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s we celebrate Mother’s Day this month, we are reminded of the importance of the godly mothers. It is nothing new to know that many godly people have been blessed by what they learned from their mothers. Great leaders in the bible like Moses, Samuel, and Timothy were deeply influenced by their mothers who taught their children the word of God. Think about Augustine and the Wesley brothers. Augustine’s mother Monica was a devout Christian who had not ceased to pray for her son’s conversion. Like the famous words of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, “the child of those tears shall never perish”, Monica ultimately had the joy of seeing Augustine come back to God and become one of the greatest leaders in church history. Susannah Wesley is also an example of the godly woman who raised her 17 children in Christian faith. She spent one hour each day praying for and with her children. In addition to that, she took each child aside for a full hour every week to discuss spiritual matters. No wonder two of her sons, Charles and John, were used by God to bring blessing to the churches in England and in America. Many statistics prove that families are in crisis like never before. Marriages are in conflict and children are disconnected from their parents. Now more than ever, we need to restore honor back into our family. And I believe that restoring honor in the family begins with godly fathers and mothers because they are called by God to be the spiritual leaders of their home. Therefore let us honor our godly mothers today. And let us take Mother’s Day as an opportunity to invite our families to church and pray to God to bring our families back together to Him. Giving thanks to God for our mothers,
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s our Preschool year draws to a close, our Preschoolers are busy with a number of end-of-year activities! Pastor Won will lead Chapel on May 7 and 8, and our Bible story of the month is Noah’s Ark, with the lesson that our trust in God will keep us safe. Our 4s will participate in Mock Kindergarten Day, and all of our students are practicing songs for our end-or-year programs! On Tuesday, May 20, our 3s classes will have their final program in the Sanctuary at 10:00 a.m., followed by a Family Picnic on the Methodist Green. On Wednesday, May 21, our 4s will have their Family Picnic on the Methodist Green at 10:30 a.m. Then, our year culminates with 4s Graduation on Thursday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. in the church Sanctuary. Everyone is invited to attend this special evening for our Preschool families! Please contact the Preschool Director, Becky Patrick, in the Preschool Office (540-899-3172) for more information about these events!
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ay 29, Thursday, the Merry Makers will leave the church parking lot at 8:45 a.m. for a guided tour of the gardens and a light lunch at one of the Garden indoor sites. The price of $27 includes the lunch, tip and tour. We will leave for home about 2:15. Please reserve your spot by sending a check for the full amount to Ronda Worcester at 701 Cobblestone Blvd. #102, Fredericksburg, 22401. If you have questions phone 479-6090 or e-mail
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he Fredericksburg United Methodist Church will offer a one-time scholarship to a graduating high school senior. The scholarship will be based on the academic record, recommendations, and participation in church activities. Seniors can obtain an application from the Administrative Office. The application must be completed and returned to the office by May 31, 2014.
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very woman of the church is invited to become a member of United Methodist Women because when women come together for missions, amazing things can happen. The theme for 2014 is “A Calling for this Time.” Won’t you join us to find your place in United Methodist Women? Please call Carol Kuty at 540-898-0256 or Pat Blosser at 540-373-0593 if you have questions about our supportive community of women.
The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of Mission through participation in the global ministries of the church. Another way for you to support missions is to purchase and use FUMC note cards. Packages of 10 note cards with envelopes, featuring a pen and ink drawing of our church by Jack Burnette, are on sale for $5.00 each by United Methodist Women. The cards are located in a basket at the Charlotte Street entrance. Please place cash or a check in the provided envelope (also located in basket). Money from the sale of FUMC note cards is used for ___?___. If you completed the blank with the word “missions,” you already have the heart of a United Methodist Woman!
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ach year, United Methodist Women in Virginia make a special donation to support UMW projects around the world which benefit women, children and youth. This Candle Burning offering allows us to honor friends and family members, living or deceased, by giving a monetary gift in their honor. Over the past several years, our unit has opened this opportunity to the entire congregation and you have responded generously. This year, beginning on May 10/11, Mother’s Day weekend, you will be given this opportunity again. In your bulletin will be a special envelope for your donations. There will be room on the outside of the envelope to list your honored persons. We are going a little greener by not having separate forms this year. For the rest of the month, these Candle Burning envelopes will be located around the church in case you are not able to make your gift on Mother’s Day weekend. A list of those individuals (or groups) you honor with a gift to UMW Mission Giving will appear in the Open Door later in the year. 3
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acation Bible School will take place June 2327, 2014. This year’s focus is “Moses in the Wilderness.” A lot of help is needed to create this spiritual fun-filled week. Specifically we are looking for a dedicated Co-Director to help plan and facilitate the week’s events. Further, we need volunteers for the following positions: Tribe Leaders Tribe Assistant Leaders A Moses Music Games Leader Games Assistants Israelite Camp: • Food • Tent Hosts • Tent Assistant Hosts Prayerfully consider what role you can play in VBS 2014 and contact Kit McFarland,
[email protected], to volunteer. Look for a VBS Bulletin Board to appear soon in the Church hallway.
