The Dive -- GBUMC's Monthly Newsletter
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Resurrection
Daniel Guenther
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Hi GBUMC Family,
It’s been a wild few months, hasn’t it? School has started, seasons are changing, and things are moving at our church. As we keep moving forward, I want to talk to you about a word. That word is “resurrection.”
Now, you’re probably thinking “Easter isn’t for a few months yet, Pastor…” But resurrection is happening all around us! The dead might not be coming to life, but, every day, we have the chance to watch God revive dead relationships, bring dead possibilities to life, and stir new and beautiful dreams in hearts that were once empty.
As we all know, expecting that what is dead in our lives can come to life again is a risky thing! We’ve all known people who refuse to change, even when we know what and how and when they need to change. In high school, I was a dedicated student athlete, and I would struggle with my friends who would do drugs and not worry about anything except their next good time.
So you can imagine my surprise a few years ago when I discovered that a man I was working with at the time—the kind of man who was always full of joy and positivity, the kind of man that could light up any room he walked into—was also a recovering addict. I had a hard time processing this until I saw him at a funeral singing the hymn “Give me Jesus” with all his heart. Then it hit me. Nobody changed him. God changed him. This is resurrection. And it’s something we can participate in, both by refusing to write people off and by continuously asking ourselves “What is God doing here?” and “How can I help?”
So, church family, where do you see resurrection happening in your life? And what can we do as a church to be resurrection people? As we negotiate life’s challenges, both as individuals and as a church, my prayer for us all is that we might find the heart to say “This is a day of new beginnings, our God is making all things new!
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October 6 “Perseverance”
Deuteronomy 34
October 13 “An upward focus””
John 15: 1-8
October 20 “Holiness”
Philippians 2: 14-16
October 27 “THE Great Commission”
Matthew 28: 16-20
Blessing of the Animals
Sunday 10/6, 2pm
Night Of Worship
A powerful night of music & prayer
Saturday 10/19, 7pm
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Learning
God desires us to grow in our relationship with Him, by connecting through His word, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. Grow spiritually with others, no matter where you are in your faith!
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Adult Sunday School
9:30am &11:00am, visit gbumc.life/learning
Disciples Fast Track 1
Mondays, 12:15pm, Rm.136
Meet Me at Panera
Tuesdays & Fridays, 7:30am-9:00am, Panera
Lunch Bunch
Thursdays, 12pm-1pm, Rm.136
Ministry by Strengths
Wednesdays, 6:30pm-8:00pm, Rm. 108
UMM Bible Study
Wednesdays, 6:30pm-8:00pm, Rm.136
Take My Hand Christian Apologetics
Wednesdays, 6:45pm-8pm, Rm.109
Theology on Tap
Thursdays, 6:30pm-8:00pm, Big Ugly Brewing
Better Together Small Groups
Visit gbumc.life for info!
Planning for 2019 taxes
Sunday, October 20, 12:30pm
Children’s Learning
Sunday School
9:30am, Sunday School Wing 11am, Rm.106/108
JAM (Jesus & Me)
k-5th grade small groups
Wednesdays, 6:30pm, Rm.106
Student/Youth Learning
Worship Together
Sundays, 9:30am, Sanctuary
RISE
(Radically Inspired Sunday Experience)
Sundays, 11am, Rm.104
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Fishes and Loaves
August Recap
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September Recap
Monthly Giving: $49,157.99
Average Monthly Attendance: 500
Our sympathy and love are extended to
the Stevens family & friends
for the passing of Nancy .
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Fellowship
October Activity Calendar
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GBUMC Bowling League
Mondays, 6:15pm, Chesapeake AMF
Book Club
(1st Monday each month)
Monday, 10/7, 6:30pm, Shoney’s
October:
Pachinko
November:
Behind Closed Doors
Prayer Group
Wednesdays, 10am, Rm.109
Bistro
(RSVP at GBUMC.life)
Wednesdays, 5:45pm, Social Hall/103
Kingdom Fest
10/5, 12pm-4pm, church grounds
Praying Mom’s of College Students
10/6, 6:30pm, contact Susan Coldren (757)328-6646
UMM Cars ‘N’ Coffee
10/19, 8am-10am, church grounds
Prayer Shawl Ministry
10/22, 6pm-8pm & 10/23 10am-12noon
Fun Friday: Halloween Movie Night
10/25, Social Hall, details to come!
