cross roads courier -...
TRANSCRIPT
A Publ icat ion for East land United Methodist Church
February 2017
CROSS ROADS COURIER
Eastland United
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
Afton Duenow
Choir Director
Loganne Fellenstein
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
PASTOR CRAIG’S CORNER
Soon we will turn the page of the church calendar to March. And the season of
Lent will be immediately upon us. March 1st is Ash Wednesday and we will begin
our observance of Lent with our annual Ash Wednesday worship service at 7:30
pm.
Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word that means “spring” or “springtime.” The
Lenten season is the 40-day period that begins on Ash Wednesday and
continues until the celebration of Easter. Sundays are not counted in this 40-day
period because each Sunday is a “little Easter” – a celebration of the Risen Lord.
Historically, Lent was a time when baptismal candidates would begin a period of
self-examination, self-discipline, and denial in preparation for their baptism at
Easter. We recall the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness to spiritually
prepare for the beginning of his ministry.
Likewise, during the 40 days of Lent, we are called to discern and contemplate
how God is calling us to “spring forth” and grow in our faith as we consider what
Christ has done and is doing in our life and in our faith community. I challenge
you to prayerfully consider how Jesus is calling you to move out of your “comfort
zone” and grow in faith during Lent.
The spiritual disciplines of our faith, or “means of grace” as John Wesley called
them, are a special emphasis during Lent. The means of grace include regular
worship, reading and meditating upon the scriptures, fasting, prayer, celebrating
the sacraments, and serving others (note the opportunities to move outside our
church walls to engage in mission and serve others elsewhere in this newsletter).
These are all time-tested ways we can grow spiritually during Lent or any time of
the year.
Be intentional about attending worship services each Sunday in Lent and try to
find a deeper meaning in the sacrament of Holy Communion whenever we
celebrate it during Lent.
I encourage you to join the Adult Sunday School class Lenten study at 9:45 am
on Sundays, beginning March 8. They will be studying “The Way: Walking in the
Footsteps of Jesus.” I preached a sermon series adapted from this book two
years ago during Lent. I highly recommend it to you. Can’t make the class?
…then take some time and read through one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark,
Luke or John) and the Book of Acts (of the Apostles) during Lent. Read closely
and let God speak to your heart.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his
good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2, NIV)
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Craig
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!
Come Pray with Us!
PAGE 2
Time passes, things change. In this 3-week sermon series, we’ll be looking at the Old Testament
book of 2 Kings and examining the life of King Hezekiah to see what he can teach us about
dealing with major changes in life.
Feb. 12 “When Life Is Good”
Feb. 19 “When Life Is Falling Apart”
Feb. 26 “When Time Is Limited”
New Sermon Series - The Times of our Lives
We are still collecting!Keep Eastland’s Legacy Going
Strong!
This is worth repeating— Do something!
God wants our work to be meaningful and satisfying. No matter what we do, it
should provide a reason to get up each day and use the talents God has given us.
As Benjamin Franklin said, “The man who achieves makes many mistakes, but he
never makes the biggest mistake of all: doing nothing.”
Transfiguration Sunday
On the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, many Christian churches cele-brate the Transfiguration of Our Lord. After telling his shocked, uncomprehending disciples that he would die and rise again, Jesus took Peter, James and John up a mountain. Suddenly Jesus appeared to be glowing! “He was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light” (Matthew 17:2, ESV). Moses and Elijah appeared, and a voice said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (verse 5). Jesus’ disciples fell to the ground, over-
come by fear. But Jesus touched them, told them not to be afraid and
“We cannot pray in love and live in hate and still think we are worshiping God.”
—A.W. Tozer
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”
—John Holmes
Please
welcome
Logan
Fellenstein, Master of Music /
Choral
Conducting, as
our new Choir
Director. We are
thrilled to have
her!
PAGE 3
Upcoming Yard Sale at Eastland UMC
Please be on the
lookout for an
announcement about
an upcoming yard
sale here at Eastland!
Bill Todd is in the
planning stages of
having a yard sale
hopefully in March.
Please gather all
unwanted items and
kindly contribute
them to the church! If
you need to store
these items prior to the
yard sale, please see Bill
Todd about placing
them in the garage
storage area.
Contact Bill Todd at
540-604-1532
Only items donated to
the church to be sold at
the yard sale may be
stored in the church
garage.
Something to think about...
