Sentinel The Newsletter of St. George s United Methodist Church Page 1 March-April 2018 From the Wilderness to the Empty Tomb UPCOMING EVENTS Lent is a season that calls followers of Christ to journey for 40 days from his time in the wilderness to his final entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, his arrest, crucifixion and glorious resurrection. Our first stopping point on our journey began with Ash Wednesday, on February 14. We gathered for worship that evening and spent time in reflection, penitence and prayer, concluding with the imposition of ashes on our foreheads, which reminded us that as we were created from the dust of the earth, and that we must repent and believe the Gospel. Our next stop will be Palm Sunday, March 25 with our service at 10:30 am. We will celebrate Jesus entry into Jerusalem with palm branches and crosses and ask the question, Am I a Follower, Accuser, or Spectator in the crowd? We invite you to participate in this special day of celebration. We will then pause on Maundy Thursday, March 29 with a delicious dinner at 6:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall where we ask you as participants to bring plates of cheese, fresh fruit, dried fruit, olives, etc. to share with others around table. We will provide fish sticks, pita bread, and beverages to complete the meal, similar to the one that the disciples shared with Jesus. The meal will be followed by a service of worship at 7:30 pm in the Sanctuary where we will celebrate Holy Communion. On Good Friday, March 30 at 7:30 pm we will gather that evening to reflect on the great price Christ paid for us all on Calvary s Hill. The message that evening will be titled, Three Crosses. Please join us for this most important time of worship. On Easter Sunday, April 1 we will begin the Day of Resurrection with our Sonrise service at 7:00 am followed by breakfast, served by the United Methodist Men. We will have Sunday School at 9:00 am and Fellowship at 10:00 am. Our 10:30 am service will be a glorious celebration with great musical fanfare to celebrate our risen Lord! We ask everyone to bring fresh cut flowers to help us create our Living Cross. Please make an extra special effort to join us for these very high and holy days. Join us on Saturday, March 31 from 8:30-10:00 am for the annual United Methodist Men s Pancake Breakfast followed by our Community Easter Egg Hunt from 10:00 am until Noon. EASTER EGG HUNT Join us on Saturday, March 31 from 8:30-10:00 am for the annual United Methodist Men s Pancake Breakfast followed by our Community Easter Egg Hunt from 10:00 am-noon. We need 6 dozen cupcakes for the Easter Egg hunt. A sign-up sheet will be posted at the Welcome Desk in Mid-March.
Sentinel The Newsletter of St. George s United Methodist Church Page 2 Art Auction Comes to St. George s UMC for the Second Year Would you like the chance to add some glamour to your home? That, and a nice evening with friends, spells out the fun you ll experience at the art auction to be held at St. George s. UPCOMING EVENTS On Saturday, April 14, St. George s will be turned into an art gallery where you can see and bid on all styles and prices of original art. The fund-raising event, chaired by Cheryl Eyre, will present the art collection by a professional art auctioneer. This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in adding original, framed art to their homes at very affordable prices, said Eyre. Categories of art include contemporary, landscape, primitive, western, impressionism, Christian and more. The art can be previewed beginning at 5:30 p.m. with the auction at 6:30 p.m. Major credit cards will be accepted for payment of auction items. There will be an added twist to the auction this year, according to Stacey Piper. She is arranging for original collaborative art from children in our local Girl Scout Troops. This is a terrific way to get young girls involved in community service and it will be fun to see our children s art displayed for sale along with professional artists. Not only will the Girl Scouts be contributing artwork, but they ll also be baking and decorating treats for auction attendees to enjoy as they bid on their favorite paintings, said Piper. Tickets are $10 which includes a drawing for a door prize, light snacks and beverages, and registration for bidding. You can buy your tickets from Sheila Coffin, ticket sale coordinator (703-385-3264) or sheshe.coffin@gmail.com or any one of several St. George s members selling tickets. Remember to circle April 14 on your calendar for the art auction at St. Georges, beginning at 5:30 pm. You will have a great time and just may return home with a new treasure!
