MYSTERY PERSON! CAN YOU GUESS WHO I AM?

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1 B ERMUDA HUNDRED UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 2025 FLORENCE AVENUE, CHESTER, VA R EV. BETH ANDERSON, PASTOR W EBSITE: WWW. BERMUDAHUNDREDUMC.COM E MAIL: BHUMCHURCH@COMCAST.NET PHONE: November 2014 Newsletter MYSTERY PERSON! CAN YOU GUESS WHO I AM? ANSWERS TO BHUMCHURCH@COMCAST.NET Bill Talley & Margaret Reynolds guessed the mystery person for October. It was Stuart Morefield! Please send us a picture for next month s newsletter! pictures to bhumchurch@comcast.net or drop photos off at the church office. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter please call (804) or us at bhumchurch@comcast.net to have your name removed. Thank you!

2 CENTENNIEL 2014 Building a life of Thanksliving! The month of November has begun, and perhaps you have already developed a practice of giving thanks each day of November. Hopefully we give thanks every day, no matter the time of the year. Yet every November we prepare for Thanksgiving, fall leaves cover the ground, harvest time abounds; we see signs of bounty and abundance surrounding us. The practice of giving thanks increases our joy. Gratitude reminds us of all God has already given us and stirs us to respond to God s grace with our own generosity. The theologian and writer Gilbert K. Chesterton said, When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude. Establishing a daily and intentional practice of gratitude can focus your attention to see God s presence in the world and in your own life. This month our sermon series, Kingdom Builders focuses on how God does an awesome thing in us to build His Kingdom. Kingdom builders are people who build others up and build up the world around them. They focus on the gains, the growing in their lives, and give glory to God. Kingdom Builders bring their gifts and share them with others to further the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world! When everyone brings their gifts forward, we can joyfully see with excitement how God everything to do more than we can imagine! This first Sunday in November we experienced this as we gave thanks for the saints who have gone before us! Saints who gave of themselves to share the abundance of God s love they had experienced. When we share what we have it seems to not only add up, it seems to multiply! Together we each brought blocks, representing the gifts God has given us, and we brought them forward as we sang, What Gift Can We Bring, and together something awesome was built! Continued on the next page:

3 Continued from the previous page Giving thanks, reminds us of all the gifts we have. And when we give thanks for them we see that when we share all we have and all we are, God does awesome things! This month, I invite you to join me in giving thanks each day. A group that I am a part of, The Young Clergy Woman Project has created a photo-aday thanksgiving challenge. I invite you to join us in giving thanks, in thanksliving. Each day of the month, give thanks using an intentional word to remember God s presence and what we are thankful for. Today s date, November 3 rd is Receive so you may give thanks for how you receive the blessings in your life. If you use social media, you are invited to upload your picture and use the hashtag #thanksliving2014 with the word you are giving thanks for in the day! I pray that this month you will see how God is building you up with abundance and gifts to be able to be a Builder in His Kingdom! In God s Love, Pastor Beth In response to Bishop Young Jin Cho's request that the Virginia Conference Common Table for Church Vitality facilitate conversation around the conference on the subject of human sexuality, the Common Table announced that it will hold "A Day of Holy Conversation on Sexuality and The United Methodist Church" on Saturday, Nov. 22, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Woodlake UMC, Hampton Park Drive, Chesterfield. The day of conversation will also be live streamed to 12 additional sites across the conference. All Virginia Conference clergy and laity are invited to participate at one of the sites. Deadline to register is noon on Monday, Nov. 17. Register online at Bermuda Hundred United Methodist Church November 2014

