COMMUNITY. MonValley District Newsletter

Transcription

1 MonValley District Newsletter MAY 2015 MonValley District Office 309 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 100, Fairmont, WV Phone: ~ Fax: Inside this issue: Dear Sisters and Brothers, I greet you in the name of our risen Savior. John 15:26-27 speaks about the sending of the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks of the Spirit as counselor (RSV). The Greek word is parakletos. The word has been translated advocate, comforter, helper, counselor. The word suggests one who stands beside a person in need. In a sense, parakletos brings paraklesis. Paraklesis is translated twelve times into English as comfort, twice translated as consolation, six times translated as encouragement, five times translated as exhortation. The theme of personal help is consistent. It is clear that God, through the Spirit, seeks to build up and encourage the disciple for ministry in the world. The Holy Spirit gives confidence to the Christian as the Holy Spirit is a witness to Christ. Paul gives a parallel thought when he writes to the Corinthians. God has given us the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (2 Cor. 1:22). Ephesians also speaks of the Holy Spirit as the guarantee of our inheritance (Eph. 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit brings assurance, which overcomes all the uncertainties of life. John Wesley demonstrates the power of this assurance to change life. I felt my heart strangely warmed. And an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine (John Wesley s Journal, May 14, 1738). I pray that you will have a great Pentecost. DS Calendar Congratulations Admin Assist Needed Annual Conference Birthdays & Anniversaries Appt Announcements TD Conference FS Update District FS Update Looking/Planning Ahead Ministry & Mission News MVD UM Men VIM to Prague in July Prayer Concerns Cooperative Parish News Project Graduation UM Disaster Response District Jr Youth Camp District Sr Youth Camp Grace and Peace, Rick District Website Monvalleyumc.org

2 Page 2 MonValley District Superintendents Calendar Richard K DeQuasie May, Lay Servant/Speaker Academy, Good Shepherd, Grafton 3 District Conference, Avery UMC, Morgantown, 3:00 PM 7 Order of Elders, WVWC, Buckhannon Cabinet 15 Right Start, Broad Street UMC, Weston, 10:00 AM 3:00 PM 16 District Lead Team, District Office, 1:00 PM 18 Wesley Foundation at FSU/PC&TC, Fairmont 19 Clergy Meeting, Walnut Grove UMC, Fairmont, 9:30 AM Fellowship, 10:00 AM Meeting, lunch will be provided 20 Conference Treasurer at Farmington Charge 24 Preaching at Highland Avenue UMC Cabinet 30 Covenant Council, Suncrest UMC, Morgantown Congratulations!!! On April 23, 2015, at the Annual Awards Dinner of the Boy Scouts of America Mountaineer Area Council, Michael Garrett and Reverend James Zinn received the District Award of Merit, the highest award given by the district in the Boy Scouts of America! Also, Ken Shanes received the Silver Beaver Award, the highest award given by a Council! Wesley Foundation at FSU & PCTC The Wesley Foundation House at Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community and Technical College is accepting applications for a part-time Administrative Assistant/Financial Secretary Position. Please click on the attachment for the job description. If you have questions or need further information, please contact Maria Wiblin (maria.wiblin@gmail.com or call the Wesley Foundation House at Resumes for this position can be sent to Wesley Foundation House, 1224 Locust Avenue., Fairmont, WV Register now at wvumc.org

