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The Harbinger October 2019

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Our Fascination and Fear of Death Halloween, All-Hallows Eve and All Saints

8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14 He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage. 15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”

Winter is coming. The dwindling days of daylight are rapidly evaporating. Nights are quickly overcoming the light and heat of the day.

In the ancient days in Northern Europe, including Great Britain, the growing darkness brought with it the reflection on evil and death. In the Celtic world, the Druids celebrated Sam-hain. Originally a harvest festival, Samhain marked a time when the Celts believe that the dis-tance between this world and the otherworld was very thin.

In our Samuel story we find something similar to the Celtic world. King Saul fearful that he would lose his throne in battle with the Philistines seeks out a medium (witch) to communi-cate with the last Judge of Israel, Samuel. The King was acting against his own edict that all witches should be executed. Nevertheless, he finds a medium and makes the request. Much to his dismay, Samuel is angry that he has been pulled from his sleep in Sheol, the land of the dead. It was not Saul’s smartest move. Continued Next Page

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Added to this northern European dimension of the thin veil between the living and the dead, there was a fear of evil beings that lurked in the night. The growth of costumes, jack-o-lanterns and bonfires were devised to provide light and give mortals disguise to safely move among the spirits that moved easily among mortals in the season of the night.

The association of vampires, witches, warlocks, were thrown into the mix as well as Frankenstein and the wolfman. The rise of the serial killers as found in various 1980s movies such as Halloween and Friday the 13th were later additions that added a new dimension that was grittier than some of the earlier characters. My observation is that All Hallow’s Eve moved from a discussion between death to a focus on evil.

However, at its origins the festivals of Halloween, All Saints and All Souls Day deal with the human reflection upon death. Human beings are still struggling with the termination of life. We are both fearful of our deaths but yet fascinated by the outcome.

In American culture our rituals to honor the dead and manage our grief is a constant source of anxiety. Fearful of death and the whole idea that our bodies deteriorate we work overtime in making our corpses look good. We spend tons of money on flowers and caskets.

How different is that from cultures that must bury the body the same day as their loved one’s death. For instance, Jesus was buried more than likely less than two hours after his death since he had to be buried before sundown which the marked the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath.

In Methodism, the celebration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are combined to celebrate both the living and the dead. It is a reminder of that we will all die someday and that we strongly believe that physical life is but a door into the spiritual world where we are in the presence of God. John Wesley wrote that All Saint’s Day was his most favorite Christian fes-tival after Easter and Christmas.

In some circles, All Saints’ Day is a Christian Memorial Day. It is a time that the church celebrates its past through the remembrance of the great Christians that have gone before us. All Saints’ Day is moment that we remember our past that has helped define our present and will echo into our future. ~ Pastor Bart

Fall-Winter Bible Study The Gospel According to Matthew

Continues through October on Wednesday at 7 pm in the Assembly Room October 2, 2019 Session 3 Read Matthew 2:1-2:22 October 9, 2019 Session 4 Read Matthew 3:1-4:17 Facilitator Needed for Class Session October 16, 2019 Session 5 Read Matthew 4:18-5:16 October 23, 2019 Session 6 Read Matthew 5:17-6:18 October 30, 2019 Session 7 Read Matthew 6:25-8:34

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Worship Themes for October

October 6 Communion

First Lesson: Habakkuk 1:2-3, 2:2-4

Psalter No. 814-15, Psalm 95, Musical Response 2

Second Lesson: 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

Gospel Lesson: Luke 17:5-10

Message: “Don’t Call Us Heroes, We are Just Doing Our Job”

October 13

First Lesson: 2 Kings 5:14-17

Psalter No. 818-19, Psalm 98, Musical Response 1

Second Lesson: 2 Timothy 2:8-13

Gospel Lesson: Luke 17:11-19

Sermon: “Appreciating the Miracle Before Your Eye”

October 20

First Lesson: Exodus 17:8-13

Psalter No. 844, Psalm 121, Musical Response 1

Second Lesson: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2

Gospel Lesson: Luke 18:1-8

Sermon: “The Remembrances of the Mighty Acts of God”

October 27

First Lesson: Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 35:12-14, 16-18

Psalter No. 769-70, Psalm 34, Musical Response 2

Second Lesson: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

Gospel Lesson: Luke 18:9-14

Sermon: “The Prima Dona”

~Pastor Bart

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS

Curtis Ormsby October 3

Anna White October 3

Becky Omwake October 4

Albert LeCato October 8

Diane Bowers October 9

Cody Evans October 9

Betty Armsey October 10

Mackenzie Annis October 11

Marianne Kibler October 13

Sara Reedy October 15

Kristen Dize October 17

Amy Young October 18

Melinda Ashley October 19

Bill Daley October 19

Toni Nelson October 19

Donna Belote October 22

Foston Chandler October 23

Polly Dize October 23

Jennifer Annis October 27

Ray Brotherton October 28

Mary Lou Podelco October 29

Sara Rene Kibler October 31

Thank you to

Shirley Zamora

and Diana and

Ray Brotherton

for offering to

continue to collect the church recy-

clables each week. This project

began with Wayne Brown and

Marlene Daley through Waste

Watchers of the Eastern Shore.

