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As a reminder, the church office and preschool will be closed on Monday January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We will resume our regular office and preschool hours on Tuesday January 20.

Join us after worship on Sunday February 8 for a Puppy Bowl & Birthday Celebration! Winston, Wesley’s unofficial mascot, is turning three, and invites you to celebrate his birthday (and the “big game”) with some Puppy Bowl festivities. Join us for food, cake, and games in Fellowship Hall — and feel free to wear your favorite football team jersey! In lieu of gifts, we encourage you to bring donations of pet food and pet supplies to benefit the Animal Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley. For more information, please contact Debbie Ace.

Join us on Sunday January 18 at 2:00 PM in Moravian University’s Foy Hall for a community event that features singing, dancing, and the oratory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This event is sponsored by Second Baptist Church, Central Moravian Church, Bethlehem Interfaith Group (BIG), and Bethlehem Area Moravians. All are welcome! For more information, please contact Cheryl Boots. 

We have exciting news about our Winter Book Club! This year, we’ll focus on a deep read of Julius Lester’s novel The Autobiography of God — but now, we’ll be reading and discussing as an interfaith group, as we join with our friends at Congregation Brith Sholom. We’ll discuss the first half of the novel in our first discussion session on Wednesday February 4 at 7:00 PM in the Library. (Please note the change in start time.) For more information, or to be included on the Winter Book Club email list, please contact Pastor Candy. 

Stop by the Wesley Church Library to pick out your next book! While you’re browsing, consider this book review by Library Team member Wendy Arbushites:

There Is No Place For Us: Working and Homeless in America, by Brian Goldstone, is a sobering, eye-opening investigation into the life of Americans who are both working and homeless.  Goldstone follows five families in Atlanta, Georgia, as they make efforts to secure housing in a city that does not have enough affordable housing to meet the needs of its people.  The writing reads like a novel, but the struggle for housing is not fiction.   A few thoughts to ponder from this book:

• The true scope of homelessness in the U.S.A. is challenging to ascertain because it is difficult to count people who are routinely living in the homes of family and friends, in extended-stay hotel rooms, or in their cars.  And many of them are.
• Between 40% and 60% of people who are homeless are also working.
• Many areas where affordable housing once existed are now being turned into upscale housing and “lifestyle” developments.  No affordable housing is offered to replace what was taken away, rendering many people homeless.  Atlanta is not the only place where gentrification is causing displacement in America.
• Those offering rentals may take advantage of people vying for affordable housing by charging high, nonrefundable fees to apply for housing.  They may also refuse to repair substandard housing because they know someone else will move in immediately if another family vacates the housing unit. 
• The number of people experiencing homelessness is one way a country reveals its values.  Why are people who are doing everything “right” and working so hard unable to find an affordable home for themselves and their families? 

The author is a journalist with a PhD in anthropology who lives with his family in Atlanta.  His research shows us that by eliminating affordable housing, working families are ending up homeless, yet still heading off to work and school each day.  Many sleep in their cars or live in truly substandard housing.  They are not visible because they are not in a shelter or encampment.  Goldstone points out that housing needs to be treated as a fundamental human right.

The Backpack team is hosting a Sweethearts Dinner Dance on Valentine’s Day! Join us on Saturday February 14, 6:00-8:00 PM, for a romantic three-course dinner of salad, chicken piccata (with sides of pasta and vegetables), and dessert. There will also be a fun mocktail menu, music, and dancing. Doors will open at 5:30 PM. Tickets are $40 per couple and must be purchased in advance. All proceeds will benefit the Backpack program. Contact Sarah Campbell via email or in person to purchase tickets by January 31.