November 1, 2018
NEWS SECTION

Welcome to The Bridge News Section, a weekly update of the Rappahannock River District of the United Methodist Church 
What is Your Agency Doing
on Your Behalf?
Part 1

People of faith care about alleviating suffering! United Methodists try very hard to use our world wide influence to transform the world for Jesus Christ. United Methodists are not waiting for a General Conference session to use our human and financial resources to pray, speak, ask hard questions, stand up, take action, and cry out for justice. In short, we don't need a legislative group to tell us what to do about sin, abuse of God's people, and human created atrocities. Jesus tells us with total clarity what we must do in all situations of humanity destroying human and natural creation.
 
This week I was blessed to participate in a meeting of the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS). We were a gathering of UM from all over the globe. We worshiped together, heard updates on a number of crisis situations world wide, we addressed financial issues, and we saw first hand how people are being treated when they seek asylum in accordance with the Geneva Convention and U.S. created human rights policies.
 
Friends, we have an outstanding General Board leader in our General Board Secretary, Rev. Susan Henry-Crow. Rev. Henry-Crow has led the GBCS in staying with clarity our mission. The mission of the GBCS is to address a Living Faith, Seeking Justice & Pursuing Peace. For the last two years, the GBCS staff and board have given a great deal of human and financial resources to these three foci. This means the GBCS are serving as and providing resource to Conferences, Districts, and Local Churches focused on no less than twenty-four world wide issues of human created abuse, challenges to life that lead to suffering and death, and rampant sin.
 
In part two of my article series I'll share examples of the twenty-four challenges to life that the GBCS are guiding the UMC in addressing. But you don't need to wait for my next article; you can go to https://www.umcjustice.org/ to see what your UMC is doing about deeply troubling human suffering.
 

In Christ,
Pastor Ted
 
 
 
District Celebrations are three regional events that will combine conducting district conference business, charge conference business, and a significantly greater amount of time to worship, praise, fellowship, and celebration of all God has done through our district from 2011 to 2018.

At each location we will experience a gathering featuring the most special worship and praise event possible.  The event will be from 2:30pm - 4:30pm. The two business portions (district and charge conference) will occur early in the event followed by praise and celebration.

The remaining date and location is:

November 4 th  – Northern Neck Region Churches held at Andrew Chapel Westmoreland UMC

We are asking attendees at the next event to bring donations for Healthy Harvest Food Bank. See next article for list of needs:

November 4 Event: Healthy Harvest Food Bank
November 4 Hands on Ministry
Healthy Harvest Food Bank

Healthy Harvest Needs:
  • Small to go peanut butter packs
  • Tuna –small pop top lids
  • Pork & beans–small pop top lids
  • Ravioli/spaghetti–pop top lids
  • Ramen noodles packages
  • Small single serve mac & cheese
  • Chips in small bags
  • Pudding cups
  • Jello cups
  • Cookies – individually wrapped
  • Fruit snacks
  • Cracker packages
  • Raisin packages
  • Apple sauce or fruit cups
Rappahannock River District United Methodist Women
Harvest Prayer Breakfast
Saturday, November 3, 2018

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

Breakfast – 9 a.m. (Each unit bring two of your favorite breakfast dish. If you have our district cookbook, you are encouraged to use one of those recipes.)

Program: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Guest Speaker: Rev. Penny D. Cory

Kilmarnock UMC
89 East Church Street
Kilmarnock, VA 22482

Offering: United Methodist Women Mission Giving


Note: Please bring one or more healthy children’s snack items such as juice boxes, snack bags, fruit cups, etc. Donations will be given to The Haven (the domestic violence shelter in Warsaw).

There will be collection points available for stamps, flip tops, and ink cartridges.

There is no charge for this event, but pre-registration is requested by October 20th to facilitate planning and preparation. Child care will be available ONLY if requested by October 20 t h . Questions? Contact J.M. Gallier via email at jmcg5580@va.metrocast.net
Hope Warming Center
The Hope Warming Center in southern Fauquier County will be opening November 1st. This hypothermia center provides a warm place, hot meal and fellowship for people in need of a place to stay during the cold nights of late fall, winter and early spring. If you would like to help with a hot meal, evening check-in and fellowship or stay overnight as a chaperone. Please go to  www.carecalendar.org.  To sign in: Calendar ID 266498. Password: 8512.
Questions? Call Mary Dearden at 540-270-1278 or email Rev. Gayle Porias at  gayleporias@vaumc.org
Youth Embracing Service (YES!)
Youth Embracing Service (YES!)
The Heartwood Center is organizing and sponsoring a monthly day of service and team building during the school year for Middle School and High School students. 
Every third Saturday of the month a service project, team building activities, recreation, Bible study and lunch will be scheduled. The first event will be Saturday, October 20 th  10am-3pm at 64 Hartwood Church Road, Fredericksburg 22471 ( behind the Hartwood Fire Station ).
Future dates: November 17, December 15, January 19, February 16, March 16, April 20, May 18.
All youth need to complete a registration. Go to:  www.theheartwoodcenter.org/registration-info/. Adult volunteers are welcome.
Need more information? Email  youthcamp@theheartwoodcenter.org  or call 540.788.9838.  
Rev. Gayle Porias
Pastor Mount Horeb UMC
The Heartwood Center Director 
Rappahannock River District

