March 2nd - One Great Hour of Sharing
One Great Hour of Sharing began as a special effort of the Episcopal Church in 1946. In 1949 the observance became ecumenical, and today several
denominations--including The United Methodist Church--participate. The yearly observance is planned by denominational representatives and related to
Church World Service and Witness, the relief agency of the National Council of Churches. Originally one special worship hour during the year was reserved for
people of faith to contribute over and above their regular offerings. Today different denominations celebrate One Great Hour of Sharing at various times
throughout the year, but the cooperative spirit remains.
This year, we are reading "Sutter's Cross" by W. Dale Cramer. Each year, we read one book and meet to discuss our thoughts and perspectives.
Friends, neighbors, and co-workers are all invited to participate. The group will meet together to discuss the book on Saturday, March 8th, at 7:00 p.m. in
the home of Lee and Emily Walker in Christiansburg.
The Outreach Ministry is assisting Virginia Tech's Student Government Association in finding ways for VT students to give back to the community through "The
Big Event", an annual community service day held on April 5th. If you have a three to four hour service project that does NOT involve power tools, please visit the SGA
web site by March 14th at www.sga.vt.edu/bigevent to register your project.
April - June
April 6th - Native American Ministries Sunday
The Native American International Caucus proposed Native American Awareness Sunday in a petition to the 1988 General Conference. Delegates
subsequently approved the new churchwide Special Sunday with offering. The 2000 General Conference changed the name of the observance to
Native American Ministries Sunday.
The Outreach Committee hosts its annual Ladies High Tea in the spring of each year. It is a wonderful day of exquisite
goodies,
blessed fellowship, beautiful music and inspirational speaking. Our speaker for this year is Dr. Jennifer Braaten, current President of Ferrum College.
Mark your calendar now to
attend on Saturday, April 19th beginning at 11:00 a.m., and be sure to invite family, friends, and co-workers to join us. Also, please consider becoming a Hostess for this event.
Responsibilities only include setting and decorating your table (for 6) and serving the food at your table. It’s always
so fun to see
how each woman decorates her table!
April 25th - Africa Malaria Day
United Methodists are urged to give up lunch and save lives by using that money to buy an insecticide-treated bed net.
Friday, April 25th, is designated Africa Malaria Day. United Methodist Communications and The Upper Room Living Prayer
Center are also encouraging people to join in a
continuous 24-hour period of prayer that day for the children of Africa, those suffering with malaria and for global
health.
The 1980 General Conference created a churchwide special program called Peace with Justice and assigned it to the General
Board of Church and Society. By 1984, volunteer coordinators were recruited in more than half of the annual conferences,
and peace with justice ministries had sprung up
throughout the church. The 1984 General Conference voted to support the program with an annual Special Sunday offering on
World Order Sunday, established
more than half a century ago to build recognition and support for the work of the United Nations. While World Order
Sunday was traditionally set in
October, churches were encouraged to observe it any time during the season of Pentecost to avoid a conflict with World Communion Sunday, also in October. The
1988 General Conference established Peace with Justice Sunday as the first Sunday after Pentecost to give churches a single, more convenient date for
the offering and a name that clearly identifies the ministries it supports.
July - September
August 6th - 10th - Adult Mission Trip to Red Bird Mission in Kentucky
The “Ellen Bracken Memorial Mission Trip” to Kentucky took place August 6th - 10th. The Red Bird Mission, a non-profit
agency located in the Appalachian mountains of Southeastern Kentucky, empowers individuals and advocates justice by
providing educational, health, and community outreach ministries to area low-income residents. We went to share the love of
Christ while representing our own little piece of the Appalachians.
Harvest of Hope Gleaning, Society of St. Andrew
October - December
October 5th - World Communion Sunday
Originally a Presbyterian observance, the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America established World-wide Communion Sunday in 1940 as a
global, interdenominational event. Prompted by the impact of World War II, the Methodist Church received an offering on this Sunday for the Fellowship of
Suffering and Service. It aided the work of the Methodist Committee on Overseas Relief (now UMCOR), the Commission on Chaplains and the Commission on Camp
Activities. In 1971 The United Methodist Church changed the name of the observance to World Communion Sunday and redistributed the offering to support
the Crusade Scholarship Program (begun in 1944), the Ethnic Minority Scholarship Program and the Division of Chaplains and Related Ministries. In 1980 Chaplains
and Related Ministries was moved to World Service funding, but the World Communion Sunday offering continued to assist racial- and ethnic-minority persons
pursuing various avenues of ministry.
Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan's Purse
First United Methodist is a Relay Center for Operation Christmas Child this year!!!
We will be accepting shoe boxes November 17th - 24th (check back later for specific times). We are looking for volunteers from churches and civic
organizations that would like to work at our Relay Center. If you are interested, please contact Emily Walker, Relay Center Coordinator,
at emily_w_walker@hotmail.com or leave a message on the church phone at 540-626-3838.
In 1866 a special fund was established for the advanced education of Sunday school children and the educational preparation of persons for the ministry and
missionary service. The 1940 General Conference established Methodist Student Day with a churchwide offering. The 1968 Uniting Conference continued this
connectional student-aid program to be funded by the United Methodist Student Day offering. Dates for taking the offering have changed through the years.
Year Round Opportunities
Faith Community Nursing Program
Covenant Relationship with Missionary, Elma Jocson
March 8th - Book Discussion Group
March 14th - Deadline for Submitting a Job Request for "The Big Event"
April 19th - Ladies Tea
The people of The United Methodist Church are a founding partner in the Nothing But Nets campaign, which is taking aim at one of Africa's
biggest killers of children by protecting families from disease-carrying mosquitoes. Other founding partners include the United Nations
Foundation, the National Basketball Association's NBA Cares and Sports Illustrated. For each $10 donation, a bed net is purchased and
distributed to Africa, where education also is provided about its use. A challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will
match contributions up to $3 million, dollar for dollar. To learn how to make a donation, visit www.nothingbutnets.net or www.umc.org/nets.
May 18th - Peace with Justice Sunday
We had 7 missionaries that went -- Kevin, Christy, Noah and Sarah Jones, Lee and Emily Walker, and Kim Medley.
We stayed, ate, and worked at Red Bird’s church camp, Camp O’Cumberlands. You can find out more about it at http://www.redbirdconference.org/camp%20cumberlands.htm.
While there, we also worked with another church group on an addition to a trailer for a family of 7. We assisted with vinyl siding, the building of a porch, and drywall work on the inside. We also looked
for opportunities to minister to the family directly.
November 30th - United Methodist Student Day
