful to God for all of you and for the great staff I have the opportunity to work with
every day!
As we start off this new year, we want to celebrate what God has done in 2015. As I
announced to the congregation in both services this past Sunday, we finished 2015 "in the black," with income
to our general fund exceeding expenses by $2,057. While the amount of income we received is less than
previous years, we have been able to be prudent in keeping expenses much lower to match the income, while
at the same time providing a high level of service to the congregation and to the community. There are many
churches in this day and age which are having to do more with less, and we are part of that movement. If
anyone wants to see exactly how our finances were spent in 2015, we now have balance sheets, profit/loss
statements, etc. available from our bookkeeper, Sue Mertz (smertz@esumc.net). She'll be glad to provide you
copies electronically or in hard copy format.
What has been especially gratifying for me to see is that while our general budget is declining, our mission
giving is up. In my experience as a pastor over almost 40 years, there is no greater indicator of overall
congregational health than strong participation in God's mission in the world. Our Faith Promise goal for 2015
was $30,000 (up from $25,000 the year before). Toward the end of the year, I challenged the Mission Team
with the challenge offered to us by our Bishop, Peggy Johnson. The challenge was to contribute $10 for every
person based on average worship attendance toward Imagine No Malaria, the denomination-wide program to
(Continued on page 2)

(Continued from page 1)

eradicate deaths from malaria around the world. Since our worship attendance
currently hovers around 250, that's an extra $2500 we needed to raise by the
end of the year. Not only did we raise the $30,000, we also raised the $2,500
for Imagine No Malaria, and another $3624 on top of that. We now come into
2016 with just shy of $8000 in our Faith Promise account. Praise God! The
Mission Team will now prayerfully consider how to best use those funds.
Thank you all for your financial gifts in every area. We will have financial
challenges ahead, to be sure, but I now know we have the capacity to meet
those challenges. I am confident of this because we have a congregation
which listens to the voice of the Holy Spirit and carefully discerns where God is
leading our church. With that as the backbone of everything we do, with God's
help, we cannot fail! I look forward to seeing you in worship this coming
Sunday, as we continue in our series, Where is God When it Hurts?

Stephen Ministry
Photo Caption

Help is Available!

Pastor Jim

The Bible in a Year

Things happen in life that cause great

pain and suffering. Many attempt to put
on happy faces to hide the extent of
their woundedness.

In the first week of our 2016 Bible reading

challenge we read through the creation story in
Genesis and a number of Psalms of worship.
Where I found myself really intrigued was in the
Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 3 and 4. Now we
put the chapter markers of the New Testament
centuries later, but I see this as one continuous story.
At the end of Matthew 3 we find that Jesus has made his way to the River
Jordan to be baptized by John. But John disagrees, thinking that Jesus should
baptize him instead. Jesus says Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this
to fulfill all righteousness. John agrees, and as he is baptizing Jesus a voice
from heaven speaks: "This is my Son, whom I love. With him I am well
pleased."
This has huge implications because it is an official proclamation: Jesus is
Messiah, Jesus is the son of God! It also leads into the story that we read in
Matthew, Chapter 4 where Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted by the devil. After fasting for 40 days and 40 nights the tempter
comes to Him in His hunger and says, IF you are the son of God tell these
stones to become bread.
If we dont pay attention we miss the whole point. The tempter starts out
with this one small word IF and its just dripping with evil. He is attempting to
disorient Jesus, to change things up by trying to place just the slightest seed of
doubt in Jesus.
The Truth is that we all live in a world full of IFs that can make us doubt
who God says we really are. We question, IF Im good enough, IF Im
successful enough, IF Im smart enough, IF Im loved and even forgiven
enough. These doubts often ring in our ears like a relentless case of tinnitus.
These IFs have a way of burrowing down into the deepest part of who we
are. But here is the good news. Hope prevails, and it comes from Jesus
response to the tempter. He replies, It is written that man shall not live on
bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. IT IS
WRITTEN. Jesus goes straight to what is true and what orients him to the
Father.
And thats why we read this Book; because in all the things we face in our
walk of life, scripture is a way to orient us in this difficult and challenging world.
So my friends - read on!
Rev Bob Hachtman

What is keeping you from asking for help?

Is shame, guilt,or pride keeping you from
taking the first step? Are you afraid of
what others may think if you accept care
during this difficult time in your life?
Stephen Ministers are committed to
Christian care giving and confidentiality,
and are sensitive to those who are in
need of support during a difficult time.
Please prayerfully consider your situation
and take that first step to receive help.
Having a Stephen Minister walk beside
you may be Gods 2016 gift to you!
For further information about Stephen
Ministry, contact Peggy Strack, 570-4213280, ext. 1023.

Members of ESUMC who are no

longer able to attend church, always enjoy

hearing from you! Cards and notes of
encouragement may be sent to:

Nancy Strauser
Mrs. Bushs Personal Care
P.O. Box 327
Kunkletown, PA 18058

Hearing Assistance
Devices are Here!

ESUMC now owns several hearing

assistance devices which can be worn to
improve your ability to hear our worship
services. Please contact an usher to pick
up your hearing assistance device and
return to an usher after use.

Church-Wide Study
January 10th - February 2nd
Classes continue on Sundays and
throughout the week at various times/
places

The Youth Bells are off to a ter-

rific start. They played Christmas Eve and

did a great job! However, we are still in
need of ringers-three to be exact. They
meet every Tuesday, at 5:30-6:00PM, in
the bell room. Players need to be in 5th
grade or up. This would include adults who
want to try to play too.
If you have any questions or would like
more information, contact Chris Perfetti @
610-3400 or 610-442-8277.

