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Midweek Update
May 1, 2024 |
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Pastor Alex Joyner films his midweek update for May 1st from the General Conference in Charlotte, NC. Alex runs into some familiar faces and discusses their thoughts on the conference. All in all, it’s been a promising week in Charlotte and we are setting the stage from the next chapter in United Methodism.
We have a lot going on here in Charlottesville as well. Please take a look below at upcoming events and fellowship opportunities.
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The Charlottesville Church Softball League is Starting Up Again!
Starting Friday, May 3rd
The Charlottesville First UMC softball season begins May 3rd. Join us for an Opening Night kick-off party starting at 5:30 PM. Players and fans are welcome for a pizza dinner at Darden Towe Park, then stay to cheer on our youth and adults as they play softball.
Let us know how many slices of pizza you would like at: connect@cvillefirstumc.org. Hope to see you there!
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Happy 40th Birthday, FUMP!
Starting Friday, May 3rd
Join us as we celebrate the 40th birthday of FUMP in worship on May 5. We will be joined by alum and current preschool students and enjoy a slideshow of photo memories from over the years.
Be sure to save the date! A potluck dinner will follow the worship service that day!
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Hike #8 - Jordan Park to Azalea Park and Back
Tuesday, May 7th at 10am
The next segment is from Jordan Park (parking at the end of 6th St. SE) to the stream crossing into Azalea Park and back. This hike is a little longer and will take approx 2- 2 1/2 hrs.
Most of the route is flat with some moderate hills towards Azalea Park. The route follows Moore Creek most of the way and there are some beautiful trees and some surprisingly quiet sections.
Hope to see you there! Please let us know if you plan to join us so we can look for you. Contact: connect@cvillefirstumc.org
Bonus Hike: Saturday, June 15th @ 10 am Blue Ridge Tunnel and Blue Mountain Brewery fellowship time after the hike!
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No Mow May!
It's No Mow May! Take a break from mowing in May and improve your relationship with pollinators. The typical, frequently mown lawn provides minimal benefit to any given local ecosystem: It deprives wildlife of food, generates carbon emissions and noise pollution through lawn maintenance practices, and limits grass to shallow root systems that fail to mitigate stormwater run-off or sequester water.
No Mow May invites us to reconsider how we might relate to the outdoor portions of our homes. Whether that means refraining from mowing for part of the spring, mowing less frequently, or creating a small pollinator garden, our intentional actions add up, particularly in urban areas where food for pollinators is more scarce.
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May One Thing Ministry
This month will benefit the All God’s Children Camp that CFUMC steps up to sponsor. This is a week long summer camp for children of incarcerated parents. The need is to cover 20 camper supplies.
If you are interested in donating, there will be a bulletin board in the Welcome Center with tags on it to take home listing the times or items for you to purchase. That way we will get exactly the number of items we need!
Here is the list of items needed:
- Blankets
- Beach towels
- Shower caddy to include toothpaste, toothbrush, washcloth
- Pillows
- Rain ponchos
- Comb
- Deodorant
- Twin sheet sets
- Water bottles
- Mesh laundry bags
There is also a need for Mentors for the campers for all three weeks of camp. 9 males and 9 females for June 9-14 6 males and 7 females for June 16-21 7 males and 5 females for August 11-16
If you are interested in being a mentor to provide supervision, companionship and compassion to these children, contact Lori Smith at 571-245-9591, agcc@vaumc.org or carolynmcgee@cvillefirstumc.org
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Dairy Market Dinners are Back!
Wednesday, May 10th from 6-7:30pm
Dairy Dinners are back! On Wednesday evening, May 8, from 6-7:30pm Carolyn McGee will be your hostess with the mostess!
Come enjoy good fellowship and great conversation!
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Post-General Conference Panel Discussion
Thursday, May 9th at 7pm
The Virginia Conference will host a post-General Conference Zoom webinar on Thursday, May 9 at 7 p.m.
The panel will include Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson; Rev. Lindsey Baynham Freeman, head of the Virginia delegation; and delegates Rev. Mark Ogren, Marshall Bailey, and Rev. Dr. Jonathan Page. The webinar will be recorded for later viewing.
Register for webinar at this link.
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Good News Global Celebration Breakfast
Saturday, May 11th at 9am
Come see what God is doing behind the walls at Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail. The speaker is William & Mary Head Football Coach Mike London.
The breakfast will take place at Portico Church on 2nd Street.
To register, fill out the form here.
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Dialogue & Film Screening: "Sevap/Mitzvah"
Sunday, May 12th at 1pm
Rumi Forum Charlottesville, in collaboration with Chavurah P'nai Yisrael and the Unity Church of Charlottesville, cordially invites you to a special dialogue featuring the film "Sevap/Mitzvah." This poignant short film portrays the story of a Bosnian Muslim woman who sheltered a Jewish family during the Holocaust and was later rescued by Jews during the war in Bosnia, 52 years later. It speaks to the profound impact of genuine friendship and compassion.
