May 2020

Volume 14, Issue 5

Inside this issue:

Special points

of interest:

Message from the Bishop

Outreach Update

UMW News

Community Lunch Update

4F’s Lunch Update

Dayton Dragons Game

Pastor’s Page 2

Prayer Concerns 3

Church Happenings 6

Birthdays and

Anniversaries 6

Sunday Scriptures 7

Praise Service 9:00 a.m.

Traditional Worship 10:45 a.m.

Church School 9:55 a.m.

Rev. Mark Finfrock, Pastor

John Fisher, Director of Music

Vicki Wheeler, Admin. Assistant

FOCUS ON FIRST

May Events

May 7 National Day of Prayer Set aside special time

today to pray

May 10 Remember Mom!

May 25 Remembering Those

for Their Service

Page 2 Volume 14, Issue 5

Pastor’s Page “The lusty month of May” as Alan Lerner called this month in the song Came-lot, everything seems to be in bloom. What is not in bloom has come alive as spring is fully engaged in the business of life. Birds are on their nests. We have fawns and mother deer in the neighborhood. My neighbor talked about a really fat red fox (my neighbor’s wife informed him that little ones are on the way) appearing in the woods behind his house. Peonies are racing to explode in bloom. All this month, if we pay attention, we see life come back from the deadness and gray of winter. This month we are fully in the season of Easter and its promise of new life. What a perfect time to celebrate a resurrection.

We are told at this writing, that restrictions are ready to be lifted. Let us rejoice at each step along the way until we are fully back with each other. We are blessed to be here. Let us rejoice in each other and our progress as God grants us his favor through this time.

Blessings,

Pastor Mark

Focus on “First” - ISSN383367-148 Published Monthly, Issue No. 5

Issue Date: May 2020 First United Methodist Church,

225 Ludlow St. Hamilton, OH 45011 JUNE NEWSLETTER DEADLINE: June 19

For newsletter submissions, send to Vicki at firstumc@ firstumc-ham.org

NOTE THAT ALL EVENTS IN THIS NEWSLETTER LISTED FOR JUNE ARE CONTINGENT THAT THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER WILL BE LIFTED.

CONTINUE TO PRAY THAT WE WILL SOON BE ABLE TO SAFELY GATHER.

BISHOP ANNOUNCES POSTPONEMENT OF ANNUAL CONFERENCE

On Wednesday, April 15, Bishop Gregory Palmer announced the postponement of the 2020 West Ohio Annual Conference in an email sent to its members.

"Over the past several weeks, we have all made changes for the safety of others as well as ourselves," Palmer said. "And now, out an abundance of caution, I am writing to inform you that the 51st session of our annual conference has been postponed. This decision was made in cooperation with the leader-ship at Lakeside, the Annual Conference Planning Team and the cabinet."

He asked that members of the conference reserve September 11 and 12 for the business of the annual conference and promised more detailed information would be released in the weeks ahead. The September event is expected to take place in the Central Ohio area.

"Thank you for your understanding - and your resilience - during these ever-changing times," Bishop Palmer said.

Focus on First Page 3

Please continue to pray for all our area first responders (fire, police, and medical) during this uncertain time. In keeping with our com-mitment at the annual prayer breakfast, we pray for these special folks and their families.

Thomas Puckett, Firefighter Matthew Fishwick, Police Officer

John Fischer, Police Officer Joshua Gabbard, Police Officer Brian Gleason, Police Officer Amanda Cox, Police Officer Patrick Erb II, Police Officer

Those who do not know the peace of Christ. Let us offer Christ, who will heal their souls.

Those families mourning the loss of loved ones. Those dealing with COVID-19.

Community lunch, missionaries, Peace Corp workers, and those who work for international peace. Military members and their families and national leaders. Concerns of the people in places of war, famine and social unrest. Those who are sleeping outside. Those who have no food.

Do you have someone you would like us to pray for? Please call or email the office. 513-896-LOVE (8653) or firstumc@firstumc-ham.org.

**If you have someone that you would like to continue/add to this list, please mark your prayer card on Sunday (include the words “long term”) or e-mail the office (firstumc@firstumc-ham.org.) We believe this will keep our monthly newsletter list more current.**

Pastor Mark Kim Johnston’s mother, cancer

Bill & Donna Coombe Mark Holmes, Novella Brownfield’s grandson, cancer

Dan Johnson Noah Trumbull

Marilyn Rumpler, Nancy Chaney’s sister

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Save the date!! Hopefully, we can all be together again and celebrate on

June 7 the 85+ second quarter birth-days after second service. It will be a potluck—so start planning your best dish now! Watch your bulletin for

details as the date draws near.

Page 4 Volume 14, Issue 5

OUTREACH

Due to the Coronavirus quarantine, we have been physically unable to attend church. Pastor Mark with his wife Leesa, John Fisher, and others have been videoing service each Sunday via Facebook at 10 AM. Our heartfelt thanks, appreciation, and gratitude go out to them for allowing us to continue our faith journey.

