Anchor - First United Methodist Church of Fox Hill
Transcription
Anchor - First United Methodist Church of Fox Hill
J AN U AR Y 2 015 INSIDE THIS ISSUE ”Turning the Corner” FINANCIALS 2 FIFTY PLUS 3 FOX FRIENDS 3 GIVE THANKS 4 NEEDS 5 CIRCLE MEETINGS 5 NIGHT’S WELCOME 5 JANUARY BIRTHDAY’S 6 JANUARY 7 CALENDAR OPEN DOOR SERIES 6 WORSHIP ASST. 8 DISTRICT INFO 8 SINGLE & PARENTING 9 LOSE IT FOR 9 LIFE Last month, I wrote about beginnings and endings. This month, I invite you to reflect for a moment about corners. We usually use the phrase “turning the corner” when someone is ill and begins to get better. When we start coming out of debt, we turn the corner financially. Most of the time, “turning the corner” is a good thing – it means things are looking up and improving. When I was learning to drive, my older brothers taught me about driving through a corner – you slow down as you approach it, but you pour on the gas just before you reach the corner. If the road is made well and the car in good shape, and you are propelled into the next stretch of the road. There is an art to turning corners! Every time I have served a church, I have thought about the corners I came into and sometimes turned. There were moments when I thought things were im- proving only to discover they weren’t. At other moments, I thought things were getting worse, only to discover I had judged a person or situation wrongly. Let me get to the point: I have occasionally regretted being pessimistic, but I have never regretted being optimistic, even if I was wrong. You see, when I am pessimistic, I make decisions to protect myself, but when I am optimistic, I make decisions to build the kingdom of God. Even better, when I temper optimism with reality, I can both help build the kingdom of God, and I can also make better decisions that look out for everyone’s interests. As we round the corner to 2015, I invite you to test my experience: Be hopeful for the future and make decisions to build the kingdom of God, and see if it doesn’t make a difference! The worst that can happen is disappointment. Disappointment, though, is something we can learn from. Regret is something that causes us to stop learning and growing. So – go ahead and try it: Invite a neighbor to church, be hopeful and act on that hope by getting involved in ministry, be realistically optimistic and participate in a ministry, or even start one up! No matter what you do as a part of our church family, we all seek to follow the One who said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:5) May Jesus’ words be the words we follow and live by in 2015! Your fellow servant in Christ Jesus, PAGE 2 Financial Fundamentals This periodic report briefly addresses finances at FUMC Fox Hill. The latest weekly and year-to-date information is printed weekly in The Sail available at every service or in the church office. I am writing this in mid-December, before our year is over, so it doesn’t fully wrap up our finances for the year. We have certainly had some positives for the year. Our annual pumpkin patch was the third best net in history…and we missed second place by just over $26. Along the way, we had an excellent outreach to our neighbors and fellowship with our church family. We are continuing to pay down our mortgage. As of the end of November, our outstanding balance was $651,684. During the first eleven months of 2014 we reduced our loan balance by $62,497 through normal monthly payments, $3,694 through designated additional payments on principal, and $7,333 through memorial gifts. We were able to complete several parsonage maintenance projects which had been deferred far too long. Throughout the year we have paid our operational bills on time. Total One Fund – Through November 2014 By the end of January, you will Income For Planned Expenses1 $528,436 receive a statement of your 2014 Total One Fund Planned These $621,965 pledge and/or giving. Expenses statements should never be conActual $534,944 (excludes pass sidered a bill and are for you to through2) help us ensure we correctly recPass Through Income2 $18,708 ord your intent and actions, as Pass Through Expense2 $21,836 well as provide a tax record for “Pay-It-Forward” Contributions $4,662 you. If you ever have any ques1 Includes regular and memorial contributions, building tions about your giving, please contact the finance staff promptuse income, interest, etc. 2 This item represents funds contributed, but passed ly. through to non-budget items, e.g., flowers, Advocate subscriptions, special mission programs, etc. God blesses us many ways; let us return to the giver a receive. portion of what we If you have any concerns or questions about FUMC FH finances, please contact our financial staff through the church office or Bill Bryan, Finance Chair, at 851-0748 or by e-mail to [email protected]. PAGE 3 Fifty Plus It is nearly time for our annual “planning” breakfast at Golden Corral. We’ll meet there, socialize, discuss possible future outings, and do our best to eat them out of food. Mark your calendar for the annual event at 8:15 am on Saturday, January 10. Please