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10:00 am10:00 am10:00 am Traditional Worship Traditional Worship Traditional Worship 11:30 am11:30 am11:30 am Contemporary WorshipContemporary WorshipContemporary Worship

Resident Bishop .......................................... Young Jin Cho, Richmond Episcopal AreaResident Bishop .......................................... Young Jin Cho, Richmond Episcopal AreaResident Bishop .......................................... Young Jin Cho, Richmond Episcopal Area Superintendent... ..................................Danny Kesner, Charlottesville DistrictSuperintendent... ..................................Danny Kesner, Charlottesville DistrictSuperintendent... ..................................Danny Kesner, Charlottesville District

Lead Pastor .......................... Scott Davis, Lead Pastor .......................... Scott Davis, Lead Pastor .......................... Scott Davis, ScottDavis@cvaumc.orgScottDavis@cvaumc.orgScottDavis@cvaumc.org Associate Pastor .............................. Chris Fuss, Associate Pastor .............................. Chris Fuss, Associate Pastor .............................. Chris Fuss, PastorFuss@gmail.comPastorFuss@gmail.comPastorFuss@gmail.com Church Administrator ..........................Amy OBrien, Church Administrator ..........................Amy OBrien, Church Administrator ..........................Amy OBrien, AmyOBrien@cvaumc.orgAmyOBrien@cvaumc.orgAmyOBrien@cvaumc.org Music Director / Organist.....Rafael Scarfullery, Music Director / Organist.....Rafael Scarfullery, Music Director / Organist.....Rafael Scarfullery, rafael@rafaelscarfullery.comrafael@rafaelscarfullery.comrafael@rafaelscarfullery.com Accompanist .........................................................................Jo Pettitt, Accompanist .........................................................................Jo Pettitt, Accompanist .........................................................................Jo Pettitt, allegrojo2003@aol.comallegrojo2003@aol.comallegrojo2003@aol.com Handbell Director......... Melody Day, Handbell Director......... Melody Day, Handbell Director......... Melody Day, melody@DaySongStudio.commelody@DaySongStudio.commelody@DaySongStudio.com Worship Leader........................................................... Chelsea Morse, Worship Leader........................................................... Chelsea Morse, Worship Leader........................................................... Chelsea Morse, chelc87@gmail.comchelc87@gmail.comchelc87@gmail.com Director of Ministries with Young People .......Rachel Miller, Director of Ministries with Young People .......Rachel Miller, Director of Ministries with Young People .......Rachel Miller, rachelmiller@cvaumc.orgrachelmiller@cvaumc.orgrachelmiller@cvaumc.org Nursery Coordinator ......................................Cassie Cooley, Nursery Coordinator ......................................Cassie Cooley, Nursery Coordinator ......................................Cassie Cooley, casfcooley@gmail.comcasfcooley@gmail.comcasfcooley@gmail.com Nursery Assistant............................................................................................... Alicia TylNursery Assistant............................................................................................... Alicia TylNursery Assistant............................................................................................... Alicia Tylererer Our MissionariesOur MissionariesOur Missionaries Clara Biswas (Cambodia)Clara Biswas (Cambodia)Clara Biswas (Cambodia) Fred & Ruby AmoahFred & Ruby AmoahFred & Ruby Amoah---Darko (Africa)Darko (Africa)Darko (Africa) MinistersMinistersMinisters Every Member of Aldersgate ChurchEvery Member of Aldersgate ChurchEvery Member of Aldersgate Church

