Sunday Worship:
In Person and
Streaming
at 9:00 and
11:15 am
This Week at Pender
October 6, 2022
By following Jesus
and reaching out to others,
we seek God's transformation
of ourselves and our world. 
Greetings!
October 9, 2022
On Sunday, October 9, 2022, Pender Lead Pastor Will White will preach on "Present Yourself to God" based on 2 Timothy 2:8-15.

Let our prayers look inward and outward at the same time. We pray for our own growth, our own healing, our own transformation. At the same time, we pray for a hurting and hungry world and for the will to reach beyond our walls in service and love. Let our songs sing of the Christ of faith, who sustains us with a powerful presence but also of the Jesus who ate with sinners and healed the sick, the one who went out approved by God.

"Present Yourself to God" is from the sermon series titled Not Ashamed. This series is about claiming the faith we’ve been given with boldness and enthusiasm. But it is also about honoring those from whom we learned about Christ. So, there can be space for both: making new commitments to following or renewing commitments long standing.

We look forward to seeing you!

All of Pender's services are streamed live and in person. Masks are currently optional.
The Sunday Traditional Service is in person and live-streamed at 9:00 am
Pender Common Ground Contemporary Worship is in person and live-streamed at 11:15 am
Prayer Requests
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ. " 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

Pender is a church committed to the power of prayer. Our "prayer chain" is a group of church members constantly in prayer for the needs of our congregation. To make your prayer needs known, you may email the prayer chain by clicking here to send an email to our group of prayer warriors.
A CHARGE CONFERENCE for Pender United Methodist Church has been set for Monday, October 24th at 7:00 pm in room 215 in accordance with ¶246 of The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church 2016.  

The purpose of the meeting is to approve Pastoral compensation and nominations for leadership for 2022.  The Rev. Will White, or another designee of the Rev. Sarah Calvert (Northern Virginia District Superintendent), will preside.  

The voting members shall be the Church Council.  
GIVING FINANCIALLY

Each act of financial giving to the Lord is a testimony to your willingness to TRUST God in your life.  Each time you give, you are acknowledging your total and complete dependence on Him as your Heavenly Father.  Not to give faithfully to the Lord’s work is a sign that you’re unwilling to trust God in your life.  

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6:19-21, 24-34

“No one can serve two masters.  Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.”  Luke 12:16-21
The giving we do at our church should be transformative by helping us better understand how to manage our possessions (including our money), as we seek to bring honor and glory to God.

SUPPORT PENDER THROUGH YOUR PRAYERS, GIVING AND SERVICE
We are asking everyone to prayerfully ask for God’s provision to fulfill the spiritual, physical, people and financial needs of Pender United Methodist Church.  Some of the current needs of the church include the following:

·       The Church building needs a new roof so that when God blesses us with much needed rain, the rain stays on the outside of the building.

·       Pender has faithfully paid its share of apportionments in the past.  The apportionments represent the share Pender, as a local church, contributes to the Virginia United Methodist Conference to support local, national, and international missions and pastor retirements.  Current levels of giving are currently insufficient to allow for the payment of apportionments this year.

Please prayerfully consider whether God is calling you to be the answer to prayer to meet the needs of the church.  

The following prayer is being shared to guide you as you pray for Pender’s needs.

Dear Lord,
              You are worthy to be praised.  You are the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Alpha and the Omega, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Equip us to strive for Your kingdom and for Your righteousness.  You promise that if we do so, all these things will be given us.  You know what Pender United Methodist church needs.  We pray using Your word for the funding needed for a brand-new roof.  We also pray using Your word for the funding to allow Pender to pay its share of apportionments this year.  

              We thank You for Your providence and we pray with gratitude and expectation.  In Your Precious Name we pray.  Amen and Alleluia.

We trust that the One who has been faithful in the past will be faithful in the future.  Thank you for your continued giving, service and prayers.
The 11:15 AM Common Ground Worship Service team is beginning the journey of doubling our service’s attendance by Fall 2023. Assisting us in accomplishing this goal is our consultant Rev. Jim Chandler. 

We will be meeting with Rev. Chandler once per month virtually to discuss strategies that will allow us to achieve our goal. Our first team meeting will take place on the evening of October 5th. Please stay tuned for ways to contribute and get involved.

If you have any questions or thoughts regarding this new outreach team, please reach out to Garrett Armentrout at garrettarmentrout@gmail.com.

Thanks, 
Garrett 

Flood Buckets

Flood Buckets can be brought to the Trunk or Treat event on October 29 at 4:30 pm.

