June/July Newsletter

Stone Chapel News Letter

Volume 2, Number 3,

June & July 2019

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Rev. Dr. Steven Cho

peaceleader@hotmail.com

Sunday Worship: Stone Chapel UMC 9:30 AM

1448 Stone Chapel Rd. New Windsor MD 21776

410-635-2102

Find us on Facebook, “Stone Chapel UMC”

Pastor’s Page

The hardest thing of all

During the busiest season of a year, Easter season, I received a phone call, which was very unexpected. I had to prepare services for the two congregations, Meditation service, prayer meetings, Meditation on the Table, and three Easter celebrations. The phone call was from the conference.

Our United Methodist Church has a different system, called ‘appointment’. It literally means that the Conference sends pastors to the church based on the local church’s need. It is drastically different from other protestant churches such as the ‘call system’ of Presbyterians or Baptists (Basically they are hiring their own pastors). However, Methodists believe that local churches are the basic part of the whole church, and Methodist churches are closely tied together. This connection can make possible that the United Methodist Church serves the world better. We send missionaries to the world, help people who in needs, make voices to protect the created world of God, and many more missions as one body. So, local churches are not just worshipping on Sunday or working separately, but serving the entire world with other Methodist brothers and sisters by participating in this Methodist system.

The Appointment system is the one. The conference oversees the entire congregations and whenever they see different needs from the churches, they intervene and prayerfully consider what to do, and how to help. Sending pastors to the local congregation is the one main work of the conference. Usually, the system has a process, and the conference follows this process.

At the Charge Conference (local church’ annual meeting), during the previous year, SPRC (Staff-Parish relation committee) discusses and evaluates the work of the pastor. And they decide whether they will hold their pastor one more year or request another pastor. And this moment, the pastor can also request another appointment to the conference after having intense time of discernment and self-evaluation. Then the conference receives all the information and requests, and decide ‘whom’ to send ‘where’. It usually takes more than 6 months and the conference lets pastors and churches know the final decisions the next year. It means the church and the pastor, at least, have a clue or expect what to happen.

However, my new appointment this time came totally out of the blue. One day during the busiest season, I received a phone call and the conference offered me (not forced me to go somewhere) an opening of a senior pastor position which is a very rare chance to a minority pastor just like me.

I was surprised and it also made me confused. The two congregations, Stone Chapel and Zion UMC wonderfully worked together, and we are about to get to the next step, to reach out our local communities and to initiate new challenges to share the love of God. So, I was hesitant (even if this is a wonderful opportunity for me).

During the personal meditation to discern my call, (which was also the part of the appointment process that the conference gave me) I was looking for the information about the new church. Then suddenly I found an information that this church (Ward’s Chapel, Baltimore Suburban district) works with another church, Glyndon UMC, which is my wife Vivian is going to serve this July. So, I thought this is a sign that God has shown me. My wife and I can work together in the same area!

I know (like the title of this article) everyone feels that ‘saying good bye’ is the hardest of all. And I do because these two churches are not the churches that I just served, but the members and leaders are just like my family, I feel. I loved you all so much and I enjoyed every moment. We have shared so many things, good and bad things, easy work and hard missions as well. I remember everything that we did together, and you are always in my heart. Thank you for nurturing me and training me as a pastor, here.

I love you my sisters and brothers! And I will miss you.

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“We are Methodists and also ONE.”

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Birthdays:

June-

Won Cho 6/30

July-

Liza Frye 7/3

McKayla Rodgers 7/11

Joyce Garber 7/27

Anniversaries:

June-

Helen & Dwight Windsor 6/16/70

July-

Joyce & Sam Cole

7/22

[We still gather more information, celebration, anniversaries, and birthdays. Please contact Ben]

Tim’s Humor

1.)

Teacher: How old is your father

Student: He is 6 years old

Teacher: What? How is that possible?

Student: He became a father only when I was born.

Teacher: Maria, go to the map and find North America

Maria: Here it is

Teacher: Correct. Now, class, who discovered America?

Class: Maria

Teacher: Glenn, How do you spell "crocodile"?

Glenn: KROKODIAL

Teacher: No, That's wrong

Glenn: Maybe it is wrong, but you ask me how I spell it.

Teacher: Clyde, your composition on "My Dog" is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?

Clyde: No, Sir. It's the same dog!!

2.)

As I watched the dog chasing his tail, I thought how dogs are easily amused.

Then I realized that I was watching the dog chase his tail.

3.)

First rule of cleaning the house while listening to music is to NEVER, NEVER use the toilet brush as a microphone.

4.)

Sometimes I shock myself with the smart things I say and do.

Other times, I try to get out of the car with my seat belt still on.

