Worship: New Location & Time

Beginning Sunday June 5, worship will be on Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Williamstown Youth Center, 270 Cole Avenue, Williamstown. Robin Kibler will be our church musician. This is a temporary location as we continue our work of buying and building a new church.

 

The Youth Center offers an affordable, accessible space with a room that fits our congregation and ample space for fellowship and for our children and youth to play after worship. It may not look like a traditional church, but we trust Jesus’ promise “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:20) 

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Pastor’s Message

Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
Oh! The places you’ll go!
(Adapted from Dr. Seuss)

 

Dear Friends:

When I came to Williamstown, I used this quote from Dr. Seuss in my first newsletter article to you. Now as I leave, as the boxes are being packed, I can only imagine the places you’ll go in the future. You have only big dreams to envision. Thus, the adventure continues. No, I will not be with you, but Kim will be and she will guide you. I envy you the adventure you will travel. Oh, yes, it is filled with anxiety. All adventures are, but it is also filled with new life and resurrection.

I also know this is not an adventure in which you take alone, but one in which God travels with you. God is with you to guide you. Oh! The places you’ll go! There will be times of excitement and joy when you are soaring high. There will also be times of challenge and growth when bang-ups and hang-ups happen to you. Through it all, however, I believe that God will provide for you. As God guides you on this great adventure, God will provide the resources you need to grow and become faithful disciples for Jesus Christ. God has never abandoned and God will not now.

Change is hard. It is hard for me, and it is hard for you. Fortunately, we have a God who never changes and offers you a journey to travel together. Kim is willing to let God drive you wherever God wants. What about you? Are you ready for an adventure of a lifetime? Then get going on the journey together.

Peace, Michelle

Oh! The places you’ll go!
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed)
Church, you’ll move mountains!
So….
Today is your day!
Our mountain is waiting.
So … let’s get on our way!
(Adapted from Dr. Seuss)

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Anne Singleton to Preach June 12

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Looking ahead…

A celebration of Christa Levesque’s licensing as a local pastor June 19

A celebration of Rev. Michelle Grube’s ministry June 26 (details to follow)

A welcoming reception for Barbara Toll, our new part time Community Ministries Coordinator July 3

Confirmation Preparation for youth in eighth grade and older will meet twice a month from September through March, with Confirmation celebrated on Easter Sunday April 8, 2012.

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Introducing Barbara Toll, Community Ministries Coordinator

The Staff-Parish Relations Committee is pleased to announce that Barbara Toll has been hired as our half time Community Ministries Coordinator beginning July 1. She will work with Pastor Kim as a team to lead our congregation. Barbara will preach once a month and attend worship regularly. She will lead Bible study, visit members, and work with the laity to strengthen and support Sunday School and youth fellowship.

Barbara served on the ministry team of the United Methodist Church, Berlin, NY from January 2009-June 2011, assisting in all areas of the church’s ministry. During that time, the Berlin and Grafton congregations merged into a new and growing church. Sensing God’s call and encouraged by her work in the church, Barbara decided to go to seminary. She just completed her first year of online classes at Asbury Theological Seminary. She is a “Member in Discernment” in the Hudson-Mohawk Association of the United Church of Christ. Barbara is married to Shelly Van Olpen. They live in Altamont, NY with Barbara’s four-and-a-half-year-old son Aidan.

Barbara is looking forward to serving our church, saying, “I am excited about the opportunity that the First UMC of North Adams and Williamstown has to follow the Holy Spirit in a new direction. I have already heard that though there are bumps along the way, this congregation has a heart to seek after Christ. I cannot wait to hear about the ways that God is working in each life and in the community through this church. I look forward to discovering with this congregation the new church that God is birthing here.”

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Panda Camp – Vacation Bible School

Our theme this year for VBS is PandaMania – Where God Is Wild About You! Children will learn how God has a plan for each of us and how we were each crafted from God’s own loving hands. We are excited to celebrate VBS with the children and youth in our community from August 1 – 5, 9:00 a.m. to noon at the Masonic Temple in North Adams. All children are welcome to attend this fun-filled, adventurous week.

