Sunday, January 10, 2016 Worship & Sunday School, 10 a.m. Sermon: Down to the River
Isaiah 43:1-7, Luke 3:15-22
Pastor Lauren Scharstein preaching
January 10 - Regular Bible Study at 8:30 a.m. in the Library
See you there!
PCUM Starts Monthly Sunday-afternoon Series on “Incarceration & Raceâ€
On Sunday, January 24 from 4 to 5:30 p.m., you and the entire PCUM family—along the wider Montclair and surrounding community—are warmly invited to PCUM for the first exciting session planned in a six-month series of discussions on the subject of “incarceration and race.â€
Each session will run 90 minutes and feature a different expert guest speaker. Presenters will be drawn primarily from Montclair and neighboring communities and contributors to the conversation will include an Essex County public defender, a death row attorney, a filmmaker and representatives from organizations serving incarcerated persons and their families.
The series is designed to help the PCUM family follow our calling as Christ’s people as we gain insight from people with direct experience with issues of race and incarceration in order to stimulate awareness of the profound impact this problem of race-influenced incarceration policies has on our whole community and nation, and to inspire action.
The first presenter on January 24 will be George Kendall, a Montclair-based death penalty and civil rights attorney with a nationwide defense practice. Mr. Kendall is an engaging speaker who has represented capital clients, wrongly-convicted citizens and indigent death row inmates since 1979. He has served for many years as counsel to the NAACP and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Champion of Justice Award from the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys and from the Equal Justice Initiative and the Constitution Project.
Hope to see you there! Bring your friends!
ONE-ROOM SUNDAY SCHOOL next Sunday, January 17th for Pre-K through 5th grade. Childcare available for Nursery and Toddlers.
3rd GRADERS & FAMILIES! The Christian Education committee and your Sunday school teachers would like to invite you to the Third Grade Bible presentation on Sunday, January 24, here at PCUM. This is a special Sunday just for you because you will receive your very own Bible during worship. God’s Word will be open for you to explore on your own, with your families, and in Sunday school with your class and teachers. We hope that you will be able to join us for YOUR very special day. If you need further information, please contact Mary Beckhusen, Director of Christian Education by phone at 973-746-3854 or by email at mary@pcum.org.
SAVE THE DATE – FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE! Calling all 4th and 5th graders: The next Friday Night Live is January 22 inPCUM's Fellowship Hall from 6:30–8:30 p.m. Friday Night Live is a fun-filled “pre Youth Fellowship†experience for 4th and 5th graders in the PCUM family. More details & registration information coming soon!
Middle Schoolers (grades 6-8) meet every Wednesday evening, from 7-8:30 p.m. for food, fun and fellowship. Friends welcome.
Senior High Youth Fellowship (grades 9-12) will meet this Sunday, January 10th, from 6-7:30 p.m. at PCUM.
Senior High Mission & Service Opportunity: PCUM youth, there is an exciting service opportunity coming up for you in 2016 through YSOP (Youth Service Opportunities)! YSOP is an organization in NYC which deals with hunger and homelessness through service and relationship-building.
PCUM Senior Highs will spend an overnight, Friday-Saturday, February 19-20 working and serving with YSOP. What makes this organization unique is the chance to make dinner for and then eat with our homeless neighbors, to interact with the people we are serving on a human level, and to reflect on this experience through conversation afterward.
The cost for the trip is $103 which includes transportation, housing, and food. It also pays for the dinner that we will share with the homeless community on Friday evening. Please see Pastor Lauren or email her at lauren@pcum.org for more information and to get a registration form which is due by January 19th. You may also visit YSOP’s website at www.ysop.org.
Summer 2016 Sr. High Youth RETREAT @ Montreat, for high school students (rising 9th-12th graders) in the PCUM family, will take place July 10-16, 2016. Please contact Pastor Lauren with questions, for more information or for registration forms!
THE JOYFUL NOISE CHOIR (Preschool-1st grade) rehearses before Sunday School twice a month in the choir room with Ms. Denise.
CHILDREN'S CHOIR (2nd-5th grade) PCUM’s Children's Choir ministry teaches children to love music and lead their church family in worship. Kids not only learn the song, but they also learn how to sing. They also grow spiritually, grow in confidence and self-discipline, and grow to feel more at home in their church. Children's Choir rehearsals are every Thursday from 4-5 pm in the Choir Room (1/14/,1/21 & 1/28)For more info, contact Children's Choir Director Julie Platte at juliebplatte@gmail.com.
