May 2018 [ on-line edition ]

Roll Down, Justice!

It’s been powerful to hear your stories of race–
even the ones that reveal a challenging truth or an
unconscious bias. We’ve all benefi ed from your sharing. I
appreciate your willingness to see with fresh eyes the
benefits of walking around with white skin. And your efforts
to learn this country’s history of a racial hierarchy, including
the systems that reinforce the biases of the past.
hospitality and welcome for refugees and foreigners,
and to set at liberty those who are oppressed. And
while we’re working for jus ce, the apostle Paul says
“if one part of the body suffers, every part suffers
with it.” Therefore, Daniel Hill says, we’re not only
allowed to lament in solidarity with those who suffer,
we are commanded to.

Some of you said you were surprised by the redlining of So we open our Bibles again, pray to the Great
neighborhoods to maintain segrega on, Physician who is able to heal the
others were aghast that slavery actually The apostle Paul says sickness of racism, and recommit
began in Massachuse s, many shared ourselves to the long haul. We
uncomfortable stories from personal “If one part of the body renew our bap smal promises to
experience. We lamented together the suffers, every part suffers use our sphere of influence to
recent events in the news where the with it.” (I Corinthians 12:26) offer determined, persistent
ideology of white supremacy was promoted, Therefore, we are not only ac ons to counter the dominant
and our class discussed how na onal events allowed to lament cultural norm. We will not
revealed the unconscious bias that is part of in solidarity with those succumb to the forces that say the
our culture. It’s hard not to look away from who are suffering, conversa on about racism is too
the ugly reality out there (and within poli cally-charged, too guilt-
we are commanded to.
ourselves), but you’ve shown a willingness to – White Awake: An Honest Look at What it Means to be White producing, or too controversial.
look and ask what can we see? And what
remains invisible? Our series, of course, is only a
beginning. History has shown that even the most
One of the most helpful defini ons of privilege is the ability to faithful jus ce seekers re of the work. It’s hard
walk away. Because I’m white in a country that makes white when the problem is entrenched and there are no
the norm, I have the preroga ve to not think about my skin easy solu ons. Apathy, indifference and feeling
color all the me, everyday, with ever interac on. If you don’t inadequate to the task of racial unity tempt us to
have to think about racism–that’s privilege. And yet, the way walk away. But suffering, our own, or with others, is
the story of racial difference con nues to be told in our part of our job descrip on as disciples. And so we
na on keeps all of us from being free— and God longs for come together to be strengthened for the risky work
freedom. of raising the level of hope for those who cry our for
love and jus ce.
Freedom is at the heart of our faith story – the Bible tells how
God helped those who were enslaved to escape, how God’s I’m so grateful for this community willing to engage
presence sustained those in exile, how God demands in this mission.
Shalom, Kelly
 2 T
Special health concerns: Bob & Diane
Ferguson, Hank & Bev Kalloch, Tom Ryan &
Phyllis Rathbun.
Edie Buckley - Redstone
Marilyn Burns -Life Care, Wilbraham
Dot Buzelle - Redstone
Joan Kearns - Wells Country Village,
Vernon CT
Paul Willer - Reeds Landing
Jesus said to visit the sick, care for the widow, the refugee,
the orphan, for by doing so, you do so to him.
– Make time to visit these people (drop by for no more
than 15 minutes).
– Listen if they need an ear.
– If they're too tired to talk tell them something about
what’s going on in your life.
– Thank them for spending time with you & tell them the
church continues to hold them in prayer.
– Let them get on with their day.
A Communica on Reminder
Please be aware that Hospitals and
Rehab facili es DO NOT CALL the
church to let us know when someone
is admi ed. They have not done that
for years, between HIPAA laws for
privacy and cut backs in volunteers.
So it's up to YOU or your family to let us know. Tell your
friends/family to contact the church whenever you're in
the hospital overnight so we can visit and pray with you.
And our prayer list takes prayer requests for surgeries,
tests, any special circumstance that you might want to
be joined in prayer for.
M M
May 6 Pat James & Diane McIntosh
May 11 Erin & Eddie Sanchez
F T
Spring is finally here and if anyone
can help out in the freshening up of
garden beds and other small areas
we could use your help. Dave Ritchie
one our grounds volunteers would very
much appreciate the removal of s cks and
small branches around the church lawns so
that he can begin mowing soon.
There isn't a specific day or me. A day or a me that fits for
a volunteer usually works best. If you prefer to work as a
group that can be worked out too and this always makes for
good fellowship.
If you can help call Joan Clark.
“I must confess that over the past few
years I have been gravely disappointed
with the white moderate.… Shallow
understanding from people of good will
is more frustra ng than absolute
misunderstanding from people of ill
will. Lukewarm acceptance is much
more bewildering than outright
rejec on.”
–Dr. Mar n Luther King Jr.
Le er from Birmingham Jail, 1963
N
?
A wide range of flavors are
available in a variety of sizes
including cupcakes. Best of all,
sales benefit mission shares. Please see Vance Gagnon for
more details. Thank you!
 T M M 3