Sentinel The Newsletter of St. George s United Methodist Church Page 3 FROM THE PASTOR S DESK From the Pastor s Desk I recently led my monthly chapel service with the Preschoolers at St. George s, and we had a fun-filled, lively discussion about St. Patrick s Day. When asked what St. Patrick s Day is all about, they exclaimed, Leprechauns, rainbows, pots of gold, green clovers and pinching if you don t wear green! Really? So who was St. Patrick? Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland who brought Christianity to the Irish. Factual information about his life and times is quite vague. Most information about St. Patrick has been twisted, embellished, or simply made up over centuries by storytellers, causing much ambiguity about the real life of St. Patrick. However, there are some elements of his story on which most scholars agree. Saint Patrick is traditionally thought to have lived between 432-461 A.D. At the age of sixteen he was kidnapped from his native land of the Roman British Isles by a band of pirates, and sold into slavery in Ireland. Saint Patrick worked as a shepherd and turned to religion for solace. After six years of slavery he escaped to the Irish coast and fled home to Britain. While back in his homeland, Patrick decided to become a priest and then decided to return to Ireland after dreaming that the voices of the Irish people were calling him to convert them to Christianity. Patrick traveled back to Ireland as a Christian missionary and he was responsible for a massive conversion of folks to Christianity. He bore the cross in witness and faithful proclamation, thus changing the hearts of many. His desire to spread Christianity was met with mighty opposition by the local pagan priesthood and druids. He laid the groundwork for the establishment of hundreds of monasteries and churches that eventually popped up across the Irish country to promote Christianity. Saint Patrick is also credited with bringing the written word to Ireland through the promotion of the study of legal texts and the Bible. Patrick s mission in Ireland is said to have lasted for thirty years. It is believed he died in the 5th century on March 17, which is when St. Patrick s Day is commemorated each year. According to legend, Saint Patrick used a shamrock to explain about God. The shamrock, which looks like clover, has three leaves on each stem. Saint Patrick told the people that the shamrock was like the idea of the Trinity, that in the one God there are three divine beings: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The shamrock was sacred to the Druids, so Saint Patrick s use of it in explaining the trinity was very wise. On Sunday, February 25, my message was based on Mark 8:31-38. Jesus said to his disciples, If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. My message was titled, What Does it Cost? Being a true disciple is costly. It leads to a place of sacrifice, obedience, and surrender. Much like St. Patrick, the cross we are being called to bear comes from intentionally and strategically following Jesus on his mission to bring about God s kingdom on earth; to spread the good news of the Gospel and change the world for the better. The kind of cross Jesus wants us to bear is the cross that comes from healing the sick, feeding the hungry, giving spiritual guidance to the lost, showing hope to the hopeless, and including the outcast in God s kingdom. Being a cross bearer is not easy, but the rewards are priceless and eternal. As we journey with Jesus from the wilderness to Jerusalem, the cross and the empty tomb during Lent, let us not forget during this holiest of seasons, that we are called to be cross bearers too, in all that we say and do for the cause of Christ. May your Lenten journey be filled with many holy moments where you are given the precious opportunity to be a cross bearer for Jesus! ~ Pastor Steve
Sentinel The Newsletter of St. George s United Methodist Church Page 4 TRUSTEES & BOY SCOUTS
Sentinel The Newsletter of St. George s United Methodist Church Page 5 Preschool Olympics PRESCHOOL & MUSIC A Message from our Music Director... In honor of the 2018 Winter Olympics, the preschoolers spent the day as an Olympian. In preparation of the celebration, the children worked on creating their very own torch and Olympic medal. The children competed in relay races, bean bag toss, and pyramid targets. The final event was a fun indoor snow ball fight, with balled up tissue paper. The Olympic Celebration ended with the carrying of the torch and a medal ceremony. The children had fun working together to finish the challenges, and they loved cheering on their classmates. Our upcoming March events include Donuts with Dad, where Dads come in and have breakfast with their preschooler. We go on a Leprechaun Hunt in search of our mischievous green friend who usually leaves a pot of gold. We finish off our exciting month with our Easter Egg Hunt. Lent is a season of the church year that draws attention to the cost of discipleship. We can reflect, meditate, discern our actions and thoughts, and seek God a-new. It is my prayer that the music at St. George's will enhance and flavor our journey toward Easter. The words to the choir anthems have been added to the bulletin (last page) each week in the hopes that reading those words will add depth to what the choir sings. Holy week this year will bring some new flavors to us, with a string quartet added to our hauntingly beautiful music pieces on Good Friday, and a brass group to add to the majesty of Easter morn. May your journey through Lent strengthen your faith and bless your spirit! Brian Stevenson Director of Music
