United Methodist House

Dear Friends of UMH,

As the new hosts of the UMH, we look forward to meeting and greeting each of you on the porch this coming summer. Karen and Bob Douds were gracious hosts for many years, and we will certainly do our best to emulate them.

Although our “home” is in Houston, Texas, for many years we have considered ourselves unofficial residents of Chautauqua and the United Methodist House. We have spent each summer since 2002 on Lake Chautauqua, have been affiliate members of Hurlbut Church most of that time, and have spent countless hours on the UMH porch.

We address this note to “friends” as we hope to become friends with each of you as we experience shared events at the house. It has been said that friends are gifts we give ourselves and in that sense we both look forward to giving ourselves many gifts in the summers to come at Chautauqua Institution’s United Methodist House.

In this time of “waiting,” the advent readings abound with metaphors of “home.” The UMH is our home and yours, and until we meet you there, we wish you all good tidings and the blessings of hope, peace and joy this Christmastide.

Jan and Mike Yauch