This Sunday will be a special celebration of Memorial’s Journey Outward and in particular our youth’s commitment to justice and service. Isabel Bauer and Katie Strohmayer will be confirmed on this special Sunday. We will have a special guest preacher, Church and Community Worker Jennifer Battiest from Clinton, Oklahoma. Many of you may remember that our youth group participated in a mission trip to Clinton, Oklahoma last summer where they served the Church and Community center where Jennifer is the director. Be sure to mark your calendars for a spectacular celebration!
Palm Sunday Children Singing March 28, 2010 (video)
Memorial children singing their Hosianna song on Palm Sunday.
Palm Sunday Procession March 28, 2010 (video)
Pastor Joe Agne speaking of the two processions in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
Wednesdays of Wonder
Wednesdays 6:30pm – 8pm
We’ve had such a great discussion in the last few weeks we’ve decided to continue! Join us every Wednesday for a simple meal of soup and bread as we live the questions of life and faith together. Check out http://memorial4all.org/links/wow for more information about the Living the Questions 2 resource. Discussion facilitators Joe Agne and Darlene DiDomineck.
Picnic for the "Beloved Community"
Dear folks,
I am not sure if any of you have heard about the United Methodist minister, and good friend of mine, Josh Noblitt who was attacked over July 4th weekend when he was having a picnic with his partner at a park in Atlanta. The story is quite dramatic, as they were approached and asked if they were gay by the assailants, and then without even responding were told that they deserved to be beat for that.
I really cannot summarize the situation or Josh's beautiful response myself and can only ask that you read about it on the RMN website, or on MIND's website, or even here on Josh's own blog.
The response that Josh has made is quite lovely and in his effort to seek for the Beloved Community that Martin Luther King spoke of, he wants to reclaim the park where he was attacked by having a picnic this weekend in the exact same spot with his extended beloved community in Atlanta. Other places have decided to have picnics as well, including D.C. and Chicago both, and we here in New York are dedicating our annual summer picnic for MIND - Methodists in New Directions - to the same purpose of building safe space and beloved community. It will be held next Saturday from 2 to 5 at the Park Slope UMC.
I know that Helen and I are already planning to attend and maybe we should find out if others would be interested in going to this special event.
Jayson Dobney, Coordinator of Worship and Music
The Week at Memorial
Tuesday September 7 : Come say hello and share what we did this summer.
Tuesdays @ Dorry’s 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. :
Informal Conversations in July and August . - Food ordering starts at 5:30 p.m. - Dorry’s Diner • 468 Mamaroneck Avenue • White Plains • 914-682-0005
Wednesday September 8
(Gardner Room)
Noon: One hour Bible Study
with Rev. Larry Pickens and Rev. David Parker -- Starts at noon and ends at 1pm, so folks, who need to, can get back to work.
WOW has RETURNED! -- 6:30PM -8:00PM – MLK Fireside Library - Our Wednesday evening bible study will meet on 9/8/10! We will continue our study of Living the Questions! A simple meal of soup is provided! Contact Darlene DiDomineck for more information.
Upcoming Events
Westchester Pride at Playland -- Saturday, September 11, 2010
Join your friends and the rest of the region’s LGBTQ community and supporters for a day of fun. Your day will be filled with rides, events, entertainment, a Big Gay Scavenger Hunt, and perusing the many vendors on hand. All ages welcome! Memorial UMC will have a table at Westchester Pride come and visit, stay awhile! - To volunteer to staff the Memorial table at Playland on Saturday, September 11th from 1PM -7PM please contact Darlene DiDomineck.
Fall Sunday School Begins --- September 12, 2010
Are you the parent of child interested in Sunday School? Memorial’s Sunday School meets year round (excluding holidays and a short summer break) and welcomes children ages 3-11. We have three classes; 3&4 Year Olds, Kindergarten – 2nd Grade and 3rd -5th Grade. Youth in grades 6-12 are invited to volunteer as assistant teachers and earn Community Service Credit and valuable teaching skills. Our fall session begins September 12, 2010. To register your child please complete the registration found here. All parents are asked to register their child even if they have attended Sunday School in past years. For more information please contact Deaconess Darlene DiDomineck.
