Open hear t s Open minds

Tithing: A Leap of Faith!

Giving of Our Firstfruits The principle of firstfruits giving, established by God in the Old Testament, continues to be strongly encouraged, although not expressly commanded, throughout the New Testament. God directed his people to give him the firstborn of their sons, as well as of their cattle and sheep (Exodus 22:29-30). The firstfruits of the grain, new wine and oil, as well as the first wool from the shearing of their sheep were to be shared with the priests who ministered to them in the Lords name (Deuteronomy 18:3-4). God commanded, Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God (Exodus 23:19). The fact that God is the giver of our gifts and deserves our first and best is still true today. When we give of our firstfruits, we recognize God as our creator and ourselves as his possessions. God owns us and all that we have. While we honor God with our first and best, we are to consecrate the portion we keep for ourselves to his glory as well. The Apostle Paul reminded the Romans, If the part of dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches (Romans 11:16). Giving is our response to Gods love and grace. We give willingly and cheerfully out of thanksgiving to God. We give our firstfruits, because we want to honor God with our best, not just with what is left over after we satisfy our own needs and wants. Giving our firstfruits is being obedient to Gods word. Proverbs 3:9 commands, Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops. Firstfruits giving of all we have is given to God in recognition that he is the giver and that all we have is to be used in service to him. May God bless us as a congregation during our Tithing: A Leap of Faith! (Ten percent for ten weeks) program as we honor the Lord with our firstfruits giving. Stewardship Task Force of The Finance Committee

The Standard

Open door s

When our children were in school we set a standard, the same for all four of them, do your best. The standard applied equally to school work, sports, and other activities of those years. We wanted them to make good grades and excel in all they did. Ken and I also knew from experience one could do their level best and not have an A or be the best in a sport or activity. I was reminded of the standard recently in a committee here at Oakmont UMC. The committee did a thorough job, putting in hours of work to research and think through their task. They discussed options, prayed, weighed the options, and acted. All of this while each committee member actively engaged in job, family, community and other church activities. The result, they did their best. Careful thinking, weighing options, prayerful decision making is part of what happens in each committee. Those not on a committee often question the decisions made, and often disagree. I can say from sitting on each of the committees, they all do a good job of working through the tasks before them. How is it with you, do you do your best in all you do? Gods standard is simple, whether it comes from the Old Testament instructions or the New Testament in Jesus words. Deuteronomy 6:5 English Standard Version You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Luke 10:27 English Standard Version And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." Keep Gods standard before you in all you do each day. Pastor Linda

OCTOBER 2013

NEWS FROM SPRC We want to welcome Noah Rectenwald as OUMC's new organist/choir director. As part of this, Jessica Jacka is now a paid staff person continuing as Morning Star music director and now also the children's choir director. Thank you all for your patience in this long process. A special thank you to Jessica for all her work as "interim" music director. Please welcome Noah! Michele Handyside has agreed to work as interim secretary after Karen Jacobs' retirement. Thank you Michele! We will now start the search for a new Youth Director. Please keep the committee and our church in prayer as we begin this process. Christine Smith SPRC Chair SUNDAY SCHOOL OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE M.I.C. (Maturing in Christ) This adult class journeys through the Old Testament through presentations, videos, and discussions! Halfway to Heaven Adult Bible Study Class! S.W.A.G. (Saved with Amazing Grace) Grades 8-12 expand their faith by relating the Bible to their everyday lives! The Middle Grades 4-7 experience the Word in exciting ways and focuses on finding God in their day-to-day lives! K.F.C. (Kids for Christ) Grades 1-3 explore the Bible through stories, crafts, songs, and other fun activities! J.A.M. (Jesus and Me) Nursery Kindergarten learn about Jesus through crafts and stories! If anyone is interested in helping out with Jr. Church please sign up on the sign up sheet on the bulletin board outside of the Sanctuary.