A Poem for your spirit

By Carole Harmon

From The Tract League, Grand Rapid, MI. 49544-1390

I have been a sport fan all my life

Football in the Fall,

Basketball in the Winter,

Baseball in the Spring and Summer.

But I’ll never go to another game because. . .

They always ask for money,

The People I sit with aren’t very friendly. . .

The seats are too hard. . .

The coach never asks my advice. . .

The referee made some bad calls. . .

Some people cared more about their looks than the game. . .

Some games went into overtime and I was late getting home. . .

The band played some numbers I did not know. . .

To many games did not fit into my schedule. . .

My parents took me to too many games when I was growing up. . .

I Just read a book on sports and I know more than the coaches

I do not take my kids to any games so that they can make their own choices what sport they like best.

Do you use the same excuses for not attending church?

God says: seek the lord while He may be found. . . you will find me when you seek Me with all your heart.

What keeps you from seeking God?

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Announcements

• Schedule & Event

5/29- 6/1 Baltimore- Washington Annual Conference

6/6 Ad Council Meeting

6/16 & 6/23 Guest Preachers on two Sundays

6/30 Last Sunday of Pastor Cho

7/8-7/11 Vacation Bible School (May change the dates)

The dates for Choir Meeting, Prayer Services, and SWAT meeting will be discussed with our incoming pastor.

• At Zion

8/12- 8/16 Zion VBS “African Safari”

8/21 Field Trip to Sight and Sound

(Stone Chapel is also invited)

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Joyce Cole’s Choice from

The Stone Chapel Cookbook

STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

¾ c. margarine

3 tsp. Brown sugar

2 ½ c. crushed pretzels,

(not too fine)

1 Large pkg. Strawberry Jell-O

2 c. boiling water

3 c. chilled strawberries or 1 lb. Frozen strawberries

8 oz. Creamed cheese

1 scant sugar

1 carton (8oz.) whipped topping

Combine margarine, brown sugar, and pretzels; mix well. Press into lightly buttered pan (9 x 13 inch). Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Dissolve jello in bnoiling water. While hot, add chilled berries. Cool until mixture sets. Cream the cheese and sugar. Fold in whipped topping. Spread creamed cheese mixture over cooled crust. When gelatin begins to set, pour over cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate overnight or until firm.

A page of

Stone Chapel’s history

Special Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun The Sun (1837-1993); Oct 13, 1894; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Baltimore Sun pg. 6

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METHODIST PILGRIMS: OVER TWO HUNDRED OF THEM VISIT CARROLL COUNTY .

Methodist Pilgrims

[Over two hundred of them visit Carroll county.]

The Cradle of the church in Maryland and in America-The Stone Chapel, built in 1783, the first spot visited – Incidents of the day

(Special dispatch to the Baltimore Sun.)

Westminster, Md., Oct, 12— Two hundred and one pilgrims of the Methodist church arrived in Westminster this morning by special train from Baltimore. The committee having the arrangements in charge had secured ample facilities for conveying the pilgrims to the different points of interest, which, though known to many, had been seen by few. It required 75 different vehicles of all kinds and sizes for the trip, and the pilgrims started from Westminster at 9:30 to Stone Chapel, the first place of interest on the route.

Cradle of Methodism

Carroll county lays claim to have been the cradle of Methodism. This is based on the efforts of Robert Strawbridge as far back as 1760, when he formed a class of a dozen persons at his own home. This, Bishop Asbury says. Was the first Methodist society formed in Maryland and in America. The house was on Sam’s creek. Then with the assistance of Owen, whom he licensed to preach , he continued his efforts. Form these beginnings has come the mighty structure of the present Methodist denomination.

Stone Chapel

After a pleasant drive of five miles Stone Chapel was reached. This church was built in 1783; rebuilt in 1800, and again in 1884. The present structure is of stone, with a seating capacity of about 250. High up over the door is a stone with the letter J.D. and B.B. The letters are the initials of Jessie Durbin and Benjamin Baxter, who were strong Methodists. There is also an eagle carved in the stone, the signification of which no one has yet been able to make out.

A large assemblage of people gathered inside the church. Rev. J. St. Clair Neal invited them all to join in singing the doxology. After this was done he produced the deed for the land upon which the church was built. In consideration of five shillings Andrew Paulson conveyed the tract of land known as “York County defense” to certain parties, upon condition that a Methodist church should be built there and always occupied as such.

Rev. Chas. D. Smith followed with an interesting description of Methodism in the old time. He said, it was the rule of the church then that colored people must have one white person present at their meetings. He also spoke of the old-time sisters in the amen corner, with their poke bonnets. Mr. Smith gave an account of the building on this church as a successor to the old log meeting-house.

A hymn was sung and the assemblage was photographed by Rev. J. St Clair Neal.

Easter Service & Baptism

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