Church Life Weekly Newsletter
Find pdf files of Church Life newsletters at the bottom of this page.
Mission statement: Grace United Methodist Church is a family of faith striving to share God’s love with all people.
WORDS FROM THE PASTOR
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17
We are in the Lenten season. This is a season of prayer, contemplation, and seeking God. While the Lenten journey calls us to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Jesus – we are able to do so with the hope of Easter and what our resurrected Savior promises us. One of the promises is that we will become a new creation, the old will go and the new will come. I know that in my own life, I see so many areas where I long to grow and change. I would like to suggest that the path to this new life can happen as we choose to focus on three areas of change during the season of Lent.
First, be diligent in our attitude toward Christ. Scripture says that those who “seek” will find. (Mt 6:33) If we hunger and thirst for Christ more than desiring pleasure, money, or success we are promised that we shall indeed find Him. Second, be diligent in your commitment to Christ. Jesus calls us to be his disciples, and the life of any disciple requires commitment. During Lent, commit yourself to attending services regularly, or maybe join our mid-week (Wednesday) Bible study and prayer service, or perhaps serve the church by joining the choir, helping with the thrift store, or participating in our bi-monthly prison ministry. Increase your level of commitment in some concrete way. Third, be diligent in renewing your mind to be like that of Christ. (Rom 12:1) Many people are fixed in their opinions and thoughts. But if God is truly going to change us from the inside out, we need a teachable spirit. This Lent, be open to the possibility that God wants to show you something new. Humble yourselves by having an open mind.
If we seek Christ with all our heart, if we commit ourselves to Him, and if we allow our minds to be teachable and moldable, I believe God will begin to bring about beautiful change in our lives. The old will begin to fade, and the new life that Christ promises of joy, peace, and love will flourish. May God be with you as we begin this journey toward becoming a new creation.
Pastor Kim
Prayer List
♥†♦Family of Mary (Polly) Wheat, ♥Marianne Pike, ♥†Family of Kevin Kennedy Brown, ♥Amanda Brown, ♥Lionel Brown, ♥Chris Ukanwoke, ♥Diane Vitacco, ♥Jerry Noble (father of Thomas Noble), ♥SofiaRose Curry (relative of Sing Larson), ♥Anthony, Nancy and Macky Orovwuje (friends of Debbielee Thomsen), ♥Debbielee Thomsen, Cliff McBride (friend of Debbielee Thomsen), ♥Families dealing with the natural disasters, ♥Edie Zipperlen, ♥Mary Flynn (mom) and Maureen Andersen (daughter), ♥Priscilla Caparelli (friend of Kim Neri), ♥Manny Kurz, ♥Cecil and Carol Walker (friends of Barbara Woodford), ♥Everol Palmer (son of Enid Simpson), ♥Carol Whyte, ♥Winston Scarlett (brother-in-law of Maudlyn Scarlett), ♥Jennifer LaRochelle (friend of Kim Neri), ♥David Biegler, ♥Michael Kurz, ♥Vin Dowling, ♥Garvin Phillip (nephew of Eleanor Phillip), ♥Elaine Treske, ♥Marilyn Eller (sister of Elaine Treske), ♥Jim Poch, ♥All our Military men and women, ♥Barbara Siegl, ♥All UMW in Rehabilitation and Nursing Homes, ♥Castells Family (family of Elaine Treske, ♥Evelyn Neber (friend of Elaine Treske). Note. Prayer List names will continue to be listed for two weeks. After that period of time, the names will be removed unless you call us with current information.