The Reconciling Team

invites members of the church V
to march with us in the Pride Parade B
in Northampton on May 5th at S
11:00am. Join us to celebrate J
and honor our LGBTQ community! 25-29
The Noho Pride parade will be
followed by a fes val event 6:00 - 8:00 pm
loaded with LGBTQ and ally ven-
dors, non-profits, a youth space
and fabulous entertainment! Experience the ride of a life me with God
If you are interested in marching
or would like more information please contact Vera Denyko. Help Wanted: Group Leaders/Helpers, Nursery Attendants,
Security, Photographers, Registration Helpers, Bible Story
Cast Members, and more!
For more informa on contact:
Laura Kinney at meanielk21@yahoo.com or
The Mission Shares Marketplace will
Registra on is open for children ages 3-11 at:
be open again in the fellowship hall
a er the worship service on Mother’s rrr.cokesburyvbs.com/elongmeadowumc
th
Day, Sunday, May 13 . It’s a great
opportunity to buy some homemade
soup and a sweet treat for Mom. ALL-CHURCH CAMPING
Pints of homemade soup ($6 each), baked goods ($2-$5/
package), and photo note cards ($3 each) will be available
Weekend
to purchase. All profits from sales help to support the on- July 20-21-22
going mission work of the United Methodist Church.
Partridge Hollow
Please contact Vance Gagnon (gagnonvance@gmail.com) if
you can make a soup or baked item for this month's market. Campground
Hope to see you there. Thanks! Monson, MA
Come join us for the weekend, 1 night or 1 day. No Tent?
No problem we’ve got plenty. The campground has a
J S pool, wading pool, playground, horseshoe pit, etc…
M 27 All Ages Welcome!
ELUMC joins with St.
For more informa on please contact Rick Hutchinson.
Marks Episcopal Church
& the Congrega onal
UCC for a joint worship W P T
service on Sunday, May “The system of race, at its core, is a
27th at 10:00 am with a Picnic & So ball game to follow at revalua on of human worth. Instead of
the town field.
ordering human value around the
To sign up for so ball a waiver must be completed and
signed. Please contact Gary Conz at g.conz@yahoo.com or
doctrine of the imago Dei, it ascribes
the church office as soon as possible. Gary cannot reserve valued based on proximity to whiteness.”
the fields un l these waivers are submi ed to the East – Dr Reggie Williams
Longmeadow Recrea on Department.
4 T M M

H E !
Jim & Lois Harris On Easter Saturday, the town congrega ons came
keep the Easter together to light the new fire & Brian Kingsley brought
Vigil. THANKS Jim the light up the hill to ELUMC.
for the peaceful
notes soaring
through the
church and to
Diane Hemingway
for making such a
hospitable and
inspira onal
space.

Photos by Kelly Turney

Easter blessings of our li lest disciples so excited about singing, serving communion and star ng worship off with
a joyous hallelujah processional with light and percussion and pre y flowers!!

