June 4, 2022
Beautiful Beloveds,
Tomorrow is Pentecost, the celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit. It’s a day to be reminded God keeps God’s promises and that we are never alone. God’s spirit is with us always and everywhere. More than that, the Spirit speaks to us each in the language we can hear. To the grieving and afraid, the Spirit offers comfort, to the lost, direction, to the lonely, companionship.
As local and global challenges and tragedies fill our news and social media, let us listen carefully for the work of the Spirit within, around, and through us. For the Spirit offers not just comfort, but courage too, inspiration, and even holy irritation in the face of injustice. How is God calling you to respond to gun violence in our country? It may be you need to take care of yourself, tending your hurting, healing heart. It may be you need to reach out to care for others. Together, let us listen carefully, as the Holy Spirit blows among us, within us, through us, for we remain Together in Christ…Committed to Serve.
Peace,
Heather
A word on COVID-19 mitigation. We remain in the red, but rates are declining. Let’s work together to keep that downward trend falling. Please help us continue to care for the most vulnerable among us by wearing a mask every time you are in our building and following our mitigation protocols. Let’s continue to show our love for one another by masking and distancing.
Mark Your Calendars
Click on a date below to expand and view events.
Welcome Basket for Pastor John!
The Transition Team is busy planning for the arrival of the Rev. John Wesley Taylor as our new church pastor come July 1, 2022.
One idea is a Welcome Basket from the congregation!
Welcoming cards and notes suggesting your favorite eating place, a pastime/hobby; i.e. summer baseball leagues, a museum/playhouse; i.e. Heritage Gardens you enjoy or a business/service you use can be shared with Pastor John and his family in the Welcome Basket.
The underlying idea behind this is to not only welcome Pastor John and his family to Cape Cod but to start a conversation and begin to build a relationship between you and Pastor John.
Here are three items already going into the Welcome Basket:
One couple has decided to write a welcome note recommending their favorite ice cream place on the Cape, Four Seas, with a small gift card included for him to try this spot.
Another example is a welcome note from the Prayer Group saying “Wimpy’s is a place we treasure as we often eat here to celebrate our birthdays and other special occasions” with a gift card to Wimpy’s.
And yet another example is a welcome note with a schedule of all the Hyannis Harbor Hawks games and some Cape League Mix from Smith Family Popcorn in Hyannis.
If we can answer any questions or brainstorm any ideas you might have, please contact Jackie Schrafft at 908-377-4811 or Sharlene Moran at 774-487-1619.
The deadline for items for the Welcome Basket is Friday, June 24, 2022. All items can be left with Jane Gray at the church office. Sue DeMartino will work her magic and put every card, note, and item into a beautiful
basket that will be delivered to Pastor John soon after his arrival. Thank you for helping to welcome Pastor John and his family by joining in on this Welcome Basket!
COVID-19 Update: We are now in the red, or high-risk level.
That means:
- Masks are required indoors.
- All seating will be distanced seating.
- All indoor in-person meetings/gatherings are discouraged. Please meet outdoors or via zoom.
- There will be no congregational singing or coffee hour.
- All doors and at least two windows in the sanctuary will be open.
Remember you can choose to join us for outdoor worship at 8:30, in your car or on the lawn. Masks are not required, and you’re welcome to sing outdoors. Or join our Livestream at 10:30 am from the comfort of your home.
Please register here to worship with us in June.
Together in Christ—We Worship
Mark your Calendars: June 12, 19, 26, and July 3, one worship is offered at 9:30 am.
June 12: Pride Sunday and Pastor Heather’s farewell. Weather permitting, we will gather outdoors, in front of the church. Wear your rainbows!! Bring your comfy chair or blanket to sit on. We’ll also have chairs available. And of course, you can stay in your car with your radio tuned to 91.5. We will also offer livestreamed worship on our YouTube Channel.
June 19 and 26: Rev. Ed Farrell-Starbuck will be preaching
July 3: Rev. John Taylor’s first Sunday
Blaine Taylor Memorial Chapel Update: Our trustees and Lend-a-Hands are working hard to make the outdoor chapel accessible and usable again. You can help. Willing workers welcomed Monday mornings to dig out the benches so they can re-stabilized.
