the ambassador - charlottesville district...
TRANSCRIPT
THE AMBASSADOR “So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians
5:20).”Volume 13, Issue 3 A newsletter for the Pastors and Lay Leadership of the Charlottesville District March, 2015
Imagine No MalariaBishop Young Jin Cho is asking all churches in the Virginia Conference to observe World Malaria Day this year by selling lemonade to save lives. "World Malaria Day is Saturday, April 25," Bishop Cho said. "This day is used to bring awareness about the preventable and treatable disease of malaria around the world. The Virginia Conference is excited to announce our plans for the day. We would like all of our churches across the state to participate by hosting lemonade stands in our communities. We want to connect our neighbors with our churches and help save the lives of thousands in Africa suffering from malaria. I imagine more than a thousand lemonade stands all over the conference."So," the Bishop added, "you might be asking, 'What do lemons and mosquitoes have in common?' Well, squashing them saves lives! Help us sip our way to saving lives on April 25!"So save the date and begin making your plans. Click here https://inm.app.box.com/s/f9lnwfz8zmo9ghdl7by6puv8645e9wty to download promotional materials, including posters, bulletin inserts, logos, social media graphics and more.
Spread the Good News!!!Through the end of 2014, the C’ville District has raised $20,768.26 for our Heart Havens Apartment. A home for adults with intellectual disabilities!This is a result of many hours of hard work and sacrificial giving. Thank you.
UMW Events
March 6-7th - Virginia Conference Executive Team Meeting in Dumfries- District President only
March 7th - District Lenten Event. Rock Spring UMC,9:30am
APRIL FYI Dian will be out of the country from April 25th to June 1st. 11th.......Executive Team meeting 10am at Aldersgate, Friendship room upstairs.Newsletter articles to Communications Coordinator by the 19th.
Bishop’s Convocation on PrayerSaturday, March 21, 2015Trinity UMC, 903 Forest Ave., RichmondBoth laity and clergy are invited to attend.Registration Cost: $10 – includes lunchRegister at www.vaumc.orgDeadline to register is March 16.The Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey, Director of Missional Church Initiatives in the West Ohio Conference UMC, will be the
plenary speaker. There will also be small group learning opportunities in the areas of prayer and Wesleyan spiritual disciplines.
C’ville District Wide Fundraiser for Heart
HavensSaturday, May 16, 20158:00am-1:00pmThis will be a huge yard sale plus other activities. We will have this event at 3 churches across the District!!!
The Charlottesville District Council of Youth Ministry
invites you toFifth Sunday Praise and Worship
March 29, 20153-5 p.m.
Mineral UMC301 W. 3rd Street
Mineral, VACome and Enjoy worship with friends from around the
Charlottesville District! All Ages Welcome!Worship ● Fellowship ● Fun ● Praise
SAVE THE DATE!District Youth Rally
August 30, 2015Byrd Chapel UMC
So, what is the District Council of Youth Ministry? DCYM is a way to get involved with other youth in the district. It is made up of a group of 6th through 12th grade student leaders who meet monthly. They are assisted by adults. It provides a link between the local youth and the district and annual conference. DCYM plans events such as the annual Youth Retreat, the annual Youth Rally and Fifth Sunday Praise and Worship Services. Anyone who is in 6th through 12th grade can be a part of DCYM. The group generally meets the third Sunday of each month at Hinton Avenue UMC in Charlottesville from 2-5 p.m. Our purpose is to bring youth closer to God by building and strengthening relationships with local churches. DCYM raises money for YSF (Youth Service Fund) and supports other outreach projects such as Stop Hunger Now, Henry Fork Service Center and TOP (Teens Opposing Poverty). Questions? Contact Rebecca Wagner at 434-823-4645 or [email protected]
The Wesley Foundation at UVA invites you to join us this spring for visits by Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana and Bishop Cho.
