Month: April 2009

3rd Annual Mother’s Day Tea

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The Third Annual Mother’s Day Tea is coming May 2nd,2009. It’s a time for all of our ladies, young and old to celebrate together.

Springtime is here and hopefully we will have lots of sunshine, flowers and warm weather. Sounds great Everyone is invited and encouraged to bring a friend. Ms. Poochie Montgomery and Ms. Pat Allen are in charge of entertainment and as you know if you have attended one of their wonderful parties, you are in for a treat.

Speaking of treats, a delicious spread of delicacies will be offered as well as coffee and, of course, tea. Invitations will be handed out at Church, please RSVP as soon as you can. Any questions call Janet LaGrange, Chairlady at 379-0553.

Bean Hole Supper Update

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With the cold weather lessening and the ice leaving the ground, it’s time to think about the Bean Hole Bean Suppers.

Once again, as we’ve done for the past 50+ years, PVUMC will host four old-fashioned, bake ‘em in the ground, Bean Hole Bean Suppers. It’s believed that our tradition is one of the only two suppers in New England where the beans are still cooked all day in the ground.

If you’re a newcomer to the church family, you might not be aware that it requires 125+ jobs to be done in order to ensure that our customers enjoy a hearty meal in a pleasant setting. A description of the Bean Hole Bean Supper production can be found on the Bessie Table if you’re interested in learning all the details about these events.

Particularly important to PVUMC is the fact that these suppers are the largest fundraising event in which everyone participates. All monies raised will go to the church’s general fund and each supper has historically brought in between $1,500 to $2,000. This year, as finances become tighter and tighter, we are making every effort to keep the quality of our suppers high while keeping our pricing reasonable.

The dates for the suppers in 2009 are: April 25th, June 13th, September 19th, and October 24th.

Pudge Millahn has agreed to act as over-all chairperson for the Bean Hole Bean Suppers and she will be asking for your help as the committees begin gathering their volunteers. If you’ve never helped out before, or if you’re looking for more ways in which you can lend a hand, please contact Pudge directly at 379-7764.

It may not take a “village” to put on these suppers, but it certainly takes a whole church working together to get the jobs done.

UMW Update: April 2009

~ Susan ~ 1 Comment

Our meeting began with 12 ladies in attendance. Barbara Bailey shared Devotions by reading a poem entitled Rainbows and Papayas: A Lenten Devotion. She also gave an overview of the article’s author, Lyda Pierce, a missionary who served for 20 years in Central America.

Poochie then presented our program for the evening which spoke about the subject of “Luck”.  She led us in a thought-provoking exercise where we wrote down ways in which we felt we were “lucky”. It was surprising to find that many of us had very similar ideas on how we felt we were “lucky”; and many ladies felt themselves “lucky” to be involved with our UMW.

Our business meeting was conducted while we enjoyed refreshments provided by Ann Burk and Marie Phelps. Marie had made an inventory of the items we’ve collected this year for the Church World Service kits which will be assembled at our April meeting. Our goal is to produce more kits that had been done the previous year. The inventory allowed us to determine which specific items are still needed to complete the number of kits to reach our goal.

Plans are underway for our annual Mother/Daughter Tea which is scheduled to take place at 2:00 PM on Saturday, May 2nd this year. Janet LaGrange has again offered to coordinate this event, with Poochie helping with activities. As time goes by, more details will be available about what items will be needed to make this a fun event for our members and guests.  Any woman in the church is invited to attend.

Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 1st at 7:00 PM in Fellowship Hall. After a brief business meeting, we’ll begin to assemble the CWS kits. Barbara Bailey and Linda Kriss will provide refreshments.

Shalom, Margo

April Letter from Pastor Lynne

~ Susan ~ 1 Comment

PLAs I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the larges holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn’t had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times.

I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again.

I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was. I rose and slowly lifed the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes. Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, ‘Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships and My struggles.

“Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.”

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!