Farmville United Methodist Church

Transcription

1 Farmville UMC P O Box High Street Farmville, VA Return Service Requested Farmville United Methodist Church Worship with us at 8:30 & 11AM each Sunday! Sunday School for all ages at 9:45AM & Be Worship service 5 PM at Wesley Office Staff Contact Information Rev. Michael P. Kendall, Lead pastor x24; mkendall@farmvilleumc.org Rev. Lyndsie Blakely, Minister of Youth x23; lblakely@farmvilleumc.org Donna Godfrey, Finance Secretary x26; dgodfrey@farmvilleumc.org Brandy Hogan, Children s Ministry & Christian Edu x 22; brandy@farmvilleumc.org Tracey Oddo, Office Manager x21; toddo@farmvilleumc.org Publication deadlines: 20th of each month for newsletter items 12pm each Wednesday for & Sunday insert To find out more about the mission & ministry opportunities, visit us on the web at call or fumc@farmvilleumc.org!

2 The Messenger April 2019 Farmville UMC Newsletter Rev. Michael P. Kendall Remember Who You Are Memory is a powerful gift that grounds us, frames what we experience, and has the capacity even to restore us to ourselves. Anyone who has had a song pop into their head and transport them to a moment in their past has felt how strong memory can be. Likewise, those who love someone whose memory is fading through dementia or Alzheimer s know the ache of its loss. There is a book to which I have repeatedly returned, entitled Remember Who You Are. Authored by William H. Willimon, who was then Dean of the Chapel at Duke Divinity School, it looks at the sacrament of baptism and its place in the Church over the centuries. This sacred activity a sign-act of God is multi-faceted in meaning and central to our Christian identity. Join me this spring in a discussion-format class about our identity as a baptized community. We will be in the Fellowship Room at 10am each Sunday, following Coffee Fellowship. Baptism isn t a one-person event, for it is an expression of the faith community. What does it mean to be baptized? What part does the faith community of the church take in my life as a result of being baptized? What part then do I take in the life of the faith community? These can often create points of tension, particularly in the fiercely frontier American culture of rugged, independent individualism. A wider question could be: How does my baptism bind me in covenant with others, not just with God? People are wrestling with identity questions. As a local congregation in Farmville and as part of the global denomination called The United Methodist Church some questions include: What defines our covenant here as a faith-family? How are we in covenant with others around the world? At the recent UMC General Conference (Feb 2019), we saw the evidence of deep divides in our denomination over particular topics. Praying Christians disagree over gender identity and whether it places limitations on who we will bless in marriage or approve for ordained ministry. How then shall we understand what it means to be church and who will that include? How we engage each other as we address such questions is essential to our Christian witness. Whether we agree or disagree, let me offer some key habits for us to consider: 1 listen first, last, and all the way through to each other, and for the Holy Spirit. 2 speak our views with tenderness of tone, that our words may build up, not tear down. 3 we are siblings in Christ. Be present to each other and encourage each other. 4 trust that God is bigger, more patient, merciful and gracious than we can ever measure. Holy Week and Easter are before us, our central witness of God s grace changing everything. Let us make the journey together. Let us remember who we are. With you in Christ, Michael P. Kendall Lead Pastor Best ways to reach me: mkendall@farmvilleumc.org (office, ext 24) (cell)

3 Based on the book by Bishop Will Willimon on the UMC sacrament of baptism. We will reflect on facets of our identity: in Christian baptism, in human sexual identity, as a denomination following from GC2019, and as a congregation going forward. This will be a conversation for those who want to engage these discussions more deeply in ways not possible in a worship setting. Remember Who You Are with Rev. Michael Kendal. Sunday s, 10am, Fellowship Room March 31 through May 19. Online Registration for both Children and Volunteers is now available for this year s VBS! The link can be found on our website

4 What are your habits of daily prayer? We asked the Council and Praise & Potluck participants to share their favorite habits of daily prayer or devotion and where they find God daily. -Meditating on a chosen scripture -Following along with a plan in the Bible App. -In the car, in the shower, in moments of duress and I fall asleep in the palm of his hand every night. Helen -I read and reflect on a daily devotion -Early morning & late at night, I find Him in nature -Pray in bed before getting up, I find God in nature lunch time -I pray over my prayer list in the morning before the day gets busy -Morning & Night prayer - Daily Reminders timed into my phone to chime at 6, 9, noon, 3, 6, and 9. Each one a reminder of a call to pause, pray and remember God s presence. -When alone in the car -I reflect on the ed daily scripture reading I receive -Before and after my classes, I like to come to the church and pray in the sanctuary -In the AM I read my Upper Room. I also pray when I am in my car while driving -Dakota and my family -When I take pictures not of myself, but of the beauty of the earth around me -Mornings - after breakfast -I like bedtime devotions using Upper Room, Guidepost, Bible & prayers list What are your habits of daily prayer? If you wish to share, do so on Sunday s Worship Card!

