You are invited to help with our annual Vacation Bible School. Vacation Bible School Announcement VBS will run August 6-10, 2012 from 9 AM to noon each day. Children must be turning 4 by Sept. 1, 2012 to attend. Youth going into 7th grade are welcome to attend as volunteers. Look for the registration table in the narthex. This program fills quickly, so sign up today to reserve your spot. Additional youth and adult volunteers are also needed, so please join the fun and give your time to this important community program. Email Mumc.vbs.sky@gmail.com if you have questions.

I have been thinking about the reasons that we serve others, and wanted your thoughts.

In what ways do you serve others? 

Why do you serve?

How does it change your viewbon the world, and on God?

Serving is a great way that we put into play all of the things that we understand to be true about our faith as we are called to have an eye for those others forget. 

START NOW-Bring in items for cleaning buckets (list in the narthex or click here for a PDF version)

Saturday October 1st
Trip to Serrv International in New Windsor meet at church at 8:15 am– 4:30pm

Sunday October 9th
Dresses for the World in the social hall 8:30-1:00pm
Cleaning bucket packing event beginning at 9:45am click here for a PDF version of the packing list
Food Packing event at Camp Manidokan 1:00-5:00pm
Food Drive groups leaving from MUMC at 11, 12 and 1pm
Middletown High School Grounds Cleanup 2:00-4:00pm
Nursing home visitation 2:00-4:30pm

Chili Cook-off and Evening Worship
Return to church at 6:00pm for a chili cook-off dinner and vote for your favorites dish ($1 per vote). The proceeds will go to the food bank. Then stay for worship where we will share our experiences of how God has moved throughout our time of service during this weekend.

Saturday October 15th
Trustee Clean-up day at MUMC 8:00am-Noon
Everyone is invited to come and work around the grounds of the church

We are going to have the opportunity to serve in a number of different areas as well as do some really fun stuff like going to the corn maze, Fuel Worship, helping kids at our annual Trunk-or-Treat and other great things.

There are print copies of the catalog available at church or download your very own copy by clicking on the link below.

Fall 2011 ministry catalog

Typically the morning is filled with work and then we will go out and do something fun in the evening.  The program will end with worship in Middleotwn park with The GAthering worship service where students will have the chance to talk about the things that they have been doing the past couple of days.  Come and be part of the fun. 

Sign up at church or email chris@lifeforceyouth.com

Love the smell of fresh mulch in the morning?  On Saturday, May 21 starting at 9:30 a.m., Hope Alive needs our help to mulch their playground area.  They are looking for 15-20  people to work as a team to move and spread mulch on their playground area.  The playground is definitely not bigger than our church playground.  They will need volunteers to bring wheelbarrows, shovels and rakes.  The purchase of the mulch is being  sponsored by another organization.

If you can help with this project please let me know by Friday, May 13

December 19th we are going to be journeying to Bethlehem on the night Mary and Joseph were looking for a room to stay in.  But there is not room and they are forced to find a place in a manger.  Come and help lead children of our community thought Bethlehem.  We are going to need guides, kitchen helpers, roman soldiers, room leaders and assistants, photographers and a number of other things.  If you would like to do something specifically contact Toni at familyministry.mumc@gmail.com

Come and help set up at 5. 

Families will begin arriving at 6 and will go until 8.  This is a great opportunity for confirmation service hours.  See you there. 

This past weekend  we called a last minute audible for youth group and decided that we would go trick or treating.   There were some who expressed interest in going out for out youth group time after our morning worship services.  others wanted another excuse to dress up and so ideas began to fly.  We knew we were going to have a smaller group than normal because when middle and high school students have to weigh their options of Jesus vs. free candy there is a really fierce battle that rages on.  Anywho, we went around Fountaindale and sought out candy and then ended up at the Pilarcik Family for their haunted house.

The twist was that the candy that we received we then had to give away and donate to an organization called Operation Gratitude.  This organization seeks to brighten the days of our troops through a number of different means.  One of the ways we can do this is give extra Halloween candy to troops.  So we collected candy and it is being sent to Operation Gratitude.  You can find more information about this project by visiting www.opgratitude.com it is a really neat program.

I think that it was a wonderful change of pace for the group.  Thanks to all who supported us.

Toni, our family ministries coordinator is organizing this and you can contact her or send Chris an e-mail if you would like to help.  It is always great if we know that you are coming to help.  CONFIRMANDS you will be able to cont this time toward community service.

this is a great way to serve and have fun.