Volunteers who normally serve during the Saturday Community Lunch were advised, due to their ages, not to continue. The Outreach Committee would like to shout out to the United Methodist Women (UMW) their heartfelt thanks for continuing this ministry during these trying times. They along with our partner churches are providing “carryout only” for the lunch to those with-in our community who may have done without during this time.

UMW NEWS

During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when New Orleans was devastated, and the Louis Armstrong Airport could no longer accept passenger flights, Delta spokeswoman, Benet Wilson pro-foundly stated, "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures". This initiated a cooperative air-line industry effort which began delivering tarps, plywood, generators, food, medicine and medical per-sonnel while also evacuating close to 30,000 flood victims. People came together to help each other.

Today, in the storm of this viral pandemic where we cannot gather en mass for support, and uncertain-ty is a given, your UMW board is standing in the gap to continue our fellowship's commitment to feed our under-served neighbors with Pastor Mark's strong lead and lots of help and direction from our ded-icated and amazing lunch organizers, our UMW sisters.

With so many unknowns, we will be postponing May circles with the hope of meeting together in June when we usually break for the summer. We have also decided to support UMCOR financially instead of collecting Flood Bucket supplies, as those items are so limited at this time. Our commitment to Liv-ing Water Ministries remains strong, so please keep collecting your cardboard tubes and 2-liter bottles with caps on. Once summer is upon us, we will again collect freezer pops for that ministry. And a bake sale will be in the works, once we can safely and comfortably regather as a congregation.

Our prayers are with you, and if you have an errand to run, we have errand-runners waiting to help.

Be safe and well. And keep the faith we are so very blessed to share.

\Nancy Puckett, President

At this time, since we are still in “stay at home” mode, 4F’s will not be meet-ing. However, our hopes are that we will once again be able to meet starting

in June. So our next 4F’s lunch will be

Thursday, June 18, noon TWIN DRAGON (7763 Tylersville Rd )

Focus on First Page 5

COMMUNITY LUNCH DURING COVID-19

During the COVID-19 crisis, we have been able to continue with the community lunch program on Saturday mornings by offering carryout pick-up at the door. Our partner churches have contin-ued to help by preparing the meals and sending volunteers to pass out the meals. Without the sup-port of those at First and our partner churches many would have gone without a meal (as many other locations have temporarily closed down their meal programs). Here is a pictorial view of how folks have come together during this crisis.

And, in case you wondered if many people come for lunch….the average is around 135 folks. We hope that during this time, if you are able, that you will continue to support the community lunch by continuing to send in donations to the church. Since were not been able to have our Pocket Change Sunday program, our funds are in need of replenishing.

Page 6 Volume 14, Issue 5

MAY HAPPENINGS AT FIRST

On break

Dorcas Circle

Naomi Circle

On break

Pocket Change Sunday

During this time we hope that you will contin-ue to support the Saturday

Community Lunch Program by sending in your donations. Please to remember to “tag” them for community lunch.

5/1 Jennifer Pflanzer

5/2 Teri Trent

5/8 Tracie Jewett

5/10 Nick Blauvelt

5/11 Terry Spurlock

5/16 Beth Day John Sebastian

5/17 Carolyn Purvis

5/23 Tammy Hall

5/24 Lois Gleason

5/27 Jackie Jewett Caroline Williams

5/30 Kathy Conrad

5/2 Scott & Mikola Fuhrman

5/8 Robin & Ray Wilson

5/10 Alta Hamblin & Eddie Hood

5/11 Linda & George Creach-Bley

5/12 Cindy & Jim Huff

5/23 Erin & Steven Theobald

5/24 Pastor Mark & Leesa Finfrock

5/27 Carolyn & Ron Purvis

5/29 Alice & Dave Stephenson

10:00 A.M. SUNDAY SERVICES

VIA FACEBOOK

This summer, we have plans to attend the Dayton Dragons’ game on Friday,

July 24, at 7:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Field as the Dragons take on the Kane Coun-ty Cougars. The tickets are $14 and in-clude a $5 food voucher and hat. We will keep you posted and let you know

when tickets will be on sale. Any questions can be directed to

Rusty Haid 235-0562.

Focus on First Page 7

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR SUNDAYS IN MAY

With the restrictions of no in-person church services, below are the scripture readings that Pastor Mark will be using for his Sunday messages at 10:00 a.m. via live streaming. Should we be given the okay to resume services at church any time in May, worship leaders are listed; greeters for 10:45 will be Nancy Mabis & David Puckett. We hope that you will take time to read these bible passages while staying home and keeping healthy.

May 3

John 10:1-10

“Good Shepherd Sunday”

May 10

John 6:35-51

“I Am Sunday” Praise: Teri Trent

Traditional: Mark Conrad

May 17

John 14:15-21

“Gift of Love” Praise: TBA

Traditional: Linda DiBenedetto

May 24

Luke 24:50-51 Acts 1:1-8

“The Ascension” Praise: Jim Sebastian

Traditional: Karen Epperson

May 31

Acts 2:1:13

“Pentecost” Praise: Mike Wheeler

Traditional: Teri Trent

Kids Klips

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