Today we got to sing happy birthday to our friend and congregation member Meredith Nielsen on her special day. We all love her. She has been a member of the Bluff Point United Methodist Church her entire life. Article by Joyce L. Wiedrich 07-17-2025 Our lesson and this warm summer day was taken from 2 Kings 5: 1-14. Pastor Jeannine told us about Naaman, a leader of the Syrian army, who was powerful and well respected. He was afflicted with leprosy. A servant girl messenger was sent to tell Naaman to go wash himself in the Jordan River seven times, and his flesh would be healed. He went to the King who told him he couldn’t help him, but sent him to see Elisha. He was again told to bathe in the Jordan River. First, he wouldn’t do it. Was this because of a lack of faith? After finally bathing in the Jordan seven times he was completely healed and his skin was restored. He should have listened to the command! Our lesson is that only God can give us what we need, and not necessarily what we want or when we want it. Miracles will happen. We need to have faith in our faith, and dip into the Bible. Pastor Jeannine told us a story about Muhammad Ali. One time he was on a plane and told to put on a seatbelt- his retort to the stewardess was that Superman did not need a seatbelt. The stewardess quipped back that Superman didn’t need a plane either. She shared with us that she and her husband, Phil have lived in their home for many years. It’s taken them years to redo their house. Some people want a brand new house when they buy their first house, and want everything new in it. It usually takes years for one to accomplish this- we need to be comfortable with what we have and where we are in life. School is out- remember to watch for the kids on the streets that are outside playing and riding their bikes. We’ve enjoyed having several visitors who are vacationing in the area this summer. We hope they will come back and that others will come and join us whenever they can, at our 9 AM Sunday services. All are welcome.

The church was filled on music Sunday! Nice to have several visitors with us! What a wonderful celebration of music! Article by Joyce L. Wiedrich 07-10-2025 Our months with five Sundays are ones where we celebrate music Sunday. Ron and Marguerite Miller do a fantastic job putting this event together. Thanks to Kaylee Will for a beautiful piano solo, our adult choir for three patriotic numbers to celebrate the Fourth of July, and our kids choir where Charlotte Tones, Violette Tones, and Meridyn Whitford sang several numbers. They were joined with several other kids with the choir’s last song, When the Saints come Marching In, following Pastor Jeannine around the sanctuary as a marching band! Kerry McLaughlin also performed a special piano solo during the service. Ron Miller played a jivey number, The Wayfaring Stranger. Michele Covert read a poem by Blanche Fingar, our inspirational poet. It was a very patriotic poem, entitled, Born in America. Blanche recalled how proud she is to be an American, where we can live and be free, even though we may not always politically agree, we live in the best country there is! Thanks, Blanche for always being able to put your thoughts into words. We are so lucky to have such talent in our little church, and so glad when others can join us to participate and enjoy. Congratulations to Chris and Stacy Wyant, who will be receiving Keuka College’s Donald and Corinne Stork award for 2025 for exemplary community service. They will be receiving this on August 12 during a luncheon at the college.

Joyce Wiedrich presented the Lee Wiedrich memorial scholarships this year to our Madelyn Mosch and Emmaleigh Stempien. Congratulations ladies! Article by Joyce L. Wiedrich 07-03-2025 Happy summer! Today ended up being recognition Sunday at Bluff Point United Methodist Church. Marguerite Miller thanked all of the volunteers that have helped this year with Sunday school and nursery. She also was recognized for coordinating all of the efforts with our children. Their children received Seneca Farms gift cards for participating this year. A good day for ice cream! Dick Smith gave us an overview of Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity was started nationally in 1976. It is the 10th largest housing organization in the country and was begun in Americus Georgia. Many people think Jimmy Carter started it. He participated in it through his 90s but was not the founder. The Penn Yan Habitat for Humanity was started in 1989. 25 homes have been completed in Yates County, to date. People wanting these homes have to fulfill many criteria to be selected for a home. They also have to put in hundreds of hours of sweat equity, as well as meet a need. The mortgage ends up being interest free. Many organizations donate items, including Whirlpool, which donates a refrigerator and range to each habitat home. There are many other areas of corporate support. Next week we will be passing the bucket for Habitat for Humanity at church. What a worthwhile organization! Joyce Wiedrich gave scholarships to two college students this year from a fund set up in her brother Lee Wiedrich’s memory. This year the scholarships were given to Madelyn Mosch and Emmaleigh Stempien. Both ladies gave a short synopsis of their college-based goals. Congratulations ladies on a job well done this year. The sermon this week and scripture were from Luke 8: 26-39. Pastor Jeannine told us how Jesus met a demon, Legion. Legion wanted nothing to do with God- Legion was dangerous and wild, and possessed by many demons. God had been very fearful to him. The passage shows that Legion was healed and began hanging out with Jesus. Some of us may be like Legion. We all need God, but sometimes we hide and think we can do things on our own without his help. Pastor Jeannine used an analogy of a lost hubcap. Someone put a sign on a hubcap on the road, please find me. Jesus needs to come looking for us and he is waiting. Many of us have signed up for a ride on the Erie Canal on July 16. We will be going through at least one lock. This year is the 200th anniversary of the Erie canal, which was fundamental in the establishment and prosperity of many towns along its path. Thanks, Ron Miller, for setting this up for us. Happy summer. Be careful of the kids out and about if school is out for summer vacation. Church is not out for the summer though- please come and visit us at 9 AM for our services. All are welcome.

