Parson to Person

A WHOLE NEW YEAR

Don’t you just love a New Year? It’s such an open book. It seems like we can make what we want of it so we make resolutions to lose ten or eighty pounds, quit smoking, read the Bible everyday, come to church more often, get more exercise, visit our loved ones more often…..   In January it seems like we can make our lives better and more productive. And why not? We make fun of New Year’s resolutions but anything that makes us try to do better for ourselves and for others is OK with me. Try it - the worst that can happen is you fail and end up the same as you are now. That’s not much of a risk is it? It’s true we can resolve to any of those things on our list at any time of the year but the New Year is such a suggestive time.

I’m thinking about offering some resolutions for Shiloh in 2012 but maybe it would help to first look at 2011. We took in eight new members, four by profession of faith. That’s more than we’ve received total in the previous years of my pastorate here. I haven’t done the statistical check on this yet but I believe that our average worship attendance either went up a tiny bit or stayed basically the same after several years of consistent decline. We conducted a confirmation class jointly with Calvary where two of those new members learned about the faith. We saw our choir resurrected thanks to that influx of people and the addition of Ramona Black playing the organ twice a month. We enjoyed and benefited from the additional pastoral help of Peggy Ireland as Certified Lay Minister and Hannah Tucker our pastoral intern. Hannah led us in a Wednesday Night Bible Study. We participated in the Conference’s “Change the World” weekend and had 19 people volunteer at some point in some way during that event. We operated the Thrift Shop Saturday after Saturday thanks to a dedicated group of servants. We continue to host NETS offices in our building and to support them financially through our communion offering as well as through other events.  Two of our most active members serve on their board and others have volunteered and helped in various ways. We hosted the Western Charles County candlelight vigil for the homeless. We held our first Christmas Eve Service in three years. In November Shiloh had its annual bazaar.

You might have your own items for this list but I’m sure you get the idea. For a small church living on the edge it might be easy to give up trying to grow, trying to meet our obligations to Christ, to the community, to the United Methodist Church but we clearly have not given up. Some might say we are moving forward. Now that’s exciting.

So for those resolutions:

1.      Each of us invite a friend, neighbor, relative to church this year.

2.      Increase our welcoming energy when someone visits.

3.      Pay our apportionments to the conference, in full

4.      Have another Bible Study this winter/spring and one next fall.

5.      Revitalize the Sunday School.

These are just some ideas I had. Maybe you have your own. Go for it.

Happy New Year and God Bless

Pastor Rob

A note of thanks

            On Christmas Eve I was surprised and deeply touched by your generous gesture of a Christmas gift to me and my family. The loving spirit here at Shiloh has sustained me through the term of my pastorate and it has struck again. Thank you and know that I appreciate all you do in the Lord’s name.

Pastor Rob

Restructure of Shiloh’s Administrative Organization

At our 2011 Charge Conference we restructured Shiloh’s administrative organization.  Our intention is for one administrative meeting to deal with the business of the church.  That group is the Shiloh Council and the first meeting under the new structure is January 11^th at 7:00 pm.  It will be presided over by our new chairperson John Jacobs.  Other members are:  Anjie & Rob Bachman, Joan & Elvin Hedges, Nora Lou Willett, Linda Hilwig, Ted Buff, Dina Harris, Ronda Jacobs, Adele Brewer, Sara Jacobs, Peggy Ireland and the pastor.  As always all members of the church are welcome and have the right to speak but those listed are voting members.

Thank You Corner

Thanks to John Jacobs for stepping in to handle the aftermath of the vandalism at Shiloh a few weeks ago after receiving a call from Joan Hedges that it occurred.  Thanks also to Anjie for stopping by the church on her way to work to see what was going on and making the insurance policy available to John so he could contact them and get things going.

Thanks to Peggy Ireland’s idea of having movie night January 1^st even though she wasn’t able to attend.  We missed you Peggy!!  The movie “The Help” was shown and a good time was had by all.  Along with the good fellowship, we enjoyed popcorn, pizza, salad, cookies, home made peanut butter balls and other candy.  There were even black-eyed peas for good luck in starting the New Year but there weren’t as many takers for those as for the more yummy goodies.

Thanks to all those who help during church service to Greet, Read, Usher, oversee the Nursery, etc.

Thanks to Peggy Ireland for preparing the slides each week and for Tim Harris, Emma Jacobs and all those who run the slides during church service.

Thanks to everyone who contributes music to worship service:  Shirley Rackey, Ramona Black, John, Sara, and Emma Jacobs and Peggy Ireland. 

Thanks to the acolytes for their care in lighting the altar candles each week.  

Thanks to Ted Buff who operates the music system each and every week.  Thanks to Ronda Jacobs for stepping up to learn the system so Ted can have time off.

Thanks to Elizabeth Gifford for taking care of having bread and juice on hand for Communion each month and setting up the table.  Also thanks to those who take Communion to the shut-ins: Peggy Ireland, Anjie Bachman, Dina Harris, Elizabeth Gifford, Tim Harris and Brandon Harris.

Thanks to all who bring refreshments for fellowship following church each Sunday and also those who set the table and clean up afterwards.

Thanks to Joan Hedges for assuring the correct paraments are in place for worship and taking care of the flowers for the church.

Thanks to John, Sara, and Emma Jacobs for updating our sign as needed.

Thanks to Dina Harris and Elizabeth Gifford for cleaning the church. 

Thanks to Nora Lou Willett, Dina Harris, Elizabeth Gifford and Gladys Harris for spending almost every Saturday of their lives at the Thrift Shop for the benefit of the church.  Thanks also to Sara Jacobs and all others that help from time to time. 

Thanks to Connie Sanders and Linda Hilwig for their work with NETS.

Thanks for all the countless other things members and friends of the church do which may not have been mentioned here.  You are all very much appreciated!!

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

6          Elizabeth Gifford

6          Linda Hilwig    

9          Gena Miller

27        Brandon Harris

29        Laurie Hamilton

JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES

None We Know Of

GREETERS       

January

8          Joan Hedges

15        Elizabeth Gifford

22        Linda Hilwig

29        Connie Sanders

February

5          Joan Hedges

12        Linda Hilwig

19        Dina Harris

26        Connie Sanders

SCRIPTURE READERS

January

8          Elizabeth Gifford

15        John Jacobs

22        Linda Hilwig

29        Adele Brewer

February

5          Sara Jacobs

12        Linda Hilwig

19        John Jacobs

26        Adele Brewer

Please notify Adele if you would like

to be a Scripture Reader.

NURSERY ATTENDANTS

January

8          Dina Harris

15        Joan Hedges

22        Adele Brewer

29        Dina Harris

February

            Dina Harris

12        Joan Hedges

19        Adele Brewer

26        Dina Harris

Please notify Adele if you would like

to be a nursery attendant.

USHERS

January

8          Nora Lou Willett

            Adele Brewer

15        Anjie Bachman

            Robert Bachman

22        Joan Hedges

            Elvan Hedges

29        Nora Lou Willett

            Adele Brewer

Febuary

5          Anjie Bachman

            Robert Bachman

12        Nora Lou Willett

            Adele Brewer

19        Joan Hedges

            Elvan Hedges

26        Anjie Bachman

            Robert Bachman

Would you like to be an usher?  Let Adele

know and she’ll put you on the list.

Please provide your birthday and/or

Anniversary information to Adele if your

special dates haven’t been noted in the

Trumpeter.