Weekly News & Updates: December 6, 2024 | |
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Advent Worship Services - 10am
This Sunday, December 8, is the second Sunday of Advent. We are preparing for and anticipating the coming of Christ until our Christmas Eve Candlelight service.
On Sunday, Rev. Ry will bring the sermon. We will light the Advent candle representing Peace and sing songs of the season.
Then at 4:30pm, come back for our Living Nativity and Open House! See details below.
Learn more about the season of Advent. Click this link to watch the video "Is Advent just an early Christmas season?"
Please 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.
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, are in the back of the sanctuary. A baby changing station is in the lobby.
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Advent and Christmas Eve at Ghent UMC | |
Living Nativity and Open House This Sunday
This Sunday, December 8, 4:30 - 6:30pm, come enjoy our Annual Living Nativity with animals!
Celebrate Christmas in our lobby with cookies, hot cocoa and warm cider. Hear beautiful Christmas music in our sanctuary. Outside, experience the wonder of our Savior’s birth with live actors and petting zoo animals in our life-sized stable!
Our littlest guests can dress in our angel and shepherd costumes. This child and family-friendly event is free & open to all. Enter using the doors that face Stockley Gardens.
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Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
You are also invited to come to our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 5pm. Christopher Taylor will play the violin as we prepare our hearts for the birth of our savior Jesus Christ.
We will also worship as the family of God by symbolically coming to Christ's table and sharing Holy Communion. A gluten-free cracker option is available.
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Special Offering this Sunday
Hello everyone,
I hope you can join me in presenting blessing gifts to members of A Warm Embrace. This is a Norfolk based support, healing, and advocacy group for women who have lost children to gun violence. It is co-sponsored by the City of Norfolk; I am a founding board member and researcher for this endeavor. The gifts would be presented to new members at its annual gathering December 16 which is a gathering to help the women through the holidays, the hardest time of the year. I would like to gift 2 knitted shawls as "holiday hugs" from our church and several colorful mini journals. I will speak before the service this Sunday. I hope you provide a love offering this Sunday in cash or to my cash app.
Thank you, Dr. Regina E. Brisgone
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Notes from the Piano of Nellwyn Beamon
Ghent Church's Altar Guild needs your help. Right now, Fran O. and Nellwyn are making sure that the hangings are correct and that the candles are filled, and the Communion linens are clean. But, the office has been covering Communion.
It would be nice if there were someone in the church who would take on the monthly responsibility of making sure that we have Communion bread and enough juice. The parish administrator really does not need to worry about bringing bread on Sunday morning, especially if (s)he is under the weather. It is a simple task.
Please talk with Nellwyn, if you have questions. If we can get enough volunteers (and the church pays for it), we could rotate the responsibility.
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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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Read with Rev. Ry
Join Pastor Ryan on Thursdays, 7-8pm, on Zoom for book study. This class will resume September 19. Everyone is invited to join! The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86516483199
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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
"Blessed are you Lord God, guide my feet this day in paths of peace..."
Adapted from Feasting on the Word: Worship Companion
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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
Re-energize your prayer life with a new practice. Learn more.
Read The Upper Room daily devotional. Click here.
Click here to find the resources you need to explore the Bible.
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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. Next dates are December 29 and January 5 for Epiphany Sunday.
Violin Music
Violinist Chris Taylor plays during our 10am Worship. But his next date is on Christmas Eve.
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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 one is TBA.
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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. Some food will be taken to Christ UMC, Norfolk. 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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Preschool Ministry and Leadership Updates | |
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Preschool
Our preschool students and teachers are hard at work preparing for their end of the year Christmas Chapel on December 13!
Ghent UM Preschool teaches toddlers to students in Pre-Kindergarten. Learn more about our half-day program by visiting GUMP's page at ghentumc.org/connect/our-preschool/
GUMP’s Harris Teeter number is 5347.
Questions? Contact Director, Ann Robertson.
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Leadership Team
Our next Leadership Meeting is TBA. All are welcome to attend. It will be after worship.
A Zoom link will be made available. Contact the church office if you need the link.
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UMC Continues the Call to Dismantle Racism | |
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The United Methodist Church has stated that we will no longer remain silent nor complicit about racist acts against African Americans but we must act now to become anti-racist individuals and churches!
The Long Haul The UMC is committed to the long haul when it comes to anti-racism work. Read the story.
What Can You Do to 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. Click here for the daily prayers.
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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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Listen to individuals share how they are creating daily life with God in the face of racial injustice and the trauma induced by racial inequity in the U.S. Click here to listen.
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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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UMC News: World, VA, and Local | |
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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. Rev. Ry is in the office 9am-12pm on Thursdays and Fridays. 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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