3 Page 3 Birthdays Anniversaries MAY MAY 1 Steve Hile 1 Ralph and Elizabeth Wycoff 4 Vicki Sheppard 3 Tim and Amy Wotring 6 Michael Richards 7 Duane and Becky Bartrug Sam Starling Paul and Mary Ragland Jim Zinn 22 Andy and Valerie Burgess 8 Sue Berman Jerry and Pam Bush Valerie Burgess Randy and Beth Vincent Andrew Tennant 28 Oz and Helen Gray 12 Billie Shepherd Gilbert and Barbara Hart 14 Bob Wilkins 29 Dave and Pam Yanero 15 Elizabeth Butch Baker 30 Eddie and Sue Martin 20 Bert Coffman 31 Brad and Deborah Blanchard 26 Helen Gray 29 Frances Hart 28 Esther Barkat 31 Katherine Hughes Appointment Announcements in the MonValley District (to date) It is the intention of Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball to appoint the following persons (coming into or leaving the MonValley District) effective July 1, 2015 Michael Atkinson to St. John s UMC, Scott Depot Brad Bennett to Community/Johnson Chapel Stephanie Bennett to Barrackville/Monumental Charge Tim Edin to Gateway UMC Randall Flanagan to Wesley UMC, Morgantown Harold Langevin to Pruntytown/Fetterman Charge James Eddie Martin to Matewan UMC Charles May to Sabra/Highland/Jones Charge Jeff Mayfield to Mason UMC Jonathan Smith to Memorial-Reedy Charge Randy Vincent to Fairview Charge DISTRICT OFFICE CLOSED May 25 Memorial Day

4 Page 4 MonValley District Conference Apportionment Update Through March 31, 2015 Thank you for your faithfulness! Churches that have paid 100%: Bailey Memorial, Blackshere, Community, Corley, Evansville, Flemington, Hopewell (Catawba), Johnson Chapel, Mariah s Chapel, Mt. Zion (Evansville), Peora, Pisgah (Bruceton Mills Circuit), Wadestown, West Farmington Churches that are ahead: Arden, Arnettsville, Bee Gum, Benton Ferry, Berea, Bethel (Belington-Junior Circuit), Bethlehem, Boothsville, Central, Colfax, Concord, Cross Roads, Denver, Downs, Enterprise, Fetterman, Granville, Harner Chapel, Highland Park, Hoult, Howesville, Hutchinson, Janes Memorial, Jerusalem, Joetown, Jones Run, Kanes Creek, Kingmont, McCurdysville, Mt. Israel, Mt. Moriah, Olive, Otterbein, Pine Bluff, Pisgah (Meadowdale), Pleasant Valley, Rymer, Spruce Street, Sugar Creek, Trinity (Grafton), Victor Chapel, Warren, Wesley (Morgantown), Westover, Winfield, Woodland Churches that are on schedule: (25%) Asbury, Astor, Avery, Bruceton Mills, Catawba, Carolina, Central Chapel, East High Street, Eldora, Fellowsville, Hopewell (Bruceton Mills Circuit), Kasson, Knottsville, Levels, Logansport, Mansfield, Miracle Run, Monumental, Mt. Vernon (Kanes Creek), Mt. Vernon (Mansfield), New Hope Valley, Newburg, Plum Run, Sabra, Valley Chapel (Fairmont), Walnut Grove, Wana, Wesley Chapel (Knottsville), Westside, Ziesing MonValley District Office Apportionment (Promotional Fund) Update The following churches have paid 100% of their 2015 District Apportionment: Arnettsville, Astor, Avery, Bailey Memorial, Barrackville, Bee Gum, Blackshere, Boothsville, Brookhaven, Bruceton Mills, Buckeye, Camp Chapel, Carolina, Catawba, Centenary, Christ, Community, Crim Memorial, Cuzzart, East High Street, Elk City, Esler Chapel, Evansville, Fetterman, Flemington, Fort Martin, Gateway, Good Shepherd, Grace Chapel, Granville, Green Hill, Harner Chapel, Highland Avenue, Highland Park, Hopewell (Catawba), Hutchinson, Janes Memorial, Jerusalem, Johnson Chapel, Jones Run, Kanes Creek, Lamberts Run, Levels, LIFE, Logansport, Lynch Chapel, Mansfield, Mariah s Chapel, Masontown, Miracle Run, Monumental, Mt. Moriah, Mt. Pleasant (Knottsville), Mt. Vernon (Kanes Creek), Mt. Vernon (Mansfield), Mt. Zion (Evansville), Nestorville, Newburg, Olive, Peora, Pine Bluff, Pisgah (Bruceton Mills Circuit), Pisgah (Meadowdale), Pruntytown, Reedsville, Sabra, Snider Temple, Spruce Street, Sturgiss Chapel, Sugar Valley, Talbott, Teverbaugh Chapel, Trinity (Grafton), Valley Chapel (Fairmont), Wadestown, Walnut Grove, Wesley (Morgantown), Warren, Wesley Chapel (Knottsville), West Farmington, Westside, Westover

