1. family and parenting
2. children

CELEBRATING OUR CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES
Great job, Finance Committee! Great job, congregation!!
To date we have received at least $16,000.00 in our six-week special offering.
(The exact amount is unclear because some people may have increased their giving
without designating the increase for the campaign.) This special offering will help fund
our youth and children’s programs this year, as well as a scholarship for a child
to attend our excellent preschool and daycare program, Children’s House.
One contribution came from a family that moved out of state in 2009
but gave in honor of their children, who were nurtured in the faith at Mount Vernon.
Another contributor, who moved away after college and marriage, wrote:
“I wanted to give to a program that was such a large part of my childhood.”
By providing varied, excellent programs for our children, we hope that Mount Vernon
United Methodist Church will continue passing on the faith.
Vacation Bible School, June 22 --- 26, 9 a.m. --- Noon
Any child between the age of 4 and 11 is welcome to
join us! Registration forms are in the hall outside the
church office on a bulletin board, and on the church
Web site (mtvernonumc.org).
During Vacation Bible School week our church
will be filled with the sights and sounds of children
participating in fun discovery activities at a special
Holy Land Adventure—in Nazareth! We’ll learn about
Jesus as a boy. Children will worship God with songs
and prayer, create unique craft projects, learn about
life in Nazareth, and learn from Mary how Jesus grew
as a boy.
Youth and adult volunteers can visit Nazareth with
us! Please consider where your gifts and time would
best serve: (1) Tribe Leaders prepare a 10- to 15-minute
lesson each day and lead children around to different
areas (materials provided). (2) Actors for Bible Stories
participate in short skits one or more days of VBS.
(3) Shopkeepers guide groups with making crafts, serve
snack, and more. (4) The Decorating Team transforms
our church into Nazareth as Jesus knew it.
Please contact Beth deAristizabal at (434) 7927766 or [email protected] for more information or to volunteer.
Kits for
Conference
The Virginia Annual
Conference will be
held in Roanoke,
June 19 – 21. “Kits
for Conference” will
be due in the church
office by Tuesday,
June 16.
Instructions for assembling kits
and for donating money for kits
are on the table outside the
church office.
According to UMCOR,
the most needed kits at this
time are Health Kits and
School Kits, but all kit types
are always welcome.
Barry Foster will take the kits
to the Conference. From there,
the kits will go to UMCOR
(United Methodist Committee
on Relief) to help people in
times of crisis who lack ready
access to essential supplies,
such as bedding, and supplies
for cleaning, school, and so on.
Please make checks to Mount
Vernon UMC, designated for
UMCOR Kits. The church will send
one check directly to UMCOR.
Coming
Up ...
Please mark your calendars:
June 4 – 8: High School study
trip to New York City
July T.B.D.: Younger Youth
mission event
July 26–31: Project Crossroads
mission trip
Worship Quiz
What is the meaning of
Baptism?
Do you think you know? See
how your answer compares to
the one on page 4.
2015 Virginia Annual Conference Offering
Contributions are asked for the following ministries:
Methodist Mission in Cambodia: $50,000
We want to continue to strengthen our
partnership with the Methodist Mission
in Cambodia by offering support as they
continue to purchase property to establish
new churces and expand their fast-growing
mission.
UMCOR Global Health Ministries: $50,000
These funds will go to United Methodist Committee on
Relief Global Health ministries to aid the Ebola-ravaged
countries of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Both of these
countries have trained and equipped Health Boards in
their United Methodist conferences that are working to
meet priorities and needs of communities recovering
from the Ebola outbreak as well as a holistic approach
to health that empowers people to take charge of their
own lives and develop positive health-seeking behavior
in their communities.
Children Out of Poverty in Virginia: $50,000
This will provide financial support for mission
projects working with the poor in the Danville
and Eastern Shore districts of our conference.
