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February 16 at 5:30 PM
Shrove Tuesday refers to the day before Ash Wednesday, and is the last day before the beginning of Lent. Though shrove derives from the word shrive or shriven, meaning to repent, or to have repented, Shrove Tuesday is not typically associated with repentance. Instead it is usually a day for great and gluttonous celebrations that will use up cooking ingredients to make treats many will forgo during Lent. Join us for pancakes and fun in Fellowship Hall!
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February 17 at 7:30 PM
The ashes have been prepared by burning last year’s palms. As we come to this service marking the beginning of Lent, each of us will be marked by ashes as a way of participating in the call to repentance and reconciliation. Worship will be in Ivy Chapel at 7:30 PM. The Chapel will be open all day for prayer as we begin this penitential season.
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Wednesdays during Lent beginning March 3, at 7:30 PM
This is a beautiful liturgy of the Word. It is essentially a service of reflection - of leaving oneself open - that God may speak to us through the Psalms and readings and canticles which are the core of this service. Come join us for a short time of prayer each Wednesday evening in March.
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Report by Mary Beth Scherer, Chair Church Council
We held the first Church Council meeting of 2010 on Tuesday, January 19, welcoming two new committee heads; Marcia Roebuck as Stewardship Chair, and Peter Chappelear as Chair of Finance. There were a number of reports, including:
- Dave Hale reported that membership has been successfully working on their plan for greater participation in greeters for church and coffee hour; they are planning a new pictorial directory for late summer/ early fall; and the committee is planning to implement a name tag program during 2010.
- We voted in our 2010 operating budget, with 2010 projected receipts equaling 2010 projected expenses. We'll provide additional information on the 2010 budget in next month's Newsletter.
- The 2010 Stewardship campaign planning is underway and Consecration Sunday has been set for October 24.
- The Trustees discussed need to repair the stained glass windows.
- The Natural Church Development team reported that they will re-survey the church in the first half of the year.
And, there were a number of additional reports, most of which are included elsewhere in this Newsletter. The next Church Council meeting is Monday, March 22 at 7:30 PM. All are welcome!
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Update from Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee
By Margaret Prentice, Chair
We’re most grateful to Mark Cook for the outstanding job he’s done since June of last year serving as Interim Music Director. Mark is blessed with countless musical gifts and we’ve been the recipient of those gifts these many months. Thank you, Mark!
We’re saddened to report that Mark’s last Sunday with us will be February 28th. Many of you know that Mark applied for the Director of Music Ministry position at Morrow, and he had the unanimous support of the Music Search Committee and SPR for the position. For reasons financial and geographic, Mark is unable to accept our offer. Please join us in Fellowship Hall following worship on February 28th to thank Mark for being part of our Morrow Family these last several years.
The Music Search Committee continues in their efforts to identify candidates for the position. Amy Hale chairs the committee. Serving with Amy are Michael Burniston, Tricia Benn, Nancy Sabato, Lizzie Burns, Michael Steiner, Leigh Shultz, Amelia Riekenberg, and the Rev. Bobbie Rambach, who serves as ex officio.
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Greetings from your Board of Trustees! We want to keep you up to date with some of the major capital projects facing Morrow.
Last year we hired Art Femenella, a renowned expert in his field, to assess the condition of all our stained glass windows, and provide short and long term guidance on the maintenance they require. Our initial concern was the obvious deterioration of the three small Tiffany windows located on the south side of the sanctuary. However we wanted to make sure we were not overlooking less obvious problems in the other windows.
Unfortunately our concerns were justified and we face a substantial maintenance challenge. One of the Tiffany windows is in imminent danger of failing. We are currently bidding out its repair, relying for funding on the generosity of earlier members who had the foresight to contribute to Morrow's endowment. The other two Tiffany windows should also be repaired in the immediate future.
It would be nice if our problems stopped there, but.... some years ago a protective glazing system was put in place on most of the windows. The system in place was never properly ventilated. This condition creates a superheated column of air in the enclosed space, forcing the windows to bow to the interior. The heat also softens the lead, further contributing to the problem. In addition, trapped condensation permits microorganisms to attack the glass and the leading. The condensation rusts the steel supports and contributes to the deterioration of the wood frames. The glazing cannot simply be removed because there are gaps between the window and the wood frames.
The wood frames themselves are in an advanced stage of deterioration. If left untreated, the sills will rot out to the interior of the church. The problem is most pronounced on the two large windows on the south facing side, but is also found in the two large windows on the north side. We were advised to address these concerns in the next one to three years.
