Donations to the Church
To all those who wish to continue with your pledges/contributions/gifts to the Church, you can mail them in. We still have bills to pay, even with Church being closed temporarily. Please make checks payable to Alplaus UMC and mail them to:
Carolyn Koch/Financial Secretary, 709 Pleasantview Ave., Glenville, NY 12302.
This will prevent your check from sitting in the Church mail box until someone comes by to check it and then deliver them to Carolyn.
To all those who wish to continue with your pledges/contributions/gifts to the Church, you can mail them in. We still have bills to pay, even with Church being closed temporarily. Please make checks payable to Alplaus UMC and mail them to:
Carolyn Koch/Financial Secretary, 709 Pleasantview Ave., Glenville, NY 12302.
This will prevent your check from sitting in the Church mail box until someone comes by to check it and then deliver them to Carolyn.
Christmas Poinsettias
Please contact Amanda Smith-Lucier at 518-229-4591 if you may be interested in ordering poinsettias this year. Felthousen’s is reaching out to get an idea of how many our church may order; pricing is not known yet.
In this chaotic world
Listen to the wind, it speaks;
Listen to the silence, it talks;
Listen to your heart, it knows.
Share the word of God.
Sending peace, love, and hugs to all!
Amanda and Amanda
Mayan Hands Sale
Dear friends of the Alplaus United Methodist Church:
We hope that all of you and your families are doing well and staying strong in these most challenging times. As we have for many years, we come again to you as the holiday season approaches. The holiday sales are a lifeline for our artisan partners in Guatemala who, in the midst of the pandemic, are on strict lockdown and finding it difficult to provide for their families.
The Alplaus UMC has partnered with Mayan Hands for the last 20 years holding a holiday sale and supporting our artisan partners. More than purchasing a beautiful handcrafted item, you have helped them transcend extreme poverty, gain a voice in their communities, protect their environment and continue living within the cultural traditions they cherish. Because they are earning a fair return for their work, they can send their children to school and ensure them a better future.
This year unfortunately we will not be able to hold a sale in person, but we’d like to invite you to go to our website to buy gifts for your loved ones. We have a lot of new items!
Go to www.mayanhands.org November 12th through 15th.
In the name of our artisan partners in Guatemala, thank you for your continued support of Mayan Hands. Many blessings for you this holiday season and in the New Year. Let’s pray that 2021 will be an easier year for people all over the world, that we see the end of this terrible pandemic and a strong economic recovery.
With love and gratitude,
Brenda/Mayan Hands
Wreaths Across America
For the past 5 years or so, Barb and I have sponsored Christmas wreaths for those veterans buried at Saratoga National Cemetery. If you are interested in doing so, go to WWW.wreathsacrossamerica.org . It will ask you how many wreaths you want to sponsor. Just below that is a “Log In a Site” section. Click on that and type in “Saratoga National Cemetery”, or any other national burial site. If you don’t list a site, the wreaths will be placed at a burial site where needed, not necessarily Saratoga.
Every year there are more and more graves, so support is needed to make sure every grave has a wreath. Saratoga National Cemetery is always looking for volunteers to help place the wreaths. If you choose to do so, make sure you get there in the 10:30 AM range on December 19th. Otherwise you may be hiking for a while, as you will have to park your car outside the cemetery due to the large number of people.
STREETSOLDIERS III SCHENECTADY
StreetSoldiers is a GrassRoots group that was started in 2016 by Mike and Renee Fahey. Since its start in Albany the group has grown teams in Troy and Schenectady.
Our Schenectady team serves the community based around Vale Park in Schenectady. We support those experiencing homelessness and those who are food insecure with non-perishable food, hygiene, survival type gear for those without a home, pet food, toddler and baby items, seasonal items, and special items to help celebrate them (mother’s & Father’s Day, holidays).