We are grateful to see the collec-

tions continue here at Market

Street UMC.

To all our family and friends, It is with mixed emotions that Mar-lene and I have to tell you that we will be relocating to Arizona. Effective September 10th, 2019, our new address will be 22813 N. Las Positas Drive, Sun City West, Arizona 85375. Should you have to reach us you can call Marlene's cell @ 732-735-8749. We want you to know that this is not a goodbye, consider it as a "SEE YOU LATER". We will be here on the east coast from time to time. Till we see each other again stay healthy and safe. Love, Eddie and Marlene

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TRICK OR TREAT AT MARKET STREET

Candy Needed!

Market Street will once again be passing out candy on Halloween night. Last

year was a great success and we look forward to participating again this year.

We need donations of candy that can be passed out to the children. Please drop your dona-

tions off at the church office. If you would like to come help us, please do—on the

Church Lawn from 6-8 pm! Costumes are encouraged but not necessary. Thank you!

Thank you!

The Zavala family would like to express their thanks to the United Methodist Women for sending Briana and Jazmin to Camp Occohannock on the Bay this summer. Briana attended Horse Camp and Jazmin attended Adventure Camp. Not only did they have a fun time participating in camp ac-tivities, but they also both came home and expressed how they were shown the love of Christ dur-ing their week at camp. They especially loved the prayer wall where they were able to pray for their grandpa and others. Camp OOTB is a wonderful program and we feel very blessed that our girls are able to be a part of it. They still sing the songs they learned and playing camp counselor is one of their new favorite games.

Fall Food Festival is right around the corner. So let's talk food!!!

Frozen casseroles: any casserole that you like to make or your family loves to eat is

welcomed. Lasagna was a favorite last year! Containers for casseroles and recipes can

be picked up in the Assembly Room. If frozen, all food can be prepared and kept in your

freezer until Friday AM. If you do not have the freezer space, please contact Melinda

Ashley or Pat Smith.

We also need jams, jellies, pickles and baked goods. Cheese balls are another favorite.

The entire event will be held in the Social Hall, please Ladies and Men, offer a couple

hours of your time to help that day. Contact Pat Smith 787-3046 or Melinda Ashley at

787-4416, or sign up on the sheet on the table in the Social Hall.

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The prevalence and importance of volunteer firefighting, as well as the later integration of career firefighters, have inspired Ker Place’s fall exhibit, “It All Started with a Spark: The Rise and Evolution of Eastern Shore Firefighting.” The display showcases major fires from Eastern Shore history; highlight historic artifacts as well as memorabilia; and explore the past, present, and future of firefighting on the Shore.

During the month of October, ESVHS will host two events in conjunction with the exhibit:

First will be a panel discussion from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11. Officials from the Accomack County Sheriff’s Department; the Virginia State Police; and potentially the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; will discuss how their organizations operate independently as well as in conjunction with one another during a long, large investigation, such as the 2012-13 arsons. This event will cost $5 for each ESVHS member and $10 a person for the

general public. The location will be the Onancock Baptist Church, 1 Crockett Ave. Purchase tickets at shorehistory.org.

Also planned from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 is a free Family Fun Day revolving around fire safety and firefighting. This will be on the front lawn of Ker Place, 69 Market St. in Onancock. Various Shore fire companies and departments will have equipment on display;

Sparky the fire dog will be out and about for pictures; and there will be giveaways for the kiddos. The Accomack County De-partment of Public Safety will be bringing its fire prevention house for kids to tour. ESVHS also hopes to have some con-tests among firefighters, for example, who can put their turnout gear on the fastest. If you’re a firefighter interested in partici-pating in the contest(s), please contact Amy Savona, ESVHS marketing director, at (757) 787-8012 or marketing@shorehistory.org. Family-friendly lunch items will be available for sale.

Disaster Response Trailer

needs more supplies!

As we await the approach of Hurricane Dorian and the possibil-ity of other storms, we need to ask ourselves this question. Are we, as the church on Virginia's Eastern Shore, equipped to re-spond to helping our neighbors after a storm or other disaster?

The trailer designated and purchased for the Eastern Shore Dis-aster Response is getting close to being stocked and available for use. The trailer would be availa-ble in the event of a disaster or catastrophic situation here on the Eastern Shore. Members at Grace UMC have been building shelves and readying the trailer but there are still items and equipment that needs to be purchased. We need your help.

