Sudbury United Methodist Church

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Concerns and Celebrations

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Upcoming Events

• March 5, Lent Blog is live! Lenten Devotional
• April 17, 7:00 pm Maundy Thursday Service
• April 18, 7:00 pm Good Friday Service
• April 20, 6 am and 10 am - Easter Worship

Collecting Socks for Gifts of Hope

We are collecting new or nearly new adult and children's socks for Gifts of Hope, a local organization that assists individuals affected by relationship violence to gain access to resources for a safe and empowered future. Please deposit donations in the clear collection box in the narthex. The Outreach Commission thanks you for supporting this collection drive.

Waltham House Prom

Sudbury UMC will host a Prom on May 2, for Waltham House - the first residential group home in New England that provides a safe, supportive environment for LGBTQ+ youth ages 14–18.
For the past year, SUMC has connected with Waltham House through monthly dinners, building friendships over shared meals. This spring, we’re expanding our support by hosting a Prom on Friday, May 2, creating a joyful celebration for Waltham House and two other group homes. You can help by donating to the Prom, joining the Decorations Committee (May 2, 3–5 pm), or volunteering for our monthly dinners. For more information, contact Kim Prendergast (kim.prendergast@gmail.com) or Rick Houpt (rickhoupt@hotmail.com).

Memorial Service for George Hamilton

There will be a memorial service to celebrate the life of George Hamilton on Saturday, April 26 at 11 am in the sanctuary of Sudbury UMC. A collation will follow the service in Hawes Hall.

Magic Years on Thursday , May 15, at Noon

Magic Years welcomes Kelly Brotzman, Executive Director of Prison Book Program in Quincy https://prisonbookprogram.org/ on May 15. Her presentation is titled: "Access to Books in the Context of Mass Incarceration." Sign up after worship starting April 27. Or email/ text/ call Kay: kjdorlando@comcast.net; 508-561-5382

Spirituality Group to Reconvene Online Thursday, April 24###/h2https://cac.org/email-sign-up/. Please email Karen Lubic (kglubic@gmail.com) so that she can send you the Zoom link.

Exploring Topics in Christianity Meets in Davison Chapel from 9:15-9:45 AM

On April 6th, the Christian Education Commission began a series of group discussions focused on ideas presented in Amy-Jill Levine's book, The Difficult Words of Jesus - A Beginner's Guide to His Most Perplexing Teachings. The remaining sessions are April 27th, May 18th and 25th, and June 1st and 8th. On May 4th and 11th, the Social Justice Commission will lead discussions regarding the recently adopted United Methodist Social Principles which became effective in January. We will talk about the role of the Social Principles in the United Methodist Church as well as discussing specific topics as a guide for putting our faith into action. Please join us before worship for discussion and fellowship.

Adult Mission Trip to Vermont this Summer

SUMC hopes to put together a mission trip to Vermont this summer to assist flood victims, and we need your help! The trip will be flexible, lasting a few days to a week, depending on volunteer availability. Volunteers will stay at Covenant Hills Camp and Retreat Center in Cabot, VT, and help with cleanup, rebuilding, and providing supplies to those affected by the flooding. If you’re interested in joining us, or if you would like more information, please reach out to Karen Monteiro (karmon23@yahoo.com) as soon as possible. We hope you’ll consider being part of this meaningful effort to help our neighbors in Vermont!

Second Chance Cars

The Social Justice Commission has partnered with Second Chance Cars (SCC) to advance their mission of enabling low-income workers to attain living-wage jobs. Veterans, immigrants, returning citizens, and single mothers have been able to significantly increase their income because SCC offered them an affordable car to get to work. Unlike most vehicle donation programs where the car is sold to generate cash, SCC takes donated vehicles, fixes them up, and offers them at an affordable price to qualified low-income people who need reliable transportation to get to work. Most recipients see their income double in less than a year, which gets them up and over the poverty line, typically for good. It has a lasting impact on them, their families, and the community.

Ladies Outing to Rockport

Diane Hammond is organizing the annual trip to Rockport on Friday, June 13. Please let her know if you are interested in an all-day outing. All women, both new to the group, and those who have gone with the group before are welcome. Let her know and more information will come later. Email Diane at (hopefixa1@gmail.com).