SPRING/SUMMER 2015

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Table of Contents

Page 3 Sunday Morning at AUMC

Page 5 Mission Moment

Page 6 Volunteers in Mission

Page 7 Easter Offering

Page 8 School Supply Drive

Page 9 Gleaning at the City Market

Page 10 Childrens Ministry

Page 11 Relay for Life

Page 12 Praise Expo III

Page 13 Stephen Ministry

Page 14 How To Reach New People Workshop

Page 15 Bits and Pieces

Page 16 Staff Listing

Reaching Upward, Inward, and Outward Lovette Weems of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary reminds us that Leaders do not need answers. Leaders need the right questions. During our Lenten journey and many months before we have been trying to ask the right questions as seek to discern where God is calling us as a congregation, questions like: How will we meet others where they are in our community? How will we welcome our guests as Jesus welcomed others? How will we help us all worship and grow in Gods grace? and How will we help make faith a way of life? Im grateful and proud to serve a congregation with leaders and members who are eager to take on these questions and to find how we can become more effective in our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. In this edition of Aldersgate Alive! youll find ways were seeking to reach upward toward God in worship and prayer, inward toward one another as we grow and build relationships, and outward as we serve and welcome those around us. I look forward to the journey ahead and thank you for the ongoing partnership as we seek to respond to Gods grace in Jesus Christ together. Rev. Scott Davis, Lead Pastor

Spring Bulbs for Fall Garden Sale

Because every three or four years, iris plants need separating and replanting, we are scheduling a fall plant sale to the public on Oct. 3-4. With hundreds of iris plants around the church, digging is quite an operation and will require some help. We've already had volunteers for shoveling and bagging.

To add to the items for sale, we are inviting members and friends of Aldersgate to look around their flower beds and gardens for items to share. I personally have "bushels" of purple Dutch Iris at home that need a new home. I'm suggesting that when you get done with the 1 gallon size plastic pots from your spring plantings that you did up and pot your budding mum plants and other surplus plants and get them ready for this fall garden sale. If you have surplus empty pots, please bring them to the church and place them by the doors to the green mower shed in our south parking lot. This way, persons needing extra pots can get them.

This event could raise hundreds of dollars for needed church improvements.

Thanks, Merrill Bishop ph. 975-3072

Saturday Morning Mens Group

The Saturday Morning Mens Group meets each Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. in Room 208 for fellowship,

coffee and donuts and a short devotional. Each meeting is different, so feel free to come one Saturday or

every Saturday or whenever you could use a little emotional boost because the regular attendees are a great

bunch of guys. All Aldersgate men and friends of Aldersgate are invited to attend. For more information

contact Jonathan Peterson at 434.249.4050 or jp@packagingsupplydirect.com.

BBBiiitttsss aaannnddd PPPiiieeeccceeesss

The Friendship Luncheon is held on the third Tuesday of every month at 12:30 pm at the DoubleTree Hotel on Rt. 29N. We eat a lunch catered by the DoubleTree chef, enjoy fellowship with each other, and listen to the talented speakers and entertainers engaged for the event. For more information or to sign up, please see Jean Ward (964-1178). You do not have to be a member of the Friendship Class. As long as you enjoy Christian fellowship, we invite you to please join us!

Camp Young At Heart August 24, 25, 26

An ecumenical Summer Camp for adults of all ages

For more information, contact Rev. Chris Fuss at 434.973.5806 or pastorfuss@gmail.com

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Member Care / Hospitality Team

The Member Care/Hospitality Team is having a "special" sip-n-chat on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. They will be held in the Reed Room immediately following the Worship service. Sip-n-chat will be held after each Worship service on Easter Sunday (8:00 and 10:00). Sip-chat will continue throughout the summer months. We may even have some new and interesting ways of providing food and fellowship to you in the upcoming months. We are also planning a combined Worship service with a potluck on Sunday, August 30th. Weather permitting we are going to have a cookout with seating both inside and outside. This is sure to be a fun time with lots of yummy food and fellowship. Mark your calendars now! There will be more information as the date gets closer. As a reminder, there is a sign-up chart in the Reed Room on the wall for anyone who is interested in hosting sip-n-chat. You may also just supply a dessert or a snack. If you have any questions you may contact Carolyn Fuss at carolynfuss@gmail.com or Robin Oliver at 434-978-3553 or robinaoliver@comcast.net. Thank you!

How To Reach New People Workshop Saturday, April 18, 10:00 am 4:00 pm, Reed Room

Aldersgate is pleased to host eleven area United Methodist congregations for a special day of training and coaching on how to reach new people in your community led by Rev. Paul Nickerson of Griffin Coaching. You are invited to come learn what churches around the country are doing to connect with their community and bring new people into the life of the church.

