March 21, 2019
Dear Members and Friends—
Sunday morning, we will welcome Elder John Hile from the El Salvador Partnership of the Presbytery of Long Island to our service. He will be sharing some of the work the Partnership has been doing over the last few years. In addition, with the approval of your Session we will be collecting a special offering for a current project. In a letter to all members and churches of the Presbytery the Partnership Pastoral Team described the need for food staples and asked each of us to help make a difference.
Food relief assistance is needed at this time as the drought has ruined everyone's crops. Rural Salvadorans live off of the corn and red beans they harvest. This past summer, on average families lost 90% of their crops. If you need help imagining a loss of 90% of your available food, then close your eyes. Picture your cupboards, pantry and fridge after you have shopped for the coming week. Odds are you had enough money to pay for those groceries and the store where you shopped has a ridiculous amount of food from which to choose. Now imagine 90% of that food gone. Picture that. And you have no resources to replace what was lose. And you need to feed your family for a whole week on what remains on those shelves. Now imagine this will be your year. You have children who need to be fed. And you have, pretty much, nothing to offer.
This is why the Partnership is asking for your help. $35 will provide a good-sized basket of food staples about what it would cost for a fast food meal for a family of four. There will be offering envelopes in the bulletins this Sunday. Please give as you are able and know that your gift will make a real difference in someone's life.
In Christ, Pastor Karen
The Session held its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, March 18. The committee structure was rearranged to hopefully better suit our activities and responsibilities of the Elders. The following areas were set up: Worship, Stewardship, Education, Outreach, Mission
(Peace and Justice), Property and Finance, and Personnel. In addition,
a quarterly planning meeting was set up to which anyone interested in life of the church is welcome to attend. The first of these meetings will be held on Sunday, April 7 following Fellowship. In other action it was noted that a third company has been contacted for an estimate on repairing the bell. Three trees are to be donated and, with Eric's assistance, planted on the property this spring. May 25th was set as the date for the next church fair. And, dates for the Pastor's vacation this summer were approved.
The final PLUMB LINE POTLUCK AND CONVERSATION will be held this Sunday evening at 5 pm. Even if you haven't been able to attend the first two please make an effort to join us for this discussion. Your input is important to us. Please bring a dish to share. The Deacons are providing beverages and desert.
This week's Lenten Wednesday soup and reflection will be held here at Bellport United Methodist Church (185 S. Country Rd, Bellport) at 6:30 pm. The reflection time will begin at 7:15. Our collective mission in this season is our local food pantries. Please bring a non-perishable snack item, such as granola bars or nuts.
Schedule
Sunday, March 24 10:00 am Worship
Sunday School
Fellowship after Worship
Choir Practice after Worship
5:00 pm Plumb Line Potluck/Conversation
Tuesday, March 25 12:00 pm Project Regeneration at Sweet Hollow
Wednesday, March 2 6:30 pm Lenten Soup/Reflection at Bellport Methodist
Sunday, March 31 10:00 am Worship
Fellowship after Worship
Choir Practice after Worship
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