Susanna Wesley United Methodist Church
3900 George Washington Memorial Highway
P.O. Box 427
Ordinary, VA 23131
Susanna’s Vine
Winter 2013-2014
Regularly scheduled weekly events:
Sunday Services:
Traditional Worship Service
Fellowship in the Atrium
Sunday School/Bible study
Contemporary Worship Service
(Nursery and Children’s Church provided)
8:15am
9:15am
9:30am
10:30am
Sunday:
Kidz Kwire
Administrative Council (1st Sunday)
8:45-9:15am
12:00pm
Tuesday:
Administrative Council (3rd Tuesday)
7:00pm
*Note the change in meeting day – beginning Jan 2014
Wednesday:
Food Pantry
Knit Pickers (1st and 3rd Wednesdays)
Wednesday’s Gathering
United Methodist Men (2nd Wednesday)
10:30-11:30am
12:30pm
5:30-7:30pm
7:00pm
Saturday:
Fish & Loaves
3:00pm
(4th Saturdays)
See current bulletin or call the church office
for information of ongoing midweek Bible studies.
The mission of Susanna Wesley UMC is to make disciples of Jesus Christ through loving,
serving, encouraging, and growing together.
“A church for those who…”
Susanna’s Vine is a quarterly newsletter published by Susanna Wesley United Methodist Church. It is
published for the benefit of the members, friends, and families of the congregation. If you would like to
correspond with us, submit an article, or comment on anything at all, please feel free to write or call Karl
Miller, the editor, or the Church Office:
Susanna Wesley United Methodist Church
Rev. Garry Livermon
3900 George Washington Memorial Highway
P.O. Box 427
Ordinary, VA 23131
(804) 642-7551
E-mail: susannawesumc@swumc.hrcoxmail.com
Web page: www.susannawesleyumc.org
Office hours: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Mon., Wed., & Fri.
Mr. Karl Miller
2779 Tanglewood Drive
Hayes, VA 23072
(804) 642-9651
E-mail: puzzles4you@hotmail.com
A letter from our pastor:
Dear SWUMC Family and Friends,
Christmas is upon us! Are you ready? Are you ready spiritually?
Physically? Mentally? I don’t think I can help with your physical
preparedness but I know God wants to help you prepare mentally
and spiritually.
Advent is the season in which Christians prepare for the celebration
of the birth of Jesus. We use this time to prepare our hearts and our
homes for the event that literally changed the world forever. Let me
share the plans for Advent 2013 at Susanna Wesley UMC:
Our Advent study, “Christmas; Light Splits the Night,” began On Wednesday, Nov 27th. This is a
part of our Wednesday’s Gathering where we offer a time for eating together starting at 5:30pm.
Then, at 6:30, we will offer this study for adults as well as age-appropriate studies for children
and youth. The studies will continue through December 18th and will culminate with our annual
Christmas Eve service. Each weekly study has a theme that I will incorporate into the
subsequent message on Sundays, as well as the lighting of our Advent candles.
The themes we will use are hope, love, joy, and peace. I encourage you to discover Scripture
each week that reveals these themes as you prepare for this exciting time in the life of the
church.
May God fill you with anticipation for this wonder-filled Christmas season!
His name is Jesus!
Pastor Garry
Please join us Sunday, Dec 15th at 10:30am as we present
Christian Education
After serving for three years, Heather Patton
will be stepping down at the end of
December as Education Chairperson for
SWUMC.
Cheryl Moore has graciously
accepted the position for 2014.
We are currently seeking
a director (or multiple
people
to
divide
the
responsibilities) for 2014’s
Vacation Bible School. In
addition, there continue to
be opportunities for those who would like to
assist with Children’s Ministries.
We are
always in need of volunteers in Sunday
School, Children’s Church, and the nursery.
If you feel called to help in any way, please
contact the church office, Heather Patton
(hdpatton@aol.com) or Cheryl Moore at
(cheryljonesmoore@gmail.com).
Green Corner
Caretakers
of
God's Creation is
a
United
Methodist Church
and Community
Ministry
dedicated
to
caring for and healing God's creation. It
works with congregations across the country
to enable them to make the connection
between Biblical theology and a sense of
responsibility to be in relationship to God's
creation. "The Green Church Initiative," a
Virginia Conference ministry, is one way it
provides Virginia congregations with the
resources they need to live out their faith as
caretakers
of
God's
creation.
All churches are urged to become covenant
participants in the Initiative. Joe Posey of St.
Luke's UMC, Yorktown is establishing a
support group for York River District Green
Church advocates. All interested parties are
welcome and encouraged to participate.
The group formational meeting is January
16th, 2014 from 7-8:30 at Susanna Wesley.
