The pastor is excited to launch a new initiative called "Committed to the Journey" which aims to expand ministries, unify the church, and share the gospel. This will require faith and resources from the congregation. The pastor encourages reading about the program and praying for God's guidance. Being committed means entrusting oneself to this journey of faith together.

1. To: The dear Brothers and Sisters of New Stanton Church
From: Pastor Steve
I am so excited to send out this newsletter. This newsletter officially
launches one of the biggest steps of faith our church has ever
undertaken to expand our ministries, unify our church family, and reach
T Widow's Mite happened here . . .
he
people with the good news of Jesus.
One day, in the not too distant future, we will reap the benefits of what
we are doing now. Being “Committed to the Journey” will pave the
New Stanton UMC
way for God’s blessing. I want to encourage you to read this
612 South Center Ave.
newsletter and all the material that will come your way. It will help
New Stanton, Pa 15672
keep you up to date and informed. I also ask you to pray for God’s
wisdom and direction at every step of this journey. Attend our services
and be part of this program. Be ready to take an exciting step of faith
and together God will find us faithful.
In the grip of God’s grace,
Address
Pastor Steve†

2. “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and
he will do this: He will make your righteousness
Wee attendance is on the rise. We have
need to build because
had steady growth and believe
that it will continue. Our average
adults. Presently adult Sunday
school students must attend the
9:19 service.
One service would make
shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like attendance excluding summer better use of the “Kids Church”
is 300. staff. We would only need half as
Church growth research tells us many teachers and helpers on any
the noonday sun.”
Psalm 37: 5 - 6 that when a church sanctuary is given Sunday with one service.
75% full that visitors tend to leave Alike, the Praise Team whose
Our joining may have involved been entrusted with sharing, in the instead of trying to find a seat or members now participate for two
What does “Committed to the Sunday school, Bible School and Christian's case, God's word with our they avoid coming, especially if services ever other week would not
numerous classes to learn the fellow Christians and those who may they are going to be late. have to spend half of their Sunday
A new and larger worship at the church, not that there's
Journey” mean to you?
Each of us has travelled a structure of the church and the be searching for something
different path in our faith journey. reasons to become involved in the meaningful in their lives. By space would allow us to have anything wrong with that.
For some this has been a long journey Christian walk. We have become committing to this journey we will one service on a Sunday morning Space is at a premium during
meaning that the journey started committed Christians who believe grow in faith, increase our and would unite the congregation. the midweek. It currently takes
“God's work
when they were taken to church by in the saving grace and a daily understanding of God's word and There would be no more, “Who is creative scheduling to make sure
their parents. Others recently started walk with God. We are committed to share with other people. Commit that person? I've never seen her that each group who wish to meet is
done in God's
that journey as an adult when they the journey. your way to the Lord. before.” New Sunday school able to find a room.
way will not
found that something was missing The dictionary tells us that to We will be committed to
classes could be offered for
in their life. Some even came as a commit means to put in charge or to raising a large sum of money. Can
lack God's
guest when they were invited to entrust. Therefore, when we say we we afford to take this step? Can we
blessing. With
attend the Youth Fellowship or a are committed to something we have afford not to? God all things
'Bring a Friend to Church Sunday.' been given the charge or we have are possible!”
“And my God will meet all your needs ~Pastor Steve
according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father be glory for ever and “”When a church sanctuary
ever. Amen.”
~Philippians 4:19 is 75% full, it is too full
for visitors.”
~quote from church surveyor
God will meet all your needs.
The economy has not been the another church or 3) disbanding.
best that we have seen, but if we Aren't we glad that God saw fit for us
believe that “our God will meet all to continue witness as for the past
our needs according to his glorious 133 years.
riches in Christ Jesus,” we know that Pastor Steve's words: If
we have nothing to fear. God knows everyone is “Committed to the
of our plan and is not at all concerned Journey” God is calling us to as a
about what happens on Wall Street. body, God will provide all the
He has seen NSUMC through tighter resources we need. God's work done
spots in their journey. in God's way will not lack God's
At an earlier time in its journey, blessing. With God all things are
NSUMC was pushed into making a possible! He has all the resources we
decision about the future of the need to accomplish His work.
church. The choices were 1) building We cannot forget to give God
a new church, 2) combining with the glory. Amen
N o t e q u a l g i f t s , b u t e q u a l s a c r i f i c e

