Emmanuel United Methodist Church Newsletter

June 2025

Adult Sunday School 9:30 a.m.

Worship Service/Children’s Church 10:30 a.m.

Thanking God for Twelve Wonderful Years of Ministry Together:

“I thank my God every time I remember you…” (Philippians 1:3)

As I look back on these past twelve years that I have been blessed to be your pastor, my heart is overflowing with thanks to God for allowing us to serve together as pastor and people since July of 2013.

Thank you for your faithfulness and the many ways that you have served Christ through the ministries of EUMC. In so many incidences, no matter what the task, or what was asked, you responded as true servants of Jesus, willing to work in whatever way was needed.

Thank you for your generosity and faithful stewardship. Because of your commitment to give sacrificially, Emmanuel has been able to continue meeting all our district and conference obligations, as well as be generous in mission giving here in our community and around the world.

Thank you for your faith, love and joy; for your friendship; for the many prayers that you have prayed for me and my family through the years. We have shared both joys and sorrows, victories and challenges. Through it all, God’s grace has been sufficient in all things.

I cannot express to you what a privilege it has been to be your pastor, working side by side together in ministry, the fun we have had (even in committee meetings!), the conversations we have shared, the prayers we have prayed together, and the many memories of you that I will always cherish. Even though I will no longer be your pastor after July 1, we will always be friends in Christ, brothers and sisters in God’s family, the church.

The words that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians so perfectly express my love and affection for the Emmanuel congregation.

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”. Philippians 1: 3-6

I believe that God has great things in store for Emmanuel as you welcome your new pastor, Rev. Eunji Kim. I know that you will be a blessing to her as you have been to me. May God continue to strengthen, guide, direct and bless you individually and as a community of faith as you press on, “serving the Lord with love and praise,” and “sharing the Gospel in your community and beyond…”

With Love and Gratitude,

Pastor Nancy

*Farewell Reception for Pastor Nancy and her family: EUMC will host a Farewell Reception for Pastor Nancy and her family on Sunday, June 22, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the church Social Hall. Everyone is invited to attend this reception. A food sign-up sheet has been placed in the Narthex for volunteers to bring food items.

June 22 is also Pastor Nancy’s last Sunday with us. We will celebrate 12 years of ministry together during worship on that day.

Congratulations to Emmanuel’s 2025 Graduates and Families

High School Graduates:

Avery McKenna Cox, Amherst County High School; Will be dual enrolled at CVCC and Lynchburg College studying Radiology; Daughter of Matt and Kristen Cox; Granddaughter of Lindy and Margaret Ann White.

Madeline Snoke-Watts; Hampton High School, Allison Park, PA; Dual enrollment graduate at a local community college. Plans to continue studies in Cybersecurity at Pennsylvania State University; Granddaughter of Jack and Jeannette Watts.

Master’s Graduates:

Elizabeth Kirkwood; University of Chicago; Master’s Degree in Public Policy; Daughter of Jim and Bessie Kirkwood.

Abigail Tomlin; University of Virginia, Master’s Degree in Counseling; Daughter of Mitch and Heather White; Granddaughter of Lindy and Margaret Ann White.

Training Academy Graduates:

Matthew Riley Cox; Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy, Lynchburg, VA; Accepted a position in the Security Division of BWXT in Lynchburg; Son of Matt and Kristen Cox; Grandson of Lindy and Margaret Ann White.

*Women’s Bible Study: The Tuesday Women’s Bible Study will meet on Tuesday, June 10 at 10:00 a.m. (please note the time change!). The group plans to enjoy a farewell lunch with Pastor Nancy after the session.

*Called Charge Conference/Church Council and Finance Team Meeting, Tuesday, June 10, 6:30 p.m.: The UM Book of Discipline allows the Church Council to serve as the Charge Conference when business arises between regular Charge Conferences that requires Charge Conference approval. An item of business will be addressed at the next Church Council and Finance Team meeting regarding the rental of the church-owned parsonage. This notice is being given verbally, in writing and via email, within the required 10 days’ notice for the members. All church members are members of the Charge Conference and are welcome to attend this portion of the meeting. Friends of the congregation may also attend with voice but not vote.

