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Weekly News & Updates
April 25, 2025
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This Sunday - 10am
Jesus is alive!! This Sunday, our opening song will reflect our joy about that. Join in and sing opening hymn #310, "He Lives."
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Rev. Stephanie Kimec-Parker is this week's guest minister. She will lead our service and deliver the sermon.
- It is also Food Collection Sunday. Please place your donations in the basket near the altar.
For worship, enter the building through the sanctuary doors facing Stockley Gardens.
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Children are Welcome
Our Children's Church* takes place each Sunday during worship, following the children's message. Children ages 3 through 5th grade meet down the hall from the sanctuary for an age-appropriate Bible lesson and craft or activity.
On 4/27 and 5/11, there will be no Children's Church those weekends. But, we will still have a nursery care.
Our nursery* is available for children through age 3.
*Our professional workers are CPR certified, and our staff and volunteers are fully background checked.
*Children's church and nursery are optional. You are welcome to keep your child(ren) in worship with you, if you prefer. Activity bags and rockers, if you wish to use them, are in the back of the sanctuary. A baby changing station is in the lobby.
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Messy Church - May the 4th Be...
Ghent's Messy Church activities will the first Sunday of the month, May 4 during 10am Worship.
We've moved it from second Sunday because that day is Mother's Day (Hint Hint).
May's theme is "Who is Jesus? It's all about grace." We will focus on the fact that we don't deserve Jesus' love, but his grace sees beyond our poor choices and enables our relationship with him to grow. Isn't that wonderful to know? Yes. Thank you, Jesus, for your grace and mercy!
After the service, we're going to be serving pizzas and garden salads for lunch. Please sign up in the sanctuary, if you think you will be attending. We want to know how many pizzas to buy.
What is Messy Church?
It is "Church, but not as you know it!" It is a Christ-centered, ALL-AGES event that is based on creativity, hospitality, and celebration. Some months include hands-on, interactive crafts and activities, a brief worship time with lively music from our own musicians, and a meal. Other months feature a special fellowship activity.
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Calling All Book Sale Volunteers!
We need people to sign up to volunteer for our annual, Spring Used Book Sale and Parking lot fundraiser. We need help Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 16-18!
If you have not signed up for a slot, yet, please do.
We need more volunteers to cover all the shifts.
Please sign up today. THANK YOU!
Cajole family, friends, students and booklovers to sign up, too.
Proceeds from the book sale and festival parking will benefit missions and church programs for children and youth.
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Become Vigilant Against Scams
In an effort to protect you, over the next few weeks, we will share information about various forms of scams and fraud. Anyone could be defrauded!
Have you gotten a text message, call or email from someone at Ghent Church asking you to buy gift cards and to send back the card numbers?
It's a scam.
Have you gotten a text message, call or email from the IRS saying you have to pay immediately?
It's a scam.
Have you gotten a text message, call or email about your toll bill for the tunnels?
It's a scam.
If you think it might be real, log onto your own account yourself, as you usually do, and double check.
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Ghent Church Choir News
Our choir was fabulous on Palm Sunday! The practice, the attention to detail, and the rehearsals they have been keen to attend have paid off. It was fantastic. Thank you to guest trumpeter Josh who really liked the anthem and was so impressed by our choir! Many thanks to Brad for his leadership at the organ bench. AND his solo at the piano was lovely, as well.
If you would like to join, there is choir rehearsal from 11:30am to 12:30pm on Sundays through Pentecost (June 8). If you would like to join this season's choir, email Minister of Music Nellwyn Beamon.
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See Two Historical Books
Christ & St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Norfolk will maintain in residence two volumes, Prophets and the Gospels and Acts, of The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition, a limited reproduction of the original.
These two volumes will be on display at the church for the enjoyment of parishioners, cross-denominational organizations, and the community in general through the end of April 2025. Learn more.
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Attend a small group
One of the gifts the church offers is community, specifically small groups where participants can gather to experience acceptance, belonging, and nurturing, as well as challenge and encouragement, for the journey of faith. Contact the church office for more information on any group.
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Children's Church
This group for ages 3 through 5th grade is each Sunday during worship, following the children's message. It includes a Bible lesson, and craft or activity.
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Youth Group
Our Youth Group is led by Pastor Ryan. We are a fully inclusive faith community, welcoming to all.
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Adult Sunday School
Weekly Bible discussions are in the back of the sanctuary on Sundays, 9 - 9:45am, using the Standard Lesson Quarterly series. Enter through the doors facing Stockley Gardens.