Hear what your Vitality Team and Pastor have been doing in the past six months Hear from other congregations and learn of best practices. Get up to the minute training and coaching Work with your church in developing a strategy for the next six months to connect with your neighborhood. So please, invest a day of your time for the future of your congregation and to help those in your community who do not know the love of God, to come and discover that grace at your church. Interested? Contact Scott Davis at scottdavis@cvaumc.org.

Sunday Morning at AUMC effective June 7, 2015

Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for

the transformation of the world.

Come as you are and explore what Jesus Christ has to offer you through worship, Biblical teaching, small groups,

fellowship, music and prayer. Our services are multi-generational, last approximately one hour, and include

childrens church and a professionally-staffed nursery.

8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Fellowship and Community

As part of Looking Outward and building community, the Reed Room is dedicated all morning to networking and growing our connections with each other. Coffee and tea are always available. Breakfast foods are offered beginning

at 8:30 a.m. and after the 9:00 service. Our familiar Sip N Chat is offered before and after the 11:00 a.m. service.

9:00-10:00 a.m. Blended Worship (formerly at 11:30 a.m.)

This service is informal and engages children in worship through interactive participation in song and dance. The

music includes a mix of groups led by the worship band with piano accompanist, hymns, and modern Christian

music. Communion is served each week. After the Childrens Message in the sanctuary, children may remain in the sanctuary or leave for Childrens Church their own time of education and interaction. They are divided into two groups by age: Pre-K & K/1st-5th grade.

10:00-11:00 a.m. Small Group Opportunities

Small group offerings are designed to help us grow deeper in our faith, understand scripture, learn from and support

each other, and encourage us to share what God is saying to us. Some groups are ongoing, and others are topical and

time-limited. Opportunities beginning June 7 include:

Childrens Sunday School: Pre-K and K Childrens Sunday School: 1st 5th Grade Joyful Noise Singers

Possible meeting time (to be determined) for existing adult classes: Revelation, Agape, Friendship and Seekers

***NEW Youth Sunday School

***NEW Scripture Discussion Groups (ongoing)

***NEW Spiritual Growth Groups (4-5 week book study or Bible study)

***NEW Intergenerational Service Projects: Once a quarter, Sunday School is replaced with service projects

***NEW Parent Small Group

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Traditional Worship (formerly at 10:00 a.m.)

This service is more formal in presentation and uses both printed and extemporaneous prayers. A crucifer and

acolytes join the procession with our pastors. The music includes congregational hymns, choral anthems, organ,

handbells, and instrumental ensemble with Communion on the first Sunday of each month. After the Childrens Message in the sanctuary, children may remain in the sanctuary or leave for Childrens Church their own time of education and interaction. They are divided into two groups by age: Pre-K & K/1st-5th grade.

Making disciples

The Aldersgate United Methodist Church congregation holds as a core belief that salvation is found in following

Jesus Christ, and we therefore seek to make more disciples. We hold as a core value that God meets us where we are

but does not leave us there, always inviting us to take our next step in faith.

We honor tradition and embrace change.

In making disciples, this triangle illustrates three dimensions of our church life

together:

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OUTWARD

UPWARD

INWARD

We believe we can best worship God (UPWARD) as a gathered assembly, raising our voices together in song,

prayer and praise, while hearing the Gospel proclaimed. By offering two similar, yet distinct, worship services, we

embrace and respect individual styles of worship expression.

Looking INWARD means going deeper into our personal relationship with God, and is lived out in small discipleship

groups where we can know and be known. This is where we are invited into a loving relationship and challenged to

share what God is saying to us. This environment of trust is where questions are honored and faith is nurtured.

Looking OUTWARD means having a missional community that shares a passion and serves the deep needs we

encounter. We believe that our authentic Christian service to others will draw new people who desire to give back.

We share meals and fellowship together. We reach new people who encounter our extended family while we are on a

mission.

