Church Picnic
Don’t forget our church picnic next Sunday, September 17th following worship! We’ll be enjoying food, fun and fellowship at Tabor Pond. Bring a dish to share! For more details contact the church office at 973-627-4243 or [email protected]
The next Food Drive is Sunday, September 24th from 10am-noon.
Hunger doesn’t take a vacation!
Visit the IFFP website for a current list of the most-needed items at the moment (scroll down the page): Interfaith Food Pantry current needs
Holy Ravioli Fundraiser
Enjoy delicious homemade ravioli and sauces while supporting the church! Orders are due in the office by September 17th, and can be picked up (frozen) on Thursday, September 28th at the church from 4-6pm.
Saying Goodbye…
On June 11th Pastor Rosario performed her last service with us before her retirement. We sent her off with a musical celebration including handbells, kazoos, accordian music and lots of food and fellowship. We are so very grateful for her hard work and time with our church. Pastor Rosario joined us in a time of flux; we were also in the midst of a global pandemic which required many changes and much flexibility in the way we worship. She rose to the challenge and we are a stronger community for it!
We wish her a happy retirement and best wishes for her & Alma moving forward into this new chapter.
…and Hello!
Bishop John R. Schol has appointed Jeannette Zajac as the new pastor of our congregation. Rev. Jeannette Zajac will begin her responsibilities on July 1st of this year.
Pastor Jeannette is no stranger to Mount Tabor, as she served as an Associate and Youth Pastor for several years under both Pastors Amanda and Rosario. Welcome back, Jeannette!
Make a Joyful Noise!
Our Handbell Choir is in full RING!!! We performed at Pastor Rosario’s farewell service on Sunday, June 11th. (Enjoy our January 8th performance below!) The bell choir is open to anyone ages 8 and up. No knowledge of music necessary – just an interest and ability to commit to one rehearsal per week (Wednesday evenings). Contact the church for more details: 973-627-4243 or email [email protected]
Valentine’s Ministry
Our Valentine’s Ministry reached over 100 people this year, thanks to the generous and creative cardmaking by our members. What a wonderful occasion to spread God’s love and joy! Cards were donated to the homebound and to local care facilities.
Tour of the Food Pantry
This January a group of UMC volunteers visited the Interfaith Food Pantry in Morris Plains to get a behind-the-scenes look at what happens to donations after our monthly food drives. These drives are part of our outreach mission to spread God’s love to the larger community. We were given a tour of the operation – including the sorting area, the warehouse and the “grocery,” which stocks everything from diapers to desserts.
When food donations come in, volunteers check expiration dates and sort into various categories. This is what we helped with…nearly 1,700 pounds of canned goods that morning alone! Then the items go into the warehouse to be pulled and stocked on the grocery shelves as needed for any of the 20 or so distribution days per month.
The pantry currently serves approximately 2,400 families, along with thousands of individuals, who may shop at the pantry once per month. It also serves local senior living communities, home-bound consumers and even some County College of Morris students. The need has increased exponentially due to Covid-19, according to Jayne Wenner, Volunteer Coordinator. Inflation has also made it much harder to put food on the table. Jayne says it’s fairly easy to fill the demand in the holiday season – November and December – as the community is in a giving mood. (Approximately 2,100 turkeys were donated in November alone!) It’s much more challenging during the rest of the year, especially in the summer months. What most people don’t realize is that food insecurity is a year-round issue for many families. For a list of most-needed items – including peanut butter, baby foods, pet foods and hearty soups – see their website.
In addition to food, Interfaith Food Pantry provides nutrition education and access to essential community resources. Their on-site kitchen has been used in the past for cooking classes – check out their YouTube channel – and they hope to be able to offer those in-person again soon.
Look for more volunteer opportunities in the months ahead.
Thank you!!!
Thanks to you we donated nearly 3,000 pounds of food and over $1,300 to the Interfaith Food Pantry in 2022! Your generosity made a difference to so many families – thank you!
Cookie Swap
Our UMC @ Mt. Tabor mission team assembled recently to spread some Christmas cheer! Lots of busy elves baked, wrapped and delivered cookies to our community.
CHRISTMAS GIFT DRIVE: Angel Tree
Thanks to your generosity, residents of the Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter were able to shop for gifts for their families.
Red Scarf Project
Thanks to all our crafty friends we were able to send 15 scarves to “Foster Care to Success” for upcoming Valentine care packages. Students will be blessed with warm hugs from NJ! Foster Care to Success is the oldest and largest national nonprofit organization working solely with college-bound foster youth, helping them graduate from college and transition to the workforce and into successful adulthood.
Garden of Peace Ceremony
OUR BEAUTIFUL GARDEN OF PEACE was the tranquil venue for a remembrance ceremony on June 12, 2022.
Consider reserving a section of the garden for yourself or a loved one, knowing you or they are in a serene place overseen by church trustees committed to the garden’s preservation. Please see the dedicated tab above for more details about our special remembrance garden, more photos, and a video of the June 12th ceremony.