A Publication for Eastland United Methodist Church CROSS ROADS COURIER Eastland United Pastor Craig s Corner October 2017 Methodist Church 10718 Courthouse Road Fredericksburg, VA 22407 540-898-6430 Pastor Rev: Craig Muffley 703-507-1587 Ministers The Congregation Lay Leader Bill Todd Accompanist / Choir Director Afton Duenow Administrative Assistant Laura Martinsen Youth Director Renee Garrett Sunday Schedule Early Worship Service w/ Communion 8:30 am Sunday School - 9:45 am Worship Service - *11:00 am *Holy Communion First Sunday and special occasions Never traveled outside of the country? Never been on a mission trip? Here s your chance to kill two birds with one stone as the saying goes. I m delighted to have another opportunity to lead the annual Rappahannock River District mission trip to El Salvador in July, 2018. I m inviting you to join me as we engage in ministry with our international mission partner, The Evangelical Methodist Church of El Salvador. This will be my fifth trip to El Salvador and I am always delighted to see the difference they are making in their communities and how effective they are in making new disciples of Jesus Christ. We can learn a lot from them. On my first trip to El Salvador in 2010, the Methodist Church consisted of six churches and a few hundred members. Today, there are more than 1,000 members worshiping in twelve churches and half of them are children! Young people are actively involved in worship leadership and evangelism. Plans for four more churches are in the works. El Salvador is a very poor country and, as a result, gang activity is a problem. However, what really excites me is that these churches are really connecting with the youth in their communities and providing wonderful alternatives that keep them off the streets and away from the influence of gangs. Through its programs, projects, and their commitment to human rights, health, and economic prosperity, the Methodist Church has become an expression of social conscience in El Salvador. The trip will be a 5-day trip, leaving early Monday morning, July 2, and returning Friday evening, July 6. Visitation, conversation and prayer with, and food distribution to the very poor will be a main focus of the trip. For those who are interested, there may also be opportunities to engage in construction work. The current cost estimate for the trip, including airfare, is $700-$1,100. I expect a firm commitment will be required by late January or early February 2018. Is God calling you to broaden your horizons and step out in faith by joining this mission team? Please pray about it. I think that you will find, like so many other missioners have, that you will get so much more out of the trip than what you gave. Grace and Peace,
PAGE 2 Please Feed the Cookie Monster! There is a large, red plastic bin in our kitchen labeled COOKIE MONSTER The purpose of this container is to hold cookies that church members purchase and donate for use during Fellowship Time and other occasions. The next time you go grocery shopping, please consider picking up a few extra packs of cookies and feed our hungry MONSTER! If You Love Children... We need 2 more workers in the Nursery on Sunday mornings during the time of the 11a.m. worship service. If you enjoy spending time with children, this would be a great way to help out your church and get to know our wee ones! If you are interested, please call Sylvia Todt at 540-898-0231. THANK YOU to all who currently serve! For 30 Minutes a week, Come Pray with Us! Please come on Thursdays, at 9 am, for a 30 minute prayer session held in the sanctuary. What a joy it is to be able to spend time lifting your friends, family, yourself, and all things on your heart to the Lord. A small devotional and music to center yourself for prayer is part of the session. Please come and give it a try! Adult Choir News If you enjoy singing praises to our Lord, and have a desire to sing in our Adult Choir, we would welcome you with open arms!! Our Adult choir rehearses every Tuesday evening, from 6:30 to 7:30. We usually sing an anthem once a month, but sing the introit and benediction every Sunday. Please come and join us!!
PAGE 3 2017 Annual Charge Conference Eastland UMC once again hosted our church cluster s annual Charge Conference on Wednesday, October 11th. The conference was well attended, with wonderful snacks provided by our Hospitality Committee. Thanks to all who made the night a success. BIBLE QUIZ How many times does Jesus say we should forgive others? A. 7 B. 70 C. 77 D. 70 x 7 E. C or D, depending on the translation Answer: See Matthew 18:22. Advice from a Pumpkin Be well-rounded. Get plenty of sunshine. Give thanks for life s bounty. Have a thick skin. Keep growing. Be outstanding in your field. Think big! Ilan Shamir World Communion Altar October 1st was World Communion Sunday, so we decorated our altar appropriately!
