We welcome Jennifer Pitsenbarger to our staff!

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1 January 2018 In Touch Also available online at Inside This Issue: Birthdays & Anniversaries 2 Bible Studies 3 Kid s Corner 4 Creative Corner Brunswick Stew 5 6 Missions 7 District Training Day 9 Youth News 10 We welcome Jennifer Pitsenbarger to our staff! Beginning January 1st, Jennifer will act as our Youth Director and will be working with the youth and their parents to keep the youth energized and enthusiastic in sharing their faith with others through learning and various outreach ministries. As a Congregational Care Minister, Jennifer will be working with Pastor Won to reach out to those within our congregation who need some TLC and be a reminder that we, the church, care about them even if they are no longer able to be a real, physical presence in worship. While Jennifer may be new to our staff, she and her family are not new to Ebenezer UMC. Jennifer and her husband, Rob, are two of our Stephen Leaders and are active in many of the ministries of the church, along with their children. They usually worship at 9:30 in our contemporary worship setting. Jennifer will be sharing an office with our Director of Children s Ministries, Athena Rhodes. She may be reached at: jenniferpitsenbarger@ebumc.net or January 7th Epiphany Sunday

2 P a g e 2 4 Aaron & Jamie Roehrs 25 Dennis & Katherine Pearson 30 Brian & Romelle Webber Please log onto Facebook to search Ebenezer United Methodist Church and LIKE our page for the latest updates. Contact Lou Pollard at 1 Emma Harward Pum Tep Maxine Zimmerman 2 Michaela Banks 3 Linda Briley Shellie Carlin Dorothy Davis Cheryl LePore Hunter Ward 4 Kenly Smith 6 Betty Lamonea Ava Sims Elli Sims 7 Tammy Feldt 8 Rich Corey Jeff Davis 9 Cameron Barnette 10 Scott Ange Ava Bowles Bob Patton Haley Saks Addison Spady 15 Parker Jennette 16 Robbie Horton Willard Moger 17 Kait Bridgeforth 18 Dick Barry 19 Bill Cary 22 David Bennett Janie Murrell Cassidy Spencer 24 Steven Ange Olivia Newman Brent Seusy 25 Ann Vance 26 Josie Ketten Jocelyn Lamonea Vickilynn Pabalan 28 Bill Dunning 29 Adrienne Corron Stanley Dennis Mark Hawley lbpollard@aol.com to have your event added to our page. A donation has been made to the Building Fund by William Wagner in memory of Marshall and Mildred Beale.

3 P a g e 3 NEW BIBLE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES Asking and Praying the Big Questions This will be the topic for Lynne Hundley s class which meets on Sunday nights from 6-7:30 in Rm. 7 (main building). This class will start on January 7th. Do you have questions about God and faith and life? The Gospel of John is a good place to start. Join us on Sunday evenings as we take a look at selected sections of John s gospel and see what they tell us about the Big Questions. And we ll consider how to pray the scripture we re studying. This is an informal discussion group. There is no homework and all you need is a Bible (if you don t have one, let me know and we ll find one for you.) To reserve a spot (or if you have questions), contact Lynne at LynneHundley222@gmail.com or The LeRoy Baisden Sunday School Class will continue studying the book of Acts. The class meets on Sunday mornings from 9:30-10:45 a.m. in Rm. 7 (main building) LENTEN BIBLE STUDY Lent begins on Sunday, February 18th and runs through Palm Sunday (6 weeks). Max Lucado wrote a companion to the Advent study Because of Christmas, for the season of Lent, entitled He Chose the Nails. (Teachers/ Facilitators: you will find the DVD in the same case with the DVD you used for the Advent study. ) The DVD is the companion to the Workbook, and the paperback book adds more details and background information for the reader. Please let Sheila know if you plan to teach this Lenten study, so we can make sign-up sheets like we did last time. Also, you may stop by and pick up a book & workbook the first week in January so you can prepare or make a decision about offering a class.

4 P a g e 4 Join the fun! Practice- Each Sunday at the beginning of Sunday School! We will sing during special services!! We are looking for one more Sunday School teacher to teach once a month. All lessons prepared in advance! ~ Call or Athena Rhodes Messy Church- Join the fun with Crafts, Science, Cooking, Games and dinner! Life can get messy; come relax and enjoy family time! This program is for all ages. Every 3 rd Wednesday of each month 5-7 Next Messy Church January 17th For more information on any of our children s activities, please contact Athena Rhodes, Director of Primary Education at or athenarhodes@ebumc.net

5 P a g e 5 C R E A T I V E It s January already! It s been a couple of months since we got together to have fun and explore our craftiness, so let s get those creative juices flowing again! Athena Rhodes has agreed to start us out with another Paint Nite. So, look for sign-up sheets in the bulletins for a Paint Nite on Tuesday, January 30th from 6-8:00pm in Rm. 7 (main building); we will paint a winter scene. However, we need at least 10 more people to step up and share a craft with us. If you are interested, please pick a craft and roughly determine the costs of the materials needed (remember, we want the cost to be moderate no more than $15 per person if possible) and talk with one of us to choose a month and the doability of the craft you have chosen. We will see you soon! Athena Rhodes (athenarhodes@ebumc.net) & Sheila Smith (sheilasmith@ebumc.net) New Year s Sermon Series: My God Is January 7 My God is Loving January 14 guest speaker, Jennifer Pitsenbarger January 21 My God is Indescribable January 28 My God is Compassionate February 4 My God is Sovereign February 11 My God is Righteous

6 P a g e 6 The United Methodist Men will once again be preparing Brunswick Stew to be sold by the quart. Look for reservation forms in your weekly bulletins. Stew will be available for pick up on Saturday, January 27th between 1 & 4:00 in the FLC kitchen. Men...we will need some help in the kitchen on Friday, January 26th from 8-12:00. Sign up sheets will be out soon. Brunswick Stew PRAYER FOR A NEW BEGINNING Dear Lord, touch me with your Spirit of truth so I may be honest about my sins and failures. Forgive me for treating your covenant lightly and at times ignoring it completely. Help me truly seek and know forgiveness for all the hurts I ve caused, for harboring ill will and for any hardness of heart I may have. Please renew a right spirit within me that I may become more Christ-like and that my life may daily reveal your love and light. In your name. Amen.

