Invitation to Stewardship Worship Series

Jesus said: I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit. -- John 15:5

Please join us on November 1, 8 and 15 as we gather together our fruits of ministry as those connected to the Vine. Commitment Sunday on November 15 will be a wonderful opportunity to offer our promised giving for the new year as our first fruits.

Pledge cards will be available in worship during these weeks, and those not ready to offer them on the 15th may do so whenever it is convenient either by placing them in the offering plate during worship, or mailing them to the church at the address indicated on the card. Click here for a copy of the pledge card to print. A stewardship letter is also being emailed and mailed to our active attendees, or you may print one at the link above.

Kathy Brann, Financial Secretary, was inspired many months ago with this year's fruitful theme. We also appreciate others who have been involved in this worship and stewardship program planning process, including Sue Angell, Chris Ward, Debbie Cole, Andy Folley and Ruth Doughty. Thank you to all!

In ministry together for Christ,
Pastors Gwyneth and Jamie Arrison

Oh What A DaY

On Sunday, October 25 a number of Peoples people headed out on a Mystery Ride that saw automobiles reaching their destination anywhere from 40 minutes to over an hour. These same riders and drivers found that their odometers read anything from 14.3 miles to over 22! And we have to say that everyone had the same directions which took us from the church on a beautiful ride through South Portland and Cape Elizabeth only to find that our destination was Bug Light Park. It was a fun time together for most as we gathered by the Liberty Ship Memorial overlooking Portland Harbor, two tankers and the beautiful tree colors of the islands beyond.
We thank Dan and Ruth Doughty for setting up the event and the route. I'm sure we missed some of the beautiful scenery as we were concentrating on how many no parking signs there were near Crescent Beach State Park or what day The Good Table is closed each week or trying to find a Mobil Station when it was in fact an Irving station. Prizes were awarded with Sally Seidl and company winning one of the first place prizes while the Tordoffs matched them. The Gays and Wades also received prizes. I'm sure the youth including the Mullens and Isaac Dunn as well as Pastor Johanne Dame of Clark and Sophie Vanderburg hoped the people responsible for their food would have shown up, but alas they didn't. If I had only known earlier I might have been able to share our prize of apples with someone other than Isaac.

Mission Trip Planning Progress

A small group of folks have been meeting to plan the first group mission trip from Peoples UMC. We have met monthly throughout the summer and fall, studying Scripture together, researching various options through the United Methodist denomination (General Board of Global Ministries) and internet, praying with one another and interviewing other churches. Those part of the planning group thus far have been: Earle Harvey, Betsy Morrison, Janell Powell, Betty Lane, and Pastor Gwyneth.

At this time we have four potential mission trips, which are located in NY City, Wilmington DE, Baltimore MD, and the rural mountains of West Virginia. We are completing final research on each of these organizations and hope to make a decision by the end of November. One criteria that was important to our group was that the trip be within driving distance to reduce travel costs.

Each organization focuses on meeting different needs such as working with children and youth, the homeless, those with AIDS, or low income families. Most offer a flexible program, including some physical labor such as construction or painting in addition to helping in a soup kitchen or running a vacation bible camp for children.
Potential dates for a trip include one week anytime in 2010, including spring vacation, but most likely will take place sometime during the summer. Costs vary with each organization but seem to range from about $300-$500 per person including meals but not travel. Some organizations accept families with young children, others do not. If you would like to bring a young child on the trip, please let us know so we can factor this into our decision.

We would love to have a LARGE group go on this mission trip! Please contact Pastor Gwyneth or any member of the planning team for more information. However, if you are fairly certain you will not be able to go, please be in prayer about how you can still be part of this exciting mission. Opportunities could include financial support, organizing fund raising for the group, organizing or participating in a daily prayer vigil during the trip, donating necessary items, helping out spouses or families of those who stay behind during the week, or writing a note of encouragement to those who will be going.

Please be in prayer for this church mission! Thank you.

Kids UNICEF Mission at Peoples

The Sunday School led a trick-or-treat for UNICEF on Sunday, October 25. During Sunday School, the kids learned about the children that UNICEF helps. Then the kids all put on their costumes, marched through the Sanctuary during the closing hymn and then formed a receiving line outside with UNICEF boxes outstretched for coins! Great fun and a great mission.

For a complete photo album of pictures, go to http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=152315&id=148046372078&l=a2257bb4f0

Reminder - Set Those Clocks Back!

Please remember to set your clocks back one hour this Saturday, October 31!

Walk to Emmaus

Pastor Gwyneth served as clergy on team for this spring's women's Walk to Emmaus weekend in October at Camp Mechuwana. Walk to Emmaus is a once-in-a-lifetime Christian experience, and is an organization within the United Methodist Church to renew those in the church who may feel burned out, and also provides a wonderful base of knowledge about the Christian faith and journey for new and longtime Christians alike.

