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United Presbyterian Church of Millstone

Established in 1786.

Consumed by fire; rebuilt and re-dedicated,

debt-free in one year by the congregation - 1884.

Visit our website

10:30 am Worship

Live-streaming at www.upcm.org

Childcare is available.

Summer worship is 9:30 am during July, August

Sunday School 10:30 am Sunday for K-5th

KIC (Kids in Church) Monday 6:00-7:00 pm for 6th-8th

Communion - 1st Sunday of each month

We are holding in-person and livestream worship.

Sunday School has resumed.

Wearing a mask in worship is optional.

Thank you.

Thursday, May 5th - National Day of Prayer

The theme for the 2022 National Day of Prayer is a call to praise in prayer,

‘EXALT THE LORD, WHO HAS ESTABLISHED US’

based on Colossians 2:6-7 NASB.

This theme is set against the backdrop of an inspiring painting created exclusively for the National Day of Prayer by renowned Christian artist, Ron DiCianni. The image illustrates God’s people joining His angels in EXALTING Him as we pray, because He is God Almighty. We have bold access to His throne and passionate confidence as we pray – because HE HAS ESTABLISHED US in this nation and is working in the heavenlies to accomplish all that He has purposed – as we PRAY FOR AMERICA!

Christian Education Happenings

Three Communicant Classes have been be offered to those in 3rd grade or older on the Sundays of May 1, 15, and 22 from 9:15-10:15 am. During the third class the children will bake Prayer Pretzels. The Communicants will partake of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper for the first time on Sunday, June 5th. Contact Jenny at jenny.strickland@yahoo.com.

The Christian Education Committee is sponsoring a used clothing fundraiser.

We are collecting:

* Wearable & Usable Clothing (Men’s, Women’s & Children’s)

* Shoes ( Bagged separately from the clothes if possible)

* Belts, Hats, Handbags

* Linens (Bedding, Curtains, Towels, Pillows…)

* Stuffed Animals * Small Hard Toys * Bikes

The church will receive money for every pound we collect. All money raised will go directly to the Scholarship fund. Please bring all donations in tied plastic bags.

Date: Sunday, May 15^th

Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm

Place: Church Parking Lot

Pictured above (left to right):Don Kozak, Tom Peake, Jeanette Kozak, Christopher Cotilla, Sharon Peake and Kati, Max and Bee Shields. Photo courtesy of Sharon Peake

We attended the Beach Cleanup on Saturday April 9th in Belmar. This Beach Cleanup is sponsored twice a year at ALL the New Jersey beaches by the Clean Ocean Action Organization. We started in the RAIN and ended in the sunshine. We are blessed to live so close to CLEAN BEACHES. Our job was easy, but nonetheless we showed up and made a difference. Thank you to everyone who participated! ~ Sharon Peake

3-Day VBS

Vacation Bible School will be held at on August 22, 23 & 24th from 9 am - 12 noon. Please contact Jenny @ jenny.strickland@yahoo.com if you'd like to join the fun!

Access Past Worship Services

To view our past services, check our UPCM channel on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaRIvsiyd_RRL5yUeqfvq3A/videos

Sunday Bible Study

Sunday mornings at 8:45 AM we will be studying the Parables of Jesus. The study will last 5 weeks to May 22. and will be on Zoom. The link is below. The Gospels record about 40 of the Parables (or stories) that Jesus told his disciples and others. These stories are as relevant today as they were 2,000 years ago. We hope you can join us. Claude Heller leads this class. Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/662092769?pwd=SGwvREpQaG8zLzBWMG9OVmRaSG1nQT09

Meeting ID: 662 092 769 Passcode: 005454

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:

for you, LORD, only make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:8

Igniting World Changers to crush poverty

April 14, 2022

Dear United Presbyterian Church of Millstone Family,

Your partnership with Empowering Lives International is still igniting world changers in East Africa! We are so grateful for all that you have helped to accomplish in Jesus' name.

You are changing the course of history for countless families as moms, dads, and children are equipped with the skills that will forever propel them out of generational poverty. As they encounter your care and the love of Christ, they experience their true identity, value, and purpose. In His Service, Kasey Martin & the ELI Staff

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service

March 21, 2022

Dear United Presbyterian Church of Millstone,

On behalf of all the people we serve, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) would like to thank you for your generosity throughout the year of 2021. Your financial gifts are so important and are truly making a difference in the lives of immigrants and refugees each and every day.