† – Death in family, ♦ – New entry
Sunday School
CHURCH SCHOOL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 8TH. It’s never too late to join us. My name is Janet Stone and I am writing to invite your child to join us for Church School each Sunday. Church School is where students will learn about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and how to live a Christian life. We learn Bible stories and we learn how to use those stories to help us be better people. All rising PreK-8th Grade students are welcome. Children start out in Church at 10:00 with their families and are sent to Church School following the Children’s Sermon. Please note that on the first Sunday of the month, children are directed to the Education Building first and then return to the church building in order to be with their family for communion. I am looking forward to a wonderful Church School year! Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns at mom2springers@gmail.com ~Janet Stone
April 27, 2025
It was the first day of the week, three days after Jesus had been buried in a borrowed tomb. But this was the most amazing day in history. The earth shook, the soldiers fell down like dead men, the angel of the Lord appeared and rolled the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. When the sun was coming up, Mary Magdalene and Mary came to the tomb bringing spices to treat Jesus’ body. (Would the soldiers let them see Jesus’ body? How would they remove the stone?) When they reached the tomb, it was empty—Jesus’ body was not there. The angel of the Lord spoke to them and told them Jesus was not there because he was risen! Then the angel commanded them to go and tell the disciples that Jesus would meet them in Galilee. On their way to the disciples, the women met Jesus. He had his resurrected body, but he wasn’t a ghost. They took hold of his feet and worshipped him. The women were the first to witness the empty tomb, the first to tell the good news that Jesus was alive, and the first to see the resurrected Jesus. True to his word, Jesus appeared to the disciples to teach them about the Resurrection and send them out to serve.
Church School says “Thank You”! Over the recent months, big changes have occurred in the classroom that is used for Church School each Sunday. Thanks to Anthony Heywood and the Teen Center youths, we now have a transformed room! Old tables were replaced with repurposed modular classroom tables. Bookshelves were brought in and stocked with the Bibles that had been piled up on a shelf. Plastic containers with drawers now house the crayons, scissors and glue sticks, replacing old shoeboxes. The bulletin boards were recovered with durable, decorative paper and a monitor screen was hooked up so the students can watch Bible story videos on Youtube! There is even a small couch in the room now! Both the teacher and the students appreciate this very much! Thank you Anthony Heywood and the Teen Center youths!
DATE CHANGE: The Church Council will meet on Sunday, April 27, 2025 – not Sunday April 13, 2025. That means United Women in Faith will meet May 4 instead of April 27.
We had a wonderful International Potluck Dinner on Saturday, April 26. We shared lots of delicious food from around the world. Rev. Prumeh and Pastor Kim shared about their time as missionaries in Kazakhstan, about the people and culture there, and about the United Methodist presence there. There was an engaging question and answer period and a table of items from Kazakhstan. We collected $717 for mission projects in Central Asia (which includes Kazakhstan.) If you missed the International Potluck this year, we hope you will join us next year!! Missions Committee
A Big Welcome to our newest members – Cherissae and Lionel Brown, Allison LaVoie, Janet Wilson, and Desrine Edwards who joined our Church on Sunday, March 23, 2025.
Reboot of Youth Ministry. Inviting all youth (jr. high and high school)! We will be restarting our youth ministry starting on Sunday, April 27th. Come to the Bert Keller Room and join us for Dinner Church at 5:00. Everyone will help set-up for a simple dinner together, sharing and getting to know each other. Send Rev. Prumeh Lee an email if you plan to come Prumeh.lee@nyac-umc.com. If church members are interested in helping to cook or supporting the program in the future, send Rev. Prumeh an email.
The New York Annual Conference (NYAC) Board of Laity invites both laity and clergy to begin an intentional season of reflection, prayer, and discernment for the six weeks leading up to the 226th Annual Conference Session.
Each day, Monday through Friday, we ask that all members of the NYAC set aside 15 minutes from 7:00am-7:15am to join us on Zoom starting on *April 21 until May 30, 2025.
Together, as the body of Christ, we will seek God’s guidance and wisdom for the decisions that will be made, grow in unity and love together as United Methodists, ask God to empower mission and ministry within the NYAC in productive, vibrant, and fruit-filled ways, and more.
Please feel free to join as often as you’d like throughout the six weeks of prayer and know that your participation is not tied to a district.
