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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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We Asked & You Are Answering!
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The Charge Conference season is going along in great fashion. We asked you one important question in a few different ways and we’re getting some great answers. Many of you, the laity, have wrestled with the question and many congregations are using the Dotson resource to tell us:
What steps do you use to Make Disciples?
How is your congregation (member and clergy) guiding folks deeper into Spiritual Maturity?
What is your intentional process for making disciples?”
I’ve been touched and my heart warmed by the congregations that answered first by saying “We honestly don’t have a process or any steps in place, but our entire congregation is now committed to exploring and developing an intentional process.” Other laity have reported, “we are using the Dotson resource to develop a process.”
A few congregations also worked over the summer to develop a process for making disciples.
Here are a few other responses:
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Our process will include Worship, Welcome, Spiritual Disciplines, Small Groups for Bible Study and we’ll be much more intentional in reaching young people.
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We’ll continue our Outreach Emphasis, revive and offer more Bible Study, more Prayer without Ceasing, we’ll offer more Service Opportunities like local and international mission.
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Our model and steps will begin with more Empowering the Laity to Welcome, Reach Out, Share the Love of Christ, and Focus more on the VISION of Disciple Making.
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We’ll be reforming and reshaping how we conduct every committee meeting. Every committee will have a deeper devotion at the start, will ask how their work can be a tool for disciple making, will look more at community and outside community needs and less at making ourselves more comfortable.
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Several congregations have developed very detailed charts and will be implementing their step by step actions, most of them recognizing the importance of building relationships.
Some congregations are still having difficulty with the question and have not yet been able to report more than their current programs without an understanding of how those programs serve to make disciples. If your congregation is stuck at this place, just reach out to us to get more clarity and inspiration from laity/congregations that were once in your quandary.
Thanks folks, and keep up the good work!
Ted
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We have received 12 nomination forms for Annual Conference 2018. We need 37. Please send yours in today!
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Call for Nominations for At-Large Delegates at Annual Conference 2018
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At our District Conference at Wright's Chapel UMC on Saturday, November 18, 2017 the District will elect At-Large Delegates for next year's Annual Conference in Hampton (June 15 - 17, 2018).
We need to elect 28 At-Large Delegates and 9 reserve delegates. In order to be on the ballot, you need to complete a nomination form and return it to the District Office by November 1. You can nominate yourself or someone else (with their permission). Please click on the links below for either a PDF or Word version of the nomination form and return it to:
Rappahannock River District Office
Mail
: PO BOX 100, Ladysmith, VA 22501
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Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Bobby McClain
Training Classes include:
Book of Discipline 101
Clergy Tax Matters Workshop
Making Disciples
Navigating Social Media
Racial Harmony
Ways of Experiencing God
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District Conference 2017:
“Go, Make Disciples”
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Rappahannock River District Conference
& Training Event
8:30am – 2:00 pm
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Wright’s Chapel UMC
8063 Ladysmith Road, Ruther Glen, VA 22546
I-95 Exit 110, Ladysmith
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Classes are limited because of space limitations - sign up soon!
Please let us know if you're coming to the conference even if you're not able to stay for classes (so we have enough handouts).
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Builder's Club Call for Warsaw UMC
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The Builder’s Club is a group of Laity and Clergy from across the District who have pledged financial support for building new churches and renovating and expanding exsting church facilities on the district.
The Club raises money by issuing a call to its members two or three times a year. When members receive a call letter, they will receive information about the church, the location and information about the project. Members are then asked to respond with a donation to the Club.
You decide how much to donate - donations come in from $10.00 to $1,000.00. All donations are tax exempt and you decide the amount you wish to give for each call. No more than three calls will be asked of you during any given year. You can opt out of the Builder’s Club any time if your circumstances change.
This Call (the first in two years) will be for Warsaw United Methodist Church in Warsaw, Virginia. The request is for renovation of the lower structural part of the existing Sanctuary. This will include replacement of footings, foundation, sill plates, support beams and new floor joists where needed.
Please
click here to see the information packet for Financial Information and letter from the Warsaw Pastor explaining the project in detail.
Anyone who would like to contribute, please send a check payable to Rappahannock River District and mail to Rappahannock River District Builder's Club, PO BOX 100, Ladysmith, VA 22501
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Please indicate in the memo box that it is for Builder's Club Call #5. The call will end November 1, 2017
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Thank you for supporting and serving in this connectional ministry.
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Carol Draper from the Conference Treasurer’s Office will be with us to discuss the annual statistical data required by the General Church. This includes how you record membership, ethnic diversity, small group participation, community outreach, as well as church assets and liabilities, income and expenses. She will provide line by line detail for you to take back to your church. Since apportionments are based on the data entered in these statistical tables, it is important that we categorize expenses, members, etc. correctly. This will be useful information for anyone who enters your statistics - whether it’s your pastor, treasurer, membership secretary or anyone else.
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One remaining Statistics Training Class will be offered on our District this fall:
Tuesday, October 24 at 7:00pm at Warsaw UMC, Warsaw
(287 Main Street, Warsaw, VA 22572)
calling 804.448.8326 so we have plenty of handouts.
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Ministry Grants Available from Foundation Office
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REMINDER! It's October which means we are sipping apple cider and taking out our fall jackets. However, it also means the deadline for VAUMF Grant Applications is approaching!
Deadline is October 31st
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If you have any questions about how to apply for a VAUMF Grant, please give us a call
804-521-1121
or visit
here
to apply.
To read more about the Foundation’s Grants Initiative,
read here.
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St. Matthias Mission Trip to Honduras
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St Matthias UMC, Fredericksburg, will be putting together a mission team to return to Honduras 26 May-2 June 2018. The organization whom we work with is World Gospel Outreach and you can find out more information about them by going to their website at
wgoreach.org
. We are looking for medical people and people who just want to love the Honduran men/women/children and share the gospel of Jesus. For further information, please contact Peg Jones,
540-775-5729
or
pegjonesva@gmail.com
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Two Opportunities to Donate:
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Among the homeless in Stafford County are Middle School and High School youth. Here are a few of their needs (apart from safe and healthy housing):
new underwear and socks of all sizes;
warm clothing for the winter; Most urgently needed: toilet paper, soap, shampoo and
feminine hygiene products.
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District Meetings & Training
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October:
Tuesday, Oct. 24 Statistics Training, Warsaw UMC 7:00pm
Thursday, Oct. 26 Finance Committee Fredericksburg UMC Room 209 7:00pm
OTHER UPCOMING TRAINING EVENTS:
Nov. 18 DISTRICT CONFERENCE & TRAINING Wright’s Chapel UMC
Jan. 10 TRAINING FOR NEW TREASURERS Wright's Chapel UMC
Jan. 20 PPR COMMITTEE TRAINING Trinity King George
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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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