Pender United Methodist Church is requesting that each family donate an item in support of our assisting our neighbors in Florida and Puerto Rico who are working through the devastation and impact of natural disasters, specifically hurricanes. It is our hope that everyone will join with us in assisting to build flood bucket cleaning kits that will assist the families.

All items must be new. All cleaning agents must be in liquid form. No powders can be accepted. Items for donation may not be imprinted with cartoon characters, advertisements, religious, patriotic, military, or camouflage symbols.

Requested Cleaning Kit Materials:

One Five-gallon round bucket with lid (14.35" h x 12.19" w x1)
  • No screw lids
  • This may be used, but it must be free from all residual product
  • Advertisements on the outside are acceptable.
  • No patriotic or religious symbols are to be displayed.
One 32-64 oz. bottle liquid laundry
One 16-40 oz. bottle liquid concentrate household cleaner (please, no spray cleaners)
One 16-34 oz. bottle liquid dish soap
One 4-8 oz. pump spray air freshener
One 6-14 oz. pump spray insect repellent (pack of 10-20 wipes also acceptable)
  • Pump spray bottles must have protective covers

One scrub brush (with or without handle)
18 re-usable cleaning wipes
  • No terrycloth, microfiber or paper towels
  • Remove the packaging

Five scouring pads
  • No stainless steel or pads with soap on them
  • Remove from packaging

36-50 clothespins
One 50-100 ft. clothesline (cotton or plastic line)
24 roll of heavy-duty trash bags (33-45 gallon sizes)
  • Remove from packaging

Five N95 particulate respirator dust masks (1-3 mm thickness)
  • No surgical masks

Two pairs kitchen gloves
  • Durable for multiple uses
  • Remove from packaging

One pair work gloves
Cotton with leather palm or all leather
 We need volunteers to put door hangers for Trunk or Treat on the homes along Alder Woods Drive on Sunday, October 16 at 3:30 pm. 
GBE Backpack Program

Pender is partnering with Greenbriar East Elementary School again this school year to provide weekend food bags to students.

Thank you all so much for taking all of the blue bags last week! Please remember to return them to the blue bin in the lobby no later than October 16th.  

There is still a need for some main dish items that can be found on the Walmart Wish List.  https://www.walmart.com/lists/shared/WL/8392a76c-8d9f-4ca4-bfef-e110aa1fe3d6  
Those items include: 50 cans of Hormel Chili, 25 cans of Spaghettios and 25 full size boxes of macaroni and cheese. If you find yourself at any store and want to pick up some of those items to contribute, it would be greatly appreciated.  

Thank you all so much for your continued support of this great ministry. The counselors at GBE are always so appreciative of your generosity!
Woman of the Year forms are on the desk in Pender's front office.

They're due November 6, 2022
Reaching Out to New People
 
By Pete Andrews
Have you ever wondered how to reach out to new people to bring him or her to God and to Pender UMC? Well, that is what the Reaching New People Team at Pender is all about. Reverend Melissa Dunlap, an Elder within the Virginia Annual Conference, is Pender’s consultant to discuss and implement ways to do just that in the community around Pender UMC. 

Our first event will be Pender’s Trunk or Treat on Saturday, October 29th.  We are currently thinking of ways we can get to know the guests who will come. 

We are looking for new members to join our group. If you would like to be a part of this, please email me at Andrepr100@aol.com

We are just getting started and will be planning more events throughout the year. 
Office Volunteers

We are looking for a few volunteers that would be willing and able to help out at the Church Office during the week. We could use some volunteers to help answer the phone, sort mail, and fold the bulletins if anyone feels so called to help. We would want help primarily on Monday and Wednesday mornings, but if you have availability on Thursdays, we can also use your help then as well!

Please contact Joe Mace or Pastor Will for further details and information.

As always, thanks for everything that you all continue to do for Pender and the Church. We are truly blessed to have a foundation in Christ upon which we can always depend on in these crazy days that have made up the past few years!
The Connections Sunday School Class will resume on Sunday, October 9, at 10 am.  

Rev. White, Brian Stevenson, and other volunteers will lead the class based on the lectionary readings for each Sunday.  

Come join us in Room 206 (Library)!  
Do you like to read and talk about books? Do you like to read current bestsellers or classic books - mysteries, thrillers or non-fiction?

