News
Weekly News – May 16, 2024
First United Methodist Church – Hershey
64 W. Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, PA 17033 717-533-9668 www.firstumchershey.org
This Week
May 18th
7:30-9:30 am First Church Men’s Group – Breakfast
May 19th
8:00 am Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary
10:00 am Blended Worship in the Sanctuary (Live on YouTube channel here)
4:30 - 6 pm Crafters’ Gathering - Room 204
4:30 - 7 pm Senior Night #2 (7-12th Grade)
4:45 pm Serving at Hope Springs Farm for BOND
5:00 pm Discovery Club in Clubhouse
May 20th
10 am – 11 am Visitation with Family of Harry Heath – Overflow Room
11 am – 12 pm Celebration of Life for Harry Heath - Sanctuary
May 21st
6:30 – 8:30 pm Finance Committee Meeting – Upper Overflow Room
May 23rd
6:30–8:30 pm Young Adult Group (ages 18-35)
7 – 8:30 pm Women’s Book Club – Room 204
Passionate Worship Opportunities
Live Streamed Blended Worship The 10:00 am Worship Service is live streamed every week. It is also recorded, so you may watch later at your convenience. Please visit the First UMC YouTube channel here to view the current week’s service as well as all past services.
May 19th - June 2nd - Remember – Remember No More: A Sermon Series Some people travel great distances to find God. Bishop Augustine (354-430) looked for God close to home, in the “vast fields”, “spacious palaces”, and “deep caverns” of his memory. It was a very biblical thing to do. From the first mention of God’s memory in connection with Noah (Genesis 8) to the list of things to be remembered no more in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21) the Bible has much to say about the importance of memory to our faith and discipleship.
Graduate Sunday Recognition On June 2nd, we’ll be blessing and praying for our 2024 graduates at the 10am worship service. If you have a high school or college graduate in your family you’d like us to include at this gathering, then please contact
Radical Hospitality Offerings
Weekly Notes of Encouragement
We invite you to help bring encouragement to our church family members who are homebound or in residential care. Just a simple note saying “thinking of you” or “praying for you” will bring so much joy! This week let’s remember: Claude Swartzbaugh, 203 Cocoa Avenue, Hershey, PA 17033
Intentional Faith Development
May 18th - First Church Men’s Breakfast Group This meeting is the final breakfast until next fall, and we are making it special by inviting all FUMC ladies as our “Ladies Day” guests. The presenter that day will be Rick Schies, Nurse Manager of the memory support neighborhoods at the Masonic Village Health Care Center. Rick is very passionate about his work and very experienced as well, having spent 20+ years working with his patients. His presentation will be Dementia: Understanding the Basics and will consist of identifying the various brain disorders that lead to dementia, some of the common symptoms and behaviors commonly associated with these brain disorders, treatment options, and how individuals can obtain the support they need as they make this journey. All of us will no doubt learn some valuable information that morning. This invitation will require a headcount. The last day for reservations is May 12th.
May 23rd - Woman’s Book Club Emma Hetrick has agreed to be the leader for our next book club. The book Is “Go Tell It On the Mountain” by James Baldwin. We will meet in Room 204 - 7-8:30 pm.
June 7th Mt. Gretna Bible Festival - Friday at 7pm Rev. Dr. Lewis Parks and Rev. Dr. Jennifer Parks-Synder will lead an Ecumenical Service entitled “Not What We Used to Be, But…” at the Mt. Gretna Tabernacle. The music will be led by Dr. Shawn Gingrich.
June 11th - (Tuesday) 7:00 - 8:30 pm Seriously Methodist Biography Group John Wesley kept a journal for the better part of 60 years. Some journals give us glimpses into the soul. Some give us arresting snapshots of the world outside. John Wesley’s journals do both. We will meet in the Upper Overflow Room. Zoom participation will be available. Contact Pastor Lew at for discussion questions and/or Zoom address. The Heart of John Wesley’s Journal, edited by Percy Livingstone Parker (2019). From Amazon: Paperback-$12, Kindle-$1.99
Scuba VBS- July 28th-August 1st A summer kids’ event called Scuba VBS will be hosted at First United Methodist Church from July 28th to August 1st. At Scuba, kids explore what it means to have a friendship with God! Kids participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, play teamwork-building games, devour yummy treats, experience one-of-a-kind Bible adventures, collect Bible Memory Buddies to remind them of God’s love, and test out “sciency”-fun experiments that get imagination bubbling. Plus, kids will learn to look for evidence of God all around them through something called God Sightings. Each day concludes with a Fin-tastic Finale that gets everyone involved in living what they’ve learned. Scuba is for kids from age 3 years old to 5th grade and will run from 6pm to 8:30 pm each day. Contact with any questions and Register here to join us for this fun week!