Mark your calendars (April 21-May 30, 2025) and tap the Zoom icon below to join us online at 7:00am each day.
MEETING ID: 818 9888 5888
PASSWORD: 126031
*We will not meet for prayer on May 26, 2025 (Memorial Day)
Spring Blood Drive. On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, we hosted our SPRING BLOOD DRIVE in the Education Building Gym. Thank you to Bob DiSalvo and his helpers for setting up, providing a delicious dinner (thank you Chef Bob) and cleaning up. Twenty-seven pints of blood were given to help save the lives of others. Thank you.
THANK YOU to Scout Troop 109 for participating in our Service March 9. We appreciate all your Troop does for us. The participating Scouts were Joseph Albano, Francisco Castillo, Arvind Gajraj, Christopher Ramnaith, Christopher Cavaliere, and Nicholas Castillo. Christopher Ramnaith was the Scout who gave the presentation.
The Evangelism Committee hosted a special fellowship hour in March. Under the support and leadership of Pastor Eumin Kim we were able offer flowers and tokens of appreciation to our church members who have consistently offered prayers and service at our Annual Evangelism Prayer Breakfast. Ten years of saying yes to the Lord through the ups and downs of life, through COVID 19 and more deserve a song of praise. Please let us offer a word of prayer and thanks to our team. Their resounding and consistent yes, to helping to create a wonderful hour of prayers, praise and hospitality to a community and world that is so in need of prayers and hospitality warm the heart, every time. There are a few more of us that have served consistently who were absent this Sunday. The proceeds from the Prayer Breakfast are used to fund our Prison Ministry. Maudlyn Scarlett, Mahala Holness-Brooks, Dr Tonia Ukanwoke, Andrea Owen-Boyd (Chairperson)
We (Pastor Kim, Everett, Carol, and Eileen) were so very happy to see Richard (Dick) Tiedge and his daughter Jeanne. Dick looks great and Jeanne says his health is good. We were in the BKR and reminisced, told funny stories, heard stories of involvement in the war, and had a lot of laughs. Jeanne told us that her Dad was sweeping up leaves at his home in Malverne! Dick will be remaining at his home in Malverne and will be celebrating his 102nd Birthday – May 2025! What a Super Man!!
Chancel Choir rehearsals are on Thursday evenings at 8:00pm in the church. All adults and teens who like to sing are welcome to join!!
BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE. A gift has been given in loving memory of Dr. Polly Wheat from Lenore and Manny Kurz and family.
THANK YOU to Barbara Howard and Family for their very generous donation in loving memory of Pastor Robert W. Howard.
Please sign up for Coffee Hour, now known as FELLOWSHIP HOUR. There is a sign-up sheet in the Bert Keller Room. Please use the sign-up sheet in the BKR or call the Church Office. Thank you to the Kim Family for volunteering on April 13th and to the United Women in Faith for volunteering on April 20th! Still looking for volunteers for May 11 and May 25!!
The Evangelism Committee would like to thank our church family, extended family and guests for a wonderful and spirit filled 10th Annual Evangelism Prayer Breakfast. To God be the glory. We were blessed by the fellowship, songs, prayers, storytelling, scriptures, testimonies, meditation and more. The breakfast was super delicious. Also a big Thank You to the Scouts from Troop 109 and My Brother’s Keeper for setting up, kitchen help and serving.
MISSIONS
April is a Missions Month. Please give to Missions this April. You may put your money in an envelope marked “Missions” or write “Missions” in the memo line of your check or Zelle. Far Rockaway Mission (also called United Methodist Center in Far Rockaway), which operates a food pantry on Tuesdays and Thursdays and provides hot meals Monday through Friday, is one group that we support with our Missions money. Thank you!
We delivered canned goods and cleaning supplies to Far Rockaway Mission on April 14.
