Weekly news & updates: March 5, 2021 |
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Facebook Live Worship: Sunday 10am
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Join Pastor Melody for the 3rd Sunday of Lent and worship at 10am on Facebook live as she continues her Sermon Series: "Fame." We are journeying with Jesus as his fame spreads.
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Click here to go to our Facebook page and scroll down until you see the video of worship.
- The link and video are viewable even if you don't have a Facebook account.
- Please write your name in the comments so we know you are worshiping with us.
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Sermon Series: "Fame"
Sermon title: "They see, but they can’t SEE."
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Drive-in communion will also be on FB live for those who want to participate at home. Click here to go to our FB page. You need to provide your own communion elements.
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Concerned about COVID-19? Please know that everyone stays in their cars. The communion elements are purchased from a company that prepackages them, so we aren’t handling them directly. Also, Melody serves them to people in their cars using a long paddle board and she is masked.
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LOCATION
Ghent UMC parking lot at 531 Raleigh Ave.
DATE AND TIME
03/07/21 1:30pm
Use a smartphone/tablet to tune into the service on our FB page so you can see/hear better. WiFi is available.
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Open Table: Volunteers Needed |
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Ghent UMC has become licensed to start an Open Table which is a model in which an at-risk person creates relationships with 6 community volunteers to help meet the goals they create for themselves. The volunteers complete 15 hours of training to learn to use their vast relational capital and social networks to impact the social determinants of health specific to the individuals or family requesting assistance. Over the course of a year, Open Table volunteers meet on a weekly basis to work with the person or family seeking support to create positive change. It is a transformative process for all involved.
There is one more upcoming introductory webinar on Thursday evening.
March 11 from 6pm - 7pm
Here is the Zoom link:
Recently, Anthem gave a grant to Open Table that will pay for our first year. The grant is available to help a mother or mother-to-be, who is in recovery from a substance use disorder, move toward the better life they envision for themselves and their children. Currently, Open Table is being implemented virtually through video conferencing. For more information or if you feel led to join the Open Table, please contact Faye Joseph by email, fayej5842@gmail.com or by cell phone at 757-575-3865.
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NEST: Volunteers Needed Now |
The NEST program has been expanded to run through March 24th and they are now serving more guests than when they initially started. So, they need more volunteers to help run these next several weeks of NEST. Please visit the sign up page and consider volunteering. The greatest need is for overnight volunteers. Thank you!
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What does repentance mean? |
It's important to get the concept of repentance right. Important enough that the first words of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses, what many would consider the first “trumpet blast” of the Protestant Reformation, are about repentance. The call to repent wasn’t simply to mend what you broke or endure some punishment because you broke it. Read more.
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Dismantling Racism: Lent Devotions by our Bishops |
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The Council of Bishops invites the people of The United Methodist Church to a season of introspection and self-examination. Together this Lent, we will confess and fast from the sin of racism, discrimination, oppression and exclusion and feast on the beauty and blessing of the diversity of God’s Church. Read more.
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February 17
Bishop Hope M. Ward
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February 24
Bishop LaTrelle Easterling
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March 3
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung
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Messy Church Easter Baskets |
During March, GUMC will not be offering Messy Church in a Bag.
But, stay tuned! We will be making Messy Church Easter baskets. They can be picked up Easter Sunday morning after our outdoor Worship Service. Registration for baskets coming soon.
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Did you remember that March is Women's History Month? Do you think you know a few things about UMW? Find out.
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United Methodist churches, across Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri, scrambled to open as warming centers and overnight shelters after historic winter storms left millions of homes without electricity in subfreezing temperatures. UMCs offered people a place to warm up, charge devices and get something to eat. Read more.
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Many churches across Texas are dealing with broken pipes and flooding from freezing temperatures. Members' quick actions minimized the damage at Friendswood United Methodist Church, near Houston. Read about them.