ur United Methodist Women would like to help FUMC deliver many UMCOR Kits to the VA Annual Conference again this year. Recent disasters have shown us how important these kits are in times of crisis. For every kit which is donated, the UMW will give a longstemmed carnation on May 11 (Mother’s Day). The carnation will have a note attached which states that an UMCOR Kit was donated to honor the recipient of the carnation. What a great way to honor someone you care about! Sign up at the desk in the gathering space April 27 or May 4 to receive your carnation on May 11. Kits may be delivered to the Mission Control room or bring a check to the gathering space desk (made out to FUMW) to purchase a kit. A description of these kits may be found on the UMW Bulletin Board, at the end of the UMW Handbook, and on the UMCOR website. Questions? Contact Barbara Williams at
[email protected] or by phone at 899.3767.
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ll men are invited for the next UMM meeting on Saturday, May 10th. Breakfast will be provided at 8:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We will adjourn to the Chapel at 8:45 a.m. for our devotional on “Men of the Bible.” Come and join your brothers in Christ for food and fellowship. 4
hen spring finally arrives and you are wondering what to do with your kids’ outgrown but still good coats, jackets and hoodies (or whatever they use as outerwear), please consider donating them to School Dressing Days. Please use the bin in Mission Control for your donations or call Jean Himmel, 368-9541 to arrange a pickup. And if you have an “in” with a nearby school, see if you can collect unclaimed outerwear from their Lost and Found – they have to give it to someone, it might as well be SDD.
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hat started as a resettlement program for area refugees has grown into a full summer of fun and learning. Each summer we team with area churches to provide seven weeks of summer camp for approximately 80 children living at Heritage Park Apartments. Funding for SOKS Camp has been cut drastically! If you would like to help provide some basic necessities, please consider donating any of the following items to the bin marked “SOKS Camp” in the Mission Control room. Donations accepted through July 2014. Thanks so much!
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UMC’s GS Troop 263 is gearing up for registration for the 2014/2015 school year. If you have a girl Kindergarten - Senior in High School (or if you are craving a leadership role in a wonderful organization) interested in being a part of this vibrant mission of our church, contact Stephie Maurer -
[email protected] or 540/370-0143. Please note we have limited openings in some levels and Spring is the only time we take new members in the troop.
VOLUNTEERS: Monday – Friday June 23-26 12:30 – 3:30 to help with lunch service and Activities at Holy Cross School (transportation provided) LUNCHES for 80 children each day FUNDS for lunches SOKS Camp Needs: • 4 oz. paper cups • Paper plates • Paper towels • Large trash bags • Box of popsicles (unfrozen) • Jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, markers, crayons For more information on how you or your Sunday school class can help with this local mission, please contact Fanya Morton (371-0208) or morton_family@ cox.net.
by Sandy Howson, 540-373-4704
[email protected]
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.S. food assistance has been critical in helping more than 3 billion people in over 150 countries over the past five decades. Food assistance saves lives, helps people recover from crises, and breaks the cycles of chronic poverty and malnutrition. Unfortunately, humanitarian needs and the scope of food crises continue to expand while many countries, including our own, face increasing budget constraints. In 2011 alone, 206 million people were affected by droughts, floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. Globally, 870 million people are chronically foodinsecure. All of this underscores the critical importance of food aid from our federal government, which has long been a leader in providing this assistance. Food-aid reform is the focus of Bread’s 2014 Offering of Letters. It is a way for many Christians in thousands of churches and other faith communities across the country to collectively voice their concerns in Congress for the neighbors in God’s world who live overseas. The U.S. government must be poised to respond in the timeliest, most effective, and cost-efficient way possible. Fortunately, in January, some initial food-aid reforms were signed into law as part of the new farm bill. But those reforms can’t have any impact if they aren’t fully funded…
1 Corinthians 12:4: there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit is given for the common good. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
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he Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, from 12:30 until 2:30 p.m. We share patterns and helpful hints to improve our knitting. Please bring your current project and join us. If you haven’t used your talents (knit and/or crochet) in some time, and would like to refresh those skills, please meet with us. If you wish to give a prayer shawl, you may pick up a request form, which is located in Pam Bosch’s office. 5
this call with a special offering specifically for our Honduras mission trip. Thank you for prayerfully considering how you can help us show God’s love to orphans of Honduras.
