Week of August 4, 2024

Included in this issue/Save-the-Date:

August Mission of the Month: Methodist Services - Give | Watch video
Pastor's Corner
Backpack and school supply drive through Friday, August 2
Please Note: Unplugged Worship is now in Room 22 due to the heat
Prayer Meeting, Tuesday, August 6, 7:00 pm, Room 22
12 Hours of Prayer sign up, Wednesday, August 7, 7:00 am - 7:00 pm (15 minute DUMC call to prayer from 12:00 - 12:15 pm on ZOOM)
IronPigs game, Saturday, August 10, 6:35 pm
Youth Water Balloon Night, Wednesday, August 14, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Wesley Class Outing (details below), Wednesday, August 14, 5:00 - 9:00 pm
Youth Serve & Climb, Saturday, August 17, 1:00 - 5:00 pm
Caring for Friends, Wednesday, August 21, 12:30 pm
Peach Festival booth sign ups and donation information below
Volunteers needed at Peach Festival, sign up here!
YOUTH Volunteers needed for Peach Festival, click here
Book Group, Sunday, August 25, 4:00 pm
Book Group schedule updated
Flower basket waterers needed for September, sign up here
Confirmation 2025 sign up due, Monday, Septemeber 9
GriefShare returns, Thursday, September 12, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Middle School Fall Retreat registration, Fri., Sept. 27 - Sun., Sept. 29
Elevation volunteers needed this fall
2024/2025 Youth Ministries Calendar
Updated Youth Summer calendar
Thank you from Trustees
Thank you to our Pancake Breakfast volunteers
Baptism video from Sunday, July 28, 10:10 am service
Adult Volunteers needed for DUMC Kids' events

Current Worship Series

"Learning Faith The Jesus Way"

(From the Gospel of Matthew)

9:00 am

Unplugged Worship*

(Room 22)

Wesley Class

Returns 9/8:

Anchor

Fusion

Nursery

Sunday School

10:10 am

Liturgical Worship*

Returns 9/8:

Nursery

11:11 am

Word & Worship*

Returns 9/8:

Nursery

Kids' Word

*Live broadcast

For links:

DoylestownUMC.com

~We will return to our regular Worship schedule on Sunday, September 1

Communion Sunday

August 4 – Be Counter Cultural

Matthew 9:9-13

August 11 – Walk On Water

August 18 – Go Fishing

August 25 – Relocate Your Assets

DUMC Summer Office Hours

If you need to come into the church this summer, our office hours are from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. During these hours, there will definitely be someone here to help you. If you need other accomodations, please call the church office at (215) 348-5224.

WORSHIP STATISTICS & HAPPENINGS

Thank you to all who worship with us in person and online!

In-person attendance for July 28: 195

Online attendance: 163*

The in-person number includes children in Nursery, Anchor/Fusion/Sunday School, and Kids' Word (when in session).

*Online number represents the number of views (or households), not the number of individuals watching.

(Online totals are multiplied by 1.5 to get a more accurate sum.)

Admin Board Prayer Meeting

Prayer Meeting for DUMC Finances Tuesday, August 6, at 7:00 pm, Room 22.

Here in DUMC, it’s amazing to me how God has been so good to us and provides for us year after year. Still, we spend a significant proportion of our time on the Admin Board discussing how we can make ends meet in the budget. I have a hope that we can instead focus these meetings more on what God is doing here in DUMC and how He wants us to follow where He is working.

Baptism

The sacrament of Holy Baptism was celebrated at the 10:10 am service on Sunday, July 28, when Aaron William Robbins, son of Patrick Robbins and Melissa Robbins, was baptized by Pastor Sunil.

Click here to view the video of the Baptism.

Pancake Breakfast - Thank You!

The men served a delicious pancake & sausage breakfast, including Karen Lyon’s peach topping, to kick off the Peach Festival season.

There were several people before the 10:10 service and a busier crowd of folks after the 9:00 am service, as well as, before 11:11. Donations covered the cost of the food, with a surplus of $200 to put towards the church general fund. Thanks to all of the men who helped.

Best regards,

Randy

DUMC "Sponsor a Space" Campaign Thank you!

A BIG Thank You from the Trustees! We wish to thank the generosity of our members over the last two months, who have helped raise $15,000 for the repaving and resurfacing of the parking lot during the Sponsor a Space Fundraiser.

The Trustees will use $14,000.00 from Endowment Funds to complete the project for a total of $29,000 to cover the repairs to the parking lot. Please note that this cost is substantially lower than originally expected due to the diligence of our staff and committee members in securing and negotiating the contract.

The parking lot was completed on Wednesday, July 31. We are excited to have a new and smooth parking lot with visible lines.

Thanks again from all the Trustees to all of those who contributed,

Kate Sheaffer

Trustees Chair

2024 PEACH FESTIVAL

Save the Date – Bring Your Stuff!

