Wellspring Witness - WellspringMethodist.org

Wellspring Witness
Newsletter of Wellspring United Methodist Church
River of Joy, flowing deep in
my soul, Wellspring of Life,
come make me whole”
MEET OUR CALLING21 SUMMER INTERN:
Hi, y’all! My name is Brett Stadtlander and I am
Wellspring’s Calling21 intern for the summer. I am
originally from Manhattan, Kansas, but I go to school at
Simpson College, which is just south of Des Moines,
Iowa. I am majoring in Religion, have a minor in
Gender Studies, and will be graduating in December.
Calling21 is a program put on by the Virginia
Conference to give young adults the opportunity to
discern how God is calling them. My theology
professor is originally from Virginia, so he connected me
with the Calling21 program. While he was a part of how I got here, I
also think it is important that I explain some of the rest of the story.
My Grandpa Bob is a United Methodist pastor, so I grew up in the UMC.
I first perceived my call to the ordained ministry when I was in the seventh
grade. I have spent years trying to articulate what a call feels like to a seventh
grader, and the closest I can get is to say that I knew the church was my home,
and that God gave me a passion for theology and for meeting people exactly
where they are. It only made sense that I felt led to the ordained ministry.
This issue:
COVER:
Meet Our Summer Intern
2013 Mission Trip
INSIDE:
35 ARK
Wellspring Memories
Radical Hospitality
Cooking With The Bible
Spiritual Development
UMYF
Back to School…
We Need You…
Special Note
Jerusalem Marketplace
Music & Worship Arts
From His Hands News
Stephen Ministry
Office Notes
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Since the seventh grade, my calling has become clearer and more specific,
but it is still the same calling. For the past couple of years I have been discerning
a call to be a church planter. This is somewhat frightening to me as I find church planting to be a special task
that must have a particular purpose. I am unsure as to what my purpose for church planting is, but I am
trusting that when that time comes, God will give me clarity if I have ears to listen.
I am eager to learn about everything that goes into a healthily functioning church. My prayer for this
summer is that I may grow in my faith and in my ability to hear God’s call on my life. Thank you for
welcoming me into the family that is Wellspring and I am looking forward to getting to know each one of you!
Brett Stadtlander
2013 Mission Trip July 21-26
Keeping our Mission Team in your prayers
As our mission team heads to New Jersey to assist with Hurricane
Sandy clean-up, we ask you keep them in your daily prayers for
safe travel, healthy ministry with no injuries, and an open heart to
share Jesus.
This year’s team includes: Amanda Ritchie, Dylan LaVolpe,
Leighton Turner, Michael Keller, Tess Anderson, Sebastian McGuire, Pastor Edward and Cindi Eicher.
May God be glorified in the work of their hands!
“To Care…as Jesus Cares”
JULY 2013
35ARK
Clipboards….
Mark your calendars for
OCTOBER 13TH
when we will have a combined
10:00 service for our anniversary
celebration.
Please remember the power of the
written word as an instrument of
Random Acts of Kindness as
engraved at the entrance of the
National Postal Museum in
Washington DC:
MESSENGER OF SYMPATHY
AND LOVE
CONSOLER OF THE LONELY
BOND OF SCATTERED FAMILY
SERVANT OF PARTED FRIENDS
ENLARGER OF THE COMMON
LIFE
…now what can one say about clipboards that people
would even want to bother reading? Certainly
sounds like a boring topic (you may even agree once
you've read this bit of trivia). But like many an old tale
that begins with, "When I was young we didn't
have....." clipboards have their place in Wellspring
Memories.
About 10-15 years ago prayer requests and oral
announcements took 20 minutes before worship even
started. Then at the end of the service people lined
up at various homemade posters to sign up as
volunteers. A sort of weekly disorder reigned and
something had to be done. Marg Kutz, our pastor at
the time, created the clipboard ministry that we have
today and it is working. Problem solved!
Of course it needed many modifications to become
the mainstay it is today but we wouldn't function well
without it. Attendance records, envelopes, special
giving, volunteer lists easily taken care of with just a
minute of your time. How simple. How useful.
