January 2014

RaefordUnitedMethodistChurch

308 N. Main St., Raeford, NC 28376

Reverend Steve Castle

(910) 875-2111 FAX 875-0208

(email:)

(website:

ThisismyfirstnewsletterarticlefortheNewYear. IwritethisarticleinDecember,lookingtowardtheyeartocomeasthoughitisalreadyhear. Isn’tthiswhatwe,asChristians,arecalledtodo—tolooktowardthefutureasadonedeal? Isn’tthiswhatfaithisallabout?

ThefirstSundayinJanuaryistheSundayonwhichwecelebrateEpiphany. Thewordepiphanymeans “manifestation” or “revelation"andiscommonlylinkedinWesternChristianitywiththevisitofthewisemen(Magi)totheChristchild.ThroughtheMagi,Christrevealedhimselftothegentiles. IwilltalkmoreabouttheMagiinmysermononSunday,January5.

EpiphanyisaChristianholidaythatiscommemoratedonJanuary6. ItfallsonthetwelfthdayafterChristmas,andforsomedenominationssignalstheconclusionofthetwelvedaysoftheChristmasseason. Moreimportantly,EpiphanyisthedateonwhichwecelebrateGodshowing-up. John’sGospeltellsus:InthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod,andtheWordwasGod. TheWordbecamefleshandmadehisdwellingamongus.Wehaveseenhisglory,thegloryoftheoneandonlySon,whocamefromtheFather,fullofgraceandtruth(John1:114).

Isn’tthisagreatfocusforusin2014—toexpectGodtoshow-up? ExpectingGodtoalwaysbepresentwithus—leadingus? DoingeverythingwedotohonorandglorifyGod? LookingtowardthefutureasGod’splannedfutureforus—asadonedeal?

PattiandIhavebeenwithyouforsixmonths. Insomewaysitseemsmuchlessthanthat,andinotherwaysitseemsasthoughwe’vebeenhereforever. Wefeelverymuchathomehere,andwethankyouforthat. Ilooktowardourfuturetogetherwithhopeandgreatexpectation. IknowthatGodhasawonderfullyblessedfutureplannedforus. RaefordUnitedMethodistChurchhassomuchtooffer.

AswebeginourNewYeartogether,IaskyoualltopraydailyforGod’sguidance,blessing,andwisdomforRaefordUMC. Iaskyoualltopray,askingforGodtoguideandequipyou(us)fortheyearahead,andfordiscernmentonhowyou(we)canserveHimbyservingothersthroughourchurch. I’mexcitedabouttheNewYear. Ihopeyouaretoo.

Remember,GodlovesyouandIloveyou.

THANKYOU!

AngelTreeUpdate-ThankyoutoeveryonewhocontributedagiftormoneyforourAngelTreeProject.Thankstoyourgenerosity,wewereabletoprovide43HokeCountychildrenwithamuchmerrierChristmas.Pleasecontinuetoprayforthesechildrenthroughouttheyear.

MusicalPracticesResumeJanuary15th-Asweenter2014,considerjoiningthechoirorHandbellchoir.Wewouldlovetohaveyou,nomatteryourmusicalexperience.Allarewelcometocomeandjoinusasweworshipthroughmusic.Ipromiseyou'llhavefun!HandbellsmeeteveryWednesdayat5:30andchoirmeetsonWednesdaysat7:30.ContactMarianElliottifyouhaveanyquestions.

UNITEDMETHODISTWOMEN

HappyNewYeartoeveryone!IhopeyourChristmaswasfullofloveandhappiness.

TheRUMWwillbegintheNewyearwithrenewedinterestinsupportofourlocalunitandplanstorecruitmorenewmembersaswell.
TheMissionTeamwillbeplanningUMWprojectsforsocialactionandmissionsthatwill

involveourmembersfinancialsupport,aswellas,givingofourtimeandefforts.Pleaseplantojoinwithusintheseprojectsthroughoutthecomingyear.

Ourfirst2014MissionTeammeetingwillbeSunday,January12thinthefellowshiphall

at4:00pm.Therewillbeplanningforfundraisingprojectsandsocialaction/missioneventsfor2014.

Ourcirclewillbeginmeetingsagain,alsoinJanuary,theMondayMorningBibleStudy/SocialActionGroupwillmeetonMonday,January13that10:00amatthechurch.NormaConnellandDebbyAdamswillserveasco-leaders.TheReadingMissionsGroup,leadbyMaxineColstonandCaseyGalliano,willmeetMonday,January13that4:30pminthefellowshiphall.TheMissionActionDiscussionGroupwillmeetat7:00pm.Tuesday,January14thatthehomeofleaderMerriManning.

Wewelcomeanynonmembertocomeandjoinoneofthesegroups.YouarewantedandneededintheRaefordUnitedMethodistWomen.

YoursinChrist.
VernaBarnhill,VicePresident

CHURCH COUNCIL

AHappyandHealthyNewYeartoyou! 2014bringsnewopportunitiestoserve,withnewideas,newprojectsandpositiveattitudestowardchange. IfyouarenewtotheChurchCouncil,WelcomeAboard! IfyouareareturningCouncilMember,thankyouforyourcontinuedservicetoRaefordUnitedMethodistChurch.

TherearetwoimportantdatesinJanuaryforCouncilMembers:

Rev.CastlewillbeleadingaServiceof InstallationforallChurchOfficersonSunday,January12. Pleaseplantobepresentatthe11:00worshipservice.

