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December 2020Bellport United MethodistCHURCH LIFEwww.umcbellport.orgChurch Life, a newsletter for the Bellport United Methodist Church membership and friends, is produced 6 times each year underthe administration of Rev. Suhee Kim and Editor Nancy Thomas. If you wish to have your name removed from this mailing list, pleasecall or write to the church office. Church Life is also available in PDF on our website.Pastor’s NoteContacts:Church Office: (631)286-0525Preschool Program: (631)286-2498Thrift Shop: (631)286-0746Church Website: www.UMCBellport.orgEmail Address: BellportUMC@optimum.netPreschool Websitewww.BellportPreschool.comBellport United Methodist ChurchPO Box 460, Bellport, NY 11713Winter Church Office HoursTuesday –Thursday, 9am – 2pm(Please call before coming)Pastor: Rev. Suhee KimOffice Coordinator: Nancy ThomasOffice Assistant: John HannonMinister: All the MembersLay Leader: Joseph HarderLay Servants: Tom Bracken, Joseph Harder,William Morse, Scott Munson,Danna Prather Davis, Matthew WayneCouncil Chairperson: William MorseWorship: Ellen HornOutreach: Carolyn HoltzChristian Education: William MorseWeekday Education: Angela SlawinskiChild Care: Jane HaffUnited Methodist Women: Sara MorseUnited Methodist Men: William MorseStaff Parish Relations: Patty MunsonFinance Chair: Carolyn HoltzTreasurers: Barbara Pannhurst, Pat Schultz,Jennifer Lawlor, Rita TempelFinancial Secretary: Ellen HornFiddlers Green: Denise Gregory,Jennifer LawlorDear Bellport UMC Family,I hope you are well.Our journey through Advent has begun.Although we have been worshipping on Zoomonly, we are well on our way towardChristmas.As I mentioned in my sermon on thefirst Sunday of Advent, please do not thinkthat because you are a Christian, God willput a bubble of protection around you.The Coronavirus has affected me and ourloved ones since the last newsletter.At Bellport UMC, your safety and goodhealth are our top priorities.Thank you for observing our safetyprotocols and guidelines.This Sunday we will continue ourseries of messages entitled “Searching forJesus,” and we will consider those peoplewho searched for Jesus in the Adventseason. I hope you will make your plans toworship with us online athttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/6312860525?pwd QmppL3BxemJUZjZHc0lTMmk4TE5iQT09 or in-person. I look forward to ourworship together this week.Many of you have been asking aboutour plans for Christmas Eve. But, we havenot decided on whether to hold in-personChristmas Eve services or not in the midst
of the spikes in infection rates. We willinform you as soon as we decide.Now, fast forward to Christmas 2020.I think all of us would agree that nothingcould possibly surprise us this year. If yougo to an optometrist and he or she says thatyou have 20/20 vision—that means you cansee perfectly with enormous clarity. Thatsomehow did not translate into this calendaryear we have been experiencing, although Imade a sincere effort by wearing a pair of2020 glasses on the first Sunday of thisyear.Do you hear what I hear?Said the night wind to the little lambDo you see what I see?Way up in the sky, little lambDo you see what I see?A star, a star, dancing in the nightWith a tail as big as a kiteWith a tail as big as a kiteSaid the little lamb to the shepherd boyDo you hear what I hear?Ringing through the sky, shepherd boyDo you hear what I hear?A song, a song high above the treesWith a voice as big as the seaWith a voice as big as the seaSaid the shepherd boy to the mighty kingDo you know what I know?In your palace warm, mighty kingDo you know what I know?A Child, a Child shivers in the coldLet us bring him silver and goldLet us bring him silver and goldBut God is at work in the darkness, assomeone has suggested that God works thenight shift. I truly believe that when it isdarkest in your life, when you go through themost difficult time, that’s when God is