3. more of God in our lives we knew that prayer always had to be doing- Matthew 28:19 says “Go
began seeing what great our number one priority! therefore and make disciples of all
things He can do through To be able to give more money, the nations, baptising them in the
people who are willing to Bill decided to make some wood name of the Father, and of the Son,
surrender all to Him, even projects to sell over Christmas, which and of the Holy Spirit, teaching
their finances. proceeds would go to the building them to observe all things that I
It became a joy fund. He also helped with the have commanded you; and lo, I am
to give to Him! construction every Saturday and with you always, even to the end of
Then came the some night through the week. the age.”
time we had to I wasn’t as talented as he, so I This is God’s Plan for His
leave our church did my own little baking project over church here. It is the reason for 133
building, as it was the holidays. Giving the proceeds to years of winning souls to Christ. He
declared unsafe. the church helped ease the pain of my has always had a people here, and He
wrists from rolling out 175 dozen of always will as long as our focus is
anyone else I could. I always gave It became a joy nut and apricot rolls! not taken off of Him! Trust Him, and
money on Sunday, but never realized God is so good! I’ve seen Him be
what it meant to give sacrificially. to give to Him! do the impossible here, so this
With building a home and building project that we are “Committed
raising a family, we had little left over Those were heartbreaking days, as approaching now doesn’t scare me.
By Bonnie King in this congregation. for God- until one day a new minister many people I grew up with in the For you see, when it’s God’s Will, we
to the
To truly sacrifice, you must came to our church. After a while he church left because they didn’t feel can’t stop it!
As I look back over the years truly love! My parents taught me to
Journey”.
started preaching on stewardship. we had the money to build. And they He keeps bringing new people
that I’ve been here at the NSUMC, I love God as a child, and even though Reading from Malachi, he talked were right- we didn’t. But thank God in every week and we need to be
never cease to be amazed at what we were poor growing up, my sisters about robbing from God what is we also had people here who knew prepared for those who aren’t
God has done for those who have and I saw Mom and Dad sacrificially already His. God could do much more than we here yet.
been “Committed to the Journey”- giving in those church envelopes can, and prayerfully decided to put Seeing new lives touched by
my great-grandparents who helped every Sunday. That was important to our faith and trust in Him to get this Him is the most blessed thing I see
with the first church building back in them. Even though I never heard
We were paying
building built. They were happening here.
1875, my grandparents who helped tithing preached from the pulpit, I everyone what was “Committed to the Journey”. They And this is what we are to be
build additions over the years, and knew everything we had came from had a vision of “a light on the hill”.
my parents and my husband, who Him, including our finances. One of the men in our
due them, except Him.
We need to
helped with the church we’re in Finances are hard to talk about, congregation, Amos Baird, lent us the
today. And many other saints who especially if we lack confidence in What a blessing that was to Bill money (without interest) to buy this be prepared
have prayed and our God. and I for it changed our thinking land years before we had to move out
sacrificed to help in the I was at one time completely! We were so thankful for of our building. So we had the land to
for those who
building of God’s
To truly
offended by stewardship all God’s blessings- our home, our build already!
Kingdom in the lives of sacrifice, sermons when I finally children, our health, our church. Yet Then the CMA church
aren’t here yet.
people here. How they started hearing them after I we were robbing Him of our tithes! sacrificed time out of their Sunday
must smile at what’s you must was married. I believe that We were paying everyone what was morning to allow us to worship there
going on here today! was because I had never due them, except Him. before their service.
I believe this has truly love! learned to budget my We prayerfully decided to step The Bank of the
all happened because of finances well, and I felt up our giving (to one day be tithing) Commonwealth of New Stanton
this “remnant of God’s People” who guilty about that.
N o t Equal gi fts,
even though we weren’t sure how this offered us their big meeting room for
prayed and sought more of Him in When I began my first job at would work. But our desire to do what special events. but equa l s acri fice
their lives, and who loved Him so the age of sixteen, I spent my pay as His Word says we should do was Many of our people opened
much that they were willing to fast as I could get it. I wasn’t stingy greater than our doubts! their homes for Sunday School
sacrifice daily for the cause of Christ with it; I helped my parents a lot and As we continued to pray for classes and prayer meetings. We
“From Him the whole body, joined and held
together by every supporting ligament,
grows and builds itself up in love, as each part
does it’s work.”
Ephesians 4:16