A weekly newsletter from United Methodist Church of Lenox
Rev. Nami Yu, Pastor
Notes from the Pastor
Labor Day: Dedicated to fairness and justice in the workplace
Did you know the United Methodist Church has been a part of the labor movement throughout history and is committed to fairness and justice in the workplace?
In the early 20th century the church was working to end child labor. And in the '50s, during our country's civil rights movement, we were fighting for fair wages and better working conditions. We were dedicated to fairness and justice in the workplace then, and we still are today.
When John Wesley founded the Methodist movement during the 18th century, there was no "labor movement" the way we'd understand it today. But Wesley preached to and cared for coal miners and other oppressed workers. He also opposed slavery. After Wesley died, his followers continued to work against workplace injustices in rapidly industrializing England, adopting the first social creed in 1908, that dealt exclusively with labor practices.
Methodist History: 1908 Social Creed for Workers
The United Methodist Church is clear in its convictions that work is a means of stewardship and God-given creativity and that all human beings deserve dignity and justice in the workplace. In early twentieth century America, poor labor conditions prompted the Methodist Church of the time to pen a social creed, spelling out the rights of workers.
During Sunday worship service, we will watch the video showing this history!!
A Blessing for Workers and All Seeking Work
Blessed are you, ever-creating God, in your image, our lives are made; in your glory, we offer all the work of our hearts and hands and minds. Blessed are you, O God, now and forever!
Blessed are you whose work is repaid, for by your work, and by the payment you receive your lives and the lives of others around you and around the world are blessed. We thank God for you day by day.
Blessed are you whose work is unpaid, who offer what you can to enrich the lives of others, through time, talents, skill, strength, and love. We praise God for your generous labor!
Blessed are you who seek work but have not found it,
or whose work now is not yet what it may be
yet still you seek, that your gifts may be shared more fully. We praise God for your diligent seeking and pray you may soon find!
Yours is the glory in their labors. Yours be the glory in all our lives, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Church Schedule Notes
Bible Study is BACK!!
Morning Group will gather every Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. (Begins with Isaiah 23&24 on September 4th);
Evening Group will gather every Tuesday evening at 6: 30 p.m. (Begins with 1 Thessalonians, Chapters 1&2 on September 10th ).
Gospel Gang Rehearsal
Every Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. beginning on September 4th.
Sunday Worship Service
Don't forget the worship hour this Sunday as we return to our 10 o'clock schedule. Pastor will conduct a Service of Holy Communion for Labor Day and will speak on “Rescue the laborers from injustice and cruelty.” The Lessons read will focus on how God tells us to do labors. Come and be filled with the Holy Spirit! Everyone is WELCOME!
Psalm 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made,
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Church Schedule Thursday, August 29 Strategic Planning Meeting
6:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 1 A Service of Holy Communion for Labor Day
10:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.
Apple Squeeze Planning Meeting
11:15 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
Library
Monday, September 2 Labor Day
Wednesday, September 4 Bible Study 1
10:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.
UMC Lenox
Bible Study 2
6:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.
UMC Lenox
Saturday, September 7 “Thyme to Eat” Dinner featuring recipes from our new cookbook
5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
UMC Lenox
Sunday, September 8 Rally Sunday Christian Education
8:45 a.m.
Worship Service
10:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.
"Thyme to Eat" Dinner Saturday, September 7 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The menu will be featuring recipes from our new cookbook
If you contributed a recipe (dessert, cookies, salad, appetizer) to the cookbook and would like to prepare it to be served at the upcoming dinner on September 7, please let us know by signing up in fellowship hall or contacting Judy Upton at 201-394-8331.
If you are interested in helping with serving or setup/cleanup for the dinner please sign-up in fellowship hall or contact Judy Upton or Shirley Perkins. Judy Upton 201-394-8331judyupton1@gmail.com Shirley Perkins 413-442-4738shirleyjoslinperkins@gmail.com
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Christian Education
8:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings before worship
September 8--October 6
Join us as we read
"A Grace-Full Life"
.Grace. It’s a game changer. And when never-ending love comes from God, it sometimes feels like more than you can take. Why does God want
to have a personal relationship with me? How can I fully experience and respond to God’s grace? What does "grace" really mean?
In A Grace-Full Life, you’ll examine a Wesleyan understanding of grace for the common person. You'll learn about various forms of grace—prevenient grace, justifying grace, sanctifying grace, and glorifying grace—and you’ll come away knowing how God’s grace truly works in your life.
For more information or questions,
contact Jill Wehry
Life Line Screening
September 17
Life Line Screening, a leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, is pleased to offer a preventive health event at United Methodist Church of Lenox on 9/17/2019. Five screenings will be offered that scan for potential health problems related to: blocked arteries which is a leading cause of stroke; abdominal aortic aneurysms which can lead to a ruptured aorta; hardening of the arteries in the legs which is a strong predictor of heart disease; atrial fibrillation or irregular heart beat which is closely tied to stroke risk; and a bone density screening, for men and women, used to assess the risk of osteoporosis. Register for a Wellness Package which includes 4 vascular tests and osteoporosis screening from $149 ($139 with our member discount). All five screenings take 60-90 minutes to complete. There are three ways to register for this event and to receive a $10 discount off any package priced above $129, please call toll-free 1-888-653-6441 or visit http://lifelinescreening.com/communitycircle or text the word circle to 797979.
Memorial Flowers at UMC Lenox
As a way to offer a remembrance of a loved one or to honor someone whom we love and is still with us, or to celebrate a special event the Worship Committee would like to bring back the Memorial Flower ministry. Any member of the congregation can choose to buy sign up to have flowers for the altar for a particular Sunday that is important to him or her. There are several options for supplying the flowers:
You can pick a bouquet and bring them in yourself. Someone from the Worship Committee will put them onto the altar
You can buy flowers and if you need help arranging them, someone from the Worship Committee will help you arrange them and put them on the altar
You can make a modest payment – approximately $25-35 – and we will order an arrangement to be put on the altar.
This can be a one time donation, or can be made as an ongoing, annual donation. When you arrange for the flowers, you’ll specify who the flowers are in memory or in honor of and that will appear in the bulletin for that Sunday, along with your name as the donor.
And, if flowers are not your thing, talk to anyone on the Worship committee about alternate adornments.
Detailed information will be contained in the church announcements and a sign-up sheet will be ready for you on Sunday.
Do you have an event to share? Email details to box1655@yahoo.com; deadline is
Tuesday at 5 p.m. All art work, photos and flyers must be submitted in jpeg format.