*2024 Peach Festival Charities*

The Peach Festival is coming Saturday, August 24. Bring your used books and flea market items. You can drop them off at the church Monday - Friday between 9:00 am - 1:00 pm (please call to confirm if you need to drop off outside of these hours).

Books along with CDs, DVDs, and records can be dropped off outside of the music room. Flea market donations can be dropped off on the table in Overholt Hall. Please be sure all items are ready for resale and that all electronics have been tested. If you have any questions about items you would like to donate to the flea market, please ask! Email Melissa O’Brien with any questions or concerns. Flea market and book sales will begin Sunday, August 4. Please help spread the word by inviting friends and family to shop or donate! Cash, checks, and Venmo @Doylestownumc are accepted.

In addition to books and flea market items, please consider plants and silent auction items. We brought back the plant sale last year with hopes of making it even more successful this year. We ask if you could start saving cuttings and bulbs to be dropped off on 8/24. Ideas for the silent auction are: your excess frequent flier miles, a weekend at your vacation home, or nice photos & art items. If you have something you think is too nice for the flea market, consider donating it to the silent auction.

*Jayne Jacobus and a new member, Michele Wilhelm, have done a terrific job getting silent auction baskets from various businesses. Michele dove in and contacted several different businesses which gives this year’s silent auction a different feel from previous years. They were on display at the breakfast. Please check out the baskets before or after Sunday services and be sure to bid before the final call on the afternoon of the Peach Festival.

Click image below for booth reservation form -or- email PeachFest@doylestownUMC.com

*Click image below to sign up as a volunteer!*

“The Alpha Marriage Course”

Begins Sunday, September 8

1:00 - 2:30 pm, Room 22

A 7-week course designed for couples of all ages to help build, strengthen, and continue to grow their relationship in marriage. Couples will be equipped with tools to build a healthy marriage and to strengthen their connection as a couple – or to restore that connection if it was lost.

There is no cost for attending this course - although each couple is responsible for buying their study journals (1 for each person - purchase here). The Alpha Marriage Course Intro Video.

FEATURE ARTICLES

Pastor's Corner

Every so often I go back to the gospels to remind myself of who Jesus really is. In doing so, it also clarifies my own faith: Am I following the “real Jesus,” or am I following somebody that I made up (or the world around me made up), someone who is conventional, sterile, not dangerous, and does nothing to challenge and grow my faith?

Lay Leader Insights:

YOUR LIFE IF YOUR MINISTRY

Out of 7 billion people on this Earth, your great-grandfather just happened to cross paths with the woman who would become your great-grandmother; and their daughter, your grandmother, one day met your grandfather; and their son by chance, out of 7 billion people, asked your mother out on a date. Because of all these people, you were born. God was definitely at work making sure all things came together through the generations, at just the right time, in just the right way so you could be born for such a time as this. I hope that makes you feel special, because you are!

August Mission of the Month:

Methodist Services

Methodist Services: Making a Difference for Children & Families Since 1879

Heritage Moment: A Call to Serve

The work to serve others is a calling, heard by many. Methodist Services has a rich 144+ year history, engaging people from all walks of life who give time, talent and resources. You are a part of this generous history. Thank you, Doylestown United Methodist Church, for honoring us with your Mission of the Month support. Methodist Services is truly blessed.

Today, we recognize all those who have contributed to this tireless effort and who have stood side by side with us. Many of Methodist Services’ long-time, dedicated supporters continue to be members of the United Methodist Church community. Others are social workers, counselors and educators who have a passion for the work of caring for those in need; volunteers who lend a hand - from the community at large (individuals and organizations); board members who support the mission and vision of this adaptive entity; donors of all gifts - large and small - who seek to enhance another person’s life; and an array of skilled professionals who sustain the campus, a vibrant space where people heal, live and learn.

Donate to Mission of the Month

2024 DUMC BACKPACK & SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

DUMC continues to support students served by the Methodist Home for Children in Philadelphia (our August Mission of the Month). Next time you’re in the store, please consider picking up a backpack or school supplies.

There will be a box in the lobby of DUMC through Friday, August 2 to collect new backpacks and new school supplies. You may also leave supplies in the "Feed My Sheep" bin under the portico at DUMC when the church is closed.

Volunteers are needed to sort and pack supplies on Saturday, August 3 at 9:00 am.

To volunteer or for more info, please contact Karen Condit: (215) 919-9927

SERVE & ENGAGE

Next Caring for Friends meal assembly:

Wednesday, August 21 at 12:30 pm

in the DUMC kitchen. CLICK HERE for more details. Instructional guide for preparing meals at home.

Saturday, September 14, 2024

Mark your calendar for the Rise Against Hunger meal-packing event at DUMC!