This meeting is an opportunity to explore
how to promote the Green Church Initiative
and other environmental activities within our
district. The hope is to initiate a quarterly
meeting
of
representatives
from
all
interested churches in the district, including
a discussion of successes and difficulties,
and opportunities
for joint activities.
Giving God a Chance
By Barbara McGlohn
Last year before my husband of
almost 24 years had begun to come to
church with me on Sundays he had ordered
six pegs to stabilize a golf net. His cost was
$56.00. He received the bill with the items,
but it said he owed $5,600. He had ordered
it on the internet, no phone number was
responding; he couldn’t reach the company
online and he kept getting bills with added
fees and suggestions that he really should
pay what he owed! At his wits end, he said
before walking out the lane to get the mail
one day, “I guess I’m going to have to fly to
Indiana to get this mess straight!”
Three months had passed and with all
avenues exhausted, I suggested maybe he
could pray about it. He didn’t answer me as
he went out the front door. Soon the phone
rang and before he was halfway back to the
house from the mailbox, I began to run to
meet him with phone in hand. He began to
talk with the man on the other end who was
owner of the company my husband had been
trying to reach. The man offered sincere
apology for so much trouble having been
caused by a type-o.
When my husband got back to the
house he told me as he walked out the door
earlier he decided all else had failed so he
would pray.
Before his prayer was
completed God answered it. “Come unto
me, all ye who are weak and heavy laden
and I will give you rest.” The burden that
had made him weak was lifted and he got
instant rest from the worry he had been
experiencing. He was so humbled that his
speech was softer and gentler for the rest of
the day.
Often God waits to be asked for help
from us who need Him so much.
Samaritan’s Purse
SWUMC sent 94 shoeboxes forward with love and
prayers. The message below from David and
Tammy
Presnall
(OCC
Church
Relations
Coordinators, Virginia Peninsula Area) says it all.
Thank you for prayers, donations of boxes, and
financial support. Look for the 2013 Shoebox
ornament on the atrium Christmas tree.
Monday's Shoebox Story
During a family Bible study this week, David read a verse that seemed to stand out from the rest.
It comes from the book of Proverbs, chapter 15, verse 8. The second half reads, "...but the prayer
of the upright is His delight." What an amazing thought that we can delight God with our prayer,
our fellowship with Him. As you take time to do this, I would like to encourage you to continue in
prayer over the boxes that were packed. Pray that each one that goes out will meet a specific need
for the one who receives it; and that in so doing, the love of Jesus Christ will be made known.
Today's story is about a six year old boy whose name is Paul. Each person in his family packed a box and was
encouraged to pray over it. Paul decided that he wanted to do so privately. His mother tells what happened
next.....
“With box in hand and backpack on his back, off he went to the bathroom – his room of choice! Mother that I
am, I tip-toed to the door and listened for just a moment. As I stood there, it was as if I could hear God hushing
the angels saying, “Shh, just a minute. I am listening to my child talk to me.” To my surprise, Paul was praying
not only for the child, but for each item in the box. This is what I heard… “And God, please let the boy have a
pond near him because there is soap in here and he needs water to take a bath. And God, please let him know
how to use these colored pencils and paper. And God, please let his tummy have enough food. And God, when he
is playing with his bouncy ball, please don’t let it bounce into the street where he could get hit by a car. And God,
please let the doggie soft friend I picked out be a good friend to him.” And on and on he prayed – but only he and
the Lord know the rest. He was in there a long time.
"When he came out, he looked a bit tired. He said one word, “Finished.” He brought his box back to the kitchen
table where we were and set it down. After all of the boxes and children who will receive them had been prayed
over, Paul said, “There’s one more thing we need to do…a hug.” He wrapped his little arms around the box and
squeezed it until his face turned red...
"As happy as I am to participate in the gift boxes, Paul’s seriousness, his prayer, and his love for a boy he’ll never
meet in this lifetime made this outreach very personal for me. I was reminded that there truly are faces behind
the hands that will receive these boxes...What an extremely humbling thought it is that these simple boxes may
carry small treasures, but they are wrapped in Jesus’ love. Long after the boxes and things are used up, may Jesus
live in the hearts of all who received them."