35th Anniversary Committee
Joyce Huffman
Radical Hospitality
Radical Hospitality would like to graciously thank all the
volunteers who helped make this year's Farewell Clergy
Luncheon a successful and memorable event here at Wellspring!
Maria LaVolpe, Chair, Radical Hospitality
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“To Care…as Jesus Cares”
JULY 2013
Cooking with the Bible
Saturday, July 20
10:00am-12:00pm
This one-time class studies
how food plays a major part in
bible stories. Join Lori Shahan
as she shares about food
traditions during bible times
while the class prepares a
meal to be shared for lunch.
Registration limited to 6 min/
10 max. Cost $8.00. Register by emailing Cindi Eicher at
[email protected]. Deadline to register is July 10.
Do you have wireless at home? Do you
have a large screen TV you could plug
your computer to?
Would you be willing to host a small group
for one a night a week for about 6 weeks?
Then this ministry might be just for you!
We have an amazing opportunity to offer
bible studies that are streamed through
the internet. We just need host locations
to hold the classes. A host would be
responsible for connecting their computer to a large enough screen for a small group
to see and hear the streamed study. The number of participants would be
determined by how many your room could comfortably accommodate. Host may also
take the role of class facilitator if they wish, but that is not required.
Please sign the clipboard (along with how many people you might be able to
host), and Cindi will contact you with logistical details about the streaming.
3
“To Care…as Jesus Cares”
JULY 2013
 July 3, 10am
Movie at New Town: Alvin and the Chipmunks
Cost: $1.00 + snack $$ Register by July 2
UMYF
CORNER
 July 12, 13
Overnight Camping at Chickahominy River Park;
Cost: $7.00 Registration deadline was June 23
 July 17, 10am Movie at New Town: ParaNorman
Cost: $1.00 + snack $$ Register by July 16
 July 21-26
Mission Team in NJ
 July 31, 10am
Movie at New Town: Journey 2: Mysterious Island;
Cost: $1.00 + snack $$ Register by July 30
Contact Cindi to register or for more information.
258-5008 or [email protected]
BACK TO SCHOOL??!!
Yes! I know many of you have children that just graduated or are out for
summer, but William and Mary students start back in August!!
As we have done previous years, we will be helping to supply packaged
cookies and lemonade for the freshman moving in and starting classes in
August.
Your contribution will be a big boost for a number of young people new to
Williamsburg, and the W & M campus.
A basket will be available in the gathering space starting Sunday July 28th.
Donations of packaged cookies and lemonade will be taken until Sunday August 11th.
Monetary donations can be put in one of the pew envelopes. Please mark "COOKIES
WILLIAM & MARY" on the envelope.
Truly a way to "Care as Jesus Cares" is to do a kindness for someone who may never know the exact
source of that kindness. Watch your bulletin for reminders of our cookie crusade in late July & early
August!
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“To Care…as Jesus Cares”
JULY 2013
Hi boys and girls!
How am I like a Sunday School leader?
We both have…
Big ears for listening
Big eyes for seeing a need
Big hands for helping
Big feet for bringing children together
Big mouth for encouraging others and smiling
Big heart for sharing Jesus’ love
WE NEED YOU!!!!!!!!
We are in immediate need for a teacher for our Grade
1-2 Sunday school class at 10:00am.
All lesson plans are supplied.
It’s easy, rewarding, and part of your gift to Wellspring
and His Kingdom.
Contact Cindi for how you can get plugged into this ministry!
[email protected] or 258-5008
Your Sunday best doesn’t need to smell…
There are many people around the world who suffer from mild to
very serious allergic, asthmatic, immunologic and neurological
reactions to fragrances. And some of these are people who
worship at Wellspring. From hair spray to perfume to lotion to
laundry detergent to deodorant to cologne, it seems most
products these days are manufactured with a fragrance. For
some people, it’s a non-issue. For others, breathing in
fragrances may just be an annoyance. But for a growing
number of others, these smells may react in ways that pose
serious health concerns. Those with asthma, allergies, migraines
and chronic lung disease may find themselves literally fighting for a
breath of fresh air.