Frequently asked questions

Why are we changing Sunday mornings schedule? We believe that the Holy Spirit is moving our church to an Invitational Mission Model which invites us to look

UPWARD, through worship; INWARD, through small groups; and OUTWARD, by having a missional community

and an authentically welcoming presence.

After prayerful, thoughtful and analytical consideration, the Church Council voted on March 16, 2015 to change the

Sunday morning schedule effective June 7, 2015. The new schedule includes a choice of worship styles, fellowship,

education and small groups.

Who made this decision?

In the United Methodist Church, the Church Council is the decision-making body; the vote was unanimously in favor.

How did this change come about?

The Church Council spent a full year of prayer, discernment, and thoughtful dialogue on ways to create a culture shift

to being more outward oriented. We held prayer walks, read the book Overflow: Increase worship attendance & bear

more fruit, attended the seminar How to Reach New People, and created active congregation teams. Themes of outreach, connections, opportunities, welcoming presence and authenticity surfaced and led to conversations about

how well AUMC is doing in these areas. It became clear that we should be giving people more opportunities, but our

Sunday morning schedule created many challenges. Discipleship is practiced every day, but Sunday morning provides

a focus and foundation for the rest of the week.

What has been the process?

The process of arriving at the decision to change the schedule has included significant input and conversations with

the Spiritual Growth Team, Worship Team, Music Ministry, Hospitality, and Childrens Ministry. In addition, more than 100 people participated in small group Holy Conversations held on 4 different dates/times. All of the feedback

and suggestions received were lovingly considered, consolidated, and analyzed. Due diligence by the Council

included a review of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with keeping the schedule as it is,

and making the change; the analysis clearly pointed to the strengths and opportunities embedded in the new proposal.

How will we measure our effectiveness?

We will be successful if more people become disciples. Some objective numbers will be reviewed, such as the

number of small groups and the number of people participating in small groups, attendance at childrens and Youth Sunday school, attendance during worship, financial contributions, etc. We also pray that we all will embrace

spiritual growth which will result in more love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control.

For more information, contact

Susan Painter (smpainter@comcast.net)

Laura Nelson (lnelson582@aol.com )

Scott Davis (scottdavis@cvaumc.org)

or call the church office at 434.973.5806.

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Be Part of Something BIG as a Stephen Ministry congregation, AUMC is

part of a big network of care. More than 12,000 congregations are

enrolled in the Stephen Series. Stephen Leaders have trained more than

600,000 Stephen Ministers in their local congregations since the ministry

began in 1975 and that number continues to grow each year.

AUMC is looking for people who are willing to be trained as Stephen

Ministers. We plan to start a training class in the fall of 2015. Stephen

Ministers receive 50 hours of training covering areas such as feelings,

listening, assertiveness, maintaining boundaries, and confidentiality.

Stephen Ministry training will prepare you to provide high-quality care to your care receiver. The training

will also deepen your faith, draw you closer to God, and enhance your communication skills and personal

relationships. Being a Stephen Minister is a life-changing experience.

If you think you might want to serve as a Stephen Minister, consider these steps:

Pray. God has called each of us to ministry. Prayer is one way we learn what ministry God is calling us to

do. As you pray, ask God whether Stephen Ministry is right for you.

Consider your spiritual gifts. A Stephen Minister needs to be loving, patient, non-judgmental,

confidential, prayerful, encouraging, and a good listener.

Look at your life circumstances. Stephen Ministry is a big commitment. Examine your time commitments.

If you are already stretched too thin, this is probably not the time to become a Stephen Minister. If you

are still working through grief or another crisis, it would be better to wait until you have worked through

that brokenness.

April 12 will be Stephen Ministry Sunday. You can learn more at

the display in the Reed Room during Sip n Chat and by speaking

with one of our Stephen Ministers (Nancy Berman, Meredith

McKeown, Pat MacNicoll, Joan Forrest, and Linda Evans). They

can share their own experiences about what it has been like to

serve as a Stephen Minister and answer questions about training,

serving, supervision, continuing education, and the time

commitment involved. Our Stephen Leaders (Pastors Scott Davis

and Chris Fuss and Billie Campbell - billiecampbell@earthlink.net

or 975-5298) can also share information with you.

