THE TRUMPET CALL

Our Mission: To love Jesus Christ and to share His Love

Our Vision: To be a Christian community where Christ is transforming lives
East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church Volume V Issue 16 April 21st, 2019

This past week at our Monday afternoon Bible study, a woman who is part of our community meal
and a member of another church asked me if I knew the origins of the word, “Easter.” I
remembered that the word had origins in pagan worship but could not remember all the details.
“Bede the Venerable,” a 7th Century monk helped me to figure it all out. It was Bede who first
shared about “Eostre,” a pagan Anglo-Saxon Goddess said to have been the goddess of the
sunrise and the spring. The direction of the sunrise, East, is named for her. There were festivals in
former days to celebrate the Spring Equinox and the lengthening of days and the re-birth of the
land with new vegetation and the births of new animals. This is why around Easter we have eggs to decorate and
hunt and various confections made to look like bunnies and chicks.

The Jewish people, of course, asserted there is one God and creator of all (and, no, her name is not Eostre!). The
Lord of all delivered God’s chosen people in their escape from slavery and captivity in Egypt, shepherded by God’s
own servant, Moses. The Jewish people for many millennia have celebrated Passover, the anniversary of the day
God delivered them out of Egyptian bondage. God had demanded the firstborn male from every household, but had
promised to pass over any house with the blood of a perfect lamb smeared on its doorpost. He then commanded the
Jews to remember their deliverance through the ceremony of the Passover. “Pesach” is the Hebrew word for
Passover. Its position in the Jewish calendar corresponds to the beginning of Spring, and one way Jewish people
celebrate Passover is by eating a sacrificial lamb, which signifies the lamb that was slain to provide the blood on the
doorpost. Earlier in the Hebrew scriptures, we read of Abraham and Isaac, who both went to the top of the mountain
with Abraham believing he would need to sacrifice his own son (and his only son by wife, Sarah).

The pivotal moment of the story comes when Isaac asks his father "where is the lamb for the sacrifice?", Abraham
replies, "God will provide Himself the sacrifice." We Christians believe this moment looks ahead to the time when
God would become the sacrifice for all the sin of humankind through the person of Jesus Christ. Christians believe
the deeper meaning of the Passover involves the sacrifice of God’s own son, as Jesus himself was crucified on the
Friday of Passover week and resurrected on Passover Sunday. Because Christ is seen as the ultimate Sacrificial
Lamb, anyone who accepts the gift of His sacrifice is said to have His blood on the doorposts of their hearts.
Therefore, when the final judgment comes, God will pass them over. In Christ, therefore, those who believe are set
free from the power and penalty of sin. Christ rose from the dead, and as Romans 8:11 says, “gives life to your
mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.”

Why is Easter a “movable feast” in that it is not tied to a particular day or Sunday each year? There are some
complicated calculations behind the scenes, but the date of Easter is determined as the first Sunday after the
"paschal full moon" that falls on or after March 21 (The Spring Equinox). That word “Paschal” also refers back to the
Passover, and this is why the Jewish celebration of Passover and the Christian celebration of Easter are normally
connected. This year, Passover is celebrated from April 19 to 27. As you can see, there is much history and tradition
in our current celebration of Easter, but for us it’s all quite simple: to truly celebrate the full meaning of Christ’s
resurrection we need to make our humble confession of sin to God, accept the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus
on the cross to forgive those sins, and live in the newness of life promised to us by our Savior. I pray that each of you
has a meaningful Day of Resurrection and hope to see you at one of our celebrations of the Resurrection on Sunday
at 8:30am or 10:45am!

Easter Blessings,
Pastor Jim
 ESUMC has a job opening for Facilities Manager.
This is a part-time position with 20 hours per week.
The hours are M-F, 8am – noon with flexibility. This
position is responsible for the management of the
physical church plant, and church owned property,
including church owned vehicles.

Responsibilities: Overseeing and supervising the

sextons in janitorial and maintenance duties. Attention, Church!
Oversee that the facilities and grounds are always Holy Grounds Cafe is in need of a few individuals to stay
kept in peak condition and appearance. Ensure after the service (and post service Fellowship Time) to
snow removal is scheduled and performed in a help clean up. This task is just a 30-45 minute time
timely manner. Maintain and ensure all church commitment that can be done on a rotating basis!!!
equipment is working optimally. Troubleshoot issues, Please pray if this simple act of service is something you
and schedule service as needed maintain manuals, may be able to help us with. Please contact Ginny
service agreements and scheduled maintenance on Levanowitz at (570) 992-7290 or vlevanow@ptd.net with
all church equipment, including vehicles. Review any questions!
safety and accessibility issues of the church with the
Trustees as needed. Coordinate with Trustees that
all church properties are properly insured, inspected
and operating in compliance with all applicable laws
and regulations. Project and maintain the annual
budget for custodial and maintenance items. Order
janitorial and maintenance supplies. Be the first
emergency contact for alarm systems.