Following the screening, there will be a Q&A session and discussion. Our respondents include Herb Levy from Chavurah P'nai Yisrael, Ibrahim Anli from Rumi Forum, and Rev. Don Lansky from the Unity Church of Charlottesville.
RSVP is required via email at cville@rumiforum.org. Please indicate the number of attendees joining with you.
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Cville Youth Collective
Picnic in the Park
Sunday, June 9 from 5-6:30pm
The Cville Youth Collective invites you the a picnic in the park one Sunday each month this summer.
We kick it off on Sunday, June 9th at Pen Park.
Bring your dinner, some friends and enjoy the fellowship of other local Methodist Youth Programs.
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Cville Youth Collective Summer
Meet-Up
Tuesday, June 11th at 2pm
Join us every Tuesday this summer between 2-4pm at for Ice Cream!
The kickoff will take place at Kohr Bros on 29N. Ice Cream is on us!
The Cville Youth Collective is a collection of local Charlottesville Methodist Youth Programs for kids in grades 6th through 12th.
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Scuba VBS - Now Open For Registration!
July 29th - August 2nd, 9:00 am-12:00 pm
Scuba VBS is now open for registration!! Registration will take place inside the Realm App.
A few notes:
- Please make sure to register your child(ren) AND yourself. This ensures the proper paperwork is filled out.
- If you get a message that the age group you need is full, please register in the separate waiting list registration field. We hope to get enough volunteers to have space for everyone that is interested in joining us on our SCUBA VBS 2024 dive!
We are looking forward to having you join us for a splashtastic SCUBA VBS 2024 adventure, July 29th-Aug 2nd from 9am-12pm.
Contact Lara Upton for questions and sign up to volunteer! |
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Welcome to Our New Members
Charlottesville First welcomed 8 new members and 2 new baptized members on Sunday.
We celebrate the following people who joined us that day: Kendall & Katie Bailey (along with Maggie who was baptized last fall); Keith Davis; David, Erica, Finn, & Reese Gregory; Craig & Heather Hoelzer; and Larry Saunders.
If you are interested in membership, talk to Pastor Alex or Carolyn and we’ll invite you to the next new members orientation.
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Tassell College Scholarship
The Tassell College Scholarship was established in memory of Patrick Wayne Tassell and is awarded to high school seniors who are members of Charlottesville First UMC and have demonstrated leadership and achievement in Scouts BSA, Girl Scouts, Venturing (BSA), Exploring (BSA), Sea Scouts (BSA), or Camp Fire.
Scholarship awards, between $1,000 and $2,000, are paid directly to the institution that the awardee will be attending in the coming academic year. Further information and the application form are available from Hu Shaffer, Charlottesville First UMC Scouting Coordinator <has2u39@gmail.com>.
Applications must be returned by June 1, 2024, to be considered.
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An Update on the Solar Panel Project
The solar project is moving along. We have an electrical permit to change the electric service and are waiting for the equipment. We hope to have that complete by June 1.
Scaffolding will be erected on both sides of the sanctuary about the middle of May. Roof work on the West side of the sanctuary will begin at the end of May. Solar panel installation and solar wiring will begin on June 17. The project should be complete by August 1.
The net-metering application has been submitted to Dominion Energy by Tiger Solar. We are waiting for
information on which Dominion rate schedule we can use.
The permit for the Solar Installation will be submitted to the City of Charlottesville by Tiger Solar in the
next two weeks.
Kevin Palmer is handling our request to the IRS for our Federal funds from the Inflation Reduction Act. George Batten is working on finding and submitting applications for additional grants to help cover the costs for the solar installation. We already have a $2,500 grant approved from Apex Energy which was submitted by Ty Gallander. An anonymous CFUMC donor contributed $104,000 to get us started on the project.
The contractors and CFUMC Solar Committee are meeting by-weekly to coordinate the installation.
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Just the Book You Were Looking For!
Looking for a new study for your small group? Visit our curriculum library, just to the left of the stage, at the back of the Fellowship Hall.
The room will be open every Sunday and during the week by appointment with carolynmcgee@cvillefirstumc.org If you are interested in starting a small group and need some assistance or ideas, see Carolyn! |
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AV Training
Would you like the opportunity to be trained on our AV (Audio Visual) equipment? We would love to have some new folks who might be interested to go through this training and then sign up as a substitute for worship and other events!
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Calling All Upcoming Grads!
Help us gather the names and info of our soon to be graduates in our CFUMC family.
Please send us the name, photos, next steps or any additional information you want to share with us about your graduates for a slideshow presentation on graduate Sunday. We would love to celebrate with you.
Already a graduate? We would also love to know what our young adults are up to. Please share your information with us to help us update our directory and connect with you while you are away or living locally.