5 Page 5 Looking/Planning Ahead for Your Local Church May, 2015 through July, 2015 May Honor High School and College Grads/Plan To Attend District Conference and the Celebration of Mission Event/Complete Summer Planning for VBS, Camps, Mission Trips, Summer Special Events 1 May Friendship Day 1-2 District Lay Servant/Speaker Academy, Good Shepherd UMC, Grafton 2 Sexual Ethics Training, Broad Street UMC, Weston, 10:00 AM 3:30 PM 3 District Conference, Avery UMC, Morgantown, 3:00 PM 4-10 Christian Family Week 7 Order of Elders, WVWC, Buckhannon National Day of Prayer (Please support a time of prayer being held in your community) 10 Mother s Day/Festival of the Christian Home Sunday 12 Heart and Hand Directors Meeting, Philippi, 11:45 AM Cabinet 14 Ascension of the Lord 15 Right Start, Broad Street UMC, Weston, 10:00 AM 3:00 PM Change the World Weekend 16 District Lead Team Meeting, District Office, Fairmont, 1:00 PM 17 Ascension Sunday 18 Wesley Foundation at FSU and PC&TC, Fairmont 19 Clergy Meeting, Walnut Grove UMC, Fairmont, 9:30 AM Fellowship, 10:00 AM Worship & Meeting (lunch provided) 24 Day of Pentecost/Heritage Sunday/Aldersgate Day 25 Memorial Day, District Office Closed Cabinet 30 Covenant Council, Suncrest UMC, Morgantown 31 Trinity Sunday/Peace with Justice Sunday Clergy Evaluations are due in to the District Office June Make Plans to Welcome Back Your Pastor or Say Goodbye to Your Current Pastor and Welcome a New Pastor, Complete Registrations for Summer Youth Celebration, District and Conference Summer Camps, School of Christian Mission 8-10 Cabinet 9 Heart and Hand Directors Meeting, Philippi, 11:45 AM 10 Sexual Ethics Training, Broad Street UMC, Weston, 10:00 AM 3:30 PM Annual Conference, West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon 21 Father s Day Post Conference Cabinet Meeting Youth 2015, Orlando, FL July Be Sure Children and Youth are Registered for District Camps 4 Independence Day 11 District Lead Team Meeting, District Office, Fairmont, 1:00 PM District Junior Youth Camp, Camp Muffly (entering 3rd grade 6th) District Senior Youth Camp, Camp Muffly (entering 7th grade and up)

