Hartford United Methodist Church (269) 621-4103

Hartford United Methodist Church (269) 621-4103Hartford United Methodist Church (269) 621-4103Hartford United Methodist Church (269) 621-4103

Hartford United Methodist Church (269) 621-4103

Hartford United Methodist Church (269) 621-4103Hartford United Methodist Church (269) 621-4103Hartford United Methodist Church (269) 621-4103
  • Home
  • Contact
  • Gifts and Giving
  • Blog
  • Give Back to Seniors
  • COVID-19 Response
  • Giving back
  • Nursing Home Ombudsman
  • Nursing home abuse
  • How to help Seniors
  • Starting a hobby
  • Supporting your community
  • How to Stay Fit &Healthy
  • Medicare Information
  • Free Counseling

Our Church's mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of  the World.

Ask Me

Our Church's mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of  the World.

Ask Me

Welcome to a faith filled church practicing a religion filled with grace

 Searching for a place where you'll feel loved, inspired, and challenged? Then H.U.M.C. may be for you. Come check us out!


One Church- Two Services

Our Church

 

A church can be an intimidating place. We want you to know you're welcome here. Hospitality is a big thing for us. We want to to assist you with any questions you may have.

I want to personally invite you to come experience God's presence at Hartford UMC. Our goal is to impact the world we live in by making disciples. We do that by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Come and be a part of life at Hartford United Methodist Church.

In Jesus name, Pastor Doug

On-Line Service on YouTube

If you do feel comfortable with in person services yet, please join us Sunday morning on Facebook at The Bridge at Hartford UMC.

10:00 A.M. service

 The 10:00 a.m. service is an indoor, in-person worship service in the sanctuary.   Also it is live streamed on our Facebook page.

Gifts and Giving

Your support and contributions will enable us to further our mission as a church.  

You can give through PayPal below, 

Venmo ( www.venmo.com/u/TheBridgeat-HartfordUMC ), 

Give+ app on your phone, 

Square (https://square.link/u/1i9QaxSk )

or your bill pay at your financial institution

Pay with PayPal or a debit/credit card

Weekly Scripture

June 26, 2022

Luke 18:1-7

Prayer Series

The Power of Persistent Prayer No video this week

June 26, 2022

Luke 18: 1-7

How to Pray like a Righteous Man

June 19, 2022

1 Kings 18: 22-40

Prayer That Works Series Scriptures

The Prayer of Antioch - July 3, 2022

How To Pray like a Righteous Man - June 19, 2022

The Power of Persistent Prayer - June 26, 2022

 

Barnabas and Saul Commissioned

13 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a childhood friend of Herod the ruler,[a] and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Acts 13:1-3

The Power of Persistent Prayer - June 26, 2022

How To Pray like a Righteous Man - June 19, 2022

The Power of Persistent Prayer - June 26, 2022

 

The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge

18 Then Jesus[a] told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my accuser.’ 4 For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’ ”[b] 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?


Luke 18: 1-7

How To Pray like a Righteous Man - June 19, 2022

How To Pray like a Righteous Man - June 19, 2022

How To Pray like a Righteous Man - June 19, 2022

 

22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets number four hundred fifty. 23 Let two bulls be given to us; let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood but put no fire to it; I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood but put no fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord; the god who answers by fire is indeed God.” All the people answered, “Well spoken!” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; then call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 So they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, crying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice and no answer. They limped about the altar that they had made. 27 At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 Then they cried aloud, and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them. 29 As midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice, no answer, and no response.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come closer to me,” and all the people came closer to him. First he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down; 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name”; 32 with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. Then he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two measures of seed. 33 Next he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. Again he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time, 35 so that the water ran all around the altar and filled the trench also with water.

36 At the time of the offering of the oblation, the prophet Elijah came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust and even licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord indeed is God; the Lord indeed is God.” 40 Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” Then they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon and killed them there.

1 Kings 18:22-40

Announcements from the Church service

Here are the weekly Announcements from the service

Annoucements June 26th Third Sunday after Pentecost (docx)Download
Annoucements June 19th (docx)Download

Missions

Our Church Missions

 

Our church is mission minded.  We have been involved with Cooperative Food Pantry, The Benton Harbor Soup Kitchen, and recently we have taken on the mission of the Weekend Backpacks for our local elementary students.  We are also involved with the United Methodist Church monthly mission focus on both local, regional, national,  and world mission programs.