*The 243^rd Session of the Virginia Annual Conference will take place in Roanoke’s Berglund Center from Wednesday, June 11 through Saturday, June 14. Please be in prayer for all aspects of the Conference, safe travels for participants, and for God’s guidance in all things. Pray for our Lay Member to AC, David Hewes, who serves as the Lay Leader for our congregation. Pray also for members of our congregation who will serve the Mountain View District as Lay members-at-large: Gail Hewes, Paul Ogden, and Ethan Hope-Ogden (young adult representative). We appreciate our Laity who are willing to serve both our church and our District in this way! In case of pastoral emergencies during Annual Conference, please call Pastor Nancy’s cell phone (434-401-5776).

Annual Conference Offering: Disaster Response Within and Beyond the VAUMC Half of the Annual Conference Offering will go to support the work of disaster response in different geographical locations recently affected by disasters: the Western North Carolina Conference in the wake of Hurricane Helene, the Cal-Pac Conference after the LA wildfires, along with supporting the mobilization and response efforts from within the VAUMC. This portion of the Annual Conference Offering will remain available to help support and faithfully respond within the United Methodist connection when the next disaster strikes.

Partnerships of Hope: Partnerships of Hope is one of the ways we live into our worldwide connection as United Methodists. Partnering with people and organizations based in Brazil, Mozambique, Cambodia, Haiti, Vietnam, and Native American Ministries, we seek to respond to the needs of these communities along with engaging a space of mutual learning and resource sharing, recognizing that we are better and stronger when we work together rather than apart. The other half of our Annual Conference offering will go to support these efforts abroad. Learn more… Our June Communion Offering collected on the first Sunday in June is designated for the 2025 Annual Conference Offering.

*Father’s Day, June 15: The Worship Team looks forward to recognizing all fathers and men of the congregation on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 15. All the guys are encouraged to wear their favorite and/or craziest tie or bow tie to worship on Father’s Day.

*Annual Church Family Pool Party at Elbert’s, Thursday, June 19, 11 a.m.: All are welcome to gather at the home of Elbert Maddox (121 W. Monitor Road) to enjoy swimming and a hot dog lunch (or just come for fellowship. Swimming is not required!). Hot dogs and beverages will be provided. Please bring a side or a dessert item for the lunch.

*District Lay Servant Training, Saturday, June 28, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. , Bethlehem UMC, Moneta. Lay Servant Ministry Training offers laity the opportunity to receive help, support and resources in fulfilling your calling and service in the local church.

Who should attend? Anyone who wants to discover what his or her gifts are and how they might use them to serve God; Anyone who gets called on to preach; Anyone who visits in the hospital, nursing home, prisons, or the homebound; Anyone who plans worship or wants to learn how; Anyone who is serving as Lay Leader; Anyone who has a leadership position in the local church; Anyone who is serious about growing as a disciple of Jesus Christ and wants to develop their leadership skills.

How much does it cost? A day of your life, the cost of the book, and a donation for the meal.

What classes are being offered? Who is teaching?

Basic Lay Servant Training, Martha Stokes

From Pew to Pulpit, A Beginners Guide to Preaching, Rev. Sarah Calvert

Lay Pastoral Care Giving, Rev. Jay Carey

For the Common Good – Discovering and Using Your Spiritual Gifts, Tammy Burdick

Worshipping with United Methodists, Rev. Leigh Anne Taylor

Learn more about what each course covers – Click HERE and scroll down and click on the title of the course. Learn more about becoming a Certified Lay Servant, a Certified Lay Speaker, and a Certified Lay Minister: Click HERE. To register for the training, use this link: https://www.cognitoforms.com/MountainViewDistrict/MountainViewDistrictLayServantMinistryTraining

*Amherst Cares Update: Gary Friend has requested any volunteers who worked with Amherst Cares and would like to continue or anyone who would be interested in volunteering for Amherst Cares, contact Gary at: [email protected] for details.

*A Sacred Silence/Contemplative Prayer Group meets in our Sanctuary every Wednesday from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. All are welcome. Please use the side ramp entrance to the Sanctuary.

Community Mahjongg Group Starting at EUMC: Do you enjoy playing mahjongg (a Chinese tile game similar to dominoes)? If so, come to the church social hall from 2-4 p.m. on Wednesdays beginning April 9 to join others in fun and fellowship. Four mahjongg tables will be set up for 4 players per table. If more than sixteen attend, players will be rotated in. Please contact Robin Pribble if you have questions (919-815-1466; [email protected]).

