James River District E-News     Aug. 1, 2017


My Life in Boxes
A message from the District Superintendent

What is your life? You are a midst that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
 -James 4:14

I hate moving.

Now don't get me wrong. I am a United Methodist clergy, sold out to the theology of itinerancy. Plus I love arriving at new destinations along with an anticipated excitement that is born out of new beginnings. I enjoy the adventure of discovering fresh starts in unfamiliar surroundings. I even love meeting new people and developing new relationships. I especially appreciate the new perspective moving to a new location gives. But I hate, I loathe, I detest, the mechanics of physically moving. In general, my attitude toward moving embodies the old adage, "Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die."

Every time I start packing boxes for an upcoming move, I hear George Carlin's monologue on "Stuff" playing in my head...

Around the District

Whaleyville Community
Block Party and Craft Fair
Whaleyville United Methodist Church 
6312 Whaleyville Blvd, Whaleyville, VA 23438 
August 19, 2017 from 11:00 am-5:00 pm


Come out and enjoy a day with friends and neighbors. There will be food, beverages, fun and games for your entire family! Craft fair tables are also available for a $10.00 donation. Contact Scott Anderson for more information (757) 620-0833.

Ice Cream Social & Gospel Concert
Wakefield United Methodist Church
205 W. Church Street, Wakefield, VA 23888
August 25, 2017 at 6:00 pm

Wakefield UMC is sponsoring a Gospel Concert with Lee and Michelle Crumpler along with an Ice Cream Social to raise funds for Pastor Glenn and Amy Riggs' trip to the Holy Land. A hamburger/hot dog plate with ice cream will be served at 6:00 pm, and the concert begins at 7:30 pm. Donations accepted for the meal and concert. The community is welcome! If you need further information, please call the church office (757) 899-7203.

Highland UMC Seeking Music Director

Highland United Methodist Church, located in Colonial Heights, VA is seeking a part-time Music Director. A partial description of duties and responsibilities include: Select and provide music suitable for organ and piano music for the 8:30 am and 11:00 am Sunday Classic Worship services; coordinate music selections with the lead Pastor and select offerings that are compatible with the type of service, sermon topic, and the season of the church year. Conduct the Sanctuary Choir, including evening practices as necessary, to provide meaningful, worshipful music which complements the worship service. For more details, visit the Virginia Conference website at www.vaumc.org/jobs
Attention James River District Youth 
Camp Willow Run Retreat
September 23-24, 2017

The registration deadline is fast approaching for the Fall Retreat at Camp Willow Run! Are you ready for a fun-filled, relaxing retreat with canoeing, volleyball, low ropes course, and hanging out with friends? Turner Wilkes will be providing our worship music, and Raymond Easter will bring us God's message. Visit  www.jamesriverdistrictyouth.com for registration information and forms, and the DEADLINE IS AUGUST 26TH!

Upcoming Dates - All District youth are invited to attend
September 3 - District Youth Council Meeting, Ocran UMC at 2:00 pm
October 1 - District Youth Council Meeting, Ocran UMC at 2:00 pm

If you need further information, contact James River District Youth Coordinator, Laura Hancock (804) 586-1127 or email: guppi598@yahoo.com
Rev. Tom Berlin
"Vine and Branches" Video

The United Methodist Commission on a Way Forward released the Rev. Tom Berlin's "Vine and Branches" video in which Berlin shares some of what the commission is working on in regards to the church's unity. Berlin is pastor at Floris UMC in Herndon and a member of the 32-member commission tasked by the Council of Bishops to do a complete examination and possible revision to every paragraph of The Book of Discipline concerning human sexuality. 

Click here to watch the video...
Do You Know Someone
Heading to College or Seminary?

Fall semester is just around the corner, and the Virginia United Methodist Credit Union has an educational line of credit to help students and families fill the funding gap once scholarships, subsidized federal student loans, and college savings accounts have been exhausted. 

It's called SnapLoan, and it is structured as a line of credit with a fixed rate of 
5.95% APR for students attending any accredited college and an even lower rate of
5.45% APR for students attending seminary or a United Methodist affiliated college 
within the conferences the credit union serves.

There are no application deadlines, so students may apply anytime. Visit
www.tumcusnaploan.com for details or to apply.
Mr. Wesley Visits Salvation Army Men's Shelter

The Mission Team at Lebanon United Methodist Church (Dinwiddie) provides a meal for the men at the Salvation Army Men's Shelter in Petersburg on the second Thursday of each month. The members of Lebanon UMC provide and prepare the food and serve it to the residents. There are 4-8 volunteers helping each month, and the church has sponsored this ministry for approximately ten years. The lady on the right is Mrs. Curtis, who works at the shelter and also provides Christian leadership for the residents. She is always a joy to see! This mission is an even greater blessing to those who serve than those being served. - Submitted by Peggy Watson, Lebanon UMC (Dinwiddie) Missions Team Chair.

Contact the District Office to reserve Mr. Wesley and take a picture of your mission project for our newsletter. The District will send $50 to your church's mission project!
Save the Date! 
2018 Lay Servant Academy

The Lay Servant Academy will be held March 2 - 4, 2018 at the beautiful W. E. Skelton 4-H Center on Smith Mountain Lake. Take a peek at their webside: http://retreatatsmithmountainlake.com/
and make plans to attend.

District Calendar 

August 6  3:00 pm Southampton Branch Meeting High Street UMC
August 8  8:00 am River Branch Meeting Burrowsville Fire Department
August 8  2:00 pm Swift Creek Branch Meeting Bethia UMC
August 9 12:00 pm Dinwiddie Branch Meeting Giuseppe's Restaurant
August 10
 3:00 pm Emporia Branch Meeting Monumental UMC
August 14
 7:00 pm Petersburg Branch Meeting District Office
August 22  7:00 pm Common Table Meeting District Office
Sept. 4

District Office Closed for 
Labor Day

JAMES RIVER DISTRICT UMC | 804.732.2538 | jamesriverdistrict@vaumc.org