Set-up will start at 8:30 am. We will start packing promptly at 10:00 am, followed by clean up immediately afterwards.

The more we raise, the more meals we pack!

To register and make donations, click here.

Get Involved – Make a Difference – Change the World

*Click on the images below to join or volunteer.

Flower Basket Waterers

Volunteers Needed

Would you like to become more involved at DUMC? There are many volunteer opportunities that can take as little as one hour, once a month, once a week, or as needed. All slots are flexible and come with training.

For even more ways to get involved at DUMC:

Visit our website: DoylestownUMC.com

CARE AND SUPPORT

Becky V an Dine, Caring Ministries

(215) 813-7436

*Click GriefShare logo to learn more or register.

Thursday nights

7:00 - 9:00 pm, Room 2

*Returns Septemer 12!

Learn more about Caring Ministries

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Click images below to sign up!

Peach Festival Volunteers Needed

We would love for the youth to help with hospitality and clean up at the Peach Festival. Youth interested in helping can sign up via the link below...

*You can use these as service hours for school.

*Fusion information coming soon!*

2025 Confirmation Class

Students in Grade 7 or above who are interested in exploring their faith, preparing themselves to make a profession of faith (making their faith their own), and learning more about being an active member of the church are invited to be part of our upcoming Confirmation Class. Classes will be held on Thursday evenings, 6:00 - 7:00 pm, beginning on Thursday, September 19. The Confirmation ceremony is planned for Sunday, April 27, 2025.

Click images below to sign up!

2024 BREAKAWAY MIDDLE SCHOOL FALL RETREAT

September 27 - 29

Middle schoolers in 7th - 9th grades, come join us for a fun-filled weekend at NorthBay Adventure Camp in North East, Maryland.

Please register by Friday, August 23.

CLICK HERE for details; click on the image or scan the QR code to register!

Wendy Arnott, Director

WArnott@DoylestownUMC .com

Laura Siegle, Assistant Director

LSiegle@DoylestownUMC.com

Children's Ministries

2024/2025 Calendar

Learn more about Children's Ministries

Lenae Baldwin, Youth Director LBaldwin@DoylestownUMC.com

(267) 245-7871

Youth Ministries 2024/2025 Calendar

Learn more about Student Ministries

BIBLE STUDIES & SMALL GROUPS

Paul Georgulis, Assistant Pastor

PGeorgulis@DoylestownUMC.com

(267) 245-7874

Click the button below for updates on your favorite small group or Bible study!!

DUMC's Small Groups

Wesley Class Social Outing

Wednesday, August 14, 7 - 9 pm, Central Park

**Meet at 5:00 pm, look for the gold balloons**

Wesley Class will meet to socialize at Central Park in Doylestown Township for an outdoor picnic and live music ("River of Dreams" Billy Joel Tribute band). Bring your own picnic and a chair. Hot dogs, beer, and soda are available to purchase at the park. In the event the live music is cancelled due to inclement weather, our event will also be cancelled. For more information please contact Betsy Bishop.

PRAYER CORNER

Praying for our Congregation,

Community, and World

Praise & Thanks: Baptism of Aaron William Robbins (son of Pat & Melissa), new love, God's peace, Olympics, my family, able to return to Bible study, ankle brace, cooler weather, joy of grandchildren, teen's first job

Health & Healing: Jean, Casey, Lenae, Shannon, Annette, Sierra, Bree, Samantha, Arlene, Margaret, Kerry, Kelly, premie, Bob, Noel, Debbie, Andrea, Cindy, Cliff, Mother, Donna, Mary, Vijay, my son, Maggie, Keith, Jane, Glenn, Lady, Danielle, Karen, Jim, Andre, Joe, Kathy & Elizabeth

Guidance: Mike, Sara, Marie, Olympic safety, Ale, peace in our country, Mark, Kate, Mark, Chris, Neal, Missy, Louellen, Carolyn, Hallie, Marie & family, mentally ill that are unhoused, a friend, my sons, Takara & Cody, Christopher & Ambre, peace in my family, unspoken prayers, famine, those serving abroad, our church ministries

Hospice: Linda, Jim Traub, Bill, Donna

Grief: Karen & family, James L. Lee, Sr. (Jen Fiander's Father)

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24-25

~Laurie Lewis and the Congregational Care Team

Our Next 12 Hours of Prayer:

Wednesday, August 7

7:00 am to 7:00 pm

(15 minute DUMC call to prayer from 12:00 - 12:15 pm on ZOOM)

Take a few minutes from the hectic pace of life to slow down...breathe...and be part of our next 12 Hours of Prayer event. Join with your DUMC sisters and brothers to form a continuous 12-hour chain of prayer. Take an intentional 15 minutes to praise and thank our amazing God...and bring the needs of our community, our church, and yourself before God's throne.

Watch for a signup link in next week's Connections.