PAGE 4 Adult Sunday School Class - Galatians & Ephesians This 13 week study provides everything you need for understanding the books of Galatians and Ephesians. You will also learn how to apply the information to your life. Please join us each Sunday from 9:45-10:45 in the Fellowship Hall. Questions? Call Kim Sobkowicz at 540-898-1617 Reformation milestone: celebration and repentance October 31, 2017, marks the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation, when Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on a church door in Germany. This wasn t an unusual act at the time; Luther was simply welcoming scholarly debate. But his ideas opposing certain teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church led to a monumental shift in Christianity. Along with other reformers, Luther taught that Scripture is the supreme authority for the believer; that salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone; and that baptism gives all full access to God in Christ ( the priesthood of all believers ), so there s no need for an intermediary such as a pope, priest or saint. Initially, the reformers intended not to leave the Catholic Church but to reform it. But those who protested church practices became known as Protestants, and eventually, multiple denominations arose Lutheranism, Presbyterianism, Anglicanism and others and did, in fact, separate from the Roman tradition. Sadly, woven amid the good intentions to rightly teach and live the faith were sins on all sides: Luther hurled insults with the best of them ; the pope excommunicated him and had other reformers executed; the beliefs and faith of theological opponents were regularly disparaged. As Heinz Josef Algermissen, a present-day Roman Catholic bishop in Germany, states: In commemorating the Reformation, we cannot just see it as a jubilee, but should also admit our guilt for past errors and repent on both sides for the past 500 years.
PAGE 5 Appreciate and Act! October is Pastor (or Clergy) Appreciation Month, reminding church members to thank their hardworking ministry leaders. But the people in the pews though they might lack official church titles also play important roles in doing God s work. In User Friendly Churches (Regal Books), researcher George Barna compares the behavior of people in growing vs. stagnant or declining churches. Members of growing churches actively participate in the church s ministry. They did not divorce their faith fromtheir lifestyle; their faith was their lifestyle, Barna writes. They took seriously the classical Reformation doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. By contrast, laypeople in stagnant churches tend to observe rather than participate. They perceived their role as being in the audience in the stands, Barna notes, nodding approvingly in efforts to demonstrate religious behavior as the clergy went through their paces. Appreciate your pastors, but then follow their example by living out your beliefs! A Methodist Minute Q How are official positions on social matters determined by The United Methodist Church? A Only the General Conference, a representative body of no more than 1,000 clergy and lay persons which meets every four years, officially determines church policy and speakers on social issues. Through a set of Social Principles, the General Conference speaks to human issues from a biblical and theological foundation. These principles are intended to be instructive and persuasive. Agreement is not required, but members are called to a prayerful, studied dialogue of faith and practice. Resources of the church must reflect the official positions of the church.
Youth Retreat at Westview on the James by Renee Garrett, Youth Director PAGE 6 I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend time with these wonderful young ladies. All are unique in their own way, yet come together beautifully and have fun. We all look forward to this trip every year. This year we did two new activities canoeing/paddle boarding, and archery. Both were big hits. Combined with the water trampoline and swimming in the pool, all activities were really fun and a good time for all. We could not have asked for better weather. It was mostly sunny all of our days there. We had a great discussion group where we picked random topics to discuss and debate. We also had wonderful devotions from Sarah, Laura Cole, Chloe, and Maddie. Each was different and inspiring. Also, our mission time was spent measuring and cutting fabric squares, putting patterns together, and sewing baby blankets. Bible games, movies, and hiking were other activities we all did. I want to thank Laura Cole for being my partner and co-leader. She is a fabulous person who gives so much of her time and wisdom to help these young ladies learn and grow in their faith. I enjoy everything we do together. Also, thank you to Pastor Craig and Judy for lending us their van. We couldn t have done it without it.
