Loving others as Christ first loved us! Cokesbury United Methodist Church October Blackburn Road, Woodbridge, Virginia Volume 49, No.

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1 The Colonnade Cokesbury United Methodist Church October Blackburn Road, Woodbridge, Virginia Volume 49, No. 10 By Bunny Mahar Sharing the Gift of Love Soon you will see piles of empty Christmas packages in the narthex. What does it mean? It means that you can supply Christmas to a child in a war-ravaged or weather-devastated part of the world for perhaps the first time. What starts as a simple gift, a shoe box filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, will bring Christmas to children all around the world. What a wonderful way to send the gift of God's love to those children. Please pick up one of the shoe boxes and make it a happy Christmas for some child who desperately needs some joy in their life. Each box will contain a brochure with suggestions for items to place in the box, as well as those that are not allowed. There will also be a label to indicate the age and sex of the child for whom the box is intended. Postage is requested for each box but please don't let that stop you. If you are unable to include the postage, your box will travel anyway. Last year Cokesbury provided over 100 boxes to the delivery point in mid-november. We hope you can participate, though we are aware of the present economic situation. This is a rewarding and fun project to share with children and to make it a special time for much less fortunate children. Gift-filled shoeboxes should be returned to Cokesbury by November 17. Why Sunday School? By Emmett Wright Sunday School is an essential part in the spiritual growth and faith development of an individual, no matter the age. From children to adults, we all grow in the call to be disciples of Jesus Christ when we combine our study of the Bible with our worship experience on Sunday. The environment of Sunday School offers us the opportunity to: Respond to what was heard or experienced in worship. Share our views on the day s spiritual lesson. Grow in our own spiritual understanding as we hear the faith story of others in the class. Interact and fellowship with others who are on a similar faith journey. Be inspired by the lives of those who can seem like giants in the faith. Be more connected with the ministries of the church and be inspired to use our gifts and talents more freely. Don t let another Sunday pass without experiencing how our Christian education program can enrich your life and those of your children. Virginia Advocate Inspiring! Insightful! Humorous! It's time to subscribe or renew your subscription to the Virginia Advocate, the official news magazine of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church. The Advocate serves as your monthly resource to local church stories of faith and discipleship, practical ideas for ministry, training events for all ages, mission opportunities around the world, and news relevant for today's United Methodists. Subscription cost is $15 or one year (12 issues); $25 for two years; and $36 for three years. If you need an application or wish to renew, please call the church office at

2 Stewardship: Five Reasons to Tithe [As the church prepares its budget for 2011, we ask members for an estimate of their intended giving for the upcoming year so that we better estimate how many ministries we will be able to support and at what levels they can be funded. While your household may not be able to tithe, I do believe that we are blessed by God as we strive to be faithful stewards of our resources, no matter our level of giving. Please enjoy the following article, which is reprinted with permission. In God s grace, Pastor Russ.] 13 And the LORD stood beside him [Jacob] and said, I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; 14 and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. 15 Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God s house; and of all that you give me I will surely give one-tenth to you. Genesis 28:13-5 and The principle of tithing is just one part of stewardship as a way of life, and tithing is documented very early in the Old Testament. How early? Try Genesis; specifically, Genesis 28:10-22 and of all that you give me I will surely give one tenth to you (Gen. 28:22). This is the story of Jacob and it's one of the best tithing stories you can find, serving as evidence that stewardship is an ancient model for living; and tithing is our most ancient model for giving. Tithing helps us worship God more in our lives. It encourages our spiritual growth and trust in God. Tithing is an important form of self discipline for both the motivated and the non-motivated. If you're not motivated in the realm of self discipline, what you begin to do from a sense of duty will eventually become your greatest source of joy. It s all part of God's provision for our trust-based relationship with him. Tithing brings God s wisdom to our finances, exercising a healthy spiritual discipline over them, and helping us combat the destructive materialism and greed that destroys the lives of many. Although credit may have become a necessary evil for today s living, God never intended for us to spend more than we earn. When we plan to put God first in our lives, we plan to control destructive spending and borrowing. Tithing provides the means to keep our pastors and missionaries in full-time service to God. The call to fulltime ministry as employment is not given to many of us, but we all are called with the opportunity to participate in ministry through our financial support. Tithing makes that participation possible. It's one of the ways we are joined with other Christians around the world as the family of God. Tithing strengthens the ministry, outreach and health of our congregations, molding us into true Christian communities of faith, love, and grace. This congregational strength is an important building block in our fulfillment of the greatest commandment, Love your neighbor as yourself. When we stand together, we stand a chance of reaching and changing the world with the gospel. So there you have it. Tithing is an ancient model. Tithing builds trust in God. Tithing brings God's wisdom to finances. Tithing provides ministry support. Tithing builds congregational strength. Tithing. Try it. You'll like it! Copyright General Board of Discipleship. Used by permission.

