Oct-Nov-Dec 2017

Volume 5, Issue 2 The Banner

Woodycrest United Methodist Church
89 West 166th Street, Bronx N.Y. 10452
Rev. Elizabeth C. Abel, Pastor

On Our Way
Luke 10:2-3a (NRSV) 2 He said to them, The harvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers
Woodycrest United into his harvest. 3 Go on your way.
Methodist Church
Grace and peace family and friends of Woodycrest United Methodist Church.
1910-2012
1910-2017 It is my honor and a great pleasure to serve you this year, my second year of
appointment and the 107th year of ministry of this great church.
The Little Church With a
Big Heart Our history tells us that the development of a Methodist church and Church
school was the last request of Ms. Elizabeth Worrell Jones. By the efforts of
her husband Joseph Harris Jones, a close friend of the family, Rev. David W.
Couch, and Rev. Jacob Price, the pastor of the Washington Heights Church,
Woodycrest was Chartered on August 5, 1910. From the beginning we had a
107 th
heart for service and learning and that tradition continues today, through
Anniversary ministries like our soup kitchen, The Bread Basket. We hope to inspire all who
come through our doors and treat each person as a child of God.

Our theme for this celebration of 107 years is On Our Way! Just as Jesus
appointed the 70 disciples to go out two by two, we have been sent to this
Inside this issue: community for the harvest is plentiful, and the laborers are few. Therefore, we
have much work to do. This year we are returning to having full time pastoral
Celebratory 2
Events leadership, therefore, we are exploring new and creative ways to build and
foster relationships, nurture each other and our community, while sharing and
Community 3 spreading the Gospel.
Engagement
We have been commissioned to develop a Cooperative Parish with Epworth
Membership 4 United Methodist Church to focus in the areas of Youth and Children,
Spotlight
Longitudinal Health and Wellness, Worship and Mission with a community
focus. We are examining the needs of our surrounding community to create a
Childrens 5 dynamic ministry that will serve the needs of our neighbors and make
Corner
Disciples of Jesus Christ. We need all hands on deck because the harvest is
Health and 6 plentiful. But it does not stop or even start there. Before we go out, we must
Wellness nurture ourselves and strengthen our relationship with God. Therefore, we are
Upcoming Events 7 learning the bible and praising God through worship and service so that we
might grow in our own Christian journey.

Calendar of Events 8 Pastor Liz

May we shout for joy over your victory, and in the name of God set up our banners! Psalm 20:5
 The BannerWoodycrest United Methodist Church, Bronx N.Y Page 2

CELEBRATORY EVENTS

Friends and family from near and far assembled at

Woodycrest on Sunday September 17 for our
annual Friends and Family Day and the launch of
the 107th Anniversary Celebration. We were
blessed with vibrant music from the Praise and
Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton, Pastor Elizabeth Worship team led by Sis. Bertha Burke. The
Abel children gave a powerful rendition of the song:
GLOWrious. Sis. Juget Benjamin delivered her
Pastor Elizabeth Abel was commissioned as a original work: Here We Are - an inspiring message
Provisional Elder at the New York Annual of hope and resilience. After the worship service,
Conference on June 9, 2017. The occasion everyone gathered in the fellowship hall for a
marked a major accomplishment for Pastor delicious lunch. The children were outside on the
Abel and reaffirmed her calling and lawn for a fun afternoon of sports and games.
commitment to ministry. For the occasion
Pastor Abel was supported by her mother Rev.
Estelle Abel, mentors and Woodycrest family.
Pastor Abel has full time appointment at
Woodycrest and she is focused on building
vibrant ministries and stewardship. There will
be a primary focus on leadership development
and recruitment, providing more
opportunities for Christian education: bible
study and prayer line and building new
ministries for children and youth. She is also
motivated to develop meaningful community
engagement initiatives so that Woodycrest can
continue to increase its mission and service to
the Highbridge community and beyond.