Builder's Club Call #6 Announced


The Rappahannock River District Builder’s Club Committee has approved our sixth Builder’s Club Call. We are pleased to announce that this call is for Eastland United Methodist Church. The request is for construction of a 2,872 square foot detached addition. This project includes a fellowship hall, handicapped ramp, kitchen and bathroom. Project plans and a letter from Eastland UMC Pastor Craig Muffley are linked below for your review.
 
Construction has already begun with a completion date of November 30, 2018.

Financial Information:
              Estimated Cost of Project        $ 680,000
              Cost paid on construction        $   86,000
              Debt upon completion              $ 551,000
(Church Mortgage, Members’ Pledges)

Your support will help Eastland UMC to reach more people within the surrounding communities. We are asking that you support this call by mailing a check payable to “Rappahannock River District Builder’s Club” to:

                             Rappahannock River District Builder’s Club
                     PO BOX 100
                                Ladysmith, VA 22501

Donations are tax deductible and must be received by November 15, 2018.

 Help God’s kingdom grow by supporting the Rappahannock River Builder’s Club today.


Working in His Kingdom,

Dave

David A. Kellison, President

District Youth Retreat 2019
Schulmerich Handbells for SALE

The Andrew Chapel UMC has two Octaves – 25 hand-bells with cases that were purchased on 9/16/85. They will need to be refurbished. Schulmerich will do a complete refurbishing of the bells at $2,800, plus shipping the bells to them at $180 round trip.
Since we do not have an active club who would be interested in playing the bells, we are willing to sell them for $900 (we paid $2,272 in 1985). The cost of 2 octaves today with cases would be $6,300.
Contact Sue Oliveri at oliveri1240@hotmail.com
Thank you. Sue Oliveri, Worship Committee at Andrew Chapel, UMC in Montross, VA.
Children and Youth Ministry Coordinator
Rehoboth United Methodist Church – Beaverdam, VA
At Rehoboth we are investing in our children and youth. We are looking for someone who is interested in teaching children and youth about the love of God.
This is a great part time-flexible schedule role for a faithful disciple to have an impact on children and their families. Our goal is to work with someone who can improve and build upon our existing children’s and youth ministries.
Schedule:  Part time, flexible hours. Sundays required. Participation in the full life of the church.
  • At home flexible preparation and planning time for events and curriculum preparation
  • Flexible schedule for stay at home parents, teachers or other professionals who have experience working with Children.
For more information
All God's Children Camp is ready for you!
The dates are set for All God's Children Camp for 2019. We are so excited for another summer and it promises to be an excellent experience for campers and mentors. All God's Children Camp is a camp for children ages 7-12 with an incarcerated parent. It is designed to be a one on one mentorship. So each camper will have their very own mentor for the week who will help guide them to their camp activities and participate in bible study, crafts and worship together. The role of the mentor is to just walk alongside their camper for the week and guide them when times get difficult. You are there to encourage them during physical activities and to give a kind word when needed. As always, finding mentors is our greatest need for the summer and this year will be no different. We need 82 mentors this summer to make camp possible. Please consider giving a week of your time to be the hands and feet of Jesus to some campers who need to see and hear it most. Please contact Lori Smith at lttlelori@gmail.com or 571-245-9591 for an application. The dates are below:

June 16-21: Camp Chanco on the James (Richmond area)
July 28-Aug 2: Camp Occohannock on the Bay (Eastern Shore)
August 11-16: Camp Chanco on the James (Richmond area)
Upcoming Events & Meetings:

November 3 District UMW Harvest Breakfast, Kilmarnock, 9:00am
November 4 Fall Celebration for Northern Neck Region, Andrew Chapel Montross, 2:30pm
November 7 Full Clergy Association Meeting, Wright's Chapel
November 7 District Location & Building
November 12 Office closed for Veteran's Day
November 13 Ordained Ministry
November 21 -23 Office closed for Thanksgiving
  CONTACT INFORMATION

District Superintendent: Rev. Dr. Theodore Smith
DS Email:   rappahannockriverds@vaumc.org Cell: 540.419.5131

2018 District Co-Lay Leader:
Debbie Dietrich      debbiedietrich6@gmail.com

2018 District Co-Lay Lay Leader:

2018 District Associate Lay Leader: Jim Helm jhelm320@outlook.com
2018 District Lay Servant Ministry Director  Dottie Garrison dottiegarrison@yahoo.com
Heartwood Director: Rev. Gayle Porias gayleporias@vaumc.org
District Secretary: Lynn Manley rappahannockriverdistrict@vaumc.org
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)