THE TRUMPET CALL 1

Our Mission: To love Jesus Christ and to share His Love

Our Vision: To be a Christian community where Christ is transforming lives
East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church Volume V Issue 28 July 21st, 2019

This past Monday, several members of our Missions Team went to Philadelphia to see the work God
is doing through Luke and Alisan Billman as part of the Shores of Grace Philadelphia ministry. You
may remember that when our church was first introduced to Luke and Alisan, they were working with
Luke’s brother and sister-in-law, Nic and Rachael Billman, in Recife, Brazil as part of the original
Shores of Grace ministry. Shores of Grace continues to operate in Brazil, and our church still faithfully
supports that ministry through our Faith Promise offerings. We also now support Shores of Grace
Philadelphia, but we had not yet seen the ministry firsthand.

I was thinking about Emmanuel McIntyre as I went on this trip, because as it turns out, the church where Luke and Alisan
are based in the Germantown section of Philadelphia is the same church where I preached my very first “solo” sermon,
similar to what Emmanuel did this past Sunday in our church. I was a ministry intern in the summer of 1976 as a very
young and naïve college student, having just finished my first year of college and having felt the calling to ministry. I
remember (nervously!) preaching two sermons that summer working alongside the Rev. Herb Snyder who became a
mentor to me. Forty three years later, I went back and stood in that same pulpit in a sanctuary which has barely changed
from that time. The parsonage where I lived that summer is the very same place where the Billmans now make their
home with their three children.

The photo below shows our group with the Billmans. Luke and Alisan are to the left and in front. Left to right on the trip
were Alberta Deiter, Lynn Pappalardo, Pat Braun, Nee Dodoo (thanks for driving, Nee!), Joyce Moeller, myself, and Ray
Moeller, seated.

Luke and Alisan are living and working as true servants of Jesus Christ! Luke memorably described a group of people
he’s been working with who are homeless and mostly drug addicts. He was talking to one of the men in the group who
was truly moved by the work Luke and Alisan are doing. He said, “You know, there are three churches that come by here
to give us food each week. They shove the food out of the van and drive off. There are another three who get out of their
vans but they don’t make eye contact with us. But you’re different! You care, you talk to us, you love us.” That kind of
caring opens up the possibility of sharing the Gospel with someone who truly needs it, which they do at every
opportunity.

The Billmans work with the Philly Project (another of our mission partners) to train youth who come for a week to
experience the Philly Project. They train them in street evangelism and to date have provided this training to more than
175 youth. In fact, we were to observe one of these training sessions while we were there, but Philly Project had to
cancel at the last minute. No matter, it provided more time for us to talk to the
Billmans and to ask them many questions. It was a great day, and not because
I was able to walk down “memory lane.” What made it great was seeing not just
two faithful disciples, but an entire faithful family, living out their commitment to
Jesus Christ in a tough neighborhood. Your gifts to Faith Promise will help to
show the Billmans that we care about the important work they do and that they
are an extension of our own ministry! 1

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jim

Why do YOU give blood?
Some of us give blood because we were asked to by a
friend. Some know that a family member or a friend
might need blood some day. Others believe it’s just “the
right thing to do.” And some of us.. well, we just do it for
the cookies. Whatever your reason is, your gift always
gives back.
Join the American Red Cross in Fellowship Hall next
Tuesday, July 30th, to donate! Appointments available
from 1:00-6:00pm. Walk-ins welcome!
Make a difference at ESUMC! Volunteer to
serve on our Audio Visual Team!
http://www.esumc.net/audio-visual-volunteer-
position/
Linda’s Bargain Box Sale
Many of our members here at East Stroudsburg United
Methodist Church knew and loved our late sister, Linda
Drake. She was our leader of United Methodist Women,
a passionate youth volunteer, a faith-filled woman, a
friend, and much more to many of us that knew her.
In honor of her countless years of service, we’ve
renamed our annual Bargain Basement sale “Linda’s
Bargain Box Sale.” If you knew Linda, you probably also
know that this sale was important to her. To continue
this ministry initiative, we’re looking for volunteers to
help us prepare for this event, work the event, and clean
up afterwards. If you, or someone else you know, has
interest in helping, please contact Ginny Levanowitz at
(570) 992-7290. The sale will be Fri., Aug. 9th from
8:00AM-3PM, and Sat., Aug. 10th, from 8:00AM-1:00PM
Do YOU Bake?
The Stine Class requests all ESUMC bakers to whip up
some tasty treats to benefit Linda’s Bargain Basement
Sale, on August 9th and 10th! In preparation for the
sale, Goodies are requested to be dropped off the
Fellowship Hall on Thursday, August 8th between 8:00
AM and 3:00 PM. To agree to bake, or for questions and
concerns, please contact Pat Fish at (570) 223-8438 or
Ginny Levanowitz at (570) 992-7290. Thank you!!!
 THIS WEEK AT ESUMC Recovery
Meetings
3

at ESUMC
All meetings are
held downstairs in
the Community Room of the
Education Building
*excluding GriefShare*

