Stewardship 2021 from Pastor Alicia: 2 Our Stewardship Campaign for This Calendar Year Is Underway and Con- Lessons Learned Cludes in Mid-February
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T H E C H I M E S Jan. 7, 2021 Inside this issue: Stewardship 2021 From Pastor Alicia: 2 Our stewardship campaign for this calendar year is underway and con- Lessons learned cludes in mid-February. Below are articles explaining priorities set by the during difficult year Governing Board and offering suggestions on how the congregation can use its resources. Ideas on how to use our building as a resource are welcome. February birthdays 2 You will also hear from congregation members — in the eblast and Chimes (see Galyn’s story on page 8) and during worship — on how UUMC has af- fected their lives in a positive way. You’re asked to prayerfully consider all Outreach: Gathering 3 data for a this and more when you make your commitment for 2021 on Feb. 14. sustainable distribution Leveraging our resources Our priorities People & Prayers 4-5 As we grow into our new reali- The Governing Board -- after ties, the leadership of the church hours of discerning who we are as a Book Study: Sermon 5 would like to keep you informed on congregation, evaluating our possi- on the Mount the direction we will be taking. bilities and limitations and imagin- This is an introduction to our ing the future – voted to set several Black United 6 shift in theology of stewardship, in priorities for 2021. They recognize… Methodists want other words, taking good care of Our world has changed and will action now our resources. not return to pre-2020. We will host a congregational We will continue to live in an Finding a home at 8 UUMC Zoom webinar in January to present expanded digital-virtual culture. these concepts further and answer The pandemic has changed how we Finance Corner 8 your questions about this shift. work, gather and worship. It has See WHEN, Page 7 See EXPAND, Page 6 Lent starts this year Epiphany worship series: Following Jesus is ongoing process on February 17, Ash Wednesday. Palm Our worship series for the sea- the Grand Canyon, for example, or a son of Epiphany is “Follow Me,” from particularly beautiful sunset. Sunday is March 28. Discipleship Ministries of the United While there is beauty in the pres- Easter is April 4. Methodist Church. It runs Jan. 17 to ence of Christ, it is a beauty that Feb. 14. calls forth a response. Discipleship Ministries describes There are many ways to respond Articles for The Chimes the series this way: to the presence of Christ. In this se- must be submitted by The season of Epiphany has al- ries, we focus on the invitation to fol- noon on the deadline day ways been about seeing the light that low. It is the mission of the church to and can be sent to: [email protected] is Jesus the Christ breaking forth into make disciples, even as we are being the world in which we live. made disciples. It is an ongoing pro- Alicia Wood, Pastor Seeing is only the first step, how- cess to follow Jesus; a transfor- Tom Boll, Editor ever. We don’t see the light of Christ mation that continues through every the same way we see the beauty of stage of our lives. From our pastor... We learned many lessons during tragic year of 2020 Happy New we look or have different experi- had never met before. Their Year! ences than we have had. hearts filled. Our blessings over- I’m excited As we spent more time alone flow. to finally write we realized we needed to listen We learned how to join and the numbers 2 0 to other people’s perspectives participate in Zoom meeting to 2 1 because the and life stories as much as we connect not only with friends and tragic year 2020 listen to our own context. family but to study the Scriptures Alicia Wood is over and we can I believe we learned as a through book and Bible studies. begin to hope and reimagine our church we need to shift and We shifted our small group gath- future together in 2021. change for our current times and erings to feed God’s people’s I’m someone who always realities. This means finding new minds while we met the needs of looks for the silver lining in all ways to truly live into our mission our day. situations, so even though I’m statement “Feeding God’s Peo- I believe we learned how grateful to say goodbye to 2020, ple: Body, Mind and Spirit.” much the work of our church and I would like to share positive As the pandemic came into