If you are familiar with New Haven, Connecticut, and Yale University, you are aware that the main entrance to the Univer-sity from the central city “green”, is through; Phelps Gate. The gate owes its name from one, William Lyon Phelps, a writer, critic, lecturer and for many years, one of Yale’s most popular professors. It is an elaborate affair with great wrought-iron embellishments, gold guilt, assorted crests; all suitable for placement at the entrance of some lavish European palace. Honor-ing Professor Phelps’ enormous popularity and well-earned respect, it was constructed through donations of countless young admirers who had benefitted from his guidance and instruction. At the end of his career, Professor Phelps was asked to write an article for national magazine publication, a message of guid-ance and inspiration for the families of America. As he pondered the task, he remembered the words that had influenced him most during his years as a student at Yale. At his graduation, then university president, Timothy Dwight, gave the outgoing class the following advice regarding happiness: “The happiest person is the person who thinks the most interesting thoughts.” Throughout all of the years that followed, Phelps realized how much this sentence had directed and influenced his life. In an economy of words, Timothy Dwight had put his finger on the crux of true happiness. Real happiness is not dependent on external things. As a pond is fed from within, so is life. The kind of happiness that stays with you is the happiness that springs from inward thoughts and emotions. You must think of this when you are young. You must cultivate your mind if you wish to achieve enduring happiness. You must furnish your mind with interesting thoughts and ideas. An empty mind grows bored and cannot endure itself. An empty mind seeks pleasure as a substitute for happiness.

This definition places happiness where it belongs – within and not without. The principle of happiness should be like the principle of virtue; it should not be dependent on things but be a part of personality, of who you are. Once that happens, no one or nothing can ever take away your happiness. Additionally, this type of happiness will endure a lifetime. An individual eventually becomes the sum-total of all of their thoughts, experiences and knowledge. The more you have of each, the more complete you become. A well-ordered life is like climbing a tower; the view halfway up is better than on the ground, and it steadily becomes finer as the horizon expands.

Recently, Groome Church, and I as its pastor, have become the object of considerable mindless, self-serving, vitriolic and vituperative rantings. While it is troubling, that in the smallness of people’s attempts to get what they want, they are more than willing to besmirch the impeccable reputation of Groome Church; from a personal standpoint, I couldn’t care less. Why, you ask? Simply because over the course of my life I have learned a lot, including a lot about my self, and from this vantage point, I have come to be perfectly happy with who I am. Nothing or no one can take that away from me! Herein lies the real value of education. Advanced education may or may not make people more efficient or intuitive but it enriches personality, increases the wealth of the mind and hence brings happiness. It is the finest insurance against old age, against the growth of physical disability, against the lack and loss of former interests and ultimately, in my case, against dis-paraging insults. I learned at a very early age, that the acquisition of knowledge is power, that the more interest I could accu-mulate, the more interesting I would become as a person. I have always found it essential to replenish what I know and there-fore come to know even more. It is essential to acquire intellectual and artistic tastes in order to furnish the mind, to be able to live inside the mind with attractive and interesting pictures on the walls. That way, you don’t have to look at or even toler-ate the bad taste and bad ideas of others. From where I stand, the view looks just fine, and I am very happy about that. So I close with today’s news. In 1922, Albert Einstein, having just been awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics, was on a world tour. After having dined at his hotel, he found he did not have any money for a tip. As a substitute, the penned a line on a piece of hotel stationary and gave it to his server as a tip, with the admonition, “someday, if you are lucky, that will be worth more than what you would have received as a tip.” What Einstein wrote was about happiness. “A calm modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness.” Apparently, it is a universal truth that truly smart people know what it takes to make one happy. This week the note, left as a tip, sold for $1.56 million, which no doubt would have made the server more than happy. However, the truth of Einstein’s statement remains priceless.

In His Service, Will

GROOME UNITED METHODIST CHURCH November-December 2017

HAPPINESS

November-December

Hazel Brittingham 11/12

Margaret Sachett 12/19

John Alwood 12/22

Eleanor Graves 12/10

Flo Council 12/14

Nancy Catanach 12/18

Judy Petrossi 11/15

Ginny Ferrer 12/08

Judith Bryan 11/13

Joan Kolarik 12/01

Ellen Graves 11/06

Cathy Hopkins 12/19

Chris Lank 12/24

Wayne Norris 11/28

Ed Sheppard 12/31

Michael Messitt 12/29

Kim Brittingham 11/18

Ann Truitt 11/29

Margaret Melson 12/31

Liza Martz 11/23

Tyler Hefke 11/06

Judy Hoffman 12/30

November-December

Howard & Imogene Records

11/22 (66)

Bill & Judy Hoffman

11/02 (54)

Pam & Ronald Hopkins

12/03 (23)

Please notify the church secretary of any additions

or changes.

PAGE 2 THE SEINE

WELCOME Groome welcomes Chris-topher Myers, our new Choir Director and pianist. We have been blessed

with a talented and gifted musician. New voices are always welcomed to join the choir and share their talent. Please see Chris if God leads you into this ministry.