And we know in all things God works

for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his
purpose. Romans 8:28
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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND

CLERGY WORKING TOGETHER
Rev. Morais Quissico (Epworth UMC)
and Rev. Elizabeth Abel (Woodycrest
UMC) meeting with the New York Police
Commissioner James ONeil and NYPD
44th Precinct Commanding Officer
Inspector Martine N. Materasso. June
5th 2017. Representatives from the
police department and the Bronx Clergy
Coalition met to discuss community
safety in the Bronx and NYC at large.

BREAD BASKETSERVICING THE NEEDS OF OUR

COMMUNITY
DAY OF OUTREACH
The Bread Basket (Soup Kitchen) Ministry
continues to be a blessing to the community by not
only feeding them a home-cooked meal but also
offering support services on health and wellness.
On Wednesday, July 19, 2017 the Bread Basket
sponsored a Day of Outreach. The Bronx Lebanon
Outreach Mobile Van came and did blood pressure,
glucose, and Hepatitis C testing. More than 35
persons were screened. BOOM! Health also
participated and provided HIV Screening.

NEW PARTNERSHIP
The Bread Basket will be partnering with West Side
Campaign Against Hunger to set up a mobile
pantry that will begin in November 2017. This is a
supermarket-style food pantry that allows
customers to choose the food that is important for
their families. This program aims to bring healthy
and nutritious food options in areas of the inner
city that have long been known to be deficient in
healthy food choices. Each customer is given a
food card based on the size of the family. The card
lists the amount of fruits, vegetables, dairy, protein
and cereal allowed per customer. West Side
Campaign Against Hunger was established in 1993
and has served over 100,000 customers over the
years.
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MEMBERSHIP SPOTLIGHT
BLESSINGS FROM HEAVEN
I remember a member of the church I attend asked
me why I tithed when I wasn't in attendance the
Sunday prior. I felt it my responsibility to share with
her that tithing is a privilege that allows me the
opportunity to show my gratitude and love to the
Lord, to which I know he is well pleased. That it is a
demonstration of faith, gratitude, and humble
obedience.
It's always good to remind ourselves that everything
we have belongs to God, we are merely giving back
one-tenth of what God has already given us. That the
funds are spent to build and maintain houses of
worship, to conduct worldwide missionary work, to
translate and publish scripture, to assist the poor and
needy, to provide protection from costly catastrophes.
For me tithing has aided in my continuing spiritual
development and growth, it has opened up different
opportunities, built wholesome friendships, have
assisted me in feeling the influence of the Holy Spirit
in my life through obedience! Why do I tithe? Pull up
a chair...Glory be to God.

WANDERING FROM THE WORD

What does the Bible mean to you? It has been said
time and time again and emphasized that it should be
read every day because believers cannot be spiritually
successful or victorious without it. For me, it's God's
instructional manual for living and is like the Father's
diagram of Himself.
In it He teaches believers who He is, what He thinks,
and how He acts. Some instead of treating God's Word
like a manual to live by, open it when they are in trouble
or glance at it only when they aren't sure what to do
next. It's very simple-If a person wants to be righteous,
he or she must comply with scriptural principles, and
the only way to know what those principles are is to
read, study, and meditate upon God's Word.
God's Word is our most valuable possession and
among the Bible's riches are stories teaching us how to
serve the Lord and principles about pleasing Him. Glory
be to God for giving us a wealth of instruction for
building a righteous and meaningful life!
Dana Jackson
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CHILDRENS CORNER
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2017

Theme: Let your light shine

before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify
your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 (KJV)