Saturday, March 21st from 10-11am, MaryAnn McKibben Dana will speak on “The Busy Trap: Making Time for What Matters Most.” Many of the world’s religions encourage a regular practice of rest and renewal. Jews and Christians call it the Sabbath. But Sabbath often seems impossible given the demands of modern life: work, chores, errands, and kid activities, not to mention the constant nagging of email, Facebook and text messages. In this talk, based on Rev. McKibben Dana’s book Sabbath in the Suburbs: A Family’s Experiment with Holy Time, we will unpack the ancient gift of Sabbath, learn how it can transform our lives in powerful ways, and receive practical wisdom for our own experiments with “holy time.” McKibben Dana will also preach on Sunday, March 22nd at Wesley Memorial UMC (11am).
On Saturday, April 11th from 2-4:30pm Wesley is celebrating 50 years of ministry in our current building with an open house and worship service with Bishop Cho preaching. We will break ground on our Building a Foundation for the Future capital campaign that day and alumni, parents, students, friends, and
folks from across the conference are encouraged to join us in this grand celebration. If you have not yet made your gift to our campaign, it’s not too late! Take a moment to listen to students speak about the importance of this ministry in their lives and consider making your gift today.Directions are on the website. Parking is available for both events in the Wesley Memorial church parking lot.
The Academy for Spiritual Formation®
Since 1983, The Upper Room has offered The Academy for Spiritual Formation® as an in-depth experience in Christian spiritual formation for clergy and laity. This letter is to announce that a two-year Academy (#37) will be starting August 2015 in the Southeastern Jurisdiction.
As a way to help your Conference benefit from this unique offering, following this note you will find information about the matching grant program which will provide up to $5000 to help individuals from your Conference participate.
The Academy is an intense two-year program which brings participants together for 40 days (5 days each quarter) for worship, silence, covenant groups and study. Sixteen courses form the backbone of the Academy; worship and small groups shape its heart and soul. Once called “the best kept secret in the United Methodist Church,” an independent research study funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment confirms the Academy’s effectiveness.* Participants emerge with a deeper relationship with God, a better sense of self- and soul-care and more creativity and freedom for the practice of ministry.
While ecumenical in outreach, the Academy is Wesleyan in spirit, balancing an emphasis upon personal and social holiness. During the first year, emphasis is placed on deepening one’s life in Christ; during the second year participants are encouraged to focus on engaging the needs of the world. Disciplines of body (health and wellness) as well as mind and spirit (lectures and worship) provide renewed vitality on many levels.
This is an expensive and time-demanding program. That’s why we developed the matching grant program which we call Encouraging Spiritual Leaders (ESL). Here’s how it works.
We invite you to identify up to five persons in your Conference (clergy or lay) whom you feel could benefit from this program and who would be a benefit to others. After they’ve applied and been accepted into the Academy (usually routine), The Upper Room will match the Conference support up to $1000 per participant and up to $5000 total per Conference. You are free to select the individuals using whatever process you wish. For more information about how this process works, see the enclosed letter.
Academy #37 begins August 3, 2015. All sessions will be at the Sumatanga Camp & Conference Center in Gallant, AL. More information about the Academy, including the dates for all eight sessions, is available on our website. Copies of our brochure and prospectus are available online or upon request by emailing [email protected]. Thank you for your commitment to spiritually vital, alive leadership in the UMC!
Sincerely,Johnny SearsDirector, The Academy for Spiritual Formation and Emerging Ministries
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Fearless Caregiver ConferenceFriday, March 13, 20158:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.Drysdale Student Center, Lynchburg College The Beard Center on Aging and Home Instead Senior Care, in collaboration with the Caregiver Media Group, will be hosting The Fearless Caregiver Conference. This is the first time this national conference will be held in Virginia and the event is part of the conference’s 20th Anniversary tour.Guest speaker will be Gary Barg, author of The Fearless Caregiver and editor-in-chief of Today’s Caregiver magazine. As a former caregiver himself, Gary has a unique insight into the stresses and problems that caregivers face on a daily basis. His presentation is educational and entertaining, as he interacts with his audience. Gary will also host a guest panel of experts in eldercare and caregiving to answer questions from the audience. The cost for the conference is $15 for family caregivers and $35 for professionals. A limited number of scholarships are available. The cost of registration includes lunch and
refreshments. The event is open to the public and reservations must be received by March 10, 2015. To register, call 434.544.8456, email [email protected] or register online.
