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t least 75 persons participated in the Day of Discernment on April 18th. The group’s draft mission statements are posted in Kobler Hall. A writing team from the Church Council is now working on a draft to be considered by the Church Council. It is a goal to have a mission statement to present to the congregation on Pentecost, May 24th. If it is not ready, a progress report will be given, as we celebrate the Birthday of the Church. Regular updates will be posted in the Open Door and in the announcements. Once a mission statement is adopted, the Church Council will set ministry goals for the coming year(s), and make sure leadership and funding are in place to achieve God’s vision for Fredericksburg United Methodist Church. For further information, contact your lay leader or Mike Cotter, Promised Land Taskforce Chair (
[email protected]). Thank you for your continued prayers and participation. LAY LEADERS: 5:30 p.m. Becky Brooks (
[email protected]) 8:30 a.m. Will Hendricks (
[email protected]) 9:45 a.m. Joanne Wilson (
[email protected]) 11:00a.m. Patti Orcutt (
[email protected])
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FUMC
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magine No Malaria is an extraordinary effort of the people of the United Methodist Church, putting our faith into action to end preventable deaths by malaria in Africa. FUMC’s CONFIRMATION CLASS is holding the second of two fund raisers, a Shoot-A-Thon where you pledge to pay for each shot made instead of each basket made, the proceeds of which will go towards Imagine No Malaria. This event will be on May 22nd. Wach for more information to come and look for a Confirmation student with a pledge sheet.
The Fredericksburg United Methodist Church will offer a one-time scholarship to a graduating high school senior. The scholarship will be based on the academic record, recommendations, and participation in church activities. Seniors can obtain an application from the extended narthex, the Charlotte Street entrance and the gathering space. The applications must be completed and returned to the Administrative Office by May 27, 2015. If you have questions about the Scholarship, please contact Joanna or John Reynolds at 540-786-7224.
PENTECOST BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!
On Pentecost, May 24th, everyone of all ages is invited to a Birthday Party for the Church. We will meet on the Methodist Green after each service for birthday cake, games, and fun as we celebrate the birth of the Church. If you see someone on the sidewalk invite them to join us in the celebration. There will be no Children’s Sunday School Classes on this day. Watch for more information.
CONFIRMATION
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he 2015 Confirmation Class will be received into membership on Sunday, May 31st. They have been studying together since January and will have their second fundraiser for Imagine No Malaria on Friday, May 22nd. Check the weekly announcements for more information.
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lease join us on May 28th for a trip to Braehead Manor for a tour and luncheon, by invitation of the Almy family. Braehead Manor, located in the Fredericksburg Battlefield National Park, was built in 1859 by John Howison. It was a popular spot in Fredericksburg during the Civil War, having hosted General Robert E. Lee during the First Battle of Fredericksburg, among other notables. It remained in the Howison family until 2008 when it was purchased by Rob and Diana Almy, members of FUMC. It has been completely restored by the current owners. Please join us for this lovely event. We will leave the church at 10:45 a.m. and return around 2:00 p.m. To make a reservation, call Julie Tubbs at (540) 8980876 ASAP, as space is limited. The deadline for reservations is May 19th.
f you need an incentive to get rid of clutter – this is your OPPORTUNITY. We will be collecting items the week of June 1-6 in the Fellowship Hall of the church and things will go on sale 8:00 a.m., Saturday, June 6, on the FUMC METHODIST GREENS (corner of Princess Anne and Hanover St.). NO CLOTHES OR SHOES, PLEASE. The proceeds will go to worthy causes for our church and the BAZAAR Committee will be supervising the distribution of the profits. Each year we have requests sent to the committee and the proceeds are given the end of the year. The BAZAAR is November 7, 2015, and we are busy meeting and working the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month. Everyone is welcome to come and we appreciate “all hands.” If you have a desire to make Raggedy Anne and Raggedy Andy, we have the patterns and material. Call Sharon Bradshaw (373-8245) if you want to use your talent there or with other projects. As always, we appreciate those who are working on items at home. 3
STUDY OPPORTUNITIES at FUMC
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he mission of United Methodist Women is ... mission. In 2019, we will be celebrating 150 years of work around the world to benefit women, children and youth. One way we raise funds for this work is the Candleburning program and once again this year, we invite the whole congregation to participate. For a gift of any amount, you can honor a friend, family member, or group. On the first weekend of May (May 2 and 3), there will be special envelopes included in the bulletin to facilitate donations. Simply put your donation in the envelope (checks to be made out to FUMW) and write your dedication on the outside – in honor of or in memory of one or more people and place it in the offering plate. During the rest of May, these envelopes will be located around the church in case someone misses the first weekend. In the fall, a list of all of the people honored by your gifts will be included in the Open Door, our church newsletter. In addition, mission candles will be burned at the local unit’s fall General Meeting, the District UMW Annual Meeting at Shepherds UMC, and the Conference Annual Meeting at Blackstone, based on the amount of money raised. This church has always been very generous supporting the United Methodist Women mission work and we thank you for that support. POC: Jean Himmel, 540-368-9541.
