So We Are Ambassadors for Christ, God Making His Appeal Through Us

THE AMBASSADOR

“So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20).”

Volume 13, Issue 2 A newsletter for the Pastors and Lay Leadership of the Charlottesville District February 2015

8

February 2015 Page

Don’t forget!

February is Heart Havens Month, a time to remember your brothers and sisters with intellectual disabilities, your neighbors, in Heart Havens homes right next door and across the Virginia Conference. There are many ways to help and we have a menu of opportunities from a speaker, to a paper drive or showing a video. Please share this information with your congregation, add Heart Havens to your church calendar, and contact Heart Havens for more information at 1-877-442-8368 (toll-free).

Sara Becker

Development Assistant

Heart Havens, Inc.

812 Moorefield Park Drive

Suite 301

Richmond, Virginia 23236

Phone: 804-237-6097

Toll Free: 1-877-442-8368

Fax: 804-237-6098

www.hearthavens.org

C’ville District Wide Fundraiser for Heart Havens- Save the Date!!!!

Saturday, May 16, 2015

8:00am-1:00pm

This will be a huge yard sale plus other activities. We will have this event at 3 churches across the District!!!

Mega Media Sale

OnSaturday, March21st, 2015a Stanardsville UMC Life Groupplans to hold a used multi-media sale to benefit Heart Havens. It will be held at the American Legion Post 128, 638 Madison Road in Stanardsville, 22973. We need to get the word out now so that persons in the district will begin saving their used books, tapes, DVDs, and CDs for donation to the sale. The only media that cannot be accepted are used sets of encyclopedias.

Here are the drop- off sites for the mega media sale-

Nelson UMC- Wed 10-2; Sundays 9:45-12:30 or call

Crozet UMC

Ivy Creek UMC

Aldersgate UMC

Amissville UMC-call

Culpeper UMC- Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30

Trinity-Orange - Tues, Wed, Fri 9-12

Annual United Methodist Day at the General Assembly

Once again, we are extending an invitation to our brothers and sisters across the Virginia Conference to join us for this day of fellowship, advocacy, meeting with legislators and hearing from individuals who are well versed on issues before the General Assembly. The 2015 event will be held on Thursday, February 5.

To obtain information about the event, go to the Virginia Conference website at www.vaumc.org. Click on "conference calendar", then click on Feb. 5, 2015.

Bishop’s Convocation on Prayer

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Trinity UMC, 903 Forest Ave., Richmond

Both laity and clergy are invited to attend.

Registration Cost: $10 – includes lunch

Register at www.vaumc.org

Deadline to register is March 16.

The Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey, Director of Missional Church Initiatives in the West Ohio Conference UMC, will be the plenary speaker. There will also be small group learning opportunities in the areas of prayer and Wesleyan spiritual disciplines.

Robert Rogers to speak

Robert’s worldwide ministry called Mighty in the Land, (www.IntoTheDeep.org) brings his testimony to congregations of all denominations and sizes, and to various secular organizations. Robert is an accomplished musician, songwriter, pianist, author, and Christian speaker who has been featured in Focus on the Family magazine and Billy Graham’s Decision magazine. He is the author of several books including Into the Deep, and A Life of No Regrets. Integrity Music has published Robert’s original composition, How Can I Glorify?

In addition, Robert has founded Mighty in the Land Foundation, (a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation), dedicated to advance adoption and care for orphans and special needs children worldwide. The foundation has funded the Melissa Home (Russia-2006), Makenah’s Home (Rwanda-2009), and Alenah’s Home (Beijing, China-2010). Robert’s vision is to sponsor at least five worldwide orphanages to honor each of his heavenly family members lost in the flood.

We have arranged for Robert to come to our church on Sunday, February 8, 2015 at 2:30 PM. This special one-time appearance is open to our entire community. Robert’s ministry calling is to turn the hearts of people to God, and the hearts of parents and children to one another worldwide. I promise you, if you come to witness Robert’s amazing artistry of sacred music, Christian Scripture, and personal testimony, your heart will find itself turned to God in ways you never thought possible. Make plans now to join us on Sunday, February 8, 2015 at 2:30 PM, at Stanardsville UMC, 25 Court Street, Stanardsville.

In Christ,

Pastor Chuck

District Youth

District Youth Retreat

February 27, 28 and March 1, 2015

Westview on the James

All youth grades 6-12 invited

Cost: $75 per person by February 2.

