Office Hours Tu/W/Th 10-2 Phone 518-885-6886 Pastor's Phone 518-309-3737
Welcome as we worship online and in person. Share a warm welcome with others. Coffee hour is held in the Connections Café following the service. Coloring sheets, offering envelopes, and mission baskets are located near both entrances to the church.
Bishop Héctor A. Burgos Núñez’s installation service to be held March 11
The Upper New York Committee on Episcopacy invites all United Methodists to join us Saturday, March 11, at 2 p.m. to celebrate the assignment of Bishop Héctor A. Burgos Núñez as our new episcopal leader. At this installation service, we will thank God for the life, ministry, and leadership of Bishop Héctor, offer him and his family our gracious hospitality, and hear our new bishop share his vision for how God intends to lead us into the future together.
This service of installation and celebration is intended for the whole Conference. You may participate in one of two ways:
1. In-person at the Liverpool First United Methodist Church in Liverpool, NY. A limited number of seats are available. Please RSVP for in-person participation no later than March 4. An onsite reception will follow.
2. Via Livestream. To connect, please click on the Conference website on the day of the service. For Livestream participation, no RSVP is necessary.
We look forward to joining together Saturday, March 11, to welcome our new resident bishop and celebrate all God seeks to do in and through us in the days ahead.
Food Pantry Dedication
On Sunday, February 26, we dedicated & celebrated our new Food Pantry facility with coffee hour downstairs. We appreciate all who came and all who brought a food item to donate. We continue to welcome donations; the need is great, and the shelves are emptied more frequently.
Applebee’s Fundraiser
We are taking orders for Applebee’s gift cards. The cards are for $15, $25 or $50, and you may order as many cards as you would like. In return, we will receive 10% back to the church. This is not limited to church members. Your friends and family may also participate. As an extra incentive, if we sell $5,000 or more in gift cards, we will receive a $500 catering credit! Please contact Sue Cramer to place your orders with payment at 518-598-4544 or bsumc@albany.twcbc.com. This offer will end on March 29.
Coins for Lent
Lent is a good time to commit to giving money to a project that helps those in need. One way to be involved is to collect coins during the season of Lent and then on Easter, donate the money. Follow our Coins for Lent Giving Calendar as a guide. All money donated will go to our Food Pantry. We do ask that you change your coins into a check or paper currency and send it directly to the Food Pantry.
UMCOR Sunday is March 19
Humanitarian crises and natural disasters cause pain and devastation; followers of Jesus are called to be the hands and feet of Christ and bring hope and healing to a broken world. The United Methodist Committee on Relief is dedicated to ensuring this work happens, and you can support this mission! On Sunday, March 19 we will be taking up a collection to send to UMCOR to help people cope with these disasters.
Fair Trade Coffee or Chocolate
Fair Trade products are available. Chocolate bars (Extra Dark Panama, Sea Salt with Caramel Crunch and Sea Salt with Almonds), and coffees (Regular breakfast blend, Hazelnut, and Decaf) can be purchased by contacting Stan Lockwood at 518-885-1552 or at stosh964@gmail.com. Enjoy some soon!
Help for People Affected by Earthquakes
Initial grants to United Methodist Committee On Relief partner International Blue Crescent, which is headquartered in Turkey, and Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue in Syria, are helping to provide tents, heaters, blankets, warm clothes, ready to eat meals and first aid kits to people affected by the devastating earthquakes. Please join the cause by donating and writing UMCOR International Blue Crescent on your check.
Prayer Requests
Please join our prayer group. This is an on-line way of praying for each other and praising God for what is happening in our lives. If you are interested in being involved, please contact the office to be set up.
- Ilah Sisson Walser states that Ron is back in the Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. They appreciate your continued prayers for Ron, Kim, and Abby.
- Mary Drake asks for prayers for her Aunt Mary Ruth’s family following her passing. She also asks that we keep her nephew Charlie in our prayers. He is going through a stage of depression with his cancer.
- Ruth Persons asks for prayers for her mom and husband Gary who need prayers for their health.
- Prayers for the Carter family.
- Bill Santmire asks for prayers of healing following a procedure.
Thrift Shop and Food Pantry
The Thrift Shop is open Tuesdays from 9:30 till noon; the Food Pantry is open on Wednesdays -- now in its new location in the Fellowship Hall of the church -- also from 9:30 till noon.
Thank you to the people who donate their time and effort to make all of these offerings possible. There are many clients and they appreciate your help.
Hannaford Helps Our Food Pantry
Our Food Pantry has been selected again to receive $1 from every $2.50 reusable Fight Hunger Bag sold during the month of March 2023 at Hannaford at 11 Trieble Avenue, Ballston Spa. Help us feed others.
BSUMC's Online Presence
Our services are posted to Facebook and on our website. If you Like it on Facebook and share it, it will reach many more people than if it is just on our Facebook page. You can also direct anyone to the This Week's Service page of this site, on the Videos tab (https://www.ballstonspaumchurch.org/this-weeks-service.html), where the service is posted weekly.
BACA 2022 Annual Report
The Ballston Area Clergy Association is an ecumenical ministry of six churches in Ballston Spa. It was established in 2009 to pool our resources and to better serve families in times of financial crisis. In 2022, $13,409.71 was received from churches and individuals. $15,271.39 was disbursed. As of February 21, the balance is just over $600. You can help by donating and writing BACA on the subject line of the check, or by visiting our secure giving page and clicking Donate under the Ballston Area Clergy Association heading.
Upcoming Events
March 14 - Church Council, 7 pm (via Zoom)
March 16 - Dinner and a Movie, Connections Cafe, 6 pm
March 19 - UMCOR Sunday
March 22 - Trustee meeting, 6 pm
March 24 - Game Time, Connections Cafe, 1-4 pm
Celebrations!
Here are this week's birthdays:
- Troy Caswell (3/5)
- Tom Forster (3/6)
- Haley Ann Parlapiano (3/6)
- Carrie Adserias (3/9)
- Anna Wilson (3/9)
- Kevin Grentzer (3/10)
- Heather Staulters Ottati (3/11)
If you have a birthday, anniversary, or graduation to celebrate, please send it to the office. We love to celebrate!
Volunteers for Next Sunday
Sound George Wilson
Projection Katie Warner
Liturgist Derek Costanzo
Ushers Melody Babcock & George Mallette
Coffee Hour AnnMarie Williams & Debbie Costanzo
Music Kathy Fisher
Community news
The Malta Ridge UMC, 729 Malta Ave. Ext. Malta Ridge, will host a free soup and sandwich lunch from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm on Saturday, March 11. All are welcome. For additional information or directions please call the church at (518) 581-0210.
The Saratoga Springs UMC, 175 Fifth Ave., will be hosting a Corned Beef dinner on Saturday, March 11 from 4:30 PM to 6 PM. Cost: Free-will donation.
Bikeatoga is a non-profit organization that offers free refurbished bicycles as well as new safety equipment (helmets, locks, lights, training wheels – as available) to anyone who comes, with no questions asked. We also help anyone with bike repairs, and train anyone who wishes in bike repairs. They are in the basement of St. Peter’s Church at 241 Broadway, rear basement entrance, in Saratoga Springs on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 pm, Thursdays from 5 to 8 pm, and Saturdays from 9 am to noon. Volunteers are welcome to help – whether to work on bikes or help in the workshop with other tasks. They may be contacted at 518-290-0746 or by email at info@bikeatoga.org.
Have a blessed week