 We look forward to welcoming those who have RSVP'd they are joining us for in-person worship this Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
If you are not able to join us in-person, we hope you will be a part of our online community and join us on Facebook Live as we live stream our service. We anticipate beginning the live stream about 10 minutes early with music. To prepare in advance, please read and reflect on John 15:9-17.   We look forward to welcoming those who have RSVP'd they are joining us for in-person worship this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. If you are not able to join us in-person, we hope you will be a part of our online community and join us on Facebook Live as we live stream our service. To prepare in advance, please read and reflect on John 15:1-8.
  We are glad to announce we will be having Wednesday night pickup dinners every week in May. Thank you to everyone who has ordered dinners for pickup on May 5th!
Be on the lookout for emails on Mondays with information on how to order your Wednesday dinner. Orders will always need to be submitted by Thursday. Not on our email list? Sign up HERE. Thank you for supporting our mission in Romania.   Bishop Lewis formed a work team in May 2020, after being asked by the conference Council on Finance and Administration (CFA) to evaluate the Virginia Conference’s district structure, to consider this important question: “How can districts most effectively order themselves for the adaptive challenges of the 21st century?”
If you haven’t already heard about the work of the District Alignment Team (DAT), you are encouraged to go to www.vaumc.org/dat and view all the resources including the first video from February 8, 2021 with Bishop Lewis and the most recent video from April 5 concerning the position of district developers. The District Alignment Team (DAT) and the subsequent team called the Implementation District Alignment Team (iDAT) have been diligently deliberating the question posed by Bishop Lewis over the last 12 months. The teams are now inviting all clergy and laity in the Virginia Conference to two opportunities to learn more about district alignment and take part in this ongoing conversation. The first listening session will be held Monday, May 3 from 6:30-8 p.m. The second session will be held Monday, May 17 from 6:30-8 p.m. Both sessions will be held through Zoom with registration and log-in information to be provided soon. Interested clergy and lay members should choose the session that works best for their schedule. Each listening session will begin with a short update on the efforts thus far, a few discussion questions, and a period of Q&A. Recordings of both sessions will be shared following the May 17 listening session. To view current district alignment information and resources, visit www.vaumc.org/dat.  Join us on Facebook, YouTube or Sermon-by-Phone for our message, "Have We Forgotten?" To prepare in advance we invite you to read 1 Corinthians 13.
  Thank You, Crooks MUMC, for your ongoing support of our missional partnership with Thrive Peninsula.
Thrive Client Testimonial Kimberly reached out to THRIVE when she fell behind on her rent and found that she couldn't catch up on her own. She worked part-time as a cleaner and received disability, but when health issues started to require more doctors visits and increased medication costs, she fell behind. A friend recommended she turn to THRIVE for help. THRIVE was able to help Kimberly reach a $0 balance on her rent so she could start over. One of Kimberly's main concerns was to find a more affordable place to live and she was pleased when THRIVE provided her with a list of housing resources that could help with her search. Along with the food, and financial coaching session, THRIVE also gave Kimberly a brand new makeup set, that had been purchased by a donor. Kimberly said "the cosmetic case was a true blessing. While struggling to make ends meet it helps to feel good about yourself and boost self confidence."   What is ministry going to look like as we move out of the pandemic?
Join a live webinar event hosted by the Back to In-person Worship Work Group (led by the Rev. Alex Joyner) and Mission and Ministries Work Group (led by the Rev. Doug Forrester) on Monday, April 26, 2021, at 7 p.m. to learn more. Bishop Lewis and members of the workgroups will offer a progress report and announce some new developments. Clergy, Healthy Church Team (HCT) members and lay members of the Virginia Conference are invited to join this event. The event will be streamed live on the Virginia Conference Facebook page (www.facebook.com/vaumconf) on Monday, April 26, at 7 p.m. Annual Conference members are invited to participate in a short survey before the webinar starts. Survey link: https://forms.gle/c6TGCeikjNrW8My58. The In-person Worship Work Group and Mission & Ministries Work Group thank you for your commitment to continuing to be a church together! Click HERE to see Bishop Lewis's invitation letter to join this webinar. |
