Our Faith In Action

From the UMW

FINANCES:

We must step up our giving!  The last two weeks have been very low.  We won't be able to pay our conference bills if this continues. It is very important that we pay these to stay in good standing with our conference.  We have paid everything in full in the past.  We now must pay for our property insurance, which we were exempt from the last few years. That added more than $10,000.00 to our budget this year.  I'm expecting it to be higher next year. Winter is coming and the heat will be on soon, and gas is going to be higher this winter.  WE CAN DO THIS!  I HAVE FAITH IN OUR CHURCH FAMILY! A financial update will be given in September so that we can accurately see where we are and where we need to be. Date to be announced.

DISMAS HOUSE:

Priscilla and Joe fed the men this month. They served lasagna, meatballs, and a tossed salad, with Italian bread and brownies. Yummy.  Linda and Bob are doing the meal in  September, Carol and Janice are doing the October meal, and I will be doing the November meal with Robin and Barbara.  This is a great experience to help these men who are working on getting their life headed in the right direction again.  We could use a few more helpers.  We feed them the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 5:00 p.m. The men are very appreciative and are happy with whatever we bring. 

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

We have a couple of extra-busy months coming up.  On September 10th and October 15th we will be meeting with Amy Laprade doing crafts for our church fair November 7th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  At the fair, we will be having a silent auction, African food sale, hotdog lunch, homemade jellies and relish, and our great bake sale.  We need everyone’s help setting up before the fair, helping the day of the fair, and taking everything down after the fair. This project helps support the church  toward paying our bills at the end of the year.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

It's time to start shopping to fill these boxes.  I just ordered 100 boxes to fill this year, and that takes a lot of supplies.  I will leave a printout in fellowship hall of the things that are allowed in the boxes.  Last year we had our best year.  We filled 90 boxes.  Let's try to fill the 100 boxes that have been ordered. A little birdie tells me that Dollar Tree has great deals on items for the boxes.  The meeting to fill the boxes will be November 10th at 6:00 p.m. I will take them the following week to the church that is collecting them.

I am looking into feeding the people that come to the Mustard Seed to have dinner. We did this several years ago. It is a big undertaking as they feed more than 100 people nightly.  I'll be looking for a date in the fall and needing lots of helping hands.  I'll keep you posted. 

  Gail Ilvonen

Calling all children, youth, young adults (alerting all parents and congregants):

September 20th we will celebrate Children’s Day

This will take place at 11:00 a.m. during our regular worship service. All who wish to participate and we want each and everyone of you, should try to arrive at 10:30 a.m.

The group will take over the service and provide a very special message.

There will also be a noisy offering that the children will collect to benefit the education fund. Start saving your change to make it noisy, but dollar bills will be gladly accepted too.

Any child who has not received an age-appropriate Bible, please let the office or Barbara Hunt know as soon as possible.

We will continue to celebrate following the service at our fellowship time with a feast of kid-friendly food provided by Gail, Robin and the Education Committee.

We hope you will join us and rejoice with the children, youth and young adults of this church. 

Thank you,

The Education Committee

FREE BACK-TO-SCHOOL PARTY

Date:  Saturday. September 5th

Location:  St. Matthews Episcopal Church at 695 Southbridge St. Worcester

Time:  12p.m.-3:00 p.m.

The whole family is welcome to celebrate the start of the new school year. Come fellowship with neighbors and schoolmates and enjoy popcorn, ice cream, lawn games, and a bounce house!

Neighborhood  Quinsigamond Village Safety and 

   Quality of Life Meeting

When: September 17th

Where:  Journey Church at 46 Greenwood St.

Time:  6:30 p.m.

Come meet with a group of neighbors who want to improve the park, the streets, the bus stops, add crosswalks, and so much more. Learn how to facilitate changes to make the village safer and to suit the needs of its people. I’m going. Join me.  Robin Mercurio, Church Secretary

Looking ahead:

October 17th will be our Halloween Kid’s Club. It will be held from 10-1:00 p.m. in fellowship hall. This is a FREE event for all, please bring a friend or two. It will include crafts, games, pumpkin decorating, lunch, and treat bags. Costumes are welcome but not necessary.

Donations of candy are accepted at anytime. Monetary donations to help with the cost of the pumpkins and food are appreciated, if you are in a position to help.

Leona's closet is accepting donations of clothing for all ages, and sizes. The next shipment will be sent to Liberia early in December. Items may be left at the church office, during our hours.

Thomas's Clinic and School are still in need of donations an are collected in our fellowship hall.

The clinic needs items such as gauze, Band-Aids, cotton balls, etc..

The school needs pens, pencils, notebooks, erasers and such.

If you would like to make a donation in memory of Clair Judd the family asks for money to be sent to the church at QUMC for Mission Activity (Outreach, Evangelism, or mission shares). The family is grateful for any and all that is given in the name of their daughter.  

Other ways to help:

Consider in 2026 where your talents can best help out with the work of the church. Perhaps you could sing with the praise team, teach the children's church, volunteer in the nursery or sensory room. If you like to cook, bake, or buy goodies to feed people, join the food and fellowship teams. How about being a counter? Or perhaps a liturgist or an usher. Have you ever run a projector, help out Marie. Have you run a video camera, help out Michael. or Gail. Do you know how to upload photos to the website, help out Robin. 

 So much goes on each Sunday and behind the scenes. We could sure use some more hands to get things done. Help us to lighten the load for everyone. .