Worship, Temporary Office Space, Preschool and more...
Blessings Sisters & Brothers of Christ UMC, Selinsgrove:
Today’s Update from Pastor Ryan (May 28, 2015)
· We are worshipping @ Weber Chapel, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove this Sunday, May 31.
8 am Praise Service
9:15 am Pastor Ryan Informational Session
10:30 am Traditional Service
· The Potluck Picnic is after second service at Noon at the Outdoor Worship Center. Please bring a dish to share and a chair (just in case).
· Trustees are working on locating office and preschool space as soon as possible. Ken Miller (Trustee Chair), Pastor Ryan, Michele Hoch (Preschool Director), Esther Martin and Vicki Ewing (Office Managers) looked at one space last week and two more spaces yesterday. We have an appointment to look at another space on Tuesday at 1pm. WE WILL HAVE AGAPELAND PRESCHOOL NEXT YEAR! This is one of my top priorities!
· Trustees are also looking at worship space for when we need to move worship from Susquehanna University after August 23. Work continues on this process next week. Please pray for our next year school year of worship home that starts on August 30.
· More was cleaned out of the church this week. We are now down to only needing to inventory the Library & Copier Room which we cannot get to yet because the floor needs stabilized in those areas. Mark1, our emergency services/demolition company, has also ripped out more dry wall and is hoping to be able to fix the flooring by the Library and Copier Room by next week. We have an appointment to work with them on Wednesday, June 3 at 8 am. Restoration is ongoing of sound, computer, Carillon, bells, banners, mics, music stands, hard non-particle board desks, hymnals, Bibles, very important papers that were saved, baptismal records, memorial books, certain pictures, certain items in the kitchen, certain items in the preschool, and some other select items (tried my best to list as much as I could think of). All other items were either destroyed by the fire, damaged in such a way that they needed to be thrown away or were items that children would use that received smoke exposure & needed to be thrown away. We have replacement insurance and hence thrown away items can be replaced.
· The Building Committee met Tuesday night and is sending out proposals to architectural firms to get ideas for scope of work and what we can get done at certain prices in order to build on our Route 522 land. This is research only to allow the congregation to have as many options as possible when discerning and voting on what Christ UMC should do for the future. One of the options to be considered is to go ahead and build new on Christ UMC’s Route 522 land. The Trustees are working on a parallel path of getting estimates on what it would take to have options of some or all restoration where we are currently located. All of this is research so as to have as many options available to Christ United Methodist Church and her members. Building new, restoring some, restoring all and other options will be decided on by the whole congregation through prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to guide us for God’s will and then by allowing every member to have a chance to give their input and to vote. In order to prepare for that process, and while we are waiting over the next few weeks for insurance numbers to come in, Building Committee and Trustees are working to prepare information for the church to be able to make an informed decision. Please keep this all in prayer.
· We had a great staff meeting at the Selinsgrove Library of all staff including preschool and children’s ministry on Wednesday, May 27. It was great to be together and we got a lot accomplished.
· Remember Sunday School begins again on Sunday, June 14 at 9:15 am. Vacation Bible School is at Kidsgrove July 20 to July 23 from 6:30 pm to 8 pm. More information will be shared this Sunday at the beginning of each service on Children’s Ministry this summer.
Many people continue to be incredibly generous with their time, talents and treasurers. Thank-you to everyone who continues to support CUMC through this time. Remember, “We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” (Philippians 4:13, pluralization of pronouns done by Pastor Ryan)
