THE CIRCUIT RIDER

Vol. 14, No. 7

August 2014

FROM THE PASTOR

Ques�on: What is a “missional” perspec�ve?

Answer: When a congrega�on makes an important decision

mo�vated primarily by one factor: How might our

decision affect the community around us?

Not surprisingly, some congrega�ons, over the course of many

years, regress from a missional (outward) perspec�ve to an

inward perspec�ve. An inward perspec�ve describes a

congrega�on that focuses on self-care rather than other-care.

The shi' is o'en unno�ced because it occurs incrementally, year

a'er year. A'er this slow regression the congrega�on’s leaders

find themselves mo�vated more by the needs and desires of

congregants instead of the needs of the surrounding community.

To be clear, self-care is important. An effec�ve congrega�on

must maintain a certain level of self-care for its par�cipants. We

thrive, in part, when we care for one another. However, our

primary mo�va�on must be missional, which is an outward

perspec�ve. So we might ask: Are we focused too much on

caring for our own needs and desires? And if so, how can we

change? (cont. on next page)

This Issue

From the Pastor p.1

Birthdays

Anniversaries

Sizzling Summer Book Sale

p.2

Feed My Sheep p.3

Ge7ng on Track for

Back to School p.4

Meal-Packaging Event p.5

Gra�tude

Senior Connec�ons

School Kits

Joy Ringers/Chancel Choir

P.6

Calendar

Family Night Dinner p.7

Place Stamp

Here

Chamberlayne Heights United Methodist Church

6100 Chamberlayne Road

Richmond, VA 23227

August 2014

IN MINISTRY

Rev. Jeffrey Harlow, Pastor P: (804) 385-8997 E: pastor@chamberlayneheightsumc.org

Janet Holmes, Office Administrator P: (804) 266-3551 E: office@chamberlayneheightsumc.org

Allison Stowers, Music Director P: (804) 266-3551 E: choir@chamberlayneheightsumc.org

Allison Stowers, Handbell Director P: (804) 266-3551 E: joyringers@chamberlayneheightsumc.org

Patricia Dombroski, Treasurer P: (804) 266-3551 E: treasurer@chamberlayneheightsumc.org

Office Hours M,T,W,TH 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

6100 Chamberlayne Rd.. / Richmond, VA 23227 P: (804) 266-3551 Fax: (804) 266-0097 E: office@chamberlayneheightsumc.org

W: www.chamberlayneheightsumc.org F: www.facebook.com/chumc51

If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe to our monthly newsle8er e-mail and/or mail, please contact the church office

Our Vision Statement: ALIVE IN CHRIST:

Growing in the Word, Living the Word, Sharing the Word

Words to Digest

Do you participate in “church” in order to be changed, or to seek a way to stay the same but feel better about it?

7

Family Night Dinner— Popcorn and Movie Night

August 6 at 6 p.m.

Plan to join us for a special evening together. We will have popcorn and drinks and view the movie “Quartet” starring Maggie Smith and other wonderful British actors we’ve come to love. They portray the quirky residents of Beecham House, a home for retired musicians. To keep the house from closing, they present a yearly gala. Gossip has it that there will soon be a new resident...who will it be...how will this change the dynamics of the home and the gala...do they still have what it takes to pull off one

more performance?

You will identify with these characters as they deal with the issues of aging. They will make you laugh

and maybe shed a tear.

Make plans to join us for this special event. You’ll have a fun evening out and be home before dark!

