December 25, 2016

East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church

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 and Studies

Traditional 8:30 am
Contemporary 10:45 am
Sunday School 9:45 am
Discipleship Groups 9:45 am

Christmas Day Service - 10:00 a.m.

New Years Day Service - 10:00 a.m.

Church Office

Closed
Monday
December 26th

Open 10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday, December 27th to
Friday, December 30th
ClosedMonday, January 2nd

Pastors Corner
Christmas is upon us! Our bulletins are prepared and ready. Ushers and greeters are lined
up. The candles, both wax and LED, are ready to be handed out at all three Christmas Eve
services. My messages for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are still in process, but
moving toward completion. Presumably, your house decorations have been up for a while,
most of the presents are wrapped and ready to distribute, and preparations are well under
way for whatever Christmas feast youre preparing. As a side note, our older daughter,
Lauren, argued for a vegan Christmas this year even though none of us are vegan, including
Lauren. Since we love a good challenge, were going to try it. Ill let you know how that goes!
So, we are prepared, or so we think. Have we made the most important preparation? The season of Advent
was placed on the church calendar to help us to be prepared for the celebration once again of the Christ Child
coming into our world. It also challenges us to be prepared for the Second Coming of our Messiah, Jesus
Christ. The greatest and most important preparation we can make for Christmas is to make sure our hearts are
aligned with Gods heart. I challenge each of us to take time in our daily devotions to reflect on the difference
the presence of Christ makes in our lives.
I pray that each of us will be motivated to invite at least one person or family who is currently without a church
home to attend one of our three Christmas Eve services and/or our Christmas Day service at 10 a.m. on
Sunday. I love the three different Christmas Eve services, but Im especially looking forward to worshiping with
our church family on Christmas Day as we celebrate Jesus birthday!
A final reminder to our congregation about end-of-year giving: If you are not able to be present on Christmas
Eve or Day to share your final 2016 gifts with the church, you can still get them in to the church office by Noon
on Thursday, December 29. Cyndie Faunce, our Financial Secretary, will be glad to help you. We are still
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receiving commitment cards from our campaign back in October and

November, and welcome new or renewed pledges from our
congregation. Finally, our new church directories have arrived; praise
God! I know weve been waiting quite a while for these, so this is
somewhat of a Christmas miracle. Peggy Strack, who has worked so
hard on this directory with her husband, Rich, has a plan for distribution
of the directories, so we will await her word on how to receive them.
Have a very blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

May the God of hope fill you with

all joy and peace as you trust in
him, so that you may overflow with
hope by the power of the Holy
Spirit. (Romans 15: 13).
Christmas Blessings from,
The ESUMC Stephen Ministry team

Pastor Jim
Recent Cards & Notes received from our friends we have helped.
To all at ESUMC,
Thank you for your prayers and the tray of cookies I found at my door. May the
season Bless you and the New Year bring many good things for all.
Loretta
To all at ESUMC Church,
Many thanks for your thoughtful notes and gifts!
Jean Eden
To our church family,
During an uncertain time, Bob and I experienced an outpouring of prayer, help
and support from ESUMC.
You hardly know us, but you have done and given so much to us. You have
shown us the love and support of a true church family.
Thank you cannot express the deep gratitude we have towards everyone at
ESUMC. You are the hands and feet of Jesus.
In Christs Love,
Pam & Bob Cool

For more info visit our web page

http://www.esumc.net/stephen-ministry/
Or callPeggy Strack
(570) 421-3280 Ext 1023

Read the Bible in a Year

As we near the end of the year and approach the

promise of Christmas our scriptures for this week
are from Ezra, Nehemiah and Revelations.
Now Ezra and Nehemiah speak to the return of
the exiled Jewish people to Jerusalem to rebuild the City of God. This
was a difficult challenge for them, but through prayer and trusting in God
we find that they were able to complete their task.
We just returned from leading a Blue Christmas service at a drug and
alcohol rehabilitation center for women. We can find a parallel here as we
consider that, in a different worship setting and through weekly Bible
studies, these women are rebuilding the City of God in their lives. You
see they have been in a place of exile. They have lost so much; children,
families, friends, jobs, homes, etc., but by faith and through hope they
embrace scriptures like we hear in Nehemiah 8:10 which tell us: Do not
grieve, for the joy of the Lord is our strength.
The questions we need to ask ourselves are: How do we embrace
this scripture? How do we rebuild the City of God to help us during the
challenges and difficult times that we face in our lives? Ezra can help us
as he leads by example. He not only knows Gods Word, but he trusts it
and puts it into action. He lives out his commitment to serve God by
anchoring himself through humble prayer and remaining faithful to the
Hebrew Scriptures.
So my friends, be encouraged and read on.

Pastor Bob

Please Be Considerate!
On Sunday mornings, the
four parking spots by the dentists
office are designated as handicapped
parking only. Folks who have
difficulty walking or rely on using the
elevator need to park in these
spots! If you do not have a
handicapped designation on your
license plate or a handicapped
placard hanging from your mirror,
please DO NOT park in these
spots! Thank you!
Members of ESUMC who are no
longer able to attend church always
appreciate hearing from you. Cards
may be sent to:

Evelyn Taylor
Spring Village at Pocono
329 East Brown St.
East Stroudsburg, Pa. 18301

Thank You

Thank You Cub

Scout Pack 103!