Cooperating Ministries

The Cooperating Ministries Food Pantry is made up several churches in the area that works together to provide food for those in need.  It is housed here at Hartford United Methodist Church.  They distribute food every Thursday from 4 pm - 7 p.m.  They are able to provide the food because they get generous donations from many people in our town, the Pokagon Fund has awarded them grants, The Four Winds  Casino also helps out at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, Catholic Charities also donates food to the food pantry, along with many of our local farms will give produce and fresh fruit when they are able to.  They have been lucky to get donations from Burnett packing and the local Harding's store as well.

Backpack Mission

 The Backpack Mission project is in need of funding.  If you can help we would appreciate it.  The Backpack Mission was developed and created because many of our teachers and administrators saw that some of our children did not have enough food in their homes on the weekends when school was not in session.  We have a group of volunteers that pack up the bags and deliver them to the school on Friday so that the students can take them home on Friday.  They provide food for breakfast and either lunch or supper for those two days.  We have been extremely blessed by those who support this program: The Pokagon Fund, The Hartford Foundation for a Quality Education, Burnett Packing, The Hartford United Methodist Church Mission Team, and local individuals who contribute money so that we can purchase what we need through Feed America.  We have also received help through feed the children on occasion as well.

Monthly Mission

For the Month of June our Mission Offerings will be going towards Peace with Justice.

WHAT IS PEACE WITH JUSTICE SUNDAY? 

United Methodists relate to this special Sunday by seeking peaceful solutions, creating and supporting peace-related ministries in their conference and learning about peaceful, just efforts around the world. Our Social Principles call us to love our enemies, seek justice, and serve as reconcilers of conflict. We insist that the first moral duty of all nations is to work together to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them.  The United Methodist Church, with its historic commitment to peace and justice, can and should provide leadership to this social transformation. The General Board of Church and Society Church holds a non-governmental, consultative status with the United Nations. This status allows us to participate in UN meetings, consultations and conferences. We recognize and renew our call for social transformation, for the quest to open the doors of opportunity for all, to distribute resources more equitably, and to provide better care for persons in need.  Donations for this special Sunday support programs and ministries to educate, equip and mobilize actions in support of identified Economic, Health, and Gender Justice Priorities. Each Annual Conference has a Peace with Justice Coordinator developing local social justice ministries. Fifty percent of the offering remains in your annual conference to support this ministry.\  We achieve peace with justice efforts by working with the World Council of Churches, interfaith and ecumenical bodies, and secular organizations for social-justice policies and programs that seek the wholeness of shalom for all of God’s people. Your gift, joined with the gifts of others makes a significant impact in the lives of individuals and communities.

Photo Gallery

The ladies are preparing for the rummage.  

The rummage is donated by church members and friends of the church. 

The rummage sale will be Friday(june 17th) and Saturday( June 18th)

It is great to have this tradition  back.

Please join us for this fund raiser.

The 2nd prayer walk to the police department and the schools.

Praying  for our officers that serve

Praying for those who serve the community.

Praying for the high school seniors, students and teachers.

Walking to the middle school to pray.

Praying for the Middle school students , teachers, bus drivers.  

Some of our graduates from the class of 2022

Tammy and Dave presented each of the graduates with a gift 

The local Post Office had a food drive on the 2nd Saturday in May of 2022 and this is what they collected for the Cooperating Ministries

What a great addition to our food pantry for those in need of food.

The volunteers sorted the food so that it was ready to be distributed on Thursday nights

On the average the Cooperating Ministries are giving food to 100 familiies each week throughout the year.

Place  the heart on the cross to symbolize that God loves you.

Station 12: Justin  was able to give communion.

Station 11: The pool with the water in it was where we put the rocks that represented our sin -- and how it was taken from us from his death.

Station 10: The sand bag represented the 75 lbs of aloe, Frankincense and myrrah that was used to wrap Jesus's body in inside of the tomb.

Station 9: Represented the light of Jesus being taken as he died on the cross and his spirit leaving his body.

Station 9: Autumn was there to relight the candle for each participate.

Station 8: Larry would give each of us a nail that was made to take home as a remembrance.