The girls pot flowers and make cards for their dad for Father’s Day. Article by Joyce L. Wiedrich 06-26-2025 Pastor Jeannine explained to us in her sermon how Paul’s letter to the Romans described Jesus’s amazing work on the cross. She showed how Christ’s work can change a person’s life. We can have peace in our lives. Paul gives us a picture of how we can have peace and hope in the midst of life’s worse difficulties. He stayed with us when we were a gossiper. He stayed with us when we were an addict. He stayed with us when we were a criminal. He stayed with us when we were selfish, when we didn’t help the poor, and when we were a bully. He stayed with us when we were broken, when we were defiant, when we were apathetic. He’s with us all the time, in good and bad times! God cares for us and loves all of us unconditionally. Pastor Jeannine showed the children her pearls. She asked them if they knew how a pearl was made and explained to them that a pearl starts out as a piece of sand. The oyster is irritated by the piece of sand and secretes a substance around the piece of sand to deal with the discomfort, forming over time a beautiful pearl! We have many things in our lives that are difficult, and God shows us a way to deal with the adversity in difficulties in our life to make good. Congratulations to Ron Miller who will be receiving the Sharing the Light Award for all of the diligence and work that he has done for the Hope Walk and so many other things in our community. The kids learned in Sunday school how we deal with adversity to make good in our lives. They also made belief necklaces for themselves, and filled pots with annual flowers for their dads for Father’s Day, along with making cards to give their dads. Don’t forget music Sunday coming up! Our fifth Sundays are filled with music and joy. Come and join us.

Grady Bray is sporting his shirt with flames as wife Marjorie looks on, for Pentecost Sunday! Article by Joyce L. Wiedrich 06-19-2025 Pentecost – it sounded like a rush of wind with divided tongues with thousands speaking in many languages. It reminded Pastor Jeannine of Central Park, where the air was sweet. A parade was going on and people in the park were also speaking in many tongues. The Bible in Acts 2: 1-21 tells of many people coming to Jerusalem to join in a special celebration from all over the area. The disciples were in the Upper Room. The Holy Spirit had come with wind and fire. Jesus had told the disciples that the Holy Spirit was coming. God was uniting all into one family. The excitement of Pentecost, the birthday of the church! Everyone was excited, as was Pastor Jeannine‘s granddaughter when she recently had an ice cream cake for her second birthday! Don’t forget music Sunday on Sunday, June 29. Bring a friend, bring a neighbor, bring a grandparent! It is always special. The kids have also been practicing a few numbers for the occasion. Other things to mark on the calendar: our church picnic will be at Climbing Bines on August 10. We will have a children’s carnival for kids age four through 12 on August 27 from 9 to 12. They’ll be a lot of different stations with activities and opportunities to learn about Jesus. More information coming as the date gets closer. Come join us at 9 AM on Sundays. Everyone is welcome.

Look at these Cross Sun catchers that Toni brought for the kids to paint and make in Sunday school - aren’t they sweet? Article by Joyce L. Wiedrich 06-12-2025 This past Sunday was Ascension Sunday. Pastor Jeannine told the kids how Jesus had returned to earth and was explaining to the disciples that he was going back up to heaven. Jesus was on the Mount of Olives with the disciples 40 days after his death. This must have been an amazing occurrence since they all knew that Jesus had died, for the disciples once again to see Jesus on earth. Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father. What a gift for us! Jesus’s kingdom is based on love, new life, and the Holy Spirit. Pastor Jeannine recalled a story from the movie UP where a man had his house lifted up by helium balloons because he wanted to see his wife who was in heaven. Even though we would love to meet and be with Jesus, we need to be excited that he is in heaven and he has prepared a place for us. Don’t forget that June 29 is Music Sunday! Please let Ron Miller know if you wish to participate by reading a poem, singing, or playing an instrument. Music Sundays are always special and filled with hymns and music. The kids have been practicing several numbers too. We have Music Sunday every fifth Sunday of each month that has five Sundays. All are welcome!