Please be sensitive to those around you and consider not wearing perfume or cologne during your time at
Wellspring on Sunday mornings. A simple gesture of cutting down or eliminating unnecessary smells may
greatly enhance others’ worship experience. Thank you!
5
“To Care…as Jesus Cares”
JULY 2013
Jerusalem Marketplace
Saturday, September 29 from 1pm-4pm
Wellspring will again host our Jerusalem experience in September. This fun and
interactive day will welcome our community to experience Jesus and His disciples during
their trek into Jerusalem. As visitors approach the city gates to Jerusalem, they have a
sense they are about to step back in time.
Our Marketplace is set during the final
week of Jesus’ days in Jerusalem, during
the traditional celebration of Passover.
Just like Jerusalem in biblical times, our
town is filled with tents which house
market shops where visitors can become
apprentices and learn a new skill or trade.
With shops such as carpentry, bakery,
music, crafts, jewelry, herbs and spices,
pottery and more, visitors are immersed in
the sights and sounds of a vibrant and
active town.
We need many hands to help with this event!



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Lead a marketplace shop to teach a skill to the visitors
Be a helper to a shop leader
Supply materials needed by either direct purchasing or donating funds
Help with set up and/or clean-up crew
Be on the drama team to play out bible stories in town
See Cindi to help out or to get more information about this community ministry!
258-5008 or [email protected]
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“To Care…as Jesus Cares”
JULY 2013
Notes from Music & Worship Arts
A big thank you to all of the people who braved the elements to come to Cross Purposes
Concert it meant a lot to us. I know the storm kept a lot of people away that really wanted to be
there, but not to worry there will be another concert and we will be having CD’s available
again soon. We were very happy that we had the turn out we did giving the flooding in town.
Once again thank you all very much. Cross Purposes also led the musical part of worship at the
Annual Conference at the convention center in Hampton and will be leading Sunday Worship
in July for Rev Tom Tipton.
Our 3rd annual Rock With Jesus Camp with the theme Shine You Light will be another
successful Camp. It gets a little bigger every year, lighting the spark in young members to be a
part of worship and learning to shine their light. So many people are a part of this adventure
making it possible with their time and donations thank you so much.
On June 30th Wellspring will have enjoyed a pulpit exchange with New Zion, with
Wellsprings Choir and Cross Purposes. I’m always so glad to see so many of you join us to
share that uplifting worship experience at New Zion.
Have a great summer everyone, see you at church!
Blessings,
Gail
From His Hands News
If you are new to Wellspring, you may not know what
From His Hand is all about. FHH is a hunger ministry
involving 13 churches and the Salvation Army in
Williamsburg who serve our neighbors in Grove on
Thursday evenings, homeless families at Family Inn and
Motel 6 on Friday evenings and a monthly Saturday
lunch and craft program in the Highland Park area of the
city. Wellspring prepares and serves quarterly at Grove
Outreach and prepares and delivers a meal on the 3rd
Friday of every month to the Family Inn. Our next meal
at Grove Outreach will be prepared Thursday July
25th. Cooks will be needed to prepare the meal at
Wellspring (or make a casserole in their home kitchen)
from 2-4 p.m. Servers are needed at Grove from 5-6
p.m. Items such as canned vegetables or brownies will
also be needed for the meal.
If you feel called to help with this ministry, please sign up
on the poster by the kitchen in the Gathering
Space or e-mail Martie Severin at
[email protected]. We have lost several faithful
volunteers who helped with cooking and serving so
new volunteers are most welcome!!
This ministry is in special need of a standby
canteen driver who is willing to take the
training (45 min.) and drive the vehicle if our
regular driver isn’t available for one of our
quarterly servings.
Through Wellspring’s work with Grove Outreach,
the church was able to get a full size commercial
freezer from Grove when they moved into their new
building. This was given to us free of charge and
will be very helpful in storing casseroles prepared
for dinners and other church functions.
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“To Care…as Jesus Cares”
JULY 2013
STEPHEN MINISTERS
I’m So Grateful for Stephen Ministry!
