A weekly publication of Towson Church — January 15, 2021

Welcome to a brand-new year! May it be fun, festive, fearless, and filled with the light of Christ!

Connect with Us

* www.towsonchurch.org * YouTube  * Facebook

MAIN ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week’s Schedule

  • January 17: Worship Service 10:15 AM in the Sanctuary (in-person, livestream, and recorded) To attend in-person worship, save your seat HERE. Or, stop at the Welcome Desk upon arrival. Wear a facemask and bring a jacket; the church windows are open! You may also worship from home at 10:15 AM or another time on YouTube HERE.
  • January 17: Youth Group Guest Speaker from Baltimore Child Abuse Center with Pastor Christine via Zoom, 5:00 PM
  • Together for Joy 2021 Stewardship Cards Return cards during worship, through U.S. Mail or by fillable PDF online HERE
  • Weekly Offering Donate any time by using our easy, secure donation site HERE. Or, send contributions through U.S. Mail to Towson Church, 501 Hampton Lane, Towson, MD 21286.
  • January 18: Church Office CLOSED in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Save the Dates

  • Youth Retreat — ROCK(ish) February 5-6, 2021 — a FREE interactive online event that replaces the in-person youth event in Ocean City, MD this year. Registration required. RSVP with Pastor Christine ASAP. Sneak peek at www.bwcumc.org/ROCK
  • February 17: Lent 2021 BEGINS

Click HERE to view the full church calendar.

Reminders

The Save-A-Seat link is the SAME link each week, so you may consider setting it as a bookmark in your browser or on your desktop for easy access.  Or, simply connect from the main page of our website. To reserve your seat for in-person worship, follow this link each week: Save-A-Seat.

Special Note from Pastor Rachel to Towson Church —
I am so thankful to all for your love and support in your gift, but also in your support of me within my ministry journey.  You have nurtured me in ways that I never believed would be possible.  And it is because of your nurture that I have been able to follow God’s call in leadership in the congregation I am serving now.  I am thankful to God for bringing us together, even in the short moment that we had with one another.  Thank you so much for your generous monetary support.  May God Bless each and every one of you.
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Rachel B. Livingston

CALL FOR Prayers for Peace from Rev Mark Johnson

Dear Friends,

This is a time unprecedented in our nation’s history and we must make this a time of fervent prayer. Let us pray for peace, unity, justice, reconciliation, redemption, and that God’s will be done.
On Inauguration Day, January 20, at 9:00 AM via Zoom, let’s meet for prayers of peace, justice, and national reconciliation. We will meet during the regularly-scheduled Coffee and Conversation time slot. Click HERE to join the Prayer Meeting. I hope to see you then!
Blessings
Mark

P.S. Read Pastor Mark’s full congregational letter by clicking this link 1 13 21 Pray for Our Country FINAL

MISSIONS

January Moment on a Mission

Christ Deaf Church worships in American Sign Language with tactile and voice interpreting, and captioning so that all  God’s children can accept the Word of God in their hearts and lives. The congregation’s All-Deaf Choir enhances the service with hymns of praise and thanksgiving. People of all faith traditions, or none, are welcome to join. On Sunday afternoons, attendees share a free meal and a variety of social activities. The church is located at 1040 S. Beechfield Ave, 21229. Click HERE to learn more about Christ Deaf Church.

To give now, click HERE to use a credit card or online payments. Or, make a monetary donation via check payable to Towson Church and indicate it’s for the communion offering. Mail your check to Towson Church, 501 Hampton Lane, Towson, MD 21286.

Emergency Food Pantry January 16, 2021

Our Food Pantry continues as a monthly DRIVE-THRU from 9:00-10:30 AM on the third Saturday of each month (except November 13 and December 11, 2021). Thanks to everyone who maintains this mission as a safe, physically-distant, Drive-By Pantry. Our church has been blessed with several incredibly-generous community donations in recent months. During these winter months, guests may call the HOTLINE at 410.823.3649 and listen to a recorded message regarding inclement weather changes or cancellations.

CARE NOTES 

  • KUDOS to Gene B Thanks to Gene for carrying ALL of the holiday decorations to the attic and tucking them away until next Christmas. We appreciate you!
  • KUDOS to worship helpers who attend Sunday in-person services and volunteer as liturgists, ushers, couriers, greeters, musicians and more!
  • KUDOS to food pantry donors who brought countless bags and boxes of nonperishable food items to our church to support the monthly food pantry. Special thanks to Edenwald Senior Center, The Goddard School in Towson, and a local anonymous family for surprising us with your generosity during the holiday season.

