Check out what's going on this week at the UMC of Red Bank!
Connections
Friday, October 2, 2020
Note: Connections will now be emailed weekly on Fridays
UMC of Red Bank Church Reopening Plan Update

As the ministry of UMCRB continues strong in the time of COVID, with the goal that zero infections are spread through our church activity, we bring you this update about our church reopening plan. Our church is working on a multi-phased plan for reopening our church building in the midst of the COVID pandemic. The church office is open in a limited way on Tuesday-Thursday from 9-2 and Fridays from 9-1:30 pm. The calendar of events on our church website has up-to-date information about ongoing ministries and how to join in. If you’d like to reserve our outdoor gathering space for your church small group, contact Sheila Leavitt.
Our Building Use Safety Team is hard at work on our upcoming phases, which include both small group church gatherings and small group worship experiences INSIDE the church building, and in time, when it is safe, large group worship in our sacred spaces. We are thankful for your patience as we work through this building reopening plan with care and caution. In the next few days, you will find information on our church website where you can read more about the policies that have been approved by church council. We encourage you to check back for updates as we move to upcoming phases.
Worship Sneak Peek
October 4th, 2020 at 10am

Join in our online worship service on Sunday, October 4th as we wrap up our three-week sermon series on the Serenity Prayer. This week, Reverend Jill Hubbard-Smith, Senior Pastor from UMC of Atlantic Highlands and Navesink, will be preaching about the wisdom we use in our lives for discerning what we cannot change, and what we should be working to change. We hope to connect with you online!

Don't forget the Connect Card when you worship online
Each week while you are worshiping, please take the time to fill this out at some point during or after worship every week. It will only take a minute, but it will be incredibly helpful for us! Click here to submit your responses. Thanks in advance!
Online Fellowship Time Sundays After Worship
Join in a time to meet together and check in after online worship each Sunday. Sign in to the weekly Zoom call by clicking the following link - https://zoom.us/j/411045493. Or join by calling: (646) 558-8656  Meeting ID: 411 045 493#  Password: 7470446
Children and Youth
Online Sunday School
WELCOME to our Sunday School 2020/2021 season! Grades K–2nd, 3rd–5th, and 6th–8th are ALL scheduled to meet at 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM, and the 9th-12th grade Bagels and Faith class will be meeting at 11:30 AM . Class zoom links are available on the Church calendar. The Sunday School ministry team is so excited to welcome everyone home! For information or questions, please contact Tammy at [email protected] or 732-299-6203. 
Parents - please take the time to enroll your children in Sunday School today through our ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM to help our teachers prepare for their classes! Many thanks!
Youth Groups Meet Online - Wednesdays at 7 PM
Our Youth Group season is now underway! ALL Youth Groups will be meeting at 7:00 PM. Group links are available on the Church calendar. And don’t forget, Youth Groups love friends, so please feel free to B.A.R.F.!!! The leadership teams are all excited to start sharing the fun and fellowship once again! For more information, please contact Tammy at [email protected] or 732-299-6203. 
Support our UMCRB Crop Walk Team
Two weeks to go to reach our goal for the 40th Red Bank CROP HUNGER WALK - $110,000, and 18,000 pounds of food to be collected by individuals and faith groups and schools... with Hunger No More with Four: Rice, beans, peanut butter and soup, and a donation in honor of our 40 years of walking. 

We hope that all of you have set a goal of 4 miles or more for 40 years. And how about $10 for the years you have walked? We can do it together.  Our Food Drive this year has been designated for our BACK PACK CREW and its weekly donations of food to hungry families in our area.  Please shop for us, and bring to the Church's back porch the four basic food items and more.  And CELEBRATE WITH US on Sunday, Oct. 18th, from 2-5 pm with music and history and stories of Crop successes in fighting hunger right here in Monmouth County and across the nation and the world as partners of Church World Service.