GENERAL FUND NUMBERS FOR AUGUST Balance 7/31 $11,067.56 (deficit) Income $17,648.88 Expenses $21,871.81 Balance 7/31 $15,290.49 Connectional Apportionment (new name for Mission Share) is paid thru August. NEWSLETTER Please submit articles for the NOVEMBER newsletter by OCTOBER 15. If you would like to receive your newsletter by e-mail, please send us a message at oakmontumc@verizon.net. HOSPITALIZATIONS Please continue to pray for Bill Charlton, Gladys Fichte, Jeanne Knox, Jane McClelland, Joyce Miljanovich, Jack Riley, Flo Thompson who are recovering from hospitalizations. Please also pray for Gillen Geary who had surgery Sept. 23. FROM KAREN Thank you to all who sent special e-mail messages, phone calls, cards, gifts and well wishes upon my retirement. Those of you who attended the reception honoring me following worship Sept.15 and took the time to speak to me personally meant a lot. The cake with the picture of a cruise ship was perfect. By the time you read this, John and I will be sailing across the Mediterranean. Thanks also to those who contributed to the love offering I received. It will be saved as seed money for the next destination on our bucket list. In Christ, Karen Jacobs

TRUSTEES The Trustees are pleased to report that the interior reconstruction process and painting projects are completed! Thanks to the congregation for their continued patience. Just in time for fall/holiday and Sunday school worship! The Trustees have one more project currently under way with the restoration of our gutter and downspout system on the exterior of the church to eliminate the potential for water damage in the future. Soon, new outlets will be installed in the social hall for the benefit of luncheons, the murder mystery play, and other endeavors. The Trustees recently had the parking lot lines repainted before the winter season to enable church members to see them more clearly in the darker hours. We are pursuing more signage within and without the church building to assist members and visitors. The prayer room will be upgraded with a comfortable chair and some minor painting work in that area too. Some repairs were made to Sunday school room equipment to ensure a safe study and teaching area. The Trustees are currently reviewing our budget for the ensuing years and looking over various contracts for heating, telephone, internet and other items to see if we can find some savings. We are also pricing new baseboard heaters as well as better weatherproofing for the annex entering from the parking lot. The annual parsonage inspection has not been completed, but that is due to the important role the PPRC committee currently is undertaking. We have also reviewed the investments of our Memorial accounts and are in the process of turning that over to a soon to be formed Memorial Committee. We will walk among the building and grounds checking lights and systems as the days grow darker to ensure safe passageways and walkways outside the building. We are working with the Witness Committee with the possible addition of some banners and other features displayed in the church. The Trustees will also hold a fall workday to rake leaves and other things before the winter season sets upon us. In the future the Trustees will address the rather large catalog of choir music and the proper storage of such for future services. As always, the Trustees appreciate patience by those who approach us about needs, projects, and items that need to be addressed within the church. We are grateful so many people care that passionately about their church. Thank you also to Karen Jacobs for always publishing our reports in the newsletters all these years. We wish her and John a very happy and healthy retirement together. Jim Anderson Chairman, Trustees GREETINGS TO YOU FROM THE OUMW We have had a very busy summer and everyone is getting geared up for the grand finale with the Annual Christmas Bazaar, Nov. 23, 2013. We already have two weeks under our belts for the Caramel cooking, cutting, wrapping & packaging. Only 8 more weeks to go! Please consider giving us a hand in this huge endeavor. There is a job for everyone, and everyone is welcome. Orders are being accepted now and will continue until we have orders for 800 boxes, with an additional 200 set aside for Bazaar day. Please do not delay, as we reach our limit very quickly. You may contact Jennifer Klinsky at oumwcaramels@gmail.com or call her at 724-882-0062. We will begin filling orders on Wednesdays, beginning September 25 from 10 am to 11 am in the Social Hall. The price is $11 per box. We would also like to welcome Cindy Gaughan as our newest OUMW Board member in the position of Correspondence Secretary. Cindy has been a great help to us the past two years and is definitely an asset to OUMW. Welcome, Cindy! Yours in Christ Julie Trenn NURTURE COMMITTEE A Big Thanks to Bob & Dawn Whyte for furnishing the meat, cheese, tomatoes, onions and buns for our church picnic. We also appreciate the cooks, Bill Jacka & Mark Harley. I think everyone enjoyed themselves and left full for the day! We had a lot of people who helped to take tables down. This could not happen without all the congregation working together. Next meeting is Oct. 1 @ 7 pm. Thelma Lloyd, Chair

