December 2017 We enter to worship We depart to serve The Messenger LET S HEAR IT FOR RUMC MISSIONS! By Karen Fedorov, Missions Co-Chairman Please forgive me if I have not mentioned a particular mission; I m going on my own feeble memory here. So, in no specific order: After gathering supplies, we packed flood buckets at Remington Baptist Church s outdoor picnic shelter with generous assistance of other local churches. The 50 buckets were to be used by people who suffered flooding or other large emergencies. For UMCOR, we gathered supplies and packed health kits to be made available to people as needed. Recently we packed Operation Christmas Child boxes for Samaritan s Purse. These are sent to Samaritan s Purse warehouses and shipped to children in need. Many of these children have never had a gift! Before being sent, a version of the book, The Greatest Gift, will be included in their own language to tell them about Jesus love for them. The Heifer International Bucket/Cow, always at the back of the church, will collect your coins and bills. Donations by parents who brought their children to our Trunk or Treat event in October was the best ever this year! Over $80 was collected to be added to our own gathered money. Very soon, Walt will be told the amount and RUMC children will select animals to donate. Alex will send the check and their selected animal(s) to the Heifer Fund late in December. Kudos to Remington United Methodist Men (RUMM) for their great Chili Cook-Off. The chili was great, winners were chosen, and all monies collected were earmarked for the Food Bank. A good time was had by all! A Christmas Angel Tree, adorned with tags for you to select, will soon be available in the narthex. The tags give you information (ages, sizes, etc.) for gifts you can provide for local needy children. These gifts need to be wrapped, brought to RUMC and then placed under the Christmon Tree for delivery to children before Christmas. Food banks need donations at all times, not just Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, watch for a notice of a TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS food collection to begin AFTER Christmas. Thank you all for your wonderful giving spirits. Pastor: Reverend Walt Westbrook cntmpl852@gmail.com Admin: Tue -Fri, 8:30 am 12:30 pm 540.439.2579 adminassistant@ remingtonchurch.org www.remingtonchurch.org JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS Jan 3: Finance Mtg, Jan 6: Prayer Walk: 10 am Jan 10: Admin Council, Jan 15: 2018 Planning Session Jan 29: Blood Drive, St. Lukes Parish Hall Remington United Methodist Church, 150 West Bowen St., P.O. Box 86, Remington, VA 22734
From the Pastor s Desk... the whole movie for them to get back together. One woman had lost touch with her grown son. But when the train reaches Los Angeles, he s there at the station to greet her, and they give each other a second chance to heal the broken relationship. I could go on. Have you ever given someone a second chance? Maybe they hurt you or they failed at a task you d given them. Or, have you ever needed your own second chance? Have you ever hurt or failed someone in such a profound way that you needed to ask forgiveness. That s what second chances are often about: repentance and forgiveness. I ve been reading a couple of autobiographies, lately. Chasing Space by Leland Melvin, and Endurance by Scott Kelly caught my attention because both of the authors are astronauts. Melvin is the only astronaut to catch a pass in the NFL and on the Space Shuttle. Kelly spent almost a year in the International Space Station, breaking records for consecutive days in space. In addition to reading, I m also watching TV with Betty. She loves the Christmas movies on Lifetime and the Hallmark channel. These movies are pretty much all the same: young woman comes home (or goes to someplace new and unfamiliar), meets a young man, hates him, goes about her business, falls in love with the young man, they kiss with Christmas music swelling in the background. There is a connection between my astronaut books and these movies: they are all about second chances. Both of the astronauts needed plenty of second chances, from childhood through NASA s astronaut training. They ll tell you that you learn by trying something new, and you usually don t get it perfectly right the first time. And, there is also the issue of one s personal behavior, which may require others forgiveness and second chances. In the Hallmark movie, The Christmas Train, based on a story by David Baldacci, just about everyone on the train needs to be given a second chance. A couple who broke up years ago meet again on the train, but the woman is still very angry about the break-up, so it takes The Church should be about second chances. Jesus was certainly very generous in giving out second chances. The disciples were a pretty scruffy bunch, and he had to forgive the times they argued about who among them is the greatest, or when they tried to keep children away. Jesus forgave his murderers while they were killing him. Everyone gets a second chance from Jesus Christ. So, in this season of secular nonsense about the true meaning of Christmas (which is usually about family or romantic love in these movies), let s keep in mind that we are celebrating the birth of Christ, and remember that Christ is the king of second chances. Let s try to be as much like Christ in this way as we possibly can. God bless us all. Peace and Prayers, Walt FOR-GET-ME-NOT FLOWERS For only $30, For-Get-Me-Not Flowers will place flowers on the altar for you. Flowers are delivered on Saturday. You can make your check out to RUMC. Please don t forget to contact the Church Administrative Assistant at 540.439.2579 by Wednesday if you want an announcement placed in the Sunday bulletin.
