First United Methodist Church of Blairstown

Boy Scout Troop 140
2024-10-14 19:00 - 21:00, 2024-10-21 19:00 - 21:00, 2024-10-28 19:00 - 20:00, 2024-11-04 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)

Chair Yoga
2024-10-15 13:00 - 14:00, 2024-10-22 13:00 - 14:00, 2024-10-29 13:00 - 14:00

Trustees
2024-10-15 19:00 - 20:00
Book of Discipline: ¶ 2525 ff. Board of Trustees
The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church — 2016

¶ 2525. Local Church Board of Trustees’ Qualifications-In each pastoral charge consisting of one local church, there shall be a board of trustees, consisting of not fewer than three nor more than nine persons, and it is recommended that at least one-third be laywomen and that at least one-third be laymen. The trustees shall be of legal age as determined by law, and at least two-thirds shall be professing members of The United Methodist Church (see ¶ ¶ 258.1, .3; 2530). No pastor is a voting member of the board of trustees unless elected as a member.
¶ 2526. Local Church Board of Trustees’ Election-The members of the board of trustees shall be divided into three classes, and each class shall as nearly as possible consist of an equal number of members. At the charge conference, on recommendation by the committee on nominations and leadership development or from the floor, it shall elect, to take office at the beginning of the ensuing calendar year or at such other times as the charge or church conference may set, to serve for a term of three years or until their successors have been duly elected and qualified, the required number of trustees to succeed those of the class whose terms then expire; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the election of a trustee to self-succession.8 The charge conference may assign the responsibility for electing trustees to a church conference.
¶ 2530. Local Church Board of Trustees’ Organization and Membership-The board of trustees shall organize as follows:
1. Within thirty days after the beginning of the ensuing calendar or conference year (whichever applies to the term of office), each board of trustees shall convene at a time and place designated by the chairperson, or by the vice chairperson in the event that the chairperson is not reelected a trustee or because of absence or disability is unable to act, for the purpose of electing officers of the said board for the ensuing year and transacting any other business properly brought before it.
2. The board of trustees shall elect from the membership thereof, to hold office for a term of one year or until their successors shall be elected, a chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, and, if need requires, a treasurer; provided, however, that the chairperson and vice chairperson shall not be members of the same class; and provided further, that the offices of secretary and treasurer may be held by the same person; and provided further, that the chairperson shall be a professing member of the local church. The duties of each officer shall be the same as those generally connected with the office held and which are usually and commonly discharged by the holder thereof. The church local conference may, if it is necessary to conform to the local laws, substitute the designations president and vice president for and in place of chairperson and vice chairperson.
3. Where necessity requires, as a result of the incorporation of a local church, the corporation directors, in addition to electing officers as provided in § 2 above, shall ratify and confirm by appropriate action and, if necessary, elect as officers of the corporation the treasurer or treasurers, as the case may be, elected by the charge conference in accordance with the provisions of the Discipline, whose duties and responsibilities shall be as therein set forth. If more than one account is maintained in the name of the corporation in any financial institution or institutions, each such account and the treasurer thereof shall be appropriately designated.
¶ 2531. Removal of Local Church Trustees; Vacancies—1. Should a trustee withdraw from the membership of The United Methodist Church or be excluded therefrom, trusteeship therein shall automatically cease from the date of such withdrawal or exclusion.
2. Should a trustee of a local church or a director of an incorporated local church refuse to execute properly a legal instrument relating to any property of the church when directed so to do by the charge conference and when all legal requirements have been satisfied in reference to such execution, the said charge conference may by majority vote declare the trustee’s or director’s membership on the board of trustees or board of directors vacated.
3. Vacancies occurring in a board of trustees shall be filled by election for the unexpired term. Such election shall be held in the same manner as for trustees. A vacancy occurring ad interim may be filled until the next charge conference by the church council.