3 Founders' Day By Bunny Mahar Cokesbury celebrated its 51st anniversary on Sunday, August 29th. At the 10:30 worship service, Pastor Russ shared the special message with three members and former members of our church. Grace Bockes, charter member of Cokesbury, talked to us about the beginnings of Cokesbury and had some humorous stories about the early years. Kelly Cook, former member, president of UMM and Admin Council Chair, told of some experiences in his military life leading to his acceptance of Christ as his savior, and finally finding Cokesbury after an accidental ride past the church. Our last speaker was Wendy (Burnette) Mayton who shared some stories of her childhood and teen years here at Cokesbury and that she always felt loved in this congregation, even as a very small child. To make the day even more special, Rylie Sullivan played the flute, accompanied by his grandmother Mary Jane Fizer, for the prelude, "Minuet." We were further privileged to have "One Voice," an inspirational singing group, provide us with a beautiful offertory and a set of religious songs between the worship service and luncheon. "One Voice" was organized under the Creative Arms Ministry at McLean Bible Church in Virginia. "One Voice," Ted Nelson, Joanna Prince, Rex Parvin Wendy Mayton, Emmett Wright (liturgist), Grace Bockes, Kelly Cook What a pleasure to hear their stories. What better way to celebrate our church but to hear how the church has served its members and made a difference in their lives. Rylie Sullivan Memories are an important part of our Founders' Day tradition. Remembrances were exchanged between members as they mingled during the luncheon. To enhance those memories, there were albums of photographs taken over the years, as well as the numerous photos on the wall upstairs. Pastor Carl Ennis lent his retirement quilt made by members of Cokesbury to hang in the fellowship hall, but the most recent find was the first issue of "The Colonnade," 49 years ago. The Founders' Day offering will go toward flooring for the fellowship hall. A decision has not yet been made on that project, but more monies must be raised before work can begin. It will be an exciting improvement to an important meeting place in the church. Founders' Day Committee members were: Bunny Mahar, Chairperson, Anita Yount, Mary Jane Fizer, Naomi Shaw, Eleanor Young, Becky Ash, Donna Sapp, Elaine Copeland, and Judie Cator.

