Sunday Worship:
In Person and
Streaming
at 9:00 and 11:15 am
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This Week at Pender
January 6, 2022
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By following Jesus
and reaching out to others,
we seek God's transformation
of ourselves and our world.
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Rev Will White will preach on
“Well Pleased”
from the series
"Love Never Ends: Being the Body of Christ" based on scriptures
Epiphany is about the revealing of the light to the world. Not all see it, of course; this is why Jesus frequently said, “let those who have ears to hear, hear.” Even we have moments where we aren’t so sure that we have seen that light. Yet, we who gather for worship have caught a glimpse of something, and we come to celebrate and to lean into that hope.
Ordinary time is the season that follows Epiphany, although most of the time we call it the “season after Epiphany.” In Year C of the lectionary cycle, the Epistle readings for this Ordinary Time are the Letters to the Corinthians.Perhaps the best-known passage, or best-loved passage from I Corinthians is chapter 13, the famous “love chapter.” We built this series on the Epistle readings as a way of seeing the light of Christ through the lens of love.
“Love Never Ends” is both a description and a promise. You are invited to journey with us, guided by the Corinthian epistles to let the light shine around you, and in you, and then from you as we seek to continue to become disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We who have seen the light of Christ now desire to reflect it in our community and in our world by letting others see Christ through our loving presence.
All of Pender's services are streamed live and in person. During Covid we are masked and socially distanced. Family clusters can sit together.
Join us live at Pender UMC
12401 Alder Woods Drive, Fairfax, VA US 22033
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The Traditional Service will be in person and live streamed at 9:00 am on Sunday. |
The Common Ground Contemporary Service will be in person and live streamed at 11:15 am on Sunday. |
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Rev. Will White preached on
“The Light of Home”
from the series
Come Home for Christmas"
based on scriptures
This was the Second Sunday after Christmas.
This week was a continuation of last week; the Christmastide desire to hold on to the hope of Christmas. Except this week, we go from a position of strength and not of loss. Instead of focusing on the cloud, we look to the light.
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The Traditional Service was in person and live streamed at 9:00 am on Sunday. |
The Common Ground Contemporary Service was in person and live streamed at 11:15 am on Sunday.
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Please pray for Kay Matthias and her daughters, Diana and Rebecca, as they grieve the loss of their husband/father, Hal Matthias, a beloved long-time member of Pender who died this past Tuesday. He will be greatly missed by not only our church family but also our community.
Many have seen Hal still serving the Lord at the age of 84, driving up and down the streets in Greenbriar and Route 50 on his motorized scooter, providing food for the needy through our Pender neighborhood mini-pantry and cleaning up our community by picking up trash along the way. A great example that no matter what stage in life we are in, we can continue to serve the Lord!
A service to celebrate his life is being planned for Saturday, January 8th, at 11am at Pender UMC.
Cards may be sent to:
Kay, Diana and Rebecca Matthias
4422 Middle Ridge Dr
Fairfax, VA 22033
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"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.
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If the Federal GOVERNMENT is closed for non-essential personnel, the church building will be closed. In addition, if there are severe weather conditions or a power outage, the church building will be closed.
If the church is open, groups may or may not meet at the leader’s discretion. It will be up to the leaders to communicate their decision with the group members.
For the staff: Emergencies and Inclement Weather. Staff members will be paid when the Pastor, in consultation with the Chair of Trustees, closes the church for the sake of safety. (In the event of inclement weather, Pender UMC will generally comport with actions taken by the federal government for non-essential employees.) In all cases, decisions regarding worship services shall be made solely by the Pastor.
A case by case decision will be made about Sunday worship services, and info will be posted on the website.
Your personal safety is important to us. The pastor and group leaders will understand completely if you do not feel comfortable coming to the church when weather conditions are questionable.
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Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.
Please join Pender United Methodist Church, Staff/Pastor-Parish Relations Committee in welcoming Howard M. Fickling-Finley as Minister of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries. Howard received his Master of Divinity degree from Virginia Union University and earned a graduate diploma in Theological Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary. He received a Certificate in Youth Ministry from Baptist Theological Seminary and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Philosophy from Howard University in Washington, DC.