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General Conference postponed until 2022 |
General Conference organizers announced that the denomination's top lawmaking assembly (long postponed by pandemic) must wait to meet another year. The global gathering is now scheduled for Aug. 29 - Sept. 6, 2022 in Minneapolis.
At the same time, the Council of Bishops announced a special one-day General Conference on May 8 to deal with a limited agenda. Read more.
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Bishop Sharma Lewis spoke recently with nationally renowned scientist Dr. David Agus as part of the COVID Connection video series. Agus, who advised the Trump administration about COVID-19 and is continuing to do so in the Biden administration, spoke with Lewis on the importance of vaccines, when things will get back to normal, and safe worship practices.
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The new, VA UMC video series titled "COVID Connection" seeks to educate and inform, as well as, share positivity as the pandemic continues.
In this fun video, the Rev. Leigh Anne Taylor, Lynchburg District Revitalization coordinator, shares a reminder to wash your hands for 20 seconds.
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Please set aside time each day to pray for 2-3 minutes.
As I walk with you, my Lord, may my faith in you and my ability to recognize you, grow and grow and grow…
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Your gifts of time, talent, and treasure are spent on all aspects of Ghent UMC’s ministries including worship, outreach, and community support and engagement. Our Leadership Team is asking our congregants to please affirm their continued financial support through 2021. Please contact Lisa King, our Church Administrator, to confirm your giving. If the Holy Spirit leads you to pledge more we would be blessed to hear that, as well.
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Thanks to people making purchases through AmazonSmile, Ghent Church has been issued a $35.18 donation from the AmazonSmile Foundation as a result of activity between October 1 and December 31, 2020. AmazonSmile details are in the last block.
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Pastor Melody will be going on personal leave effective this July 1st. A new pastor will be assigned to our church.
The new pastor will be announced at the conclusion of the March 14 worship service.
Melody’s last worship service with us will be on June 6. We are planning a grand send-off for the Tanners, so please mark your calendars for that special Sunday.
To read more special announcements from the Leadership Team, click here.
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Congregational Care In response to Christ's call to love one another, we want the members of our congregation to care for one another. In-person visits are limited currently, however, prayers, phone calls, and mail from the care team are continuing.
For more information, prayer requests, or if you are feeling called to get more involved or become a member of Ghent UMC, contact Pastor Melody.
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Ghent Inspire Book Club meets one Monday each month at 7:30 pm on Zoom.
For those who don’t have time to read the books, we will have a few general questions in each discussion so that everyone will be able to participate.
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The next Leadership Team meeting will be online on Sunday, March 14, at 11:30am via Zoom.
Details from the last meeting are below.
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Ghent UMC Preschool continues to operate safely as teachers and students follow the recommendations of the CDC, Dept. of Social Services, and VA UMC Covid-19 protocol.
The majority of our staff received their first COVID19 vaccination recently. The majority of the staff will receive their 2nd dose on March 5. So, school will be closed. We are happy the staff was able to receive their vaccine!
GUMP is looking for substitute teachers. If you or someone you know may be interested, email the Director Ann Robertson for more information. Background checks will be completed prior to substituting.
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Jesus is for everyone. No exceptions.
A Word of Welcome from Ghent UMC
Ghent United Methodist Church is called to the affirmation of the sacred worth of all people. We embrace as a gift the diversity of our neighborhood and the world. We acknowledge our human family's diversity in sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, language, age, faith history, theological orientation, economic status, education, marital status, abilities, and any other defining feature, real or perceived. Click here to read the message in its entirety.
Click here to read Pastor Melody's special message for our church and community.
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UMCmarket, powered by iGive, helps you generate a donation to Ghent United Methodist Church when you shop online at thousands of retailers. It's win-win-win!
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You can make an impact while you shop for online deals. Shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/54-0599700 and AmazonSmile will donate to Ghent United Methodist Church, at no cost to you.
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Ghent UMC is licensed to stream our FB Live worship services with permission under CCLI #20175590 and One License A-727358. All rights reserved. |
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