Inspirational Author to Appear at First United Methodist Church
“An inspiring novel of triumph by and for strong and loving Christian women”--Verlon Stone, Ph.D., Coordinator, Indiana University Liberian CollectionsAuthor Ladine Housholder, holder of a Certificate in Biblical Spirituality, will be in Charlottesville for the Virginia Festival of the Book and will appear at First United Methodist Church’s chapel at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2015.Ladine’s novel, The Well Women: Crossing the Boundaries, is included in the United Methodist Women’s Reading
Program’s 2015 catalog. It is the story of nine women who are reunited on a tour to the West Bank city of Nablus, the historic site of Jacob’s Well. Beneath the stylish veneer of accomplishment and affluence, each woman has been deeply hurt and nearly broken by her life. But as they share their journey to recovery through the healing power of living water from Jesus Christ and the love and support of the group, they truly meet one another for the first time. Along the way, the Samaritan woman comes to life for them.The focus of Ladine’s talk will be not only on the book, but also on the history and culture of the region, to include historic conflict between Samaritans and Jews. She will also give her audience the tools, and hopefully the desire, to write their own stories. Why? Because the women whose stories are included in The Well Women all told Ladine how cathartic it was for them
to document their own lives and then to turn their problems over to God, the source of Living Water.We look forward to seeing you and sharing Ladine’s inspirational thoughts on Thursday, March 19, at 11:00 a.m.Contact Kelli Henning at [email protected] or 434.296.6193 for more information.
Funding For Church ProjectsIf your church has projects planned, the Virginia United Methodist Credit Union has the solution. Use a VUMCU project loan to fund painting, parsonage repairs, kitchen upgrades, parking lot improvements & heating/AC systems. We have a fast and easy application process (48 hours with a completed application) and there is no fee to apply. Our project loans are unsecured and for amounts up to $50,000 with rates as low as 4.00% APR*. Contact Mike for details at 866-657-0004 or [email protected].*All loans are subject to approval. Credit restrictions apply and rates are subject to change.
Interested In Serving The Conference Credit Union?The Virginia United Methodist Credit Union is seeking individuals with a finance or accounting background interested in serving on the supervisory committee. Responsibilities include attending meetings every other month at the United Methodist Center in Richmond and reviewing financial information. Email: [email protected] or call 866-657-0004 or 804-672-0200 for details.
Camp Young at Heart - An Ecumenical Camp for Adults of All AgesRegistration for Camp Young at Heart 2014 August 25 – 27, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM, held at Aldersgate UMC
It’s time to register for our twelfth annual Camp Young at Heart. Enclosed you will find a flyer concerning the classes, schedule, fees, etc. and a registration form. Additional registration forms can be found at www.cvaumc.org or www.broadus.org. Please select your three classes (one for each time period) and put them on your registration form. Please note that if you are signing up for either “Discovering Your God-Given Gifts” or “Painting Your Memories”, you only need to select one additional class.. Make your check payable to “Broadus Memorial Baptist Church” and designate “Camp Young at Heart.”
We have lined up a great list of classes and outstanding teachers, offering a wide variety of subjects, including many not previously offered. Registration fee is only $20.00 for one person or $35.00 for a couple. What a bargain! Additional expenses are covered by the sponsoring churches.
We have also lined up some great entertainment for your enjoyment during the lunch hour. You won’t want to miss it.
If you have never been to camp before, you will need to bring your own lunch. On Wednesday, we are asking you to bring a meat, salad, vegetable, or dessert to share. Drinks, coffee and snacks are provided every day.
Camp Young At Heart will be held at Aldersgate United Methodist Church on East Rio Road. There is plenty of parking available. The building is wheelchair accessible and there is an elevator.
Please share this information with the other adults at your
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church, as well as, your friends and neighbors. You are our best recruiters! Spread the word! .