Sentinel The Newsletter of St. George s United Methodist Church Page 6 BISHOP LEWIS CASTS NEW VISION FOR VIRGINIA CONFERENCE CHURCHES CONFERENCE NEWS & STAFF On Father s Day 2017, during closing worship at Annual Conference, Lewis preached a sermon titled Vision: Can you see it? and unveiled the ministry vision for the conference to be Disciples of Jesus Christ who are lifelong learners who influence others to serve. By 2020, she said, all United Methodist churches in the Virginia Conference will have a process for intentionally forming disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world through influence and acts of servanthood. In the fall of 2017, Lewis assembled a Strategic Collaboration Team of 45 people she called probably the most diverse group we have in this annual conference. Their charge? To take what Lewis likes to call a deep dive with the goal of implementing the vision because, quite simply, she isn t interested in moving furniture around and calling it something else. We re looking at churches that have closed, churches that should be closing. We re looking at all of that. We have a blank sheet of paper, Lewis said. I want us to take a critical, strategic look at this annual conference to see how we can do ministry more effectively. It isn t a matter of if change is coming, but rather a matter of when. Some potential changes would require action at Annual Conference. The steering team is thinking and dreaming outside the box, Lewis said. The team is asking tough questions like, 'do we need to restructure the annual conference? Will we need to reduce the districts? What positions may we need to add? What positions may we need to take away? What departments may we need to add to make this vision come alive? ' " All of this work unfolds amid a backdrop of uncertainty, as the Commission on a Way Forward prepares its recommendations regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ persons in the United Methodist Church in advance of a special General Conference scheduled for February 2019. People ask, Bishop, aren t you concerned that we don t know what s going to happen in the General Conference? We may be together. We may split Lewis said. Everything they say is true. But no matter what the denomination may look like, if you don t have any disciples you don t have a church. Just as in the ministry vision statement, being a disciple of Christ comes first, no matter what denomination a follower may choose, no matter what a denomination may look like. Part of my passion is discipleship, Lewis said. My desire, even as an episcopal leader, is for people to have and develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Don t expect the Virginia Conference to create a disciple-making process for all of its churches to implement. One size does not fit all when it comes to churches, especially in Virginia, where there is so much diversity among the many regions. Plus, you know your church better than anybody else, Lewis said. Instead of a model for all churches to use, she envisions the conference providing resources to the local church, including coaches. If we are intentionally making disciples and have programs in place by 2020, this Annual Conference should see growth, she said. Excerpt from an article written by Forrest White, News Associate with The Virginia Annual Conference Communications Office Welcome to Paige Powell We are pleased to announce that Ms. Paige Powell has joined our staff as our Webmaster. Paige brings 25+ years of experience in graphics, print and website design, photography, proposals, and illustration. She resides in Alexandria, is very active in her church, and is a singer-songwriter. Please join us in welcoming Paige to our staff! Paige s is part-time and can be reached by email paige@stgumc.org.
Sentinel The Newsletter of St. George s United Methodist Church Page 7 FOCUS ON & BIRTHDAYS MARCH BIRTHDAYS Carry Parry 03/02 Tiffany Parry 03/03 Joyce Brown 03/06 Lisa Copeland 03/08 Joy Chappell 03/08 Wesley Moore 03/08 Penny Root 03/10 Thomas Jackson 03/11 Samantha Reale 03/11 Karl Cagle 03/14 Elsie Bartlett 03/16 Christopher Parry 03/16 Daniel Cosner 03/17 George Watkins 03/17 Reagan Tucker 03/17 Chris Ricard 03/20 Bradley Moore 03/21 BIRTHDAYS JJ Bahk 03/24 Kristin McClure 03/25 Edmund Williams Jr 03/26 Sandra Woolfenden 03/29 Robey Manno 03/29 Judi Williams 03/30 APRIL BIRTHDAYS John Brown 04/01 Diane Isaac 04/02 Tracy White 04/02 Devin Haley 04/03 Edith Hartig 04/03 Jean Kay 04/04 Cara Rodriguez 04/05 Mason Mancuso 04/09 Timothy Little 04/10 Greg Sachlis 04/11 Michael Mangano 04/11 Gabby Edwards 04/16 Christian Rodrigues 04/18 Elizabeth McLane 04/24 Steven Wells 04/26 Michael Cherry 04/27 Brian Sachlis 04/30
Sentinel The Newsletter of St. George s United Methodist Church Page 8 St. George s United Methodist Church 4910 Ox Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Bishop Sharma Lewis Rev. Jeffrey P. Mickle Rev. Steven B. Wells Members of St. George s UMC Brian Stevenson Sylvia Mulherin Margaret Kondracki Elizabeth Martin Paige Powell Eleazar Castaneda ST. GEORGE S CONTACT INFORMATION 4910 Ox Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 Resident Bishop AlexandriaDS@vaumc.org District Superintendent PastorSteve@stgumc.org ext. 101 Pastor Ministers music@stgumc.org Music Director s.mulherin@verizon.net Organist office@stgumc.org ext.100 Administrative Assistant preschooldir@stgumc.org ext. 110 Preschool Director Paige@stgumc.org ext. 100 Webmaster office@stgumc.org Facilities Technician Church Telephone and Fax Pastor Steve s Phone Numbers Church Office Hours Office (703) 385-4550 Home (703) 239-2638 Monday-Friday Fax (703) 385-7771 Cell (703) 554-5240 9:00 AM 1:00 PM Preschool Phone Preschool Website Church Website (703) 385-4422 www.preschool.stgumc.org www.stgumc.org Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/stgumc