The Book Lovers Group meets monthly on the second Sunday at 4:00 PM. We are meeting by Zoom and normally we meet about 1 1/2 hours. We have a lively discussion about the book since sometimes we all like the book and other times, we can’t agree if we like the book.

The Pender Book Lovers Group will be reading Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz in October. The group will be meeting by Zoom on Sunday, October 9 at 4 PM. The book is available for purchase on Amazon or at the local public library.

The TV series will premiere on PBS MASTERPIECE Mystery October 16th!

Contact Iris for more information or the webmaster for the Zoom link.
The Pender Nursery is available on Sundays during services and Sunday School classes.

Please let us know the ages of your children so we can best prepare for them at pender.church/signup.

Note that all children must wear masks and have their temperature taken.
Children's Sunday School meets Sunday in person from 10:15 - 11am.

Welcome to Sunday School!

Any questions? Please speak with Miss Jane or Miss Maya!
Calling all Shepherds!  If you like working with children (ages PreK - grade 6) and are willing to help distribute materials, and assist children in the classroom, we'd love to have you join our Children's Sunday School team!

Help our children to feel God's love and the support/encouragement of our Pender family!  

(Sundays, 10:15 - 11am. Sign up for 1 week or 40!)  
Ruth Swiger painted 26 animal paintings for the preschool. 
Turning Point Youth
Sunday School
Topic: Youth Sunday School
Time: Sundays @ 10:oo am-11am
At Pender

Youth Group Sunday - 4:00-5:30

TRIP TO ATWOOD’S CABIN FOR YOUTH October 7-9

The youth group is headed to Mark Atwood’s cabin October 7-9. This will be a great opportunity to relax in Christian fellowship.  Youth and parents, please let us know if your youth will be coming. We’ll arrive on Friday, and most will stay until Sunday when they’ll return home. Others may leave earlier if need be.   We’ll explore beautiful downtown Ruckersville, located a half hour from Charlottesville on 29 North. Perhaps we’ll take a hike, see some historical sites, BBQ, or tell stories.  Rev. White may share the secret of “crossed and uncrossed”, but maybe not. We’ll try to do whatever else you are interested in. Please come.  

By the way, we continue to meet on Sunday afternoons at 4pm. Be on the lookout for a trip to the Native American museum in DC in November. 

~~~~

Youth to the Native American Museum, 9:30am, Pender Parking Lot November 5

The youth will meet to car caravan to the Herndon Metro Station. They’ll take the Metro to downtown DC where they’ll visit the National Museum of the Native American. Please bring about $20 for lunch. We’ll call for rides on the way home. Let Rev. White know if you are coming! 

~~~~

With the departure of Minister Howard Finley, church leaders are seeking ways to support the youth of our church and reach out to our community while continuing to investigate all options (including staff) to support youth ministries.  

In the meantime, Mark Atwood is planning Sunday evening meetings with support from Rev. White.  

Rev. White is discussing with youth and parents possible Educational Day trips and fun outings the youth might enjoy this fall. We’ll continue to let you know what we are doing as we seek to support the youth of Pender while reaching out to our community.   ~Rev. White
This class is held at Pender on October 22,

Our club offers Safe Sitter courses throughout the year. Safe Sitter® teaches young teens (6th-8th graders) everything they need to know to be safe when they’re home alone, watching younger siblings, or babysitting. Students will learn life-saving skills such as how to rescue someone who’s choking, and helpful information like what to do if there’s severe weather. The lessons are filled with fun activities and role-playing exercises. Students even get to use manikins to practice choking rescue! (www.safesitter.org) We have over 1000 graduates so far!
Currently scheduled classes are listed in the registration form below.

SafeSitter Essentials includes:
  • Safety Skills
  • Child Care Skills
  • First Aid and Rescue Skills
  • Life & Business Skills
​Student Check-in starts at 9:15 am and class begins promptly at 9:30 am.   Pre-registration is required. Parents are encouraged to attend a closing ceremony at the conclusion of class, from 2:45-3:00 pm.

Cost: $68.00 – which includes a pizza lunch and, upon completion of the course, The Official Safe Sitter® Babysitter’s Handbook with Completion Card, Important Numbers Note Pad, Bandage Dispenser, LED Flashlight, Pencil and Messenger Bag.

For more information, contact Safe Sitter Registration Coordinator Nicole McDermott at safesitter@gmail.com.

Promotional Information

Do you order from Amazon?

Pender United Methodist Church (EIN: 54-0856924) has been issued a $43.12 donation from the AmazonSmile Foundation as a result of AmazonSmile program activity between April 1 and June 30, 2022.