To hear from people whose live have been changed through

Stephen Ministry, visit www.stephenministries.org/stories.

Stephen Ministers are caring

friends who listen,

understand, accept, and pray

for and with care receivers

who are working through a

crisis or a tough time.

Stephen Ministers have the

gifts, skills and calling to

bring Christs love and care to

those who need it most.

Save the Date Praise Expo III

Saturday, October 3, 2015

We are currently organizing this year's Praise Expo and could use the following:

Prayers Volunteers to help organize (Any event planners out there? We'd love your help & expertise!) Stage Manager (to assist with getting groups ready and keeping the flow going between performances) Musical groups (Know any local Praise Bands you'd like to invite?) Roadies (to assist with set up & take downs of bands)

Contact info for any and all interested: Laura Nelson at LNelson582@aol. com OR Bill Bricker at brickerb2@gmail.com.

Opportunity to share food and fellowship with the UVA Wesley Foundation students We are going to provide a meal for the Wesley foundation students on Thursday, April 9th. This is an evening where Aldersgate will prepare the meal and serve the students as well as join them for the meal. If you would like to help either with food preparation, the setup and cleanup or just join us for fellowship that evening, please contact Leatha Harlow, 434-975-0633 or leathaharlow@comcast.net.

Project Linus Make a Blanket Day

Our church will host this event on April 18 from 9:00 to 2:00 in the Fellowship Hall. Everyone is invited to participate in this great hands-on activity where we make quilts for children of various needs. All materials and instructions are provided and you DO NOT need to know how to sew! You are encouraged to bring a sewing machine if you have one. Lunch will be provided by the UMW. Please RSVP to Leatha Harlow, 434-975-0633 or leathaharlow@comcast.net.

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MISSION MOMENT Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

On Sunday, March 22, 2015, Billie Campbell shared with the congregation the discernment process that has shaped a new culture for Aldersgate United Methodist Church. In October 2014, the Church Council voted to follow an Invitational Mission Model of making disciples of Jesus Christ. In her comments below, Billie describes the model and the process that has led us to this point in our ministry together: Good morning. Im Billie Campbell, and Im here to report to you on behalf the Church Council. I had rotated off Council at the end of 2010, and as time went by, I began to feel in the dark, not having any idea what was happening. I suspect that many of you feel that way now, as the Council is making decisions that will affect you. For me, I volunteered to fill the vacant position of Recording Secretary, returning to Council in August 2013. This gave me a front row seat during the period of discernment over the past year and a half. Just as a reminder of where we were as a church before this period of discernment began:

There was a change of pastors in mid-2010, and Scott Davis became our lead pastor.

We completed the 2011 to 2015 Strategic Plan in June 2011.

We changed the worship schedule from two traditional services at 8:15 and 11:00 a.m. to one traditional service at 10:00 a.m.. Simultaneously, we changed the time of the Contemporary Service from 10:50 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and moved its location from the Reed Room into the sanctuary.

We relocated Sip n Chat from downstairs to upstairs. This was a small logistical change that has enriched our Sunday morning experience.

Here is what I have seen and heard since I came back on Council. That fall, there was a church-wide focus on discipleship and a Church Council commitment in response to Bishop Chos call to return to the central practice of prayer. The discernment process began in early 2014.

A small group began reading and discussing the book Overflow: Increase Worship Attendance & Bear More Fruit

The group brought ideas back to the Worship Ministry Team.

The Council first discussed a change to Sunday mornings in April 2014. That proposal was called Common Grounds with a two-fold purpose: to build a bridge between the 10:00 & 11:30 congregations, and to serve as a welcoming entry point into the church. That specific proposal did not move forward, but did foster conversations about worship, reaching outward, and building on the fellowship, conversations, and connections that were already happening during Sip n Chat. We also began to move the 11:30 a.m. service from a pure contemporary to a blended worship style.