2

S M T W TH F ST

1

2

3

8:45 am Worship

9:45 am Sunday School

11:00 am Worship

4

5

6

10:00 am Renovare

6:00 pm Family Night

Dinner

7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts

7

8

9

12:00—4:00 pm

Eagle Scout

Awards

10

8:45 am Worship

9:45 am Sunday School

11:00 am Worship

11

10:00 am ODDA

12

13

10:00 am Renovare

7:00 pm Boy Scouts

14

15

5:00 pm RARC

162:00—4:00

pm Bridal Show-

er

17

8:00 am Men’s Breakfast

8:45 am Worship

9:45 am Sunday School

11:00 am Worship

18

7:00 pm Joy Ringers

19

20

10:00 am Renovare

7:00 pm Boy Scouts

7:00 pm Chancel

Choir

21

22

23

24

8:45 am Worship

9:45 am Sunday School

11:00 a.m. Worship

3:00 pm Finance

Mee�ng

3:00 pm Outreach/ Mis-

sions CommiHee

4:00 pm Administra�ve

Council

25

26

9:00 am Senior

Breakfast

9:30 am Old Ivy

Garden Club

27

10:00 am Renovare

7:00 pm Boy Scouts

28 29 30

31

9:00 am Sunday School

10:00 am Worship

August 2014

Prayer Ministry Family Bill & Nelma Short Carolyn & Emmett Spurlock Dorothy Grainger Louise King Phyllis Cartwright

Billy Moore Jerry Slaunwhite Imogene & Quincy Watson Liz Lowry

Friends

Debbi Byrd

Pam Butler Billy Tatum Elizabeth Swank Eydie Vechery Jackie Wade Jack Sutton Alonzo Lynch

Mike Adee Mary Grace Brooks Greg Husepth Dawn & Tim Hawkins

Rae Green Ben Simmons John Pratt Skeet Best-West Susan Taylor Rik Davis Hazel Buhrman

Margaret Miller Sandy Berry Dee Carter Tim Beachverhey Pat Koontz Rev. Curtis Campbell

Russell Williams Judy Barta Rosetta Harrison

Military Personnel

Mark Baldwin Kevin Morgan Thomas Muniz

Emmett Spurlock III Clay Minter

Missions

Sierra Leone: Kip and Nancy Robinson UMCOR

Sierra Leone: Rebecca Long

Birthdays &

Anniversaries

August Birthdays

2 Ryan Muniz

3 Lee Dean

5 Benjamin Meads

8 Charles Howard

10 BeHy Peters

11 Ryan Fitzgerald

11 Connie Via

12 Sharon Kelly

13 Julie Dunn

18 Peggy Peay

20 Charles Brown

21 Greg Smuts

28 Connie Howe

29 Karen Buchanan

August Anniversaries

3 Charlie & Janet Burton

7 Cheryl & Robert Van Ornam

8 Don & Anne Gresko

22 Bill & Nelma Short

23 Foster & Anne Hayes

From the Pastor (conAnued)

Change. Ugh. Change is difficult.

Change is difficult for church folk. For some reason, church folk are especially

inclined to seHle into familiar and comfortable rou�nes. Consequently, our

leadership decisions tend to become oriented toward the preserva�on of all

things familiar and comfortable. Indeed, the prac�ce of “church,” including

worship, becomes for us an unconscious effort to avoid change and preserve

self-protec�on.

Which begs the ques�on. Why do we “do church?” William Sloane Coffin, civil

rights ac�vist and former pastor of Riverside Church in New York City,

some�mes challenged his congrega�on with this bold ques�on: Did you come

to church today to change, or to seek a way to stay the way you are and feel

be�er about it?

Yikes! Coffin’s ques�on confronts our need as church folk to seek comfort

rather than personal transforma�on. His ques�on makes me uncomfortable! If

we dare, we might ask ourselves a similar ques�on: Are we willing to let God

change our inward perspec�ve into an outward, missional perspec�ve? Or, are

we seeking only to stay the same but feel beHer about it?

Might this be our prayer? May God bless our new days together as we boldly

seek to be changed, in order to focus on the needs of the community around us.

Grace to you, and peace,

Pastor Jeff

Seventh Sunday a'er Pentecost

AddiAonal InformaAon

SIZZLING SUMMER BOOK SALE CONTINUES

The Senior Connection Book Sale will continue through the

month of August. New books are arriving

weekly and sales have been brisk. We have recently

received some great puzzles.

Come, browse and BUY before everything is gone.

Last day of sale is August 27!!!