Those who have attended an Emmaus, Tres Dias or similar weekend are generally hesitant to share many details. There are no secrets, but there are many surprises during the weekend that are best experienced first hand. Who at Christmastime wants to be told what a gift is before opening it?! However, if you do have specific questions about the experience, we will be happy to share every detail you wish to know.

For more information, go to Walk To Emmaus. The next Walk to Emmaus weekends are being held this Spring in Alfred, Main:. Men's Weekend - May 6-9 Women's Weekend - May 20-24. If you have any questions or might be interested in attending sometime, please contact the pastors.

Chimney Work and Other Trustees Ventures

Submitted by Susan Angell:

Exciting things are going on at Peoples. Peter Fournier Masonry is busy working on our building and sanctuary cement entrance repairing our building and will also be replacing the deteriorating chimney at the parsonage. Years of Maine weather has taken its toll on the mortar of our buttress’ (pillars which hold up the building), around windows, doors and steps. This opportunity to make the repairs before the situation became dire was due to a recent bequest by Grace Corey’s Estate.

Saturday, the 10th of October the Trustees held an out door clean up and gutters were cleaned by Chuck and Dana, the sanctuary doors were sanded by Brad and Jim, the sidings was repaired by Walter, the windows were sealed by Doreen and Susan weeded all the cracks and crevices in the walks and parking areas so that they can be cold packed. Joanne made the crew Southern sausage and biscuits to keep up their strength.

Saturday, the 17th of October, Walter will be pruned overgrown bushes in the parsonage yard with Susan trying to assist.

Chuck has already replaced some of the out door lights as well as other small jobs. The Ellis Hall thermostat was checked out by Hank Dunn and the possibility exists that they are set correctly but not operating in the correct manner and may need to be replaced.

Saturday, the 24th of October, our own Boy Scouts will arrive to rake the church grounds. Walter will be bringing his truck to haul away the leaves and church people will join in too for raking and cleaning up the garden.

Busy, busy, busy!!!

Advent Studies

Advent is a season to prepare for the coming of Jesus. We celebrate this season with special study offerings. There will be at least three groups working through the book "Advent of the Savior" edited by Cindy Bunch beginning toward the end of November. The Tuesday morning group at Rosemary Herd's house and the adult Sunday School class will use this book during their regular meeting times as well as a new group starting up at the Betsy Ross House schedule to be determined. All of these groups are open and this is a wonderful time to join. If you would like to join a group at another time, contact the pastor as we are able to form new groups as needed. Be prepared for Jesus this year before the business of the season takes over. Come and join us.

Christmas Sunday School Unit Begins Nov 1

Good News! Good News is the title of the new Sunday School unit starting November 1. Come and hear the story of Jesus' birth from the very first people to get to share the Good News. You too have Good News to hear and share. We will also begin preparing for our Christmas pagent. These next weeks are an excellent time to invite friends and family members to come see what the birth of Jesus means to them with activities including cooking, art, storytelling, games, music and more. It's all Good.

Advent Begins November 29

Advent is the season where we prepare for the coming of Jesus. This coming of Jesus has a double meaning as we prepare to remember the coming of Jesus in Christmas as well as we look ahead to the time when Jesus comes again. At one time, Advent was, like lent, a time of fasting. These days we are more likely to be spending December with a month of feasting on food and the excesses of purchasing in preparation for an extravagant Christmas. This year, with unemployment high and budgets running slim, it may be an excellent time to recapture the Peace and simplicity of a fasting Advent. Is there one thing that can be left out from our normal practices - a rich food, a scaled back present budget, a few less lights? What is there from our hectic practice of Christmas that distracts us from remembering and trusting in our Lord Jesus that we can leave aside this year? Perhaps there is even one thing for each of the four candles of our Advent season? I don't want to steal one bit of Joy from the season, but rather to refocus our Joy on the life of Love Jesus is calling us to. As with any fast, any pangs of hunger or regret for setting aside something from the season should be a call to prayer to return us to praise of Jesus and Hope for his return. Let us spend as much effort preparing our hearts and lives for the coming of Jesus as we do for the coming of the holiday this year.

Need Acts for Variety Show!

Do you have an act to share? The Peoples variety show is to be held on Saturday, November 14. Please see Earle Harvey to apply. The show starts at 6pm in the Vestry. Refreshments will be on sale all evening. Mark your calendars for an evening of fun and frolic!

Advent Devotions

Would YOU Write an Advent Devotion? There has been a tradition at Peoples of folks from the church writing meditations about an experience of God which are then compiled into a daily devotional guide to be used during Advent. Please get these to Art Tordoff, preferably by the end of October. The last date to submit will be November 15. It would also be helpful to let Art know if you plan to write one if you think you might procrastinate the actual writing! You may contact Art at 799-6222 or atordof1@maine.rr.com. Booklets will be distributed November 29. Blank forms are available in back of the church if you need to hand write your devotion. Thank you.