Qualifications: High School diploma. Skills to

maintain a positive working relationship with staff,
volunteers, church members and the community.
Organizational skills. Ability to supervise others.
Ability to understand the major components of the
physical plant and troubleshoot minor problems.
Electrical, plumbing and/or HVAC background a
plus. This is an ideal position for a retired military
or trades person. A background check will be
required.
To apply, please submit your resume and letter of
introduction to our church administrator, Jill
Teaford, jteaford@esumc.net.
United Methodist Women’s
Ingathering Ministry
Have you noticed a rectangular (wooden) box in
Oberholtzer Hall? That’s our United Methodist Women’s
Ingathering box! As a part of our UMW mission, we
collect NEW clothing items for males and females of all
ages, and if you can help with this cause, we happily
invite you to contribute!
All donations are greatly appreciated and make a huge
difference in the life of someone in need! Questions or
concerns? Please contact Sharon Gerberich at (570)
476-8853 or sgerberich1@verizon.net Thank you so
much!
Invitation to our ESUMC Family
On Sunday, April 28th at 2:00 p.m., our daughter Briana
will be married by Pastor Jim, here at East Stroudsburg
United Methodist Church. This church, and so many of
you have played and integral role in her life and in her
becoming the beautiful Christian woman she is. You
have also welcomed, with open arms, her fiancé, Kenny
Fenston into the fold, helping him to grow in his faith as
well. We’d like to invite you to come and witness Briana
and Kenny exchange vows on this special day, and then
join us for light refreshments in Fellowship Hall
immediately following the Ceremony.
- Michael & Maria Ragonese
Would you be willing
to pick someone up
on your way to
church?
For more information or to volunteer, please contact Rachel
Thompson at (570) 421-3280 or rthompson@esumc.net.

Monroe County United (MCU) will be leading a community
prayer event at Stroudsburg Courthouse Square at 12pm on
Thursday, May 2nd, 2019.
Our Outreach & Evangelism Team desires to participate and
invites ESMC to join us around the flagpole. We also invite you
to wear your ESUMC t-shirts, and to join us in prayer for our
Country at noon (even if you can’t be there in person). For more
information, please email Bethany Mills at bmills@esumc.net
“For where two or three are gathered together in
my name, I am there in the midst of them.”
- Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)
Spring Cantata: Singers needed!
If you’re interested in singing—please contact Pauline
Fox at foxes@esumc.net or (570) 223-9889.
Our Cantata, Prayer: Lord, I’m Listening, is scheduled
for Sunday, May 5th, at Traditional & Contemporary
Worship Services. Rehearsal information is as follows:
Rehearsal was cancelled on Thursday, April 18th due to
our Maundy Thursday Services, but resume on Monday,
April 29th, at 6:30pm, and continue Monday-Thursday
evenings, from 6:30-8:00pm, until May 2nd.
Please note: Participants are required to attend the final
dress rehearsal on Saturday, May 4th, from 10am-
12pm.
Eat. Pray. Love.
Learn... Save the
Date!
An Egyptian Cooking
Experience with
Chahrazed (Cece)
Chadil
On Saturday, May
18th, right here at
ESUMC, our Women’s
Ministry will host a
hands-on Egyptian
Cooking demonstration
and tasting from 9-
11am! Graciously led by Cece Chadi of The B.H. Café
(our Soul Sisters ministry host), Cece looks forward to
sharing a few of her family’s favorite recipes, her passion
for community, and her desire to share God’s love
through food and fellowship!
Don’t miss out on this special experience! Join us for
some Egyptian cuisine and an amazing morning! Pre-
registration details coming your way very soon!
On Wednesday, May 8th, the OK’s will take a day trip to
Dorflinger-Suydam, home of the Dorflinger Glass
Museum, a Wildlife Sanctuary, the Wildflower Music
Festival and the Historic White Mills!
There, we’ll have the opportunity to tour the Dorflinger
Glass Museum and visit their amazing gift shop!!!
Admission to the Museum is just $4.00/ person, so be
sure to invite a friend!
Following the tour, we’ll head over to The Alpine German
Restaurant and Deli. With diverse food choices from a
simple bowl of soup (for $3.00) to a gourmet Entree (for
$25.00), everyone is certain to find something delicious
to eat! The deli also serves fresh meats, etc., and other
German foods are available for purchase.
Interested in joining us? Please RSVP to Erma Powell at
(570) 421-1422 or epowell@ptd.net by Tuesday, April
30th. Our group will depart at 9:00am sharp from
ESUMC’s parking lot, and our return time is estimated
for 3:00pm. Hope to see you there!
THIS WEEK AT ESUMC Recovery
Meetings
at ESUMC
All meetings are
held downstairs in
the Community Room of
the Education Building

AA
Keep It Simple
Thursdays & Saturdays
8:00pm-9:00pm

Serenity House
Saturdays
5:30pm-6:30pm
Sundays
4:30pm-6:30pm

NA
Just For Today
Monday-Saturday
12:00pm-1:30pm

New Beginnings
(Women’s Group)
Wednesdays
6:00-7:30pm

OA
Wednesdays
8:00pm-9:00pm

GRIEF
SHARE
Thursdays
6:30-8:00pm
Begins 05/30/19
 FINANCIAL PEACE
UNIVERSITY
(FPU) Graduates
Please join us in congratulating our 2019 class!