4 By Joe Greene September's United Methodist Men's meeting was an exciting event as we had more men in attendance than normal but we also had the pleasure to hear how youth and older adults share a loving and meaningful relationship with our Lord. Allen Jewell presented the evenings devotion entitled "Have Faith, Not Fear." It wasn't so much the message that was important, it was the fact that Allen has the faith in his belief that serving the Lord will lead him on a very rewarding and lifelong spiritual journey. Pastor Carl Ennis then shared his spiritual journey that began as a young child and continues to this very day. He highlighted a sense of "calling" and assurance that God was with him even during his early childhood. Pastor Carl went on to speak of milestones that led to his ministry at Cokesbury and he spoke of events that allowed him the opportunity to continue his ministry well past his eventual retirement. Well eventually we had to get down to UMM business and it appears we have a pretty full plate of activities scheduled. * Continue to present a Sunday morning anthem * Continue monthly visits to Envoy Center * Perform church grounds cleanup as necessary * Continue with monthly flea market concession Stand duty * Begin our annual fruit program on October 12th * Construct a doorway leading from the elevator area into the fellowship hall * Provide assistance to Wesley Housing projects * Purchase and spread additional gravel for flea Market parking lot John Jewell, UMM President, often states that doing God's work is not always easy and he often challenges us to face those times or issues that take us outside of our comfort zone. But unfortunately not all of us are equipped to handle certain situations so we often restrict our spiritual journey to the straight and narrow and only respond to what sounds exciting or less challenging. However, we must open our hearts, minds and ears to ensure we listen and understand what challenges face us or we just might find ourselves in a similar situation in this Sue Hammons story: Four-year old Jason was visiting his grandparents. Grandpa was in his study intently reading. Jason walked in carrying a peach, said something that Grandpa didn't catch, and handed the peach to him. Thinking his wife had sent him a snack, Grandpa took it and ate it. Just as he swallowed the last bite, Jason, with lip quivering, said, "but Grandpa, I didn't want you to eat it, I just wanted you to get the worm out!" Cokesbury United Methodist Women By Gayle Urban, unit president Ruth Circle, led by Barb Firth, and the Evening Circle, led by Gayle Urban, met in September. The circles agreed to make nametags for the UMW Advent Breakfast, which is December 4 at Cranford UMC. We'll also present a skit as part of the program that day, and other UMW in the sub-district will also give part of the program. September 18 was a wonderful day of Christian fellowship as about 70 women from around the district gathered at Franconia UMC for the annual UMW Spiritual Life event. Peggy Dorton, Donna Sapp, Robin BeMiller, Jarlene Buzzell, Mary Wright, Gayle Urban attended. It was a blessing to share in the program on prayer, with music, guided meditations, prayer, journaling, and Holy Communion. The lunch was delicious, too! UMW District Day is October 2 at Aldersgate UMC, when units are recognized for their Mission Today accomplishments and ministries during the year. October 23-24: Conference UMW meeting at Blackstone, VA. If you plan to attend, contact Gayle Urban at bridge.gu@gmail.com, Mary Wright, or Donna Sapp. Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. ********** United Methodist Women is a community of women whose purpose is: To know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ To develop a creative supportive fellowship and To expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church.

5 1 William Clark 2 Robert Piepenbrink 3 Kenneth Kerton, I 4 Jeremy Jewell Tom Taylor 6 Joe Burnette Sean Rodriguez 7 Skylar Hawes Jeremy Urban Vicky Lutman 8 Michael Obeng, Sr. 9 Helen Azzano 10 Mary Crist Kenneth Kerton 11 Shelby Crawford 12 Lauren Deyerle 13 Brian Nelson 14 Joe Greene 15 Bobby Kinson 16 Danielle Haggart Beulah Green Michael Obeng 17 John Schiele Ted Kelley, Jr. Karen Raver 18 Winifred Jones 19 Don Dorton 21 Paula Simensen 22 Harry Fizer Kyle Mahan 23 Michelle Vasseur Felicia Akowuh 26 Kevin Anderson 27 Barbara Commerce Corey Ritenour 30 Rebekah Gribik 31 Vera Edmonds O C T O B E R May each and every passing year bring you wisdom, peace and cheer. 4 Melanie & Chad Westog Patsy & Carl Armentrout 10 Brenda & Kenny Johnson 18 Gwendolyn & Dory D'Aiutolo 20 Maria & Michael Haman 21 Cynthia & Richard Derr 23 Delores & John Schiele "May your anniversary be a special time for you, filled with cherished memories and heaven's blessings." Charge Conference Cokesbury's Annual Charge Conference will be held on Sunday, November 7, at 3:00 at St. Paul United Methodist Church. The district superintendent or his designated representative will preside. Cokesbury's Charge Conference will be held in a group with other churches within the Alexandria District. At the annual meeting, the Charge Conference reviews and evaluates the total missions and ministry of the church, receives reports, modifies organization plans if necessary, and adopts objectives and goals recommended by the Administrative Council. The pastor's compensation will be set and approved, and church officers will be elected. Reports are required by committee chairpersons, and especially by trustees, lay leaders, and finance chairman. Please submit your written reports to the church office by mid-october in order to prepare all necessary paperwork. All members of the congregation are welcome to attend the Charge Conference. This is a very important process in the life of Cokesbury and the church in general. Potluck & Praise Come make a joyful noise, enjoy the fellowship and good food at the Potluck & Praise Saturday, October 9 th, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