This external focus continued with an emphasis on praying for and connecting with the community within a one-mile radius of the church, leading to prayer walks in surrounding neighborhoods.

Godspell was offered in the summer, bringing a large number of people into our church, many for the first time.

In the early fall, a group from Aldersgate attended a Seminar on How to Reach New People led by Griffin Coaching.

In October 2014, the Church Council agreed to a year of coaching with Griffin Coaching and formally voted to commit to supporting the culture shift in our church toward an Invitational Mission Model. This was a key turning point All future decisions would flow from this commitment. After that, the pace of the process sped up, fueled by this decision and the learning from ongoing coaching.

In January, the Church Council endorsed further conversation with the congregation about possible changes to the Sunday morning schedule leading to a series of Holy Conversations.

At its March 2nd meeting, the Council charged the Worship, Spiritual Growth, and Hospitality Ministry Teams to develop a proposal for a revised Sunday morning schedule. Susan Painter shared this with the congregation on March 8.

On March 16, the ministry teams and the Communications Team presented their recommendation. The Council approved a change to the worship schedule to a 9:00 a.m. Blended Service and an 11:00 a.m. Traditional Service, to go into effect on June 7. Like moving Sip n Chat upstairs, this is a logistical change to create entry points for new people to join into our fellowship. It builds on Sip n Chat to provide greater opportunities for spiritual conversation.

Our hope is that you will join with us in shifting our focus away from ourselves and toward those who are not here. We all know people who dont have a church home, who dont have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and who dont share our bedrock assurance that God is with us no matter what. They need what we have, and our church needs you to invite them. Thank you.

A THOUSAND WORDS. thats supposedly what a picture says 1000 words. What words do you see in this picture of a mission volunteer with a man in Honduras? I see the love of God in action helping, healing, praying, and giving hope to people living in extreme poverty without access to health care. For the third year in a row, I will be traveling to Honduras in June 2015 with a team of 15 people who will go by bus to 5

remote mountain villages, bringing the love of God, health care, and hope for families living in extreme poverty. This year, I am the co-leader of the team, and I am bringing with me from Aldersgate United Methodist Church my son, Adam Blalock, and from Africa Lighthouse Baptist Temple, Pastor Peter Chege. Adam will be giving out anti-parasite medicine and doing fluoride treatments. Pastor Peter and I will be assisting the Honduran dentist who exclusively pulls teeth; one lady last year had 12 teeth extracted. One team per month goes to Honduras through the Friends of Barnabas Foundation. Cumulatively they visit and serve 30 communities per year, on a rotational basis, effecting not just one time but permanent change in health and education of the community leaders. Pastor Peter, Adam and I need to raise $7,500 ($2,500 each) to pay for our expenses and for the medicines and supplies to bring with us. We need to raise the money by the end of April. We are calling our team the Faith in Action Faction. One white, one black, one (used to be) blonde. Will you consider a gift in support of our mission? You may give through AUMC by earmarking your gift to VIM (Volunteers in Mission) on the memo line, or you may donate directly to the Friends of Barnabas Foundation using a credit card on our website: http://www.razoo.com/story/Faith-In-Action-Faction Thank you from the bottom of my heart,

Faith Painter Faith Painter Member, AUMC

We are the Faith in Action Faction

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Relay for Life Aldersgate is participating in Relay for Life again this year, and we hope to get the whole church involved,

and raise even more money for the American Cancer Society than we did last year.

Whether you have a relative, friend, or coworker who has been diagnosed, we have all been affected by cancer in some way. Relay for Life is about raising money that will go towards cancer research

in hopes that we will one day find a cure for this aggressive disease.

At the Relay for Life event, there are fundraisers, games, and you have the opportunity to honor or remember someone who fought cancer, by purchasing a luminaire

that will be placed around the track at night to light up the entire stadium.