Musical Notes

• Singing School

Did you know Singing School meets every Thursday from 7:15 pm till 7:45 pm? Sight singing has been in steady decline in contemporary culture for some time. The reasons are numerous and complex, but the outcome for the choral work at SUMC is a steady drop in the number of voices that read choral music and that are familiar with the basics of singing. To address that decline, we have created a class in sight reading music. ANYONE at SUMC or in nearby communities who wishes to learn or to improve their sight-singing may come weekly on Thursday at 7:15pm. Interested residents from Sudbury and neighboring towns who want to improve their singing are welcome to take advantage of this free continuing education opportunity. We record "Singing School" so as to provide materials for those who are not able to attend sessions in person. The MP4s of our classes are available at (https://sites.google.com/view/sumc-music/singing-school). There are no prerequisites for "Singing School". Just show up. We will meet you where you are vis à vis your singing voice and how you wish to use it. Our choir director, Rob Hammerton, and I have a lot of experience in working with choral music. Between us, there is pretty much no choral situation we have not seen. So take a break from whatever it is that is claiming your time Thursday evenings and join us. We would love to have you in class! We meet in the SUMC choir room from 7:15 p.m. till 7:45 p.m. every Thursday. If you wish to sign up beforehand so we know you are coming, kindly do so at (https://forms.gle/rNy2QXBVVogYEivL6). Questions or concerns? Our emails: (rhammerton@charter.net) or (kevin@sudbury-umc.org)

Help Beautify Our Sanctuary – Join the Flower Committee!

Do you have a love for flowers and a heart for service? The Flower Committee is looking for volunteers to help provide floral arrangements for our church altar on Sundays. Whether you enjoy arranging flowers yourself or prefer to purchase a ready-made bouquet, your contribution will add beauty and joy to our worship services. This is a simple but meaningful way to serve our church family! Interested? Contact Kristen Straub at (csstraub@verizon.net) to learn more. Food Pantry Donations Donations to our church’s shopping cart may be left at the O’Reilly Room entrance Monday through Friday. The best canned items to donate include solid white tuna, fruits, and vegetables. Raisins in boxes, dried beans, condensed milk, rice pilaf, pancake mix, syrup, pasta and pasta sauce in jars, macaroni and cheese, instant coffee, laundry detergent, shampoo, soap, feminine care products, and wipes are also appreciated. Whenever you shop – or have groceries delivered to your home – please remember the food cart! Please also be mindful of expiration dates. Donating Sunday Morning Altar Flowers The Flower Team welcomes altar flower donations. To choose a date, visit a user-friendly website : 2025 Sign-Up. Please use the comment section to note if your gift is intended to be in honor or in memory of someone special. And if you have specific flowers in mind, please share that information in the comment section. Checks in the amount of $50.00 to cover the cost of the flowers can be made out to Sudbury United Methodist Church with a notation in the memo field indicating “Flower donation.” Thanks.

Coming to Church? Please Follow Safety Guidelines!

The windows in the sanctuary will remain open for the foreseeable future to improve air flow and enhance public safety. With many viruses circulating, we are trying to ensure everyone’s continued good health. Please do not close the windows during worship. Please be mindful of the outdoor temperature and dress accordingly. SUMC Is Live-Streaming on Facebook and YouTube Every Sunday! The Church Growth Commission invites you to follow SUMC on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter! We are now streaming live on our own YouTube channel. We will also continue to live-stream on our Facebook page. Please take note and bookmark the links! By reaching out through social media, the commission hopes to reach a larger audience. Please help us to grow. Follow us on (YouTube), (Facebook), (InstagramSUMC) and (TwitterSUMC). Facebook YouTube Instagram Twitter Sudbury United Methodist Church, 251 Old Sudbury Road, Sudbury, MA 01776 Phones: (978) 443-4351 or (978) 443-6785 Church Office: sumc@sudbury-umc.org Website: http://www. sudbury-umc.org Church Staff Pastor: The Rev. Leigh E. Goodrichpastorleigh@sudbury-umc.org (Pastor Leigh observes Sabbath on Friday) Youth & Children’s Ministries Director: Zachary Moser zack@sudbury-umc.org (Pastor Zack observes Sabbath on Wednesday) Organist/Music Director: Kevin Murphy, AAGOkevin@sudbury-umc.org Sanctuary Choir Director: Rob Hammertonrob@sudbury-umc.org Business Manager: Michael Grebmichael@sudbury-umc.org Sunny Hill Director: Kathy Palmerdirector@sunnyhillpreschool.org Office Manager: Shetal Kaye sumc@sudbury-umc.org Sexton: Joe Picorellijoe@sudbury-umc.org We are a Reconciling and Welcoming Congregation Please use the QR code below if you would like to make a contribution to Sudbury United Methodist Church.