Vacation Bible school was held every

Sunday in July 2017. We used the
program GLOW for Jesus (UMC
Sponsored). The participants were
divided into two groups: Sunbeams
(Ages 2-7) and Shining Lights (7-12).
The children studied stories of key
figures of the bible such as Ruth,
Moses, Paul and Silas who through
their actions and purpose shined their
light on others. For each session we
also had a focus on African-American
history and African-American
inventors. We had many opportunities
for arts and crafts and games. VBS
came to a grand end on the 5th Sunday
where the VBS participants took an
active part in leading the worship.
VBS was a success and allowed full
engagement of all of our children.
 The BannerWoodycrest United Methodist Church, Bronx N.Y
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in
American women. The chance of developing breast
cancer in a womans lifetime is 1:8. Over the years the
death rate from breast cancer has fallen significantly
due to early detection and advances in therapy. There
are certain risk factors that increase the risk for breast
cancer:
Age - Breast cancer increases with age and most are
found in women greater that 55 years.
Family HistoryHaving a first-degree relative
(mother, sister daughter) may double the risk. If a
father or brother has breast cancer the risk increases
by 3-fold
Personal History - Being diagnosed with cancer in
one breast increases the likelihood of developing
cancer in the other breast or another location in the
same breast.
Race/Ethnicity - African-American women are
more likely to die from breast cancer. In women
younger than 45 years, breast cancer is more common
in black women.
Early Menstruation - Increase risk of cancer may
be due to longer lifetime exposure to hormones such
as estrogen.
Late Menopause: Women who reach menopause
after 55 years have a higher risk possible due to long-
term exposure to estrogen and progesterone.
Dense Breasts: Individuals with dense breasts have
more fibrous tissue and less fatty tissue and have an
almost 2-fold risk of cancer
Radiation to chest Wall - Prior history of
radiation to the treat for treatment of certain cancers
may predispose to the development of breast cancer
later in life.
Genes - Individuals who test positive for the genes
BRCA1 and BRCA2 have a higher risk for breast
cancer
Page 6
Screening for breast cancer and early
detection are the most important
interventions to prevent death. You should
discuss with your doctor the best time for
you to begin screening for breast cancer
based on your risk factors.
Mammogram is one of the most commonly
used test that is used to screen for breast
cancer. It takes an x-ray of the breast to
identify abnormal changes such as masses
or calcification.
Who should be screened?
Women 40 - 44 - Should have the
opportunity to screen for breast cancer
upon discussion with their doctor
Women 45 - 54Yearly Mammograms
Women 55 and older can switch to every
2 years but may choose to continue every
year if they desire to do so
Screening should be continued for as long
as a woman is in good health
Women who are high risk should consider
screening earlier.
Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Palpable lump in the breast or under the
arm
Thickening of the skin of the breast
Dimpling or retraction of the skin of the
breast
Redness at the nipple
Nipple discharge other than milk
Breast pain
Take the time to talk to your doctor about
your risks and get screened.
Colette M. Knight, M.D.
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UPCOMING EVENTS

South Bronx Coorporate Parish

Saturday October 14, 2017

Depart Woodycrest and Epworth at 2:00 P.M

Meet: Macombs Dam Park at 2:30 P.M.

 The Banner-Woodycrest United Methodist Church, Bronx Page 8

CALENDAR OF EVENTS YOU ARE WELCOME IN THIS PLACE

Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m.

October
Bread Basket Wednesdays - 12:00 p.m.
October 21 Church Council
October 22 Breast Cancer Awareness Prayer line Tuesdays - 6:45 a.m.
Bible Study Thursdays - 7:00 p.m.
November Choir Rehearsal Sunday after church
November 4 District Wide Conference
November 19 Harvest
November 23 Thanksgiving

December
December 1 Dinner Dance
December 24 Candlelight Service
December 25 Christmas

The Banner is a quarterly newsletter

published by the Woodycrest United
Methodist Church. The next issue will be
distributed in December 2017. Please
submit your announcements or
advertisements to the Communications
Committee by December 15, 2017.
Special thanks to all who contributed to
the newsletter: Pastor Abel, Dana
Jackson and Sis. Bertha Burke and
Ronald James for photos.

Woodycrest United Methodist Church

89 West 166th Street
Bronx, N.Y. 10452
Tel: 718-538-7500
Fax: 718-538-0813
Email:Woodycrestumc1@yahoo.com
Website: www.woodycrestumc.org

The Little Church With a Big Heart