the Springfield M essenger March - April 2018 Know Jesus, Share His Love, Grow His Church A monthly publication of Springfield United Methodist Church From the Pastor s Desk Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ, He s baa-aack! And not only that, but he s also excited and delighted about being back! As I ve already said to most of you from the pulpit, it was a long & difficult journey for me, but the good news is I m now cancer-free! The only challenge remaining for me is to recover the rest of my weight, my energy, and my strength. Still, it feels so good to be back among you, to lead you in worship, to preach God s Holy Word to you, and to share the journey of faith with you. I believe that God has some amazing things in store for us in the coming year! I don t know what they are yet, but I sense that the Lord will use us in some wonderfully new ways to shine the light of Christ here. For now, however, I simply wish to extend my deep appreciation to all of you. You gave me such amazing gifts during my illness, including: cards, gifts, visits, & (most especially) prayers. All of these definitely made a difference and they were great blessings to me and to Lori. I also am deeply grateful to my dear friend and colleague, Rev. Ed Winkler, for serving as your interim pastor. So many of you have told me what a fine pastor he was, how he touched you in many ways, and how warm and personable he was. Those are just a few of the reasons that I love and appreciate him! Lenten & Easter blessings to all of you! Grace & peace, Jeff
March-April Worship Service Schedule DATE OCCASION SERVICE TIMES March 4 3 rd Sunday in Lent 8:15 & 10:30 AM March 11 4 th Sunday in Lent 8:15 & 10:30 AM UMCOR Sunday March 18 5 th Sunday in Lent 8:15 & 10:30 AM March 25 Palm/Passion Sunday 8:15 & 10:30 AM March 29 Holy Thursday 7:30 PM Service of Holy Communion & Service of Darkness March 30 Good Friday Noon Service of Meditation at the Cross April 1 Easter Sunday 8:15 & 10:30 AM April 8 2 nd Sunday of Easter 8:15 & 10:30 AM
Service Opportunities for Disciples Here are a few of the service opportunities now available. If you can give your time to others in any of these ways, please contact Ashley Longo at alongo@sumc-cares.org. Rising Hope Food deliveries Wednesdays, Costco Thursdays, Trader Joe s Panera Bread to Garfield Pickup at Panera, Wednesday @ 9:45 PM, drop off at SUMC Sandwich Ministry Every Sunday at 9:00 am Soup & Sandwich Kitchen The first Sunday of each month 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm Church Service Opportunities Ushers A/V operators (for either service) Coffee hour hosts Coming Soon... Springfield Days Craft & Fun Fair Saturday, June 2nd 10AM-3PM Any crafters, businesses, or direct sales interested in having a spot to display their items, please email Ashley Longo alongo@sumc-cares.org. We are also looking for anyone who is interested in assisting with the planning of the Craft & Fun Fair. CHECK IT OUT! SUMC-CARES.ORG This is our website! The announcements and the calendar are updated weekly. The last newsletter is posted and recent activities are pictured in the Photo Gallery. Lots going on at SUMC. Our altar is adorned with a beautiful, live floral arrangement when you make a tribute to a loved one through our flower program. To purchase: Write your name on your chosen date on the flower board (in the Narthex); Make your check for $35 payable to SUMC and note Flowers in the memo line (orders cannot be placed without payment); Enclose the check in a Flower Envelope (found under the flower board or in a pew pocket) and place the Flower Envelope in the offering plate. The Grief Support Group will continue to meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at 4:30PM in the Hospitality Center. Anyone dealing with grief is welcome to attend. Sandwich Ministry. We provide sandwiches weekly to feed the homeless. The regular church operating budget does not cover the weekly cost of this mission project so we depend on donations. Any amount is welcome and will help cover the costs of this important ministry. Please write Sandwich Ministry on the offering envelope or your check. For contributions of $100 or more, sign up on the Sandwich Ministry Sponsor s Board on the hallway table and your dedication will be printed in the bulletin. If you would like to help make sandwiches, please join us on Sundays at 9:00 in the kitchen. We have lots of fun and welcome helping hands!