Email info to connect@cvillefirstumc.org
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FUMP Enrollment is Open Now!
Enrollment for the 2024-2025 academic year at the First United Methodist Preschool is now open!
Visit the FUMP website here to find out more information or to fill out an application. |
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Thank You For Your Continued Support to Loaves and Fishes
One of the many ways that CFUMC fulfills its mission is by serving people who are hungry, in part through the financial support and volunteers we send to serve at the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry.
Here's a recap of what was accomplished in March:
- 2,649 households -that’s an average of 156 households on each of the 17 days we gave out food.
- 10,385 individuals: 37% aged 0-18; 51% aged 19-59; 12% aged 60+
- Roughly 8% of households last month were first-time visitors, and approximately 32% of our clients visited us twice in the month.
So, if you are ever wondering where your donations go, rest assured that more than just the utility bills at church are being funded! Thank you all for such generosity, and please consider making a donation via their website so that we can continue to support our community through Loaves and Fishes.
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Realm Connect Challenge
Nearly 150 people at CFUMC have created Realm Connect accounts since our launch on February 4th! We sent reminder links on February 12th, so make sure to check your email and junk folders to sign up. You can also click here to access the site.
Today's Realm challenge: Complete your Skills and Interests Survey!
Apple: Click 'More' on the bottom right. Click 'Serving.' There are 3 tabs on top - go to the second one for 'Serving'. You can fill in the days you can volunteer AND the dates you are unavailable this year. Then, scroll down to the Skills and Interests. Click the big blue bar and let us know your talents and how you like to use them. Be sure to click 'save' when you're done.
Android: Click the 'hamburger' icon in the top left. Click 'Serving'. There are 3 tabs on top - go to the one for 'Serving Profile'. You can fill in the days you can volunteer AND the dates you are unavailable this year. Click on the Skills Section then the Interests section to edit and let us know your talents and how you like to use them. Be sure to click 'save' when you're done.
Stay tuned for a new challenge coming soon! |
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Sign Up for the 2024 ASP Trip!
NOW is the time to sign up for this summer's Youth Mission Trip with Appalachian Service Project! Our week of serving is scheduled for June 23rd through June 29th, and we will be sharing God's love with others through home repairs and faith-building relationships.
This experience is for students grades 6-12. We will serve on a team with Aldersgate UMC again this year, and we still have spots to fill! The deposit at the time of sign-up is $50, and an additional deposit of $175 will be due on March 1st. Financial assistance is available.
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A Message from Haiti
The instability in Port au Prince is creating food and diesel is becoming scare, and people are in need of shelter.
Friends of Fort Liberte have reached out asking for your prayers, as well as donations that will help those who are in need.
Their website has more information about the featured fundraiser to Emergency Food Relief. If you would like to donate, you can do that here.
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Amplify Social Justice Ministry
First Wednesdays of the Month, 6-7:30pm
Charity is crucial, but how can equitable opportunities reduce the need for charity? Social Justice ministries aim to bridge the gap between needs and rights, promoting access to opportunities through education, advocacy, and community networking. As Pope John Paul II said, "Nobody too poor to give, nobody too rich to receive."
The proposed focus for our initial conversations will be:
- Building an ‘Age-friendly’ Charlottesville for all ages (Health equity partnerships)
- Education and action (Community dialogue and involvement)
- Networking for support (Local organization analysis and collaboration).
If you are passionate about social justice and feel a call to action and collaboration, please fill out this form. |
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Young Parents Group
Starting Sunday, April 14th at 11:30 am
Starting on Sunday, 4/14 at 11:30am, The Young Parents Class will be delving into Matt Rawle’s study, Jesus Revealed: The I Am Statements in the Gospel of John.
Together, explore the "I Am" statements in John as works of art that resonate throughout the Gospel. Together, let’s experience the profound truth at the heart of the "I Am" statements: that Jesus is light and life, and He calls us to himself and offers us the hope of resurrection.
This class meets on the second and fourth Sundays. Childcare is provided. |
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New Study for Adult Fellowship Group
Sundays at 11:15am
The Adult Fellowship Group invites you to learn with us. The group will begin a new study on March 24th. "Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith" by Adam Hamilton. Meetings will take place on Sundays at 11:15am in Room 208. All are welcome!
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UVA Learning Programs
UVA's Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is offering a series of online learning programs on topics such as Microagression, Introduction to DEI, Introduction to Implicit Bias, Introduction to Difficult Dialogues, Introduction to Equity, and more!
These are great opportunities to engage with our community and educate ourselves on issues of inequality. Click here to learn more about their offerings and to register. |
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Journeys of Paul Cruise
Pastor Alex has updated information and a new video about the Mediterranean Journeys of Paul cruise scheduled for October 7th-14th, 2024. Stops will include Rome, Naples, Palermo, Santorini, Ephesus, Mykonos, and Athens, with plenty of time on board for optional classes on Paul and all the fun of the Voyagers of the Seas ship!