Youth Baking Cookies for Visits

Members of
Cub Scout Pack 103
made beautiful
Christmas cards for
members of ESUMC
who are homebound
or who live in care
facilities. Under the
leadership of cub
master Michael
Greene, the scouts
shared their creative
talents and
compassionate hearts to brighten the Christmas season for folks who
sometimes feel forgotten! Thank you, scouts! Your kindness is deeply
appreciated!

UPDATE
God calls us to be committed to his Kingdom Work. At
Christmas we are reminded in many ways to share the Good
News of the birth of Jesus and the news of his salvation for
all. We not only do this through our own witness and the witness of our
Church, but also by supporting organizations that we know are dedicated to
share the work of Gods Kingdom Work.

Youth at Milford Manor

Read the Bible in a Year

356Ezra 8:15-36, Ezra 9:1-15,
Revelation 14:1-13, Proverbs 31:1-9
357Ezra 10, Revelation 14:14-20,
Revelation 15, Psalm 146:1-10
358Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah 2,
Revelation 16, Psalm 147:1-11
359Nehemiah 3, Nehemiah 4,
Revelation 17, Psalm 147:12-20
360Nehemiah 5, Nehemiah 6,
Nehemiah 7:1-3, Revelation 18:1-17,
Proverbs 31:10-20
361Nehemiah 7:4-73, Nehemiah 8,
Revelation 18:17-24, Revelation 19:1-10,
Psalm 148:1-6
362Nehemiah 9:1-37, Revelation 19:11-21,
Psalm 148:7-14
363Nehemiah 9:38, Nehemiah
10,Nehemiah 11:1-21
Revelation 20, Psalm 149:1-9
364Nehemiah 11:22-36, Nehemiah 12:1-47,
Revelation 21, Proverbs 31:21-31
365Nehemiah 13, Revelation 22,
Psalm 150:1-56
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.
Healthcare Equipment available:
Canes, crutches, walkers, adult potty chairs,
shower stools, Depends and more!

FAITH PROMISE offers the opportunity to support such organizations. Shores

of Grace in Recife, Brazil, is dedicated in rescuing women and children out of
homelessness, prostitution and abuse. 100 Fold Studio brings us news that an
ammunition box once used to
hold bullets for the horrific
Khmer Rouge genocide in
Cambodia, is now being used
as a tool box to build a
university campus to equip
young Cambodians with
practical skills and Biblical
principles to restore their
country. We are familiar with
the ways Family Promise
serves families who find themselves unavoidably homeless and in need of
assistance.
The Re-entry Program seeks to provide necessary tools to ensure that
ex-offenders can pursue a healthy and effective re-entry into our community.
Far from East Stroudsburg, in Volgograd, Russia, funds are received from the
Russian Initiative to support Rev. Valeri Patkevitch as Pastor of The Church of
the Transfiguration. Support is also given to UMCORs Global Health Initiative
and the National Disaster Fund.
In the Philadelphia area, we support the Philadelphia Project, InterVarsity
Christian Fellowship at Temple, and Spanish Health Ministries. Each of these
are dedicated to serving others with the intent to share Gods love and mercy.
In our area, Pregnancy Resource Center, Pocono Plateau, and Salvation Army
receive our support of prayers and finances.
All these organizations give praise and thanks to God for their ability to serve
in Gods Kingdom Work. FAITH PROMISE needs our faithful support to fulfill
the Promise of that support for 2016. Please use the envelopes in the Bulletin
today, regular Sunday envelopes or any gift noting it is for Faith Promise or
Missions. May Gods Blessings of Peace fill our hearts with hope.
Rev. Linda KissellHect
3

Events

Contact Us

There will be no Zumba Gold or Zumba Chair Classes on the

following dates:
12/22, 12/23, 12/29 and 12/30
Classes will resume again the week of January 2 nd.

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
Church Administrator
Jill Teaford
jteaford@esumc.net
Ext. 1015
Secretary
Maria Ragonese
mragonese@esumc.net
Ext. 1010
Congregational Care
Peggy Strack
pstrack@esumc.net
Ext. 1023

Bravo! Thanks to all instrumentalists

for carols in the balcony last Sunday!

Student Ministries
Scott Kuhnle
skuhnle@esumc.net
Ext. 1013
Childrens Ministries
Erica Dorsch
edorsch@esumc.net
Ext. 1017
Financial Secretary
Cyndie Faunce
cfaunce@esumc.net
Ext. 1025
Maintenance
William Mack
wmack@esumc.net
Ext. 1018

Congregation members enjoying the instrumental carols.

Recovery Meetings Available in The Community Room of Office
Building Basement
NA: Monday through Saturday 12:00 P.M. to 1:30 P.M.

Just for Today

Wednesday 6:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. New Beginnings (Womens Group)

AA: 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

SextonsJude Porter
jporter@esumc.net
Kenny Fenston
fenstonkenny@yahoo.com
Organist/Traditional Music
Pauline Fox
foxes@esumc.net
Contemporary Music
Doug Malefyt
dmalefyt@esumc.net
Audio/Visual
Joe Dorsch
josephdorsch@gmail.com
Technology Support
Michael Corey
mcorey@esumc.net
Ext. 1012