If you or your church group would like to make a contribution, you can send your dona-tion to: ESDUMC, P.O. Box 317, Parksley, VA 23421 (Checks payable to ESDUMC and please refer-ence: ES DDRT Trailer). Questions may be answered by contacting the District Office at easternshoredistrict@vaumc.org or 757-665-6295. Thank you!

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“Sacred Schubert”

Orchestra of the Eastern Shore Concert Performances

will be dedicated to Anne Nock on Friday, October 25,

7:30 pm and Saturday, October 26, 4:00 pm, at Histor-

ic Cokesbury Church, 13 Market St., Onancock. Ad-

mission is free, donations appreciated.

A reception will follow both performances. The church

community at Market Street UMC is requested to assist

with refreshments. Finger foods may be dropped off at

Cokesbury an hour before each performance. Please

call Melinda Ashley at 787-4416 or Kitty Cardaci at

787-4480 if you have questions. Thank you!

There are currently three available

niches (each can hold 2 urns) in the

Columbarium at Historic Cokes-

bury Church. If you are interested

in purchasing a niche, please con-

tact Pat McArdle at the church of-

fice, 787-4873.

Page 10 OCTOBER 2019 The Harbinger

"I Like things the way they are" …. Nickerson Coaching

What Happens when we want to keep everything the same?

As I coach innovative leaders who are attempting to move their church toward vitality, they often tell me about the resistance they meet from members who want to "keep everything just the way it is". If you have been frustrated by such a response from some in your congregation, here are a few counter-arguments to share:

1) There is no such thing as a church staying in the same place for any length of time. Members get older, die or move. In five years you will not be the same church even if you don't change a thing in that time.

2) A church cannot stay "plateaued". Either the church is growing and reaching new people or it is declin-ing.

3) The culture around us is changing rapidly. Even if we attempt to stay in the "same place' we will soon be hopelessly out of step and irrelevant.

4) Quite frankly, the church isn't about "you" and your desire to not change. The church is about spreading the Good News and serving those beyond the walls of the church. Just where did we get the idea the church was about our personal needs and tastes?

5) If we reject all change and keep things the "same", any member with leadership and vision and will soon leave. How will the church look then?

I do understand the tendency for all of us to get comfortable and want to hunker down in familiarity. When Jesus was transformed on the mountain top, Peter wanted to build three booths and stay right there. But Jesus, "No, back down the mountain and let's get on with the mission".

As faithful Christians we can do no less.

What if God Used Voicemail Submitted by June Evans

“I’m sorry, all of our angels are busy helping other saints right now. However, your prayer is important to us and will be answered in the order it was received, so please stay on the line.”

If you would like to speak to: Gabriel, Press 1; Michael, Press 2; For a directory of other angels, Press 3.

If you’d like to hear King David sing a psalm while you are holding, please press 4.

To find out if a loved one has been assigned to Heaven, Press 5, enter his or her social security number (If you get a negative response, try area code 666).

For reservations at “My Father’s House,” please enter J-O-H-N, followed by 3-1-6.

For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the earth and where Noah’s Ark is, please wait until you arrive here.

Our computers show that you have already prayed once today. Please hang up and try again tomorrow so that others may have a chance to get through.

This office is closed for the weekend to observe a religious holiday.

Please pray again Monday after 9:30 am. If you need emergency assistance when this office is closed, con-tact your local pastor.

************

Thank God (today) that He doesn’t have voicemail and He listens whenever we pray and that will never change.

Page 11 OCTOBER 2019 The Harbinger

10 a.m. on Third Wednesday: Commonwealth Senior Living a the Eastern Shore

23610 North Street, Onancock

4 p.m. on Second Monday: Heritage Hall

9468 Hospital Avenue, Nassawadox

Vicki Weakley, new chair of the Poverty Work Group (pictured right) under-stands that a fundamental barrier to individual and family well-being is not making enough money to feed, house, clothe and take care of self and fami-ly. This is also a fundamental barrier to community well-being. Many low and middle-income individuals can’t afford to pay for quality child care so that they can get a job. Many more privileged individuals lack an informed per-spective of poverty in general, but also the income needed for individuals and families to live beyond just a survival budget – and what the local job re-sources are to support stable households. At the last ESHC meeting we discussed poverty, the United Way’s ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) initiative, and sustainable steps our partnership can take, working together as a coalition, to address Eastern Shore poverty using our sustainable Policies, Systems and Environment Change (PSE) framework. Our first step will be to offer two two-day Bridges over Poverty Conference/Trainings, thanks to a grant from VDH Office of Rural Health. Vicki Weakley, Director, Accomack County Social Services Department will lead this effort. The next meeting is scheduled for October 17.

Poverty leaves its mark on everyone in a community. Eastern Shore Healthy Communities | eshealthycommunities.org