4 Stewardship Stewardship means to take care of what belongs to another. We are stewards of all that God has given us. All that we have and all that we are belong, not to us, but to God. We have been entrusted not only to maintain the gifts God has bestowed, but to grow them. This past Sunday, as we began a new sermon series, Kingdom Builders we saw how God has given us the gifts and abilities to build His Kingdom. Your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness are building blocks, to not only sustain God s work in this world and through our church, but to make it possible for lives to be changed and for others to know and experience the amazing love Christ offers. This is what it means to build the Kingdom of God. As the Stewardship Committee, our call is to help the church grow in our stewardship of God s kingdom. We pray that we may take what God has given us and use it, to build up the Body of Christ! One of the projects that we have been looking into is Online Giving. We have explored online giving and EFT, Electronic Transfer Form. The Stewardship Team has explored these giving options to create possibilities that can help make giving more convenient and consistent, especially when people may be travelling or away on a Sunday. God s work through our church does not ever cease or slow down. Every day, we are reaching out in our community so others may know Christ s love and grow in their faith. Through on online survey we have received helpful feedback about these giving options. At the time, we do not plan to proceed with offering online giving or an EFT form based on the feedback we have received. We have learned that several people in the congregation have set up automatic giving through their own bank, which helps them with convenience and consistency, so that they do not miss giving when they are away or busy. No matter how you give to build God s Kingdom here at Bermuda Hundred UMC, we pray that you will see how your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness make ministry possible. Because of you, people in our church and community tangibly experience the love of Christ. God has a purpose for you to use the gifts you have to not only maintain God s love in this world but to multiply it. We look forward to celebrating with you how God is building His kingdom through each and every one of us each Sunday and especially on Sunday, November 23, Consecration Sunday as we bring forth our commitment cards and gather after worship for a potluck lunch to give thanks! Thank you for all you do as a Builder in the Kingdom of God! Abundant Blessings, Michael Morris. Chairman Stewardship Team Bermuda Hundred United Methodist Church November 2014

5 Operation Christmas Child Operation Christmas Child (OCC) uses gift-filled shoeboxes to share God's love with needy children around the world. Since 1993, Samaritan's Purse has collected and delivered more than 113 million shoeboxes to children in over 150 different countries through OCC. Last year Bermuda Hundred UMC participated in this ministry for the first time, and it was quite a success! We nearly doubled our goal of 30 shoeboxes, delivering 59 boxes to the collection center in November This year, we are setting our goal higher and would love to collect 100 shoeboxes! The process is very simple: 1. Pick up a brochure with the box tags at church OR you can print one online 2. Fill your box (it can be a cardboard shoebox or plastic shoebox, wrapped or unwrapped--just wrap the lid separately!) with gifts and hygiene items for a boy or girl in the age range you select on your box tag (visit for item ideas and instructions). If you need help picking an age range, OCC receives the fewest boxes for boys ages 2-4 and and could use more of these! 3. Include $7 for shipping of your box--either place a check in the envelope in the brochure or pay the amount online (paying online allows you to find out what country your box ends up in!) 4. Bring your shoebox to BHUMC by Thursday, November 20 for delivery to the collection center. We also have the opportunity to volunteer at the collection center, Crestwood Church in Midlothian. A sign-up sheet will be in the book during worship services. You may sign up in the sign up notebook or you may go to Crestwood Church s sign up page to sign up at If you are unable to pack your own box or donate your time, please consider donating to cover the shipping cost of the boxes we donate. Each box costs $7 to send to a needy child. If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Mathis at or 2hokiefans@comcast.net. This is a wonderful ministry project to do with your children to teach them about helping others and sharing the joy of Jesus--what true Christmas spirit is about. Welcome! Clif & Pam Winn Morgan Jones, Carson Jones & Virginia Grace Winn 612 Quail Crossing Lane Colonial Heights, VA winnhappy@comcast.net Joined October 19, 2014