By a man who received care from a Stephen Minister…
Fourteen months ago, I was at a point in my life where I needed someone to
talk to about struggles in my life. My pastor recommended I consider
meeting with a Stephen Minster-another man, trained as a caregiver, who
would walk with me during this difficult time. Trusting someone with
personal information about my life was something I feared at first, but my
pastor reassured me that everything was confidential, so I agreed to give it a
try. I’m so glad I did!
Soon after meeting my Stephen Minister, I quickly sensed I could trust him.
Part of that trust came from knowing he was trained to help people through
their problems. He made me feel comfortable by not prying for information,
but instead just letting me share what was on my mind. Any questions he
did ask fit our conversation appropriately. Probably the best thing he did for
me was not judging me for my past decisions; rather, he was there to help me
move forward. I think another significant trust-building factor was being able
to talk with someone who was not in my regular circle of friends. My friends
certainly continued to have a very important place in my life, but I also
needed someone who could see me objectively. That helped make it easier to
share personal parts of my life. Also, knowing my Stephen Minister would
be there for me “next week” (we usually met for an hour each week) gave me
confidence. I see now how much I needed regular encouragement as I walked
through the roller coaster of emotions that came during this period of
instability in my life.
I really appreciated our times together. Our weekly visits were more than
just meeting to talk. They also helped keep me accountable between times,
to carry through with the changes I said I wanted to make. My Stephen
Minister often went out of his way to help me in my struggle.
My life experience during the 10 months I met with my Stephen Minister was
not always one of progress. It took courage for me to honestly share when I
had my failures and setbacks too. Even then my Stephen Minister was there
for me. He encouraged me not to give up, but to pick up and keep going
forward.
What is Stephen Ministry?
Stephen Ministry is a way
congregations can provide highquality care and outreach to hurting
people in the congregation &
community.
Stephen Ministers are congregation
members who have gone through
50 hours of training to provide
one-to-one, Christ-centered care.
Each Stephen Minister is matched
with a hurting person―men are
paired with men, women with
women―and meets weekly with
that person to listen, care, pray &
encourage.
Stephen Ministers care for those
dealing with grief, divorce, job loss,
hospitalization, financial struggles,
loneliness, convalescence, terminal
illness, and many other life
difficulties.
If you or someone you
know could use a Stephen
Minister, please call:
Beth Burroughs 645-3372
[email protected]
That genuine acceptance spoke to me the most; not to accept failure, but to
confess, turn, and receive forgiveness. Having someone assure me of that
biblical truth was really encouraging and was exactly what I needed. My
Stephen Minister walked with me through a really dark part of my life,
pointing me to the truth and love that is in Christ. I thank the Lord for my
Stephen Minister who did not try to solve all my problems but lovingly, as a
Christian brother, walked with me through this valley in my life.
If you are dealing with some type of crisis or difficulty in life,
I encourage you to meet with a Stephen Minister. You won’t regret it!
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Office Notes…
4871 Longhill Road
Williamsburg, VA 23188
Phone: (757) 258-5008
[email protected]
Sunday Schedule:
8:45 am – Traditional Service
9:45 am – 10:45 am – Fellowship
10:00 am – 10:45 am – Education
11:00 am – Contemporary Service
Wednesday:
6:30 pm – UMYF
Office Hours:
Office Closed July 4
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Monday – Friday
*Subject to change
Staff:
Rev. Edward Hopkins – Pastor
Cathy Holden – Administrative Assistant
Wil Colton – Treasurer
Gail Scullion – Music Director
Lori Shahan – Choir Director
Sunni Choi – Accompanist
Cindi Eicher – Director of Christian Ed.
Laura Peintere – Nursery Coordinator
Katie Hill – Nursery Assistant
The Wellspring Witness is published each month.
The deadline for submitting articles and information
for publication is the 15th of the month prior. Please
send submissions to [email protected]
or call 757-258-5008. Thank you!
“Live in such a way that
those who know you,
but don’t know God,
will come to know God
because they know you.”
(Unknown)
Get Connected…
Wellspring Witness
Newsletter of Wellspring United Methodist Church
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month by email. Email church office:
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