The Board of Trustees would also like to address two other pressing concerns: the kitchen floor is well beyond its useful life, and needs to be replaced - an unglamorous but necessary project; and the pipe organ needs a substantial amount of work. In the case of the organ, we may be able to substantially reduce our maintenance needs by replacing the mechanical linkages with electronic controls. This would involve the replacement of the console.
In the next few months the Board will develop a capital funds campaign to raise the money to complete these projects. We look forward to your support in keeping our building infrastructure healthy.
Mark E. Goodman, President
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Buying Grocery Gift Cards from Morrow Translates into Painless Fundraising for Our Church.
Confirmand Teddy Burns’ SCRIP Project is off to a rousing start. He has put together a program which offers grocery gift cards in increments of $25, $50 and $100 from Shop-Rite, Pathmark, Kings and A&P. A table is set up during fellowship hour each Sunday for taking orders, distributing cards and impulse buying (until inventory disappears). The church buys the cards at a 5% discount and when you buy them at face value the difference is applied to the operating budget which is currently running a deficit. In just six weeks, sales have reached $12,000 which has raised $600.
In addition to taking orders on Sunday mornings, order requests can be sent to GrocCardsATmorrowmem.org by Monday for pick up the next Sunday. Questions can be directed to Teddy at church or at home 973-7961-0607.
If you or your friends are interested but can’t make church on Sundays, just place an order and send a check in with someone who will be there, or call Teddy to make other arrangements. Have them make checks out for the full amount of the order to MMUMC and put “Grocery Card” in the memo field.
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UMCOR is shipping health kits to provide basic necessities to people who have lost everything. Instructions for assembling and shipping health kits are online at www.umcor.org.
On Thursday, February 11 Morrow be delivering assembled Health Kits to a shipping site. Place any assembled kits in the bin near the Fellowship Hall entrance.
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Fifth Annual Women's Retreat
March 13 and 14
Ocean Grove, NJ
Do you know a woman who could really use two days away from it all? Who needs some time for herself? Time to reflect? To catch her breath? Enjoy the company of other wonderful women? To get in touch with the spiritual side of her being, that she never seems to have the space or time to do?
If so, invite her to our fifth annual retreat in the beautiful seaside village of Ocean Grove. Last year we nearly filled the Ocean Grove Retreat House, and we’d love to do it for sure this year.
Our retreat leaders will be Liz Testa, Director of Women’s Ministries, and Nina Frost, Director of Adult Education, both of Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan. Liz and Nina did fabulous jobs in leading us in our past retreats and of course we arranged our retreat dates around their schedules.
We can accommodate 38 women at Grove Hall in Ocean Grove. Let’s fill it up!
To register, return the form along with $85, to Barbara Savino, 23 Garthwaite Terrace, Maplewood, NJ 07040, or leave the form and check in the UMW Box at the Church Office. Forms available here and in the Church Office. Deadline for registering: March 1st.
Important note: We have scholarships available. We want every woman who wants to attend to be with us. We’ll help make that happen.
This retreat will give the women of Morrow the opportunity to share some of the challenges and excitement of listening for God's guidance. We'll seek to deepen that which brings us together as a community of faith, our relationships with God, and the belief that we each have unique and special gifts, just waiting to be tapped.
Worship, fellowship, prayer, journaling, quiet time, rest, fun, music, and group sessions will all be part of this 24 hour retreat. After closing worship on Sunday, we have the option of having lunch and strolling through Ocean Grove to make a perfect end to the weekend.
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Friday, February 5th at 7PM at Sarah Macyshyn's
Bring a covered dish, beverages will be provided, to 16 Walnut Court, South Orange. You are invited to join us if you have never been on a retreat or want to reconnect with past attendees. Please call Barbara Savino to RSVP at 973-762-1872, or email her at vino49ATcomcast.net.
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Knowing God
Many things clamor for our attention. Many demands are placed upon our lives. If we are to live lives grounded in faith, we must develop strategies for centering ourselves on God and ordering our lives around God’s guiding presence. Join us for this six-week video-based study connecting scripture and daily life. We meet on Thursdays at 9:30 AM in Room 116. Child Care provided.
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Martha Circle meets at 10:00 a.m. on the third Thursday of each month in the Second Mile Room. On February 18th, Betsey Knowles will present the stories of two more women from the book Minding God's Business: The Stories of Women in Mission in the United Methodist Church by Megan Demarest Simpson and Robert Drew Simpson.