All the children were excited to

help serve communion.

Broken pieces offered by the congrega on become part of the

rebuilding effort that graces our worship space. The
congrega on was invited to see what they could see and to
explore the meanings that were brought to the piece.
 T M M 5

C E D 2018
Congratulations to our ELUMC Sunday School children for
leading the way in trying to protect our planet from pollution.
The children demonstrated their support for the environment by
celebra ng Earth Day on April 22nd. The Sunday School students
made special cra projects that were later mailed to Senator
Warren and other Congress people to encourage their support in
promo ng environmental protec on.

Vital Conversa ons on Race,

Let’s make every day Earth Day!
Thanks once again to Andrew
Samuelson for organizing another
load of furniture and housewares
headed to Northampton for families
from Puerto Rico displaced by the
hurricane and now rese led and
star ng over in Western
Massachuse s.
Culture & the Church
Sunday mornings @8:45 parlor
As we con nue our series examining racial jus ce
here are some recommended books & ar cles
that help examine racial jus ce and help to
develop White racial literacy. (For more recommended
reading please see the back of the calendar or the last page of the
on-line version.)
On the bulle n board find ar cles, or
click on each (below) for links to them on-line:
– Peggy McIntosh’s “Unpacking the
Invisible Knapsack of White Privilege.”
– “What My Bike Has Taught Me About White
Privilege” by J. Dawse .
– “White Debt: Reckoning with what is owed–and
what can never be repaid–for racial privilege by
Eula Biss in NY Times Magazine.
– “The Condi on of Black Life Is One of Mourning” by
Claudia Rankine in NY Times.

Rick, John, Andrew, and Kelly

Knight. Kelly is the social
worker for the Northampton
public schools.
6 T M M
From the Music Director
One of the highlights of our services
last month was a video of “This is Me”
from The Greatest Showman. The
choir was not quite ready to perform
it by themselves, but helped out on
the “Oh, oh, oh, oh” part.
Not everything is great about having
to hold services in the Hall, but one good thing is that the
choir is close to me and each other so we can hear ourselves
be er. I also really like that you are all closer to us!
As we journey towards Pentecost, the birthday of the Church,
I hope that you will be upli ed by the services and music
throughout Easter de.
Hello Male Singers,
Brother Sco Grabowski has told
me that there has been a Men’s
singing group in the past. I am will-
ing and able to get some rehearsals
together, but we would obviously need men who are interested
and capable.
Please sent me an e-mail if you are interested and tell me if
you are Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Baritone or Bass.
My e-mail is: music@elumc.org
Thank you, Rick
“Music is love made audible.”-Kahlil Gibran
“The evidence never looks good in terms
of forces for good actually becoming
prominent. But I am a prisoner of hope,
and that’s very different. I believe that
we do have signs of hope, and that the
evidence is underdetermined. We have
to make a leap of faith beyond the
evidence and try to energize one another
so we can accent the best in one another.
But that is what being a prisoner of hope
is all about.” – Dr. Cornel West
L C
C S !!
The Carrington Scholarship applications
are now available!!
Those who received a scholarship last year and our
church member graduates from this year will be sent e-mails
with the applica on and instruc ons a ached. If you are
a member of ELUMC and a ending college next year,
we encourage you to send in an applica on.
Applica ons can be obtained by contac ng the church
office (office@elumc.org or 413 525-7416) and
reques ng one be e-mailed or snail-mailed to you.
Applica ons can also be downloaded and printed from our
“forms” web page (www.elumc.org/forms.htm) and are
available for pick up on Sundays as well.
The deadline for submi ng the Carrington Scholarship
applica on is May 5, 2018.
Scholarships will be delivered Sunday May 20, 2018
L F
On the third Wednesday of each
month, the Loaves and Fishes
team meets at 8:30 a.m. in the
church kitchen to prepare a hearty
lunch, which is then served at a local
soup kitchen in neighboring Springfield.
In March, the team at ELUMC made an Italian sausage and
pepper pasta dish with salad. It was a well received meal
and over 100 people were fed. There was even enough for
a supper. They love that our church group always manages
to provide two meals in one day.
Help support this important ministry that helps feed those
who are homeless in the Springfield area. Dona ons can be
made to Loaves and Fishes by wring a check to ELUMC with
“Loaves & Fishes” on the memo line.
Volunteers are needed; please contact Denise Forgue (413-
231-0411) or Vance Gagnon (413-209-4522) if you can
assist with food prep and/ or cleanup. Thank you.
 T M M 7