Those familiar conversation hearts that show up every February can be more than just
trite romantic or friendly sayings. Use them to remind you — or to teach a child — of the
greatest love of all: God’s love for us, which empowers our love for others. For example:
• TRUE LOVE: What love is truer than giving up one’s only Son so people might have
everlasting life? (John 3:16).
• MINE: Jesus knows us intimately, as a shepherd knows his sheep. No one can snatch us
from him (John 10:27-29).
• FOREVER: God loves us with an “everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3).
• LOVE ME: The greatest commandment is to love God with our whole being (Luke
10:27).
• TRUST ME: “Let not your hearts be troubled.” We can count on Jesus, now and for
eternal life (John 14:1-3).
• SWEET TALK: God’s words are sweeter than honey (Psalm 119:103).
• BE GOOD: We show our love for Christ by keeping his commands (John 14:15).
• CALL ME: God longs to be in fellowship with us. We can talk to him anytime in prayer
(Jeremiah 33:3).
• FRIENDS: The greatest love involves laying down your life for your friends (John 15:13) —
precisely what Jesus did.
• #1: “We love because [God] first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
Adult Sunday School
God’s conversation hearts
Oops!
PAGE 4
The Adult Sunday school will
continue studying “God’s Final
Word” by Ray C. Steadman until
it’s conclusion when Lent
begins.
Once Lent begins, we will study
“The Way: Walking in the
Footsteps of Jesus.” By Adam
Hamilton.
Please feel free to drop in at
9:45 and join us in the social hall!
Q What is meant by the Methodist doctrine of
“The Witness of the Spirit?”
A – The apostle Paul’s claim that the “Spirit
itself bears witness with our Spirit, that we are
children of God” (Rom. 8:16) is the
centerpiece of John Wesley’s understanding
of this doctrine, which is more commonly
known as the doctrine of assurance.
According to Wesley, “The testimony of the
A Methodist Minute
PAGE 5
Spirit is an inward impression of the souls of
believers, whereby the Spirit of God directly
testifies to their Spirit, that they are children of
God.” It is “inward consciousness” of sins
forgiven, joy of life, acceptance by God, and
assurance of salvation.
With Loganne as our new choir director, it
has been decided that Tuesday choir
practice will now start at 6:30 instead of 7
pm. Practice usually lasts about an hour. If
you like to sing and this practice time fits
into your schedule, please come and join
us as we prepare our music for Lent and
Easter!
Adult Choir News
BIBLE QUIZ
What unique characteristic of the judge
Ehud enabled him to outsmart King Eglon of
Moab, who had been oppressing ancient
Israel?
A. He was left-handed.
B. He was blind.
C. He was very fat.
D. He was exceedingly strong.
Answer: See Judges 3:12-26.
The United Methodist Women
gathered on Monday January 30,
from 10 to 11:30 to make
Valentines Day cards . The cards
will be distributed to Nursing
Homes and the Thurman Brisbon
Homeless shelter. The cards
are a gentle reminder to many
who are lonely, that they are
indeed loved!
Welcome Marty and Jackie Schleshinger
On Sunday, January
29th, Marty and Jackie
transferred their
church membership
from St Lukes United
Methodist in
Yorktowne, VA to
Eastland UMC. Please
welcome them warmly
the next time you see
them!
PAGE 6
Welcome Jack McNutt!
On Sunday, January 22, Jack
transferred his church membership
from Hope Presbyterian to Eastland
UMC. Please be sure to give Jack a
warm welcome when you see him!
United Methodist Women
PAGE 7
United Methodist News
Bishop’s Convocation on Prayer Registration is open for The Bishop’s Convocation on Prayer on Apr. 1, 2017. The event will be held
at Trinity UMC in Richmond with the Rev. Juanita Rasmus acting as plenary speaker. Fee is $10
and participants will get to choose two workshops to attend – register at www.vaumc.org
United Methodist Scouting surges
The number of youth involved in Scouting packs, troops and crews chartered by United Method-
ist churches is on the rise, reports the Commission on United Methodist Men. At the end of
2016,327,405 were involved in Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops and Venturing crews. That’s an
increase of about 2,700 youth.
Lay Servant Academy- Mar. 31- Apr. 2, 2017 The Lay Servant Academy is about equipping laity to carry out the mission of the church of mak-
ing disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. All courses are open to everyone.