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very Sunday, unless otherwise noted, youth group will meet 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. We begin with a snack supper, followed by games, worship music, and Bible study. Parents should pick-up in the Gathering Space. Special Sunday night meetings and extra opportunities are listed below:
Teenagers, it’s time to sign up for summer camp at Westview on the James! Camp Westview offers great Senior Camp weeks and amazing Adventure Camps. Wilderness Medicine Trek, AT Trek, Feeding Hope Trek, Sailing on the Bay, and more await youth who elect to attend an Adventure Camp week. Senior Camps are for youth 12 - 14 and Adventure Camps are for youth 13 - 17. Camp Westview is about awe inspiring activities, and cool counselors, who listen, care, and share their faith experiences with campers. God is present and at the center of everything at Westview on the James. Go to www.westviewonthejames.org or email Shirley for more information.
This July a youth-focused mission team of eleven individuals from FUMC will serve God in orphanages in Honduras through the Carolina Cross Connection. This God-centered mission seeks to building relationships with God’s people in Honduras. Our service will include repairs and construction on the orphanages and the surrounding impoverished community. We need your prayers and financial support! Through March 9 you will have an opportunity to respond to
“Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it.” —Proverbs 22:6
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he Monday Morning Bible Study meets from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Room 210 each month on the first and third Mondays, except when the church is closed. Because the church was closed on Easter Monday, we did not meet. We will resume discussing Women of the Bible – 52 Bible Studies for Individuals & Groups by Jean Syswerda, on May 5th. At that time, we’ll learn lessons from TAMAR, DAUGHTER OF KING DAVID. Open to all women and men (18-118), we always look forward to welcoming new faces, familiar faces and ones we have missed. To order a book, arrange for babysitting or if you have further questions, call Ann Braz at 710-6588.
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ou are invited to join us for a three-week class where you will discover answers about our denomination and our church in a friendly and fun environment. Newcomers’ Class is designed for those who are new to FUMC or those who consider membership. Learn the values and beliefs of FUMC and find where you fit in and how to get connected to the life of FUMC. Sign-up sheet is placed at Welcome Desk. Online registration is available at the church website at www.fumcva.org. More questions? Please contact Pastor Won Lee (
[email protected] / 540-373-9021x15). May 14 — “What Does It Mean to Become United Methodist” May 21 — “Talk with Dr. Brenda Biler” May 28 — “Becoming FUMC family”
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ooking for a way to make connections with a small group? Consider joining the Contemporaries Sunday School Class! We meet in room 210 at 11:00. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Fanya Morton at
[email protected] 540.371.0208. Hope you can join us!
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sed Adult Sunday School study books have been organized for your use. A sample copy of each book and a list stating the number of copies available is in the Church Library. You may borrow the sample copy to preview by signing the form available in the Library. Please return the sample copy to the box for returns. The books are available: To borrow for class use and then return To preview before ordering new or used books You may request use of these books by notifying Pam Bosch in the Church Office. Donate your used Sunday School Study books to the collection. Just bring them to the library.
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e are continuing the “Every Man a Warrior” Bible Study series designed to help men succeed in life. Check out the display in the Gathering Space of Kobler Hall or contact Bill Hammen at
[email protected] or 540-371-4884 (H) or 540-604-0539 (Cell).
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If you or someone you know needs special words of encouragement, CareNotes are an invaluable tool. Booklets cover a variety of topics for Kids, Teens, and Adults. Displays are in the Narthex, Fellowship Hall, and Charlotte Street entrance hallway. Take one for yourself or for a friend. Check each display frequently as the titles will change from time to time. If there is something you need but cannot find CareNotes for, contact Raymond Chancellor at (540) 899-8853 or leave a note in the CareNotes mailbox (Room 105), and a copy will be placed in the display for you. 8
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he crack team of highly skilled and motivated Wednesday Night Dinner kitchen workers is always looking for additional volunteers for the team. The dinners will start back up in September. If you feel called to volunteer, call the church office to indicate your willingness and someone will contact you. The openings include set up, prep work, dish washing, and clean up. Choose from part-time, full-time or dedicate your life - the pay is the same. Volunteers are also needed for the Sunday morning coffee hour team so that the service can continue. Families, groups/teams, Sunday School classes and individuals are encouraged to consider volunteering once a year, once a quarter or however often you would feel comfortable. Training on the equipment will be provided before you would be expected to begin. If a snack is provided (reimbursements are given), the emphasis is for healthy snacks. How creative can you be? Please NOTE, if volunteers are not available there will be no coffee hour on that particular Sunday.