PAGE 7 United Methodist News Call for Nominations for At-Large District Delegates to Annual Conference, June, 2018 28 At-Large Delegates and 9 reserve delegates will be elected at our District Conference on November 18th. In order to be on the ballot, you need to complete a nomination form and return it to the District Office by November 1. You can nominate yourself or someone else (with their permission). Please contact Pastor Craig to get a nomination form. Return it to: Rappahannock River District Ofc., PO Box 100, Ladysmith, VA 22501, or by fax: 804.448.8328, or via email to: rappahannockriverdistrict@vaumc.org. New and Recertification Early Response Team Training available Two trainings are being offered for ERT training: basic training will be held Oct. 14 at Bethel UMC in Warrenton and New and Recertification ERT training will be held Oct. 28 at Wilderness Community UMC in Spotsylvania. Go to vaumc.org for more information and to register. Thanks for the Flood Buckets!! - From Penny Rasnake, District Disaster Coordinator I am sure most of you have noticed how pretty our church grounds are looking lately. All the flower beds have been edged and weeded, some mulched and many bushes have been trimmed. All of this was done by Melissa Conley and Margaret Bristol! Thanks SO much for the time and effort you both put in to make our Church look so nice!! You are much appreciated! I want to offer a final thank you for your generous response to the call for Flood Buckets. Rappahannock River District not only delivered buckets (563 at last count) but raised almost $5,000 to aid victims from both Hurricane Harvey and Irma. I encourage all churches to prayerfully consider creative ways to continue to participate in UMCOR fundraising. We will keep you updated regarding any Conference level initiatives to ship more flood buckets. In the meantime, let's find ways that that we can work together at the local level to continue to assemble health kits, school supplies, and more buckets following the guidelines on the UMCOR. If we have a critical mass of materials we could look for volunteers to transport kits to the Mission Central depot in Pennsylvania. If you have a creative idea, let us know. Again, it has been a pleasure to serve with you in this way.
PAGE 8 10 - Cathy Byram 20 - Maci Miller 21 - Allison Vaughn 22 - Susan Cole, Stephanie O Neill 30 - Burnley Todd, Jerry Orndorff 31 - Debra Straughter B irthdays T o C elebrate! 3- Christa Quaye 4 - Skip Gibson 8 - Kelly Kent 14 Evelyn Raines 19 - Carolyn Englehart 28 - Dottie Sellers Wishing you all wonderful Birthday Blessings! If your birthday is not listed above, please notify Laura Martinson in the Church office so we can add yours to our records! Christian Symbol - Cornerstone A cornerstone harkens back to God s pronouncement in Isaiah 28:16 that he has laid as a foundation in Zion a precious cornerstone. Ephesians 2:20 declares that Jesus is the cornerstone of the household of God. The letters IHC and XP are abbreviations for Jesus and Christ in ancient Greek. Chili / Cobbler Cook Off When? Saturday, November 4th What time? 6 pm There is a sign up sheet at the Mission Control station for those interested in competing and / or attending the Chili/Cobbler Cook Off / White Elephant Bingo. Please come out for some good eating and lots of fun! Fellowship Luncheon REMEMBER that our monthly fellowship luncheon is served on the second Sunday of each month, after the 11:00 service. It s potluck, so bring a favorite dish! If you forget, join us anyway, there is always enough food to go around!