Since August 2010, Minister Howard has served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of the District of Columbia Community College. Previously he worked as the Coordinator of Children’s Ministry at Grace Episcopal Church in Silver Spring, Maryland.
He served as the Associate Minister for Young Adults and as a Youth Ministry Consultant at Florida Baptist Church. At Metropolitan United Methodist Church, Minister Howard concurrently served as the Director of Children and Youth Ministry while performing as the Director of Evangelism, Outreach, and Community Engagement. His early professional experiences include work as an Instructor, Reading Specialist, Residential Counselor to Persons In Need of Supervision (PINS), and Program Director in various Christian non-profit social justice entities. In short, Minister Howard is a United States Naval veteran, who has 30 years of progressive experience serving and leading children, youth, and young adults in the ecumenical DC, Maryland, and Virginia communities.
Please extend a warm and hearty welcome to Minister Howard!
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New Small Group for Young Adults Starting January 9, 2022: Video and Conversation
From 10 to 10:15 we'll have coffee and fellowship. At 10:15 there will be a short 10 minute video and then conversation.
Our Music Director, Brian Stevenson, will facilitate the “Nooma” series to start this group off, and then look to class members for areas of topic and/or service ideas (books, lunch meetings, mission work etc.)
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Bi-District Training Day Registration Is OPEN!
Bi-District Training Day will take place on Saturday, January 15, 2022 beginning at 9:00 a.m. and will be all virtual. We've got a great lineup for you.
Our Keynote Speaker is Rev. Michael Beck, author of Fresh Expressions in a Digital Age: How the Church Can Prepare for a Post Pandemic World and Contextual Intelligence: Unlocking the Ancient Secret to Mission on the Front Lines.
Micheal Beck will speak live three times on January 15. First, at 9:00 a.m. he will give our Keynote Address (Contextual Intelligence: Unlocking The Ancient Secret to Mission on the Frontlines), at 10:15 a.m. (One Intelligence to Serve Them All), and at 12:45 p.m. (Contextual Intelligence Framework).
We will offer five Zoom Lunchtime Conversations so that attendees can gather with others in a Zoom meeting to see and hear and talk together. These Lunchtime sessions are designed for networking, resource sharing, and fellowship and will each have their own topic. Attendees will need to select which lunchtime session they'd like to attend at the time of registration.
Our 63 additional workshops will be prerecorded and available to attendees as videos.
Prerecorded workshops will publish beginning at 10:15 a.m. and will be available either for 24 hours (with a Day-Of Pass) or until July 15 (with an All-Access Pass).
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Maryann Weber is starting a new program called Pender Safe Transport. She is hoping to give rides to Pender people who need them.
It will be done on a volunteer basis, and donations from those who she helps will be given to PUMW.
Since this is a brand new ministry, we're starting small. Soon, we may take offers from other drivers, as well.
If you need a ride, contact the church office and we will put you in contact with Maryann.
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Bishop Lewis has been encouraging the clergy and laity of the Virginia Conference to read the Bible in a year since 2017. Each year has featured a variety of ways of reading.
- 2017 – read the Bible straight through
- 2018 – read the Bible chronologically
- 2019 – read the Bible in a blended style; a mixture of Old Testament readings and New Testament each day.
- 2020 – read the Bible with a thematic reading plan
- 2021 – read the Bible straight through from Genesis to Revelation
- 2022 – read the Bible straight through from Genesis to Revelation
Bishop Lewis invites you to join the 2022 Bible Challenge. In the new year, join the conference to read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation (daily reading list provided at conference website).
Be on the lookout, starting in January 2022, for new ways to interact with the Bible and fellow participants as well.
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Children's Sunday School resumed in person and on Zoom
Welcome back to Sunday School!
The children's Sunday School is meeting face-to-face (at the church).
Please note, teachers and children need to wear a mask during class. All children will get their own bag of materials to avoid sharing.
We hope to see you soon!
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From Boy Scout Troop 1530
On the weekend of November 15th, Troops and Packs across the nation collected donations for Scouting for Food. Which collects and donates food to various food banks and shelters in the area. Troop 1530 collected over 120 bags of food. A big thank you goes to our surrounding neighborhoods. Thank you!!