mostpresent. God is most with you and God ismost at work. Do you have the eyes to seeGod at work around you?What we do in our search for Christin this season, we look around us to seewhere God is at work in our midst and weallow the scriptures to teach us what itmeans. And as we apply ourselves to that, wesee God at work. We see God brining grace,hope, peace, joy, and love. As I sang aChristmas Song, ‘Do you hear what I hear?’to you on the first Sunday of Advent, I hopeyou see God at work even in this dark time.Said the king to the people everywhereListen to what I sayPray for peace, people, everywhereListen to what I sayThe Child, the Child sleeping in the nightHe will bring us goodness and lightHe will bring us goodness and lightThese days of uncertainty havetaught us to walk by faith, and I am gratefulfor your support in so many ways. Iespecially appreciate your prayers for me,our church staff, and church’s lay leaders.We have felt those prayers, and God hasblessed us in so many ways. I look forwardto sharing each week with you in this holyseason.Peace in Christ,Pastor Suhee
Our preschool children and their familiesare so thankful to come to school and enjoytheir friends and learning experiences. Thestaff is dedicated to their safety and education.In September, the doors were opened,and the children made smooth transitions asthey started their new classrooms routines.In each class the children are learning thenames of shapes, colors, and numbers. OurUPK children have already started learningsome sight words and simple sentences. Our3s are beginning to trace shapes, letters, andnumbers as they are introduced. All ourclasses enjoy great books, songs, poems, andfun crafts that reinforce their lessons.October had lessons in staying healthy,fire safety, autumn and holidays. The childrenwere thrilled to come to school in theircostumes and had a lot of fun during theirclassroom parties.November's themes included friendship,family, and Thanksgiving. Each class had aThanksgiving feast.In December they will be learning aboutDecember holidays and winter.The teachers are working hard to keepthe parents involved with their children'slearning by singing songs learned in school athome, making family projects which thechildren then share with their classmates, andwhen the school is closed the teachers sendhome packets and continue to communicatewith the students and families. The staff isusing a class dojo app. We are unable to haveparents in the classrooms this year so throughthe app the teachers can communicate witheveryone as a group or personally. They alsosend home pictures and videos of their StarStudents, parties, feasts, etc. through the app.We appreciate the flexibility and hard work ourstaff continues to give to keep the preschoolopen and communicate with our preschoolfamilies.
A big thank you to Bonnie Gwilt for thebeautiful plants she placed at the front of ourbuilding.1
Our Beautiful Fiddler’ GreenThrift Store and Grounds
Thank God for Pastor Suhee Outreach NewsThank you all for yourgenerous donations for theThanksgiving collection. 310.00 was raised for theFood Panties. 155. 00 wassent to St Joseph the Worker Parrish Outreach and 155.00 to the Saint Vincent de Paul Society.Boys & Girls Club – Marva Wells Holiday DinnerBellport United Methodist Church, along withChrist Episcopal Church, Mary Immaculate Churchand the Post Morrow Foundation contributed 250.00 each towards the annual Holiday dinner.This year the Boys & Girls Club will be making “graband go” meals for the families. The 1,000.00 theyreceived from the group of us is much appreciated.We will be hosting a monetary fund raiseron Sunday, February 7, 2021 in support of our localsoup kitchen. They have been serving meals to goat the St Joseph the Worker location with 30 – 40people stopping by for a “to go” meal.Please make your check out to the“Bellport United Methodist Church” andnote “Souper Bowl Sunday” on the memo line.