6 November Meetings: -Keenagers meet at 11:30 AM at K&L BBQ in Hopewell (Please note that K&L only accepts cash) -Second Cup of Coffee beginning Thursday, November 6,9:30-11:30 AM, For a Book Study and Discussion: You Matter More Than You Think. -Church Council will meet on Tuesday, November 11th at 7:00 PM. -Morning Prayer Service every Wednesday morning at 7:00 AM in the Sanctuary. -Gladys Toom s Small Group will meet at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, November 12th. Angie Morriss with Crater Community Hospice and JT Morriss will lead a Grief Group from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM on Tuesday, November 18 th, December 2 nd and 9 th, in the Grundy Parlor. -Please note that Financial Peace University will meet at 7:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall on Wednesday, November 19th. (FPU meets in the Grundy Parlor November 5th and 12th) -There will be a Hanging of the Greens Service at 4:00 PM on Sunday, November 30 th. We are working on a new Church Directory and are thankful for all of those who had their picture taken earlier this summer! While many of you were able to have your picture taken this summer, we have a significant amount of families who were unable to come have their picture taken. Lifetouch will be here from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Wednesday, November 19. We would like to include everyone in the directory! To submit a picture is $10/ picture, and if needed we will do this. But we hope that if your family has not had your picture taken for the directory, you will sign up on November 19. Please remember, this directory is not just about having your picture taken, but making sure everyone in our congregation has the opportunity to know one another. We don't want to leave anyone out! If you and your family have not had your picture taken and you are available on Thursday, November 19, please respond by ing Pastor Beth at revbethanderson@gmail.com Thank you for your help in completing our new church directory! Consecration Sunday will be Sunday, November 23 rd. We will have one combined worship service at 11:00 AM, and in worship we will bring our commitment cards forward and consecrate our personal commitment. Afterwards we will gather in the Fellowship Hall for a Pot Luck Luncheon. Please see the sign up sheet to sign up to bring a main dish, a side dish, salad or dessert! Thank you to Katie Sloan for coordinating the luncheon! We hope you will join us for the joyful day of celebrating all that God is doing in our church through each of you! Join us in worship as we celebrate and consecrate our gifts to the ministry of our church in the coming year. Sign up online at celebration/ Bermuda Hundred United Methodist Church November 2014

7 United Methodist Women Our UMW has been very busy in fulfilling the UMW Purpose. At the UMW Annual Meeting we were awarded a Gold Mission Today Award, a Gold Social Action Award and we were a Six Star Unit in our mission giving. We participated in the Reading Program four ladies completed Plan I by reading 5 books, one lady completed Plan II by reading 10 books and one lady completed Plan IV by reading 20 books. These books were from our UMW Library. At the Annual Meeting we had the greatest % of members in attendance and the greatest number of unit members in attendance to receive $40.00 Book Room value to purchase books at Advent Retreat. Our next meeting is November 17 th at 7:00 in the Grundy Parlor. All ladies are invited to attend. Child care will be provided if needed. Contact me at or dorisandstuart@comcast.net by November 14 th. The Fall Day Apart is November 2 nd at Fort Grove UMC, Stony Creek. The speaker will be from our conference's All God's Children Camps. The mission emphasis for this event is scholarships (monetary) and twin sheets. The Advent Retreat is Saturday, December 6 th at Blackstone. Our keynote speaker will be Rev. Beth Anderson. This is a good way to start the Advent Season. I have the Registration Form and hope we will have a good attendance. -Doris Morefield, UMW President Just Coffee We are excited to continue a DVD study of Ann Voskamp's best-selling book One Thousand Gifts. The back cover summarizes: "Just like you, Ann Voskamp hungers to live her one life well. Forget the bucket lists that have us escaping our everyday lives for exotic experiences. 'How,' Ann wondered, 'do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties? What does the Christ-life really look like when your days are gritty, long -- and sometimes even dark? How is God even here?' In One Thousand Gifts, Ann invites you to embrace everyday blessings and embark on the transformative spiritual discipline of chronicling God's gifts. It's only in this expressing of gratitude for the life we already have, we discover the life we've always wanted--a life we can take, give thanks for, and break for others. We come to feel and know the impossible right down in our bones: we are wildly loved--by God. Let Ann's beautiful, heartaching stories of the everyday give you a way of seeing that opens your eyes to ordinary amazing grace, a way of being present to God that makes you deeply happy, and a way of living that is finally fully alive. Come live the best dare of all!" Please visit our blog: Bermuda Hundred United Methodist Church November 2014

8 United Methodist Men NUTS! That s what I said when I saw the new Coleman s Peanut Company s brochure. Chocolate covered, brittle, salted, candy, 3 kinds in one can, and many more will be available from the Bermuda Hundred United Methodist Men. Perfect for Christmas gifts and don t forget to keep some for yourself. See Stan Forbes(stanforbes@comcast.net or ) for the latest price list and ordering information. A couple of years ago, we were able to get some home made sausage, and if there s enough interest, we can get some more this year. Let any United Methodist Man know if you would like sausage and we ll order it. The sausage is either mild or hot. We are in the early stages of planning for a Pancake Supper to benefit the BHUMC Budget. We ll pass along the details as we get everything in place. We meet every 3rd Tuesday at River s Bend Grill, at 6:30 pm. All men are welcome and the 1st time you come, I ll buy your dinner. Happy Thanksgiving! Charles Woodard, UMM President 2 Lena Parham 3 Savannah Hodges, Angelic Bethune 9 Mitchell Svetina 12 Leslie Peppers 14 Jakob Caples 15 Andrew Mayes 17 Glenn Harrison 18 Kathy Frick 19 Jordan Belvin 20 Aubrey Ward, Neil Mooney 21 Sarah Gallagher Sweat 22 Jessica Pommert 23 Amie-Anne Talley 24 Brittany Hearst 26 Joshua Sloan 27 Lori Pommert 29 Christiana Hodges, Tyler Woodell 30 Noah Webner, Emily Wilts Bellamy Bermuda Hundred United Methodist Church November 2014