We had a wonderful International Potluck Dinner on Saturday, April 26. We shared lots of delicious food from around the world. Rev. Prumeh and Pastor Kim shared about their time as missionaries in Kazakhstan, about the people and culture there, and about the United Methodist presence there. There was an engaging question and answer period and a table of items from Kazakhstan. We collected $717 for mission projects in Central Asia (which includes Kazakhstan.) If you missed the International Potluck this year, we hope you will join us next year!!
Give to Disaster Relief through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). We encourage you to give to UMCOR for Disaster Relief following the fires in California and the floods in North Carolina. The link to the UMCOR giving page for disaster relief is https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. That link takes you right to giving for Advance #901670. When you type in your information, you will be able to choose Grace Valley Stream as your local church.
Pray for missionaries during their birthday month. The names for April are Adole Gloria Rebecca Akue, Afiju Kamara, Allison Francesco, Alma Navarro, April Cowart, Barbara Drake, Binu Abel, Christi Campos, Cindy Saufferer, Didier Monga Wa Shakapanga, Donno James II, Ellyn Dubberly, Emma Samson, Ernest Mudzengerere, Ester Kim, Gloria D. Parker, Gloria Marple, Grace Mallare, Joanne Reich, John Jessup Peterson, Jovanir Lage, Joy Prim, Juanita Rodriguez, Kady Herr-Yang, Karen Cheek, Kenneth Koome Nkando, Kim Lewis, Kimberly King, Laura Young, Leah Wandera, Leanna Lake, Mari Ellyzsa Valencia, Mary Lou Boice, Mollie James-Vickery, Ngoy Mulanga Kalangwa, Pat Warden, Rosa Linda Guadarrama, Ruth Pierre Jean Pierre, Sharon Hachtman, Sharon Jokwiro, Soila Vincent, Tariro Salim Nyamudeza, Vanny Keo, William Lovelace, Yadira Linton, Yvette Diaz, Yvonne Njoroge.
Meet missionaries on Zoom. The link to Register to meet missionaries on the Still In Mission monthly Zoom is https://umcmission.org/stillinmission/. The next episode is Thursday, May 1 at noon.
Giving. You can give to Missions any time. Just write Missions on the notation line on your check or Zelle, or write Missions on the outside of the envelope you drop in the plate. Your giving through Missions goes to Far Rockaway Mission, Anchor House, Methodist City Society, Brooklyn United Methodist Church Home, and El Porvenir (clean drinking water projects in Nicaragua).
2024 Missions Giving Summary: In 2024 Grace Church gave $450 to each of the five groups listed above plus an additional $366 was spent to provide meals at Far Rockaway Mission. Thank you!
Sending a SUPER thank you to everyone who donated food and money to our Souper Bowl collection! We delivered a carload of food and nine cases of diapers which were purchased with cash donations! The INN in Hempstead was grateful for the donations. Thank you for being so generous!
Long Island Cares – This past spring, Long Island Cares opened the West Nassau Center for Food Assistance & Community Support at 241 Rockaway Avenue in Valley Stream. We have reached out to them and they are available to support any church and community members who may be in need of help. They are also willing to receive donations from Grace Church so our Fall Food Drive collections will be going there. If you are in need of food, personal or household care items or even pet food items, please know that you are welcome there. Families can also be assessed for additional support beyond food including referrals for SNAP, WIC, health insurance, emergency housing, utility assistance (HEAP) and other related programs. Flyers, in both English and Spanish will be on the table in the narthex and emailed out to all church members. If you need more information about Long Island Cares in Valley Stream you can call 516-980-9100 or email www.licares.org. Help is available if you need it.