*Church Office Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:30-1:30 p.m. Please note that items for the

weekly announcements or changes to the weekly calendar are due to the office by phone or email (434-946-

7624; [email protected]) no later than NOON on Wednesday of each week. You may also leave

your written announcement in the marked folder inside the wall box outside the church office door.

*Children’s Church Assistants Needed: We are so thankful to once again provide Children’s Church for our youngest worshipers each Sunday. Children in preschool through 3^rd grade are dismissed during the service for an age-appropriate worship and learning experience created just for them. Our Children’s and Youth ministry team is rotating the leadership of Children’s Church on a weekly basis, but we need additional persons to help on the Sundays that our Nursery Attendant cannot be present. Our church’s Safe Sanctuaries policy requires us to observe the “two adult rule” when supervising groups of children and youth. Skylar Ondrick usually provides this for us since she is present in the nursery, in addition to the volunteer who is teaching Children’s Church that week. However, on the Sundays that she is not present, or one of her children is ill, we need additional volunteers who can step in to serve as the “second adult” to ensure that we are in compliance with our own policies. The continuation of this ministry depends on having some willing back-up volunteers available when needed. If you are able to serve in this way, please contact Jeanie Combs at your earliest convenience. Thanks for considering this important ministry.

*Reminders from the Board of Trustees: Please help us keep our church building free of pests by observing the following: Do not leave any open food or food wrappers anywhere in the building; please tie up any food trash before placing it in wastebaskets upstairs or in classrooms; take any kitchen/social hall trash from your event to the OUTSIDE cans before you leave. Please wipe down all surfaces wherever food has been present and clean up all crumbs from tables, chairs and floors. Guidelines for use of the church kitchen are posted in the kitchen. Thank you for your cooperation.

Stewardship

We give God thanks and praise for God’s gracious provision for us, and for the faithfulness of our church family in the giving of God’s tithes and our offerings week after week. Because of your generous stewardship, we were blessed to pay 100% of our Conference and District Apportionments for 2024 and are currently up to date for 2025. God continues to enable us to be generous in our mission giving in our community and around the world. To God be the glory!

Attendance & Giving

Sunday	In Person		Online	General Fund	Other	St. Andrews
	Adults/Children	Nursery
April 27	46	0		$2,205.00	$1,100.00	$19.71
May 4	61	0		$1,387.50	$ 185.00
May 11	62	0		$3,854.00	$ 495.00
May 18	54	3		$ 114.00	$ 70.00

Partners in Ministry

June July

Ushers: Paul Ogden/Lucy Worley Need Volunteers

Greeter: Jill Clark Jill Clark

Lay Reader: Ethan Hope-Ogden Need Volunteer

Altar Flowers Children’s Church

June 1 Communion Need Volunteer

June 8 Worship Team/Janette Mears Melanie Stine

June 15 Tom and Janie Hall Need Volunteer

June 22 Janette Mears Teresa Belcher

June 29 Marge and Geoff Steadman Need Volunteer

Please contact Janie Hall ([email protected]; 434-841-0513) if you would like to place altar flowers on

a particular Sunday. If you are placing your flowers in honor or in memory of someone, please send that

information via email to the church office ([email protected]) by noon on Wednesday.

June Birthdays

	06/01 Debbie Apperson 06/16 Elizabeth Kirkwood 06/01 Sarah Myers 06/16 Mary Ellen Van Houten 06/02 Kristin Cox 06/17 Cypress Grant 06/02 Mark Hance 06/19 Kristi Masencup
	06/07 Jessica Markey 06/20 Judy Bondurant 06/08 Michael Mozingo 06/22 Bessie Kirkwood 06/08 Ashley Ogden Acree 06/22 Joshua Lamm 06/13 Jeannene Tylee 06/23 Tammy Humphries 06/13 Mitch White 06/23 Faye Mays
	06/14 John Apperson 06/24 Robert Hable 06/14 David Mears 06/27 Carleigh Combs 06/14 Pat Wydner 06/28 Janette Mears 06/15 Linda Cash 06/30 Mike Hunt

Newsletter editor: Cat Brandell, Phone: 946-9102; Email: [email protected]. Deadline to submit newsletter articles: 20^th of the month. If you can send your information by email, it would be appreciated. If you do not have email, your article may be left at the church office in the newsletter basket.