February 2-9 cost is $100 per person

No registrations accepted after February 9.

A nonrefundable deposit of $35per person is required with registration form.

Register early and save!

Retreat begins Friday at 7 p.m.

Plan to eat before you arrive!

Each church is challenged to raise $150 for the Stop Hunger Now Packaging Event that will be held at the Retreat. We will also be collecting Campbell Soup Labels for the Henry Fork Service Center in Rocky Mount, VA and toiletries for TOP (Teens Opposing Poverty).

Questions? Contact Rebecca Wagner at 434-823-4645 or

SAVE THE DATE!

Fifth Sunday Praise and Worship

March 29, 2015

3-5 p.m.

Mineral UMC will host.

The Academy for Spiritual Formation®

Since 1983 The Upper Room has offered The Academy for Spiritual Formation® as an in-depth experience in Christian spiritual formation for clergy and laity. This letter is to announce that a two-year Academy (#37) will be starting August 2015 in the Southeastern Jurisdiction.

As a way to help your Conference benefit from this unique offering, following this note you will find information about the matching grant program which will provide up to $5000 to help individuals from your Conference participate.

The Academy is an intense two-year program which brings participants together for 40 days (5 days each quarter) for worship, silence, covenant groups and study. Sixteen courses form the backbone of the Academy; worship and small groups shape its heart and soul. Once called “the best kept secret in the United Methodist Church,” an independent research study funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment confirms the Academy’s effectiveness.* Participants emerge with a deeper relationship with God, a better sense of self- and soul-care and more creativity and freedom for the practice of ministry.

While ecumenical in outreach, the Academy is Wesleyan in spirit, balancing an emphasis upon personal and social holiness. During the first year, emphasis is placed on deepening one’s life in Christ; during the second year participants are encouraged to focus on engaging the needs of the world. Disciplines of body (health and wellness) as well as mind and spirit (lectures and worship) provide renewed vitality on many levels.

This is an expensive and time-demanding program. That’s why we developed the matching grant program which we call Encouraging Spiritual Leaders (ESL). Here’s how it works.

We invite you to identify up to five persons in your Conference (clergy or lay) whom you feel could benefit from this program and who would be a benefit to others. After they’ve applied and been accepted into the Academy (usually routine), The Upper Room will match the Conference support up to $1000 per participant and up to $5000 total per Conference. You are free to select the individuals using whatever process you wish. For more information about how this process works, see the enclosed letter.

Academy #37 begins August 3, 2015. All sessions will be at the Sumatanga Camp & Conference Center in Gallant, AL. More information about the Academy, including the dates for all eight sessions, is available on our website. Copies of our brochure and prospectus are available online or upon request by emailing .

Thank you for your commitment to spiritually vital, alive leadership in the UMC!

Sincerely,

Johnny Sears

Director, The Academy for Spiritual Formation and Emerging Ministries

“I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of … the congregation” (Psalm 111:1, ESV). It lifts my soul to sing your praises, God!

5 Talent Academy

Registration is now open for the 5 Talent Academy’s February 21 Ministry with the Poor event.Our keynote speaker will be Shane Claiborne, author and visionary leader of The Simple Way, a faith community in inner city Philadelphia that has helped birth and connect radical faith communities around the world.

Registration is open to all Virginia Conference churches regardless of previous membership or affiliation with the 5 Talent Academy. Visithttp://www.vaumc.org/5Talentto register today. Join us on Saturday, February 21, 2015 from 9 AM- 3PM for this important event.

Do you want to make a difference in your community by partnering WITH and serving alongside the poor? Then this is the event for you! Bring your outreach team and your chair of missions. Come with your Sunday School class or your UMW. This event is designed for all who desire to be in mission in new and different ways. Group discounts available.

This event costs $25/person and lunch is provided. We encourage you to bring a team from your church so that together you can experience the event and can take the information and new ideas back to your church together.For this event we are offering an incredible discount. If your church registers four attendees, you may register a fifth attendee for FREE.So, you can bring a team of five and will only be charged the price of four ($100).This offer is only good at the time of registration—all 5 attendees must be registered together at one time.

This event will take place at 10 locations across the conference to bring it within about an hour’s drive of your church home. Please be sure to select the proper location when you register.

