East Stroudsburg

United Methodist Church

Devotional Corner
"During commitment campaigns of the
past, church members were encouraged
to write and submit brief devotionals to be
read each day by the congregation. Below
is a sample devotional written by Ana
Price from the 2001 commitment campaign. Please prayerfully consider writing
a devotional for our 2015 campaign, and
submit it to Gloria Ladlee at: (570) 5952582."

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
8:30 a.m. Traditional

9:45 a.m. Contemporary

11:00 a.m. Traditional

East Stroudsburg United

Methodist Church
83 S. Courtland St.
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
(570) 421-3280
church@esumc.net
www.esumc.net

August 9, 2015

The Trumpet Call

Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or
hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or
sword? Read Romans 37 -39.
It was August 11, 1989, and we had been blessed with the birth of
our second child. There were a lot of complications that could have
affected the birth. My husband and l knew that God walked the difficult journey with us, and his everlasting love was shown through
the birth of our perfect son.
Immediately following David's birth, I developed complications that
led me to years of pain and uncertainty about the quality of my
health. In 1992, we received the news that unless the cranial
pressure was reduced I would eventually not be able to walk. Children are God's most precious gift and I wanted to savor the joy of
all that motherhood had to offer for as long as I could.
Today, I still have days of struggle, and I rejoice in that. Even in
pain I can feel God's love for I know that it is by the grace of God
that I am walking. I thank God for allowing me to walk another day,
for allowing me to serve him, but most of all thank him for allowing
me to experience his abiding love. God's boundless love for me is
like the love I have for my children, a deep love that bubbles up in
my heart; but God's love is that multiplied by infinity. I live every day
giving of my time, gifts, and talents to glorify God and I give him the
praise for all that he has done in my life. I know that only through
him all things are possible, and he has shown me
that over and over again.
Prayer: 0 Lord, may your purpose be fulfilled in my life today-to love
you Completely, to love myself correctly, and to love others compassionately and live as you would like me to live. Amen
Ana Price

Outreach Opportunities
August Dollar Challenge
School supplies are needed for
Church Women United backpacks, soup kitchen and Operation Santa boxes. Place
items in box in Oberholtzer
Hall.
Thanks and Blessings, Linda.

Pray for each other so that you may

be healed. The prayer of a righteous
man is powerful and effective. James
5:16b
Weekly our Stephen Ministers are
meeting with their care receivers, listening to their concerns, and lifting
them in prayer. Stephen Ministers
pray for Gods mercy and cure for the
care receivers pain, suffering and needs. We ask you,
our congregation, to support the Stephen Ministers by
including them and their care receivers in your prayers.
For more information, contact Peggy Strack at the
church office: 570-421-3280, ext. 1023.
Mary Lou Kear is receiving physical therapy at
Good Shepherd. Cards may be sent to her: Room
313B, Good Shepherd Plaza, 850 South 5th St., Allentown, Pa. 18103.
Two Sided Name Tags

Thanks to all who came out during

the past few days to help make our
Bargain Basement such a success!
We especially want to thank those
who helped set up and tear down.
We also want to thank you if you donated or purchased any of the many items that went through our
doors.

Additional name cards have been printed and placed in

our lanyard name tags to enable them to be read from
both sides. (They often flip over when being worn). If
you keep your name tag at home, please pick up your
additional card for your name tag on the small white
tables in Oberholtzer Hall.

Sunday Evening youth activities will be starting up again on

Sunday, September 13th.
JAM (Jesus And Me) activities
will begin on Thursday, September 17th.

From Our Vision Team

Most of the time, when we pray,
we have ulterior motives. We
desire something to go in our
favor or align with our idea of
how we think the outcome
should be. We could not be further from the truth. I can recount
so many occasions when God
has done the complete opposite
of what I expected him to answer. God's ways are definitely not my ways, and ultimately, looking back, I am glad that he did not answer my
prayers as I thought, because his ways were so much
better. I have learned that although it's perfectly acceptable to ask God for what I want, it is always better to say
"thy will be done" and wait to see how he works. According to Greg Laurie, a well-known evangelist, "As you get
in sync with the will of God, you will see that prayer is not
getting God to do what you want him to do, but prayer is
getting you to do what God wants you to do." Think of all
the people God used to proclaim the coming of Christ.
We have over three hundred and fifty prophecies about
Jesus, and in the New Testament there are only a few
who recognized his coming, including John the Baptist.
God was preparing his people throughout scripture for a

big change in the way they would worship Him; that way
was Jesus Christ: "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it
springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in
the wilderness and rivers in the desert" (Isaiah 43:19).
Imagine how difficult it was for the Jewish people, especially the religious leaders, to abandon their way of worship for something so new and so different. It is only
through the power of the Holy Spirit that lives are transformed. As you pray this week, the Vision Team asks
you to consider these words from scripture:
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of
God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and
acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not
be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern
what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and
perfect" (Romans 12:1-2).
During the listening sessions, many people shared a desire to say The Lord's Prayer at every service. Jesus
taught us to pray "thy will be done" and not my will be
done. My prayer is for Gods will to be accomplished on
Earth as it is in Heaven for ESUMC. I pray you will make
it yours as well. Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer.
Cathy Saunders: Vision Team Member