¶ 2532. Meetings of Local Church Boards of Trustees-The board of trustees shall meet at the call of the pastor or of its chairperson at least annually at such times and places as shall be designated in a notice to each trustee and the pastor(s) at a reasonable time prior to the appointed time of the meeting. Waiver of notice may be used as a means to validate meetings legally where the usual notice is impracticable. A majority of the members of the board of trustees shall constitute a quorum.
¶ 2533. Board of Trustees’ Powers and Limitations-1. Subject to the direction of the charge conference, the board of trustees shall have the supervision, oversight, and care of all real property owned by the local church and of all property and equipment acquired directly by the local church or by any society, board, class, commission, or similar organization connected therewith, provided that the board of trustees shall not violate the rights of any local church organization elsewhere granted in the Discipline; provided further, that the board of trustees shall not prevent or interfere with the pastor in the use of any of the said property for religious services or other proper meetings or purposes recognized by the law, usages, and customs of The United Methodist Church, or permit the use of said property for religious or other meetings without the consent of the pastor or, in the pastor’s absence, the consent of the district superintendent; and provided further, that pews in The United Methodist Church shall always be free; and provided further, that the church local conference may assign certain of these duties to a building committee as set forth in ¶ 2544 or the chairperson of the parsonage committee, if one exists.
2. The board of trustees shall annually compare the existence and adequacy of the church’s insurance coverages to an insurance schedule annually published by the General Council on Finance and Administration. The purpose of this review is to ensure that the church, its properties, and its personnel are properly protected against risks. The board shall include in its report to the charge conference (¶ 2550.7) the results of its review and recommendations needed to timely bring the church into compliance with the published schedule.9
3. When a pastor and/or a board of trustees are asked to grant permission to an outside organization to use church facilities, permission can be granted only when such use is consistent with the Social Principles (¶¶ 160-166) and ecumenical objectives.
4. The chairperson of the board of trustees or the chairperson of the parsonage committee, if one exists, the chairperson of the committee on pastor-parish relations, and the pastor shall make an annual review of the church-owned parsonage to ensure proper maintenance.
5. Subject to the direction of the charge conference as hereinbefore provided, the board of trustees shall receive and administer all bequests made to the local church; shall receive and administer all trusts; and shall invest all trust funds of the local church in conformity with laws of the country, state, or like political unit in which the local church is located. Nevertheless, upon notice to the board of trustees, the charge conference may delegate the power, duty, and authority to receive, administer, and invest bequests, trusts, and trust funds to the permanent endowment committee or to a local church foundation and shall do so in the case of bequests, trusts, or trust funds for which the donor has designated the committee or the local church foundation to receive, administer, or invest the same.
The board of trustees is encouraged to invest in institutions, companies, corporations, or funds that make a positive contribution toward the realization of the goals outlined in the Social Principles of our Church. The board of trustees is to act as a socially responsible investor and to report annually to the charge conference regarding its carrying out of this responsibility. When such property is in the form of investable funds, the board of trustees shall consider placement for investment and administration with the United Methodist foundation serving that conference or, in the absence of such a foundation, with the United Methodist Church Foundation. A conscious effort shall be made to invest in a manner consistent with the Social Principles and the creation of an investment policy.
6. The board of trustees shall conduct or cause to be conducted an annual accessibility audit of their buildings, grounds, and facilities to discover and identify what physical, architectural, and communication barriers exist that impede the full participation of people with disabilities and shall make plans and determine priorities for the elimination of all such barriers. It is highly encouraged that members of the congregation or from the community who have disabilities, who are family members of persons with disabilities, and who are builders or architects or rehabilitation professionals be involved in conducting the audit. The Accessibility Audit for churches shall be used in filling out the annual church and/or charge conference reports.
8. See Judicial Council Decision 130.
9. See Judicial Council Decisions 866, 1142.
From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church – 2016. Copyright 2016 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.