It has been an honor to walk with and work with these individuals over the past couple of months! We invite you to take a
moment to read a few of their comments about the course, and the impact it has had on them…

"Financial Peace University has truly changed our lives. Not only do we now have a better understanding of how to win with
money, but our marriage is stronger because we are both on the exact same page when it comes to our finances and future
goals. The FPU class has also served to help bring us back into the church and we are excited to become more involved... "

"I wish I had this information when I was younger." "FPU helped us get on the same page with our finances."
"Thanks to the FPU course, we have successfully gained control of our spending and changed the culture within the family
regarding money...the relaxed and encouraging tone of the class helped put us all at ease about a very stressful topic. "

"The principles we learned gave us great tools to manage our spending, find ways to increase our income, and most
importantly, how to be good stewards of all God has given to us. "

"The Lord used the wisdom in the course to humble me, cement a vision for my family's future and my ministry goals. The
unique environment of the very engaged class and the deep level of commitment by the teachers were imperative to this great
experience. It has been a huge blessing to see others working towards similar goals and support each other! "

"FPU was an eye opening experience for both my husband and I...The class really brought us together as a couple in many
ways. Even our communication has improved. The FPU class truly has changed our lives and our family tree. "

"Living month to month will not be my path in the future, as I work towards the goal of establishing an emergency fund and a
legitimate monthly budget."

"[FPU] allowed me to live a normal life, with just a few changes, while still being able to budget for fun things I like to do… The
best advantage of all is living without debt ever again and having a 'rainy day fund' available for emergencies. "

"The class has made me more aware of how budgeting can be beneficial allowing one to get out of debt. "
"FPU has definitely raised awareness to our spending and saving habits… We have eliminated our credit card debt."
"Though we never wanted to sit down and truly communicate about finances, it was brought up in almost every
argument...This experience was truly a life and relationship changing one. Now the level of stress in our marriage has
decreased substantially and we are planning better and breathing easier. "

"Anything worthwhile requires change in perspective, which can sink down into your heart and lead to action...It's nice to not
only see the destination, but to have the 7 Baby Step road map to get us there. "

"It's amazing how different your life looks when you start to take control of it."
Did any of these comments resonate with you? Do you long to experience the financial freedom, peace and hope that these
graduates have experienced? Do you wish you could strengthen your marriage and change your family culture? Do you have
the desire to get out of debt and be outrageously generous? If you answered yes to any of these questions, we encourage you
to join our next Financial Peace University class, where you will experience the accountability, encouragement, and celebration
of the small-group environment as you follow a proven, biblically-based, common sense plan to help you achieve financial
peace. Mark your calendars for Wednesday nights from 6:30-8:30 PM starting September 4th through October 30th, and
experience this life-changing program for yourself! We look forward to being part of your journey toward financial peace!

Blessings,
Michael & Darla Piancone, fpu.esumc@gmail.com
 Tape Here
Postage
Here

East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church EastStroudsburgUMC @ESUMC ESUMC

S U N D AY S E RV I C E S & TI M E S
8:30 AM Tradition Worship 9:45 AM Equipping Hour 10:45 AM Contemporary Worship

Church Office
Monday-Friday, 9am-1pm Director of Student Ministries Director of Congregational Care
church@esumc.net Scott Kuhnle Rachel Thompson
(570) 421-3280 skuhnle@esumc.net rthompson@esumc.net
Ext. 1013 Ext. 1011
Pastor
Jim Todd Director of Children & Family Ministries Audio/Visual Technician
jtodd@esumc.net Erica Dorsch Charles Rajnai
Ext. 1014 edorsch@esumc.net charlesrajnai@gmail.com
Ext. 1017
Church Administrator Financial Secretary
Jill Teaford Director of Traditional Music/Organist Accepting Applications
jteaford@esumc.net Pauline Fox esumcjobs@gmail.com
Ext. 1015 foxes@esumc.net
Facilities Manager
Administrative Assistant Director of Contemporary Music Accepting Applications
Kathy Ravago Doug Malefyt esumcjobs@gmail.com
kravago@esumc.net dmalefyt@esumc.net Ext. 1018
Ext. 1010
Director of Choir Weekday Sexton
Director of Communications Joe Dorsch Bob Lee
& Spiritual Life Development josephdorsch@gmail.com rcoyle@esumc.net
Bethany Mills
bmills@esumc.net Director of Bells Sunday Sexton
Ext. 1023 Chris Perfetti Craig Banner
perfetti3@ptd.net rcoyle@esumc.net