Fun N Games!! PAGE 9
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Laura Cole had and beat breast cancer!!! The accompanying story was written by her daughter, Sarah Cole. Laura wanted to share with you. Many years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer and several months later my mom was. October is breast cancer awareness month so I thought I would share my daughter s story of hope with you. We both pray her words will encourage any of you that have just been diagnosed. Laura Cole Sarah's story... When I was five my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time, I thought it was good news. It meant that I could spend more time with her and she could stay home with me. I didn't realize how serious her diagnosis was. I thought she was merely sick and getting better would be easy, but I was wrong. At first there was no change, my mom was the same bubbly mom I was used to. Looking back, I realize she was trying to hide the symptoms so she wouldn't worry us. But some moments she couldn't hide, like the numerous doctor's appointments taking hours and her fatigue. She seemed happy though. She didn't have to work and we were always used to her positivity and perseverance which helped us get through. Some days were better than others and my mom reminded me and my siblings that the doctor said she was slowly getting better. But to me she seem like she was getting worse. I remember someone telling me cancer could kill her. I didn't believe it was possible. I told her about my encounter and she told me I had nothing to worry about, she was in the process of beating cancer's butt. Hope. People tell me today it's getting harder and harder to find hope, I disagree. At such a young age I understood the word in depth. I have forgotten many things from my childhood, but having hope is not one of them. One of the memories I have from my mother's journey was when we were in a church prayer circle and everyone had their hands on my mom, they were crying and afterwards everyone gave my mom and me a hug, I guess at that moment I really experienced hope. The odds were against us but somehow we knew my mom would be fine. May 6, 2005. My mom was cancer-free! After a long year of fighting, my mom had finally won. She was better! I no longer had to worry about her dying. She was better and everyone in my family was overjoyed. Her experience was also my experience. We lived this nightmare together, but it ended up becoming a dream. I got to spend an entire year with my mom and our battle had taught me a lot, such as that giving up was never an option. It taught me that finding hope is more than just an action it's a way of life, and most of all it taught me that family will always be there no matter the circumstance. Our experience helped shape me to become the person I am today; I always look at the bright side and I don't look at doubt as an issue, I look at doubt as a challenge I can overcome. THIS IS LAURA S PRAYER Dear Heavenly and Gracious Father, I lift up into Your hands Your beautiful children who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer or who are currently battling. May Sarah's words lift up and encourage those battling the horrible disease. May we always be reminded that we come from a long line of fighters because we are children of the HIGHEST KING. In Jesus name we pray. AMEN. PAGE 10
The Latest Word on Flood Buckets from Amy Fuselier PAGE 11 Dear CDRC and Relief Supplies Network Warehouses, I wanted to take a minute to reach out to all of you and say thank you for the wonderful job that you all have done in rallying our churches and communities to produce the thousands of cleaning buckets that we have received. The response has been overwhelming. Because of your hard work and the generosity of the many member of the United Methodist Church, we have been able to assist those affected in Texas by Hurricane Harvey and those in Florida affected by Hurricane Irma. If or when the opportunity to assist those affected by Maria presents itself, we are certainly prepared to do so. We are currently watching our latest adversary, Hurricane Nathan. Should there be a need due to this storm, you all have helped us to be as prepared as possible. At this point in time, I am asking that you share with your contacts that we are nearing capacity with our cleaning buckets. Please let those who are currently working on this project to go ahead and complete their work. For those who have already made the cleaning buckets, they may deliver them to one of the affiliate warehouses in our Relief Network or directly to Sager Brown. But I am asking those who have not yet started new projects, to cease making new buckets until we are able to distribute some of those we have already received. Once we have reduced our inventory, we will need more to restock. Again, thank you for all of your hard work. It is much appreciated. Blessings to you all. Amy Fuselier, Director of UMCOR Relief Supplies EASTAND UMC, WELL DONE!!! Because of those at Eastland UMC who generously donated money towards UMCOR S plea for flood buckets, we were able to assemble a total of 35 buckets! What a great way to help those who have had their homes destroyed by the many powerful hurricanes this year.
PAGE 12 NEWSLETTER AUTHORS: JUDY O NEILL SWAPON31@GMAIL.COM JUDITH MUFFLEY MUFFLJU@GMAIL.COM WE ARE ON THE WEB! EASTLANDUMC.ORG A newsletter submission is due by the first Saturday of the month, as the newsletter usually comes out on the second Sunday of each month. Ushers & Greeters Thank you for your service! If you are interested in being an usher or greeter, please see Frances Vaughn. The United Methodist Men and United Methodist Women would like to welcome anyone interested in joining their group. It is a great way to meet fellow church members and to help make a difference in our church and community. If interested, please see Bill Todd or Sylvia Todt. Stop by the Mission Control Desk after the service to see what s happening at Eastland UMC! Our Vision: To invite, welcome, spiritually feed and nurture all of God's people in the Christian faith and empower them to serve and love others in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Our Mission: To worship God, grow in faith, serve in Christ's name, and build disciples. Take a look at the church website at www.eastlandumc.org and Like us on Facebook. When you see a post, after you like it, share it! Don t see your events announced? Call or email Laura @ Eastlandumc@gmail.com.