October 12, 2017
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.
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
 
District Conference 2017: “Go, Make Disciples” 
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
 
Builder's Club Call for Warsaw UMC
 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 .   Please indicate in the memo box that it is for Builder's Club Call #5. The call will end November 1, 2017 .

Thank you for supporting and serving in this connectional ministry.
Call for Nominations for At-Large Delegates at Annual Conference 2018
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 
FAX  804.448.8328 (call to confirm receipt)
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. 
Statistics Training
Two Statistics Training Classes will be offered on our District this fall:

Thursday, October 12 at 7:00pm at St. Matthias UMC, Fredericksburg
(426 Deacon Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22405)
or
Tuesday, October 24 at 7:00pm at Warsaw UMC, Warsaw
(287 Main Street, Warsaw, VA 22572)

Please register by contacting the District Office at rappahannockriverdistrict@vaumc.org or
calling 804.448.8326 so we have plenty of handouts.
 
The Latest Word on Flood Buckets
Dear CDRC and Relief Supplies Network Warehouses,
 
I wanted to take a minute to reach out to all of you and say thank you for the wonderful job that you all have done in rallying our churches and communities to produce the thousands of cleaning buckets that we have received. The response has been overwhelming. Because of your hard work and the generosity of the many member of the United Methodist Church, we have been able to assist those affected in Texas by Hurricane Harvey and those in Florida affected by Hurricane Irma. If or when the opportunity to assist those affected by Maria presents itself, we are certainly prepared to do so. We are currently watching our latest adversary, Hurricane Nathan. Should there be a need due to this storm, you all have helped us to be as prepared as possible. At this point in time, I am asking that you share with your contacts that we are nearing capacity with our cleaning buckets. Please let those who are currently working on this project to go ahead and complete their work. For those who have already made the cleaning buckets, they may deliver them to one of the affiliate warehouses in our Relief Network or directly to Sager Brown. But I am asking those who have not yet started new projects, to cease making new buckets until we are able to distribute some of those we have already received.  Once we have reduced our inventory, we will need more to restock. Again, thank you for all of your hard work. It is much appreciated. Blessing to you all.
 
 
Amy Fuselier
Director of UMCOR Relief Supplies
General Board of Global Ministries | The United Methodist Church | Sager Brown and Depot West
Ministry Grants Available from Foundation Office
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 .

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.  
Youth from Galilee UMC at their recent Charge Conference.
St. Matthias Mission Trip to Honduras
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
District Meetings & Training
October:
Thursday, Oct. 12 Statistics Training St. Matthias UMC 7:00pm
Tuesday, Oct. 17 Ordained Ministry, Wright's Ch. U 9:00am
Tuesday, Oct. 24 Statistics Training, Warsaw UMC 7:00pm
Thursday, Oct. 26 Finance Committee Fredericksburg UMC Room 209 7:00pm

CHARGE CONFERENCES: October 7 - November 5. Click here for a schedule.

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
  
District Superintendent: Rev. Dr. Theodore Smith
District Lay Leader:
Ms. Debbie Dietrich      debbiedietrich6@gmail.com
District Associate Lay Leaders:
District Lay Servant Ministry Director Greg Sokolowski  Gregory.sokolowski@navy.mil
Heartwood Director: Rev. Gayle Porias gayleporias@vaumc.org
District Secretary: Ms. Lynn Manley rappahannockriverdistrict@vaumc.org
Administrative Assistant: Ms. Pam Blalock pamblalock@vaumc.org
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)