6 Missions and Outreach By Linda Alvey The Missions & Outreach Committee met on Sep.19 th. The highlights are included in this article. The committee would like to thank the congregation for their generous donations of school supplies. We were able to deliver two large boxes to Rippon Middle School, two large boxes to the Hilda Barg Homeless Prevention Shelter and one large box to ACTS. Mrs. Lana Gosine from Rippon Middle School writes in an On behalf of the staff and students of Rippon Middle School, I d like to thank you and Cokesbury for thinking of us. We appreciate your efforts to give our students the very best. Together, we will make a positive difference in the life and school experience of a child. We voted to spend up to $100 to replenish the Hilda Barg Homeless Prevention Shelter medicine cabinet with over the counter pain and cold medicine. Our turn to feed the people at the Hilda Barg Shelter will be from November 10 th through the 12 th. Your help will be needed to provide food and a sign-up sheet will be posted in the narthex. In addition, we voted to transfer $400 into the Pastor s discretionary fund. Although the Red Bird Mission trip was cancelled for this year, we wanted to help the people who live in the area. We voted to send $100 for the Red Bird School. The school is presently closed for the school year due to lack of funds. The Lord s Table was on September 23 rd and Cokesbury provided the food with St. Paul grant funds they received. The committee felt the congregation has been very generous and wanted to give them a break. Please mark your calendar to join us at 12:15 on October 17 th in one of the upstairs classrooms. Everyone is welcome and we would love to see you join us. Aluminum Can Ministry Update By Don Dorton The response to the Aluminum Can Ministry by Cokesbury members and friends has been outstanding and the number of cans collected has doubled since I would like to express my appreciation to Kyle Keen, Tom Taylor, Dave Woodman, Roberta and Mary Deahl for taking care of processing cans for the two months this summer while I was away. A special note of appreciation is extended to Roberta and Mary Deahl for the tireless extra effort they put forth in collecting, crushing and bagging a large number of cans. Please continue to support this effort by saving and depositing your aluminum cans in the collection bin in front of the UMM Fruit Shed. Funds received from the sale of these cans are used to support the Operation and Maintenance budget of the church. On August 24, 28 large bags of aluminum cans totaling 440 pounds were taken to the Recycling Center in Lorton earning $220 for this ministry. This brings the total for the year to $ A total of 1300 pounds of cans has been collected since the beginning of Your continued support for this program is greatly appreciated. Please continue to save your aluminum cans and encourage all your friends and neighbors to do the same.

7 Check out the Missions & Outreach Bulletin Board in the Fellowship Hall for News from Missionaries of the Virginia Conference Steve and Diantha Hodges former missionaries to the Jubilee Project, Sneedville, Tennessee Steve and Diantha share the wonderful things that God is doing in their lives. Diantha has finished her radiation treatments for her breast cancer and received a clean bill of health from her doctors. Her energy is returning and they Praise God for healing. Steve and Diantha also share the exciting news of their selection to fill two placements as Volunteers in Mission under the Office of Individual Volunteers of the Mission volunteers Program Area of GMGN at the request of Bishop Wandabula of East Africa Annual Conference for southern Sudan. This region of Sudan has tremendous need for improvement in village health and especially the health of pregnant women and new babies (Diantha s mission) and agriculture and microenterprise (Steve s mission). Kim King Torres missionary to the Branches program with the Branches United Methodist Church in Florida City, Florida An article in the August 2010 Advocate details of a recent fire and efforts to rebuild the Florida ministry run by the Virginia Conference called Branches." Missionary Kim King Torres is a Church and Community Worker who is a native of Virginia who directs the Branches program in Florida. Branches is an outreach program that includes elementary afterschool programs, middle and high school tutoring, college preparation, Bible study, community service projects, sports teams, immigration clinics and GED classes. Kim King Torres, a graduate of Randolph- Macon College served as a Summer Youth Worker with the Hispanic churches, and was employed by the Miami District Disaster Response in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. In 1994 she created Branches to meet the needs of the families in Florida City. Branches became a Church and Community Project in Red Bird Mission School, Beverly, Kentucky The Red Bird Mission Board voted to suspend classes during the academic year due to a lack of funds. The kindergarten through 12 th -grade school, with operating expenses of $1.8 million last year, is the mission s most expense ministry, and the board wants to build up its cash reserves after years of dwindling donations. In the most recent academic year, Red bird mission School served 220 students. These students are mainly from three counties where most adults work in the struggling coal mining and logging industries and half the children live below the federal poverty rate. With the closing of the school, many students will face an almost two-hour bus ride each way to the nearest public school. According to Sizemore, a graduate of Red Bird Mission School and a science teacher at the school, we will be sending our students from our Christian school to a county school that has been declared in crisis because of low test scores. RED BIRD MISSION SCHOOL UPDATE: Red Bird Mission School opened its doors for the academic year thanks to generous donations from alumni and United Methodist churches' generosity. November 7, 12:15 $4 per person, Fellowship Hall Come out and enjoy your favorite homemade soup! Some choices: * Clam Chowder * Vegetable Beef Soup * French Onion *Chicken Noodle * Bean Soup * Potato Soup * Split Pea Soup * Chili * Shrimp Chowder *..and more! Sponsored by Helping Hands