3

News around the church

6

Gratitude

The CHUMC Family has been helping the Lowry's by taking them dinner every Tuesday and Friday. If you would like to help in this way call Fay Nunnally at (804)266-6796 or email at ANFNUNN@comcast.net. Fay is keeping a schedule to coordinate the dinners. George and Liz are so very appreciative of all the meals, cards, calls and most of all the prayers. Senior Connections

The Seniors will not meet in August, but will start back on Tuesday, September 9. Our pastor, Jeff Harlow, will be our speaker. Please note, and put on your calendar, that the Seniors will now always meet on the second TUESDAY of the months September through June. Come learn and enjoy the fellowship of the Seniors.

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: SUPPLIES

NEEDED FOR SCHOOL KIT

1 Pair blunt scissors rounded tip only, no

plastic scissors please

3 pads of paper spiral or top bound pads 150

sheets or less of loose leaf can be substituted

for 1 pad combinations of spiral, top bound, side

bound or loose leaf is acceptable

1 hand held pencil sharpener must be at

least one inch long remove from packaging

1 –24 count box of crayons only 24 count

boxes please

Don’t forget the Tax Free Weekend from

August 1 through August 3, 2014.

IT’S THAT TIME, AGAIN!!!

Our Handbell and Chancel Choirs will resume practices the week of August 17th. Beginning

in September, the Chancel Choir will practice the Christmas Cantata each week, and I invite

everyone to join us for the fun! Call, email, or speak to me if you have any questions! The

2014-2015 year is going to be AMAZING!!! Love, Allison

August 18th (Monday) 7:00 pm—8:30 pm Joy Ringer’s first practice

August 20th (Wednesday) 7:00 pm—8:30 pm Chancel Choir’s first practice

September 10th (Wednesday) 7:00 pm—7:45 pm First Cantata practice

7:45 pm—8:30 pm Chancel Choir Practice

“Feed My Sheep”

News from the Outreach/Missions Committee

You’ll not want to miss out on the local mission opportunities outlined for all of us in this edition of the Circuit Rider! We are launching both collections of school supplies to stock the new supply closet for teachers at Chamberlayne Elementary School as well as collecting funds to help meet our goal of $1,000.00 as we join with our neighbor churches for a Meal-Packaging Event on Saturday, September 20 from 10 a.m. until noon at Chamberlayne Baptist Church.

On-going collections of non-perishable food and personal care items each week for our LAMB’S Basket wagon are very much appreciated.

Some current items needed are: pet foods, toilet tissue, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and deodorant.

Are you interested in serving on this vital committee? Call Helen Wood for details about meeting times and goals. (262-8907)

4 5

Meal-packaging Event

Saturday, September 20, 2014

10 a.m. unAl noon

Chamberlayne BapAst Church

This goal will provide meals for 4800 hungry children!

Please make your contribuAon toward our goal by marking the pew

envelope for STOP HUNGER NOW!

OR

Shake out your piggy bank and roll your coins in special coin wrappers

available in the narthex and the fellowship hall. Please submit your

contribuAon by September 14th

.

OUR GOAL = $1,000.00

Check the meter in the narthex to see our progress!!

PawSupplies

Our Outreach/Missions Committee has been in touch with our friends at Chamberlayne Elementary School to discover ways in which we may be able to enhance our connection

with the school.

A special need that was realized is the formation of a supply closet for teachers to visit when they need classroom tools and supplies for their students. This valuable resource

will be referred to as “PawSupplies”.

Our committee has already initiated the purchase of pocket folders for each of the 475 students. These will house important papers which need to go home with each student on

the first day of school.

Throughout the year, we’ll be in touch with the principal, Muriel Brinkley, to learn of

additional supply needs as they arise.

With school supplies on sale the entire month of August, this is an ideal time to begin stocking the supply room. Baskets are located in the narthex and the fellowship hall for

your convenience as you shop to help us stock the PawSupplies shelves.

GETTING ON TRACK FOR BACK TO SCHOOL!

SUPPLIES NEEDED IMMEDIATELY:

backpacks (empty) glue sticks scissors

dry erase markers dry erasers card stock

color computer paper