Both of these districts are working in ministry in
areas of Virginia that are well below the national
and state poverty levels. Of particular concern
and emphasis are children living in poverty.
Please make checks to Mount Vernon UMC,
and designate “Annual Conf. Offering.”
Update: Special Offerings
In recent months, our congregation has given generously to several special offerings, and our gifts are making a big difference in our church and local community,
and around the world!
• Imagine No Malaria (Nov/Dec 2014) – $1,703.00 (to provide malaria nets in subSaharan Africa)
• Advent Offering 2014 – $2,145.00 (to support the Free Clinic of Danville, the Danville
Salvation Army, and God’s Storehouse)
• Lenten Offering 2015 – $1,812.00 of our $2,500.00 covenant (to support our United
Methodist missionary, Dr. Tendai Manyeza, in Zimbabwe)
• Haitian Student Fund – $2,061.00
• Music fundraiser (May 2015) – $2,022.00
• Children’s Ministry Fund, total to date – $16,000.00 of our $25,000.00 goal
CHURCH COUNCIL meets on Monday, June 15, at 7 p.m.
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New York City, Here We Come!
Our high school youth group will travel to New York June 4–8.
The group adopted “Beloved Community” as their theme and
has been exploring this concept since January. Martin Luther
King used this phrase to describe a global community of caring,
where poverty, hunger, and injustice are no more. The group has
heard speakers who have described efforts locally and
around the world to create this type of world. Speakers
included Warrick Scott (grandson of Wendell Scott who
has established a local organization to assist at-risk
youth); Catherine Bauman (Child Protection Specialist
in the Democratic Republic of Congo); and Leger
Bruggeman (who works for One Acre Fund in Burundi).
They saw the movies “Selma” and “Ghandi” and visited
the International Museum of Civil Rights in Greensboro.
In New York, they will visit the 9/11 Memorial, the
United Nations, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty;
go on a walking tour of Harlem and attend worship at
Abyssinian Baptist Church; and see Les Miserables on
Broadway.
Our youth (and adult leaders) who are going:
Back row: Alex Larking, Suzanne Mills,
Thomas Fortney, Nik Belanger Tiver,
Gary Benefield
Center row: Elizabeth Payne, Samantha Mills,
Lindsay Payne, Deontae Jones,
Charlotte Parrish, Abby DeAristizabal
Front row: Beth Bauman, Cara Mills
Not shown: Kate Newell, Nicholas Wright,
Monica Jones
Let’s keep them in our prayers for a safe journey on the
church bus, and for deeply meaningful experiences.
Exciting Plans for the Summer at Children’s House
Special summer fun begins at
Children’s House on June 2! In
June, July, and August, the summer
preschool program for children ages
2 – 5 meets from 9:25 a.m. to
12:25 p.m., on Tuesdays (optional),
Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
In addition to playtime, stories,
and crafts, on “Top Chef Tuesdays”
children will measure, pour, and mix
Flowers
for the
Sanctuary
If you are
interested in sponsoring the flowers
for the urns in the front of the
sanctuary anytime this summer, we
have a few open Sundays. Even if you
would be willing to sponsor just one
urn, please contact me for cost and
more information, and to sign up!
These Sundays go quickly.
– Emily Potts,
[email protected], 791-3538
up special snacks or tasty treats, and
talk about health and nutrition, too.
On “Water Wednesdays” we’ll have
outdoor and indoor adventures in
water play, along with water-based
science experiments.
For “Masterpiece Thursdays,” think
Van Gogh, Kandinsky, Monet, and more.
Each week we’ll learn about a great
artist and create art in a similar style.
Early drop off and
after-care are
available for an
additional fee. There
are a limited number
of spaces.
For more information, call Leslie
Navis, Director, at
713-2169.