8 By Mary L. Seltzer, Treasurer Money Matters We just want to do ministry and help people. Does money really matter? This is the third month in a row that the church s electric bill has been over $1,000! So, I guess money does matter. Money definitely aids our ministries. Just let your mind consider what it would be like, if we could not pay these electric bills. This past Sunday, we would have been quite hot and sweaty during worship services as well as during the Missions and Outreach meeting, which spent about two hours planning and discussing how to respond to human suffering and need, locally and around the world. The youth pizza party, the prayer group and Lay Leadership Committee would have had to have their prayers and discussions by candlelight. There are ministries, meetings and classes, daytime and evenings, every day this week. Some days the temperature is predicted to be over 90 degrees. Without electricity, lots of ministries would be impeded and hampered. We need money to pay for ordinary expenses like utilities, insurance, grounds maintenance, custodial supplies and the like. Even though these items are not very exciting, they do a great deal in aiding and supporting all our ministries. Presently, we are working on the 2011 budget. One line item that will need more money allocated is custodial supplies. Things like toilet paper, vacuum cleaner bags and cleaner are kind of boring, until one understands that ministry would be non-existent without some of these ordinary expenses. In doing analysis for the development of the 2011 budget, we learned that our 2010 offerings from February to present have been under budget and about $1,700 less than the same period last year. Our tithes and offerings are what pay for these mundane expenses that are so vital to the overall effectiveness of our ministries. Does all this mean that we are going to shut the doors and turn the lights out? Absolutely No! The flea market has been doing quite well this summer. With that extra income, presently our total income still hovers near budget. Our committee heads have been good stewards with their money, so our expenses, including paying our apportionments to the Virginia Conference and Alexandria District, are hovering close to budget, also. So, please pray that enough money to pay for our ordinary, mundane, extremely important expenses will continue to be received for the remainder of 2010 and that we remain debt free. Thank you. Annual Birthday Celebration & Potluck By Emmett Wright The annual invite-a-friend, birthday celebration and 5 th Sunday potluck luncheon will be Sunday, October 31 st, immediately following the 10:30 service. Please look for the sign-up sheet in the narthex if you would like to help and join in the fun by providing a birthday cake and decorating a table for the birthday month you select. You are invited to sit at the table of your birth This is a good time to invite a friend, family member, neighbor, coworker or acquaintance to church. If you have any questions, please call Emmett Wright ( ) or Cheryl Petitt ( ). New Hymnals There is a need for new hymnals due to a shortage and necessary replacement of some badly worn ones. The UMC Hymnals are $22 and the Faith We Sing hymnals are $14. If you would like to help defray the cost of the hymnals by making a contribution, please make your check to Cokesbury UMC and indicate that it is for hymnals. Hospitality Following both the 8:30 and 11:00 worship services, members congregate to share a cup of coffee and a small snack. It is warm welcome for visitors to our church. Please sign up in the hospitality book in the narthex to provide refreshments after one of the services. Coffee and paper products are provided.

9 Sunday Worship Services 8:30 AM & 11 AM Nursery available at both services. The 11 a.m. worship service features a children s worship for elem. school aged children. Sunday School at 9:45 AM (for children, youth, and adults )If there is a 5th Sunday in the month, the worship service that day begins at 10:30 AM and there is no Sunday School. For more information: The Colonnade Staff Editor: Bunny Mahar Postal Coordinator: Bob Mahar Articles for the Colonnade are due by the 20th of each month for the next month s edition. Place articles in Church Mailbox #3 OR them to: office@cokesburyumc.us Church Office: By Barb Firth You can save 6-10% off your utility bill by lowering the temperature on your hot water heater. Turn down from 140 degrees to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't forget to bring your recycling to Cokesbury...do your share.

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