Together in Christ—We Move Through Transition Together
Let’s help Rev. Taylor get to know us! The Transition Team is soliciting one-page “biographies” from our church family. These introductions will be placed in a binder so that Rev. Taylor can refer to them to help him become familiar with his new church family. You may include any information you wish. There will be a display board in the solarium of the Transition Team’s bios if you need ideas. Please include a photo or photos. These bios may be emailed to Heather Wolfe at capecodwolfe@aol.com or dropped off in hard copy at the church office any day, Monday through Thursday between 9 and 1. You may use PDF or Microsoft Word or a handwritten 8 1/2 x 11 paper. If you include a photo that you wish to have returned to you, we will scan it and return the photo. We hope to have a bio sheet from each person or family by Father’s Day, June 19th. We will prepare the book for Rev. Taylor by July 1st. Thanks!
Together in Christ—We Pray
Please pray for all the victims, survivors, and loved ones of those in the Tulsa shooting. Please pray for all elected officials who can make a difference in gun safety and legislation.
In this time of transition, please pray for Rev. John Taylor, the people of the First United Methodist Church of Westborough, MA, our District Superintendent Rev. David Calhoun, Rev. Wanda Santos-Perez, our incoming District Superintendent, our Bishop, Sudarsharna Devadhar, Pastor Heather and her family. Please pray for all churches who still have not heard who will be appointed to their church.
Please pray for the people of Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Eswatini – From the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer Cycle. Learn more here
Please submit prayer requests here or call Pastor Heather, (774) 994-3645 or MaryAnne Farley (774) 487-0719.
Together in Christ—We learn and play!
Family Fun Day! 4-5 pm, June 5. Our youth group invites children up to 5th grade to come learn and play together. Families are encouraged to stay and play. Our youth will offer a Bible story, fun and games, and different special activities each week (craft, drama, music, etc). Our youth will provide guided activities from 4:00-4:30, and then offer 30 minutes of supervised free play on our church playground (weather permitting).
Together in Christ—Our United Methodist Connection
United Methodist Women: New Name
Just like our foremothers, today United Methodist Women — now United Women in Faith — listen, asks, and change. Change is hard, but it is holy. In response, to the magazine for women in mission, May/June 2022, we heard from Ainase ‘Issama’u. She is President of United Women in Faith. She said, “We’ve got people talking! Word is spreading and women are signing up to inspire, influence, and impact their churches and communities. UMW has been many names. For the past 50 years, we’ve been UMW. This isn’t saying a name is unimportant. The work we do and the Christian sisterhood we want to be, a name change is part of how we answer God’s call to grow, change, lead, include and uplift.”
“I’m excited to celebrate with you this month and begin our future together.”
2022 Annual Conference The 2022 Annual Conference session, June 9-11, will be a hybrid event; members will have the option to attend in person in Manchester, NH, or via Zoom. The theme for this year’s session is Envisioning the Beloved Community and our guiding scripture is Philippians 3:12-14, The Message. Read more about the hybrid session from the Sessions Team
The Reverend Dr. David V. Calhoun
The SEACOAST District Committee on Superintendency
Invites you to a commemorative worship service
And celebration in Honor of the ministry of our
District Superintendent
Saturday, June 18, 2022, at 6 p. m.
Refreshments to Follow
Wesley United Methodist Church
55 Woodland Street
Lincoln, RI 02865
Directions:
Take I-95 to Exit 25 (Smithfield Ave). Follow Smithfield Ave. (rt 126) about two miles.
At Jim’s Auto Service on left and at the traffic light take left onto Woodland St.
Follow around the two curves and the church will be on the right.
For those who are not able to attend in person, we invite you to join us via YouTube
https://tinyurl.com/WesleyUMC-RI
Committed to Serve—We Care for Creation
Green Tip: Nearly half of what is in landfills is organic and could have been composted. Landfills are anaerobic (no air gets inside), causing organic waste to create methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas that harms our Earth. (Nearly 25% of current atmospheric warming is due to methane alone.) In contrast, organic materials that are composted contribute to the quality of the soil, which helps Earth. You can easily compost no matter where you live. Check your local area for options.