The Monday Morning Bible Study meets from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Room 210 on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month (unless the church is closed). Every week is a fresh lesson, so join in whenever you can! To order a book, arrange for babysitting or if you have further questions, call Ann Braz at 710-6588.
1. “Confronting the Controversies.” This is a study of contemporary controversies confronting the Church based on a series of sermons by Adam Hamilton, Lead Pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, KS. We have Adam’s book, DVD, class leader guide and a guide for the clergy. 2. “Not a Silent Night.” This is a study of the life of Jesus from his Mother Mary’s perspective. It begins with the crucifixion and works it way back to the birth of the Savior. This study is also based on a series of sermons by Adam Hamilton. We have the books and DVD for this study as well. If any Sunday school classes, small groups or individuals are interested in these two excellent studies, please contact George Long at glong@meicompany. com or 540-809-6764.
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Every woman of the church is invited to become a member of United Methodist Women because when women come together for missions, amazing things can happen. The theme for 2015 is “Welcomed by God, Welcoming All.”
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he Board of Trustees is sponsoring a FUMC Spring Clean-up Program. Two Saturdays, May 30th and June 6th, have been set aside as work days (8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.) for this program. All able bodied men, women and teens are asked to volunteer and show your love for your Church home. Projects will include minor carpentry; cleaning, scraping and patching walls; drywall installation and repair; painting; gardening; and food preparation to feed the loyal volunteers. To register, we will be using the tear-off sheets in the Sunday announcements and sign-up sheets at the reception desks at the Charlotte Street entrance and the Gathering space outside Kobler Hall in mid-May. Please volunteer to make this program a success.
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ndividuals are needed who can offer their time and talent in communicating the spoken word to persons who need computer assisted note-taking during Annual Conference. Assistance is needed to type text of reports, worship and music using Microsoft Word, at times as the speaker is presenting. Good typing speed and accuracy is a must! Individuals will be needed for all sessions for shifts of one hour or longer. Further information is available from the Office of Inclusivity and Lay Leadership Excellence at 1-800-768-6040, ext.154, (804) 521-1154 or e-mail
[email protected].
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he Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet in the Parlor on Wednesday, May 20, 2015, from 12:30 til 2:30. We share patterns and helpful hints to improve our knitting. Please bring your current project and join us. Starting a new shawl? Please consider selecting a nice color for men, and knit a rectangular shawl which measures 30”x 64”, not counting fringe. If you haven’t used your talents (knit and/or crochet) in some time, and would like to refresh those skills, please gather your project and join us. If you wish to give a prayer shawl, you may pick up a request form, which is located in Mona Lamb’s office. The following Thank You Note was received from a Prayer Shawl recipient:
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“Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it.” —Proverbs 22:6
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BS REGISTRATION IS OPEN! You can register for VBS on our church website or by filling out a paper registration form found around the church. VBS 2015 will happen here at FUMC from June 22 through June 26. Mark your calendars now! We will travel back in time and see what life was like when Jesus was a little boy. In doing so, we will see so many ways that He was JUST LIKE US. Every day we will meet with his mother Mary to learn about his life, explore the bustling marketplace, and join one of the 12 tribes of Israel for games, music, craft, fun, and Bible study. The cost this year is $10 per child. We need you to prayerfully consider HOW you will participate this year. We cannot do this without adult volunteers and leadership. Positions needed include: • Director • Carpentry Shop • Marketplace • Bead Bazzar Shop Coordinator • Dye Shop • Games Leader • Wool Shop • Storytelliner • Olive Oil Shop • Food Coordinator • Farmer’s Field • Tribe Leaders • Farm Animal Supervisor • Synagogue School (and people with Rabbi animals)
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ill Earnesty is a ten year old fifth grader at Battlefield Elementary. His parents are Mark and Lisa Earnesty and he has two sisters – Sarah, age 17, and Megan, age 14. Their family attends the 8:30 service. Will enjoys participating in many FUMC activities including the Wesley Ringers bell choir, the children’s musical, Rotation Sunday School, Kids With Purpose and other Wednesday evening classes, Upward basketball, VBS, and the new running club. Outside of church he enjoys all sports, especially baseball, basketball, and swimming as well as Boy Scouts. Will says his favorite memory of FUMC was when, “We all went to Mr. Bonshire’s house to sing and put heart signs in his yard.” When Will grows up he wants to be either an engineer or a baseball player. His favorite Bible verse will help him on his way, Phil. 4:3, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” 7
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he FUMC Outreach Food Pantry is presently focusing on food products only. Our present inventory is in need of, cereals, canned peas, canned fruit, canned soups, canned meat, pancake syrup and bread. Please place these items in the appropriate container in Mission Control. Since we now have an adequate supply, we do not need peanut butter, jelly, mashed potatoes and pasta. Monetary donations may also be made by writing “Food Pantry” in the memo section of your check. Contact Ed Sielski with questions. (540-786-8515)
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id you miss a newsletter and realize you need information from a past issue? Did you want to sign up for one of the Disciple classes but can’t remember where you made a note about how to do that? Are you thinking about online giving but misplaced the information about it? All of this is available to you at the touch of a mouse on the church website. You can sign up for a class, consult the church calendar, listen to a sermon you missed and much, much more. Visit www.fumcva.org soon and find out what’s going on in the church and how you can get involved!!!