Relay for Life 2015 is Saturday, May 16th at 6pm to 6am Sunday morning (or however long you wish to stay) To Sign Up & Join Aldersgates Team: (IT'S FREE) Go to: www.relayforlife.org/cvilleva Click sign up then join a team Our churchs team name is Alright Aldersgate Fill out the rest of the online form and you should be good to go! To Donate: Go to the same website URL written above Click donate then donate to a team Type Alright Aldersgate into the search bar or scroll down to find our team name Then click donate and follow the remainder of the instructions on how to donate to our churchs team

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Ashley Oliver at ashleyo12@comcast.net or 434-465-8224.

COLLEGE CARE PACKAGES Looks like the winter is finally over--HOORAY! That means that it's time to start collecting for the college care packages that we send to our college students to let them know that we're thinking about them. This small act means a lot to the kids. We will be collecting goodies in a tub in the hospitality room from March 29 until April 20. Please think about donating! We could use chocolate, pretzels, nuts, crackers, gummies, pencils, pens, popcorn, cocoa, hard candies, or any other small items that you think a college student would enjoy to get them through the trauma of exams. Leftover Easter candy is welcome if the Easter Bunny was overly generous! Questions? Call Susan Reed at 973--0766 or email reedr3va@netzero.com.

ALTAR GUILD OPPORTUNITY If you would like to spend a few minutes a month preparing our Sanctuary paraments for Sunday worship, contact Laura Nelson (lnelson582@aol.com) about serving on the Altar Guild. This is a quiet, behind-the-scenes way to make a big impact.

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Children's Ministry

Our 3rd annual Un-Sleepover for all kids and teens will be on Saturday, June 6th at 6PM. It's an awesome way to celebrate the end of the school year and welcome summer! Please join us at the church for home-made ice-cream sundaes and to watch a fun Children's Movie! Feel free to wear your pajamas! We ask that at least one parent/guardian from each family with children just finishing 5th grade and below stay for the Un-Sleepover to help keep an eye on everyone, thanks!

Youth Sunday this year will be Sunday, May 3rd and we'd love for all youth and any church members and friends to join us in ordering this spring's great AUMC t-shirt. The $20 you spend pays for your shirt and a small donation to Imagine No Malaria to help save lives! www.booster.com/aumcinm The final day to order a shirt is Easter Sunday, April 5th.

YOU ARE INVITED to the end of the year Youth Praise Band Concert and Potluck the evening of Sunday, May 17th! Our awesome and talented Youth Praise Band will share songs with us they've been working on throughout the year and all youth, family, friends, and church friends are invited to join us in a church-wide potluck! Time and location in the church TBA.

Are you ready for Vacation Bible School at AUMC?!? VBS will be Monday, June 29th through Thursday, July 2nd from 5:30-8pm and is for children age four through those who will have just completed the 5th grade. Anyone who would like to volunteer to help may contact Rachel at rachelmiller@cvaumc.org and children can be registered online at cvaumc.org/vacation-bible-school

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Easter OfferingEaster OfferingEaster Offering

At Aldersgate we strive to show and pass on Gods love to all of our neighbors. One way we do that is through our annual Easter offering. The Outreach and Missions team is asking that you prayerfully consider making a gift that will help support the following mission projects: Clara Biswas, a missionary of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, serves as Team Leader of Street Children Ministries in Cambodia. She works to improve the lives of impoverished children who live on the streets of Phnom Penh, sharing the love of God, helping children obtain an education, improving living conditions, and providing medical care and financial support. Aldersgate has supported Clara for the last eight years and $2,500 of our Easter offering will be sent to aid her in continuing her valuable work in Cambodia. Offerings received above $2,500 will be divided equally between: Heart Havens: Heart Havens builds and supports homes where adults with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to live in a family setting while making personal choices, achieving individual goals, and contributing to the surrounding community. There are currently 11 Heart Havens homes across Virginia; the focus of the current campaign is to establish funding to provide and support a Heart Havens home in Charlottesville. Wesley Foundation: The Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist campus ministry at UVA, is at a turning point. Almost everything in the 50 year old structures is in need of repair or replacement. The goal is to raise $1.5 million, which will be used to provide a safe, program-friendly and attractive environment for their students. Plans include renovation of the cottage and the main building, hazardous materials abatement, accessibility improvements, and improved and increased living space.