Troop 1530 Open House
Saturday, January 15th, 9-12.
Pender United Methodist Church, in the Fellowship Hall
12401 Alder Woods Dr., Fairfax, VA 22033
Activities/Demonstrations will be: Cooking Equipment, First Aid, How to Pack a Backpack, Tent Types, Knot Tying, Webelos Walkabout Req#5, Caving/Rappelling equipment, Fire Making Setup, and Cornhole Game.
Parent Information will be available on our First Years program and Adult Roles in Boy Scouts.
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Sunday School
Topic: Youth Sunday School
Time: Sundays @ 10:oo am-11am
At Pender
Sunday Night Youth from 7-8:30 PM. See you there!
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PRAISES
Donald and Carol Paige and their two children are serving the Lord in
Madrid, Spain. Carol is the coordinator of curriculum and instruction at
LIFE International School in Madrid. This is one of the only 3 Christian
schools in the country. Recently, after months of hard work, they learned
that the school has been recommended for accreditation. This is a historic
occasion as LIFE is the first Christian school primarily for Spaniards to
be accredited in all of Spain. Since the school moved into their new
building in August, Carol reports that they have received many visits from
interested families and government officials.
• The educational inspector from the Community of Madrid visited us for the
first time since the school started. She was pleased with what she saw
and said, "There is something different here. I can tell that this school
isn't just a business, but you genuinely love your students."
• The mayor of Tres Cantos invited two LIFE students to represent our school
in an event to honor teachers. This was the first time LIFE was included in
the invitation.
• Several government officials attended our building dedication and
Thanksgiving celebration where we gave God the glory and filled the plaza
with hymns of praise.
• LIFE's Christmas program was also held in the city's public auditorium,
filling it with the good news of Jesus' birth.
• Four new families have decided to enroll their children (7 in total) in
LIFE this January!
Please join Don and Carol, Cora and Daniel as they thank and praise God for
these steps of progress. And also for their first Christmas living and
serving the Lord in Spain. Celebrating Christmas has been quite different
and building personal relationships is harder than in their former mission
in Paraguay, but through the school, they have been a living testimony of
God's love not only to the students and parents but to the surround
community.
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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
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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: Pasta Sauce
Please no:
* Expired food
* Glass jars
Thank you for your continuing generous support of WFCM.
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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.
In the calendar-year 2021 WFCM was able to:
- Provide 6,146 Food Pantry Appointments
- Distribute 291,472 Diapers
- Provide Financial Assistance to 702 households made up of 2,110 individuals totaling $2,160,636
- Provide a Laundry Ministry serving 42 households, 117 individuals, with 378 laundromat visits
- Provide 19,633 lbs. of food through our Free Food Fridge Program
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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.
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January 8, Funeral for Hal Matthias
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January 9, New Small Group for Young Adults begins
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January 15, Bi-District Training Day
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January 15, Troop 1530 Open House
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January 23, Hygiene Kit Assembly
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January 29, Indoor Corn Hole Interest Meeting
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January 29, Children's Dinner and a Movie. Sign up at pender.church/signup
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February 4, Connections Group Game Night
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February 12, Children's Ministry Valentine's Day Party. Sign up at pender.church/signup
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February 18, Connections Group Game Night
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February 20, Scout Sunday
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February 25, Common Ground Winter Music Concert
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March 1, Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner. Sign up at pender.church/signup
Every Sunday - In Person and Streaming Services.
- Traditional at 9:00 am
- Common Ground Contemporary at 11:15 am
Weekly Events
- Sunday
- The Cornerstone Class meets at 10:00 am.
- Children's Sunday School Class meets at 10:00 am.
- Connections Video and Discussion meets at 10:00 am
- Middle School Class meets at 10:00 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 7:00 pm
- Youth Group
- Monday
- Mary Martha Circle
- Boy Scout Troop 1530 meets in-person at 7:00 pm
- Tuesday
- Staff Meeting at 12:30 pm.
- Carillon Ringers at 6:45 pm
- Joy Ringers at 7:30 pm
- Wednesday
- Ruth Circle meets on Zoom at 10 am
- Thursday
- AV and Worship Team Rehearsals in-person at 6:00 pm
- Choir Rehearsal at 7:30 pm
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