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Women at the Well
Thursdays at 9:30 am
All women are invited to come together for our study called
Be Bold: Finding Your Fierce
by Rachel Billups
. This is a beautiful, empowering story about finding one’s God-given boldness and fierce so that we can live out the love of God in this world. |
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Men’s Bible Study
Tuesdays at 8:00 am
Meeting at Wegmans at Fifth Street Station, we are continuing with fellowship and a concentrated study. All men of every age are invited.
Our Tuesday morning group is starting a study this week of this book: “Why did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?”. It is by Brian McLaren and in this book he seeks to answer two questions:
- Can you be a committed Christian without having to condemn or convert people of other faiths?
- Is it possible to affirm other religious traditions without watering down your own?
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Faith Seekers Class
Begins Sunday, January 28th at 8:45 am
The Faith Seekers class will begin the study of a recent prominent book on the relationship between Christian depictions of Jesus and and cultural understandings of masculinity. Kristin Du Mez's
Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation offers a history of church and culture that gets at a central tension in American life.
Come join this adult class in Room 208 at 8:45 on Sunday mornings! For more details, contact Kathy Berlin. |
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Faith Explorers
Sundays at 11:15 am
The Faith Explorers class will begin reading the book,
Transforming: The Bible & the Lives of Transgender Christians on May 12th. Many people lack understanding of gender identity and the transgender experience.
Transforming weaves ancient and modern stories that will change the way readers think about gender, the Bible, and the faith to which Jesus calls us. Join us as we learn how to become a more inclusive community of faith.
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Interested in Reading?
Pastor Alex's book,
A Space for Peace in the Holy Land: Listening to Modern Israel and Palestine, can be purchased as an e-book on Amazon for $4.99.
If you are not a Kindle reader, simply purchase the book as if you were (so that the publisher will be paid) and we will print a physical copy for you here in the church office.
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Caring Writers
The Caring Writers are a group who enjoy sending cards and letters to those who are homebound, feel isolated, or just need to know that someone cares. The commitment is to send a card or letter to two recipients per month.
If you are interested in becoming a Caring Writer, please contact George Batten or Maurya Batten. You can also contact either of them if you know of someone who would enjoy being on the recipient list. |
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Music Ministries
Our Music Ministry includes choirs, bands, instrumental ensembles, and soloists of both traditional and contemporary sounds. There is no shortage of ways to praise God through music, and everyone is invited to explore the gift of music, even if you are just singing along in the congregation!
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AED Certification
We are compiling a list of members who are certified in AED use. If you are certified, please email Karen Young. |
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Enjoying the food and fellowship at Portico Café after worship?
Thanks to those who recently gave monetary contributions for Portico Cafe - we have enough funds for coffee and creamer for the next couple of months, so you won't see the donation jar any time soon!
We will continue to host Portico Cafe outdoors as long as the temperature is above 50 degrees and not raining. Otherwise, it will be held in the Gathering Space.
Email Lisa Hanrahan if you want to sign up to bring treats. A sign up sheet is also available by the coffee area. The success of Portico Café depends on the generosity of church members to help or contribute food! |
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Rainy Day Blues?
“Love the City” umbrellas will be left at the Front and Welcome Center entrances for all to borrow and then return on rainy days!
If you would like to purchase an umbrella to support our Nurture Ministries and our CFUMC Vision of
“Love the City," they are $20. Put “umbrella” in the memo line of your check. |
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The Quiet Center
Sundays at 11:15 in the Chapel
The Quiet Center is an after-church gathering of, and for, anyone who wants to know more about grief’s journey. The sessions are “stand alone,” to join anytime and as often as you wish, to explore the many faces of grief and to share with each other our time, our experiences, our presence and our prayers.
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Congregational Prayer Time
Now Tuesdays at 12:00 pm on Zoom
Meeting ID: 882 7977 8844
Passcode: 968327
If you are interested in praying for our church and community, be in touch with Carolyn McGee for the link. |
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Clothes Closet
Donations to Hinton Ave UMC clothes closet:
Hours of operation: Tuesdays from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
We are looking for children to adult sizes, spring/summer clothing. Please make sure the clothing is gently used, clean, stain-free, and in good repair. Also accept some household items (e.g., sheets, towels, small appliances, dishes, pans).
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Assistance for Ukraine
UMCOR International Disaster Response and Recovery, Advance #982450, is collecting funds for humanitarian assistance.
You can donate directly online or designate "Ukraine relief" on your checks made out to CFUMC. |
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Prayer Quilt Ministry
Contact Teri Guertler if you need a prayer quilt for someone going through a difficult time, or if you would like to help in the creation of the prayer quilts. No experience necessary.
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