Each course is designed to help those serving the local church to learn more about leadership,
personal faith development and a deeper understanding of the UMC. Many courses offered this
year will support those seeking to become Certified Lay Servants and Lay Speakers. Registration
questions may be directed to Sandy Kelley at [email protected]
Richmond-area UMC church hosting race relations discussion Belmont UMC is hosting Church and Community Conversation on Race and Reconciliation
through discussion, worship and idea exploration on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, 9 a.m. -3 p.m. The
event will examine the role of churches, political bodies and community organizations in the
quest to improve race relations. We will also explore Ava DuVernay’s documentary film “13th,”
which looks at the prison system, mass incarceration and racial inequality. Detailed information is
forthcoming. Belmont UMC is located at 3510 Broad Rock Blvd., Richmond, VA 23234.
Mentors needed for 2017 summer All God’s Children camps
All God's Children Camp is in need of mentors for camp this summer. There are three opportuni-
ties this year to serve: June 18-23 at Camp Chanco on the James, June 25-30 at Camp Overlook
and July 30-Aug. 4 at Occohannock on the Bay. Visit All God’s Children page on the conference
website for more information including a mentor and camper flyer. Email Lori Smith, camp direc-
tor, at [email protected] with any questions.
Our latest Mission Sunday, Undie Sunday, was on January 29th. We had a special speaker from the Thurman Brisben Homeless Shelter. Kim Lalley, the Executive Director spoke about the how things operate at the shelter. It was an interesting and informative talk. Kim was very touched by the kindness of Eastland when presented with all of the underwear and socks donated by our congregation. Nicely done Eastland UMC!!
FEBRUARY
3- Anika Francois
14 - Lacey Wilson
14 - Oscar Sobkowicz
16- Emily Miller
16 - Tom Sobkowicz
23 - Travis Byram
These two white roses were placed in our sanctuary to honor Patricia Mason and Mary Ganoe, who passed away recently.
It was a very sad week for Eastland and we extend our deepest and sincere sympathies to Betty & Bill Mundy, Dave Ganoe and their families.
Please keep them in your prayers as they journey though the difficult
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!
Fellowship Luncheon
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!
Support our Troops
Go to:
https://supportourtroops.org/care-
packages and find out how to send
a care package and a note of
gratitude to a deployed troop
member!
PAGE 8
MARCH
5 - Alex Dillard
6– David Cook
Pat Orndorff
9- Margaret Bristol
11 - Melissa Conley
15– Dylan Hudson
Ene Sunkhana
31– Bill Radebaugh
How: Applications at District
Office or website
Cost: $950 per person
(Scholarship available of
$300 to persons 30 & under)
Application & Deposit
Deadline: $200 due March 16
(Checks payable to
“Fredericksburg District
UMC”, memo: El Salvador).
The application fee is non-
refundable after airline
tickets are purchased.
Final payment: due April 8th,
2017.
Tappahannock Area Tornado Relief
Let’s lend a helping
hand!
Monday, March 27
through Saturday, April 1,
Pastor Craig will be
leading a mission team to
help with relief efforts for
victims of the tornado that
hit the Tappahannock
area last year. The current
plan is to commute to the
work site each day (about
1 hour each way). You
this relief effort. There is no
cost to participate. Direct
questions and RSVP (sign up
in the fellowship hall) with
your availability by March 5th to Pastor Craig, 540-898-
6430 or
PAGE 9
Team building meetings
take place at Wright's
Chapel UMC on 1st
Saturdays: April 8th, May
6th, & June 3rd, 2017 from
9:30am -11:30.
can join this effort for all 6
days, a few days, or even
help out for just one day. If
you would like to stay
overnight,
accommodations are
provided by a local Baptist
church. Shower facilities
are available. Area
churches will provide team
members with a light lunch
each day. Other meals are
your own
responsibility. People of all
skill levels can participate in
MISSION OPPORTUNITIES!! Lets get involved!!
Who: A Fredericksburg
team, along with our
International Methodist
Mission Partner – The
Evangelical Methodist
Church in El Salvador
What: Mission Trip When: July 1 – 8, 2017
Where: El Salvador
Methodist facilities
Why: to continue our
relationship building and
participate in
construction.
Fredericksburg District El Salvador VIM Trip
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.
NEWSLETTER AUTHORS:
JUDY O’NEILL— [email protected]
JUDITH MUFFLEY— [email protected] WE ARE ON THE WEB!
EASTLANDUMC.ORG
A newsletter submission is due by the
first Saturday of the month, as the
newsletter comes out on the second
Sunday of each month.
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 @ [email protected].
PAGE 10
Ushers & Greeters
February Ushers: Margaret Bristol &
Tessa Conley
Greeters: 2/12 – Joan Lester
2/19 – Charles Barnett
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!