M U.S. M ’ D
W V M A J
Excerpt from United Methodist News Service. First published in 1998 Bless to Me
The celebra on of Mother's Day can be traced Discovering blessing
back to ancient Greece, but the mother of
in the ordinary,
Mother's Day in the United States was Ann Marie
Reeves Jarvis, a
Methodist from Encountering holiness
West Virginia. in daily living this summer
Her daughter, Anna,
led a successful
campaign in the
early 1900s to
have Mother's Day recognized as a na onal holiday.
Anna was not quite 2 years old when her family
moved to Gra on, four miles south of Webster, W.Va.
According to historical records, Anna heard her mother
express hope that a memorial would be established
for all mothers, living and dead.
After Ann's death on May 9, 1905, Anna began an intense
campaign to fulfill the wish of her mother.
On May 10, 1908, the third anniversary of Ann's
death, a program was held at Andrews Methodist
Episcopal Church in Grafton, launching the observance of a
general memorial day for all mothers. Subsequently, the
church observed Mother's Day on the second Sunday
of May each year, making Andrews the mother
church of Mother's Day.
For the first official Mother's Day service in 1908, Anna
sent 500 white carna ons to the church to be given to
the par cipa ng mothers. During the next several
years, she sent more than 10,000 carna ons there.
Carna ons -- red for the living and white for the
deceased -- became symbols of the purity, strength
and endurance of motherhood.
The first Mother's Day proclama on was issued by Humankind should ponder God . . .
West Virginia's governor in 1910. The day was celebrated in
most states in 1911.
recognize God’s wonders and signs.
In 1914, the U.S. House and Senate approved a resolution
proclaiming the second Sunday of May as Mother's Let these signs and wonders
Day. President Woodrow Wilson endorsed it, and Secretary
of State William Jennings Bryan proclaimed it.
be the firmament
Today, countries around the world celebrate on which to build,
Mother's Day. so as not to be shaken by fear,
or distracted from the love of God.
– Hildegard of Bingen
 East Longmeadow United Methodist Church
215 Somers Road, STE 2
East Longmeadow, MA 01028-2998
413-525-7416 • a reconciling congrega on
www.elumc.org
Address Service Requested

SAFE SANCTUARIES
T

THE SUNDAY EXPERIENCE

10:00 a.m. – Worship & Church School
(pre-schoolers through Grade 5)
Professional child care is provided for
“Cribs & Creepers”/“Toddlers & Twos.”
11:15 a.m. – Fellowship Time For the on-line church calendar
follow this link:
http://57650311.view-events.com/
The Methodist Messenger is a journal of the ministry of The East Longmeadow United Methodist Church. Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.

“Are we going to be a country that “I’m surrounded by the sickness of

lives into its rhetoric about being a racism. I see the sickness in the
democra c na on where there’s ideology of white supremacy and
freedom and jus ce for all?. . . .
have no doubt it has infected me.
The na on needs to make a choice.
I see the sickness in the narra ve of
For the faith community,
racial difference and have no doubt
the choice is already been made.
God is for freedom. it has infected me. I see the sickness
And we have to live into that choice. of systemic racism and have no
Are you who you say you are or not? doubt I contribute to it in ways I’m
We have to act against and resist not aware of.
every manifesta on of white I am in need of the great Physician.
supremacy no ma er what reflects it It’s the only hope I have to be
or how it rears its head.” healthy.” –Daniel Hill, White Awake
—Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas
 R J S
R R