June Worship Services
JUNE 7, 2015
second sunday after pentecost
holy communion
Sermon by
The Rev. Stephen Cheyney,
Campus Minister at UNC Charlotte
JUNE 14
third sunday after pentecost
Scripture: Romans 14: 1 – 12
Sermon: “Flying the Flag of
Country and of Faith“
The Rev. Barry S. Foster
3
JUNE 21
fourth sunday after pentecost
father’s day
Sermon by The Rev. Joshua Hearn,
Abbot and Director of Grace &
Main Fellowship
JUNE 28
fifth sunday after pentecost
Scripture: Acts 5: 25 – 42
Sermon: “If It Is of God, It
Cannot Be stopped”
The Rev. Barry S. Foster
Young Adult
Families Picnic
May 31
Wildwood Lake
Worship Quiz: What is the meaning of Baptism?
The “symbol” of baptism has many meanings that have
evolved over 25 centuries of Judaism and Christianity. In the
beginning, for Judaism, it had a duel meaning: it symbolized
a “washing” of the outside body for cleanliness and a
“washing” of the spirit for purification in serving Yahweh.
died before being baptized. Or what about those poor
souls in places in the world where the church had no
presence or ability to baptize people? Several levels of
after-life – Hell, Purgatory, Limbo, Heaven – were created
by the Church to help ease the minds of people.
John the Baptist redefined baptism for his followers. He
took them to the Jordan River to the spot where their
ancestors crossed the river into the promised land. This
act of baptism symbolized a “New Covenant People” who
would reclaim the spiritual promises Yahweh had made to
the “First Covenant People” led by Moses.
The Protestant movement rejected the symbol of “an act
of salvation” for Baptism, and accepted the notion that
Baptism was a “sacrament” from God. Meaning: a “free
gift” from God. The church then gives the gift from God to
the person – whether or not the person understands the
faith. Baptism is God’s gift of acceptance of each person,
and through Baptism, we have been adopted, so to
speak, into God’s family (the church). Therefore, infants,
developmentally disabled persons, those interested in
learning about the Christian faith, may all be given the
“free gift” of grace from God in baptism, and accepted
into the family of God.
Jesus carried out this symbolism by appointing 12 disciples
(representing the 12 tribes of the first covenant community)
to create his “New Covenant Community.”
Baptism gained new symbolism in the early Christian
community as a “rite of passage” or “initiation into this
New Covenant community.”
With the addition of vows made by parents and sponsors
of the baptized person, all of us accept responsibility for
the nurturing of the person’s soul and faith maturity as we
travel together this road of life – following our Lord, Jesus.
As the Church progressed into the Middle Ages in Europe,
the meaning of “Baptism” evolved into an “Act of Salvation.”
Only “baptized” persons could go to heaven. This created a
lot of consternation among people, especially if an infant
(Look for another Worship Quiz in our July newsletter.)
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Troop 300 Sweeps District Boy Scout Awards
Thank You, Godly Play Teachers!
Many thanks to our Godly Play teachers as we
complete another year. Your dedication and
faithfulness is making a big impact on the lives of our
children.
Special thanks to Kelly Long who, along with her
husband, Eddie, is moving to Myrtle Beach. Kelly
has also served a teacher in our Children’s House
Preschool. Kelly and Eddie, you will be missed and
we look forward to your visits to Danville.
Pictured above: Kelly Long, Beth DeAristizabal, and
Leslie Navis. Not shown: Joyce Underwood, Becky
Lutz, and Ann Hurt.
Mount Vernon’s Troop 300 was awarded a trophy for
Troop of the Year!
The troop also received awards for service to the community,
accomplishments in rank advancements, merit badges, and scout
membership – and was recognized as the troop with the highest
popcorn sales ($16,000).
David Eagle, Assistant Scoutmaster, was named Leader of the
Year by American Legion Post 325. Randy McDaniel, Scoutmaster,
received the Unit Leader Award of Merit for dedicated service and
responsible leadership, District Award of Merit, and a National
Award for Outstanding Service.
Congratulations to Thomas Fortney, 2015 GWHS Graduate!