The Fourth AnnualCoventry ChristmasChristmas music spanning the centuries!An (online) event hosted by Jason Priset onSunday, December 20th at 3PM via ZoomALBA Consort creates anintimate performance of Medieval,Renaissance and Baroque music forthe holidays.Enjoy the Cantigas de Santa Maria,Sephardic Hanukkah song, AncientArmenian, and Persian melodies,and holiday favorites.Margo Andrea: Mezzo Soprano,VielleRex Benincasa: Percussion, Voice,Hurdy Gurdy, PsalteryJason Priset: Lute, Guitar, TheorboCarlo Valte: OudA PRAYERFORADVENTLord Jesus, Master of both lightand darkness, sendyour Holy Spirit upon ourpreparations for Christmas.We who have so much to doseek quiet spaces to hearyour voice each day.We who are anxious over many thingslook forward to your comingamong us.We who are blessed in so many wayslong for the complete joy ofyour Kingdom.We whose hearts are heavyseek the joy of your presence.We are your people, walkingin darkness yet seeking the light.To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!”-Father Henri JM Nouwen
Rev. Susumu & Rev. Yuri Ando Tilly Austin The Caim Family Donna & Carl Catandella Barbara Downs Joseph AllanHarder & Dr. Harder The HoagFamily Caryl MacDougall Blake& Elaine Lawlor Joan Lecktrecker Susan Payne Marilyn McKeown Anna McClure Justin Schultz Helen Spencer Anna Stonebridge ClaudiaSykes Janet VanderZalm and family DorothyVogel Bruce Groh Kristin Quartrale (Barbara &Pete Berman’s grand daughter) Lois Barton andfor the revival of our Church.Ministry Opportunities: If you are interested intaking part in any of the following ministries,please contact the person listed.-- Hospitality: Coffee Fellowship:JuneBeuttenmuller (631-286-2045) Currently thereis a sign-up sheet in the Gathering area as well.-- Thrift Shop: Anna McClure (631-286-1172).Volunteering once a month or more at the ThriftShop.--Prayer Shawl: Barbara Downs (631-475-0141),Lillian Muttit (307-9061). Knitting or crochetingfor the healing of others.-- Outreach: Carolyn Holtz (631-286-4236)Helping to help others.THE CORNER OFBREWSTER & MAINTHE FIDDLER’SGREEN THRIFT SHOPOpenTuesday through Saturday10am to 4pmCall 631-286-0746-- Loveline: Anna McClure (631-286-1172)Preparing food for families in our church thatare experiencing a crisis.--Church Office: Church office (631-286-0525)Assisting with special mailings, distributing flyers,folding bulletins/newsletters or phones.--Building Use: Nancy Thomas (631-286-0525)Facilitating the comings and goings of peopleusing our buildings for private events.
In Memoriam Shirley GatlandShirley D Gatland of Patchogue, NY passedaway peacefully in- Mesa, Arizona on July 9,2020 in a caring hospice unit due to herrespiratory difficulties.Shirley Gatland was born in Seaford, NewYork on December 26, 1933 to her Norwegianborn parents, Olga and Gudmund Gatland.Energetic, adventurous, and strong-willed,Shirley lived from ages ·2-5 outside theNorwegian seaport of Bergen in Hosanger,Norway. Her family returned to the UnitedStates in 1938. Shirley met her. future husbandRichard (Dick) Morales, at her place of work atGrumman Aerospace Company. Shirley and Dick'smarriage was marked by Shirley's strength oflove and her beloved's ever-present kindness.Shirley's home and hearth were always open andwelcoming. Her passions were her family, faith,professional performance as the CF0/Bookkeeper of the Long Island Library ResourcesCouncil and numerous trips to Norway. Shirley issurvived by her four children, Richard, David,Jeffrey and Carol, her sister Aud Thorvaldsen,thirteen grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren. Shirley D Gatland is interred atMelville Cemetery in Huntington Station NY.To the Members and Friends of BUMCOn behalf of Nancy and John, we wishyou all a Blessed Christmas Season and ajoyous, healthy New Year!! Thank you to all ofyou for your support and help during the year.
Bellport United Methodist CHURCH LIFE www.umcbellport.org December 2020 Contacts: Church Office: (631)286-0525 Preschool Program: (631)286-2498 Thrift Shop: (631)286-0746 Church Website: www.UMCBellport.org Email Address: BellportUMC@optimum.net Preschool Website www.BellportPreschool.com