Risk Taking Missions & Service Opportunities
Clean Up at Our Old Church Cemetery - Volunteers Welcome Friday, May 17, 9:00 a.m. (Rain date Monday, May 20, 9:00 a.m.) FUMC maintains the cemetery behind the old United Brethren Church on Park Ave. It is nicely mowed, but the stones themselves need to be cleaned. The Historic Preservation Committee of the DAR is making plans to clean up the stones using D2, a product approved by Arlington National Cemetery. If you would like to assist, please join and park in the alley behind the former church (not in the tenant parking) and go through the privet bushes. For more information email: or call 717-503-0797
Red Bird Mission 2024 Work Camp Sunday, September 29th - Friday, October 4, 2024. This work camp will be a chance to help others who are less fortunate in the rural areas of Kentucky. To learn more about the many ministries at Red Bird, google Red Bird Mission (workcamp)For more information about this trip, contact Jenny and Wallace Greene717-579-4786 or The cost for adults is $550.00. This includes transportation, food and lodging at the mission. The trip is limited to 12 participants. Clearances of child abuse and a criminal background check will be needed, as there will be an opportunity to work with the students at the school. A $100.00 deposit by the first of April to secure your spot. Scholarships are available. Flyers are available at the information center.
Extravagant Generosity Offerings
Hershey Food Bank The food bank would greatly appreciate donations of the following items: toothpaste, canned spinach, canned mushrooms, and/or 1-, 2- or 3-pound bags of rice. Donated items can be placed in the shopping cart located in the Narthex.
After School Matching Pledge Challenge Currently we have an extravagant generosity pledge to match the pledges donated by the church for the After School Program. Our goal is $50,000 total. So far, we have $14,000 in pledges and donations, and the match will go as high as $25,000. Pledge cards are at the Welcome Center. For any questions about the program contact Cassie McCachren and Nicole Gearhart at .
After School Gift Card Fundraiser Spring is filled with many special occasions. As you celebrate moms, dads, grads and more- earn for the After School Program by shopping with gift cards from RaiseRight. Sign up at https://www.raiseright.com/enroll?enrollCode=1Y99DASZA1WL and buy gift cards right from your computer or phone! New - you can now order Giant gift cards through Raise Right! The After School Program will get a percentage from each purchase! We also have Lowes, Weis, Giant, Chipotle, and Starbucks gift cards for sale in the Narthex after the 10am service. Please contact Cassie at with any questions.
General Announcements
Pastor Jenn on Short Term Sabbatical Leave Beginning April 26th, Pastor Jenn will be on sabbatical leave until June 7th. She is caring for a relative who is undergoing surgery and was approved by SPRC as well as the District Supervisor to take this time off. During this time, please direct all calls and emails to the church office where you will be directed to the proper contact. In case of emergencies, please call Pastor Lew at 717-695-1532. Pastor Lew will have office hours Tuesdays and Thursdays 9am-noon.
Save the Date! Church Picnic & Farewell to Stephen Haverstick Sunday June 2nd 5-8pm Location: Shank Park Attend our annual outdoor church picnic to experience games, fellowship, food, and fun. This year we will use this setting as an opportunity to say farewell to Youth and Young Adult Director Stephen Haverstick and his family who are grateful for their years with us but have been called by God to go a different path. We want to send them forth with our gratitude and blessings. So that we may adequately prepare for the picnic, please RSVP here or sign up at the Welcome Center. Please bring a side dish to share!
Counting Our Blessings During the month of May, we will be collecting notes of appreciation for Stephen Haverstick and his family. Look for special paper and pens in the Narthex. We will also be collecting monetary gifts. Please be sure to make a note in the memo of your check. Gifts will be presented to Stephen in June. Thank you, Kathy Smith, SPRC.
Harry W. Heath - Celebration of Life and Resurrection of Hope A time of visitation will be held on Monday, May 20, from 10:00-11:00 am followed by a Memorial Service at 11:00 am at the First United Methodist Church, 64 West Chocolate Avenue, Hershey. Lunch will follow the service in the Social Hall. Harry will be interred alongside Ruth at the Broadview Cemetery in Hershey. https://www.hooverfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Harry-W-Heath?obId=31245400