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Dear friends in Christ,Greetings and peace to you all! In recent weeks, our church has been richly blessed by the faith witness of the lay members of ESUMC.At the UMC in Austria Annual Conference early last month, ESUMC Church Council chairperson Doreen Ighama (pictured below) gave a stirring sermon about the importance of helping one another grow in faith and love, as a response to God's good will for our lives.Here at ESUMC, our worship services were blessed by the inspired preaching of Tinu Aganga-Williams on Sunday 2 June and George Ackwonu on Sunday 9 June.And on Youth Sunday 23 June, Amelie Haslinger shared a moving reflection about how the loving and welcoming spirit of our congregation has supported her, and reflected God's love for her, even in moments of difficulty.These recent faith witnesses by our lay members reveal the truth that our congregation is blessed with an abundance of God-given spiritual gifts. As we give thanks to those who have shared these gifts in recent weeks, let us also prayerfully reflect on how God may be calling each one of us to share our spiritual gifts with others.This month's newsletter highlights the inauguration of a new Congregational Care Team. As you will read, the purpose of this team is to offer spiritual and practical support to church members who may need our assistance and care.Friends, we all have spiritual gifts to share. Let us follow the example of these recent witnesses, and offer ourselves in love and service to others.Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,Grace and peace to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus, and greetings from Graz!This weekend, pastors and lay leaders from all United Methodist congregations in Austria have gathered here in Graz for the Annual Conference of the UMC in Austria. ESUMC is also represented at this event by Simone Viljoen, our lay delegate to the Annual Conference, and by Doreen Ighama, our Church Council chairperson and member of the UMC in Austria leadership council.It is a blessing for us to represent ESUMC at this national gathering of the United Methodist Church. In the coming weeks, Simone and I will be sharing news and highlights of the conference. We thank you for your prayerful support of this gathering.As you will see below, here at ESUMC in June there are a number of special worship and fellowship events planned, as we celebrate God's love for us and for all God's people. Please join us as we not only open the doors of our church to our community, but also look for ways to take the Spirit of God out of the sanctuary and offer Christian love and care to others who need our support.Finally, join us in worship on Sunday 23 June as we close the Sunday School year and celebrate our graduates. If you or a member of your household has recently graduated (or will soon graduate) from school, university, or other degree program, please contact me with the details. And may I remind our families to register your child(ren) for Vacation Bible School, to be held at church during 22-26 July; see the article below for registration details.May God's blessings and peace be with you all!Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear Friends in Christ,Greetings and peace to you! What a blessing it was to join together in worship this past Sunday to celebrate the music ministry of our congregation on Music Sunday!We give thanks to God for the members and directors of our choirs, our accompanists on the piano and organ, and all who lifted up their voices and spirits in praise and thanksgiving to God. Most especially, we give thanks to God for Marilyn, ESUMC's musical director, for designing and organizing our service of worship.It was also a blessing to see so many of our younger generation in church, taking part in Children's Time and adding their voices to our Sing Out Choir under Deborah's fine direction. We thank you, children and youth, for sharing your faith.As we have mentioned, due to the growing number of children in our Sunday School ministry, we are seeking volunteers to serve as teachers and classrooms assistants. To learn more or to volunteer, please speak with me or our Sunday School coordinator Shelley Brauneis. Thank you for supporting this vital ministry of our church.To the parents of our children and youth, please see the articles below regarding the closing of Sunday School and the celebration of our graduates in June, the dates of Vacation Bible School in July, and an invitation to take part in the UMC of Austria children's and youth week in August (for which the registration date has been extended).May God's blessings and peace be with you!Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,Thank you for your support this past Sunday, as we offered prayer of thanks to our members who have completed a term of church committee service, and installed those members recently elected or re-elected to committee positions. We give thanks to God for all those who serve the ministry of our church, both on Sundays and throughout the week. Please see the article below for more details.As I mentioned during the Sunday service, at present we are seeking volunteers to serve as Sunday School teachers and classroom assistants. In recent months, we have seen our children's participation in Sunday School steadily increase, which is a great blessing. However, we need more adults to help us provide instruction and supervision.Please consider volunteering for this vital ministry. Feel free to speak with me or Shelley Brauneis, our Sunday School coordinator, if you have questions or need more information.We invite you to worship with us this Sunday 21 April as the message shall be given by ESUMC member Daniel Mohr, a UMC Global Mission Fellow serving with the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe. Be aware that Sunday 21 April is the Vienna City Marathon. Some streets in the area of the church will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic. To reach the church, take the U4 to Meidling Hauptstrasse, cross under the Linke Wienzeile, and walk north to Sechshauser Strasse.And join us on Sunday 28 April as we celebrate Music Sunday! ESUMC choirs and special musicians will lead us in a joyful service, based on the theme, "The Presence of the Lord Is in this Place!"Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,Greetings in the name of our risen Lord Jesus Christ, and Happy Easter! I pray that your celebration of the resurrection has been a joyous time of thanksgiving.It was a great blessing to gather in our sanctuary these last few days, as together we commemorated the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. I express my gratitude to all our church members who helped to lead our services of worship, by offering special music or accompaniment, reading the Scripture lessons of the Passion, teaching our children, lifting up prayers, and providing for altar decorations and Holy Communion.With this newsletter we share information on upcoming events and worship services in the life of the community. I pray that our celebration of Easter will newly inspire you to engage in Christian worship and fellowship, and find ways to love and serve others in the name of our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,I pray that God's blessings and peace have been upon you and your loved ones in this holy season of Lent. May this time of repentance and renewal refresh your spirits and remind you of the merciful love of God.Below you will find information and updates regarding our ministry this month. Please allow me to highlight the following:This Sunday, 17 March at 10:30, we will celebrate a special joint worship service with our fellow Christians from the Fünfhaus Gemeinde. Joining us for worship shall be members of the UMC Central Conference Executive Committee who will be meeting in our building during the week. Our guest preacher shall be Bishop Stefan Zürcher, the newly elected bishop for our episcopal area. Special music will be offered by our African Singers and Drummers. We ask ESUMC members and friends to bring finger foods to share during the fellowship hour after worship.On Saturday 23 March, all are invited to participate in "Growing Together: A Study of First Corinthians," a spiritual retreat to bless our Lenten journey, to be led by the Revd Dr. Robert Kinney and sponsored by the ecumenical English-speaking community in Vienna. ESUMC is the host for this event; details can be found below. Registration closes this Sunday 17 March.And during Holy Week, we shall gather for worship at ESUMC as follows:Sunday 24 March at 11:15, Palm Sunday with the procession of the palmsThursday 28 March at 18:30, Maundy Thursday service of Footwashing and Holy CommunionFriday 29 March at 12:30, Ecumenical Good Friday service (at Christ Church Anglican, Jaurèsgasse 17-19, 1030 Vienna)Friday 29 March at 17:30, Good Friday serviceSaturday 30 March at 20:00, lighting of the Holy Fire in the church courtyardSunday 31 March at 11:15, Easter Sunday service of Holy CommunionJoin us for worship in this holy season, and may the peace of Christ be with you all.Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,In this season of Lenten prayer and repentance, I pray that you and your loved ones are well and blessed.As you will note in this newsletter, the month of March is filled with a number of special worship services and congregational events.In worship on Sunday 10 March, we will hear the word of God preached by our District Superintendent, Pastor Stefan Schröckenfuchs of the Fünfhaus Gemeinde. Following worship, Pastor Stefan will lead us in our Charge Conference, the annual meeting of the congregation, to which all are invited.The following Sunday, 17 March at 10:30, we will celebrate a special joint worship service with our fellow Christians from the Fünfhaus Gemeinde. Joining us for worship shall be members of the UMC Central Conference Executive Committee who will be meeting in our building during the week. Our guest preacher shall be Bishop Stefan Zürcher, the newly elected bishop for our episcopal area. We ask ESUMC members and friends to bring a finger food to share during the fellowship hour after worship.On Saturday 23 March, all are invited to participate in "Growing Together: A Study of First Corinthians," a spiritual retreat to bless our Lenten journey, to be led by the Revd Dr. Robert Kinney and sponsored by the ecumenical English-speaking community in Vienna. ESUMC is the host for this event; details can be found below.Following the celebration of Palm Sunday on 24 March, the month concludes with Holy Week: solemn services of worship on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, culminating in the celebration of Jesus' resurrection on Easter Sunday 31 March.I warmly invite you to participate in these worship services and events throughout the month. In the meantime, may God bless you and your loved ones as you continue your Lenten journey. I pray that your spiritual disciplines in this season--fasting, Scripture reading, prayer--shall bring you closer into communion with God, who has pledged to be with us and never forsake us. May this truth give us assurance and hope, and the courage to confess our sins and receive God's great gifts of forgiveness and salvation.Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,Greetings and peace to you all! Thank you for your prayers during my recent travels to Colombia to lead a gathering of United Methodist missionaries. We give our thanks to Jerry Barton for preaching and leading worship on Sunday 4 February.This past Saturday, nearly 40 members of ESUMC gathered for an evening of joyful fellowship at our annual Talent Show. We give thanks to Marilyn for leading the choir in song (see photo below) and organizing the evening, and to all who participated and brought refreshments to share.Tomorrow evening our observance of the Lenten season begins with our Ash Wednesday service of worship at 18:30 in the sanctuary. Join us for a solemn service of prayer and repentance, as we receive the mark of the ashes on the forehead.Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,Greetings from Bogota, Colombia! As a missionary of our United Methodist Church, over the past few years I have had the reponsibility and blessing of helping to organize and lead gatherings of my fellow missionaries serving in different regions around the world.In 2023, two such gatherings were held, in Mozambique and Cambodia. In recent days, missionaries serving in Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East have gathered in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, for a week of worship, fellowship, renewal, and small group discussion. We give thanks to God for the 36 missionaries, plus their family members, who have come together for this time of spiritual growth. Please keep me and my fellow missionaires in your prayers.We give thanks to God for Jerry Barton, who will preach and lead worship at ESUMC on Sunday 4 February. I will return to Vienna on Saturday 10 February, just in time for our congregational Talent Show! (See below for more information, please bring a finger food to share, and be in touch with Marilyn if you wish to share a talent during the evening.) As a reminder, Holy Commuion will be celebrated on Sunday 11 February. Our observation of Lent begins with a service of worship on Ash Wednesday 14 February at 18:30.Below please find articles and highlights about upcoming worship and fellowship events. I pray God's blessings on you and your loved ones, and look forward to seeing you upon my return to Vienna.Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,I pray that you and your loved ones are well, and that the new year has started with blessings.In this brief mid-month update, we share news from our Wärmestube ministry, details of worship services in this season after Epiphany, and information about upcoming special fellowship events for our community members, young and old alike!Along with planning worship and fellowship events, our leadership team is also preparing our church budget for 2024, based on your Estimate of Giving pledges. We are thankful for the 27 church members and friends who have already offered their prayerful financial support for our ministry.If you have not yet submitted your Estimate of Giving for 2024, we kindly ask that you do so by the end of January. You may pick up a form in the fellowship area in church, or make your statement of support online via this dedicated link:ESUMC 2024 Estimate of Giving FormMay God's blessings and peace be with you in this new year!Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,I wish you a happy and blessed new year! It has been a joy to gather with you in the last weeks as we have prepared for and celebrated the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to all who made our Advent and Christmas services such a blessed time of worship.And I pray that the start of the new year finds you and your loved ones in good health and Christian spirit. May God continue to bless you in this new year, as together we recommit ourselves to a new year of loving and serving God and others.In this month's newsletter, you will find articles about ongoing and new ministry programs in the community, including ways in which we shall strive to fulfill our commitment to Creation Care. We thank you for your support of these initiatives, and your feedback and encouragement is always welcome.Lastly, we give thanks to all who have pledged your financial, volunteer, and prayerful support for our ministry in 2024. As of the start of January, a total of 23 Estimate of Giving forms have been received from members and friends of ESUMC. We thank you all for your continued support of our ministry. Based on your levels of giving, our Finance Committee shall draw up a church budget for 2024.If you have not yet submitted your Estimate of Giving for 2024, you may pick up a form in the fellowship area in church, or make your statement of support online via this dedicated link:ESUMC 2024 Estimate of Giving FormMay God's blessings and peace be upon you all in this new year of worship, praise, and service!Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,As we continue in this Advent season of watching and preparing for the coming of Christ, I pray God's blessings and peace upon you and your loved ones.It was a joy to witness the children and youth of our congregation celebrate the true meaning of Christmas during their presentation last Sunday. We thank all of the children and youth who participated in spite of the illnesses that forced a last minute change to the program. And we offer our thanks to Shelley and the Sunday School team for their spirited and joyful leadership, and to Marilyn and Deborah for their blessed musical direction.Join us for worship this Sunday at 11:15 for a special Service of Lessons and Carols. And I look forward to seeing you for our two servcies on Sunday 24 December: at 11:15 for our Fourth Sunday of Advent worship serviceat 18:00 for our Christmas Eve service of candle lighting and Holy Communion.Lastly, we encourage you to submit your Estimate of Giving for 2024 by the end of December. You may pick up a form in the fellowship area in church, or make your statement of support online via this dedicated link:ESUMC 2024 Estimate of Giving FormMay God's peace be upon you, as we remain alert for the coming of Christ.Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,Blessings and peace to you! As we enter into the holy season of Advent, I encourage you to prepare your hearts and minds for the coming of our Lord Jesus, the light of the world, born in the city of David.In this newsletter, you will find a listing of the special services of worship in the coming weeks, including our Children's Christmas Pageant, a Service of Lesson and Carols, and our Christmas Eve service of candle lighting and Holy Communion. And please mark the date of Saturday 9 December; from 14:00 to 17:00, the children shall hold their final rehearsal for the Christmas pageant, and all are welcome to help us decorate our Christmas tree in the sanctuary.On our Events page below, you will also find details of the holiday bazaars sponsored by Christ Church Vienna and the UN Women's Guild.I also want to thank those of you who have already submitted your Estimate of Giving form for 2024. We are thankful for the financial and spiritual commitment you have made to support our congregation in the coming year.If you have not yet submitted your Estimate of Giving for 2024, you may pick up a form in the fellowship area in church, or make your statement of support online via this dedicated link:ESUMC 2024 Estimate of Giving FormI give you thanks for your faithful support of ESUMC, and pray God's blessings upon you and your loved ones in this holy season.Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Dear friends in Christ,I pray God's blessings on you and your loved ones in this fall season. This month we are giving thanks to God for all the gifts God has given us, and listening for ways in which God is calling us to use these gifts for the building up of God's kingdom, and for the good of others.As noted in the article below, the Finance Committee is actively working towards preparing a church budget for 2024. To assist in planning, the committee invites ESUMC members and friends to complete an Estimate of Giving form, to indicate your level of support for the ministry of our church in 2024. Forms will be available in church on Sundays, or you may simply follow the link below to complete the form electronically.ESUMC 2024 Estimate of Giving FormIn either case, your form shall be handled confidentially and with appreciation. If ever you have questions regarding the finances of ESUMC, you are welcome to speak with Delia Viljoen, ESUMC Finance Committee Chair; Franz Haslinger, ESUMC Treasurer; or with me at any time.We thank you for your support, and pray God's blessings on you.Yours in Christ, Pastor John

Please note: This newsletter has been updated with an article that was inadvertently omitted from the original November 2023 newsletter. Thanks for your understanding! Pastor JohnDear friends in Christ,Greetings and peace to you! It was such a blessing to gather in worship on Sunday to celebrate our annual Harvest Festival. Members and friends representing nations around the globe joined us for a service of music and song and dance, Scripture reading and prayer, and the giving of our offerings in support of God's mission in the world. We offer a special thanks to Marilyn Brandl for organizing and leading the music for the day, to John Kojo Ampia-Addison and our African Singers and Drummers for their spirited musical offerings, and to Lorraine Welch-Haslinger and Franz Haslinger for their leadership in decorating the altar and arranging our worship and fellowship space. We thank God for all our volunteers who made the day such a blessing.Looking ahead, November is Stewardship Month at ESUMC. Throughout the month, we will be reminded of the many gifts and talents we have received, and how God is calling us to share our talents with others, to God's glory. I invite you to read Delia's article below, participate in our "coin collection" this month, and prepare to make your annual Estimate of Giving in support of ESUMC in 2024.Also below you shall find articles on upcoming events for our young families and young adults, an update on our commitment to creation care, and other news from the congregation.May God's blessing and peace be with you!Yours in Christ, Pastor John