Thomas has been an active member of our Mount
Vernon youth group for many years. He worked in our
Gardening for God project; attended Project Crossroads
and many retreats; and assisted with Vacation Bible
School, Brunswick Stews, and many youth-sponsored
events for Mount Vernon children. Thomas graduated from George
Washington High School in May and will attend Old Dominion
University in the fall and major in electrical engineering. He will be
in the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps, aviation track, and after
the Navy, he hopes to be a commercial airline pilot.
5
June Birthdays
1 Carol Majors
Emily Whittle
4 Max Brande
“B” Hylton
family for your prayers, calls,
and loving support during and
after my knee surgery.
Special thanks to the knitting
group for the soft, hot-pink lap
robe.
29 Ralph Kelley Hawkins
5 Adam Lester
July Birthdays
8 Berkley Furgurson
Max Glass, Sr.
Patrick Womack
I want to thank my church
28 Frances Stoneburner
Robert Sule
Miles Knox Milligan
1 Richard Smith
Jean Wilt
3 Marian Adkins
Earle Garrett, III
9 Lynne Booker
Ellen Mitchell
Newton Ray, III
10 Alan Adkins
Catherine Bauman
4 John Ranson
Edgar Love
5 Jenna Rudder
11 Ann Kinn
Coraline Lutz
12 Rusty Moore
Karen Blachura
13 Brook McFarland
14 Pattie Cairns
17 Cami Rudder
6 Tommie Blackmon
Jean Brown
Beth deAristizabal
Dana Glass
David Parrish
7 Tom Darkis
Thomas Farley
Nick Fowler
At home: Bill Hardy, Ronnie Waters
At Roman Eagle: Zula Callahan
At Riverside Healthcare: Greg Read
At Stratford House: Newton Ray Sr., Marjorie Hood
Our Worship Assistants
8 Laura Hughes
18 Richard Dunn
Pat Giles
9 Jim Daniel
USHERS
19 Andrew Fitch
Emma Trent
10 Amy Eller
Joshua Southward
June 7 8:30: John Morris, Bill Booker, Brendan DeAristizabal (alt.)
21 Melissa Herke
Rebecca Lutz
11 Jerrye Mayhew
Mary Wilkes
22 Donald Turner
13 Libby Spainhour
25 Cooper Charles
Michelle Francis
14 Beth Daniels
Becky Farthing
11:00: J.G. Hurt,* Budge Kent, Gene Saunders, John Ranson, Coleman Hylton, Bill Smith (alt.)
June 14 8:30: Darrell Williamson, Tom Savastano, Brendan DeAristizabal (alt.)
11:00: J.G. Hurt,* Budge Kent, Gene Saunders, John Ranson, Coleman Hylton, Bill Smith (alt.)
Attendance
8:30
11:00
Total
May 3
22
120
142
May 10
29
117
146
May 17
22
186
208
May 24
32
81
113
May 31
30
125
155
Gluten-free
communion bread
is available at Mount
Vernon. Please contact
the pastor at 793-6824
before Communion
Sunday if you
would like
gluten-free
wafers.
Our deepest sympathy to Betty Ann Smith,
whose sister, Marlene Jones,
died on May 26.
June 21 8:30: Bill Booker, Tom Booker, Brendan DeAristizabal (alt.)
11:00: Tom Leggett,* Andrew Farley, David Fuquay,
Tommy Hodges, Bill Smith, Coleman Hylton (alt.)
June 28 8:30: Tom Savastano, Darrell Williamson, Brendan DeAristizabal (alt.)
11:00: Dan Waters,* J. G. Hurt, Charles Sampson,
Tom Underwood, Frank Davis, John Ranson (alt.)
June: Jan Sutherland,* Pattie Cairns, Joyce Obstler
July: Peggy Wright,* Pat Giles, Ellen Joyce,
Betty Leggett, Frances McMillan