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Pastor's e-note

August 9, 2022

Dear Friends in Christ,


"It takes a village to raise a child" is a proverb that means that an entire community of people must provide for and interact positively with children to grow in a safe and healthy environment. In other words, it takes our entire church community to raise up a new generation of young disciples of our Lord. We are so blessed to have a vibrant children’s ministry at BUMC. Many of our servant leaders dedicated their time and energy to nurture our children in love and care. 


One of the signs of a vital congregation is the excellent quality ministry for children. “A strong children's ministry not only gives a great return today, fueling and strengthening the entire church body. But it also yields a brighter future for every area of a church's ministry. A strong children's program grows a church from the outside, bringing in new families who did not previously attend church.” (from Ministry Spark)

 

This past week, we had the most wonderful VBS with the theme of “To Mars and Beyond.” VBS helped our children discover the wonders of God's universe. They learned bible stories – Daniel, Queen Esther, Good Samaritan and Jesus heals - journeyed through space, exploring where God's power can take them. They also enjoyed yoga, science projects, recreation, crafts and fellowship with one another. Please click here to watch a video.

 

This year we had 38 happy kids with 8 youth and 12 adult servant leaders. All of them were awesome participants and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their VBS experience. We thank all our youth and adult VBS staff, especially Veronica Sydlowski, our fearless leader, who led it from the beginning to the end. Thank you all for your dedication and prayers. Because of your help and devotion, VBS turned out to be very positive and exciting for our children.

 

I encourage you to continue to pray for our children’s ministry and Sunday School as we prepare for the upcoming fall season. Let BUMC be a safe and peaceful village where our children can grow and be nurtured by the grace of God!   


In deep gratitude,


Rev. Jennifer

This Week's Scripture - Matthew 5:9

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

This Sunday at BUMC

In-Person and Live Stream Worship

August 14 at 10:00 AM

We are excited to celebrate the mission work of our Youth, as they share stories from their time participating in the Philadelphia Project. Following this week's service, we invite you to a Farewell Reception in Fellowship Hall in honor of Dave Rogers. 


The link provided below will allow you to view the current week's service. 

Join Us Online
For Those In Need of Support
If you have found yourself struggling, or going through a particularly stressful life change, we invite you to meet with one of our Stephen Ministers. In meeting with a Stephen Minister, you will receive one-to-one, confidential, Christ-centered care.

To be connected with a Stephen Minister, please contact Mary Beth Gruber.
Prayer Requests

We share prayers of comfort and healing for Jim Braudt, grandson of Lynne and Bob Kinch.


We pray for family and friends who have gone on to God's eternal rest including Carol Miller, mother of Rev. Vicki Brendler.


We offer prayers of comfort for the family of Rev. Vicki and the family of Carol Miller.

Click here to submit a prayer request.

Coming Soon

Farewell Reception For Dave Rogers

August 14 at 11 AM

Join us as we celebrate the immense contributions that Dave Rogers has made to our youth program, and bid him farewell as he prepares to move to Indiana. 

Sunday Outdoor Worship 

August 21

We will offer our second outdoor service on August 21. Please bring your chair. In the case of inclement weather, this service will take place in the sanctuary. 

Helping Others

Backpack Collection

August 7 through September 4

Lydia Circle will be collecting backpacks for the Martin Luther King Youth Center. This collection will take place between August 7th and September 4th. Backpacks can be placed in the collection bin found near the Mission Closet, or left in the front vestibule inside the church entrance. We thank you for your support of this mission project.

Food Drive Donations
Thank you for donating food to our neighbors. Please bring your non-perishable/non-expired items to the church, and place them in our “Food Bank” containers.

If you would prefer, you can bring your items to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County located at 7E Easy St, Bound Brook, NJ 08805. Thank you very much.
Chancel Guild

We invite you to honor the special people in your life through a donation to our Chancel Guild and designating a date for commemorative flowers. This is a great way to celebrate events such as birthdays and anniversaries, and to honor the important people in your life who are no longer here with you. To participate, click here or visit the Chancel Guild calendar located near the BUMC office.


The suggested donation for sponsoring the Chancel Guild is $25. Please send your donation to the church, indicating "Chancel Guild" in the memo, or click the button below.

Thank you for supporting the Chancel Guild
Library News

Come browse the collections, located in Room 21, on Sunday morning or whenever the church is open. Be sure to sign out everything you borrow.


Search the online catalog to find wonderful books and media. Contact the librarian if you have questions.

Adult Collection

This Week's Featured Items

Soul Keeping, by John Ortberg

 

The author of If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat, and Faith and Doubt, directs his attention to caring for the most important part of each of us – our soul. Many souls are starved and unhealthy, unsatisfied by false promises of status and wealth. We've neglected this eternal part of ourselves.


Join Ortberg guides us through the three distinct aspects of Soul Keeping: Discovering what the soul is, Learning what the soul needs, and Experiencing the joy of a restored soul. With his characteristic insight and an accessible, story-filled approach, Ortberg will help us connect more deeply every day with the God who gave us life. A well-cared for soul is our connection to eternity, peace and blessings.

 

In the Spiritual Growth Section of the Adult Collection

BRIDGEWATER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
651 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD • 908.526.1414
BRIDGEWATERUMC.ORG