WOOD MINISTRY NEWSThe Mineral UMC Wood Ministry has been working hard since before the cold weather hit to have enough wood to deliver to our community neighbors in need. Last heating season we made a total of 69 deliveries (27 cords of wood) to 13 families. So far this season we have made 79 deliveries (31.5 cords) to 18 families (15 of which are regular customers) and the season is far from over and we are running behind on our split wood supply.We are looking for some help if you are able. We need men or women to help deliver fire wood to customers. This will free up time for our cutting and splitting crew to keep up with the demand. What is involved is accompanying a driver and helping to unload split fire wood from a trailer or truck. We deliver every second week and try to deliver on a Tuesday (weather permitting). Deliveries generally take between 3 and 4 hours and usually we are done by noon. Any help would be appreciated. In addition, would there be anyone that could commit on a regular basis to join the Wood Chuckers if we moved our work day to Saturday?If you can help, please contact Dave Paton at (540) 854-7502.
Mineral UMC, 301 West 3rd Street, Mineral, VASat. March 21st 4 to 7 pmSpaghetti with homemade meat or marinara sauce, salad, roll, beverage and your choiceof a slice of homemade pie or cake !$ 10 adults $ 8 children 12 and underEat in or Carry-out
Daylight Saving Time 2015 begins at 2:00 AM onSunday, March 8- Spring Forward!!!
Save the Date- Imagine No Malaria Fundraiser
Please join us on Tuesday, March 17th at Chick- fil- a at 350 Woodbrook Dr, Charlottesville as we work to Save Lives for Imagine No Malaria. Come in during the lunch and dinner hours to spin the spinning wheel! Chick- fil- a provides the prizes and each spin is $1 (everyone is a winner!) Imagine No Malaria receives 100% of the proceeds raisedthrough the spinning wheel to help save lives! Show the Imagine No Malaria fundraising invitation flyer (anytime from 6:30 am – 10:00 pm). For each meal purchased with a flyer INM receives 15% of the receipt total! The flyer has not been provided to us at this time but as soon as it's ready it will be emailed to the district churches and posted on the Charlottesville District Facebook page. The flyer can be printed and handed out or shared electronically. When paying for your meal on March 17th guests will need to show the flyer to the person ringing them up at the counter. We are also in need of a few volunteers that day at Chick –fil- a (during the lunch and dinner hours).If you're able to volunteer please email Rachel Miller at [email protected].
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2015 Annual ConferenceThe 2015 session of the Virginia Annual Conference will be held at The Berglund Center (formerly the Roanoke Civic Center) in Roanoke, VA, June 19-21. Theme of this year's Annual Conference is “From Members to Disciples.”This year Annual Conference will elect delegates for the 2016 General Conference & 2016 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference using electronic devices (for the first time). Due to the extra time needed for voting, annual conference will begin earlier than usual with Clergy and Laity sessions held Friday from 10am thru Noon and the opening plenary session will begin at 2pm.
Annual Conference PreachersRetired Bishop Charlene Kammerer Bishop Young Jin Cho Virginia Annual
Saturday morning ConferenceMISSION Service Sunday MorningSaturday evening WORSHIPORDINATION Service
Reverend Young Bong Kim Annual Conference TeacherPastor Korean UMC of Greater Washington Reverend Tim BiasFriday Evening General Secretary for theMEMORIAL Service General Board of Discipleship
Kits for UMCOR to be collected at Annual ConferenceVarious types of Relief Supply Kits will be collected at the 2015 Virginia Annual Conference session. Kit collection is being conducted to replenish the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) supply. Local churches are encouraged to collect items for any of the most requested UMCOR kits — Bedding, Birthing, Cleaning, Health, Layette, School and Sewing Kits — and bring them to Annual Conference. For kit instructions, go to http://www.umcor.org/ UMCOR/Relief-Supplies. Kits should be taken to the two tractor-trailers at the far end of the Roanoke Civic Center Parking lot A, near the intersection of Williamson Road and Orange Ave. (across from the Sheetz Gas Station). Kits will be received THUR., June 18, 12noon-2:00p.m.; FRI., June 19, 8:00a.m.-5:00p.m.; and SAT, June 20, 8:00a.m.-12noon.
