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Welcome to The Bridge, a weekly update of the Rappahannock River District of the United Methodist Church
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Not Here, But There, Part 2
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How Was Burundi?
Word has spread that I was in Burundi Africa from January 29
th through mid-February. I went there at the invitation of Dr. Jerry Kulah who had organized a Burundi UMC training event. The invitation also included preaching at a graduation service, preaching in Sunday worship, and preaching at the Burundi UM Annual Conference. The days were very long, the temperature was very hot and humid, but the events were a tremendous blessing.
There's a reason that Dr. Kulah organized the Burundi Conference training for laity and clergy. I learned that the Burundi Conference has been deeply divided for 12 years. When I say deeply divided I mean actual physical fights, broken relationships, and factions engaged in power struggles that prevented any Conference wide activity for the last 12 years. So, this training and special called Annual Conference is the result of a Burundi UM peace treaty and a move to secure reconciliation. Before I left for Africa I was not aware of these terrible church struggles. You can probably imagine that learning of the struggles caused me a greater than normal level of pressure. The participants wanted and needed workshops, fellowship, reconciliation, trust building, and demonstrations of forgiveness - all in the six days of the gathering.
I arrived in Burundi on the afternoon of the 29
th and immediately assisted in setting up the registration desk to prepare for the 85 workshop participants. The workshop participants were broken into two groups; the clergy and lay leaders were grouped together and the Burundi Conference youth and young adult leaders attended workshops together. Over the six days I led workshops on Mentoring, Integrity, Spiritual leadership, Spiritual disciplines like journaling, and a few others. In the two groupings of the event I led ten training sessions in addition to the three preaching responsibilities.
The trip and experiences were an amazing blessing. I leaned a great deal about the Burundi UMC, Burundi history, and a great deal about the spiritual desires of the Burundi people. Despite the heat and humidity, and despite the grueling 6 am to 9:45 pm days, I gained a great deal of respect for the resolve of the Burundi UMC. At this point the Burundi UMC has an interim Bishop and is led in daily operations by the leaders of the two factions. The hope is that the Burundi UMC will reconcile, will reunite, will elect a Bishop, and will get back to spiritual and numeric growth.
I ask you to join me in praying for the people of Burundi and especially for our UM brothers and sisters in Burundi. Please pray that our Burundi church friends can achieve the reconciliation, peace, and restructuring they desire and need. We know that the fastest and most explosive church growth right now is happening in Africa, and this is what the Burundi UMC wants to get back to doing.
Last, but not least, thank you to each of you who prayed for me during the trip! In the moments of exhaustion I felt the prayers.
Ted
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If you don't see an article below about Chat & Chew - please change your settings to view images. See instructions at the top of this email.
Chat & Chew
Registration Deadline is Monday, Feb. 19 at 12:00 noon
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"
SACRED SPACE
"
Rappahannock River District United Methodist Women
SPIRITUAL DAY APART
Trinity (King George) United Methodist Church
9425 King's Highway, King George, VA 22485
Rev. Emily Moore-Diamond
Chaplain, Mary Washington
Hospital
Saturday, March 10, 2018
Registration:
9:30 - 10:00 AM
*
Program:
10:00 AM - 1:30 PM
(
11:30 - 12:30) LUNCH**
*
Childcare provided if you request
by February 24
** Love offering collected for lunch
Please pre-register by February 24.
(See your local UMW President or call 804-633-5415)
BIO ~ Rev. Emily Moore-Diamond has been serving in ministry in the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church for over 25 years. Currently, she serves as a Chaplain at Mary Washington Hospital. Rev. Emily is the former pastor of Warsaw UMC and former president of the Rappahannock River District Clergy Association. She has also served churches in the Richmond, Harrisonburg, Danville, and Arlington Districts. She is married to Scott Diamond, and they live in Woodbridge. She enjoys writing, running, reading, and word games.
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See All the People: Intentional Disciple Making
March 24
th
10:00 am to 12:30 pm
Calling All Rappahannock River District Clergy
& 3 Laity from Each Church/Charge
This March 24
th
training day will teach us how to be more intentional in disciple making. We will cover:
- Investing in making & growing disciples: Bringing clarity to the ‘What’ ‘How’ and ‘Why’ of making disciples. Offering tools to bring the ‘Why’, ‘What’, and ‘How’ back to your ministry setting. Creating an intentional discipleship system (or pathway) - unique to your church’s context.
- Discipleship begins with relationships. Equipping your disciples with the right heart and motivation for disciple-making.
- Engaging Your Community: Listening, Learning, & Developing Strategies to reach the non-religious and nominally religious in your community
Our Leader for the Day: Rev Jeff Campbell serves as the Executive Director of Conference Relationships at Discipleship Ministries. He works to strengthen intentional disciple-making across the connection. Jeff served for 13 years as a senior pastor prior to coming to Discipleship Ministries.
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All God's Children Camp Needs You!
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All God's Children Camp is just around the corner and we are in need of mentors this summer. We will need 90 mentors total, 30 for each camp, both male and female. Please consider giving a week of your time and mentor a camper whose mother or father is incarcerated. You will get a chance to just pour out some love on your camper, engage with them during bible, arts and crafts and worship. You can also encourage them through the week as they learn new activities the camp has to offer. For more information, please contact Lori Smith at
lttlelori@gmail.com
or
571-245-9591
. You can find the application on our website at
https://vaumc.org/page.aspx?pid=4190
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If you have any questions, please email Pastor Brenda Pusso or Lay Leader Bill Swarens by clicking buttons to the left.
