Wayne church welcomes female pastor

By Dee – “I love God and strive to serve Jesus faithfully and fully with my heart and life.”  Those are the words of Rev. Jennifer Jue.  This summer she became the first woman pastor of Wayne’s First United Methodist Church.
Her goals include relationship with the community through evangelism and outreach. The United Methodist Church has many outreach programs.  Narcotics Anonymous meets at noon on Tuesdays and at 8 p.m. on Fridays.  Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are Thursdays at 7 p.m.  A Depression and Anxiety Group meets on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month at Noon. For more information about programs, call 721-4801.
Pastor Jue is focused on family activities.  At Halloween (Angel’s Night) the church hosted a Trunk ‘r Treat evening. The trunks holding the ‘treats’ were spread throughout the building. Families gathered together for an evening of games, fellowship and of course—treats.
In mid-November, a “Holy Ghost Hayride” took place at Harold Smith’s farm on Michigan Ave.
(That’s the farm, near Denton Road, with the white farmhouses and huge corn fields.)
The family fun day featured hay rides, farm tours, games, food and prayers.  The price?  Free!
A  Christmas Boutique will be open for shopping on December 1st, 8th, and 15th after Sunday’s 10:a.m. Worship Service.
Pastor Jennifer Jue has a most impressive resume.  A daughter of a United Methodist Minister, she graduated from the University of California, with a B.S. in Human Development, earned a teaching credential and taught in the San Francisco and Oakland, California School Systems. Completing her Doctorate in Education, she worked and taught at Stanford University, New College of California, and Western Michigan University. Rev. Jue earned her Masters of Divinity degree and Masters of Arts degree in Evangelism and Spiritual Formation at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. She was ordained an elder in the United Methodist Church in June, 2010.
Pastor Jue’s family includes her husband Erik Wong and her twins Heather and Jonathon Jue-Wong.  Heather is at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh and Jonathon attends Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. The Rev. Dr. Jue is happy that she and her family will all be together as they celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. They also enjoy summer vacations in Michigan.
I came away from our meeting knowing that Wayne’s First United Methodist Church has, in their new Pastor, a woman of great devotion and love for her church and its parishioners.
The Women’s Fellowship of the Congregational Church, served their famous Salad Luncheon, and two popular evening meals last month. The Church’s Pastor—the Rev. Dan Vellinga, served coffee while wearing an aptly worded shirt—“I’m Still the Minister.”  Sadly, Pastor Vellinga will be leaving his Wayne Congregation at the end of January, and will be based in Marshalltown, Iowa.  To say he’ll be missed is definitely an understatement.

After a delightful lecture by Natalie Burg, author of “Swedish Lessons,” our Wayne Library celebrated its 90th Birthday on November 16th.  Yes, there was cake—but no candles.  “Happy Birthday, Wayne Library.” You’ve come a long way since your start in the back room of a shoe store.  Here’s to 90 more years of excellence.

May your Christmas be merry and bright and blessed.