MOMS Club
2024-10-16 09:00 - 10:00
Home

Al-Anon
2024-10-18 19:00 - 21:00

Blairstown Roadside Cleanup
2024-10-19 08:00 - 09:00

Blairstown Fall Festival
2024-10-19 11:00 - 16:00
First UMC will be selling soft pretzels at this year’s Fall Festival, an initiative of the Blairstown Enhancement Committee.
Check out the Facebook Event for more details

Sunday School
2024-10-20 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-10-27 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-11-03 09:00 - 10:00
Families of children age 3-12 are invited to join us for Sunday School, every Sunday at 9am. Our Sunday School curriculum includes multimedia components for all ages and separate activities for ages 3-6 and 7-12.
Each Sunday, two volunteers, screened in accordance with our Safe Sanctuaries Policy will lead Sunday School in the fellowship hall before service. Safe Sanctuaries is the name of our abuse prevention policy, designed to keep vulnerable people safe. Click here to read our Safe Sanctuaries Policy.

Worship Service & Fellowship Time
2024-10-20 10:00 - 11:00
As we walk with Jesus this Sunday, Jesus reminds us that he “came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition).

Forest Manor Communion Service
2024-10-20 14:00 - 15:00 | Forest Manor Health Care Center, 145 State Park Rd, Blairstown, NJ, 07825, United States

Gentle Yoga
2024-10-21 17:30 - 18:30, 2024-10-28 17:30 - 18:30, 2024-11-04 17:30 - 18:30

Finance
2024-10-22 19:00 - 21:00
Book of Discipline: ¶ 258.4. Committee on Finance
The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church — 2016

¶ 258.4. There shall be a committee on finance, elected annually by the charge conference upon recommendation by the committee on nominations and leadership development or from the floor, composed of the chairperson; the pastor(s); a lay member of the annual conference; the chairperson of the church council; the chairperson or representative of the committee on pastor-parish relations; a representative of the trustees to be selected by the trustees; the chairperson of the ministry group on stewardship; the lay leader; the financial secretary; the treasurer; the church business administrator; and other members to be added as the charge conference may determine. It is recommended that the chairperson of the committee on finance shall be a member of the church council. The financial secretary, treasurer, and church business administrator, if paid employees, shall be members without vote.