UMM Prayer Breakfast
10/27, 6:45am-7:45am, Social Hall/103
UMW Circles
Various days and times throughout the month.
Contact Gloria Thompson: (757)482-7030 for information.
Student/Youth Fellowship
Soul Food
Mondays, 6:30pm-8pm, Buffalo Wild Wings
That Wednesday Night Thang, T.W.T.
Wednesdays, 6:45pm-8pm, Youth Room/104
Middle School (MS) Connect
Fridays, 7:30am-8:15am, Youth Room/104
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Missions
Service Opportunities
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Children’s Ministry: Cereal Packing
10/6, 9:30am, Sunday school students will be packing cereal for our mission team to bring on their trip to West VA.
Bingo
10/8, 7pm-8pm, Autumn Care Nursing Home
Laundry with Love
10/25, 9:30am-11am, Laundry Place
Please Pray for our Missions team traveling to W. VA,
October 12-19th
. They will be adding a youth room onto a local church to ensure that local teenagers have a safe place to grow in their faith. They will also be doing building repairs and performing other tasks in support of Little Sparrow Ministries.
Hurricane Dorian
UMCOR has responded to the damage caused by Hurricane Dorian’s hit to the Bahamas by awarding a solidarity grant to Bahamas Methodist Habitat, the Disaster Ministry of the Bahamas Conference of the Methodist Church of the Caribbean. The grant provides emergency short-term funding for basic human needs of those affected by the catastrophic storm. Please visit
https://www.umnews.org/en/news/umcor-starts-efforts-for-bahamas-relief
if you would like to assist with their efforts.
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Sonshine Choir
Tuesdays, 11:30am-12:30pm, Choir Room/137
Children’s Choir
(9ages 3+)
Wednesdays, 5pm-6pm, Choir Room/137
Hanbells 101 NEW Class
Wednesdays, 5pm-6pm, Sanctuary
Chancel Choir
Wednesdays, 6:30pm-8:00pm, Sanctuary
Master’s Men Choir
Thursdays, 6pm-7pm, Choir Room/137
Joyful Praise Ringers
Thursdays, 6pm-7pm, Sanctuary
Praise Band
Thursdays, 7:15pm-8:30pm, Sanctuary
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Casting the Net
Service Opportunities
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Ushers
are needed at 8am, 9:30am & 11am
Liturgists
are needed at 8am & 11am
Communion Servers
are needed at all services the first Sunday of each month.
Please contact: junesheek@greatbridgeumc.com
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Church Reflections
adapted by Sue White
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Since 2003, dozens of individuals and groups linked to GBUMC have financially supported the educations of several children and youth using the GIFT Program in El Salvador through the National Methodist Church of El Salvador, which recently celebrated their 25th anniversary.
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Comments from Yohana
Winter 2018
When Yohana heard about the New Jerusalem Methodist Church Scholarship Program, she applied for a sponsorship, not knowing if she would be accepted. But the scholarship did arrive, and at a very opportune time since she had been going through difficult times financially. To find out that she could now continue her higher education she was so happy and grateful and blessed. Her dream was to be a nurse and she graduated from nursing school in 2009 at the Nursing School in Santa Ana near Ahuachapan.
Since graduating, she has worked for the church in several ways; at the Methodist Clinic, as a person in charge of a church school program called “Children with a Future” and she is now manager of the feeding program there and part of the Methodist church staff.
Yohana says that for her it has been such a blessing to work in the church, which was another dream, and to help wherever possible. She feels so grateful for all the GIFT Program has done for her and wants to give back by serving others.
Yohana expresses her gratitude to her sponsor, Kathy Case, to Rev. Juan de Dios and the GIFT Program. It is her desire to dedicate herself to serving God.
FOOTNOTE
Since this was written, Yohana and several other young women, both GIFT students and not, are leaders in forming a Central American Methodist Women’s Group. By sponsoring a student, you are enabling these young people to learn and travel beyond anything they could have dreamed of.
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Great Bridge UMC | 757.482.1049| www.greatbridgeumc.com
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