Keeping in Touch: PoP’s Weekly E-news - 9/22/2026
Events and Ministry Opportunities at Prince of Peace and the House Next Door
This Week
Pastor Becky Resch will be presiding and Claudia Thompson will be preaching Sunday, 9.27.26. Thank you Pastor Resch and Claudia Thompson.
Upcoming Events
Church Bells are ringing!
The Bell Choir will be starting up on Wednesday, September 30th from 7-8:30pm. It will be simple pieces to ring. All are welcome to join - experience is not required.
Women’s Retreat at Cross Roads
Hosted by Pastor Dale Selover on Friday, October 9 at 4:00 pm – Sunday, October 11 at 10:00 am. Washing with water and anointing with oil, women’s hands have blessed human bodies with their touch for centuries. So did Mary when she anointed Jesus for his burial. So did Jesus when he washed his friends’ feet in the Upper Room. What are our own experiences with water and oil, with cleansing and consecrating bodies? How has our touch conveyed the love and life of the Spirit? [Register on this Link]
HND: The Day of Remembrance
Please join us on Thursday, October 15 at 5:30 pm at the Prince of Peace Tree of Life Chapel for a Day of Remembrance for Infant and Perinatal Loss. A time for prayer, mourning , and reflection.
Note: Please park at the Church. In the case of inclement weather, the service will be held in the Prince of Peace sanctuary.
HND: Communicating Love
Calling Parents of all ages and stages who could use some support in facilitating honest, caring, attuned conversations with their LGBTQIA+ children. Join Dr. Zan Struebing on Sunday, October 25, 2026 at 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the House Next Door to discuss and grapple with questions you may with Finding PRIDE in Courageous Conversation in this safe space.
50 Years of Faithful Friendship
Join WHAM on Sunday, November 22, 2026 from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm for the Interfaith Thanksgiving Worship Service to Celebrate 50 Years of Faithful Friendship. Hosted by First United Methodist Church of Hightstown, Located at 187 Stockton St, Hightstown, NJ. Also will be livestreamed at facebook.com/FUMCHightstown.
Service Opportunities
Gardening to Feed Our Neighbors; VOLUNTEERS OF ALL AGES ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Harvesting on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9-11 in the two large gardens here at POP to provide a variety of fresh produce for our food-insecure neighbors served by Enid's Food Pantry at our partner church, St. Barts in Trenton. Contact Shari at srexroad915@gmail.com or just come see how you can help for an hour or a shift, even if not on a regular basis!
POP's Immigration Ministry needs volunteers and donations. I-RISE (Interfaith Refugee and Resettlement Services and Empowerment) continues to serve our immigrant neighbors in numerous ways. With funding cuts, there's even more need for volunteers to help with learning English or basic laptop use, drivers to deliver food bags, take them to appointments or to help them practice driving, or mentors to work with a 15-24 year old. Our volunteer team works directly with a Haitian family of 7 in Trenton as well as supporting other services and events through the Trenton office. Summer Camp Scholarship sponsors or gift cards for Uber, Lyft, Shoprite, Walmart, Visa or Mastercard and donations of gently used household goods or seasonal clothing are always needed. For these and other ways to help, see team members Joan New, Cathy Corcoran, Lisa Schott, or Nancy Reyes or email nancyauerreyes@gmail.com.
Monthly Food Donation for St. Bart's;
Throughout the month of September we are collecting Sugar and Mac & Cheese for St. Bart's. Please place your donation on the table in the narthex. If the church is closed, please leave your food offering in the bin outside of the Community Wing entrance. Thank you for your generosity.
Minister of Music Position Opening
The POP team tasked with identifying candidates to fill our vacant Minister of Music position is currently disseminating the following position description. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please let me know (Dave New - davenhome@gmail.com):
Director of Music Ministry Position Opening
The POP team tasked with identifying candidates to fill our vacant Music Ministry position is continuing its search. This part-time position includes playing for Sunday morning services as well as special services during the year. The candidate would be expected to accompany the adult choir in rehearsals and during worship, as well as lead the bell choir. Those applying should have a passion for Christian worship and proficiency in rehearsal techniques, conducting, and keyboard skills. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please let me know (Dave New - davenhome@gmail.com).
Weekly Opportunities
Prayer Circle - Fridays from 1:30pm-2:30pm on Zoom As members of the Body of Christ, we are a people of prayer. All are welcome as our Prayer Circle gathers weekly for discussion, reflection, and prayer. The Zoom link for this ministry is sent, along with our prayer list, every Thursday via an email communication titled “Pray With Us”. Come once; come weekly!
Christian Focus - Wednesdays from 11:30am-1:00pm Christian Focus welcomes new members. We meet every Wednesday at 11:30 in the lounge. Bring a lunch if desired. Each session lasts until around 1 p.m. At the present time we are viewing and discussing a video series on the New Testament. The lecturer is Amy Jill Levine, a prominent Jewish professor. Each 30 minute video focuses on a different aspect of the New Testament including the Gospels, the letters of Paul and Revelation. It is interesting to get a different perspective. If you are interested in joining us, contact Phyllis Church at p.church@mindspring.com
Joyful Stitchers - Mondays at 7:00pm on Zoom Every week Joyful Stitchers, PoP’s stitching arts group, spends an hour knitting, crocheting and socializing. All are welcome to join us. If you don’t know how to knit or crochet and would like to learn, we can teach you! We have experienced knitters and crocheters who are happy to help anyone learn; and we have a good stash of yarn, needles, and crochet hooks to get you started. If you would like to join us, please contact Kate Chen at kcmchen@comcast.net.
Lectors needed - Sundays at 9:30 Please consider signing up to read the lessons also called lectoring. The lessons are included in the weekly bulletin that is sent out on Fridays and are already printed in a notebook for reading from the pulpit. Please sign up at: https://bit.ly/pop-sunday-signup
. It is helpful to sign up by the Wednesday prior to the Sunday you wish to serve. Worship is the work of the people. Please be a participant. Thank you.
2026 Flower Chart The 2026 Flower Chart has numerous opportunities to designate altar flowers throughout the year. All are invited to remember a loved one or celebrate a special occasion by placing flowers on the altar. The flower chart is hanging on the bulletin board outside of the Church Office. The cost is $45.00. Thank you for enhancing our worship and adding to the beauty of our sanctuary.