We rely entirely on donations of what we are able to make and purchase, and collect through our networks. Shelf stable items are becoming harder and harder to find on Amazon. We are seeking this fundraising avenue to continue to do what we can and purchase our supplies locally to further support our community. Every dollar will be used to purchase food, hygiene, or cleaning supplies which will be shared with our friends - no questions asked and at no cost to them.
To donate via their GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/streetsoldiers-iii-schenectady?sharetype=teams&member=4286472&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&rcid=bf814fe55bb849518fbd706254c86f23
To see their Amazon wish list: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1KC69O30JGLKO?ref_=wl_share
To buy Helping Hands Boxes: www.theschenectadytradingcompany.com
See their Facebook page for more information and upcoming events.
Thank you for your support!
The StreetSoliders III Schenectady Team
Change to SICM collection and Pastor Kristi’s office hours and location
If you have non-perishable items to drop off or paper/cleaning supplies, the SICM food bank is still in need and accepting donations. If you cannot bring them in person to church service, I can accept donations at the parsonage at 1 Rivercrest Drive Rexford on Mondays 9-12 - honk your horn (or call my cell 838-200-8601 from the driveway) and I will come out and get your donation. If Monday doesn't work for you or you would like me to pick up your donations, text or call and tell me what works for you.
Pastor Kristi
Community Luncheon
There will be no Community Luncheon until further notice.
United Methodist Women
Still no gathering other than worship allowed at church therefore no UMW meetings are planned. Stay Well.
Prayer Chain
The Prayer chain has been revised! There will still be two lists. One list will remain as a phone call list. The second list will be for anyone who would like to receive the prayer request by text message. To activate the prayer chain, please call Mary Herrick (518-399-2113) or call/text Carolyn Koch (518-248-8138). Please contact Pastor Kristi (518-469-7764 or revklvp@yahoo.com) if you have the need for private prayer. If you are not already part of the prayer chain and would like to be included, please let me know. Thanks, Carolyn
On Hold:
Next Step Team
In October 2019, a team was established at Alplaus UMC after Amanda shared details about the 2019 General Conference during the Laity Service. This group has been meeting with other local congregations learning to prayerfully research, review, discuss and discover feelings surrounding the results from the General Conference decision where a partial version of the Traditional Plan was approved, by a vote of 438 to 384 (53.3 to 46.7 percent). Based on the General Conference results and the upcoming 2020 Conference vote, the Administration Council at Alplaus agreed to form a team to open a dialogue about the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals within the life and ministries of our church. Through this dialogue, we seek to find an understanding of how we plan to welcome people now and in the future within our congregation. The team will be meeting in January to plan a congregation meeting where we can have an open discussion about this topic and answer questions that you may have regarding the upcoming proposals for 2020.
Yours in Christ,
Carolyn, Dick, Karen & Claudia
Confirmation Class - open to youth grade 6 and above - will start 9/8 at 9m. This class will be in place of regular Sunday School. Aiming for Confirmation on 5/31 (Pentecost). From umc.org: “Confirmation includes three aspects,” This Is Your Baptismal Liturgy summarizes. “a) God confirms the divine promise to those who were too young to grasp what God was doing in their baptism, b) they respond by professing their own acceptance of the grace they have received and their own faith in Christ, c) the Church, as represented by this congregation, confirms the commitments they make.” Confirmation is not a destination. It is more of a way station, a place where we renew our commitment to the journey we have been traveling under the care of others. “It is the first time that persons publicly declare their intention to live out the vows of the baptismal covenant,” Burton-Edwards teaches. “It is not intended to be the last time. It’s just that confirmation is the label we put on the first time.” It is also a time for a congregation to celebrate their young people’s commitment to “live as a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ,” and to renew their commitment to do the same.
Sunday School News
The format of our class has changed this year since the girls are now older. We have started to incorporate some of the format used during the regular church service. For example, we are lighting a candle at the beginning of class to emulate what we do during church and have discussed the symbolism of light in the Christian faith. We are also sharing our joys and concerns with one another, and sometimes they also share them during the church service. The girls continue to be our acolytes during the church service which we are very grateful for. During the first month of class we read about various miracles Jesus performed and compared them among the 4 Gospel books. We started to explore the miracles in the Old Testament.