A Personalized Experience By Birgitte Tessier While Pastor Walt has been enjoying a much-deserved break from work with his family, RUMC enjoyed two sermons by two of our lay people, Scott Robertson and Jim Helm. Scott talked about how he learned to live his life according to the Gospel of Jesus instead of the Gospel of Scott, and Jim talked about the need to place our focus not on ourselves, but on Jesus. We all like to live life according to our own gospel. After all, we know everything about ourselves. We know our likes and dislikes, our joys and our sorrows, and we know the experiences and events that have shaped our lives, made us who we are and control the way we see the world. Today, it s easier than ever to live according to our own gospel, to hear only what we want to hear and to see only what we want to see. Our lives can be as personalized as we like. Technology has made it possible for us to personalize the music we listen to on our electronic devices, for example. We can record and stream any TV show and movie that we want to see according to our mood, avoiding commercials and anything that offends us. We can personalize our Facebook page and photo albums and share them with our friends. We can control what we see and what we read. We forward what we like to like-minded friends, and as we give a thumbs-up to anything we like, technology records the data and makes sure we see even more of what we like, buy even more of what we already have, and so on. We are no longer forced to endure anything we don t like, at least as far as reading material, music and entertainment are concerned. It seems that the only thing left for us to simply endure is what the unpredictable universe throws at us. Does the ability to personalize almost all aspects of our lives extend to a wish to personalize our experience at church? Perhaps! On any given Sunday, most people can find something they don t like the preacher, the music, the sermon - or something they just don t understand. On any given Sunday, a church can turn out to not match a person s perception of what church should be. When that happens, people feel free to go somewhere else, because they want a place of worship that fits their perception of what church should be like, and perhaps more importantly a church that fits their worldview, a church that fits their own gospel. The problem is that when listening to, reading, and seeing only things that we agree with and which fit into our gospel, our minds close. The wonderful brain that God gave us stagnates. We can safely stay within our own comfortable bubble and live according to our own gospel. We are no longer challenged to look at the world in a different light. Take art, for example. In many ways, it s like a sermon. Sometimes we get it immediately. Sometimes it leaves us cold. Sometimes we hate it on sight, and sometimes, we just don t understand it. But, we always have a reaction to it. And, sometimes the reaction provokes thought and change. A minister s sermon always has a point. Does a piece of art or a work of literature always have a point or a meaning? Not necessarily. Perhaps the painter was simply painting the portrait of his rich patron s wife, and perhaps the story was always only about an old man and the sea. But the greatness comes from what we make of it. If we never look at art, if we never read a book by a new or different author, or if we never listen to a different type of music, chances are we ll miss something great. So, how does a church attract people in an age when people expect to be able to personalize every aspect of their lives? A church can t cater to and satisfy the personal gospel of every individual who comes. A church can t be personalized the way we personalize our music selection on Pandora. What we can do is what Jim talked about: Focus on Jesus. Focus on the lessons he has taught us: Love God and love one another. Show compassion and forgiveness. Welcome strangers. Welcome all. Let us use the brain God gave us and stretch it. Let us be challenged. Let us see the world in a new way. Let us be open to possibilities. Jim said, Do not focus on the money! But the bills have to be paid! Well, that s true! But is that all there is? No, the world is full of possibilities. It just depends on the lens we look through. Do we want that lens to be narrow and personalized to our own gospel, or do we want it to be a wide lens encompassing the Gospel of Jesus and the world? We celebrate the birth of Jesus during the Christmas season. Let it be a season of the new church. By focusing our thoughts and actions in the right direction, we will relearn what it means to live by the only Gospel that matters. And then, people who seek a loving, compassionate church where they can feel at home will find us.