7 P a g e 7 THE MISSIONS CORNER Our next meeting: Wednesday, January 18th 7 PM Senior Angel Tree THANK YOU to all who became angels to those on our Angel Tree this year. Your generous giving provided Christmas gifts for area Seniors and their care facilities in Suffolk and Smithfield. WE CARE This fall, sickness took its toll on the We Givers, so not as much was accomplished. However, going to the head of the class was Nancy Nowlan who crocheted 48 hats for the warm tree. Way to go, Nancy! We were also able to give 8 lap blankets to Magnolia Manor in Smithfield accompanying the church s Angel Tree gifts. Black Friday was an amazing opportunity. We were able to buy yards of flannel for 70% off and now we have enough to organize a flannel sew day which will probably be scheduled in March. Look for more details as plans are made. Come and stop by to see what we are doing at our next meeting on January 9, 2018 at 10:00am in the FLC. Our hands serve Christ, Janie Murrell

8 P a g e 8 My Dear Family and Friends, Thank you all for your sweet prayers, notes, food and words of encouragement during my recent heart scare. I will say, I am FEELING much better and getting much stronger each and every day. I truly believe that for someone to pray for you, is one of the most loving things that one can do for you...and believe me I certainly feel loved. Thank you again for such love. Connie Schau You are invited to come and worship the Lord through Prayer and Thanksgiving on: Tuesdays Wednesdays 1:00-2:00 PM 6:00-6:30 AM What is prayer? How do I pray? Quite simply prayer is a conversation with God. It can be praise, it can be distress or anger, it can be concerns (i.e. job, children, friends, family). God does not say prayer is only this or that...but prayer is a relationship with your God, Jesus Christ your Savior.

9 P a g e 9 Elizabeth River District Training Day When: Saturday, January 20, 2018 Where: New Creation UMC, 4320 Bruce Rd., Chesapeake, VA Cost: $12 for lunch and materials Deadline to register: January 11, 2018 Register: There are numerous workshops available to help grow the church. Anyone may sign up to attend. The Schedule: 8:30am - Registration 9:00am - Plenary 1 (DS Wayne Snead, Rev. Brandon Robbins) 9:45am - Break 10:00am - Session 1 Workshops 11:30am - Lunch 12:15pm - Plenary 2 (Rev. Rachel Gilmore, Joe McDaniel) 1:00pm Break 1:15 pm - Session 2 Workshops 2:45 - Dismissal

10 P a g e 10 Soulfire YOUTH Calendar January January 6 6-8:00pm Riverside Healthy Living in Smithfield to play corn hole and bingo with the elderly. We can meet at the FLC at 5:30 and depart by 5:45. Y 0 U T H January 14th 6-8:00pm Food, Fun & Games in the FLC January :30pm Outdoor Ice Skating Please meet at EUMC parking lot in front of FLC by 4:30. We will depart promptly at 4:45. You will need to bring $12 each to skate and any additional money if you would like to get hot chocolate. Dress warm!! Layers preferred, with gloves, hat and scarf. We will need a head count by January 14th to make sure we can transport all who want to go. Also any parents wanting to help carpool, please contact me. I would really like to take as many that would like to go. Parents are welcome too! Jennifer Pitsenbarger, Youth Director jenniferpitsenbarger@ebumc.net

11 P a g e 11 Activities for Kids

12 Ebenezer United Methodist Church The Church that L O V E is building...one life at a time Steeple Drive Suffolk, Virginia Phone: (757) Fax: (757) ebenezer@ebumc.net Join us in Worship! Sunday Worship 8:00 AM Traditional Worship 9:15 AM Coffee Fellowship (FLC) 9:30 AM Christian Education (all ages) 9:30 AM Contemporary Worship 10:45 AM Adult Christian Education 11:00 AM Traditional Worship OPEN MINDS, OPEN HEARTS, OPEN DOORS Please see your church directory for contact information for the following church staff or call the church office. Won Lee, Pastor wonlee@ebumc.net Cell: Connie Schau, Director of Preschool connieschau@ebumc.net Cell: Athena Rhodes, Director of Primary Christian Ed. athenarhodes@ebumc.net Cell: Jennifer Pitsenbarger, Director of Youth and Congregational Care...jenniferpitsenbarger@ebumc.net Cell: The deadline for newsletter submissions for the F e b r u a r y issue is Friday, January 12, Send newsletter submissions to: sheilasmith@ebumc.net Reminder: All activities requiring the use of church facilities must be cleared through the church office. Sheila Smith, Administrative Assistant sheila@ebenezerchurch.net Office: Office Hours 9-5 Monday thru Friday Doug Shomaker, Director of Music Connie Palmer, Pianist Pam Saks, Nursery Coordinator Jeni Millikin, Director of Contemporary Worship Brett Stoddard, Dir. Sound/Media, Contemporary Worship