6 Page 6 Ministry and Mission News Heart and Hand House, Inc.: On Sunday, April 26, Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball was on hand to help us celebrate our 50 th anniversary with a worship service at Philippi United Methodist Church. The bishop led us in some wonderful singing and in prayer for those we serve. After delivering a thought-provoking message about what God requires of us based on the text of Micah 6:8, she also led the congregation in a responsive act of consecration and blessing of the Heart and Hand facilities, board members, staff, and volunteers. During the service, we acknowledged the recent loss of our former Emergency Services Coordinator, Linda McCarty, who retired at the end of 2014 and passed away just before Easter. Linda served with Heart and Hand for more than 30 years first as a volunteer and later as staff. She touched many lives over the years and will be greatly missed. A special award was also presented to John Loyd, who has served on the board of Heart and Hand since it began in Thanks to all who were able to attend the service and share a time of fellowship with us! If you missed it, there will be other opportunities for you to join us in celebrating throughout the remainder of the year...and, of course, you have a standing invitation to come and visit us anytime! As a reminder, during the month of May, we are focusing on food pantry collections of side dish items (boxed potatoes, rice mixes, Jiffy Mix, etc.), and soap, deodorant, shampoo for our Christmas distribution. Juice and snack items for our Backpack Feeding Program are always welcome, as well, and our Anniversary fundraising challenge also continues. Your gifts of dollars, goods, and prayer are always much appreciated. Blessings! - Brenda Hunt, Executive Director Scott s Run Settlement House: Greetings from Scott's Run Settlement House! In April, SRSH finished our VITA tax preparation program. This program allowed us to prepare and submit taxes for over 50 individuals in the community free of charge. We also had a very successful Celebration of Mission Event hosted by the Little Kanawha District at South Parkersburg UMC. The amount of donations received was overwhelming and amazing! Additionally, volunteers from Comcast Cares Day spent a Saturday with staff to build a garden and beautify our property. We hope to use the garden to engage seniors in our community. We at Scott's Run are so humbled and thankful for the ability to serve our brothers and sisters in need, which would not be possible without your support. Thank you for all that you do! Blessings! - Shay Niland, Executive Director Wesley Foundation at FSU and PC&TC: As this year comes to an end it is my joy to say that we are ending the year on an extremely high note. Things have gone great this year!!! We appreciate your prayers and your donations through the year. We hope that they will continue in the next year. The Wesley House would like to expand the free lunch program to the 2 nd Tuesday of the month. In order to do that we need one or more churches who would be willing to commit to bringing food and serving on that day. If you are interested call the Wesley House at or Rev. Maria Wiblin at maria.wiblin@gmail.com. Also, please remember we are still looking for an administrative assistant to work two days a week. Thank you again for your support. - Maria Wiblin, Campus Pastor Wesley Foundation at WVU: Ignite U, the United Methodist Campus Ministry at WVU, has wrapped up a great year and while we celebrate all that God has done in the past year, we are looking forward to next year. We need your help to make next year as exciting as this one has been by helping us connect with the individuals you know who are attending WVU. Ignite U is hosting a camping weekend at Spring Heights in July called Connect Camp, for new students to WVU. Who do you know who would benefit from connecting with fellow new students before arriving to campus? Send me their name, address, and home address and we would love to connect with them. You can send contacts with name, address and home address to beth.johnson1113@gmail.com. We are also collecting gift baskets for New Student Orientation in June. Can your church or group make a basket to be given away? If so, please contact me at beth.johnson1113@gmail.com. Thank you for your support of Ignite U! - Beth Johnson, Campus Ministry Director

7 Page 7 MonValley District United Methodist Men Blessings to each and every servant of the Lord during this MUCH better spring weather! The MonValley District UMM have a few events coming up so, please, SAVE THE DATES!!! The first item is the spring meeting for the MVDUMM. We will join together on May 12 at Community UMC (1966 Grafton Road, Rt. 119, 4 miles South of Morgantown). Gathering is at 6:00 P.M with a dinner being serviced at 6:30 pm sharp. Don Davis, the newly elected President of the WV Conference UMM, will be our speaker. Don will be telling us about his trip to Nashville (with Rev. Harold Langevin), both attending the National Association of Conference President for United Methodist Men. Please call/ me to make your reservation(s). It is very important to let me know the number of members that will be attending so the ladies of the church will have an idea of how many meals to prepare. Contact info below. Also, save the dates of September 4 (Arnold Eddy Memorial Golf Outing, ONE WEEK BEFORE the retreat, to be held at Bel Meadow Country Club, Rt. 20 South of Clarksburg) and September (WV Conference UMM retreat at Jackson s Mill. I m sure there will be more info on the golf outing and the retreat in the future from the Conference UMM. If you have any questions, please call me at or or me (Hanko@Comcast.net). Your Brother in Christ, Paul Hanko, President, MVDUMM Team Members Needed for Prague VIM July 16-29, 2015 We are still needing at least two more people to join the VIM team to Prague, July 16-29, If you have a love for children please consider this opportunity or if you know of anyone interested please share this information with them. You will need a passport, no visa required. We will be teaching VBS to children at the Christian Help Center in Prague. The center was opened in 1999 and is run by the Czech UMC and is an Advance Special. It provides accommodations and social support to struggling single mothers and families. Many Roma families in need are accepted to the center. Each family meets with a professional social worker that develops a plan for them. There is also a therapist and pastor who provide weekly counseling. The clients help with the upkeep of their house and garden. Clients are trained in skills that will help with their future employment such as computing, or building maintenance skills. The center also offers entertainment and educational activities for the children. If you would be interested in joining the team please contact Sandy Binotto at or yashe4jc@hotmail.com for registration. The deadline is May 12. The estimated cost is $1, There will be some site seeing and outings with the children. This is a great experience for college students and youth age 16 and up. There are some scholarship funds available for youth in the WV Conference. In Christ, Sandy Binotto Prayer Concerns Around the District MonValley District Russian Initiative Team as they travel, serve and witness Stanley Merrifield son, Todd, had heart pump installed, doing much better Steve Rhodes and Family Steve s mother passed away Bob Sisler recently had shoulder surgery Tom Shepherd family and health concerns Vicki Sheppard husband, Richard, health concerns Randy Vincent and Family Beth s mother and aunt passed away Jim Weber mother-in-law s health concerns Please lift these persons and their families in prayer