he Contemplative practice of Centering Prayer is being held each Sunday evening in the upstairs Chapel. We begin at 6:45 p.m. in the Chapel, starting promptly, and ending at 7:45 p.m. (lasting one hour). If you have ever considered a “closer walk with God” this form of prayer is a golden opportunity. The goal of Centering Prayer is simple - closeness to God. This prayer time is open to all Christians of any denomination. Any questions, please call Janet Davis at 371-0145.
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redericksburg United Methodist Church is now offering online giving. Online giving lets you:
You will be able to view only your own contributions. You can set up your online giving account in less than two minutes. It is easy, safe and secure. Your electronic donations will be managed through our church database software, LOGOS. Because security is one of the most important aspects of online transaction processing, LOGOS has developed a standards-based, 128bit encrypted and PCI-compliant payment processing protocol. The church is compliant for security for Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards (DSS). The church will not have a record of your credit and debit card numbers. HALO Merchant Services PCI, the intermediary between you and your financial institution, will maintain those records. Donor information is kept secure and private with password-protected online access. Because the donation and notification are electronic, the church must have your email address in order to use this service. There is no cost or fee for you to use online giving. The church pays the small fee for using this service. To set up an account, go onto the church website (www.fumcva.org), click on “Connecting”, click on “Giving”, and follow the instructions. Or go to www.fumcva.logosconnect.com and follow the instructions. At this time, accounts available for online giving are:
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eam Leader Recertification is required for all United Methodist Volunteers In Mission (UMVIM) team leaders who completed basic team leader training five years ago or longer. The focus of this training is to update leaders on the Virginia Conference UMVIM policies and guidelines, to share best practices, and to answer any questions you may have. We must have at least five participants to offer this training. Each training session will be from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with registration beginning at 9:00 a.m. There is a $25 registration fee for each participant, payable when you register. Note ... this fee does not cover an optional team leader handbook, which will be available for purchase ($20) at the training, or the new A Mission Journey book, which is available through Cokesbury. Lunch will NOT be provided. The next event is currently available is June 7, 2014, Trinity UMC, 903 Forest Ave, Henrico, VA 23229. You can register and pay online (https://www. vaumc.org/pages/events/2014-events/umvimrecertification6-7-14) or download a registration form (http:// www.vaumc.org/ncfilerepository/events/UMVIMRecertification6-7-14.pdf) and pay by check. Pre-registration is required. All registrations MUST be in the office of Mission and Global Justice by noon on the Monday before the training event. For more information, contact the Center for Justice and Missional Excellence toll-free at 1-800-7686040, ext. 144; in the Richmond area, call (804) 5211144; or contact Forrest White, Virginia Conference UMVIM Coordinator, at
[email protected] or (804) 938-1026 (cell).
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he Outreach Pantry is open Monday through Friday, 1:00-3:00 p.m. We always need hot and cold cereals, pasta and pasta sauces, peanut butter, jelly (grape/strawberry), powdered milk, rice, soups, bread, canned fruits, canned meats and meat, baby formula and diapers. Monetary donations may also be made by writing “Food Pantry” in the memo section of your check. Please check expiration dates. We cannot give out expired items, nor can we give out medicines. Contact Ed Sielski at 786-8515 with questions.
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very second and fourth Saturdays of the month for five years now, we serve Community Dinners from Kitchen 2 (in the Fellowship Hall downstairs) ... around 120 to 130 plates of food (that includes seconds and carry-outs). FUMC serves on the second Saturday and Ebenezer UMC serves the fourth. Our volunteers cook, set-up, greet, serve and CLEAN-UP. The dinners are well received. If you feel called to join us, PLEASE DO! E-mail foridderhof@ verizon.net or call 540-371-3571. With vacations and very involved schedules for all, we would welcome some more volunteers.
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UMC Church Mugs are now available for purchase at the church office - $10.00 each. All the profits will be used for evangelism ministry. Hold FUMC in your prayers over morning coffee/tea, or on your commute. For more information, please see Pastor Won.
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Photo by Phil Haynes
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