Do you have news to submit? Great! Contact the
staff person who serves that area and they will assist you.
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There are many opportunities to gather, serve, worship, learn, and grow this holiday season at Burke UMC! (Listen to Pastor Jason and Katie Webster explain some of the highlights
here.) Whether you come every week, or haven't been in a long time, we hope you will join us at Burke United Methodist soon!
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By Ann Chiles
ECHO would like to thank Burke UMC, the kind members who donated food or gift cards, and the drivers who delivered baskets to 15 families.
Over 600 families will receive meals for Thanksgiving or Christmas. They are clients of ECHO who have visited this year and accepted our invitation to receive fo
od. This is a very popular program that allows them to enjoy a special meal at the holidays. We hear "God Bless You" often.
One family that Wayne and I met last Sunday was so appreciative and, because it was so cold, invited us to have a cup of tea.
We at Burke UMC are truly blessed to be a blessing!
Thank you to all who support missions.
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ATTENTION ALL SEWERS:
The "Little Dresses for Africa" mission is alive and well and needs your help. In 2016 our mission sent 110 dresses to the Dominican with our mission group and now Jane Wilson has requested 100 more dresses to go with her to Cambodia in January.
I know this is a busy time of year but we have made it easy: the kits are made up with instructions near the kitchen. They take about an hour and then drop them off at the church. These dresses and shorts go to children who have likely NEVER had anything new. Jane needs the finished outfit back by January 6th.
This will give you a break from all the holiday craziness and just imagine the smile on that child's face. Monica Slovenz has single handedly made probably 50 dresses. Thank you in advance and let's send Jane away with 100 little dresses. Thanks Anne Sensibaugh 703-919-0048
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BUMP is dreaming of a new playground that will provide opportunities for safe play for the kids of BUMP, BUMC, and the neighborhood! We have started a GO FUND ME Campaign (
click here) to reach our goal of raising $37,600. However, if you would like to give a tax deductible donation to support the construction of a new playground, feel free to make a donation to the church office or in the offering plate - just label the donation "PLAYGROUND." Thank you!
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Join us
Sunday, December 11, 3:30pm
, for Caroling at Heatherwood Retirement Home! After we sing for Heatherwood we will walk back to BUMC about
5:30
to sing for our Hypothermia guests. Dress warmly!
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We are asking members of our congregation to write two additional Christmas cards this season and bring them to church. They will be mailed, along with care packages, to two members (Mike Panos and Luke Harevitch) who are deployed during the holiday season.
Place your cards in the baskets in the entryway.
Thank you!
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For the past 2 years, the Virginia Conference gas sent a team to Cambodia to meet with missionaries on the ground and learn first-hand about the great work being done in this country. Cambodia was decimated in the 1970's when dictator Pol Pot ruled the country and millions of people were killed. The United Methodist Church supports missionaries in Cambodia who bring the love of Jesus to people who are working desperately to overcome this history of devastation.
Hear from our friend Esther:
Dear Friends of Cambodia Mission,
Happy Thanksgiving holiday to all of you out there!
We, your sisters and brothers here in Cambodia present our heartfelt thanksgiving greetings and wish to inform you that our hearts are with you in prayer as you travel far and near to be with your lovely families and friends during this thanksgiving holiday.
As you gather around your thanksgiving dinner tables to share with families and friends about the goodness of God, we also remember with gratefulness your countless self-given support to the work of the church here in Cambodia. As you share the good news of new experiences and excitements with each other, please also remember to share the stories of the amazing love of God at work through your ministry with the Church in Cambodia. The impact of your generous support and sacrifices for our ministries are far reaching.
What a blessing! Our 69 girls at Susannah Wesley dormitory at Samrath Church are able to attend the best high school in Cambodia because of your love for your neighbors near and far. We continue to rejoice at the growth of this ministry that began with only 6 girls. We give thanks for 79 young people who have been enabled to go to college. Never in their wildest dreams did they ever think they could go to college due to lack of resources to attain college education. The list goes on and on... We are indeed very, very grateful!
On behalf of your sisters and brother in Cambodia, we thank you all as you continue to engage in mission to make the world a better place. We are honored to work with you and look forward to how God will continue to connect us in ministry.
-Esther
Three people from Burke UMC will be ion the Virginia Conference team going to Cambodia in January - Barbara Nowak, Lynn Gramzow, and Jane Wilson. Pray for the team as it travels to Cambodia and learns of the good work being done there and how we can continue to help this ministry.