Station 8: We take a hammer and beat a nail into the cross to symbolize what they did to Jesus to crucify him.

Pastor Doug made the whip and we had playing on the computer the beating scene from "The Passion"

station 7: This station was to remind us the beating Jesus took. 

Station 6: Symbolizes Peter denying the Lord three times before the rooster crowed.

Station 5: symbolizes Pilate washing his hands from the matter

Station 4: 30 pieces that Judas  took for betraying Jesus

Good Friday Stations: Station 1 - what great things that God Created in our world

Pastor Doug Welcoming everyone to Maundy Thursday.

Autumn was the narrator for the skit of the Upper Room.

Jesus (Larry Woodley) preparing to wash Peter's Feet. ( Justin Cardenas)

  

Jesus:………………………………………. Larry Woodley

Simon (Peter): ………………………..…..Justin Cardenas

Andrew: …………………………………Wayne Babcock

James: …………………………… Roger Danneffel

  

Judas: ……………………………………….Butch Drumm

Philip: ……………………………………Nick McGlothlin

Bartholomew: …………………….…………. Bob Kuenhle

  

James (son of Alphaeus): ……………….…..Dale Kaucher

Simon (Zealot): …………………………….Kenneth Smith

Judas Iscariot: ……………………………….Pastor Doug

Shirley and Mickey Cochrane

Roger  and Holly Danneffell enjoying Maundy Thursday's Soup and Salad meal

Maxine Melvin

Janet Melvin

Nancy Spoula

Pastor Wayne Babcock

Forground: T. J Mason and his daughter, Becky & Larry Woodley, Deanna Kniss

Table behind: Jill  & Justin Cardenas, Doug Nelson, Nick McGlothlin and Des

Autumn schmaltz, Rosemary Heinisch, Wanda Maston, Ronda Kaucher

Dale Kaucher, Becky and Larry Woodley, T. J. Mason and his daughter

Nick McGlothlin,   Destiny Chacon, Jill Cardenas, Doug Nelson

Our first Easter Egg hunt  was held Saturday April 9th.

We had to move it to inside of the church because of the snow that fell over night.

Even the older kids had a great time looking for the eggs that were hidden in some strange places

We are grateful to all of the people that made this possible including Becky and Larry Woodley who chaired this activity.

Justin enjoying the Men's breakfast and fellowship.

The men put on a great breakfast for themselves and a few guests.

The food looked great

The fellowship and devotion amongst the men and guest are so important.

The Food Drive for the Super Bowl and you can tell --the Rams won the food drive as well.

The Pastor and several of the members enjoying the game.

Some of us were enjoying the game while a few enjoyed having the puppy here for the evening.

The guys were intense about the game.

Always in a happy mood

This is what happens when the Pastor leaves his phone laying about and the secretary finds out there is no pass code.

Even on a cold snowday from school are teams are hard at work filling backpacks for the students at school.

This is Team 1 filling backpacks on their snow day on 1.6.22  Without our three teams we would be lost and these backpacks would not be filled.

Hartford Public Schools High School School did their stuff the bus campaign on November 18th

Several students were on hand to help bring in all that they collected

The students from the National Honor Society and Student Council were the ones in charge

The students were excited about the amount of food they had collected

Dave Janicki, the high school principal, explained that the students really enjoy helping out the community.

The students were allowed to be out of school because they are in the National Honor Society.

Even the head of transportation for the school was here to help bring everything in.

Not only food was given but even baby diapers were given as a donation.

It took the students several trips to get everything out of the bus and the pickup that was loaded down

The volunteers of the food pantry started to sort all of the can goods

The Students food drive was a great success

The Hartford Public High School did a great job collecting food for the Food Pantry

And they should lead us to our next destination.

The group walking to our last spot.

Watching out for us as we each speak as we feel led.

A  good time by our group as we walked from the church to the fire department, police department and the school.

Our group at the school praying for the school employees.

Pastor Doug leading us a prayer at the school.

Even Pumpkin joined us for the walk.

Janet getting the drinks ready for this afternoon

Lisa Buddemeier and Maxine Melvin dishing up the beans

Lisa still dishing up the beans

Myra cutting the cakes.

Ready for outdoor dining. 

More out door dining

Silent Auction items

More silent auction items

More silent auction items

More silent auction items

even more silent auction items.

The Church's flowers along the drive away.