THRIFT SHOP NEWS
The Thrift Shop revenue for the first quarter of 2025 was $3,374 which is $480 more than the 1st quarter of 2024. The expanded space has led to an increase in sales. We are now preparing for spring and summer switching out the fall and winter clothing for the lighter weight clothing. This is very labor intensive and, as a result, we have paused donations at the present time. We are in a critical need for volunteers on Thursday mornings and Saturdays from 10am-2pm to help us continue this ministry and serve our community. Please contact Maudlyn Scarlett, Eileen or Marianne Pike if you are interested in serving. Marianne Pike
SPECIAL SUNDAY OFFERINGS – 2025
MISSIONS – January/April/July/October 2025
HUMAN RELATIONS DAY – January 19, 2025
UMCOR SUNDAY – March 30, 2025
EASTER – April 20, 2025
NATIVE AMERICAN MINISTRY – May 4, 2025
PEACE WITH JUSTICE SUNDAY – June 15, 2025
WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY – October 05, 2025
UNITED METHODIST STUDENT DAY – November 30, 2025
CHRISTMAS EVE – December 24, 2025 (Wednesday)
CHRISTMAS DAY – December 25, 2025
PLEDGES FOR 2025 – Our current Pledge amount is $128,874. Hopefully, if you haven’t already pledged, please consider helping us reach our goal. Pledge cards are available in the Narthex or you can call or email the Church Office and your pledge will be entered. Thank you.
CALENDAR – If you have any dates that you would like to have on our calendar, please send them to me (Eileen) at GraceVSNY@aol.com. The meetings could be weekly, monthly or just a special meeting or event. Thank you.
PLEASE put your envelope number on any of your donations (check/Venmo/Zelle). This will help our Counting Teams, It also helps the Church Office to input your donation to the correct account.
COUNTING TEAM SCHEDULE FOR MAY 2025
May 04 – Marisa Pershad
May 11 – Debbie Nicosia
May 18 – Everett Fitch
May 25 – Debbie Nicosia
Where You Can Volunteer
Liturgist or Reader – Contact Pat Eshun
Sunday School – Contact Janet Stone
Evangelism – Contact Andrea Owen-Boyd
Thrift Shop – Contact Marianne Pike, Andrea Owen-Boyd, or Maudlyn Scarlett
Music – Contact Drew Banzhoff or leave a message for the Music Ministry Office (516/825-1940)
Missions – Contact Katherine Perkins
Worship – Contact Kim Neri or Carol Provenzano
Acolytes – Contact Tim Neri or Mike Provenzano
Ushers – Contact Mike Provenzano or Carol Provenzano
Counting Team – Contact Marisa Pershad or Eileen Robertson
Hospitality – Contact Bob DiSalvo
(Please call Eileen if you need contact information – 516/825-1182)
Zoom Bible Study Moves Back to Wednesdays. On Wednesday, April 16, 2025 Zoom Bible Study is moving back to Wednesday evenings at 7:30. We are currently studying 1 John. We would love to have you join us!
Weekly Meetings and Rehearsals
Please note whether meetings are in-person at the church or via Zoom. Thank you.
*Every Sunday – Church School 10AM/start in Church (except 1st Sunday of the month start 10AM/Education Building)
*Every Second Sunday of the month – Healing Prayer Service after Church/Chapel (Starting October 13, 2024)
*Fourth Sunday of every month – United Women in Faith (no UWF meeting in July and August)
*Every Wednesday – Bible Study 7:30PM-8:30PM/Zoom (Same Zoom Link every week)
*Every Thursday – Westminster Ringers 7PM
*Every Thursday – Chancel Choir 8PM/Church
*Every Saturday – Prayer Meeting 8AM/Zoom (Same Zoom Link every week)
*Every Saturday – Thrift Shop 10AM-2PM
Upcoming Events
Saturday, April 26, 2025 – International Potluck Dinner
Saturday, August 2, 2025 – United Women in Faith District Picnic at Grace
Sunday, October 19, 2025 – Laity Sunday
Upcoming Meetings
Sunday, April 27 – Church Council/ BKR
Saturday, October 25 – New York United Women in Faith Annual Meeting/ Grace UMC Valley Stream