NOTES FROM THE TREASURER Year-End 2017 Financial Review Dear Friends and Members of the Remington United Methodist Church (RUMC), As we approach the end of 2017, I wanted to do a short discussion of our finances without belaboring the budget shortfalls and challenges that we have faced this year. I want to spend this time thanking all of you for your generous support and to highlight some special benefactors who have stepped in at crucial points to rescue us in time of need. Our Financial Secretary reports that the response to our, just concluded, Stewardship Campaign has been one of the most positive in years with more pledges than we have received in the past. Also the report shows that many have increased their generosity in support of RUMC. While the actual individual data is kept strictly confidential, it is clear that you have stepped up and I want to thank you for your gifts and service. It is also clear to me that the Remington United Methodist Church has some extra special benefactors who have helped us financially at critical times to survive financial shocks and special needs. Just recently, as we discovered that the entrance canopy was beginning to rot away, a very generous benefactor stepped forward and covered the entire cost of the replacement canopy. Other special angels have made very significant year end gifts to RUMC that have been instrumental in meeting our financial commitments. Both the RUMC Methodist Women s Group and the RUMC Men s Group have been so generous in 2017, in supporting our various missions, disaster relief donations, and repair projects within the church. Their fund raising activities have been able to fill in some of the critical gaps that the RUMC budget was just unable to cover. For example, the RUMC Men s Group have taken on the task of either actually doing, or paying for, most of the needed repairs to the building and grounds of the church. From buying and replacing a toilet to fixing the lights illuminating the crosses, they have been so helpful and timely. The Last Word: In conclusion, RUMC will make it to the end of 2017, with your generous support. I want to thank all of you for doing what you can. God bless you all, Alex Fedorov Treasurer Remington United Methodist Church
HISTORY OF RUMC PLEDGE CAMPAIGNS 22 November 2017 The Remington United Methodist Church did not start pledge drives until 2007 because the congregation was always opposed to it. Pastor Charles Stacy became the pastor in 2006 and initiated the first pledge drive in 2007. He continued it for 4 years through 2010, but as it appeared to be losing interest, he discontinued years 2011 and 2012. Pastor Westbrook re-started a pledge drive in 2013 and we just finished a 2018 pledge campaign. The following are the results of each year: Year No. of Pledge Cards Submitted Total No. of Giving Units Weekly Amt. Pledged 2007 40 Unk $2,769 2008 39 Unk $2,976 2009 29 Unk $1,817 2010 22 88 $1,809 2011 -- 80 NA 2012 -- 90 NA 2013 32 61 $2,096 2014 20 51 $2,023 2015 17 48 $1,679 2016 30 71 $2,630 2017 17 45 $1,305 2018 29 46 $2,138 While the conclusion of the 2018 pledge drive resulted in 29 families who pledged a total of $2,138 per week for 2018, the church has 17 additional families who contribute an average of $1,027 per week but choose not to pledge, thus 46 total giving families, as of November 2017, projected for 2018, for a total projected weekly offering of $3,165. The 2018 budget projects a weekly offering need of $3,609 to meet the expenses of the church next year. Other income such as rent, church use donations, projected UMC Foundation Balanced Fund gains are taken into account when determining this required figure. The figures project a deficit of $451 per month in 2018. The church receives and deposits to separate bank accounts funds for other than the Budget, such as the Music Program or the Future Building Fund. Missions and special fundraising projects outside the planned budget are a wash collected and paid out for each mission. Funds collected in the Memorial Fund are usually donated for a specific purpose or as a bequeath. Funds collected specifically to pay apportionments are likewise a pass through as they come into the budget account and are normally paid out the same month. Funds designated for Benevolence/Discretionary are accounted for as a sub-account to the Budget. This analysis shows how urgently the church relies on its congregation to meet their pledges even when they miss some weeks. A few families have set up automatic weekly electronic payments to the RUMC Budget account at Fauquier National Bank. This process has worked very well this past year. The church receives either a check from the bank or an electronic deposit directly into our account a few days prior to each Sunday. Additionally, we have a Square credit card reader that can be made available for the convenience of those who request it. Linda M Butler, Financial Secretary Alex Fedorov, Treasurer
(JAN) News Year Eve DEC Prayer Walk With Walt 10am Hanging of the Greens 9am SNA 7 First Sunday of Advent Bible Study 6pm Band Practice Stewardship 7pm PS&W 6:30pm Taize 6:30pm Community Garden 7pm Lace Guild Christmas Party Open house 12pm SNA 7 Bible Study, 6 pm RUMM Ruritans Dinner Choir 7pm Admin Council 7pm Bible Study 6:30 pm Community Garden 10am LIVE NATIVITY 5 8pm VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!! Cantata 10am ONE SERVICE Reception to follow Band Practice Little Peoples Christmas Party 9-12pm Choir 7pm SPRC Bible Study 6:30 pm SNA 7 9 am & 11am Services 7pm & 11pm candlelight service Celebrating CHRIST S BIRTHDAY! Taking down the Greens What do you see? By Birgitte Tessier Sphere within Sphere (Sfera con Sfera) By Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro. Several versions of the sculpture - with varying diameters exist. It can be found at The Vatican Museum in Rome, the UN Headquarters in New York, the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv University, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, and the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, among other places. The photo on the right is from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. When you look through the hole in the globe, it focuses your eye on the sculpture of a reclining woman in the garden outside.
150 W. Bowen St., P.O. Box 86 Remington, VA 22734 Remington United Methodist Church shares God s love with all people to reach and transform a hungry world.