New SLEEPUNDER series starts : Friday, September 17th – 6:30 – 9:30PM
2011 Youth Mission Trip Fundraiser-- Youth Coffee House
Ages: Birth - 10 years old, Cost: $10 per child, Family Maximum $25
Parents do you need a night out? Kids do you want to have fun, eat grilled cheese, play games, watch a video and make a craft? Come to our first Sleep Under of the year! Parents get an evening out, kids have a great time in a safe environment and all proceeds will help the youth raise funds for the 2011 Youth Mission Trip! Dinner, games, video and crafts included! Contact Darlene DiDomineck to RSVP by 9/13/10.
Church Work Day! – September 18th -- 10AM-2PM
Join us for a fall clean up day in preparation for our Homecoming Sunday and Revival Event. There will be plenty to do! Join us for an hour or all four. There will be cleaning, minor repair, organizing, filing and sorting projects. Contact Deaconess Darlene DiDomineck to let us know you are coming.
Town Hall Meeting and Potluck -- September 19, 2010, 4:00 PM Save the Date!! We will gather for a time of worship, visioning, music, food and fellowship! Bring a dish to share and your love for Memorial! See Rev. Larry Pickens or Deaconess Darlene DiDomineck for more information.
Homecoming Sunday and Revival -- September 26-28, 2010
You are invited!! Join us as we formally recognize Rev. Pickens appointment to serve Memorial UMC. Rev. Donald Guest of Glide Memorial UMC in San Francisco will be the guest preacher for three evenings of worship, celebration and fellowship. Be sure to join us! See our invitation and the online RSVP. More details to follow. See www.glide.org for more information on the ministry of Glide Memorial UMC. See Rev. Larry Pickens or Deaconess Darlene DiDomineck for more information.
Hate Crime Symposium --- November 20, 2010 Save the Date!! A symposium on hate crimes in the United States will look at the full spectrum of communities and people targeted, including LGBT people, immigrants, people of color and women. This initiative is co-sponsored by the New York Chapter of MFSA, the Conference Board of Church, and Society, MIND and the New York Annual Conference's Task Force on Immigration.
The Staff Parish Relations Committee is very pleased to announce the appointment of Rev. Larry Pickens as the next pastor of Memorial United Methodist Church. Rev. Pickens has served for over 20 years in a variety of urban and suburban pastoral settings, most recently at Northbrook UMC in Northbrook, Illinois. He graduated from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in 1982 and was baptized at that time by Joe Agne.
Rev. Pickens was ordained in 1985 and received a Doctorate of Ministry from Chicago Theological Seminary in 1988. He is a member of the Illinois bar and he volunteered to be the counsel for Rev. Greg Dell when he was on trial for performing a same sex marriage. From 2004-2007 he was the General Secretary of the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns. During that time he lived in White Plains with his wife Debra and his daughter, Jessica. They remained here during the two years that Rev. Pickens served the Northbrook UMC and Jessica is a student at White Plains High School.
Sunday School Teachers Needed!
Do you love children? Have you ever thought about teaching Sunday School? Now is your chance! The Memorial UMC Sunday School needs Sunday School teachers who love children, love teaching and are willing to make a once a month commitment to teach September – May! We are in need of teachers for the 3&4 Year Old Class and the 3rd-5th Grade Class. Curriculum, activities and craft supplies are provided. We just need you!! --- Contact Deaconess Darlene DiDomineck for more details!! For more details on our web based curriculum see www.spiritseasons.com.
Volunteers Needed!
Help us make Memorial UMC shine for our Homecoming Sunday and Revival, September 26-28, 2010. The Hospitality committee for the Revival Planning team needs your help! If you have a few hours to donate to help us make Memorial shine contact Deaconess Darlene DiDomineck. Projects will range from light cleaning and organizing to small repairs.
Memorial UMC Emergency Assistance Program Wish List
Every day 200,000 of our neighbors in Westchester County are food insecure. Members of the Memorial family and the greater White Plains community look to faith communities for critical assistance during times of crisis and struggle. Help us reach out in solidarity to our neighbors in need. Wish List : Gift Cards in $5, $10, $20 increments to: Grocery Stores: (Stop and Shop, Pathmark, A&P), Gas Stations, Drug Stores: (Duane Reade, CVS, Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid)
The Memorial UMC Emergency Assistance Program is open Mondays from 3PM – 6PM.For more information contact Deaconess Darlene DiDomineck. See our flyer!