The Church's flowers in the spring of 2021

The Church's flowers in the spring of 2021

Spring flowers

The flowers on the corner of the driveway.

Karen Williams cleaning the Memory garden

The flowers we planted last November in Memory of those who passed are coming up just in time for Palm Sunday & Easter.

What a wonderful tradition and honor to those who have been here before us.

This way their memory will be with us every time we see the flowers in bloom.

When they are in full bloom they will be gorgeous.  Thank you again to Becky and Larry Woodley for planting these lasting memories.

Food Truck came for a visit on March 4, 2021

We served over 166 families

That means we gave out 9316 pounds of food

We are very grateful for Feed America and for all of the volunteers that helped to make this a successful give away.

The winter clothing drive for the last two weeks was a great success.

Pastor Stephanie, Nick McGlothin, and Brittany Vanlandingham delivered the  coats and winter gear to the Gospel Mission

Packing the cars with the winter took some skill.

With the donations that came in we were able to purchase even more items

We appreciate Miller Thermometer for their help in supplying these materials.

The Backpack Mission received a $2,700 grant from the Pokagon Fund.

Cooperating Ministries gave out over  230 boxes of food on December 17th.

And hopefully every year afterwards the memory of our love ones will continue to bloom for us to enjoy.   The bulbs were planted in memory of the following people: Jim Brummit; Jean Walker; Bob Kling; Genevieve Conklin; Shirley Anchor; Richard"Dick"Smith; Bonna Vanderlyn; Helen Norden. Also other's that passed Matthew Efting, The mother of Dan Fitch

So Larry and Becky Woodley took the morning and planted them in our memory garden.

They worked with the Catholic Services, Hartford Lions Club

Also Hartford Hardings 

and the Pokagon Fund.

They had people lined up starting at 1:30 and went until

7:00 p.m. Thursday night.

We continue to supply food to families of our youth at Redwood Elementary School for the weekend.

Instead of cut carnations for All Saint's Day it was decided that we plant bulbs in memory of those who passed this past year.

So in the spring we will have a constant memory of those who passed.  

All Saint's day - Nov 1st -

Social Distancing but a good service.

Pastor Stephanie on Nov. 1st

Preparing for the Food Pantry distribution on October 29th.

The last few weeks we have had  between 60-75 families each week.

The Cooperating ministries team had to restock after last weeks distribution.

Unloading the truck so that we can get ready for this week's distribution.

Oct. 28th the last tailgate get together with Joanne Evans as the host.

Even though it was a typical fall day for Michigan the spirits of these church family members were happy.

It was great how everyone chips in and brings the snacks and enjoys each others company.

It will be great when they can  worship together this Sunday Nov. 1st inside for the first time.

Tailgate 9-2-2020

The group gathered together for coffee and conversation.

Tailgate 9-2-2020

It was a pleasant morning for everyone to enjoy a few minutes together.

Rev Wayne and many others enjoyed the time to just chat and reconnect over some yummy snacks.

Tailgate 9-2-2020

Our hostess(Joanna Evans) finally taking a break to enjoy some food and conversation.

Our hostess - Joanne Evans

Pam Ward making her selection of homemade snacks by Joanne and Bernice Lightner.

Bernice Rudell and Bernice Lightner enjoying some of the shade

Even the guys enjoyed the break and able to talk with each other.

Pastor Stephanie continues to do her roll of serving others -- but now it is snacks and coffee.

First Social tailgate August 26th.

It is great to see people and just catch up  with each other.

Moon Flowers  in our memory garden.

August 2nd - service

The team figuring out the spacing to bring us in to ADA requuirements.

The finished project looks great.

These gentlemen had it stripped in no time.

new stripping going down.

parking by the west side now has been updated to be ADA compliant

These new four spaces give us more choices for parking for those with disabilities.

Four more handicapped parking spaces in the back by the new ramp.

Black top was redone on July 29 & 30, 2020

Back ramp for easier access to the church and alternative to the steps. 

The Electric fireplace gives it a warmer feeling.

With new accents a few pieces of new furniture to bring it together. ( Also paid for with grant money)

A new paint job for the room and hallway -- volunteer labor and using the grant money that we had.

Updated the Social hall using some of our grant money.

Pastor Stephanie accompanying Nick and singing for the service on July 19th.