For over 80 years, LIRS has offered welcome and hope to more than half a million refugees. Since 1939, LIRS has transformed lives, with the support of people like you, to welcome the most vulnerable to the United States - from sea to shining sea. Together we have supported, equipped, and empowered these new Americans, while advocating for policy that protects all of God's children.

So today, we want to personally thank you for welcoming refugees and immigrants with open arms by financially supporting this ministry of welcome in 2021. Your ongoing support assists us in the mission to care for and welcome the stranger. Thank you for all the ways you continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus at home and around the world.

In God's peace,

Andrew G. Steele, Vice President for Development and Outreach

Dr. Kristin White, Director for Outreach

Important

Our Mission and Outreach Team are partnering with the American Red Cross and the Millstone Township Schools to host an important blood drive. There are three children in our immediate area who have recently been diagnosed with leukemia, and the supply of blood is in a critical state at this time. These children need our blood donations.

Please make a special effort to support this blood drive. We thank you!

To register to donate blood, please go to redcrossblood.org.

RHM is not taking winter items at this time, but is always in need of socks, men's, and women's new underwear, men's jeans, light-weight jackets, hoodies and sneakers. Thank you!

Barbara Truscinski serves on the board of RHM and will bring our donations to them. barbaratruscinski@gmail.com / 732-995-9484.

For there is neither Jew nor Greek,

there is neither bond nor free,

there is neither male nor female;

for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28

Our Food Pantry is currently in need of:

cereal, pasta sauce, laundry detergent (small), juices, chicken breast, Parmalat milk, water, paper towels, toilet paper, protein/snack bars, snacks, cookies, raisins, peanut butter, tuna in water.

Our Food Pantry is open from 10:00 am to 12 noon

on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month or by appointment

at 213 Millstone Road, which adjoins the church parking lot.

Please contact Barbara at 732-995-9484.

RISE AND TASK

RISE of Hightstown and East Windsor and TASK (Trenton Area Soup Kitchen) have sent a 'thank you' for $1000.00 sent to each ministry by our Mission Committee to support the need in their immediate communities. These are your dollars at work in our area.

For this is the message that you heard from the beginning,

that we should love one another.

1 John 3:11

Millstone Community Garden

May has arrived. This is such an exciting month at the garden. So much starts to seriously happen in May. We generally look to May 15th as the cut-off for the last frost of the winter and then it is all go for planting summer veggies.

This past weekend was a fun and busy one at the garden. Saturday morning brought many gardeners out to either prep their plots or start planting. I have put in 2 rows of lettuce seeds. They did very well last year until the groundhog ate them so I am inspired to try again this year. Mary Ann has planted Swiss chard and collard greens, Larry put in potatoes and over at the fence line the asparagus is starting to come up. Larry and Mary Ann also have a little joint project going with the rhubarb and strawberries.

It was also wonderfully exciting to see the Boy Scouts, lead by Eagle Candidate, Rafferty Burden, working on the foundations for the new shed!

What can be planted during May?

Beans - various kinds Seeds

Beets Seeds

Broccoli Transplant

Carrots Seeds

Celery Transplant

Swiss chard Seeds

Collards Seeds

Corn Seeds

Eggplant Transplant

Endive Seeds

Kohlrabi Seed

Leeks Transplant

Lettuce - various kinds Seeds or transplants

Okra Seed

Parsley Seed

Radish Seed

Tomatoes Transplants

This coming Saturday, May 7th, the food pantry will be open.

Happy Gardening everyone,

Jeanette [Kozak]

Garden Coordinator Photos below courtesy of Jeanette

Collard greens coming up

Ruby Swiss Chard

coming up nicely too!

Scouts starting the foundation of the community garden shed.

Garden shed foundation mapped out

Book Club: Our next selection is The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan. A couple of years back, we read The Ruin by this same author. The Scholar is a follow-up to The Ruin. It is a "compulsive crime thriller set in the fiercely competitive world of research and academia, where the brightest minds will stop at nothing to succeed." Our next meeting is Monday, May 23rd at 7:00 pm. We will probably read one more book before we break for the summer. Book suggestions are always welcome. Happy Reading. Contact Joan at jrudderow@aol.com.