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.
The Concert in the Sanctuary is Free. All are Welcome!
UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH. We had a blessed United Women in Faith Sunday on September 28. We presented the United Women in Faith Missions Award to Pat Eshun. Attached is a group photo and a photo of Pat with me and Andrea. Iris, Debbielee, and Joan missed the photo because they were helping in the kitchen. Several others missed the photo who were there as well, but you can see we had a good turnout. Thank you! If you missed today, please plan to join us next year! –Katherine Perkins
Beautiful Flowers. We are sending out a BIG THANK YOU to Diane Vitacco for the beautiful Flower Arrangements that she has made and that we will have throughout the Fall Season. Thank you so much. We are enjoying them!
Men’s Group at Grace. Calling all men from Grace UMC and the surrounding community to our Men’s Ministry fellowship and gathering on Friday, October 31 at 7pm in the Bert Keller room. Pastor Kim will be serving up some Korean BBQ as we gather for a time of food and fellowship. All are invited to come and enjoy.
THRIFT SHOP NEWS. A sincere thanks to all of you who have made donations throughout the year. We are transitioning into fall and appreciate gently used fall/winter clothing, household goods, small appliances and anything that might be useful for a home. Glassware isn’t needed at this time. Volunteers are needed, especially now, Thursday morning from 10-12 or Saturday from 10-2. Contact Marianne Pike at mariannepike77@gmail.com for more information. Thanks again to all of you who have given your time to support the church and the community in this ministry. –Marianne
United Women in Faith NYAC Annual Meeting. We hosted the New York Conference UWF Annual Meeting on Saturday, October 25 at Grace. A special thanks to all our ladies and men who worked so hard! Thank you to everyone who participated in the service and to all who helped with set-up, arranging for the food, serving, kitchen work, greeting and elevator operation, and clean-up. Thanks to Kim Neri for coordinating with the caterer, to Earl Boyd for making and serving soup, to Pastor Kim for cutting up lots of fruit, and to Bob DiSalvo for making lots of coffee. We thank Pastor Prumeh for running the livestream and the technology. Thank you to Pastor Kim who led communion and to Drew for the music. All the attendees gave us a big round of applause for our hospitality. We thank God for a blessed event! –Katherine Perkins
Many congratulations to our youth, Dominic Becker, Ava Bolden, Alanna Bolden, and Eli Kim on their Confirmation on June 29th. We warmly welcome them as full members of Grace UMC.
Prayer List
♥†Family of Karen Tovo Cambell (friend of Debbielee Thomsen), ♥†Justice Rita Agyemon-Budu (friend of Debbielee Thomsen, ♥Andrea Russell (family member of Debbielee Thomsen), ♥Kalli Medina (student of Naomi Brown), ♥Barbara Woodford, ♥Pat Panzarino, ♥Sonia Elliott, ♥Amanda Brown (Naomi Brown’s mother), ♥Diane Rutledge (Naomi Brown’s aunt), ♥George and Jeanne Simmons, ♥Maudlyn Scarlett, ♥Marianne and Don Pike, ♥Jerry Noble (Tom Noble’s dad), ♥Lionel Brown, ♥Diane Vitacco, ♥Heather Manning (friend of Kim Neri), ♥SofiaRose Curry (relative of Sing Larson), ♥Edie Zipperlen, ♥Mary Flynn (mom) and Maureen Andersen (daughter), ♥Manny Kurz, ♥Debbielee Thomsen, ♥Cliff McBride (friend of Debbielee Thomsen), ♥Everon 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 7th. My name is Janet Stone and I 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
November 23, 2025
Our lesson today was based on 1 Kings 6: 1-38. Solomon took building the Temple very seriously. David had made plans for the Temple, but he was not allowed to put his plans into action. Solomon followed the detailed specifications that had been written for the Temple with great care. He developed relationships with other countries to get the materials he needed for the Temple. Solomon created, trained, and supervised a large labor force to complete the whole process. He took on a complicated and large job with excitement and joy.
The following items were part of the Temple:
• Bronze Altar—the altar used for burnt offerings.
• Holy of Holies—entered only once a year on the Day of Atonement by the high priest. The ark, God’s chest, was placed in this room.