Spring Plant Sale – Still Plants are Available back by the Choir Room entrance and are $5 each. You may leave your payment in the church mailbox outside the Solarium doors or drop it by the office Mon. – Thurs. between 9 am and 1 pm. You can also use your credit card and give through our online giving portal.
Committed to Serve—Giving Generously
What a Wonderful Gift for Ukraine – We collected $1,469.50 which is being forwarded to UMCOR this week.
Do you shop at Amazon.com? Sign up with smile.amazon.com and most purchases will support our church without costing you an extra cent. Be sure to go to smile.amazon.com, rather than just amazon.com, whenever you shop, so our church earns every time! So far our church has earned $218.92 in this way. Sign up today and select Osterville United Methodist Church as the charity to support and help us earn more.
Rainbow’s End, our church-owned and operated Thrift Boutique is Open. You can shop Wednesday and Thursdays 10:30 am-3 pm You can also support the shop by donating items Wednesday and Thursday 11 am – 2 pm. Please do not leave any items in or outside the shop when our volunteers and employees are not there to receive them. They need to be able to sort and store the items carefully, sometimes in the annex. If you cannot donate during these specific hours, please contact the store manager, Pamela Turner, at 508.428.5304. Thank you for your kindness and generosity. Thank you for supporting our staff, volunteers, and the missions and ministries of our church.
Worship with Us
Outside, inside, or online
If you are feeling unwell, tested positive for COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, please stay home.
Please register here to worship with us in June.
Please register here to worship with us in June or leave a message at the church at 508.428.2811
See the statistics we’re tracking here.
8:30 am Drive-In/Outdoor Worship, in our parking lot and on the front lawn
- If you register, you will receive an order of worship for the day, including links to scripture, hymn lyrics, and our online-giving portal. Registering also helps us with contact tracing if that becomes necessary.
- Please stay home if you are feeling unwell, tested positive for COVID-19, or been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
- Masks are optional. Please honor the choices that others have made to mask or not.
- A bright green offering box will be available, as we will not be “passing the plate.” You can also give through our online giving portal.
- If, after worshiping with us, you test positive for COVID-19 or have been exposed, it is important to the health of our congregation that you let us know so we can notify others who may have been exposed. This will be treated carefully and confidentially so that we can care for another. Please call Pastor Heather directly, at 774.994.3645.
- Musical leadership will be provided by Daniel Shinabarger and other willing musicians. You are welcome to bring a chair and sit on the lawn or stay in your cars when it is wet and/or cold.
- You are welcome to sing!
10:30 am In Our Sanctuary
- We strongly encourage all who attend indoor worship and activities at our church and who are able and eligible to be fully vaccinated.
- If you register, you will receive an order of worship for the day, including links to scripture, hymn lyrics, and our online-giving portal. Registering also helps us with contact tracing if that becomes necessary.
- Please stay home if you are feeling unwell, tested positive for COVID-19, or been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
- Masks are required.
- There will be no congregational singing.
- Sanctuary Shepherds will be there to greet and guide you, as you enter and exit our building
- Please enter through the main sanctuary doors, where you will be “checked-in,” and invited to use hand sanitizer. At this time we are not using paper bulletins.
- After you are “checked in” you will be led to a seat by a sanctuary shepherd and we are practicing distanced seating.
- The ionizers will be on, and two windows will be open with a fan running. Additionally, all doors will be open. Please dress warmly and feel free to bring a lap blanket.
- Please exit through our solarium as directed by our shepherds.
- An offering plate will be available as you enter, as we will not be “passing the plate.” Don’t worry if you forget, or are moved to give more, there will be another place to give on your way out. You can also give through our online giving portal.
- We will be live streaming our sanctuary worship, so you catch it on YouTube, or if we need more seating at the church, in Fred Curtis Hall.
- If, after worshiping with us, you test positive for COVID-19 or have been exposed, it is important to the health of our congregation that you let us know so we can notify others who may have been exposed. This will be treated carefully and confidentially so that we can care for another. Please call Pastor Heather directly, at 774.994.3645.