Please contact Amanda Smith-Lucier at 518-229-4591 if you may be interested in ordering poinsettias this year. Felthousen’s is reaching out to get an idea of how many our church may order; pricing is not known yet.
In this chaotic world
Listen to the wind, it speaks;
Listen to the silence, it talks;
Listen to your heart, it knows.
Share the word of God.
Sending peace, love, and hugs to all!
Amanda and Amanda
Mayan Hands Sale
Dear friends of the Alplaus United Methodist Church:
We hope that all of you and your families are doing well and staying strong in these most challenging times. As we have for many years, we come again to you as the holiday season approaches. The holiday sales are a lifeline for our artisan partners in Guatemala who, in the midst of the pandemic, are on strict lockdown and finding it difficult to provide for their families.
The Alplaus UMC has partnered with Mayan Hands for the last 20 years holding a holiday sale and supporting our artisan partners. More than purchasing a beautiful handcrafted item, you have helped them transcend extreme poverty, gain a voice in their communities, protect their environment and continue living within the cultural traditions they cherish. Because they are earning a fair return for their work, they can send their children to school and ensure them a better future.
This year unfortunately we will not be able to hold a sale in person, but we’d like to invite you to go to our website to buy gifts for your loved ones. We have a lot of new items!
Go to www.mayanhands.org November 12th through 15th.
- Products are divided into categories that will make it easier to find what you want: baskets, felted products, accessories, tabletop, etc. Select each product you would like and add it to your cart.
- When you’re done selecting your products, press buy it now.
- Enter your contact information, email, name, and the shipping address of the church (Alplaus UMC, 3 Brookside Pl, Alplaus, NY 12008) to avoid shipping charges.
- On the next screen, enter “ALPLAUS” in the Discount Code.
- Select continue to payment and input your credit card information. Please remember to enter YOUR address, and not the church address, as the billing address.
In the name of our artisan partners in Guatemala, thank you for your continued support of Mayan Hands. Many blessings for you this holiday season and in the New Year. Let’s pray that 2021 will be an easier year for people all over the world, that we see the end of this terrible pandemic and a strong economic recovery.
With love and gratitude,
Brenda/Mayan Hands
Wreaths Across America
For the past 5 years or so, Barb and I have sponsored Christmas wreaths for those veterans buried at Saratoga National Cemetery. If you are interested in doing so, go to WWW.wreathsacrossamerica.org . It will ask you how many wreaths you want to sponsor. Just below that is a “Log In a Site” section. Click on that and type in “Saratoga National Cemetery”, or any other national burial site. If you don’t list a site, the wreaths will be placed at a burial site where needed, not necessarily Saratoga.
Every year there are more and more graves, so support is needed to make sure every grave has a wreath. Saratoga National Cemetery is always looking for volunteers to help place the wreaths. If you choose to do so, make sure you get there in the 10:30 AM range on December 19th. Otherwise you may be hiking for a while, as you will have to park your car outside the cemetery due to the large number of people.
STREETSOLDIERS III SCHENECTADY
StreetSoldiers is a GrassRoots group that was started in 2016 by Mike and Renee Fahey. Since its start in Albany the group has grown teams in Troy and Schenectady.
Our Schenectady team serves the community based around Vale Park in Schenectady. We support those experiencing homelessness and those who are food insecure with non-perishable food, hygiene, survival type gear for those without a home, pet food, toddler and baby items, seasonal items, and special items to help celebrate them (mother’s & Father’s Day, holidays).
We rely entirely on donations of what we are able to make and purchase, and collect through our networks. Shelf stable items are becoming harder and harder to find on Amazon. We are seeking this fundraising avenue to continue to do what we can and purchase our supplies locally to further support our community. Every dollar will be used to purchase food, hygiene, or cleaning supplies which will be shared with our friends - no questions asked and at no cost to them.