There is a request in the latest issue of UMW News for prayer shawls and baby blankets for Assembly 2010. Details are posted on the UMW bulletin board near Fellowship Hall. Caroline Campbell will have yarn available on Sundays. You may also pick up yarn at Caroline's home; call first to arrange. The deadline is in mid-February.
We recently sent hand-knit hats and mittens to the Rev. Jim Benton at the Goodwill Rescue Mission in Newark.
Blank cards with photos of some of Morrow's stained glass windows may be purchased from Kathy Briedis. The profits will go toward the restoration of the Tiffany windows. The price of these cards is $3.00 for one, or $12.00 for five.
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2010 Maplewood CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
In line with Morrow's and United Methodist Church's concern with the ecological social justice we began this project last year as an easy way to purchase local and organic vegetables supporting a local farm.
The Maplewood CSA for Rogowski Farm returns for 2010. Fresh organically grown, vegetables will be delivered each Tuesday for 25 weeks in Maplewood from June 8 to November 23. Pick up will continue to be from 2-7 pm at Morrow Memorial United Methodist Church parking lot. The 2009 growing season was difficult for all area farmers. Many of the concerns and suggestions I heard from 2009 shareholders have been communicated to the farm.
Prices are:
• $275 for a HALF share
• $550 for a FULL share
• $950 for a DOUBLE share
o An administrative fee of $25 will be collected up front. After you volunteer, the $25 will be returned to you. This allows hiring of people to cover distribution as needed, and purchase supplies (e.g., canopies). These checks are made payable to Morrow Memorial UMC. The farm share checks will continue to be payable directly to the farm. Registration contract pdf
Questions -- call Kerry Tilden at 973-903-8989 or csa_maplewoodATmorrowmem.org
More information about W. Rogowski Farm available at www.rogowskifarm.com
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For the 2010 CSA vegetable season we are trying something NEW!
There will be two workshops so CSA Rogowski Farm shareholders, as a group, can communicate what vegetables we want grown for our share. Workshop attendees will be separated into groups. Each group will be given the anticipated harvest schedule and a list of all 25 weeks with parameters of a weekly share structure (e.g., 3 greens, 1 herb or fast grower, 1 potato beginning mid-August, 1 land hog, 1 large/heavy, 1 garlic, 1 onion). Each group needs to come to a consensus on vegetables each week or patterns. The input from all groups will be assimilated and sent to the farm before most of the seeds are purchased.
Workshops will be
- Sat., Feb. 6, 10-11:30 am in MacDonald Hall and
- Wed., Feb. 10, 7:30-9 pm in Fellowship Hall.
The workshops are open to 2010 shareholders, prospective 2010 shareholders, and 2009 shareholders who have thoughts and advice to lend to the process.
Questions? contact Kerry Tilden csa_maplewoodATmorrowmem.org or 973-761-0607
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Act quickly to participate in building Homes of Hope in Mexico Feb. 25-28. The cost is estimated at about $690 per adult, $650 per child under 12. For more information, see our Dec./Jan. issue. To register or if you have any questions, please call Doug Buechler at 973-495-4377.
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Morrow Members and Friends: Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays are over do you feel a little tired? Let down? Maybe it's time to go inward. Join Rev. Ross Warfield of Tree of Life Counseling and Education Service for a series of 3 meditation workshops. In each session you will learn different styles of meditation, the tools to help you on your journey inward to that Place of Quiet. The sessions will be held on 3 Wednesdays: January 27th, February 24th and March 24th at Prospect Church, 646 Prospect Ave. in Maplewood. The cost is $45 for 3 sessions. To register email us at TreeofLifeNJATgmail.com.
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| 2/5, Fri. |
7:00 PM |
Women's Retreat Reunion at 16 Walnut Court, So. Orange |
| 2/6, Sat. |
10:00 AM |
CSA Crop Workshop |
| 2/10, Wed. |
7:30 PM |
CSA Crop Workshop |
| 2/16, Tues. |
5:30 PM |
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper |
| 2/17, Wed. |
7:30 PM |
Ash Wednesday Service |
| 2/21, Sun. |
6:30 PM |
MYF Worship on Sun. evenings |
| 2/25-28 |
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Homes of Hope Mission Trip |
| 3/3, Wed. |
7:30 PM |
Lenten Worship Evensong begins |
| " " |
8:00 PM |
Lenten Classes on Wed. begin |
| 3/6, Sat. |
8:30 AM |
Lenten Classes on Sat. begin |
| 3/7, Sun. |
5:30 PM |
COP Spaghetti Supper |
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when an object is dropped into it, an effect from an initial state can be followed outwards incrementally.