5 2019 Holy Week Worship Services Palm Sunday, April 14th 8:30 & 11 AM Holy Thursday, April 18th 7 PM Good Friday, April 19th 7 PM Easter Sunday, April 21st Sunrise Service 6:45 PM at Westview Cemetery Breakfast 7:30 following sunrise service Service 9 AM & 11 AM Egg Hunt between services April Worship Scriptures 4/7 - Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126 (UM 847); Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8 4/14 - Luke 19:28-40; Psalm 118:1-2, (UM 839); Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16 (UM764) Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 22:14-23:56 or Luke 23:1-49 4/18 - Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14; Psalm 116:1-4, (UM116); 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35 4/19 - Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22 (UM752); Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18:1-19:42 4/21 - Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, (UM 839); 1 Corinthians 15:19-26; John 20:1-18 (or Luke 24:1012) 4/28 - Acts 5:27-32; Psalm 150 (UM 862); Revelation 1:4-8; John 20:19-31

6 Grief Support meets the 1st & 3rd Wednesday at 2 PM in the Parlor. All are welcome! If you would like more information about the grief group or would like to talk with a Stephen Minister please call Rebecca Maxwell at Children s Ministry Sunday s 9:45 AM Nursery for under 2 Deep Blue: ages 2-5 & Grades 1-5 Youth Ministry Sunday s at 9:45 AM Discussion-Based Life Topics. Adult s Ministry Sunday s 9:45 AM Holton Class: Bible Study McGraw Haga Class: Bible Study Seekers: Today s issues & God s Word Coffee Chat: Bible Study & Discussion Pathfinders: Studies relating to today s world The Way: Bible Study & Discussion Other opportunities: see calendar for days/times On April 14th, the youth will travel to Lynchburg to Locked Up Lynchburg's Escape Room! This event is free, but you must RSVP to Lyndsie no later than April 5th to be able to go. Please help us Welcome our newest Members In March we welcomed Terry & Margaret Smith as new members of our congregation!

7 FUMC now has a donation location for Elwood s Cabinet - The Red basket beside the office. Looking for a way to be involved in the faith of our children? Children s Church during 11:00 worship service may be for you! Please see Brandy Hogan for details. Do you enjoy the great outdoors, working with your hands and leading others? The opportunity to be a Coordinator of Grounds Maintenance is available! Please contact the church office for more details. "Hands-on" service opportunities are available weekly at the FACES Food Pantry in Farmville. Thursdays at 3:45 PM: Bag groceries or pack weekend food supplies for elementary and middle school students. Saturdays at 7:30 AM: Assist with grocery distribution. Just show up! Pictures of the recent visits to our Friends of Barnabas partner community, El Chaguiton. Fire up your ovens and get ready to bake! We will be selling our famous home-baked cookies at the Heart of Virginia Festival on May 4. You need not be a member of UMW to demonstrate your baking skills. Our title will be FUMC Women s Church Bazaar. Remember, no cream frostings, cream fillings or anything that will spoil while on display at our tables. Under the title Bazaar, we may be selling some craft items as well. All proceeds go to missions here and internationally. Stay tuned for further updates.

8 APRIL 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat If bringing flowers for the Easter Cross please drop them off at the side door of the Church by Wesley on Saturday the 20th :30AM MOPS 10AM Sarah Belle Evans Prayer Grp 2PM Grief Support 6PM Praise & Potluck 7PM Chancel Choir :30 & 11AM Worship 9:30 Coffee Fellowship 9:45AM Sunday School/ Remember Who You Are w/rev. Kendall, FR 5:00 PM Be Worship, Wesley 6:00 PM Fusion AM Carroll Rosser, FR 6:30PM Council 10 4:15 PM Worship Meeting 6PM Praise & Potluck 7PM Chancel Choir 11 10AM Gussett Book Club, Parlor :30 & 11AM Worship 9:30 Coffee Fellowship 9:45AM Sunday School/ Remember Who You Are w/rev. Kendall, FR 5:00 PM Be Worship, Wesley 6:00 PM Fusion :30AM MOPS 2PM Grief Support 6PM Praise & Potluck 7PM Chancel Choir 18 7PM Service 19 7PM Service Church Office Closed 20 7:30AM FACES 9AM Breakfast Circle, FR 21 6:45 AM Sunrise Service 7:30 AM Breakfast 9AM & 11AM Worship Egg Hunt between services 5:00 PM Be Worship, Wesley 22 Church Office Closed :15 PM Trustee s Meeting 6PM Praise & Potluck 7PM Chancel Choir :30 & 11AM Worship 9:30 Coffee Fellowship 9:45AM Sunday School/ Remember Who You Are w/rev. Kendall, FR 5:00 PM Be Worship, Wesley 6:00 PM Fusion 29 30