The positions of treasurer and financial secretary should not be combined and held by one person, and the persons holding these two positions should not be immediate family members.
No immediate family members of any appointed clergy may serve as treasurer, finance chair, financial secretary, counter, or serve in any paid or unpaid position under the responsibilities of the committee on finance, as described herein. These restrictions would apply only to the church or charge where the clergy serves.
The committee on finance shall give stewardship of financial resources as their priority throughout the year. It may delegate the responsibility to either a sub-group or task force that would plan, strategize, and implement ways to generate more resources for mission and ministries of the local churches and beyond. It is strongly recommended that the committee on finance, in collaboration with the church council, find creative ways to turn their congregations into tithing congregations with an attitude of generosity. All financial askings to be included in the annual budget of the local church shall be submitted to the committee on finance. The committee on finance shall compile annually a complete budget for the local church and submit it to the church council for review and adoption. The committee on finance shall be charged with responsibility for developing and implementing plans that will raise sufficient income to meet the budget adopted by the church council. It shall administer the funds received according to instructions from the church council.
The committee shall carry out the church council’s directions in guiding the treasurer(s) and financial secretary.
a) The committee shall designate at least two persons not of the immediate family residing in the same household to count the offering. They shall work under the supervision of the financial secretary. A record of all funds received shall be given to the financial secretary and treasurer. Funds received shall be deposited promptly in accordance with the procedures established by the committee on finance. The financial secretary shall keep records of the contributions and payments.
b) The church treasurer(s) shall disburse all money contributed to causes represented in the local church budget, and such other funds and contributions as the church council may determine. The treasurer(s) shall remit each month to the conference treasurer all World Service and conference benevolence funds then on hand. Contributions to benevolence shall not be used for any cause other than that to which they have been given. The church treasurer shall make regular and detailed reports on funds received and expended to the committee on finance and the church council.10 The treasurer(s) shall be adequately bonded.
c) The committee on finance shall establish written financial policies to document the internal controls of the local church. The written financial policies should be reviewed for adequacy and effectiveness annually by the committee on finance and submitted as a report to the charge conference annually.
d) The committee shall make provision for an annual audit of the financial statements of the local church and all its organizations and accounts. The committee shall make a full and complete report to the annual charge conference. A local church audit is defined as an independent evaluation of the financial reports and records and the internal controls of the local church by a qualified person or persons.
The audit shall be conducted for the purpose of reasonably verifying the reliability of financial reporting, determining whether assets are being safeguarded, and determining compliance with local law, local church policies and procedures, and the Book of Discipline.
The audit may include: 1) a review of the cash and investment reconciliations; 2) interviews with the treasurer, financial secretary, pastor(s), finance committee chair, business manager, those who count offerings, church secretary, etc., with inquiries regarding compliance with existing written financial policies and procedures; 3) a review of journal entries and authorized check signers for each checking and investment account; and 4) other procedures requested by the committee on finance.
The audit shall be performed by an audit committee composed of persons unrelated to the persons listed in (2) above or by an independent certified public accountant (CPA), accounting firm, or equivalent.
e) The committee shall recommend to the church council proper depositories for the church’s funds. Funds received shall be deposited promptly in the name of the local church.
f) Contributions designated for specific causes and objects shall be promptly forwarded according to the intent of the donor and shall not be used for any other purpose.11
g) After the budget of the local church has been approved, additional appropriations or changes in the budget must be approved by the church council.
h) The committee shall prepare annually a report to the church council of all designated funds that are separate from the current expense budget.
10. See Judicial Council Decisions 63, 320, 539.
11. See Judicial Council Decisions 976.
From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church – 2016. Copyright 2016 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.

Al-Anon
2024-10-25 19:00 - 21:00, 2024-11-01 19:00 - 20:00
al-anon.org

Frelinghuysen Roadside Cleanup
2024-10-26 08:30 - 09:30

Sunday Worship & Fellowship Time
2024-10-27 10:00 - 11:00
As we walk with Jesus this Sunday, we are reminded of the time a blind man cried out to Jesus on the road, despite many telling him to be quiet. Jesus asked him, “‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” (Mark 10:51, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition).

United Methodist Men
2024-10-29 19:00 - 21:00
The United Methodist Men gather monthly for mutual spiritual support and quarterly service projects for the church and local community.
Contact the main office for details. 908 362 6693

4-H Club
2024-10-30 16:00 - 17:00
Plants Vs. Zombies – Gardening
Accepting members grades K-12, this club focuses on learning how to grow food organically and donates 100% of what is grown to 5 rotating, local food pantries in Blairstown, NJ.
The club meets at our food pantry garden at the Untied Methodist Church, in Blairstown. Meetings are typically held twice per month, March-November. Members are also expected to go independently to the garden with their family once per month to tend to, harvest, and deliver once per month during the growing season. Plants vs Zombies also participates in the Warren County Fair.
Leaders: Lynn Waclawski, Lisa McCann and Julia Ochs
Club meets: Blairstown, NJ
Ages of Members: from grades K-12
The club is not accepting new members at this time. For more information, or to be put on a waiting list, contact Lynn Waclawski at lynnblodnik@yahoo.com.

Clubs

Food Pantry
2024-11-02 09:30 - 11:30
Our food pantry serves 50+ families every month, in coordination with five other local food pantries. For more information, contact the main office. 908 362 6693

Sunday Worship & Fellowship Time
2024-11-03 10:00 - 11:00
On this All Saints Sunday, we celebrate as the scriptures proclaim: “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and be their God; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4, NRSVUE)

Hospital Auxiliary
2024-11-05 10:00 - 11:00
Click here for more info about Newton Medical Center Hospital Auxiliaries