HOPE CIRCLE BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP Im writing this on September 16 as I prepare to return to Jerusalem on the 21st. Its been a full summer with opportunities to teach, speak, travel, network and spend time with friends. But even though its hard to uproot once more, Im ready to go back. A highlight of the summer (and there were many) was the opportunity to spend time at a retreat center in Massachusetts on a 6 day silent retreat. It was given to me as a gift by a Catholic sister who I met in Jerusalem in April and it was a wonderful chance to stop and reflect on my experiences of the past few years and to pray and consider Gods leading. A retreat of this type focuses on prayer and meditation. I struggle with prayer. Sometimes silence is my preferred prayer; sometimes words, although they never seem adequate. But I believe prayer is a relationship, an awareness of being with God in all of my life. And just as Ive been nurturing my friendships while being home, God calls me to nurture my relationship with God and to become more and more aware of his presence. The final exercise that I was asked to do was to write a parable. Wed been discussing the idea of pilgrimage (yes, on a silent retreat there is conversation: 45 minutes/day of spiritual direction). Id like to share with you what I wrote: The Kingdom of God is like A pilgrim seeker who sets out on a journey, not knowing how she will arrive but trusting in the leading of a voice not her own. On the way she meets many challenges, but always feels protected, cared for, not alone. As she continues her journey she encounters people and situations which cause her to reflect on, question and sometimes change her perception of the world around her. She sees people who are invisible, hears voices that go unheard. She sees God who cares and sees and hears and who invites her to do the same and to share this caring and seeing and hearing with others. As she continues on, she realizes that the destination becomes not a place but the journey itself. All summer long I kept being asked, What exactly is it that you do? I smile, because I dont really have an answer. But on writing this parable, I discovered that this is what I do: I am called to share these invisible people, voices and stories with anyone who will listen. My invisible people are the Palestinians and I share their voices because God hears and asks that they be heard. Thank you for being willing to listen. Blessings and peace, Tina Hope Circle will meet on Monday, October 14th at 7:00 PM in the parlor. The group will discuss Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian, a novel that pays homage to the authors Armenian heritage. Spanning the years from 1915 to the present day, the saga begins when wealthy recent college graduate Elizabeth Endicott travels to Syria as a volunteer with an aid group delivering food and medicine to victims of the Armenian genocide. Interwoven is the story of Laura Petrosian, a contemporary New York writer who has never given much thought to her ancestry. A phone call from a friend, claiming to have seen a photo of Lauras grandmother, sends her on a journey of discovery. Traveling back in time, Laura discovers a story of love, loss, and family secrets. Please consider joining us for this hour of fellowship and discussion. WITNESS TEAM Sat., Dec. 7 we will travel by bus to Curwensville UMC is see their 54th consecutive production of The Search for Peace performed in the dark and told through music and narration. Although the focus is the birth of Christ, it is also the exploration of our own faith as we seek the grace of God. We took this trip a couple of times when La Mar Carlson was our Pastor, and everyone felt it began the Christmas season in a very meaningful way. We thank Gillen Geary (Travel by Gillen in Oakmont) for assisting us with our arrangements. We are chartering a bus that will leave from the church parking lot promptly at 11:30 am. A comfort stop will be made on the way there and home. Well stop around 1:45 at Hosss in DuBois for a meal. The tableau starts at 4:30 pm. Everyone is asked to bring a bagged lunch for the ride home. There will be a freewill offering at the church, and cost of the meal is on your own. Everyone must pay $22 for the bus (and drivers tip) upon making a reservation which is due Oct. 13. The bus holds 50. We are also inviting area churches to join us so dont delay in reserving your seat(s). Hope to see you there!

OCTOBER CHURCH LUNCHEON

OCTOBER
3 4 6 7 8 9 11 14 15 17 22 23 26 27 28 30 Rhianna Mechesney Donna Maggio Katherine Burdelski Jeff Allen Cindy DiCocco Mark Mattis, Jr. Donna Medved Cathy Smierciak Alica Mechesney Victoria Burdelski Cindy Chapa Megan Minyon Jan Beiber Sharen Lenkey Gary Pennington Rob Jackson Meghan Stammer Nancy Standifur Thomas K. Ritter Janet Delchambre Eric McCall Jacqueline Kaminsky Sean Provenza

Question: What happens when you cross Family Feud with The Bible Challenge? Answer: Oakmont UMC Bible Challenge Family Style! When? Sunday, October 20th following the Church Luncheon. Come and join us for lunch after 11:00 worship. Meat and beverage provided, please bring a dish to share! After lunch join in the fun of a Bible Challenge, Oakmont Style! We will be using a combination of Family Feud and Bible Challenge programs with a distinctly OUMC flavor. Come and root for Ruths Gleaners; Gideons Warriors; or Moses & Miriams Movers. Everyone can participate in the fun, And maybe learn a little about the Bible! If you want to be on one of the teams answering questions please let Pastor Linda or Michele in the Church office know! Pastor Linda oumcpastor1@verizon.net; Michele oakmontumc@verizon.net; Church 412-828-9499

If we inadvertently missed listing your birthday, please call the church office and let us know.