To donate via their GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/streetsoldiers-iii-schenectady?sharetype=teams&member=4286472&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&rcid=bf814fe55bb849518fbd706254c86f23
To see their Amazon wish list: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1KC69O30JGLKO?ref_=wl_share
To buy Helping Hands Boxes: www.theschenectadytradingcompany.com
See their Facebook page for more information and upcoming events.
Thank you for your support!
The StreetSoliders III Schenectady Team
Change to SICM collection and Pastor Kristi’s office hours and location
If you have non-perishable items to drop off or paper/cleaning supplies, the SICM food bank is still in need and accepting donations. If you cannot bring them in person to church service, I can accept donations at the parsonage at 1 Rivercrest Drive Rexford on Mondays 9-12 - honk your horn (or call my cell 838-200-8601 from the driveway) and I will come out and get your donation. If Monday doesn't work for you or you would like me to pick up your donations, text or call and tell me what works for you.
Pastor Kristi
Community Luncheon
There will be no Community Luncheon until further notice.
United Methodist Women
Still no gathering other than worship allowed at church therefore no UMW meetings are planned. Stay Well.
Prayer Chain
The Prayer chain has been revised! There will still be two lists. One list will remain as a phone call list. The second list will be for anyone who would like to receive the prayer request by text message. To activate the prayer chain, please call Mary Herrick (518-399-2113) or call/text Carolyn Koch (518-248-8138). Please contact Pastor Kristi (518-469-7764 or revklvp@yahoo.com) if you have the need for private prayer. If you are not already part of the prayer chain and would like to be included, please let me know. Thanks, Carolyn
On Hold:
Next Step Team
In October 2019, a team was established at Alplaus UMC after Amanda shared details about the 2019 General Conference during the Laity Service. This group has been meeting with other local congregations learning to prayerfully research, review, discuss and discover feelings surrounding the results from the General Conference decision where a partial version of the Traditional Plan was approved, by a vote of 438 to 384 (53.3 to 46.7 percent). Based on the General Conference results and the upcoming 2020 Conference vote, the Administration Council at Alplaus agreed to form a team to open a dialogue about the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals within the life and ministries of our church. Through this dialogue, we seek to find an understanding of how we plan to welcome people now and in the future within our congregation. The team will be meeting in January to plan a congregation meeting where we can have an open discussion about this topic and answer questions that you may have regarding the upcoming proposals for 2020.
Yours in Christ,
Carolyn, Dick, Karen & Claudia
Confirmation Class - open to youth grade 6 and above - will start 9/8 at 9m. This class will be in place of regular Sunday School. Aiming for Confirmation on 5/31 (Pentecost). From umc.org: “Confirmation includes three aspects,” This Is Your Baptismal Liturgy summarizes. “a) God confirms the divine promise to those who were too young to grasp what God was doing in their baptism, b) they respond by professing their own acceptance of the grace they have received and their own faith in Christ, c) the Church, as represented by this congregation, confirms the commitments they make.” Confirmation is not a destination. It is more of a way station, a place where we renew our commitment to the journey we have been traveling under the care of others. “It is the first time that persons publicly declare their intention to live out the vows of the baptismal covenant,” Burton-Edwards teaches. “It is not intended to be the last time. It’s just that confirmation is the label we put on the first time.” It is also a time for a congregation to celebrate their young people’s commitment to “live as a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ,” and to renew their commitment to do the same.
Sunday School News
The format of our class has changed this year since the girls are now older. We have started to incorporate some of the format used during the regular church service. For example, we are lighting a candle at the beginning of class to emulate what we do during church and have discussed the symbolism of light in the Christian faith. We are also sharing our joys and concerns with one another, and sometimes they also share them during the church service. The girls continue to be our acolytes during the church service which we are very grateful for. During the first month of class we read about various miracles Jesus performed and compared them among the 4 Gospel books. We started to explore the miracles in the Old Testament.