Towson Church Cares About YOU!

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing hardship or hospitalization, then please contact our Church Office ASAP to notify the pastors and Congregational Care Team. During this time of physical distancing, we are doing our best to stay connected with everyone – which is definitely a challenge! Also, our Congregational Care Committee will confidentially help with prayers and any other individual needs as coronavirus physical-distancing guidelines allow. Note: we are not visiting any members at this time. CALL 410.823.6511 (select option #3) and we will respond promptly.

EDUCATION

Call the Church Office at 410.823.6511 for information.

Children/Youth Classes and Meetings  

  • Religious Education Grades Pre-K to Kindergarten. Monday nights 6:30-7:30 PM via Zoom.
  • Religious Education Grades 1-5. Tuesday nights 6:30-7:30 PM via Zoom.
  • Youth Group Grades 6-12. Sunday nights at 5:00 PM

Adult Classes and Meetings

  • Tower Class. Sunday mornings at 8:30 AM via Zoom.
  • Christians Under Construction. Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM via Zoom.
  • Women’s Read & Relate. 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month at 7:30 PM via Zoom.
  • Coffee & Conversation with a Pastor. Wednesday Mornings at 9:00 AM. Join the weekly gatherings via Zoom.
  • Men’s Bible Study. Thursday mornings at 7:00 AM via Zoom.

YOUTH GROUP

Contact Associate Pastor Christine Kumar in the Church Office at 410.823.6511 for information.

Save the Dates * 

  • Jan 17     Special Presentation via Zoom with Nicole Reed from Baltimore Child Abuse Center (about the Birthday Box project), 5:00 PM
  • Jan 18    Gather at church to assemble Birthday Boxes, 2:00 PM. RSVP required.
  • Jan 24    NO Youth Group
  • Jan 31    Youth Sunday in 10:15 AM Worship (tentative/RSVP required)
  • Feb 5      Virtual ROCK from Home (RSVP required by January 15)
  • Feb 6      ROCK Gathering at church, 10:00 AM (tentative/RSVP required)
  • Feb 7      NO Youth Group
  • Feb 14    Game Night with Ms. Allison via Zoom, 5:00 PM
  • Feb 21    Bible Study via Zoom with Pastor Christine, 5:00 PM
  • Feb 28   Card-Making Service Project for homebound members, 5:00 PM

*At this time, due to coronavirus restrictions/precautions, all Youth Group gatherings are via Zoom, unless otherwise noted on the calendar.

GIVING 

Help us spark and sustain the missions and ministries of Towson Church with these easy ways to GIVE.

  • Shop Online at Amazon SMILE  
    When you shop at Amazon Smile and select Towson UMC at checkout, our church receives a donation from Amazon for every single purchase. This passive income significantly contributes to our church’s general fund. Click on the link and try it today!
  • Mail Your Offering, Fundraiser Payments, and Other Checks
    Send your offering checks and other financial correspondence to the Church Office at Towson Church, 501 Hampton Lane, Towson, MD 21286 and we will process them swiftly.
  • Donate Online 
    Visit the new Shelby online giving site HERE. Select from the named options or choose “Other” and write the activity/donation/event name you want to support in the memo line next to the amount.

Only LOVE Can Dispel Darkness

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” 

— Martin Luther King, Jr. (source: first heard in King’s 1957 sermon, then later published in his 1963 book, Strength to Love)

Read more Rev. Dr. King facts and inspirational quotes at the National Park Service’s website  — where historians report: “The delivery of his message of love and tolerance through the means of his powerful gift of speech and eloquent writings inspire to this day, those who yearn for a gentler, kinder world.” A yearning we are all still too familiar with to this day…. 

Thank you for making Towson Church your church home. We’re glad you are here! 

Welcome Statement: Towson United Methodist Church is a community of Christ-followers growing in love of God and neighbor. This is what we, at Towson UMC, believe Christian discipleship is, what we are to be, and what Jesus meant when he sent his followers to “make disciples”— We believe every person is of sacred worth and created in God’s image. We commit to Jesus’ example of inclusive love, care, and intentional hospitality with persons of every race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, faith story, physical or mental ability, economic status, or political perspective. We respect our diversity of opinion and expressions of faith. Therefore, as God loves us, so let us love and serve in the name of Christ. — adopted by the Towson UMC Church Council February 2, 2015

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© 2018-2021, Towson United Methodist Church/Towson Church, all rights reserved. Volume 4. Issue 77.

Towson Church : 501 Hampton Lane, Towson MD 21286 : 410.823.6511 : www.towsonchurch.org