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Next Youth Retreat Planning Meeting is Sunday, Feb. 18 at Hillcrest UMC at 2:00pm- Please join us!
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ASH WEDNESDAY at ST. MATTHIAS UMC
426 Deacon Road
Fredericksburg, VA 22405
(540) 373-8759
Wednesday, February 14
10:00 am
Meditation and Imposition of Ashes
Followed by UMW-Sponsored Speaker:
Lori Smith, Director, All God's Children Camp
for children of incarcerated parents
Potluck Lunch of Soups and Salads to follow
(All are welcome to join us; please call church office to reserve a place at the table.)
7:00 pm
Ash Wednesday worship service and Imposition of Ashes
Please join us at either service as we begin the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday worship
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Financial Peace University Offered
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With Dave Ramsey’s class Financial Peace University, you CAN take control of
your money and start planning for your future. If you’re interested in learning more
about the class, email Michelle Pinheiro at admin.assistant@tabumc.org! Because
we’re offering it at Tabernacle United Methodist church just for you starting
April 4, 2018 at 7 p.m. You may sign up and order you kit today by going to
on the link to Financial Peace University.
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Rappahannock River District
El Salvador (UMVIM) Mission Trip
July 2 – 6, 2018
We are excited to reconnect with our International Methodist Mission Partner – The Evangelical Methodist Church in El Salvador. In 2018, we’ll send a District team to continue our relationship-building and food distribution. Interested team members may have an opportunity to engage in some construction work as well.
Applications are available from the District Office, the District website, or by contacting Rev. Craig Muffley, Team Leader, at
craigmuffley@vaumc.org
.
Trip Cost
: Expected to be in the $750-$850 range, including airfare. $300 scholarships will be available to persons under 30 years of age.
Application and Deposit Deadline
: March 15
th
, 2018 - $250 deposit is due with your application. Make checks payable to “Rappahannock River District UMC”, memo: El Salvador Trip and mail to:
Eastland UMC - Rev. Craig Muffley
10718 Courthouse Road
Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Final payment will be due at the first team meeting – April 7. The application fee is non-refundable after airline tickets are bought.
Team Meetings
– are
mandatory
(or must be made up) – April 7
th
, May 5
th
, June 2
nd
(all first Saturdays) at a location to be determined, 9:30 am – 11:30 am.
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Untold Stories of a Search for Freedom
"Secret Codes, A Chatham Slave, and the Reverend Turner - Moments in Black History"
Friday, February 9, 2018
6:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.
Downtown Historic Fredericksburg, VA
"Witness" three untold stories of
African Americans
during and after the Civil War as they searched for freedom and civil rights. Join in commemorating Black History Month by participating in a living history event presenting three different vignettes at three historic churches in downtown Fredericksburg
.
These scenes from the lives of enslaved persons as well as new freedmen during the Civil War era will take place on Friday, February 9, from 6:00 P.M. to
9
:00 P.M.
The tours will start at the
Fredericksburg United Methodist Church
, at
308 Hanover Street
.
Visitors may find parking behind the church in the church parking lot on Charlotte Street, as well as street parking. Please use the entrance on the Charlotte Street side of the church, which is where the tours will originate.
The first tour will start promptly
at 6:05 P.M., with subsequent tours
departing every 20 minutes. Each tour will last approximately one hour and involves moderate walking. The tour will end with the third vignette at Shiloh Baptist Church
(New Site)
followed by refreshments. A nominal donation of $5 per person is suggested and will be taken at the door.
Cash or check only, please.
Friends of Wilderness Battlefield is coordinating this event with the help of the three host churches:
Fredericksburg United Methodist Church
, Shiloh Baptist Church (New Site) and St. George's Episcopal Church. Also collaborating with the event are the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, the John J. Wright Educational and Cultural Center Museum, the 23
rd
United States Colored Troops, and the Women of the Civil War.
To reserve a spot for a tour, please sign up at our website,
www.fowb.org
, where you may request which tour you would like to take. Time slots for tours are: 6:05, 6:25,6:45, 7:05, 7:25, and 7:45 P.M. Please note that
space is limited
with only 25 spaces per tour, so signing up early is advised!
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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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Organist or pianist wanted for
Midland United Methodist Church.
This person will be responsible for providing music for the Sunday morning worship at 9:30. Could be a part-time or full time position. For more information please contact Faith Scott at
The
Heartwood Center is seeking a Youth Mission Camp Coordinator for 2018. The camp will be held July 16-20 and August 13-17, 12 noon to 8pm Monday through Friday. For a copy of the position description, please email Rev. Gayle Porias at
heartwoodcenterfredericksburg@gmail.com or visit
www.theheartwoodcenter.org. This position includes a paid stipend.
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Upcoming District Meetings & Training:
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February 18
Youth Retreat Planning Meeting, Hillcrest, 2:00pm
February 20
Ordained Ministry, District Office
February 20
Church Location & Building, District Office, 7:00pm
February 22
District Board of Trustees, Hillcrest, 7:00pm
February 24 Chat & Chew 2.0,
Ebenezer Stafford, 9:00am
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District Superintendent:
Rev. Dr. Theodore Smith
2018 District Co-Lay Leader:
2018 District Co-Lay Lay Leader:
Mailing Address: PO BOX 100, Ladysmith, VA 22501 Phone 804.448.8326 FAX 804.448.8328 Cell: 804.304.8566
Office Location: Inside Wright’s Chapel UMC at 8063 Ladysmith Road, Ruther Glen, VA (do not use for mail)
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