• Ark of the Covenant—or God’s chest. It was the most sacred of all the pieces in the Temple. It held the tablets with the Ten Commandments.
• Golden Cherubims—two winged heavenly creatures standing at either end of the chest in the Holy of Holies as a covering of protection.
• Altar of Incense—or golden altar. Morning and evening, the priests burned incense as a symbol of prayer going up to God.
• Table of Showbread—gold-covered wooden table. Every Sabbath twelve loaves of bread, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, were placed on the table. The priests would eat the bread when the loaves were replaced with fresh bread.
• Bronze Pillars—two pillars in the porch to remind those who came to worship to depend on God only for strength and stability.
• Golden Lampstands—seven-branched lampstands made of pure gold. They were filled with oil daily and never allowed to go out.
• Lavers—decorative basins where the priests washed their hands and feet before entering the Temple to be pure in the presence of God.
• Molten Sea—a large basin where the sacrificial animals were washed.
When the Temple was finished and all the details had been met, Solomon brought the people together for a great celebration. First, he offered a sacrifice to dedicate the Temple to be used for God’s glory. The celebration lasted several weeks.
Use of Kitchen – Just a gentle reminder that clean-up in the kitchen after use is the responsibility of the user(s). Our Sexton is only responsible for mopping the floor.
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.
Youth Dinner Church – Many thanks to those who have prayed for the youth and also helped cook as well. If you have questions call Pastor Prumeh at 646-280-9885 or email Prumeh.lee@nyac-umc.com.
We had a lovely Fellowship Time after church on Father’s Day hosted by the United Women in Faith. We appreciate our men of Grace!
Happy 102nd Birthday to Dick Tiedge!!
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!!
PRAISE MUSIC. We will be starting a Praise Singing group that will perform every other month in church. Our first performance will be on September 21. If you are interested, please stay for fellowship hour this Sunday, September 14 and arrive to church at 9:20 on Sunday, September 21 to go over the music in the Sanctuary. If you have any questions, please contact Kim Neri at 515-644-0979.
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!!
Please sign up for Coffee Hour, now known as Fellowship Hour. Please use the sign-up sheet in the BKR or call the Church Office. Thank you to Kim Neri and Walter and Pat McKnight for hosting coffee hour on October 26. Thank you Jane Gunther and Marianne Pike for volunteering to host Coffee Hour this Sunday, November 2, 2025. We still need hosts for November 23 and 30, December 14 and 28!
MISSIONS
You can give to Missions at any time. You may put your money in an envelope marked “Missions” or write “Missions” in the memo line of your check or Zelle. 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).
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. We delivered canned goods and cleaning supplies to Far Rockaway Mission on April 14. Thank you!
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 floods. 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.
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 November 6, 2025 at noon.
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!
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
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 NOVEMBER 2025
November 02 – Debbie Nicosia
November 09 – Everett Fitch
November 16 – Debbie Nicosia
November 23 – Marisa Pershad
November 30 – Marisa Pershad
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)
Weekly Meetings and Rehearsals
Please note whether meetings are in-person at the church or via Zoom. Thank you.
*Every Sunday – Church School will resume in September – 10AM/start in Church (except 1st Sunday of the month start 10AM/Education Building)
*Fourth Sunday of every month – United Women in Faith (no UWF meeting in July and August)
~(except September which will be the Second Sunday)~
*Every Wednesday – Bible Study 7:30PM-8:30PM/Zoom (Same Zoom Link every week)
*Every Thursday – Westminster Ringers 7PM will resume in September
*Every Thursday – Chancel Choir 8PM/Church
*Every Saturday – Prayer Meeting 8AM/Zoom (Same Zoom Link every week)
*Every Saturday – Thrift Shop 10AM-2PM
Upcoming Meetings and Events
*Saturday, December 6, 2025 – UWF Walk-a-thon
*Tuesday, January 13, 2026 – Board of Trustees Meeting 7:30PM/BKR
*Tuesday, March 10, 2026 – Board of Trustees Meeting 7:30PM/BKR
*Tuesday, May 12, 2026 – Board of Trustees Meeting 7:30PM/BKR
