We invite you to come in and pick up a carry-out meal between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Please come in through door 14 and go to the kitchen, and someone will be there to get your meal. If you know of someone who might need a meal, please call the church office at 317-839-2319.
Join Pastor Hannah for a four-week study on the book of James. James is a short letter in the New Testament that offers practical advice for living out our faith. The study will meet on Wednesdays in the Koinonia Room at 7 pm on August 18, August 25, September 1, and September 8. It would be helpful if you bring your Bible; however, this is not necessary. Pastor Hannah will have printouts of the scripture each week. For more information, check out “Next Steps” at pumc.org or the pumc.org kiosk in the main lobby by the blue wall.
The return of school means the return of routine for many of us. At the church, it means fall kick-offs and groups returning to meetings regularly if they took a break for the summer months. This fall, we’re excited to announce the creation of a new small group! It’s a group for people in their 20s and 30s. If you’re between the ages of 20 and 39, we would love to welcome you to our new small group! Stephanie Kirkling and Pastor Hannah will be leading our first event.
We’re hosting a kick-off event on Friday, August 6, at 7 pm outside in Wesley Woods. We’ll have a bonfire, s’mores, and some relaxed discussion about what we’d like the group to be and how often we’d like to meet. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on and we’ll provide the stuff for s’mores.
As we prepare to return to live singing in worship, including bringing back the sanctuary choir, we should take a moment to reflect and educate ourselves about the pandemic.
We all have rights and responsibilities and we are all responsible for welcoming, respecting, and protecting others. As a Methodist community, one of our general rules is to “do no harm.”
Receiving the COVID-19 vaccination is a choice that each of us has to make on our own. While we have learned that it is safe for those who have been vaccinated to go without a mask, we must remember that those who have chosen not to receive or cannot receive the vaccine for personal reasons may still be at risk of the virus. The virus can be transmitted between those both vaccinated and unvaccinated, though the results of infection vary.
Before we begin singing in worship again, please take a moment to consider whether you may choose to wear a mask in services, whether this is to protect yourself or to protect others. We will respect the choices that each makes and move forward as a community.
As society returns to a sense of “normalicy,” there is still a need for food and personal care items. PUMC continues its work to show love, share hope, and serve those in need by collecting these items on Sundays between 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and Mondays between 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. PUMC volunteers will be in the church’s parking lot (600 Simmons St., Plainfield) to receive these gifts of food and personal care items. These donations supply PUMC’s hunger alleviation ministries, food pantries, and community support organizations in and around Plainfield.
Drop off your donations in the east parking lot. You don’t even have to get out of your car!
Head over to pumc.org or the pumc.org kiosk in the main lobby by the blue wall on Sundays for more information.
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Pastor Ken Loudenback at kloudenback@pumc.org or Mission Chairperson Ruth Ellen Stone at missions@pumc.org.
The new website went up this week on Tuesday afternoon. Take a look and explore. Everything from the old website is still there; it may be in a slightly different place. For example, KIDS@PUMC and Youth Ministry were under the menu item “Get Involved,” now, on the new website, they are located under “What’s Going On,” then click on “Ministries.”
One of the significant changes coming up by the end of July, is the phasing out of the mobile app. The app has been successful and is getting used regularly, but it does not integrate well with our website or current communications pathways; it is also labor-intensive to update each week and it’s expensive. By switching to the new website, PUMC will save close to $3000/year. The new website is built on a responsive framework, allowing it to scale and format to fit all devices. You can access the website from your mobile devices just like an app by following these easy instructions to save a pumc.org icon to your mobile device home screen.
If you have any questions about the new website, please email me at eshriner@pumc.org.
On August 1, NewDay Praise will return to a semi-normal style of Communion. And we’d love for our children to come and join us! On Communion Sundays, KIDS@PUMC Sunday school participants will join their parents or guardians for Communion and the final song in NewDay Praise. Here’s what to expect. A person will be serving the bread as people come up. They will be masked and wearing gloves and will rip off a piece of bread and hand it to the child or adult. Another person will have a tray of cups with grape juice in them, and each person will take a cup. Pre-packaged elements will also be available if you or your child don’t feel comfortable taking in the shared elements. We are thrilled to return to a semi-normal style of Communion!
And we’re excited for the children to join us during this portion of the service. When we are all together, we represent the body of Christ. If you have questions about Communion, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Pastor Hannah at hwiswasser@pumc.org. If you have questions about KIDS@PUMC Sunday school, please contact Charity Aton at caton@pumc.org.
Plainfield United Methodist Church (PUMC) in Plainfield, IN, seeks a part-time Director of Kids Connection. The ideal candidate will have a visible and vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ displayed in PUMC’s Kids Connection leadership.
The Director of Kids Connection takes work direction from, reports to, and is accountable to the Director of Children’s Ministries.
The Director of Kids Connection is a part-time year-round position, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Kids Connection program with Plainfield United Methodist and will assist with the children’s ministries of PUMC.
Total Hours: 32 hours per week (30 hours per week in Kids Connection; 2 hours per week in Preschool Programs).
Candidates must demonstrate spiritual character and maturity, passion for Christ and their ministry, enthusiasm, vision, versatility, effective communication and administration skills, and teamwork in the leadership of an established and growing Children’s Ministry. A background in education will be helpful. To see the full job description and apply at www.pumc.org/job-opportunities.
The PUMC Annual Fish Fry is back for 2021 on July 30 and 31!
An event the size of the Fish Fry needs a lot of volunteers. Volunteer signups for Fish Fry volunteers will occur in the main lobby on July 4, 11, 18, and 25 following both worship services. Visit pumc.org to volunteer if you can’t stop by the tables and want to volunteer.
PUMC’s annual Fish Fry is one of the largest outreach events of Plainfield UMC each year, welcoming neighbors and friends and serving tons of food (literally — tons!), with the profits supporting missions both near and far. Sunday School classes, youth groups, the PUMC Missions Committee, and other groups directly benefit from volunteering at this event. We are proud of the nearly 200 volunteers each year who participate by baking desserts, frying fish, serving in the main line, and so much more.
From the humble beginnings of welcoming home troops from WWII, the annual Fish Fry has been a staple in the community. The pandemic forced us to go virtual in 2020, but as our world begins to heal, we are ready for the return of the Fish Fry. With a reduced menu and safety precautions in place, we are prepared to welcome people back.
Philippians 4:13 says, “[We] can do all things through him who gives [us] strength.” God has given us the strength to guide us through the past year and a half, and he has given us the power to allow us to join in fellowship again. So, please consider joining us for good food and hospitality at this year’s fish fry.
Brandon Rodarmel, First Chair,
fishfry@pumc.org
Mike Rohrer, Second Chair
Jane Iles, Third Chair
It takes a village to host worship every week at PUMC. If you’re looking for a new way to serve, consider joining our liturgist ministry! Liturgists play a meaningful role in helping people connect with God during our Classic service. As a liturgist, you would:
Starting Sunday, Aug. 1, we have a need to fill liturgist spots for our 8:45 and 10 a.m. Classic worship services. You can serve in any capacity your schedule allows, and you can stay with the service you normally attend. We’ll provide helpful training, too.
To join this ministry or simply learn more, head to pumc.org or visit the pumc.org kiosk on Sunday mornings.
Plainfield UMC Today 