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Welcome to The Bridge
News
Section, a weekly update of the Rappahannock River District of the United Methodist Church! Local Church
EVENTS
are in separate email.
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Life Long Learning, an Amazing Thing! Part 2
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Let’s continue the journey of what we’ve learned and when we learned it. Now, let’s pick up where I left off with one slight change from last week. As I continue the lessons learned, let me share some things in the year learned and others in the span of a particular decade.
Starting my first pastorate as a 24 year old, I came to believe and understand that there is a significant difference between God’s call on one’s life and the ability of the Church to help sustain that call.
I learned very early in my ministry that the church can be a very challenging place!
I came to understand that some congregations do not work to help people see the truth of God having a purpose for our lives. I came to understand that churches are broken and in deep need of Christ because God’s people continually wrestle with breaking away from our birth sin state.
Churches are broken because we who participate in them are broken.
Once we accept it, we can begin to focus more on God’s grace, God’s plan for each of us, and how Christ is working to get us to closer relationships with God. Friends, the Church IS God’s agent for salvation, for affirming God’s creation, and even for supporting those called into ordained ministry. I know God called and I know it is my responsibility to sustain the call and remain spiritually well fed. I understand that I stand in an historic line of the called people who all wrestled to keep their call alive through Holy care, not necessarily through Church care.
At age 30 I learned and accepted that I must listen to, pay close attention to, and learn to trust my instincts. That’s not to say that my instincts are 100% correct, but it is to say
I’ve come to see that God uses many techniques to speak to us. Equally important is learning to test the instinctual senses after I become aware of them.
I’ve learned that hearing the voice of instinct is only the first step to gaining awareness.
At age 33 I learned that I’m hard to live with, but my family loves me anyway. Thank God for grace and mercy.
It took me until my 40’s to really get the fact that I need daily exercise. Without exception, the human body needs exercise and constant motion. Exercise is a great antidote to negative feelings and thoughts. I used to think of exercise as just a means of staying healthy. But I’ve come to an awareness of how my disposition makes a total shift during and after working my muscles and getting the blood pumping.
Exercise is physical
and
has direct correlation to the spiritual.
My confession is that engaging in daily exercise is no less challenging than learning to master the English language.
One of the most enlightening nuggets of wisdom I learned came from a Chicago area emergency room doctor. We were discussing our respective roles of service and availability to those in traumatic situations and how we could be available without constantly becoming personally overwhelmed with each new situation. The metaphor the doctor used was that he saw our two professions as jobs in which we are required to be with those who are on the roller coaster but we are standing at the base of the ride rather than getting in the seat beside the rider. It is not a matter of whether one keeps a healthy distance as much as the
art of living in empathy while offering the lifeline of hope in response to the ups and downs
of the ride. A matter of knowing without doubt that God is at the control box and we who care for the riders are on the ground watching, waiting, hopeful, excited, and there to comfort if the ride does not go well.
What have you learned about what God desires for you and your role in God’s plan?
More to come in part 3.
Ted
Pastor Ted
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Warsaw UMC thanks
Builder's Club Members
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Warsaw UMC celebrated the first Sunday of Advent by coming home to their newly renovated sanctuary. What a joy to be back in our sacred space. It was the first time our new Pastor Daniel Burch preached from that pulpit, and it was very special for all of us. We want to thank everyone across the district who prayed for us, and all of the Builders Club members who gave so generously to help us in our time of need. What a blessing it is to be part of such a loving, supportive connectional church. Thank you, and we wish you all a joyous Advent and Christmas season filled with hope!
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Registration is now open!
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Part-time Organist/Pianist wanted for Tappahannock Memorial United Methodist Church, Tappahannock, VA. This person will be responsible for providing music for two Sunday worship services, choir rehearsals and special worship services of the church. Salary negotiable. For more information, please contact the church office at
tappmethodist@gmail.com or 804-443-2278.
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Christmas Break Blessings
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Sisters and Brothers,
The Heartwood Center will be sponsoring the Christmas Break Blessings food distribution for children in 8 Stafford County Schools. A packing event will be held at St. Matthias UMC 426 Deacon Road, Fredericksburg on Monday December 18th 10am.
Here is the list of food items needed for the Stafford Christmas Break food bags
Chef Boyardee micro. cups 290
Cup of Soup 200
Mac & Cheese micro. cups 490
Crackers / Granola Bars / Cookie packs 490
Fruit Cups / Fruit packets / Raisin boxes 490
Cereal (Indiv. boxes or bags) 490
Oatmeal packets / Nutri Grain Bars 340
Nutri Grain / Breakfast Bars 150
Capri Suns 490
Juice Boxes 490
Monetary Donations can be made payable to Heartwood Ministries and mailed to
PO BOX 187 Hartwood, VA 22471
Blessings,
Gayle
Rev. Gayle Porias
Pastor Mount Horeb UMC
The Heartwood Center Director
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Upcoming District Meetings & Training:
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December 8
Clergy Family Service, Trinity KG UMC, 7:30pm
December 11
Connectional Ministries, Wright's Chapel UMC, 7:00pm
December 19
Ordained Ministry, Wright's Chapel UMC
January 2
District Board of Missions, Tabernacle UMC, 7:00pm
January 4 D
istrict Board on Superintendency, District Office, 7:00pm
January 9 Full
Clergy Meeting, Wright's Chapel UMC, 9:30am
January 10
Church Treasurer 101 Training, Wright's Chapel UMC, 7:00pm
January 20
SPPR Committee Training, Trinity King George UMC, 10:00am
January 23
Ordained Ministry, Wright's Chapel UMC
January 23
District Finance, Fredericksburg UMC, 7:00pm
February 1
UM Day at General Assembly
February 1
District Trustees, Hillcrest UMC, 6:30pm
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District Superintendent: Rev. Dr. Theodore Smith
District Lay Leader:
District Associate Lay Leaders:
Mailing Address: PO BOX 100, Ladysmith, VA 22501 Phone 804.448.8326 FAX 804.448.8328
Office Location: Inside Wright’s Chapel UMC at 8063 Ladysmith Road, Ruther Glen, VA (do not use for mail)
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