Memorial Thrift Shop is always seeking Volunteers
Shop Location: Memorial United Methodist Church (MUMC) 250 Bryant Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605
Hours of Operation: Wed 10–2, Fri -Sat 10–4. For More Information Contact MUMC at 914-949-2146 or The LOFT at 914-948-2932. Benefiting Memorial United Methodist Church and The LOFT: LGBT Community Services Center. - Due to space limitations the thrift shop unfortunately can no longer take donations until further notice. Thank you for thinking of us.
Thrift Shop News
It’s Now a Joint Venture - The Memorial Thrift Shop is now a joint venture with the Loft, which is recruiting volunteers to equal the number of Memorial volunteers. It’s open on Wednesdays (9-2), Fridays (9-4) and Sundays (9-4). The co-chairs are Carol McHale and Scott Havelka. Contact Scott for information and to volunteer. Many thanks to Joan Meehan for imagining, initiating and managing the Thrift Shop in its birthing stages.
Journey Outward Needs
We have some other "journey outward" needs. Contact Joan Meehan in the church office or the person connected with each item on Sunday morning.
"I will count the offering on Sunday mornings." Right after church we will be counting the offering of the morning and preparing it for the bank and the needed reports. You can do one Sunday a month or do it every Sunday. We will work in teams of three persons. Contact Brandon Schmitt, Memorial Treasurer.
"I will help stock the Memorial Thrift Shop shelves." See Carol McHale, co-chair of the Memorial Thrift Shop.
"I will host a "Dinner for 7" on the first weekend on March (either in my home or at the church). Contact Darlene DiDomineck, Coordinator of Ministries.
"I can provide rides to the Ash Wednesday Service," leaving the church at 6:30 p.m. Talk to Pastor Joe.
I will bring office supplies (copy paper, scotch tape, etc) – another way to support the budget of Memorial. Bring these to Margaret O’Hara on Sundays.
Carlton Farewell
As we already know, Memorial is in a time of transition. Now we must sadly say goodbye to another beloved member of our Memorial staff. Carlton has announced that he will be leaving Memorial at the end of February to pursue his musical career and interests in the Berkshires. Please plan to come to Engage after worship on Sunday, February 28th to thank Carlton for his time at Memorial and the many musical gifts he has brought to our church over the years. A light lunch will be served and this will be a time to share with Carlton what his ministry has meant to all of us. If you would like to contribute to a monetary gift for Carlton, you can send or bring it to the church office or drop checks into the offering plate with "Carlton's fund" written in the memo. Please put cash in an envelope marked "Carlton's fund." Please RSVP to Joan Meehan in the church office if you are coming for lunch. It will help us plan for the food. Thanks. Ellen Baer Leeds, Staff Parish Relations Committee
M I N D
Happy new year!
2010 is shaping up to be an exciting and active one for Methodists in NewDirections (MIND). The steering committee has been busy online, draftingproposals, discussing strategy, brainstorming speakers, starting planning for our annual conference witness and more. We are ramping up outreach for the Believe out Loud training on February 20 and beginning planning for the new worship gathering we will hold before our usual general meeting onApril 17.
Click here to see pictures from our 2010 Memorial Mosaic Stewardship Sunday.
Click here to hear the sermon of our guest preacher Father Michael Lapsley.
S.O.S. S.O.S. S.O.S. S.O.S.
S.O.S – the universal call indicating distress. Indicting the need for help.
Indicating that someone is in trouble.
Unfortunately, we are the ones in distress. After five years of financial
Difficulties, events of the last year have pushed us into crisis. With pledges decreased due to the economy, the loss of a key tenant and costs continuing to rise we are in a situation where we need $60,000 more by the end of the year, to cover our shortage. This is just to cover our obligations for this year.
We have created a new group: the Save Our Selves (S.O.S.) committee. We know that it is God who saves us. We also know we have to do our part. This
committee has been assigned two key tasks: come up with a solution for the
immediate problem and develop a three year financial plan.
Over the coming months you are going to hear a lot from the S.O.S. committee. This problem is big and complex. We are going to try many things to solve the problems. The only way we will succeed is if everyone helps.
This is our distress call. How will YOU help?