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Other Spiritual Disciplines
In addition to joining a small group, participating in mission work or music ministry, we are encouraged to pray, care for one another, and read our Bible.
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Daily Prayer Starter
"As we enter this week, what does it mean to
have a towering faith?
How can we proclaim Christ as Messiah?
We are invited to pray
for those who model
towering faith
in our lives."
* Submitted by
Rev. Stephanie Parker
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Congregational Care
In response to Christ's call to love one another, we want the members of our congregation to care for one another. In-person visits, prayers, phone calls, and mail are examples of the ways we reach out to one another.
To send a prayer request to our pastor and congregational care team, click here to fill in our Connection Card.
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Resources
Want to read the whole Bible in 12 months? Check out the N. Georgia Conference Guide.
Looking for adult or children's New Revised Standard versions of the Bible? Click here.
Get practices and reflections to help you pray.
Read The Upper Room daily devotional. Click here.
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Music Ministry
All are welcome to join our Music Minister, Nellwyn Beamon, in the music ministry of the church. Contact Nellwyn Beamon for more information.
Worship Singers Singers are always welcome to help lead the songs in worship each Sunday.
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Organ Music at GUMC
Our Organist Brad Norris plays for our 10am worship services on Sundays. His next dates are Easter Sunday on April 20, Mother's Day on May 11, Pentecost on June 8, and July (date TBA).
Trumpet Music
Trumpeter Josh McDonald will be playing on April 20, Easter Sunday, during 10am worship.
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Gathering Jam
Once a month, usually on 2nd Sundays, all ages are invited to bring an instrument or use one of ours and play along during the gathering part of our service at 9:45am. The next Gathering Jam Sunday is May 4.
Choir Rehearsal
There is choir rehearsal on Sundays from 11:30 to 12:30pm through Pentecost (June 8).
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Get involved with mission work
We seek to live lovingly and justly as servants of Jesus Christ by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger, freeing the oppressed, being a compassionate presence, and working to develop social structures that are consistent with the gospel.
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Little Library
Do you have a book you're finished with? Are you ready to read a new one? Then check out our book box! Our Little Library is on Raleigh Ave.
Although GUMC no longer places food in the box, you may see that others in the community continue to do so.
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Food Donations
We collect non-perishable food, drinks and hearty snacks to benefit those who are hungry, including those experiencing homelessness, families, or individuals. Most of the food will be taken to Ghent Area Ministry on Colonial Avenue. The rest will remain at Ghent for those who ask us for help. Please place your offerings in the basket by the altar each 4th Sunday or contact the church office to make arrangements for drop off.
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Homeless Committee
The Homeless Committee of Ghent UMC meets to coordinate efforts to positively impact those experiencing homelessness.
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Read his commentary.
A Prayer for the New Year: Renewing Our Commitment to Justice, Equity, and Reconciliation
In 2024, at General Conference, the members approved the updated Article V - Racial Justice.
You Can Help.
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START with prayer. We are asked to pray for Dismantling Racism efforts, as well as, all persons of color who suffer at the hands of injustice, oppression, and white supremacy.
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The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) has a compiled a list of 8 things church leaders and members can do to help anti-racism progress. One way is to denounce false notions of “two equal sides.” Click here to learn more.
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Click here for resources, events, and more.
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Giving News
Our giving represents an act of worship in which we thank God for our blessings and acknowledge that everything we have is a gift from God. Click here to learn about the various ways to give.
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UMC Market - iGive
Shop thousands of stores, any time, to support Ghent Church. UMCmarket, powered by iGive, helps you generate a donation to Ghent United Methodist Church when you shop online at thousands of retailers. Click here to join and shop.
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Read "The quite contrary story of Mary Magdalene."
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Listen to a podcast about Discernment, Peace and Reason.
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Illinois exhibit shows painful history of Native boarding schools. Read the article.
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*COVID-19 Mitigation Plan for all in-person Ghent UMC Happenings (Updated March 23, 2022) Our call is to love our neighbors and to do no harm.
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Jesus is for everyone. No exceptions.
A Word of Welcome from Ghent UMC
Ghent United Methodist Church is called to the affirmation of the sacred worth of all people. We embrace as a gift the diversity of our neighborhood and the world. We acknowledge our human family's diversity in sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, language, age, faith history, theological orientation, economic status, education, marital status, abilities, and any other defining feature, real or perceived. Click here to read the message in its entirety.
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How can I get in touch with church staff and the Pastor?
The church office hours are Monday-Friday, 9am to noon.
You may also make an appointment, if needed.
Click here to access email addresses or call the church office at 757-622-2843.
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