reserve a space so we can have an idea how much room we need. Everyone will pay on their own upon entering (senior price for the breakfast buffet, beverage, and tax, but NOT gratuity is now about $11 inclusive). On the evening of Saturday, February 14 we will enjoy a meal and home-grown entertainment at Phoebus UMC. Dinner is a threecourse meal with salad, your choice of a seafood (crab and shrimp melt) or roast beef entrée, and dessert. Following the meal, members of the church will provide entertainment. This is an annual fund raiser for Phoebus UMC and cost is $30. Please provide your entrée choice when making your paid reservation. Phoebus UMC is known for their great meals! While this outing is on Valentine’s Day, it is for everyone. Don’t miss our March 14 afternoon outing to the Williamsburg Players rendition of The 39 Steps. Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python, and you have The 39 Steps. This fast-paced, romantic thriller/comedy/parody, 2-time Tony® and Drama Desk Award-winning treat, is packed with nonstop laughs and over 150 zany characters (played by a cast of 4). Richard Hannay, a man with a boring life, meets a woman with a thick accent who says she's a spy. When he takes her home, she is murdered. Soon, a mysterious organization called "The 39 Steps" is hot on Hannay’s trail. From an epic train chase to a feisty love interest, Hannay has his work cut out for him as he searches for the truth about The 39 Steps. This wild afternoon outing will culminate with dinner. Cost is just $18 plus your meal. Watch The Sail in the weekly bulletin for information about our April outing. Our 4-day, 3-night, spring trip this year takes us to mountain country in and around Elkins, WV, as well as stops in Fredericksburg and Monticello, VA. From Wednesday – Saturday, May 27 – 30, we’ll do historical and medical sites from the Civil War era, take an incredible train ride, see wonderful theatrical performances, and enjoy delicious meals. Along the way we will also enjoy some fascinating attractions. Information and sign-up sheets are still available in the Narthex. If you want to go, but need a roommate, let us know and we’ll see if we can work it out with someone else looking. Remember, as previously on our long trips, bus seating is based on your signup date. As of midDecember, the bus is more than half filled and we are notifying our neighboring churches about the trip. Don’t miss out on the fun…contact us soon. Remember, we will continue to put pictures from our previous outings on the table in front of the Fifty Plus bulletin board. Help yourself to any pictures you would like. We will replace the pictures every couple weeks or so. For reservations and/or questions for any Fifty Plus outing, contact Anne or Bill Bryan at 851-0748 or by e-mail to [email protected]. Fox Hill Friends We plan to continue to work with Cary Elementary students this year. We work with children who have been identified as needing additional help with academics or self-esteem. All that is needed to volunteer is a love for children and an hour or more a week to help a child or children. You will be able to choose the day and time that is best for you and say which grade level you prefer. We are assigned a child or a small group of children and work with them in the classroom under the guidance of the teacher. It can be very rewarding to see “your” student(s) grow in both knowledge and selfassurance. The teachers are very understanding if we are unable to be there every week and are very appreciative for any help we can provide. One of our volunteers last year was Bruce Guthrie who spent many hours with the children and was nominated for an award for his work with them. So many of the children do not have fathers in their homes so it was great for them to have a male role model. Please contact me if you are willing to participate in this worthwhile program at [email protected] or 850-4013. Thanks. I would also like to thank each of you for all of the school supplies you have provided. The generosity of the Shepherds Outreach Choir was amazing! When I delivered the first load, two of the teachers were there and helped me unload them. They were so pleased to see what our church has done for them. They said we would be surprised to know how many children come to school with no supplies. Betty Knaub, coordinator PAGE 4 Thank you so much for the cards, calls, visits, flowers, food and most of all, your prayers during my recovery. I am so blessed to be part of such a caring church family. Love in Christ, Peggy Porter Giving Thanks Thank You I want to thank my Church family for the many prayers, fun visits, wonderful food, balloons, flowers and other things that made me smile. Everything was so appreciated. I wish everyone could have the Church family we all enjoy. God is good - all the time. Bonnie Hulton I cannot thank you enough for your support during the last thirteen months. Your prayers, cards, concerns and caring helped tremendously in getting me and my family through the cancer treatments and recovery. The power of prayer is a wonderful