AA
Keep It Simple
Thursdays & Saturdays
8:00pm-9:00pm

Serenity House
Saturdays
5:30pm-6:30pm
Sundays
4:30pm-6:30pm

NA
Just For Today
Monday-Saturday
12:00pm-1:30pm

New Beginnings
(Women’s Group)
Wednesdays
6:00-7:30pm

ATTENTION CHURCH: WE NOW USE A

NEW DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
OA
Wednesdays
CALLED SERVANTKEEPER. IF YOUR 8:00pm-9:00pm
CONTACT INFORMATION HAS
CHANGED, PLEASE CONTACT THE
CHURCH OFFICE M-F, 9AM-1PM.
GRIEF
RESOURCE DIRECTORY
church@esumc.net Official Church email SHARE
Thursdays
communications@esumc.net Communications questions, requests and suggestions 6:30-8:00pm
prayer@esumc.net Prayer requests (for our phone, text, or3email prayer chains) Oberholtzer Hall
servantkeeper@esumc.net Servant keeper questions or help Church Building

trumpetcall@esumc.net eNews requests; TC articles DEADLINE: Wednesdays, 12pm

“Honor our Father(s)” is a message that was shared on Father’s Day with our Preschool Nursery Children. The
Children also learned that we all share one Father… God. He is our Father and he loves us with more love than we
can ever imagine. They learned that like our parents, God loves them unconditionally. Which means, no matter
what you do or what bad choice you make or if you keep making mistakes, God continues to love and forgive us our
whole lives. The children made special cards and decorated wooden toolboxes for their Dad or special
person. Pictured are the Dorsch boys and the Bibler kids with their Dads.

We are trained and stand ready to serve. There are

Clean That Basement, Closet, or Attic Out!
Clean for a cause! Linda’s Bargain Box Sale needs
donations! Everything (EXCLUDING books, clothes and
electronics) accepted!!! Drop off on Sunday, Aug. 4th
(after Church) to the Bell Choir Room, or Wed., Aug. 7th
to the Fellowship Hall between 8:00AM and 3:00PM!
three male Stephen Ministers who are immediately
available to help those in need within ESUMC or our
community. If you could benefit from a Stephen Minister
relationship, please contact our Stephen Ministry
Leader, Peggy Stack at (570) 856-2131,
pstrack@ptd.net, or via our Church website: esumc.net.
 5

Attention Church Planning for the future is hard when you’re still paying
for the past! Listen—there’s a better way! Take control
As ESUMC Laity and Staff begins the planning process of your money with Financial Peace University (FPU)!
for next year’s calendar of events, we’re working This nine-lesson course uses biblical wisdom and
together to plan and coordinate meetings, events and common sense to help you tackle budgeting, pay off
special activities for 2020. debt, and make your money work for you! FPU includes
In reviewing the ministries that fall under the oversight of your member workbook and a year of free online
the Congregational Care Team, we recognize that we resources through Financial Peace Membership. Join us
haven’t held many Fun & Fellowship events since Sarah Wednesday nights at East Stroudsburg United
Kuhnle resigned leadership of the Fun & Fellowship Methodist Church, September 4th—October 30th! For
committee to become our Outreach & Evangelism Team more information, contact Mike & Darla Piancone at
Leader in 2018. In other words, Fun & Fellowship has (570) 421-7443 or fpu.esumc@gmail.com! You can also
been inactive for several months, due the absence of a read about FPU and sign up online at
coordinator. www.fpu.com/1089706.
However, we realize how important these fun,
relationship-building activities can be and we are very
instersted in reviving this ministry!!!! If anyone from the
Church has interest in helping us organize and plan, fun
social events for the Congregation, please let us know!!
Creative thinking, organizing and delegating skills are
highly needed for this role.
If you, or someone you know from ESUMC, is interested
in helping us put Fun & Fellowship back on the calendar,
please reach out to Rachel Thomspon, at
rthompson@esumc.net, for more information on this
important ministry!
What Is GriefShare?

GriefShare is a weekly support group for those who

have experienced the death of a loved one. This
program is designed to help those who are hurting
understand their grief and rebuild their life in the midst of
the challenges they are facing.

The programs runs in 14 weeks cycles, and includes

video seminars, group discussion, and a personal
workbook. If you, or someone you know, is interested in
5 benefitting from GriefShare Ministries, please contact

Debbie Zacharias at (570) 242-4029, or call our Church

Even in the Summer—come ZUMBA with us! Office at (570) 421-3280, M-F, 9:00 AM—1:00 PM.
 Tape Here
Postage
Here

EAST STROUDSBURG
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
83 SOUTH COURTLAND STREET
EAST STROUDSBURG, PA 18301

Esumc.net East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church EastStroudsburgUMC @ESUMC ESUMC

S U N DAY S E R V I C E S & T I M E S
8:30 AM Traditional Worship 9:45 AM Equipping Hour 10:45 AM Contemporary Worship

Church Office Director of Student Ministries Director of Congregational Care

Monday-Friday, 9am-1pm Scott Kuhnle Rachel Thompson
church@esumc.net skuhnle@esumc.net rthompson@esumc.net
(570) 421-3280 Ext. 1013 Ext. 1011

Pastor Director of Children & Family Ministries Audio/Visual Technician

Jim Todd Erica Dorsch Charles Rajnai
jtodd@esumc.net edorsch@esumc.net charlesrajnai@gmail.com
Ext. 1014 Ext. 1017
Financial Secretary, Accts. Receivable
Church Administrator Director of Traditional Music/Organist Christine Uporsky
Rich Poole Pauline Fox cuporsky@esumc.net
rpoole@esumc.net foxes@esumc.net Ext. 1012
Ext. 1015
Director of Contemporary Music Financial Secretary, Accts. Payable
Administrative Assistant Doug Malefyt Bruce Osbun
Kathy Ravago dmalefyt@esumc.net bosbun@esumc.net
kravago@esumc.net Ext. 1012
Ext. 1010 Director of Choir
Joe Dorsch Weekday Sexton
Director of Communications josephdorsch@gmail.com Bob Lee
& Spiritual Life Development rlee@esumc.net
Bethany Mills Director of Bells
bmills@esumc.net Chris Perfetti Sunday Sexton
Ext. 1023 perfetti3@ptd.net Craig Banner