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VERYONE FROM THE CHURCH is invited to enjoy the books from the United Methodist Woman’s Reading Program found on a special bookcase in the church library. You will find books to make you cry, make you laugh and make you think about the whole world. Directions for checking out a book are on the red box you will find on the shelf. There is also a list of all of the books on the Reading Program which you may have to use as a reference. For further information call Charlotte Edge at 371-1967.
lanning a hospital stay? Are you headed to surgery? Want to have prayer and someone from the clergy staff to visit? Tell us when you are in the hospital. If surgery is scheduled, tell us the day, time and place where a Pastor can locate you. Our Pastors can serve you best when they know your schedule. They can meet you at the health facility prior to surgery. They can have prayer and support you and your loved ones. Hospitals no longer notify churches when members are hospitalized. If you wish to have a Pastor visit, you or a family member will need to notify the church.
very Wednesday at 11:00 the Chapel Prayer Group meets to pray for FUMC members/ families/friends with health or other concerns (or praises!). We always include prayers for our military members. Through time, we have lost contact with some of our military and would very much like to have an update on them. If you have any information on any of our military members, please contact Pastor Hank McCaslin at 540-373-9021 or henrymccaslin@ fumcva.org. Join us for prayer on Wednesdays in the second floor chapel! 8
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oly Communion is a sacrament of the United Methodist Church. It is a means of grace and a vital part of the worship experience for believers in Jesus as the Christ. The Membership, Care, and Nurture Ministry wants to provide Holy Communion to those who are not able to attend worship on a regular basis due to life and health concerns. If you have previously received lay-communionserver training and have been serving the shut-ins, we want to provide a refresher orientation and new communion sets. Or, if you sense a strong desire to be a new lay-communion servant, taking communion to those confined to their home, nursing/retirement home, or hospital room, contact the Pastor of Congregational Care, Rev. Henry “Hank” McCaslin, 540-373-9021, ext. 22, or email at
[email protected].
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ow you can send an ECard Invitation to your families and friends. E-Cards include information on our church’s worship services and other church events and you can add your personal message. To send an E-Card, visit our church website at www. fumcva.org and click “Connect” in the upper course menu. You will see an “Evite” button on the left side menu. Click and follow the instructions.
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ach second Saturday, FUMC hosts a Community Dinner prepared in the Fellowship Hall downstairs ... free for the community. There are currently dinners EVERY Saturday from 4:00 to 6 p.m. at FUMC. When renovations are completed at Fredericksburg Presbyterian Church, they will once again host dinners as well. Preparation for dinner begins from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. with set-up to follow and then dinner served at 4:00 p.m. What a great mission this is!!! Libby Wasem is the organizer for FUMC and can be reached at
[email protected] if you would like to help with this effort.
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he Contemplative practice of Centering Prayer is being held each Sunday evening in the Parlor. We begin at 6:45 p.m., starting promptly, and ending at 7:45 p.m. (lasting one hour). If you have ever considered a “closer walk with God” this form of prayer is a golden opportunity. The goal of Centering Prayer is simple - closeness to God. This prayer time is open to all Christians of any denomination. Any questions, please call Janet Davis at 371-0145.
Our FUMC family expresses sympathy and love to... Jeff and Rona Costello on the death of Florence Costello, Jeff’s grandmother, on March 26. She was 103. Vy and John Bass in the death of her brother, Steven Self, on March 30. Patty Robertson on the death of her husband, Richard Robertson. to Diane, Gerry, and Michael Isenberg – on the death of her father, George Everitt, on March 30 (Diane’s mother is Luella Everitt, 4594 Buckhannon Pike, Mt. Clare, WV 26408). Midge Vittoria and family on the death of her son, Daniel, on April 25, 2015. 9
The Community Give
GIVE The Community Foundation
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chool Dressing Days is an event that has helped children who need some assistance getting ready for school for over 40 years; last year nearly 1,400 children were served. Each child, Kindergarten through high school, is given new jeans and shirts, underwear and socks, backpacks, school supplies, and toiletries. Gently used outerwear and shoes are also collected and made available. Children approved for Head Start are also given some appropriate items. This year, the event will be held on Friday and Saturday, August 14 and 15 at the LDS Church on Bragg Road. Please think about volunteering; more details on signing up later. Members of the congregation can help by donating items or funds. For financial donations, write checks to FUMC with SDD on the memo line and the money will be forwarded to the Interfaith Community Council which sponsors the event. A partial list of donations requested: • • • •
New girls jeans sizes 6X, 7 and 8 (no flares) Girls underwear sizes 6 and 8 (colorful, no briefs) Girls large size and womens colorful, low-cut socks Backpacks (Five Below will have them for $5.00 sometime soon) • Toiletries (especially deodorant, toothpaste and bar soap) • Gently-used coats, jackets and hoodies, laundered please The complete list can be found in Mission Control where there is a marked bin waiting to be filled.
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