We are looking for your assistance to make this week unforgettable. Can you volunteer to help with snacks, crafts, music, or bible stories? We are also looking for donations to support our VBS program this year. This is a wonderful opportunity to reach out to the children and youth in our community. Please contact the church office to volunteer or donate. Panda Camp is going to be wild – it promises to the Pantastic!

Ruby Scott and Christa Levesque 

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Fundraiser for VBS

We are selling Rada Cutlery as a fundraiser through June to benefit the Vacation Bible School. This company sells all kinds of knives and serving utensils and they sell cookbooks and bakeware and dip, cake mixes and other food items. We will have the knife kit for viewing at the coffee hour and also a catalog to look at. Thank you for your support. 

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Rethinking Committees

Through a process of discernment, the Nominating Committee is inviting members to participate in leading our new congregation. Our new committee structure is streamlined to reduce meetings and leave more time for accomplishing our goals. Once elected, this new committee structure replaces all existing North Adams and Williamstown committees and Merger Transition Committees.

Church Council—plans and implements the programs and ministry of the local church as well as oversees the administration of the church.

Trustees--supervise and care of all property and equipment owned by the local church. The Board is to plan and set policies for the maintenance and use of the property and equipment, and receives and administers all bequests to the local church. The Interim Site Committee and Permanent Site Committee report to through the Trustees.

Staff-Parish Relations Committee--works closely with the pastor and staff concerning their relationship with the congregation and the entire work of the church. This committee is in essence the personnel committee.

Faith Formation Committee--coordinates worship, Christian education for all ages, fellowship groups (youth group, Friendly Circle), mission and outreach opportunities. The committee will authorize short-term project groups to accomplish its goals.

Finance/Stewardship/Fundraising--prepares and monitors the budget, recruits, trains and oversees counters, organizes stewardship program, coordinates all fundraising activities. The committee will authorize short-term project groups to accomplish its goals.

Memorials--receives and acknowledges gifts given in memory of church members and friends and works with the family to recommend how the donations are spent.

Visioning—this committee will gather input from the congregation to develop a mission statement and strategic plan for the church. 

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Sale of First UMC of Williamstown

The Permanent Site Committee has much to report, and all of it is very exciting. God has been good to our Church. The sale of our Williamstown Church property is moving along quite well. On May 17^th at the Town of Williamstown’s annual meeting, there was an overwhelming vote to approve the Community Preservation Fund grant in the amount of $250,000 to the Williamstown Community PreSchool. Thus, sufficient funds are now available to the Pre-School to complete the purchase of our Williamstown church property for $350,000. I anticipate that we will close on the sale by October or November.

We thank you for your support, help and prayers. Ron Turbin, Chair

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Our Secretary

Our church secretary Diane Phillips is recuperating from a serious fall. She and her husband Gary thank everyone for your prayers, cards, and visits. Diane looks forward to returning to work when the doctor’s give the ok. Special thanks to Sally Ottman for filling in during Diane’s absence.

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A Note from a Friend

We received a note and the following poem from Rev. George LaMore, “The church that shaped my soul (FUMCNA) is never far from my thoughts.”

LaMore-ness

I infer, but much less see,
A higher, holier self in me.

My highest thoughts don’t seem intentional.
To me they feel more interventional.

Could it be, in this respect that
God and my soul intersect?

I also have a self that’s lower.
Acknowledgement of that comes slower.

On this, at least we can agree:
There’s more to you; there’s more to me.

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Pastor Kim Awarded a Georgia Harkness Scholarship

The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church has selected Pastor Kim for a Georgia Harkness Scholarship. This scholarship is for women age 35+ who are certified candidates for elder’s orders in the UMC, and enrolled as full time students at one of the 13 UM seminaries. Georgia Harkness scholars are evaluated on their commitment to scholarship, social justice, and spirituality. Pastor Kim attends Boston University School of Theology where she is pursuing her Master of Divinity in pastoral ministry.

