May 2026| In This Issue:
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  • From the DS
  • AC 2026 Information
  • District News 
    
    PAUMCS on the Road, Office Links, News from Pinnacle Living
  • Important Dates
  • Celebrations
  • VAUMC News
  • Ministry Partner Updates

Lay Servant News, RMN, UWF, UMM

A Message from Rev. Dr. Kyungsuk Cho

Watch this month's video from our District Superintendent.

A video message from the DS.

Volunteer at Annual Conference


The Shenandoah River District is excited to welcome the Annual Conference in June. Many volunteers are needed in order to provide the best experience for Annual Conference members. Please consider picking up a volunteer shift or two. Volunteers can sign up HERE. 


A full list of volunteer opportunities and position descriptions can be found HERE. 

Help Needed to Load Kits for Conference Truck


We are seeking volunteers to assist with loading the Kits for Conference on the truck on Monday, June 8th. Help is needed at both Vision of Hope United Methodist Church and Macedonia United Methodist Church.


Each location needs 5–7 volunteers to ensure the trucks are loaded safely and efficiently. Your time and effort will make a meaningful difference in supporting this important ministry.


If you are available to help, please sign up below. We truly appreciate your willingness to serve!


Vision of Hope will be picked up at 10:15AM and Macedonia will be picked up at 11:30AM.

Kit Collection


The Annual Conference is once again collecting Kits. We will collect them at TWO locations (Macedonia UMC & Vision of Hope) District between April 27 and June 5. Kits will be picked up from those locations on June 6.

Learn more about Kits HERE.

More AC News:


  • Find all the AC2026 information online HERE.
  • Annual Conference Orientation Registration
  • Clergy who need to report their Annual Conference absence can do so HERE.
  • The Book of Reports has been released.
  • You can give to the Annual Conference Offering HERE.
  • Lunch & Learn Registration


The UWF & UMM are sponsoring a breakfast about Caring for God’s Creation. Our speaker will be Jeremy Harold, an arborist working for the city of Harrisonburg. Registration is now open.  



PAUMCS on the Road: Life After Publisher

If Microsoft Publisher is your go-to tool for bulletins and church publications, here's something you need to know: Microsoft is retiring Publisher in October. But don't worry, we've got you covered!


Join Kim Johnson, Director of Resourcing for the Virginia Conference, for a hands-on training session designed to help church administrators navigate the transition and discover the best alternatives for creating bulletins and publications. The Winchester session will be Thursday, August 13, from 10-12 at Kernstown UMC.


The first part of the session will walk you through your options, what's out there, what works well for churches, and how to make the switch with confidence. Then we get practical! Bring your laptop and a current bulletin, and you'll get hands-on time in a new platform with Kim right there to coach you, answer questions, and cheer you on.

Leave with new skills, new tools, and a bulletin already in progress.


Whether you're a seasoned Publisher user or just getting started with church communications, this session will leave you equipped and ready for what comes next.

Registration will open soon!

Office On The Move

We continue to offer our services to the churches in our district. Please note the days of the week our staff are available to serve you in your area.


Kyungsuk - Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday

Tommy - Monday, Friday

Debbie - Monday through Thursday 

Kim- Availability varies weekly


Staff members' calendars are linked to their names above. Click the name to schedule an appointment.


NOTE: Debbie is working on a special assignment from the conference office and will not be able to answer emails or phone calls on Wednesdays for the foreseeable future. Please feel free to call or email on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Friday until 1 pm.

News from Pinnacle Living

This month Pinnacle Living invites churches across the Shenandoah River District to participate in two important initiatives. The first is a special Mother's Sunday and Father's Sunday offering for the Samaritan Fund, a Conference/CFA tradition dating back to 1947. The second is an effort by the Conference Older Adult Council to build a network of leaders involved in Older Adult Ministries through a simple Google Form. READ MORE

God at Work at Randolph-Macon Academy

God is at work at Randolph-Macon Academy, and we want you to see it for yourself. The latest issue of The Sabre magazine features spiritual life on the R-MA campus as its focus, and we invite you to take a few minutes to read and be encouraged by what is happening there. READ MORE


  • June 17-20: Annual Conference (VOLUNTEER)
  • June 17: UMM Night at Harrisonburg Turks Baseball
  • June 19: UWF/UMM AC Breakfast
  • August 1: Cross-Cultural Training
  • August 13: PAUMCS on the Road- What Comes After Publisher?

Celebrating District Training Day


What started as a change of plans turned into a blessing! When we moved District Training Day online this spring, we hoped more people would be able to join us, and they did. Nearly 60 participants from across the Shenandoah River District logged on for a full day of learning and connection, with Rev. Tim Ward delivering our keynote address. A huge thank you goes to our wonderful workshop leaders, Tim Ward, Jordan Dillon, Mike Singer, Rebecca Harrigal, Amanda Webber, Jason Stanley, and Kathleen Haynes, who pivoted gracefully to teach virtually and made the day such a rich experience. 

It turns out going virtual was exactly the right call, and we are grateful for everyone who showed up and made it such a meaningful day together. We look forward to offering more training opportunities. 

Below the Rev. Tim Ward is pictured giving our Training Day keynote address.


Find links and information from the Virginia Conference below.



Additional Links and Resources:


Do you have any students headed off to college? Please let us know so our Campus Ministers can get connected. Sharing your graduate information is a great way to get you students connected with a United Methodist campus ministry before they move onto campus.


Find the latest news and information from our Ministry Partners using the links below!



UWF News: Mission U is July 24-26


UMM News: May Updates


The Shenandoah River District


Office Phone: 540-433-2382


Our Mailing Address: PO Box 1995

Harrisonburg, VA 22801


Website: ShenandoahRiverDistrict.org



Facebook: facebook.com/ShenandoahRiverDistrict



District Staff


Rev. Dr. Kyungsuk Cho - District Superintendent - ShenandoahRiverDS@vaumc.org


Rev. Tommy Stelzl - Developer of Congregational Innovation -

Tommy Stelzl@vaumc.org


Mrs. Debbie Creech - District Administrator - DebbieCreech@vaumc.org


Kim Johnson - VAUMC Director of Resourcing, SRD Communications - kimjohnson@vaumc.org 


Do you have any changes, errors, or additions to the District Website?

Click here to complete the form.

If you would like to include an article in this newsletter, please email Debbie Creech, District Administrator, at DebbieCreech@vaumc.org by the 25th of each month.