OurfirstChurchCouncilmeetingof2014willbeonMonday,January27,at7:00intheFellowshipHall. (ThisisachangefromtheusualthirdMonday,becauseoftheMLKholiday). Pleaseputthisdateonyourcalendarandplantoattend.

IamexcitedforthefutureofRUMC,butthereismuchworktobedone. Joinmeinthisawesometaskaswe “growindiscipleship.”

InHisService,

LindaRichards,CouncilChair

Withwintersettingin,theReadingMissionsGroupoftheRUMWwouldliketocollectneworgentlyworncoats,gloves,toboggans,scarves,andearmuffsforsomeofthechildrenofUpchurchElementarySchool. CaseyGalliano,ateacheratUpchurch,hasnoticedaneedandisheadingupthisprojectalongwithherUMWgroup. TherewillbeacollectionbininthenarthexofthechurchonSundaysandatthebackentryallduringtheweek. Pleaseprayerfullyconsiderdonating.

You are Invited to the

Gateway District Leadership Training Event!

Hosted at Prospect UMC 3929 Missouri Road Maxton, NC 28384

January 26, 2014 3:00-5:30pm

All Lay Persons and Clergy are Encouraged to attend and choose one of these workshops:

1.S/PRCCommittee-- LedbyRev.Dr.SamWynn

TrainingformembersofPastor/ParishandStaff/ParishCommittees(LaityOnly)

2.EngagingOurYouthThroughMissionandMinistry-LedbyDr.MelbaMcCallumandRobertMcDougald

ExplorepossibilitiesforyouthmissionandministrywithY.E.S.(YouthEmpoweredtoSucceed),partofPartnersinMinistry

3.NativeAmericanCooperativeMinistriesintheGatewayDistrict

LedbyPamBakerandGaryLocklear

ExplorepossibilitiesforpartneringincooperativeministrywithintheNativeAmericancongregationsintheGatewayDistrictandbeyond.

4.TheDivineEcho:RespondingtoGodtheCreator- LedbyJayLocklear

TheworkshopwillsharewaysthatyouthcanusetheirGod-givenartisticandcreativeabilitiesandgiftstoparticipateinandenhancethelivesoftheircommunitiesoffaith. Opentoyouthandadults.

5.ExploretheAlphaCourse LedbyRev.JonathanJeffries

AnIntentionalEvangelismTooltoreachpeopleinyourchurchandoutsideyourchurch

7. AmIaLayServantoraLaySpeaker? LedbyDr.ChristineHarmon,Mary

HartsellandGurneyHunt Explorethenewrolesoflayservantandlayspeakerand

comparethe educationalexpectationsforeachrole.

9.VacationBibleSchool2014- LedbyLesleyWomack

Checkoutthe2014Cokesbury,Group,andStandardofferingsforVBSandpurchaseon-site foradiscount! DiscusswhatmodelsforVBShaveworkedforyourlocalchurch.

10. Whoisourneighbor? ChurchandCommunityPartnershipsthatwork!

PanelistsfromHayStreetUMC,PersonSt.UMCandGlenwoodUMC

Hearfromchurcheswhoareactivelypartneredincommunityoutreachwithschools,daycare,feedingministries,andcareoftheelderly-getpracticaladviceaboutbecomingthehandsandfeetofChristinourlocalcommunities!

Wed.NightSupperSchedule

Servers: Delivery:

Jan. 01 NoMeal/Holiday

08 NoMeal/PastorPlanningPeriod

15 BunceFamily KathyBrigman

23 Conoly/Adams WendellYoung

30 UMW/ReadingMission Registers

USHERSFORJAN:GARYBRIGMAN,JAMESPOTTER,JOHNPOPEANDJERRYJEFFRIES

ThePantryisinneedofitemslistedbelow. SmallJarsofMayonnaise,AppleSauce,FruitCocktail,Peaches,SpaghettiNoodles, BeefStew,Spam,Treet,CornedBeefHash,ChickenDumplingsand2lb.BagsofSugar,InstantPotatoes,1lbBoxofGrits,Sml.BagsofRice,CannedYams,Kool-aid andJell-O. Diapersanysize. Monetarydonationsarewelcomeaswelltothisfund.

ThePreschoolProgramfor34yearolds,atourchurchhasopeningsfor2,3or4daysaweek,from9am-12pm. FormoreinformationcontactKarenTappat875-1772or875-2111.

JanuaryBirthdays

01NormaConnell,FayeLippard,

WendyHendrix

04PandaRowland

06WendellYoung

08LiamGentry

10HeatherGlass

14CaseyGalliano

17GaryBrigman

25GeorgeSamanthaHendrix

26RuthOsborne

27IreniAutry,MerriManning,

JamieWarner

Everyone’sbirthdayisimportanttous,youngand “older” alike.IfyouareanewmemberorconstituentofRUMCandyournameisnotonthebirthdaylist,pleaselettheofficeknowsowecanupdatethelist.Thankyou!

IfyouwouldalsoliketosupporttheChildren’sCaféonSundayMornings,youcandoso simplywithyourtipsforthedrinksandlightfareavailable.ThismoneyisbeingusedtosupportVBSaswellasallchildrenactivities.

Raeford UMC Non-Profit Organization

308 N. Main St. Bulk Rate

Raeford, NC 28376 Permit #11

Return address Req. Raeford, NC 28376