January 1, 2017

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

May our church family be

blessed in the coming year

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

Discipleship Classes Beginning on January 15th

Classroom 8 &9 in basement next to Youth Room.
9:45 a.m.
Ken Brown & Bob Rosenberger
Black/white relations in the culture at large and in the church in particular continue to
be a stain on America's respectable reputation. The church has clearly failed and must seek to
function by God's kingdom perspective. In this legacy message, Tony Evans seeks to promote a
biblical understanding of the kingdom foundation of oneness by detailing why we don't have it,
what we need to do to get it, and what it will look like when we live it.

Classroom 7 in basement down hall from Sunday School

9:45 a.m.
Justin Searle
We talk as though we understand the term. The bank gives us a grace period. The
seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note. We describe an actress as
gracious, a dancer as graceful. We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings, and premeal
prayers. We talk as though we know what grace means.

Read the Bible in a Year

It was early one morning in December of

2012. I was the first pastor to arrive at Perkins
Restaurant for our Nehemiah cluster meeting.
While I was waiting, a young woman came over to
my table and asked me What in the world is going on? She wanted to
know how I could serve a God who allows suffering like that in the world.
I asked her to sit down so we could talk, but she just shook her head and
walked out. Im certain what brought her to this outburst were the horrific
events at the Sandy Hook Elementary School that week. But I believe as
followers of Jesus, the message of Christmas is not so much what in the
world is going on, but who in the world has come.
Maybe we have the same question: How can a loving God allow
this to happen? But let us remember that God entered the world as the
world really is.
God, in the person of Jesus, did not isolate himself from any situation or
circumstance that you or I could ever face.
When I got home I read again the events of that day at Sandy Hook.
What stood out for me was how one teacher saved her fifteen students
by blockading them into a tiny one-person bathroom, pulling a bookcase
across the door and locking it. And heres what she told them: Be
absolutely quiet for the bad guys are out there, but good guys are
coming! We have to wait for the good guys. Show me your smiles.
Thats what we need to remember. In this world there is evil and
darkness, but the good guy has come and we are promised in scripture
that He is coming again.
I love the imagery of this scripture that abounds with hope: Then I
saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first
earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy
City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a
loud voice from the throne saying, Look! Gods dwelling place is now
among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people,
and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every
tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or
pain, for the old order of things has passed away. (Revelations 21:1-4)
Couple this with the message from Johns Gospel affirming that the
true light has come into the world and no matter how hard darkness tries
to put it out, it cannot extinguish it. This is the promise of Christmas; this
is the promise of our faith today and for the future yet to come.
So my friends me encouraged and read on!!
Pastor Bob

A New Year
A New Resolution...
Stephen Ministry
accomplishes spiritual
growth through activities that draw
Stephen Ministers closer to Christ.
One such vital spiritual activity is
prayer. A good Stephen Minister must
be a frequent pray-er. As Stephen
Ministers observe God working in the
lives of care receivers, they appreciate
more deeply Gods awesome power
and incredible love for his people.
Please support this ministry through
your prayers.
For more info visit our web page
http://www.esumc.net/stephen-ministry/
Or callPeggy Strack
(570) 421-3280 Ext 1023

Please Help Us!

Pastor Jim, Sharon Gerberich,

Ana Price, Sonia Lopez, Bob Rosenberger and Peggy Strack have been
faithfully providing daily visitation coverage to Pocono Medical Center for
church members who have been hospitalized. We now have a second hospital in Monroe County as St. Lukes
has recently opened their facility on
Route 611. We will not be able to go
to both hospitals to check their rosters. If you or a member of your family
is admitted to ANY hospital, please
notify the church office, 570-4213280. We are happy to visit, if we are
informed! Thank you for your help!
Members of ESUMC who are no
longer able to attend church always
appreciate hearing from you. Cards
may be sent to:

Childrens
Programs
Children Making Bread

Shirley Staples
22 Independence Road
East Stroudsburg, Pa. 18301

Thank You

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!

First, let me pass along from members of our military

family what it meant to receive cards and packages over
this holiday season. It meant a lot to them that their
church family took the time to reach out and send them
some inspiration, encouragement, joy and prayers. What a terrific witness when
they're opening these cards and boxes with smiles and their fellow soldiers ask
'who sent you that?', and they say 'my church'. Thank you all for your help and
support.
What does 2017 have in store for M.O.M.? In a word - opportunity. Let's aim high
in 2017 and keep those caissons rolling. Anchors away boys, we're gonna take
this right to the shores of Tripoli.
If you'd like a list of names, would like to add a name, or would like a little toy
soldier to remind you to pray for our military and their families, see Randy Johns.

Youth

Activities
Scouts
Outreach

Contact Us
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
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
SextonsJude Porter
jporter@esumc.net
Kenny Fenston
fenstonkenny@yahoo.com
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

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