9 Chesterfield Colonial Heights Alliance for Social Ministry It is time to start planning the CCHASM Thanksgiving Meal Gift Package Program for 2014! This year s program will be held, as usual, at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds in the Exhibition Center, 1200 Courthouse Road. Please turn in all monetary and food contributions to BHUMC no later than Sunday, November 16th. Items for Thanksgiving Meal Gift Packages: 1 40 oz. Can (Large) of Yams or Sweet Potatoes 1 13 oz. Box of Mashed Potatoes 1 14 oz. Can of Cranberry Sauce 2 15 oz. Cans of Green Vegetables 2 15 oz. Cans of Corn 2 Boxes or Packages of Stuffing Mix 2 Cans or Packages of Gravy 1 Box of Hot Chocolate 1 Box of Tea Bags 1 Box or Bag of Cookies See or call (804) for additional information on volunteering for the Thanksgiving Meal Gift Package Program and other CCHASM programs. Information is also posted on Bermuda Hundred UMC s downstairs bulletin board. Missions As we prepare for Thanksgiving let us give thanks to God for all of our wonderful blessings! For our families, our health, having a roof over our heads, a wonderful church family and for the abundance of food that we have on Thanksgiving day! Please remember to give to CCHASM S Thanksgiving Food Drive. You can put together a Thanksgiving Food kit or by making a monetary donation for CCHASM to purchase gift cards for the families to purchase their poultry. The turn in date for the food kits and money are Sunday, November 16 th. Thank you for your generosity! The United Methodist Women will be holding their annual Mitten Tree project from Sunday, November 23 rd through Sunday, December 14 th. Please place your underwear, socks, hats, and mittens/gloves for elementary school age children on the mitten tree near the office or the tree located in the fellowship hall. The clothing will be distributed to Enon, Elizabeth Scott, Marguerite Christian and Harry E. James Elementary Schools. Thank you! Thanks to everyone who has given food, monetary donations and/or their time to the Backpack program. We are blessed to have a church that is able to provide a few meals for 14 children who otherwise may go hungry on the weekends. Please pray for these children and their families May God Bless You! -Ann McNinch, Missions Chair Bermuda Hundred United Methodist Church November 2014

10 November 2014 Sunday Servants NOVEMBER 2 NOVEMBER 23 SERVANT COMMUNION SUNDAY NOVEMBER 9 NOVEMBER 16 CONSECRA- TION SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30 8:30 AM Usher/ Greeters Marc & Mindy Wilts Neil & Ditty Mooney TBA One Combined Worship Service at 11:00 AM Youth 11:00 AM Usher/ Greeters Betty & Sandy Forbes Edna Sherrill & Mary Simmons Terry Campbell & Krisann Mayes Dave & Meredith Steinbraker Youth Acolytes Tyler Woodell & Kelsey Callahan Dylan Craddock & Mason Steinbraker Jeremy Gutshall & Branwyn McCormick Savannah Talley & Abby Mayes Kelsey Callahan & Tyler Woodell Reader/ Lay Servant Liz Carter McDonough Liz Carter McDonough Tyler Craddock Tyler Craddock Tina Morris Children s Church Jessica & Jenna Mathis TBA TBA Christmas Eve Service Practice begins Bill Talley V & Kelly Manor Christmas Eve Service Practice TBA Christmas Eve Service Practice UMYF Meals Marcie Callahan No UMYF on Sunday Ashley Harrell No UMYF on Sunday NO UMYF Thanksgiving Break Altar Guild for November: Nancy Byrd, Peggy Proper, & Debbie Winn If you cannot serve on your assigned Sunday, please call your contact as soon as possible: 8:30 AM Ushers/Greeters: Mindy Wilts at :00 AM Ushers/Greeters: Sandy Forbes at Acolytes: Sheila LaRue at Altar Guild: Nancy Byrd at