Information for Crop Walk Participants
There will be a celebration on Sunday, October 18th in the afternoon, with virtual music and program to thank you for 40 years of walking for hungry neighbors. We need you to be there for your faith group or school or Crop partner. THANKS for all you do and we encourage you to form online teams for donations, and run a local food drive for a pantry of your choice. Our help is really needed this year. 58 teams have been formed and we are leading the top Crop Walks right now but we need to really rev up for our goal of $110,000 and 18,000 pounds of food. Thank you for your support of CROP Walk 2020. - Janie Schildge, Coordinator
Your HUBOB Team organizes activities around social events like plays, dinners, food card and gift card sales, etc. So we are sure you will quickly realize that the pandemic has brought us to a screeching halt. Many different aspects of the coronavirus has interfered with our plans for the fall season. Our team has also suffered the loss of several members. At the most we are extending an invitation to anyone who would like to join us for a limited period of time...for one activity or project. We have some ideas but we need some willing hands. Are you the artistic one or one who is willing to help organize? Do you have computer skills? You may be just the person we are looking for. Please contact Marion Kleiner via email or phone, 732-918-9587.
Adult Education Class
Sundays at 9:00 am & Wednesdays at 7:00 pm
Join in this adult small group experience as we study together the book Speaking Christian by Marcus Borg. Christianity has its own language with all those "churchy" words, like sin, salvation, righteousness and heaven. But the funny thing is some of these don't mean what we think they do - or at least their original meanings are quite different from what first comes to mind today. The book is an interesting look at what various terms meant when they were written and how that impacts our interpretation of Biblical texts today.

All are welcome to join us by Zoom as we work through a term or two per week. For questions, please contact Mark Hackler at 732-918-0344 or via email. Zoom connection information for each session is in the church calendar on the website. Hope to see you there!
Collecting new and gently used books for school aged kids!
October we will be going back to collecting books for Bridge of Books Foundation. Our collection was cut short back in March. Bridge of Books supplies new or gently used books to low income schools all over New Jersey. You can drop books in new or good condition on the church porch that are school age appropriate (Pre-K through high school). You can learn more at www.bridgeofbooksfoundation.org
Backpack Crew Update
New Fall Times!
The Backpack Crew pantry is now open EVERY Monday evening from 5-7pm. The current donation needs are cereal and shelf stable milk! The Backpack Crew has continued to serve the increasing number of people who are impacted by food insecurity in the midst of this health crisis. Food donations are greatly appreciated on the back porch of the church, Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm. Thank you for your continued support. Email us at [email protected] with any questions.
Bible Study Has Begun

Online bible study has started up and is currently examining the Book of Psalms. For more information and links to the meetings please visit our website.
Support UMCOR Disaster Relief

In the wake of the fires in California and the devastation of Hurricane Laura, we invite you to support the Disaster Response and Recovery fund of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Click here to contribute today to this relief effort. UMCOR responds to natural or civil disasters of such magnitude that they overwhelm a community’s ability to recover on its own.
Outdoor Small Group Gathering Space
Our church council has approved the use of an Outdoor Small Group Gathering space for church groups of 10 or less. Masks must be worn at all times and social distancing must be maintained. There are several places in the parking lot that we will be cordoning off and setting up chairs in to accommodate these outdoor gatherings. For more information or to request the space for your group, please contact Sheila Leavitt. Please know that Sheila is only in the office Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Balance and Strength Training
Tuesdays and Thursdays
at 12:00 pm
Join us for online Balance and Strength Training with Janet Tartaglia. Beginners welcome! Items needed: chair (with no arms) and weights (can be 2 16 oz. water bottles), or you can choose to follow along without the weights. Exercises done with chair or standing, no floor work. Join the Zoom meeting by following this link: https://zoom.us/j/96916489677 or call: (646) 876-9923 Meeting ID: 969 1648 9677# Password 7470446
Online Yoga - Wednesdays at 9:30 am
Join us for online yoga with Tiffany McCann on Wednesdays. Join the Zoom meeting by following this link: https://zoom.us/j/958496669. Or call: (646) 876-9923 Meeting ID: 958 496 669# Password 7470446
Take the 2020 Census Now! Deadline is October 5th.
Send in your application early to vote by mail ballot
As the Coronavirus pandemic stretches on, avoid the question of whether or not to venture out to the polls for the General Election in November. Plan ahead by submitting your application for voting by mail ballot. Click on this link to download and print your application today, then simply mail it in to the address provided.
Pastoral Care
If someone is hospitalized or in need of pastoral care
please contact Rev. Jessica Naulty at 908-400-2343 or [email protected].