church family means to us as I thoughts about what we have New York State we shifted the shed a tear every time I saw the learned from 2020. way we fed people’s bodies. large pile of mail at the office I believe we have learned We took our Friday pantry filled with donations, cards and that change happens no matter (now Food Center @ 324 Univer- letters encouraging me, Galyn how much we try to keep things sity Ave.) and our Sunday break- and the entire staff to keep Feed- the same and we can somehow fasts outside of our church build- ing God’s People. adapt to change even though we ing. As we turn the page to 2021, don’t like it. In doing so, we fed six times the leadership of the church is I don’t think any of us want the people. We also fed six times recognizing the shifts that have to look into a Zoom screen any the Spirits of the people we fed been made in our lives in more more than we have to, but we physically. ways than any of us could have learned how to Zoom and They felt so loved by our imagined, including the way we FaceTime and do whatever else church and by God because we use our resources. was needed to connect with fami- did not close but changed with a I’m excited to share more ly and friends. determination to feed God’s peo- with you in January and February. I believe we have learned ple. I’m excited to continue to partner how much we need connection to When we learned we could with you in ministry this year. people. As much as Americans no longer gather as a congrega- I’m overwhelmed with joy as say we are self-reliant and we tion we once again went outside we continue to live out our mis- can take care of ourselves, I be- our church building to the inter- sion of Feeding God’s People: lieve 2020 showed us how much net via Facebook and YouTube. Body, Mind and Spirit in new we need one another. This shift fed people’s Spirits. ways yet to come. We are not meant to take all We were able to connect “Blessed are those who have these emotions on our own. We through worshiping this awesome not seen and yet have come to are meant to be family and com- God and be a church family in believe.” — John 20:29 munity in all its fullness. spite of restrictions at least one Blessings in your new year, I believe we have learned hour each week. Pastor Alicia how to listen to the stories of As we moved to the internet, people who look different than we connected with people we February birthdays 2 – Bette Helwig 9 – Starke Donnally 21 – Taylor Bacon 7 – Domonick Weah 19 – Jan Garman 23 – Roseanne Samuel 8 – Tom Boll 20 – Aidan Brackett 25 – Elise Curry-Schemichen Chimes newsletter Volume 21 No. 1 January 7, 2020 Feeding God’s People: Body, Mind and Spirit 2 Outreach Ministry Data collected to enable a sustainable food distribution December 2020 Emergency Food & Diaper Distribution Galyn Date House Adults Children Seniors Families w/ Bagel Pet Murphy- holds Children Breakfast Food Stanley 12/4 284 477 807 65 184 (12/6) 46 4 Throughout 12/11 217 351 353 81 117 (12/13) 62 3 December we have been collect- ing additional ZIP code infor- 12/18* 329 660 631 53 249 (12/20) 65 7 mation from our guests who visit 12/30 134 256 179 17 73 (12/27) 50 — us for food and diapers. We strive to learn more Total 964 1,424 1,970 216 623 223 14 about how far folk are traveling to * Christmas distribution access our emergency distribu- tions. Seventeen ZIP codes across Total Individuals who received food from UUMC’s Food Cen- Onondaga County visited us at ter: 4,153 (Food distributions & breakfasts) At our COVID safe least one time in December for Emergency Food/Christmas distribution on 12/18/20 we had food and/or diapers. a VERY successful first time ever distribution. We were able to Our intention prior COVID, provide 329 households with Christmas foods and a turkey. was to service 3 ZIP codes that 1,344 individuals enjoyed Christmas foods gathered at UUMC’s create the Southeast quadrant of Food Center @ 324. Interesting to learn that 109 more folk re- Syracuse. ceived foods at this Christmas distribution vs. the Thanksgiving I, with Pastor Alicia, the Out- distribution. reach team and the Food Bank of Total number of families served who have children: 623 CNY will work through January to Babies who received diapers on Dec. 4: 223. This equals establish a more sustainable 11,150 diapers distributed in 2.5 hours. method to work, serve guests, Total guests who visited UUMC for Sunday breakfast: 223.