11 Address Updates: Gladys Toom would love to hear from her friends at Bermuda Hundred UMC! Cards and letters may now be sent to Gladys Toom c/o Marquis Tualatin Assisted Living Facility, Boones Ferry Rd, Apt. 204, Tualatin, OR Gladys says Thank You! for all of your kind letters and cards. They make her feel like she is back at home. (l-r) Janet, Gladys s granddaughter Ellie, Gladys Toom Mike & Patty O Brien at the reception held for them at BHUMC on October 5th in the Grundy Parlor. You may write to Mike & Patty O Brien at: PO Box 1052 Jeffersonville, IN Helen Molter has moved! You may write to Helen at: 235 Dunlop Farms Boulevard Apt 181 Colonial Heights, VA The Keenagers will meet for lunch at 11:30 AM on Wednesday, November 5 th at the K&L BBQ in Hopewell. (Please note that we are meeting earlier and that K&L only accepts cash.) Each month the Keenagers spend time in fellowship going to lunch together. We will gather for lunch, fellowship, and a devotional. We hope to see you for this fun event! We are collecting new and used coats and jackets in good condition for children at local elementary schools. Please leave your donated coats and jackets on the coat rack at the top of the steps just before you enter the Sanctuary area. The United Methodist Women will be holding their annual Mitten Tree project from Sunday, November 23 rd through Sunday, December 14 th. Please place your underwear, socks, hats, and mittens/gloves for elementary school age children on the mitten tree near the office or the tree located in the fellowship hall. The clothing will be distributed to Enon, Elizabeth Scott, Marguerite Christian and Harry E. James Elementary Schools. Thank you! Bermuda Hundred United Methodist Church November 2014

12 To Bermuda Hundred UMC And ALL the other wonderful, caring, generous people who helped raise money and donated money for baby Amelia s cause. I was telling my husband that I wish I was a poet so maybe then I would be able to appropriately convey the abundance of appreciation we have for all of you who came together and, through the goodness of your hearts, spent your time and energy on prayers, fundraising and generous gifts. So many of you have given donations which have made this rough patch a little easier and we give thanks! I see this as nothing short of a blessing! Because of your generosity, we are left us with something more than we had expected. We can feel less anxious about our finances, which puts our minds at ease, but seeing all of you come together as a community to support our family has put our hearts at ease that we have made the right decision to bring our girls into the world in the first place. In a world where the negative seems to prevail, we can show actual proof that the world really is full of people who care, love, empathize, and support. When times get rough we can use that knowledge to maintain positivity and I hope that you too will be able to see and remember this abundance of love in your own lives. I now know the real power of rallies. This fundraising was not only a gift to our family, but to everyone involved; whether helping to organize, coming out to support, or donating, one can walk away feeling a part of something bigger than themselves. Helping others helps to open up the heart and feel good about the world and oneself. This energy surrounds them and is passed off to others and so on, sending out a big wake of goodness and optimism. We are so grateful for our church family and for each of you! Your words, cards, and generosity show us God s love and abundance! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU SO MUCH ALL OF YOU! Eternally grateful with all our hearts, Amelia, Alexandra, Meghan and Markku United Methodist Youth Fellowship Meetings Each week I have been getting texts, Facebook posts, and s asking when the youth meeting is. I am sorry for the confusion by adding Wednesday nights, however, I have seen an increase in attendance by doing this so it will probably stay. If you would like to put the dates in your calendar, these are the dates through Winter. We will look at attendance and decide if we want to keep it this way for the spring or not. WED Oct 29th 6-7:30pm SUN Nov 2nd 6-8pm WED Nov 12th 6-7:30pm SUN Nov 16th 6-8pm THANKSGIVING BREAK WED Dec 3rd 6-7:30pm SUN Dec 7th 6-8pm WED Dec 17th 6-7:30pm SUN Dec 21st 6-8pm The Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet on Tuesday, November 11th 1:00 to 3:00pm. at Ola Wyatt s house See Lilly Enz for more information! -Laurel Sage, Director of Children and Youth Ministry