Annual Church Conference

Church/Charge Conference is scheduled for Sunday, November 15 at 3pm. All are welcome to attend this annual meeting of the church and hear some words from our District Superintendent, Rev. Mike Davis.

Membership Potluck Lunch Nov 1

All are welcome to attend this potluck lunch after church on November 1! Those who are interested in membership at Peoples are invited to listen to long-term as well as newer members to hear why they love Peoples Church. This will be wonderful time of learning from one another the meaning of faith and participation in the church. Please RSVP to the pastors or Chris Ward.

Interested in Church Membership?

Inquirer's Classes for membership at People Church will begin shortly. Please contact the pastors if you are interested in finding out more about membership at Peoples.

Family Pizza Night

Family Pizza Night is scheduled for Thursday, October 29 at 5pm. This is an event for parents, Sunday School teachers and other Sunday School volunteers for a time of fellowship. In addition, we will have some teacher training and time for questions and sharing about the next Sunday School unit. We hope you (and your children!) can attend!

Church Council Calendar Planning

Church Council Calendar Planning will take place next Saturday, October 24 at 9am. All Council members should attend, and anyone interested in planning out church activities for the next 6 months is welcome to attend.

Serving at the Root Cellar

Please join Peoples people to help serve a meal at the Root Cellar on Munjoy Hill in Portland on Thursday, October 22. Please see Carol Bruneau for details, or contact her at 799-5995.

New Opportunity for Meditation

Peoples Church is restarting monthly meditation services, which will be held the 2nd Sunday of each month at 7pm, next scheduled for November 8. The format has changed to include a short Scripture reading and meditation followed by meditative music for about 45 minutes. Additional prayers and Scriptures will be included in a bulletin for private use. November’s theme will be healing. December's theme will be Christmas with music from Handel's Messiah. This is a great chance to bring a friend who may not be comfortable yet with church. Please contact Pastor Gwyneth for more information.

Winter Snow Storm Policy for Peoples Church

The following are some general guidelines when there is a storm on Sunday morning, as discussed at this month's Church Council meeting:

1. Each person / family needs to assess the weather and decide for themselves if it would be best to stay home. If you feel that it would be best to stay home, why not take that opportunity to have your own family or private worship service? As a mission, perhaps you could think of some older members of the church and give them a call to see if they're okay and if they need anything.

2. If there is a parking ban in South Portland, Peoples Church will be closed for all regularly scheduled Sunday morning activities (Sunday School, coffee fellowship, worship, etc.) or at the pastors' discretion and consultation with other church leadership. On Sundays that worship is not cancelled but the weather is nominal, Sunday School may be cancelled; if Sunday School is cancelled, coffee fellowship is automatically cancelled as well.

3. We will post Sunday morning worship cancellation on TV WCSH channel 6, and an email will go out to those on the email list. If the storm occurs Sunday evening or during the week, we will also post other cancellations on channel 6 as necessary. For individual groups (committee meetings, prayer service, choir rehearsal), the group leader will contact regular members if there is a cancellation.

4. Since the pastors live next door to the church, one of the pastors will always be there to pray or to lead an informal service even when worship is cancelled. The parking lot will not be plowed and sidewalks will not be shovelled; be prepared to trudge up to the door in deep snow.

5. If you decide not to attend church on a Sunday morning, please set aside your gift or pledge contribution and either mail or bring the following Sunday. Wintry Sundays are extremely difficult on the church budget when folks skip a week's donation. Better yet, fill out a direct debit form so you need not worry about making up missed donations at all.

If you have any questions about these guidelines, please contact the pastors or church council chair, Chris Ward. Thank you.

God's Covenant Rainbow

And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth." Genesis 9:12-17

May we at Peoples Church know that God saw the rainbow and remembered the everlasting covenant with us and every living creature.

To view an entire album of photos of the rainbow over the church go to this link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=147249&id=148046372078&l=9041c1d5e6

Golf Scramble!

The love and joy of God rained down on us for this years golf tournament. Given the weather, the turnout was excellent. Tom Nelson and his team of ringers sweeped up the top prizes at an awards ceremony well fed by Chris Ward and Rosemary Herd. Thank you Earle Harvey for organizinging this years event as well as all participants, sponsers, food helpers and the South Portland municipal course. Now that we're all dried out let us start praying for better weather for next year, with at least as much great fun and fellowship. The United Methodist Men's group kept aside the earnings to help build up future missions and projects.

For more golf scramble pictures, go to:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=152640&id=148046372078&l=fdcfecdc5d