Pastor Jeannine tells the children about the true meaning of Memorial Day. Article by Joyce L. Wiedrich 06-05-2025 Pastor Jeannine told the children how men and women bravely fought for us and our freedoms in the United States. Jesus also fought for us, for our sins. Jesus gave his life up for our souls. Memorial Day was made a national holiday May 30, 1971. The birthplace of Memorial Day is nearby Waterloo, New York. In Pastor Jeannine’s sermon she told that the traditions of decorating graves of the Civil War dead began in 1868, after the Civil War. Pastor Jeannine explained that Memorial Day is so much more than a barbecue. We have a free strong nation worth fighting for, where we can freely preach God‘s word. Heroic acts on the battlefield have made our country what it is today. Every Sunday is a Memorial Day for Christians. Michele Covert read a poem by Blanche Fingar entitled Memorial Day. We are so fortunate to have Blanche as our poet! Thank you, Linda and Mike Folts for tasty treats after our service. Welcome back Leah Dibble. We know you have enjoyed the sunny south this winter but now it’s great to have you back on Keuka Lake! Many of us enjoyed the patriotic service and Memorial Day parade in Dresden on Memorial Day, with a chicken barbecue at our sister church, Dresden United Methodist Church. It was a beautiful sunny day!

Pastor Jeannine spoke to the children today about being prepared- for cold, for sun, and for rain, as Jesus prepared the disciples for what was going to happen. Article by Joyce L. Wiedrich 05-29-2025 Whether it be sunny, cold, or raining, it’s important for us to be prepared. Pastor Jeannine put on some sunglasses and got out her rain umbrella, showing the children how to be prepared for different conditions. Jesus tried to prepare the disciples for his death. He told them that he loved them, and that he would be back. Pastor Jeannine reminded us of the song by Tina Turner, What’s Love got to do with It? Love is the center of everything. Jesus ministered to the unwanted, he loved the unlovable, he came to serve, not to judge others. Pastor Jeannine explained to us that sometimes we need practice to love one another as Jesus has loved us. Before Jesus died, he washed the feet of many. Jesus loved us, he healed us, he fed us, and he died for us. We need to love just as he did- it’s not a negotiable command. Prayers for the family of Matt Davison who recently passed away. Many of us in the congregation knew him well. Thank you, Marilyn Sands and Christie Mosch for your tasty fellowship treats after our service! Welcome back travelers!! The Stempiens and the Wyants recently returned from exciting journeys. Many of our snowbirds are also returning back to us! So good to see them! .

Everyone is welcome at Bluff Point United Methodist Church! Article by Joyce L. Wiedrich 05-22-2025 Our Bible lesson today was from John 10: 22-30. It sees Jesus in the temple for Hanukkah in December. The father and I are one! Is Jesus relevant today? Pastor Jeannine recalled a television commercial for a cellular company showing a Shepherd in his field making a cell phone call. Jesus is always our good Shepherd and we are his sheep. Jesus deals with our 21st-century problems as much as he did back when he was alive. Jesus wants us to love. There’s no cause for hate. We are all Jesus‘s of the 21st-century. Jesus tells us not to listen to the voices of the world, but to listen to him. For her sermon, Pastor Jeannine looked at Mother’s Day. Some of us did not have a great relationship with our mothers. Many of us did. A mother’s love turns the other cheek when things don’t go right with relationships. Remember the United Methodist annual conference is Thursday through Saturday May 22-24. All are welcome to attend. We are also invited to the Memorial Day celebration and chicken barbecue at Dresden United Methodist Church on Monday, May 26 at 11:00am, Memorial Day. It was nice to see so many visitors in church for Mother’s Day. Pastor Jeannine gave all the women a gift to celebrate the day. We also had a yummy cake and fruit and coffee after service. Thanks to the 10 people that helped do the road clean up last week. We have a 2 mile stretch and 54 that we tidy up at least twice a year as one of our church missions The rain held off and we got it done! Thanks to Dick Smith for gathering our supplies into Jean Murdock for driving the road while we picked up trash, bringing supplies and keeping an eye on us.