presence in our lives, and it is awesome to be able to say “I am cancer free”. Bill Snider Dear Church Family, Thank you seems so inadequate to express the sincere gratitude we feel for your many expressions of love and support during these past few months as we dealt with Glenn’s surgery, recovery and ultimately his passing. Your prayers, cards, flowers, visits, food, hugs, attendance at the Life Celebration Service held on November 8th, and your many acts of love and kindness have helped more than you can ever know. We ask for your continued prayers as we work through the challenging weeks and months ahead. In Christian love and gratitude Evelyn Boone, David Boone and Olivia Johnson PAGE 5 Ushers Needed The 2015 usher schedule has been put together. However, there is a serious shortage of ushers for the 11:00 services - five to be specific. When you look at the “This week…” section of the weekly bulletin under “Ushers for the month” and see an asterisk – there is a shortage in that service. Thus, the team captain must enlist help from service attendees to collect the Offertory. This should not be necessary. It takes little time to assist particularly if you are a regular attendee at the service. Please contact Dave Sharp, Usher Coordinator, at 757-851-2569 or email: [email protected] to support this vital service to First United. Circle Meetings Wesley Circle will meet January January 13th at 10:00 am. Leader: Carolyn Bradley (850-3640) Wednesday Morning Circle will meet January 14th at 10:00. Leader: Kay Foster (851-1837) Thursday Evening Circle will meet January 8th at 7:00 PM in Tri-X. Leader: Claudine Womble (851-5151) Friday Evening Circle - Leader: Robin Carroll (303-1122) Night’s Welcome is approaching. There are still some items needed. Updates are coming, but continue to read the sail and these items will also be listed in next months issue of The Anchor. The dates for Night’s Welcome is February 28—March 7th. If you have any questions, please contact Peg Hopewell at 851-5649. PAGE 6 Happy Birthday JAN 3 - January Allison Poinsett Peretin JAN 24 JAN 16 *Patrick & Pat Parker Matt Allen Joan Moriarty Jean Pickin JAN 17 JAN 25 Gregory Creekmore, Jr. Kim Fly Bill Allen Tanya Ammons Claudia Caricofe JAN 4 William S. Freeman, Jr. JAN 5 Lori Ward JAN 26 JAN 6 Rick Kessler JAN 18 Bobby Smith JAN 8 Jennifer Day Theresa Embler J.D. Triplett JAN 27 *Thomas & Sandra Gulbronson Caroline Powers Les Ware JAN 19 Sam Hoyt JAN 10 Billie Jean Neil Deb Ware Louellen Weaver JAN 28 Mitchell Woods JAN 20 Robert Leavell JAN 11 JAN 29 Steve Howell Brian Sixbey JAN 21 Hannah Smith Catarina Brown Cindy Gibbons JAN 12 JAN 22 JAN 30 *Steve & Barbara Arbogast Ron Kravitz Dennis Lee Zane Brooker Anna-Kate Hulick JAN 23 JAN 31 John Kravitz Erin Malinouski Charley Winston *Ken & Lori Ward George Woodley JAN 14 Sandra Gulbronson Dawn Miller JAN 15 Mottie Anderson *Anniversary Open Door Series January 18, 2015 The Hilton Brass At First UMC Fox Hill 1 Salt Pond Rd.—Hampton, VA 23664 PAGE 7 PAGE 8 York River District News 2015 District Events WORSHIP ASSISTANTS 8:30 & 11:00 am GREETERS Joann Smith USHERS for the month: TEAM E Richard Shearer Hunter Francis Bill Bryan Ken Bernstrom Beth Davis Leah Graybeal Dave Sharp Nathan Graybeal Ronald Steele Bobby Smith LITURGISTS: Dan Brookman Month of January - 8:30 am John Maninga ACOLYTES: Marcie Calhoun 1/4 1/11 1/18 1/25 Cat Sixbey - Daniel Bunting Astanzi Struhs - Ellie Hopkins Corbin Struhs - with Thomas Charley Winston - Luna Lauffler NIGHT WATCHMAN: Dave Rogers 1/4 Jack Clough 1/11 Dave Hopewell 1/18 Jimmy Roberson 1/25 Hunter Francis Wednesday, January 7, 2015 (10am-2pm) End of Year Reports Training and Administrative Assistants gathering at First UMC Fox Hill Saturday, January 17 (10am-12pm) S/PPRC training at Providence UMC Monday, January 19 District Office closed for Holiday Wednesday-Thursday, February 4 (1pm) 5th (5pm) District Clergy Retreat at Eastover Retreat Center Thursday, February 5 (7am-3:30pm) $25-35 UM day at the General Assembly Saturday, February 7 (9:30am-11:30am District Leadership Training at Chestnut Memorial UMC PAGE 9 HELP & HOPE FOR SINGLE PARENTS There aren’t many people who truly understand the unique challenges single parents face. You deeply desire to do what’s best for your kids, but sometimes it’s all you can do to survive from one day to the next. Single & Parenting is a special weekly group that will bring hope to your life. We’d love for you to join us. 6-8 p.m. Sundays January 11—April 12 First UMC Fox Hill 1 Salt Pond Rd. Childcare: Nursery to youth 851-6302 The Lose it for Life class that has been extended into the month of January. We will be meeting from 6:30pm to 7:30pm in the Faithlink class on January 8, 15, 22 and 29. Please contact Tom Hite if you have any questions at [email protected] or 851-0956. First United Methodist Church Fox Hill 1 Salt Pond Road Hampton, VA 23664 Place Label Here You’re invited to worship with us! Sundays – 8:30 & 11:00 AM 9:45 AM, Sunday School Brian Sixbey – Pastor Tommy Markham – Assistant Pastor 1 Salt Pond Rd. Hampton, Virginia (757) 851-6302