8 Page 8 Cooperative Parish News Morgantown West Cooperative Parish: We are busy preparing for our Meals for Mission dinner from 3 pm to 7 pm on Saturday, May 30 at Westover UMC. All proceeds benefit the Clay Battelle Family Services Food Pantry in Blacksville. The dinner is a smorgasbord type meal with 3 meats, 3 types of potatoes, 3 vegetables, salads, rolls, fruit pies for dessert and maybe other food items. The cost is $15.00 with kids under 12 eating for free. You may pay at the door or purchase tickets ahead of time from any of the parish pastors and parish churches. Everyone is invited to come enjoy the meal, fellowship and to help feed others. - Pastor Jo McCartney, Parish Coordinator Shinnston Cooperative Parish: As April showers bring May flowers it also brings exciting things happening throughout the Shinnston Cooperative Parish and the communities we serve. We continue to meet and share in all that God has called us to do. Several of the Shinnston Cooperative Parish Pastors will be participating in the National Day of Prayer service in Shinnston on May 7, 2015 at 6pm. We completed our Miles for Mission walk and raised more than $300. Our churches have also completed their first visit work with the MonValley District Lead Team and look forward to meeting again in the fall for round two. Look for more exciting happenings in the Shinnston Cooperative Parish. Blessings to all of you!!! - Pastor Cindy Murphy, Parish Coordinator Taylor County Cooperative Parish: The Taylor County Cooperative Parish is working hard on setting up a Scholarship Fund with the United Methodist Foundation for graduating seniors from Grafton High School who can apply for the scholarship in the near future. The parish will again participate in the Grafton Memorial Day Parade. The parish is also looking at ways that we can be in better communication, cooperation, and working together reaching out to those in our communities. We had another great, successful "Mission Walk" to support our district Celebration of Missions Event raising $ I would like to thank all of the folks who participated in many ways from our parish with the Celebration of Missions event. May we always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses faith in God. Shalom, - Pastor Sue Lowther, Parish Coordinator Marion County Project Graduation Friday, May 22, 2015 Valley Worlds of Fun Pleasant Valley Road, Fairmont Thank you for sharing our belief in the importance of this once in a lifetime event for our high school graduates. Since 1988 thousands have been able to attend a fun, all-night, supervised, safe and alcohol-free celebration. Your support has helped make this Marion County tradition possible for more than 25 years. Let s do it again for the Class of 2015! This is not a school sponsored event. It is a community-supported event that is accomplished through the efforts of volunteers. It is made possible, and offered free of charge to all participants, through the kindness of caring and concerned community members such as yourself. We need your help with financial donations and/or volunteers to help with planning and chaperoning. Please contact Connie VanGilder at the Parks and Recreation office, or mcprojectgrad@gmail.com. Check us out on Facebook at Marion County Project Graduation! The district office also has donation sheets available.

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12 MonValley District The United Methodist Church 309 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 100 Fairmont WV Phone: Hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm M-F Fax: District Office Rick DeQuasie s rdequasie1968@gmail.com District Office Website: monvalleyumc.org Rev. Richard K. DeQuasie District Superintendent Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball Resident & Presiding Bishop West Virginia Annual Conference MONVALLEY DISTRICT NEWSLETTER If you receive this newsletter from a printed source and would like to have it sent to you electronically please send your address to the district office at monvalleydistrictumc@outlook.com.