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News and Upcoming Events

Second Saturday Sabbath— Aug 13

Our August 13, 2022 Second Saturday Sabbath worship service will be held in the UCUMC Chapel at 6:30. It will feature a message by Priscilla Edgin "God Sightings - When God is Trying to Get Your Attention" with scripture from Rev. 3.20. Again we will sing hymns from the Cokesbury Hymnal including "Love, Mercy and Grace", and "He Lifted Me", two of the favorites of the Wesley Fellowship Class who met for years in the Chapel and will conclude the service with "Blest Be The Tie That Binds Our Hearts In Christian Love" which was used often in the Sunday and Wednesday evening worship services in the days of our mother church Belmont Park United Methodist Church. Please come out to worship in person or join us during the livestream broadcast.

https://youtu.be/UDsy0f6UTPo

Community Garden Seeking Volunteers

Come join us on the UCUMC campus to celebrate God’s goodness as we grow and harvest organic produce in our year-round community garden. From tomatoes and lettuce to carrots, squash, okra, beans, peppers, herbs (and more), we enjoy the fruits of our labor at home and share the bounty with community outreach programs. Volunteers are needed to help plan the fall garden, work on garden beds, and plant and maintain the garden. No experience necessary to join this welcoming group. Contact communitygarden@ucumc.org for more information. 

Praying Together

As part of our current series, we are committing to pray with and for one another. Hopefully you have been praying for the person you traded hearts with on last Sunday. This Sunday we will write down the work we wish to do in our community over the next season and pray over those during communion. 

This week, we ask that you continue to pray over our Board of Stewards members, but also please be in prayer for upcoming discussions around the worship life of our church. Pray for our Director of Worship Arts Matt Guild, and the committee that is coming together to consider how we shape our expressions of worship.

Board of Stewards Members

Kristi Miller

Wendy McBee

Bill Benson

Jeff Hargett

Liz Rhines

Michelle Abbott

Wanda Bropleh

Erin Banks

Brooke Francis 

Lynn Comstock

Ken Beasley (Lay Leader)

Pastor Donnell  

Celebration Concert for Matt Guild's 25th Anniversary

August 28th @ 4:00pm

The celebration of Matt Guild's 25 year ministry at UCUMC is Sunday, August 28th at 4pm. We will have a time of worship, music and sharing some memories followed by a reception. We hope that you will join us to show your appreciation for all that Matt has contributed to worship and ministry here over the last 25 years. If you have been a part of the choir, orchestra, hand bells or Spirit Singers in the past and would like to participate in the concert, please reach out to Andrea Reed, Ed Hyland, Tammy Ortiz or Karen Guild for more information.

A Thank You to ALL Freedom School Volunteers 

Freedom School is over for now…and it was a GREAT Success because of you. I think it was life changing for all that were connected. Scholars prospered as their literacy skills were strengthened. They were connected to a community who believed in them. They learned how they could make a difference in their family, their community, their country and in their world. They developed social and emotional skills needed to make good decisions. The scholars and interns feel empowered and equipped to go and be the difference they were created to be. 

I want to thank you for providing everything that was necessary in order to support the staff and scholars. Relationships were built. Interns felt appreciated. Scholars received snacks at the end of the day. Field Trips were chaperoned. Harambe readers were part of a positive way to start every day. Countless prayers were spoken on behalf of the staff and scholars. 

God is at work within us, accomplishing infinitely more that we could every dare to ask or hope. 

Please watch the video below. Pay attention to the beautiful smiles on the scholars’ faces.  Rejoice!! You made a difference!

Grateful & excited to be a part of God’s work with you!!

Cindy Beasley & Bert Giles

Generational and Serving Ministries 

Summer Serve a SUCCESS!

Thanks to everyone who came out on Wednesday evening for our Summer Serve Event. Over 60 people packed snack/food bags for the homeless…welcome bags for a UNCC campus ministry…sandwich bags for the men’s shelter…teacher appreciation gift bags for David Cox elementary school…cleaned up the UCUMC kitchen in preparation for the Fall ministry season…organized and cleaned up several rooms in our children’s ministry area and sorted/packed items for distribution at Hope Street Food Pantry! Thanks for helping where you can! 

School Supplies for David Cox Road Elementary School

It’s time to start collecting school supplies for our partner school, David Cox Road Elementary School. Current needs include:

#2 pencils

Dry erase markers

Erasers – no cap erasers

Colored pencils

Markers

Crayons

Glue sticks

There are plenty of notebooks, composition books and notebook paper from past donations still available for the students, so do not focus on those items.

Place your donations in the grocery carts that will be in the Gathering Space Aug. 7 & Aug. 14.Or in the black and yellow crates located in front of the Fellowship Hall.

Deadline for donations is Aug. 17.

Meet-Up Group For Parents of Children with Special Needs

We are excited to share the news of a new MEET-UP GROUP FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS - academically, socially, emotionally or behaviorally. Regardless of where you are on this journey - just beginning to think your child may require additional support or they have had an IEP or 504 for several years, you are welcomed here.

Thee meet up will be facilitated by Kathi Wilson MA, MEd. of KSW Educational Concepts, in conjunction with the KennedyStrong Foundation. Kathi is a retired educator who has worked at all levels of public education K - 12. Since retiring she has devoted her professional time to help the parents and children with special needs.

This meet up will be held monthly on the 2nd Thursday of the month beginning on September 8th at 6:45 PM. We will meet in room 102. Please enter from the lower parking lot. The group is open to any parent that wishes to attend. There is no commitment on your part - they will be here to support you in the best way possible.

Come with your concerns and questions! Contact Kathi Wilson for more information kswilson2358@gmail.com.