GROOME ANCHOR COFFEE HOUSE

Saturday, November 18, 2017 Featuring: Sandy Shalk, Finger-Picking Style Guitar Workshop and Concert Offering: Guitar picking Classes: Pre-register at Sandy's e-mail: sandy_shalk@yahoo.com Class is from 3:30- 4:30 pm all ages $5 cost for class (cash only) Coffee House Open from 6-7pm Concert is at 7-8 pm for $5 admission for ALL (cash only) "As a solo performer, Sandy performs finger-style arrangements of Scottish, Irish, American tunes, both traditional and modern, and jazz tunes in alternate guitar tunings such as Dadgad, Cadgad, and dropped D. He admits to being a bit obsessed with arranging tunes typically associated with jazz into DADGAD tuning. That passion resulted in the release of a solo guitar CD, “Newer Every Day”, in 2014. He notes that he is not loath to pick up the electric guitar now and then for a gig should friends send one his way. He enjoys all things guitar for sure! Sandy currently resides in Smyrna, Delaware with his wife, and three sons, teaching music in Smyrna school District and performs locally in folk venues." Saturday, December 16th, Anchor Coffee House Featuring: Charlie Zahm, Celtic Christmas Concert Coffee House Open from 6-7pm Concert: 7-9 pm for $10 admission at door (cash only) Charlie Zahm is so excited to bring his Celtic Christmas show to beautiful sea-side Lewes, Delaware for the first time. He will be featuring songs of the sea-son, Celtic songs and beautiful songs of the sea. Charlie is one of the most popular soloists at Celtic music festivals, Maritime, and American Traditional music events anywhere east of the Mississippi. With a baritone voice some have described as "coming along once in a generation", Charlie has become one of the most successful performers on the Celtic festival circuit, weaving magical moments of Scottish and Irish history for the listener and viewer, with passion for the performance and a chosen repertoire pleasing to all members of the family. A master of the guitar as well, Charlie brings an authentic love and respect for the music he sings and with dashes of humor and a light in his eyes, he will draw you into the stories of his songs! When Charlie was old enough to sing, he began appreciating the beautiful Celtic songs and melodies he first heard in the largely Scottish province of his mother's birth, Ontario, Canada. Keenly aware of his own heritage, which includes healthy doses of Scottish and Irish blood on both sides of his family, he has collected several hundred popular, as well as beautiful and obscure, selections and now performs them for thousands of fans up and down the Eastern Seaboard and across America. Today, as one of the most sought-after Celtic singers on the East Coast, Charlie is one of the few singers in the world to be invited to sing live with Scotland's "Black Watch". He also performs regularly everywhere from concerts and festivals to television shows and Celtic-themed Caribbean cruises, where his 6'4" frame and powerful baritone make him one of the most memorable performers around. www.charliezahm.com

PAGE 3 THE SEINE

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and be thankful for all God has given us. There is no better time of the year to express thankfulness and appreciation to the members of Groome for their dedication and

willingness to serve in all areas of the church. Let us continue to serve the Lord in gladness and thanksgiving, with our tithes and offerings and contin-ued good stewardship, as we venture into the new year with new expectations and opportunities.

1 Chronicles 16:8 –Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples.

Stewardship Message

“IN HIS SERVICE”

Think about the church and how it enriches our lives and tithes and offerings bless others. Think about the joy of the music and worship, the activities and fellowship. Think how our church serves in time of joy and

comfort and in time of distress and how offerings make all of this possible. II Corinthians 9:6-8 says, "Remember that the person who plants few seeds will have a small crop; the one who plants many seeds will have a large crop. Each one should give, as he has decided, not with regret or out of a sense of duty; for God loves the one who gives gladly and God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause.” Prayerfully consider your giving and your ability to give. Most of the church family will be able to make a small step ahead in their giving behavior. Others will be ready for a breakthrough in faith to higher levels of tithing and other forms of stewardship. Everyone’s steps ,when added together, will be a giant step for God’s work. Through unity of purpose all that God wants for Groome Church can be achieved The highest order of worship is service to God in giving of self and to your church. Service to God and our fellow man is the most sincere expression of the love of God. Service is the most instructive way of teaching the Word because we are teaching by example. Service is the most persuasive form of evangelism because we bring the hand of God to the untaught and to those in need. We are the hands, the eyes and ears of God. Service is the most eloquent witness to God because we demonstrate his love to others. PRAYER: O Lord, may all that we are and all that we have be used for your glory and the spread of your Kingdom in earth. Amen.

Christmas Projects & Services

Mitten and Scarf Tree Again this year we will be decorating the Christ-mas tree in the annex with mittens and scarves to donate to the needy children in the community.

The Christmas tree will be placed in the annex of the church on Tuesday, November 21, and with everyone’s help we hope to fill it with mittens and scarves of all sizes. Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your right-eousness. 2 Corinthians 9:10

Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child Groome has 100 Christmas boxes to fill for Oper-ation Christmas Child for the needy children around the world. Instructions for a boy or girl

and their ages are in the boxes. Please help fulfill this mission project by taking as many boxes as you can fill. The cost to fill each box is approximately $10-$15. The boxes have to be in-spected and sealed by November 5 before they are shipped. Thank you for sharing your love.

Groome Christmas Schedule

December 3, 10:00 a.m. “First Sunday in Advent “Hanging of the Greens”

Holy Communion & “Christmas Brunch”

Covered Dish Meat & Drinks

provided “All are welcome”

December 24, 10:00 a.m. “Christmas Eve Service”

“Lessons & Carols”

For unto us a child is given and the government will be

on his shoulders...Isaiah 9:6 * * *

Groome United Methodist Church Pastor: Reverend Dr. Will Crossan

Sunday Worship Service—Sunday, 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.

Children’s Church & Nursery

Mid-Week Gathering—Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Soup & Sandwiches/Bible Study

(September-May)

Anchor Coffee House November 18 Guitar Concert December 16 Christmas Concert

Coffee House 3:30 p.m. Coffee House 6:00 p.m. Concert 7 p.m. Concert 7:00-9:00 pm

“Our Vision is to enhance people’s belief in

Jesus Christ so they live a life of holiness and service to others.”

Groome United Methodist Church

P.O. Box 299

Savannah Road & Dewey Avenue

Lewes, DE 19958

Phone: 302-645-6256

Fax: 302-645-6256

Email: gumc1@hotmail.com

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2015 Groome United Methodist Church GROOME UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

November—December 2017