Donations may be made to the Memorial Fund at any time in memory of a friend or loved one if desired. Recent memorial funds have opened for Larry Pugh, Bill McNeil, Thyra Weekes and Marian Gonzales. The Joy of Faith Circle of Springfield UMC meets the second Wednesday of each month, September through June, at 10AM in the Smiley Hospitality Center. We have interesting programs, refreshments, and socializing. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet with friends you already know and to make new friends. The welcome mat is always out. Look forward to seeing all the women of the church there. Please note: March Meeting Date Changed to Tuesday, March 13 th. Earle Mitchell will be speaking on Global Warming. COMMUNITY EGG-CITING HUNT Saturday, March 24th at 2:00PM-4:00PM Bring your Easter baskets and come hunt for eggs! The hunt will begin promptly at 2:00PM. There will be a moon bounce and other fun activities. April meeting will return to our regular day, Wednesday April 11. We are planning to have the police talk about the sex trafficking problem. Questions: Shirley Coling, 703-623-4399 Stephen Ministry Stephen Ministry Facts 1. Did you know that Stephen Ministry is in 12,000 congregations, from over 170 Christian denominations, in all fifty states, Canada and many other countries? 2. One and one half million people have had a formal one-to-one Stephen Ministry caring relationship, and millions have been touch by Stephen Ministry in informal ways. 3. Stephen Ministers are lay people specially trained to provide care for those who are hurting. If you would like help from a Stephen Minister or learn how to become a Stephen Minister, please contact our pastor or Stephen leader, Rose Horton - 703-569- 3821. EARN all you can SAVE all you can GIVE all you can Practical words for stewardship. Don t forget your offerings; they help bring SUMC to our community! We are a Stephen Ministry congregation.
Prayer Quilt Ministry Saturday Prayer Quilt Ministry Meeting This is an invitation for all folks sixteen years old or older, male and female. Starting in March, we will offer a class in Prayer Quilt making. This will be the third Saturday each month at 4:00PM, in room 203. This will be easy and fun, come even if you have never sewn. For more information please call, Rose Horton 703-569-3821. We will still have our regular monthly meeting the second Tuesday of each month at 1:30PM in room 203. You are all invited. echo ECHO s Food Pantry is currently in need of brown paper grocery bags! We use them instead of plastic bags because they stand upright on rolling carts as volunteers fill them with canned and boxed food from the shelves. Paper bags are essential to the way volunteers organize and distribute food. Please think of asking for paper the next time you shop and tuck those bags into your donations for ECHO. The most needed pantry items right now are vegetable oil, spaghetti sauce, jelly, juice or milk boxes, adult pain/flu OTC medicine, and detergent. Christian Weekday Program Ministry For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. Song of Solomon 2:11-12 The Christian Weekday Program is ready for Spring! Ready for sunny days and flowers blooming! Our children have grown so much this year too! We are currently holding registration for the 2018-2019 school year. Church members receive a ten percent discount on monthly tuition! We have limited spaces available for ages two to pre-k. In March, CWP will be learning about the story of Easter as we prepare for our Palm Parade and Easter Services. Read Across America will be celebrated the week of March 5-9. We invite anyone interested in reading to a preschool class during that week to contact our office! We will also hold a Children s Consignment Sale on March 17 th in the Social Hall. April brings the Bible story of Noah s Ark and our Chapel service Blessing of the Animals. We will also have some fun at Field Day in the Social Hall. Have a Blessed Easter! Sue, Kathi, and Angi and the CWP Staff Items can be placed in the ECHO baskets outside the Hospitality Center. Your donations will be greatly appreciated. March is OUR month for a special food drive for ECHO. United Methodist Men meet for breakfast & fellowship at 8:00 am on March 3rd & April 7th (in the Hospitality Center). ALL men welcome.
SUMC will be blessed with extra-special music on Easter Sunday, April 1, at the 10:30 am worship service. Glorious congregational hymns of the Resurrection will be accompanied by brass, organ, and timpani. Our Sanctuary and Youth Choirs will be sharing beautiful anthems in celebration of our Risen Lord. A dress rehearsal with our choirs and instrumentalists will be held on Saturday, March 31, 10 am - 12 noon. Special thanks to our Sanctuary Choir for their participation in the Massed Choir UMCOR Benefit Concert held on February 11th at SUMC. We are thrilled to announce that over $7000 was raised for UMCOR Puerto Rico Hurricane Victims. Thanks to everyone in our congregation who supported the UMCOR Benefit concert. Please consider joining a choir at SUMC in the spring! We have vocal choirs and handbell choirs for children, youth, and adults. Please contact Dr. Linda Monson, Music Director, if you have questions about the vocal choirs [lmonson@gmu.edu] or Mindi Riffer [riffers@hotmail.com] if you have questions about the handbell choirs. Please join us!!!