Opportunities/News

Childrens Ministry
We here at Childrens Ministry
are so glad to see the great
turnout of children for our
Sonday Summer Seekers. Not
only from our church family, but
many visitors also. Our focus
for the rest of August will be
setting a firm foundation
through prayer, the Bible and
following in the footsteps of the disciples. Remember
this is all done through a fun, relaxed and loving way.
Its never to late to join us, so please come on down.
If not now, coming for the new school year we will be
looking for many volunteers. If you can donate one
or two Sundays a year. That would be great.
Also, something exciting for the holidays. We are
planning a bus trip to Koziars Christmas Village.
November 28th, 2015.

Good Bye
and
Best Wishes!
Lois Taylor has been an
active member of the
ESUMC family for 70
years. She participated in
the Davis Sunday School
class and most recently the
Stine Sunday School class.
She made many shawls for the prayer shawl ministry and contributed in countless ways to the life of
our church.
On August 11th, Lois will be moving to Arizona
where her daughter Becky lives. We will miss Lois,
but know that God will bless this new chapter of her
life! Mail may be sent to Lois Taylor, c/o Charles &
Becky Turtzo, 4494 N. Reston Place, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314.

A candidate for director of Music and Worship is visiting and it is now official-we will be meeting as follows:
Adult and youth bells together -Tues, 8/18, 6:30-7:30
Chimes - Thursday, 8/20, 5-5:45
We want to both gear up for the upcoming season, get a sense of Dan's experience and style, and see each
other again! I also welcome you all to invite anyone interested (past members or potential new players) to join
us-the more the merrier!
Any questions, please feel free to contact meKaren Raub 570-460-7161 or KarenRaub69@gmail.com

The OKs are going to Shawnee

Playhouse on Aug. 13 at 2 P.M. to see
Babes in Hollywood. This is the story of
Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Sounds
like a play we might like.
As it is a local activity, there will be no
transportation and you have to get your
own ticket. They will not hold seats unless
they are paid for and we didnt have
enough people for group rate. They did say
they would try to save a section for us, so if
you want to go, ask to be seated with the
ESUMC group. Tickets are $26.00. If you
want to go, call ASAP because they fill up
fast in the summertime.
For questions. Call Erma at
570-421-1422.

We know that traditions are

important to us, especially
during the holidays. And Children's Ministry would like to
start one or add one to your
family's.
On Saturday November, 28th we are planning a
bus trip to Koziars Christmas Village in Bernville Pa.

Staff Contact Information Main Office: 570-421-3280

Pastor: Jim Todd
Secretary: Maria Ragonese
Congregational Care: Peggy Strack
Music & Worship:
Youth Ministry: Scott Kuhnle
Childrens Ministry: Pam OBrien
Technology Support: Michael Corey
Finances: Sue Mertz
Financial Secretary: Cyndie Faunce
Maintenance: William Mack
Fellowship Hall Kitchen
Church (Inside Breezeway)
Organist: Pauline Fox
Audio-visuals: Joe Dorsch

jtodd@esumc.net
mragonese@esumc.net
pstrack@esumc.net

1014
1010
1023

skuhnle@esumc.net
pobrien@esumc.net
mcorey@esumc.net
smertz@esumc.net
cfaunce@esumc.net
wmack@esumc.net

1013
1017
1012
1015
1025
1018
1030
1031
----

foxes@esumc.net
josephdorsch@gmail.com

----

Our Mission is to love Jesus Christ

and share His Love.

We will be leaving ESUMC at 2:45 p.m. and

returning 10:00. The cost will be $29.00 for
adults, $27.00 for children. This price includes
round trip bus and admission.
This is a walking event, with both inside and
outside
displays.
You may bring a bag lunch, snacks etc, or purchase food there. Visit their website for more
info

http://www.koziarschristmasvillage.com/ho
me/
If interested contact Pam OBrien or Michael
Corey at (570) 421-3280 or pobrien@esumc.net or