CASH for KITS send directly to Conference TreasurerIf you prefer to contribute cash to enable United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to purchase relief kits, you can contribute $50 for each bedding, kit; $8 for each birthing kit; $55 for each cleaning kit; $12 for each health kit; $35 for each layette kit; $11 for each school kit; and $18 for each sewing kit.. In addition, UMCOR asks for $1 per kit ($1.50 for cleaning buckets) to cover processing and shipping and $1 for toothpaste for each health kit. Please do NOT bring checks to Annual Conference. ALL checks (for processing and shipping, for toothpaste and in lieu of providing kits) should be made payable to “Virginia Conference UMC,” earmarked for “KITS” and mailed to
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Treasurer, Virginia Conference of The United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 5605, Glen Allen, 23058 any time prior to Annual Conference, and no later than Aug. 31.
VOLUNTEERS needed to COLLECT KITS at Annual ConferenceMore volunteers are needed for this year’s “Kits for Conference” collection at Annual Conference. You can help (1) write information on a clipboard; (2) sort kits; (3) seal boxes; or (4) load boxes onto the tractor-trailers. Kit collection will take place Thursday, June 18 from 12-2:00 p.m.; Friday, June 19, from 8 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Saturday, June 20, 8:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. If you can volunteer to help, e-mail Virgil Decker at [email protected] or contact Jeff Wilson at Huntington Court UMC, (540) 366-3465, to indicate what time you would be available.
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Eight Reasons People Aren’t Listening to Announcementsby Rich Birch
This weekend, all across the country, leaders are going to get up in front of their churches and talk about upcoming events and opportunities to connect with the community. They want to move people to action, but in reality a large portion of those in the room will simply tune out for that part of the service and then tune back in when something more interesting comes along. You know it’s true … because you’ve done it!We blame the people for not engaging in the mission. Sort of like a shepherd blaming the sheep for not going to the right pasture. We need to understand why people stop listening and then shift our behavior to help them connect with those we seek to serve. Here are eight reasons people aren’t listening to announcements.There’s nothing in it for them. We want them to attend our event. We need volunteers for the upcoming thing. We have a need that we are hoping they will fill. We focus too much on what's in it for us, but people are intrinsically motivated to pay attention to things that will positively impact
them. Frame your announcements in a way that shows how what you are talking about is going to make a difference to them.Too much insider language. Why do church leaders love cute names for programs and use acronyms? These are surefire ways to alienate your audience because they need a dictionary to understand what all the different “special names” are for the events and programs at your church. Work hard to ensure that you use plain language that everyone can understand.You need to sell, not market. Marketing is about making sure that people understand the features and benefits of your product or service. Sales is about working with people individually to overcome their objections and get them to sign on the dotted line. Who is the person who is going to talk to people directly about engaging in the effort?No heart. Do you feel like yawning while you are doing the announcements? Imagine what the people are thinking! If you do not connect your message with their hearts every once in a while, they will stop listening. People want to know why you are passionate about the subject. Move beyond dates, times, and locations to the big “why” behind what you are talking about that moves you emotionally.Too much noise. Every time you add another announcement, it reduces the likelihood of the announcements breaking through. Two announcements are 30 percent as effective as one. Three are 90 percent less effective than one. How are you ensuring that you are doing the minimal number of announcements possible to ensure maximum impact?Bad News Bill. Is it always the same person from the finance team that gets up once a month to tell the church how much they are behind on offerings? People will learn to tune out that message quickly. If you are always the bearer of bad news, people will stop listening. Avoid using the public stage as the place to disseminate bad news.Wrong audience. If you are announcing the upcoming hiker club trip to the wilderness on Tuesday afternoon that maybe two percent of the congregation could possibly attend, you are telling 98 percent of the people to ignore you. If your announcement does not impact 50 percent or more of the people in the room, why are you talking about it?Too much treadmill. When was the last time you celebrated something fun that happened at your church? If you are always taking time to promote what’s coming up next, you are missing an opportunity to engage (and reward) people who have been involved in something already at the church. Celebrate people and what they are doing. They will listen more.Rich Birch serves as operations pastor at Liquid Church in New Jersey. This material is adapted from a recent post that appeared on his blog “unSeminary” and used by permission.