Your SOS Committee
Brett Humphreys, chair of SOS committee
Ellen Pace, Chair of the Administrative Council
Alex Ungerer, Chair of Finance
Nancy McClatchie, President of Trustees
Ellen Baer Leeds, Chair of Staff Parish Relations Committee
Rob Pace, Chair of Early Childhood Center Advisory Council
Joan Meehan, Ex-officio (staff)
Pastor Joe Agne
Sacrifice, courage, judgment, integrity, dedication are the qualities which , with God’s help, will characterize our (congregation’s) conduct in the 3 year’s that lie ahead.
Paraphrase from President John F. Kennedy
Hiroshima/Nagasaki Photo Exhibit — Until September 7
The exhibit from the Hisoshima Peace Memorial Museum of pictures from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, current and historic, are in the Early Childhood Center wing each day, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. until September 7.
A friend of Memorial needs a room in a home for up to three months as he gets settled here from Haiti. Talk to Pastor Joe is you are interested.
New : Memorial on Facebook
Friday, 26 June 2009 11:48
Uwe Boldt
Memorial is experimenting with new ways of communication.
memorial4all on facebook is thought to be the virtual web meeting point for the members and friends of Memorial United Methodist Church in White Plains, NY. It is open 24/7. Everybody registered can come and write on the "Wall" whatever is on her mind. The group´s members will be informed about this contribution by email automatically. Whoever is in the mood can reach memorial4all on facebook by clicking the link in the email. There is also a direct link on Memorials website. - Beside the Wall we have the Discussion Board: Everybody who feels the need to discuss a certain topic is invited to start or participate in a discussion. memorial4all on facebook is the inofficial counterpart to our official website. Whereas the publishing on our website needs special rights and some technical knowledge memorial on facebook is for everybody. No technical knowledge is needed. Just enter your thoughts and hopefully there soon will come a reaction.
Support Memorial's "250" neighbors
Three organizations are based at Memorial, 250 Bryant Avenue:
The Early Childhood Center is receiving registrations for summer camp and next fall. Call 914-949-4187.
The LOFT, serving the LGBT community of the Lower Hudson area. Contact David Juehren, Executive Director, for information, 914-948-2932.
A new Journey Group, the Memorial Experience, was birthed at our Church Conference in December. What is the Memorial Experience? It is the sum of many elements, with a balance of worship, fun, growth and service. The Journey Group chaired by Rob Pace has these goals:
1. Provide a consistent, positive and high quality experience to members, friends, visitors and recipients of MUMC's Outreach activities and giving.
2. Increase the number of members of MUMC by 30 families by the end of 2009.
3. Better coordinate the messages and activities of each of the elements (groups, building/facilities, internet/website, media, etc.) of MUMC in order to retain members, increase member participation and attract new members.
Please let Rob know, through the church office, of your interest in helping in this venture.
Upper Westchester Muslim Society
401 Clairmont Ave. Thornwood N.Y
(Westchester approved center)
P.I.A (Pakistan International Airlines) will pick up PAKISTAN FLOOD RELIEF
We are collecting the items below at UMWS.
Please bring only these specific items or donate money to buy them....
Need volunteers to pack, youth welcome.
Relief box will contain the following. Read more ...
Be a Hospice Volunteer
Volunteering at Hospice Care offers unique opportunities for personal satisfaction and growth. Volunteers can make a significant difference in another's life by contributing their time, energy, compassion and ideas. They also gain experience and insight into how people can cope well with the challenges of serious illness and the death of a loved one.
To learn more about volunteering with Hospice Care, call (914) 6966-4228, ext. 326.
If you are interested in becoming a Hospice Care Volunteer, please download our Volunteer Application Form and return it by mail to: Hospice Care in Westchester & Putnam
Volunteer Department
540 White Plains Road, Ste. 300
Tarrytown, NY 10591-5132
Opening Hours
Church Office: Mon-Fri 9-2.30
We are closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 6.
Thrift Shop: Wed 10-2, Fri + Sat 10-4.
Due to space limitations the thrift shop unfortunately can no longer take donations until further notice. Thank you for thinking of us.
Mark your calendar and spread the word! From October 10th through the 19th, there is going to be a 10-day online event that will mobilize passionate people to stand up and be counted for causes they believe in, and you will have a front row seat. It’s called 10-Fold. Each day will feature a different mission project of the General Board of Global Ministries supported through The Advance, the designated giving arm of The United Methodist Church. Through live webcasts, streaming video, online chats, and other media, you will learn about these amazing ministries that are changing people’s lives.
Church Life