Thanks to customers shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/54-0856924  or using the Amazon app with AmazonSmile ON, everyday purchases make an impact.

So far, AmazonSmile has donated:
• $1,133.46 to Pender United Methodist Church
• Over $306 million to US charities
• Over $346 million to charities worldwide
All Pender Meetings, Classes and Events on the Church Calendar for the 2021-2022 school year expired at the end of June 2022.

If you are the leader of a meeting, Sunday School Teacher or event leader, please add your events for the 2022/2023 school year to the Event Calendar.

This applies to events at Pender, Zoom Meetings, groups at people's homes, enjoying a meal at a restaurant. All Pender events must be accounted for as they are reported to the District Office.

Pender Members can add your own events to the calendar through MyPenderPage
 
Log onto MyPenderPage, find "Events" on the menu bar, then "Calendar". On the right top, click on "Add Event" to add it to the Pending Calendar.

You will get an email when your event is approved. Note that you cannot add an event to a room that is already reserved for another meeting. 

If you need a paper form, you can download it here.
Western Fairfax Christian Ministries
The WFCM blue cart is outside the church.

All donations of food and toiletries are welcomed and needed.

Item of the Week: Cereal

Please no:
* Expired food
* Glass jars

Thank you for your continuing generous support of WFCM.
WFCM


Western Fairfax Christian Ministries ("WFCM") Current Request for Donations

The WFCM Food Pantry is accepting outside donations at their address below. There is a greater need for food but fewer donations.

You can also help by ordering from Amazon for delivery to WFCM. Rice, beans, canned fruit, diapers (Sizes 4, 5, 6), pasta, pasta sauce, etc.

                   WFCM
                   4511 Daly Drive, Suite J
                   Chantilly, VA 20151


Financial contributions are also accepted (cash, check or through our website). Please mark your tax deductible donation "WFCM Food Pantry." This will be recorded on your giving statement.

Thank you for your continuing support of WFCM. In 2021, Pender donated 6,128.74 pounds of food and personal care items to help the needy in the community. Thank you for your ongoing and generous support of WFCM.
Pender is an open and welcoming church. We accept and embrace all persons, period. All people are blessed children of God. Pender is a caring and praying church community; we believe as Christians that we are called to follow and practice the ways of Jesus Christ, who is our ever present and living God.

Our mission is to practice and embrace, providing unconditional love and acceptance of all of God's children as He loves and accepts all of us.

We do not discriminate based on age, mental, physical, or intellectual ability, culture, gender, race, religious belief or unbelief, or sexual orientation.
Save the Date

  • October 7-9, Youth Trip to Atwood Cabin
  • October 9, The Connections Class resumes
  • October 9, Pender Book Lovers Group
  • October 10, The Church Office will be closed
  • October 16, Door Hanger Delivery
  • October 22, Safe Sitter Class
  • October 24, Charge Conference
  • October 29, Trunk or Treat, 4:30
  • November 5, Youth Trip to the Native American Museum
  • November 6, Woman of the Year Nominations Due
  • November 12, Scouting for Food
  • November 12, Scout After-Party
  • November 23, Thanksgiving Eve Community Service
  • November 20, Hanging of the Greens
  • November 27, Advent begins
  • December 3, Christmas Concert
  • December 4, United Women in Faith Ugly Christmas Sweater and Sing Along Party
  • December 9, Youth Orchestra Concert
  • December 10, United Women in Faith General Membership
  • December 11, Christmas Social
  • December 11, Build Your Own Gingerbread House
  • December 11, Christmas Caroling
  • December 18, Christmas Cantata
  • December 24, Christmas Eve Services
  • December 25, Christmas/Birthday Party for Jesus
  • February 12 through the 18, Hypothermia

Weekly Events

  • Sunday
  • Children's Sunday School Class at 10:15 am.
  • Youth Sunday School Class meets at 10:00 am.
  • The Seeker Sunday School Class meets at 10:15 am.
  • The Turning Point Youth Group at 4:00 pm
  • Monday
  • Mary Martha Circle, in person and online
  • Tuesday
  • Staff Meeting at 11:00 am.
  • Handbell Rehearsals at 6:45 and 7:30.
  • Wednesday
  • Ruth Circle meets in person.
  • Thursday
  • 4th Thursday Romeos at 11:45
  • Lectio Divina Prayer Group Learn more here
  • AV and Worship Team
  • Choir Rehearsal