“Faith is not believing that God can, but that God will.” —Abraham Lincoln
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Emmanuel Youth MissionGreetings for 2015 from John and Jonna Clarkson, Emanuel Youth Mission, P.O. Box 582, Lovingston, VA 22949
We traveled to Taura, El Salvador in December. While there, we checked on mission projects and participated in some exciting community events. Taura dedicated their new community house with a fiesta. The children received a Christmas present and enjoyed a piñata. Everyone celebrated with food, fun, fellowship and dancing. The food sustainability project is growing. Families’ first animals are producing new ones; families have food and will have animals to pass on to other families.
Marvin graduated with a civil engineering degree from university. He celebrated with a community church service, dedicated his success to God, and fed 100 people. And, always, we played with the children!
Thank you for partnering with us to make 2014 a joyful year for these impoverished brothers and sisters! Please pray for Emanuel Youth Mission in 2015, and please continue to support our projects to help the people of Taura. EYM is a 501-c-3 nonprofit. All donations are tax deductible and are used to accomplish mission projects.
Food is a basic human need for all people.
The impoverished people in rural El Salvador do not have a consistent, healthy food source. Some people eat only breakfast and only if they work. Food is fuel to work. Children go hungry. Emanuel Youth Mission is working to stop hunger. You are an important part of this effort. We need your help!
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Our mission has worked for almost ten years to raise the standard of living and improve nutrition and health. In 2015, we want to reach more families and provide a sustainablefood source. We plan to continue and expand the following projects.
• Operate clean water systems, so people make the best use of what food they have
• Install irrigation systems, people grow food crops during 6 months dry season when it does not rain.
• Operate a free medical clinic to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses early, many of which are diet related, and provide education about good nutrition and health, cost $600 a month
• Operate a community corn grinder that aids in food use
• Sponsor children from poorest families for school, providing funds for lunch each day and the opportunity for better employment and income in the future, cost $300 per year per child
• Visit homes in poor communities, delivering food provisions, rice, beans, sugar, salt, cooking oil, and other items, as well as a caring relationship.
• Start small agri-business ventures for families: cost varies, approximately $500-1,000 per family Provide animals: cows, goats, chickens, pigs, lambs and resources to help the business as it begins; people use milk, cheese, and eggs while they grow their business.Provide seed for crop and garden growing. A local church youth group will be traveling with us this summer to work on the sustainable food project. Please help us to make this a rewarding experience they will never forget.
• Please partner with us to help these impoverished children and families! Help us to fight hunger and assure them that people in Virginia do care! Emanuel Youth Mission is a 501-c-3 non-profit charity. All donations are tax deductible; 100% of donations go to these projects.
Sincerely, John and Jonna Clarkson, Emanuel Youth Mission, P.O. Box 582, Lovingston, VA 22949
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The United Methodist Church
Charlottesville District Office 914 E. Jefferson St., Suite 104Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 http://CharlottesvilleDistrictUMC.org Email: [email protected]
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Newsletter Deadline - March 15Please send your submissions for the April 2015issue of The Ambassador to Carol Frost at [email protected] by March 15.
The Ambassador by emailIf you would like to receive The Ambassador by email, or if your email address has changed recently, please send an email to the District Office with your request to [email protected].
March 5 UMW-Redefining Our Mission FieldMarch 7 “Imagine No Malaria” Basketball TournamentMarch 7 UMW District Lenten Event @ Rock Spring UMCMarch 13 Fearless Caregiver ConferenceMarch 17 Spirit Day @ Chick-fil-A, Fundraiser for Imagine No MalariaMarch 19 Author Ladine Housholder to speak at First UMC, 11 amMarch 21 Bishop’s Convocation on PrayerMarch 21 Mega Media Sale at Standardsville UMC, 7 am – 3 pmMarch 21 MaryAnn McKebben Dana to speak at The Wesley FoundationMarch 29 Fifth Sunday Praise and Worship at Mineral UMC, 3 pm
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U.S. POSTAGEPAID
Permit No. 180Charlottesville Va
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