News from the Board of Stewards 

Birthdays and Anniversaries 

For the remainder of August and the month of September, we have the following staff birthdays and anniversaries:

Birthdays: Matt Guild (8/29); Shannon Long (9/5); Donnell FitzJefferies (9/27)

Anniversaries: Ria Holtzhausen – 18 years (8/25); Phyllis Vancleave – 5 years (8/28); Brian Bingham – 20 years (9/1); 

Alisha Springer – 17 years (9/15); Shannon Long – 1 year (9/17); Laura Jones – 24 years (9/21)

Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary to these members of our church staff. We pray for God’s continued blessings on you for many years to come!!

Weekday School Update

In preparation for the upcoming school year, Shannon Long share some exciting updates with the Board of Stewards. The first day of school is Tuesday, September 6th and the WDS staff is excited to welcome the students to a refreshed building with new carpets and new paint inside and fresh sand and mulch outside. Currently, there are a little over 160 students enrolled with just a few spaces left to fill. A few teaching opportunities are also available. The Extended Day School has doubled in size since last year. Thanks Shannon and team for sharing God’s love and message with these young lives through their education journey.

Matt Guild Recognition Concert

We are quickly approaching this special event! On Sunday, August 28th at 4:00pm, we will celebrate Matt’s 25 years of service with a concert in his honor and reception afterwards. Current and former members of the Celebration Choir, Psalm 150 Orchestra, Exaltation Ringers, Spirit Singers and any other group that has been led by Matt, are asked to reach out to Andrea Reed, Ed Hyland, Karen Guild or Tammy Ortiz if you will be able to participate. It’s shaping up to be a glorious tribute to Matt and you don’t want to miss it!!!

Facility Use Policy Update

Be on the lookout for the updated Facility Use Policy and Pricing on the website. It will be located under the Admin tab (https://www.ucumc.org/admin).

Worship Planning Prayer Request

The Board or Stewards and the newly formed Worship Council ask for the congregation’s prayers as we enter a time of discussion and planning around our Sunday morning worship. There will be more information forthcoming to include Listening Sessions led by Pastor D and Matt Guild, Director of Worship and the Arts, where all members will be given the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. We pray that God will guide us in worshiping Him and lifting Him up in a way that is meaningful to all who experience it at UCUMC. 

Wednesday Night Live

Our 2022 – 2023 Wednesday Night Live season will kick off on Wednesday, September 7th. The Board of Stewards will be hosting the meal and we hear it will be a “Football” theme. More details will be forthcoming but get that favorite jersey ready for some fun and maybe a little competition!!!

Upcoming Meetings

All church members are invited to attend Open Session parts of meetings. Due to time constraints, only invited guests will be provided time to share with the Board. Please contact the board at BoS@ucumc.org for the Zoom link.

Regularly scheduled meeting: Thursday, August 18, 2022 – 6:30 – 8:30pm (Open to congregation)

Regularly scheduled meeting: Thursday, September 1, 2022 – 6:30 – 8:30pm (Open to congregation)

Remember, There Is A Place For You!!! Pray that God will direct you to new and exciting opportunities at UCUMC!

Blessings,

The Board of Stewards

Update — Special Town Hall — Update

Thanks again for those who attended our Town Hall on Monday, June 6th in person or by live stream. The Shook Kelley report is now ready to be distributed and is attached. Please prayerfully review the report and reach out to the Board of Stewards should you have any questions. You can reach us via our email: BoS@ucumc.org. 

As you review the report, remember that Pastor Donnell and the Board of Stewards has asked for your prayers as the board discerns God’s direction for our church. We ask you to pray for each board member by name, that God will lead them in deciding upon the path that is in His will for UCUMC. You can find the list of the Board of Stewards on our website (www.ucumc.org) under the Staff tab.

Crafting with a Purpose

Join One of Our Ongoing Craft Groups

Mission Quilters

Mondays 9:30-12

Room 107

This group makes quilts to provide warmth and comfort for people in need. We have sent quilts on mission trips to Nicaragua, Mexico, West Virginia and Lumberton NC. Both adult and baby quilts have been distributed locally to places like Dove's Nest, Ebenezer Baptist and Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital. No experience is necessary! 

For additional information or questions, please contact Susan Curson at 980-696-4486, or email susan.curson@gmail.com

Sew and Sews

Tuesdays 10:00am

Room 120

Come by the Sew & Sews corner and explore all we have to offer!

Remember the purpose of our work is to reduce debt. Sew & Sews contributed over $6200 to reduce debt from our efforts in 2021.

Help us to continue our journey! Please come and shop! Or join us on a Tuesday morning. No experience necessary!

Prayer Shawl Ministry

1st Thursdays 10-11:30

3rd Thursdays 7:00-8pm

A group of crafters who knit or crochet prayer shawls and baby blankets and make octopus dolls. Our craft products are shared with our local community, Dove’s Nest, and globally by people traveling on mission trips acting as our expression of God’s love. Everyone is welcome. If you don’t know how to knit or crochet, but would like to learn, we have members who will help you learn.

Weekly Giving

Budget Gifts Received  7/31/22 $12.801

MTD Budget Goal- $100,000

MTD Receipt - $80,881

YTD Budget Goals -$700,000

YTD Budget Receipts-$657,705

Reach $36,625

Can we pray for you?

Click the button below to share a prayer request.

You made it to the end of the email! Congrats! And thanks for taking the time to keep up with what we have going at UCUMC. As a reward, let's step back to a cooler time of year. After all, who doesn't need to get into the Christmas spirit in August! Join Rasheem and Elijah Shabazz sharing the book, "A Very Noisy Christmas!"