Its not to late to join a class!

Teacher

Day of Study

Time

Location

Rosenberger & Brown Sun. 9:45am church basement, # 8

Lee Karchner

Sun.

9:45 am church basement, #10

Kelli Mercurio

Sun.

9:45 am church basement, # 6

Peggy Strack

Sun.

9:45 am church basement, choir rm

Lynn Pappalardo

Sun.

9:45 am church, bridal lounge

Cathy Saunders

Sun.

9:45 am 2nd floor office building

Rich & Jenni Poole Sun. 6:30 p.m. 229 Whitetail Ct., Stroudsburg

A note from someone who

recently attended our
Community Meal on a
Monday night:
What a beautiful, wonderful, Savior we
have in Jesus!! An awesome praise and
worship was done unto our Father this
evening at the UMC soup kitchen on
South Courtland St. in East Stroudsburg,
PA. The little children took the lead while
being trained up in the way they should
go by those who watch over their souls
doing unto the least of us as unto God,
and they gave cheerfully! All praises to
our Lord and Savior as He fed the
masses through prayer, placemats,
delicious food, and the children's
eagerness to serve. Hallelujah! The
Jesus in me thanks the Jesus in you.
Thank you for letting your light so shine.
And thank you East Stroudsburg UMC
for all you do for the community and for
the fulfilling spiritual and physical food
you serve. Thank you for doing unto us
as unto Gods Love.
Your sister-in-Christ,

Angelique Cannon

Karen Todd

Mon.

11:00 a.m.

2nd floor office building

Tom & Kathy Hinkey Tues. 10:00 am 348 Jade Ave., E. Stbg.

CATCH is a program for invitational evangelism, which will show us

how to attract visitors to our church, connect them with our faith
community, and help them learn to know, love, and serve God! Join a
study today! Call Peggy , 570-421-3280, ext. 1023 to get your daily
devotional book.

Make your New

Years Resolution
stick!

As the New Year begins

many of us have made
resolutions to read the bible
daily, quit smoking, lose
weight, exercise more,
manage money more wisely,
pray daily, or spend more
time with family. These are
all great goals to set.
But, we are challenging YOU
to invest in your mind and soul as part of your New Year Resolutions.
Choosing to make fellowship and friendship with Gods word a part of
resolution will give you the strength to succeed in all areas of your
life!
See green flyer for course offerings, leaders and descriptions.
At welcome desk and in Narthex.
3

Events

Contact Us

SWAT Meeting:

We always try to schedule SWAT on the fourth

Monday of the month, as we do this month, January 25, at 9:00 a.m.
thanks to all that committed to this worthwhile work around our
Church. See you January 25 at 9:00 a.m. in the conference room.

HIKING:

We will attempt a hike on Sunday, Jan. 24. Meet in the

Church parking lot at 12:30 pm. We leave at 12:45 SHARP. Call Bob at
(570) 223-7076, the day before scheduled hike to see if weather permits
our getting out there.

PA Optical Clinic
Providing eyeglasses for as low as $40 for single vision and lined bifocals
to low and moderate income people of any age See flyer in various
locations around the church, or call the office (570) 421-3280.
Clinic at Career LinkRoute 611, Merchants Plaza, Tannersville
February 1, 20169:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Call 1-800-901-1912 to make an appointment
Walk-ins welcome until 12 Noon.

2016 MENS RETREATKEEPING IT REAL

Friday, March 11th5:006:00 p.m. arrival
Program: 6-9 p.m. Dinner provided
Saturday March 12th8:00 a.m. Breakfast
Program: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Lunch and dinner provided
Join us for Fellowship, Food, Games, Discussions, Testimonies,
Teamwork and Spiritual Growth.
Tri-fold information and sign-up fliers available from team members,
church office and at Welcome Center.
Team Members
Tim Malefyt, Doug Malefyt, Mike Ragonese, Dave Thompson, John
Hollister and Doug Ritchie

Recovery Meetings Available in The Community Room of Office Building

Basement
NA MEETINGS Monday through Saturday 12:00 P.M. to 1:30 P.M. Just for
Today
(Womens Group)

Wednesday 6:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M.

New Beginnings

AA MEETINGS Thursday & Saturday 8:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Keep It Simple

Scan QR to ESUMC Website

East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church

83 S. Courtland St.
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
www.esumc.net

Church Office
(570) 421-3280
church@esumc.net
Hours: 9 am to 3 pm
Mon thru Fri
Pastor
Jim Todd
jtodd@esumc.net
Ext. 1014
Secretary
Maria Ragonese
mragonese@esumc.net
Ext. 1010
Congregational Care
Peggy Strack
pstrack@esumc.net
Ext. 1023
Youth Ministries
Scott Kuhnle
skuhnle@esumc.net
Ext. 1013
Childrens Ministries
Erica Dorsch
edorsch@esumc.net
Ext. 1017
Finances
Sue Mertz
smertz@esumc.net
Ext. 1015
Financial Secretary
Cyndie Faunce
cfaunce@esumc.net
Ext. 1025
Maintenance
William Mack
wmack@esumc.net
Ext. 1018
Organist/Traditional
Music
Pauline Fox
foxes@esumc.net
Audio/Visual
Joe Dorsch
josephdorsch@gmail.com
Contemporary Music
Doug Malefyt
dmalefyt@esumc.net
Technology Support
Michael Corey
mcorey@esumc.net
Ext. 1012