•  Eastern Shore: Grace UMC (Parksley) 18484 Wilson Ave, Parksley, VA 23421

•  Lynchburg: Park View Community Mission 2420 Memorial Ave Memorial at Wadsworth, Lynchburg, VA 24501

•  Martinsville: First UMC 146 E Main St, Martinsville, VA 24112

•  Richmond: Woodlake UMC 15640 Hampton Park Drive, Chesterfield, VA 23832

•  Roanoke: Thrasher Memorial UMC 707 E Washington Ave, Vinton, VA 24179

•  Shenandoah Valley: Bridgewater UMC 219 N Main St, Bridgewater, VA 22812

•  Stafford: Ebenezer UMC* 161 Embrey Mill Rd, Stafford, VA 22554

•  Tidewater: Grace Harbor UMC 3328A Western Branch Blvd, Chesapeake, VA 23321

•  Winchester: Macedonia UMC 1941 Macedonia Church Rd, White Post, VA 22663

•  Yorktown: St. Luke’s UMC 300 Ella Taylor Rd, Grafton, VA 23692

*The event will be broadcast live at Ebenezer UMC in Stafford.

We look forward to seeing you in February. For more information contact the Center for Congregational Excellence.

-The 5 Talent Academy Leadership

Change of Date:

Culpeper UMC VIM trip to Georgia will be April 26 - May 2, 2015. The next team meeting will be February 15, 2015 at 4 PM at the Culpeper UMC. Any person over the age of 16 that wants to put feet to faith is invited to join the team. For more information contact Arthur Fellows - 540-229-6693 or .

In his service, Pastor Art

UMW Events

FEBRUARY

5th - United Methodist Day at the General Assembly - Richmond. 7th - 2015 Charlottesville District local officers training 10-12am, location TBA

MARCH

6-7th - Virginia Conference Executive Team Meeting in Dumfries District President only

7th - District Lenten Event. Program and location TBA

APRIL FYI Dian will be out of the country from April 25th to June 1st. 11th...... Executive Team meeting 10am at Aldersgate, Friendship room upstairs.

Newsletter articles to Communications Coordinator by the 19th.

Save the Date-Imagine No Malaria

Tuesday, March 17, the Charlottesville District will have a Spirit Day at the Chick-fil-A on Woodbrook Drive in Charlottesville. More information will be given in the March newsletter.

2015 College Scholarships

Calling All High School Seniors . . . membership at VUMCU gives students access to apply for the following scholarships:

· $1000 VUMCU Scholarship

· $1000 Richmond Chapter of Credit Unions Scholarships (2)

Any member of a United Methodist Church or organization within the Virginia Conference is eligible for membership at VUMCU and just $5.00 opens an account. The scholarships are for freshmen entering college in the Fall 2015. Applications are due late March. Email to request an application.

Fearless Caregiver Conference

Friday, March 13, 2015

8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Drysdale Student Center, Lynchburg College

The Beard Center on Aging and Home Instead Senior Care, in collaboration with the Caregiver Media Group, will be hosting The Fearless Caregiver Conference. This is the first time this national conference will be held in Virginia and the event is part of the conference’s 20th Anniversary tour.

Guest speaker will be Gary Barg, author of The Fearless Caregiver and editor-in-chief of Today’s Caregiver magazine. As a former caregiver himself, Gary has a unique insight into the stresses and problems that caregivers face on a daily basis. His presentation is educational and entertaining, as he interacts with his audience. Gary will also host a guest panel of experts in eldercare and caregiving to answer questions from the audience.

The cost for the conference is $15 for family caregivers and $35 for professionals. A limited number of scholarships are available. The cost of registration includes lunch and refreshments. The event is open to the public and reservations must be received by March 10, 2015. To register, call 434.544.8456, email or register online.

Mission Trip

Hello,on November 22, 2014 my wife Heather and I left for 14 days in Cuba. We flew out of Reagan National to Miami; we then had a 15 hour layover until our flight to Cuba. Needless to say we were a little tired when we got to Havana. We had the pleasure of staying at the Methodist center there. We spent Monday getting paper work done and visiting the work sight. We were going to be working on the houses for seminary students. For the rest of the trip that's where we would be. The women had "women's" work to do. They painted the steel window frames in one of the houses. The paint was thinned with gasoline. They used old paint brushes. The men worked on many different things. Some of us sifted sand for cement. Some dug dirt out of the houses to level the floors. We also bent rebar for the support of the cement columns we would pour our second week there. We shoveled and moved stones infused with clay. It was hard work. We had an old beat up wheel barrow, three short handle shovels, a pick, and a cement hoe.