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By Rev. Judy Fender
BUMC's Mission Marketplace was filled with colorful gifts, laughter and, goodwill as crafters, small business folks, AlterNatives Crafts, and Bethlehem Carvers filled our Fellowship with their wares. St. Mary's Kids for Christ were excited to return and presented a sweet gift to support Cambodia mission. Our own Nella Hunter donated her exquisite hand crafted dolls to support children in Cambodia and 4 dolls found new homes where they will be loved and cherished.
Many hands made the day possible from the set up guys, persons who donated yummy baked goods and fixed food, and helpers in the kitchen as we served lunch cleaned up. We offer a big thank you to our youth for putting the Fellowship Hall back in order.
Advent is a season of hope; again we await for the kingdom of God to draw near with the birth of a vulnerable child born into a meager place who would become our Savior. In a sense we drew on that hope as we planned Mission Market Place again. We wanted to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children in Cambodia and our community, to join God's mission to care for those in need.
It is a blessing to be part of a faith community that supports such mission work. Over $2000 will be sent to Cambodia for clean water and latrines which are so important to the health and well being of children in the villages. $500 will be used to support our Weekend Food Bag Ministries.
Thanks,
Judy
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Confirmation Updates
We held our first of three Faith Community Visits as part of the Confirmation process on Sunday, December 4 when we
took 46 Burke UMC confirmands, mentors, and parents to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The Basilica, located in D.C., is the largest Roman Catholic church in North America. Faith Community Visits help confirmands consider what they believe as they participate in a variety of worship styles and expand their knowledge of theology.
We are grateful to the Basilica for the tour, opportunity to participate in mass, and the special word of welcome to Burke UMC from Monsignor Walter R. Rossi. Thank you also to Ellen Quisenberry, the Confirmation Coordinator.
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The Life Youth Fellowship - Called to Serve
The Life Youth Fellowship has begun a new program we are calling Second Sunday Service. The second Sunday of each month the Youth will do some type of hands on service (mission) project.
On November 13th we kicked off this program with The Teddy Bear Brigade project. Our church was the drop off location for several churches to donate new and gently used stuffed animals for children in need around the world. Through Gleaning for the World, the stuffed animals will be distributed to children who have lost their homes due to natural disasters. Under the guidance of Jane Wilson and Meredith Moore, the Youth sorted through over 2500 donated stuffed animals to ensure their suitability. They packaged 48 bags for delivery (over 1500 stuffed animals).
On December 11th the Youth will use their service to support the Hypothermia program here at Burke UMC. They will make several crock pots of soup, package desserts and snack bags for use doing the work. Extra snack bags will also be made to support the Middle School Munchies program.
The youth are excited to give of their time and talents in service to others.
If you have a program that would fit with our Second Sunday Service, please contact Anne Sawin at
[email protected]
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This year over 2500 bears were collected both from donations from our church and from several other UMC churches in our district! 1700 of them as well as a cash donation of $2700 were delivered to Gleaning for the World in Concord Virginia in November by Jim Coile (when you see him some time, ask him about his adventure to Concord!). The ones that GFTW can't use (too small, too big, holiday, etc.) will be used in our Santa's Workshop event on Saturday, December 10, in the angel tree gifts for Rising Hope, Robinson Square, and Bethany House, and as prizes at reading events held in the FACETS community centers.
Thanks so much to the Moore family for coordinating this effort, to Jim Coile for delivering them, and to everyone who donated bears to this very worthy cause!
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Please join us at December 11's "Lunch and Learn" where we will hear the Executive Director of FACETS, Margi Preston speak to us about the issues of homelessness here in Fairfax County. It is a perfect time to learn more - our annual Hypothermia Prevention week begins that day. If you haven't already signed up to help, see the bulletin board in the entryway for opportunities!
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December Missions Calendar
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Several years ago, Burke UMC began an "Alternative Giving" ministry. So many of us have family and friends who have everything they need, yet we want to honor them at Christmas with a gift of something. Our saying that year was "Does Uncle Bob really need another tie?" This developed into the share catalog, a booklet of ideas of how to support an ongoing ministry of our church while honoring a loved one.
Catalogs are on the entryway table, or by clicking on the SHARE image on the Missions page of the web site. There is an order form in the booklet and envelopes in which to put your order. Take a handmade gift card and tree ornament to give to the recipient (thanks so much to our Card Ministry for the beautiful cards they make for this every year!)
What a beautiful way to tell someone how much you value them while helping a ministry to the ones Jesus asked us to minister to.
Questions? Contact Jane Wilson - 703-454-2810.
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