YOUTH CHOIR (6th grade - HS) rehearses Sundays after worship and select Wednesdays from 6:30-7:00pm before Youth Group. The choir sings during worship on the third Sunday of every month. If you would like to participate, contact Anne Marie Juliano at jajulianos@gmail.com or (973)-930-5074.
SING WITH THE CHANCEL CHOIR! Love to sing? Why not add your voice to PCUM's Chancel Choir? Regular rehearsals are Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m. Questions? Contact Anne Marie Juliano at jajulianos@gmail.com.
CAN YOU SERVE HUNGRY NEIGHBORS? – Help make or/serve an evening meal to homeless neighbors right here in Montclair on Saturdays January 16, February 6 & 12 or March 5 & 19. PCUM is part of a coalition of faith and community organizations that make up Montclair Emergency Services for the Homeless (MESH). To sign up, contact Elizabeth Riggs at elizriggs@verizon.net or 917-324-0052.
HE-MAN DUDES’ BREAKFAST CLUB: All men in PCUM family are invited to a monthly men’s group, humbly called the He-Man Dudes' Breakfast Club (hmdbc). The group gathers the 1st Saturday of each month to get to know each other better, focus on our journey of faith, and have a good meal. Next meeting: Saturday, February 6, from 8-9:30 a.m. at PCUM. For more info, contact Tom McElwee at tom@navstem.com.
"Do not forget to do good and to share with others,
for with such sacrifices God is pleased.“ Hebrews 13:16
The Deacons meet on the second Sunday of the month.
Support the Caring Ministry of the Deacons: PCUM’s Deacons minister to the entire congregation, particularly the sick, the elderly and those in need. On Communion Sundays, please look for the green envelopes in the pew racks and give generously to support the Deacons’ work. Thank you!
Fellowship/Coffee Hour Volunteers: PCUM’s Fellowship Time/Coffee Hour is held in Fellowship Hall every Sunday after worship. Will you sign up to help one Sunday? The Deacons supply everything you’ll need—and the whole church will be grateful! Please contact Deacon Julia Brad at juliabrad@comcast.net for available dates and more information.
Worship Flowers: To provide fresh flowers for the sanctuary chancel and symbolize the new life God makes possible in Christ, sign up using the Flower Chart located in the Deacons’ Corner between the narthex/sanctuary and Fellowship Hall or contact the church office. Many dates are available in the new year!
Non-Perishable Goods for Montclair’s Human Needs Food Pantry and gently used clothing are collected year-round. Just drop your donations in the baskets in the Deacons Corner (off the narthex).
OFFERING ENVELOPES for 2016 are available by request. If you would like offering envelopes, please sign the list on the sign up table in Fellowship Hall or you may email (pcum@pcum.org) or call the church office (973-746-3854). A box of envelopes will be prepared for you and be available for you to pick up the following Sunday.
PLEASE RETURN 2016 PLEDGE CARDS – Worship. Serve. Grow. Give is PCUM’s theme for the fall stewardship campaign to support this church’s many worthwhile ministries in the year ahead. If you haven’t yet pledged to be part of Christ’s work in and through this church in 2016, pledge cards are available in Fellowship Hall or by emailing the church office.
SUPPORT PCUM'S ONGOING CAPITAL CAMPAIGN by purchasing gift cars for Shop Rite, Kings, Acme and Fairway! Since the cards may be redeemed at any location, they make great gifts. Cards are $100 each, you get full value at the store and PCUM gets 5% of the value of the card. Cards may be purchased (check or cash) at Coffee Hour or by contacting Erika Cowan at pcumerika@aol.com or by phone at 973-222-7186.
PASTORAL CARE: If you are in need of pastoral care or know of someone who is ill or in the hospital, please let contact Pastor Greg at greghorn@pcum.org or 908-868-6441 or Pastor Lauren at 843-616-1370 or lauren@pcum.org.
KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE CHURCH'S EMAIL LIST? Let us know! They will receive the weekly "PCUM E-News", and other important announcements. The church also sends out a weekly "Current Events" commentary from a Christian perspective on world events called "The Wired Word". Send email addresses to Denise in the office at denise@pcum.org.
PCUM STAFF The Rev. Gregory A. Horn, Pastor & Head of Staff The Rev. Lauren W. Scharstein, Pastor for Youth & Families Denise Silecchia, Administrator/Joyful Noise Choir Director Mary Beckhusen, Director of Christian Education Anne Marie Juliano, Interim Director of Music Ministries Sue Sabo, Financial Secretary Julie Platte, Children’s Choir Director Henderson Downes, Sexton
Our mailing address is: The Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair 53 Norwood Avenue Upper Montclair, NJ 07043 phone:973-746-3854 fax: 973-746-4662 pcum@pcum.org www.pcum.org