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Church World Service Kits Assembled

We recently completed another year in the Church World Service cycle. Our year began last summer when many of you purchased school supplies. By the first of the year, Pat Austin and Rita Tessier (Marcia’s mother-in-law) had managed to sew 100 receiving blankets. White Gift Sunday brought in many needed items for our kits. In April, Esther Herrick, Sue Bernady, and Joanne Sylvester sewed nearly 70 school bags. Pat Austin and Theresa Dube also made bags. Gayle Foster-Lewis, our sweater angel, mailed 50 sweaters for the Baby Care Kits. We shopped online for diapers, baby gowns, baby T-shirts, and other hard-to-find items. Bernadette Bernardy’s Girl Scout troop contributed 6 Health Kits and extra items for the kits. By May 3^rd, we had everything we needed to assemble the kits. The next day, I dropped off 232 kits in Bennington to complete our work.

This year we assembled 51 Baby Care Kits, 81 Health Kits and 100 School Kits. If we had purchased these kits from Church World Service, the cost would have been $4299 (a School Kit costs $15, a Hygiene Kit $10, and a Baby Care Kit $39). We also mailed a check to Church World Service for $464 to cover processing and shipping. Many generous donations helped us cover this expense.

We were so happy to have Pat Austin with us on the day we assembled the kits. Pat would like to extend her heartfelt thanks to all of you for your wonderful donations and help in realizing our goals this year. I know many of us want to extend that thanks right back to Pat for her tireless efforts on the behalf of Church World Service. She truly inspires us!

We extend our thanks to St. John’s Church for the use of their library to assemble our kits, and to Tim Sunn, staff member at St. John’s, for his help with set-up and the packing of 20 large boxes into my car. Our packing crew of Michou Toureille, Theresa Dube, Sandy Rich, Betty Phelps, Joanne Sylvester, Sally Ottman, Bob Peck, and Pat Austin also deserve our thanks.

Our commitment to Church World Service continues. Please keep your eyes open for some great bargains in the summer (August is a great month to buy school supplies).

Mother Teresa said: “We can do no great things; we can do small things with great love.” As you have read, these small things add up. We are deeply grateful for what you have helped us accomplish this year.

Barbara Kourajian

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Gift from St.John’s

Dear Friends at First United Methodist,

This gift of $500.00 is from all of us at St. John’s to express our gratitude for several years of your generous sharing of your kitchen for our preparing of home-delivered meals. At a time of many changes in your community like, you will find good use for this gift, we’re sure.

Warmest regards,

Your friends at St. John’s

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June 11 Take Out Dinner

June take out dinner on June 11th will be Quiche (Bacon and Vegetarian), Tossed Salad, Italian Bread and Fruit Salad. Call in your order for take out or eat in by Friday June 10 before 5 PM 664-9655; pick up is at the kitchen door on Summer Street of First Congregational Church North Adams.

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Annual Conference

Pastor Michelle and Kim and Lay Members Corinne Case and Christa Levesque will attend the New England Annual Conference at Gordon College June 8-11.

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Worship

NOTE: New Location and Time as of June 5

Worship at 10:00 a.m.
Williamstown Youth Center
270 Cole Avenue
Williamstown, MA 01267

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Church Office

Over the month of June, we will consolidate our offices to one location:

First UMC Williamstown

777 Main Street, Williamstown, MA 01267 (413) 458-3183

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Contacting Our Pastors

Michelle Grube

msgrube@verizon.net
Phone 413 458-3183
Michelle's day off is Friday

Kim Kie

pastorkim.fumcna@verizon.net
Cell phone 413 329-4939

Pastor Kim has office hours on Friday mornings. Call or email to arrange other times to meet with her. As a half-time pastor, Kim’s days off are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday—feel free to leave her an email or voice mail message and she will respond as able. 

 

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Mission Trip