Susanna Wesley United Methodist Church
2014 Church Officers and Leaders
Administrative Council Chairperson
Administrative Council Recording Secretary
Board of Trustees Chair
Capital Campaign Committee Chair
Church Treasurer
Communications Committee Coordinator
Disaster Relief Representative
District Communications Coordinator
District Representative to the Board of Missions
District Steward and Delegate
District Youth Delegate
Education Committee Chair
Finance Committee Chair
Financial Secretary
Helping Hands Director
Hospitality Team Chair
Intentional Faith Development
Lay Delegate to Annual Conference
Lay Delegate to Annual Conference (Reserve)
Lay Leader
Lay Leadership Committee Chair
Membership Secretary
Missions Committee Chair
Preschool Director
Scholarship Committee Chair
Secretary
Sextant
Staff-Parish Relations Chair
United Methodist Men – President
United Methodist Women – President
United Methodist Youth Fellowship
Worship Co-Chairs
*New Chairperson
Traci Noah
Ginny Miller
TBD
Sonnie Leonard
Kristie Brookshire
Kristie Brookshire
Jim Baughman
Julia Scarborough
Randy Stacey
Terry Stacey
TBD
*Katlyn Jordan
*Cheryl Moore
TBD
Vicki Barnes
Terry Stacey
Dinah Regensburg
Becky Livermon
Ginny Miller
TBD
*Karl Miller
Garry Livermon
Virginia Meyer
Bobby Scarborough
Susie Phaup
Karl Miller
Beth Goller
Brenda Fairbanks
Janet Cochran
Ray Church
TBD
Emily Boone
Terry Stacey
Katrina Smith
Tim Smith
*Val Hart
*Britinie Jordan
Susanna Wesley United Methodist Church 2014 Budget
ADMINISTRATION
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
COMMUNICATIONS
CONFERENCE
DISTRICT
EDUCATION COMMITTEE
HELPING HANDS
HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE
INTENTIONAL FAITH DEVELOPMENT
MINISTERIAL AND STAFF SUPPORT
MISSIONS COMMITTEE
PASTOR PARRISH RELATIONS COMMITTEE
PRESCHOOL
WORSHIP COMMITTEE
YOUTH
TOTAL BUDGET
2013
32,475.00
500.00
1,200.00
39,589.00
1,508.00
4,850.00
2,500.00
1,300.00
1,500.00
99,765.00
2,300.00
1,000.00
3,800.00
192,287.00
$3,698.00
Needed weekly
$16,024.00
Needed monthly
2014
38,325.00
250.00
1,130.00
43,775.00
1,798.00
5,200.00
2,500.00
1,300.00
1,500.00
107,413.00
3,300.00
525.00
2,000.00
3,350.00
1,545.00
213,911.00
$4,114.00
Needed weekly
$17,826.00
Needed monthly
The Snow
By Barbara McGlohn
I open my eyes early – just as the first ray of sunlight focuses on snow glistening and
resting softly on a green bush with red berries. Stillness reigns supreme with only a cardinal
hopping gently waist deep on this frozen bush, thus showing beauty beyond all the eloquent
words of great poets, storytellers and sages.
As I blink quietly to avoid any chance of missing the supreme pomp and circumstance of
this moment, more rays cause profuse sparkle and bling to be sucked into my soul and if I were
Superwoman I would be able to blast through the roof and fly!
O, my God, did you make this just for me - with no one else to join in
this moment? Please keep me alert to all the blessings you put
before my eyes; don’t let me hurry to look away or miss the gifts you
don’t announce in a loud and robust voice.
The snow is glistening on my beautiful bush so I don’t have to do
anything but wipe a small tear from my face that makes my cheek
itch as it rolls down. The cardinal looks at me but I don’t move, so
he doesn’t fly. We stand in amazement and awe – together – and
peace reigns.
Susanna Wesley’s 25th Anniversary Celebration
November 3, 2013
Consultation
Three Generations
Acolyte at work
SWUMC kids
Worship
Welcoming the masses
Preparing for the masses…
The masses arrive!
*Disclaimer: Captions by Karl Miller
Honored Guests
Was I in charge?
Nope! We were!
Happy Anniversary!
Worship – A Psalm of Praise
By Barbara McGlohn
How have we worshipped you, O Lord; we have presented ourselves or have been presented as
infants to you for the Sacrament of Baptism; to grow in grace and wisdom and fellowship with You and
others in the faith.
We were confirmed in the church, taught by Elders who cared about us, so we learned to study and
pray and be faithful stewards of time, talent, gifts, and service.
We celebrate Holy Communion, the observance of the Last Supper Jesus shared of bread and wine,
in remembrance of His body and blood, broken and shed for us.
You, O Lord, have made us to worship You, to love Your words and our sisters and brothers on this
Earth.
We believe worship to be an action of service and ministry to the one true God, Our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ.
In faith we believe through divine awareness of the will of God. We pray to worship with joyful
obedience.
We gather for prayer, teaching and preaching, reading Scripture, and giving our money to help
ease the poverty of others; and this becomes our joy; O Lord to you, our joy.
Then our lives as believers will be known by our service to God in whom we live and move and
have our being.
Open our hearts, Lord, as we remain in the posture of worship; open our minds in our daily walk,
always directed by Your will and purpose for us.
We worship You with our whole hearts. Accept our worship, fill us. O Lord.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were
terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be
for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This
will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great
company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
Luke 2:9-14