Your generosity has helped others around the world | |
The Virginia Conference was able to send $21,866.20 to assist the earthquake recovery effort in Haiti. Total sent to Haiti after the earthquake is now $34,866.20
Eglise Methodiste d’Haiti (EMH), the Methodist Church in Haiti, is providing food and medicine to the people who were effected by this disaster. Continue to join the effort to support EMH by sharing your donations to the VAUMC Haiti Disaster Relief Fund
Also remember to pray for the 17 missionaries who were captured and are being held hostage. Remember to pray for stability in the nation, which is under chaos.
To join in this effort to serve Haiti, please email serving@vaumc.org.
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Afghanistan & refugees
Alexander Davis
Revs. Clara and Doug Gestwick
Haiti & missionaries
The Family of Rev. Edward B. Owen
Rev. Jeaux Simmons
Email JamesRiverDistrict@vaumc.org
to add names to our prayer list
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UMCOR Cleaning Buckets
Is your church holding Cleaning Buckets for pick up or is your church willing to fill a few buckets for distribution to flood victims throughout the US?
Rev. Shaun Smith will deliver Cleaning Buckets to the UMCOR facility in Culpeper, VA on Tuesday, November 16th. Please drop off all filled buckets to the James River District Office (11605 S. Crater Road, Petersburg 23805). Call the office (804) 732-2538 to arrange a date for drop off.
Click here for instructions how to fill UMCOR Cleaning Buckets
| Daylight saving time ends Sunday, November 7th this year. Set clocks back one hour. | |
District Conference (Virtual)
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
7:00 pm
We will send the Zoom link
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Shopping Lists to Assist Afghan Allies & Honor Veterans November 11-14
November is right around the corner, and for most of us, that means Thanksgiving and a time to express gratitude for blessings. November also brings Veteran’s Day. Over the last 20 years, taking opportunities to thank veterans for their service has become commonplace.
This year, the Virginia United Methodist Refugee Response Team (RRT) would like to invite you to join them in thanking another group for their service to our country. Afghans stood alongside U.S. soldiers as translators, worked on U.S. bases in the country, or served at the U.S. embassy alongside diplomats. In the words of Bishop Sharma Lewis, “Many of them have sacrificed and risked more than most of us will ever be asked to do.”
Finish reading here
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Women's Retreat
"Be still and know that I am God" ~ Psalm 46:10
All women in the district are invited to a Women's Retreat at Wakefield UMC (205 W. Church St, Wakefield, VA 23888) on Saturday, November 6th from 9:00 am-12:00 noon.
Jane Joyner of Grace Memorial UMC will share how keeping a Prayer Journal has helped track her spiritual progress, developed her hearing from God, and deeply inspired her faith.
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Youth Rally on October 10th kicks off first in person event for District Youth! | The James River District Youth held a Youth Rally on Sunday afternoon, October 10th and gathered IN PERSON since the the Covid shut-down. The District Youth Council led 80+ youth and adult leaders at Bethia UMC for an afternoon of fellowship, faith, fun, and food. With intermittent rain and sun shine, the youth engaged in yard games, board games, and arts and crafts. | |  |
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Our keynote speaker, Rev. Jasmyn Graham, Campus Minister and Director of the Wesley Foundation at Virginia State University, shared from Exodus 17 and asked, "Who Holds You Up?"
Thanks to the District Youth Council (DYC) for their incredible leadership, the youth ministry leaders of Bethia UMC, and Rev. Jacob Sahms, who were exceptional hosts, and Turner Wilkes and the Praise Band from Trinity UMC (Chesterfield) for providing the music.
Contact Youth Coordinator, Rev. Herb Brynildsen
HerbBrynildsen@vaumc.org for further information on the district youth.
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District Youth Council meets on first Sundays
All district youth groups (middle and high school youth and friends) and Church Youth Leaders are invited to the next DYC meeting on Sunday, November 7th at 2:00 pm at Wesley UMC, Hopewell (2901 Norfolk Ave, Hopewell, VA 23860). We'll begin meeting monthly on the first Sunday of each month.
Coming Soon!
District Youth
Winter/Spring Retreat
Jesus Camp
March 11-13, 2022
Airfield 4-H Center Wakefield, VA
"Meet Jesus Again for the First Time"
Mark your calendars for a weekend of fellowship, fun, and friendships! This event will provide thought provoking conversation and spiritual growth for middle and high school youth.
Watch for details and plan to attend the Spring Youth Retreat!
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Is The Gathering at Washington Street a new church plant, a new faith community, or a mission congregation? Is it an outgrowth of the Petersburg Project and Asset-Based Community Development? Is Asset-Based Community Development compatible with church planting? Are we a church? The questions are limitless and unending.
I do know God is present in Petersburg and cares for God's people who live and work there. On a regular Wednesday prayer walk, two of us met a blind man who walked with us and showed us a halfway house we had never seen before. Our hearts still burn when we recall and share the vision this blind man has for Petersburg. Continue reading here
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Local UMW Units Honored
At its Annual Meeting on October 17th, the James River District United Methodist Women recognized the following UMW members and churches:
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Rainbow Women - Sylvia Kowalski (Magnolia); Wanda Havens (Ocran)
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Six Star Units - Magnolia; Main Street (Emporia); Ocran; Trinity (Disputanta)
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Reading Program - 3 members from Magnolia read 45 books this year! - Rheta Faubion, Sylvia Kowalski and Rev. Sheena Laine.
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Memory of Deceased Members - Ginnie Chappell (Carson); Almentine Phipps (First, Hopewell); Glenda Pope (Main Street, Emporia); Rev. Garland Hines and Pat McIntosh (Providence)
There are 38 units on the James River District, with 6 units submitting reports this year. We are grateful for the mission work of all our units!
Candee Speirs
President, James River District UMW
Candee.Speirs@gmail.com
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UMFS December Offering
United Methodist Family Services (UMFS) is the Virginia Conference designated offering for December. UMFS Does NOT receive any apportionment funding, so we deeply appreciate your generosity through this offering. The offering supports high risk children across Virginia, including children in foster care, children struggling with mental health challenges, and special education students.
A variety of resources are available to support the offering and help to bring this ministry to life for your congregation. You may find bulletin inserts, offering envelopes, church offering scripts, short videos, and images for newsletters, emails, social media, and websites at this link: www.UMFS.org/church
Please contact Jill Gaynor jgaynor@umfs.org (804) 254-9463 with any questions. Thank you for your support!
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JAMES RIVER DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Visit our website: www.jamesriverdistrictumc.org
JamesRiverDistrict@vaumc.org (804) 732-2538
Rev. James H. (Jay) Carey, Jr., District Superintendent
Mrs. Leticia (Tish) Borden, Administrative Assistant
Mr. Gerry Fuss, District Lay Leader
Mr. Keith Jordan, District Lay Leader
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