When you place your gift in the offering plate, please make a notation that it is for the "Easter

Offering". Thank you for your consideration.

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SSSCHOOLCHOOLCHOOL SSSUPPLYUPPLYUPPLY DDDRIVERIVERIVE Once again, AUMC will be providing school supplies for over 200 students at Greer Elementary School. Below is a list of items needed for the students. Monetary donations will also be accepted to purchase the bulk supplies of paper towels, tissues, ear buds and other items that we may not receive during the collection period. Please make your check payable to AUMC with SCHOOL SUPPLIES on the memo line. Donations can be left in the collection box located in the Welcome Center starting in June. Packing and delivering of the school supplies will be during the month of August. An announcement will be in the bulletin with the exact date and time. Please let Deb Reynolds or Leatha Harlow know if you are interested in helping with this important outreach ministry of our church. May Gods blessings be with each of you as we continue to reach out to the underserved in our community. Blessings, Your Mission Team

SSSCHOOLCHOOLCHOOL SHOPPINGSHOPPINGSHOPPING LISTLISTLIST Disinfecting wipes Hand sanitizer Crayons Marble composition notebook Markers Pencils Glue sticks Pencil box Gallon Ziploc bags Block erasers Scissors Colored pencils Wide ruled paper Pocket folders Highlighters Bottled glue Dry erase markers Liquid glue

THE HAITI MISSION

Aldersgate member Dave Reynolds has been participating in The Haiti Missions medical teams since 2001. This UMVIM project, founded by Providence UMC from Charlotte, NC, has been sending four medical teams every year to the Tovar Clinic in northern Haiti since the 1980s. This is one of the oldest continuously operating clinics in Haiti. Each of the four teams spends eight days and manages between two and three thousand patient visits during their time there (thats about 10,000 patient visits per year!). In addition, the Mission has been employing a local Haitian physician to staff the clinic two days a week throughout the rest of the year. This provides this rural community with continuity of care that is almost unheard of in rural Haiti.

Each team is comprised of 20 25 people, each of whom pays their own travel, lodging, and food expenses. There are 6-8 physicians, 2-3 nurses, sometimes a dentist, and many support staff. The Haiti Mission pays for interpreters, drivers and vehicles to get us to the clinic, year round salaries for the Haitian clinic staff, and large amounts of medicines and medical supplies (most of which are shipped ahead of time by air freight). The Mission also purchases nutritional items (baby formula, fortified powdered milk, and a nutritional grain mix called AK meal), which are given to the poorest of the poor (especially children). Funding is also used to pay for local x-ray and surgical services, which are deemed necessary but not available at our clinic. It is such a blessing to work with our Haitian physician friend, Dr. Eugene Maklin, who provides local expertise on where to get such services and how much they will cost. All of this does cost money upwards of $100,000 every year. Over these 30-plus years, The Haiti Mission has been blessed with both the continued support from Providence UMC, as well as donations from other Methodist churches (several here in Virginia!). Significant private donations have also played a part in maintaining this amazing operation. Members of Aldersgate have been very generous with their donations in support of Dr. Reynolds when he participates on the April Team last year donating over $2,200. This is money well spent, as every penny goes directly to the poor in Haiti.

If you wish to offer financial support to the April Team, you can write a check to Aldersgate UMC with Haiti Mission on the memo line. You can also donate directly to the mission by going to www.thehaitimission.org/donate/donate.html. Your prayers and well wishes are appreciated as well.

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GLEANING AT THE CITY MARKET

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your

harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the alien: I am the LORD your God. --Leviticus 23:22

Gleaning is the traditional Biblical practice of gathering crops that would otherwise be left in the fields to rot or be plowed under after harvest. Partnering with the Society of St. Andrew, Aldersgate participates in a gleaning project at the City Market in Downtown Charlottesville. As the City Market begins to shut down for the day, vendors who wish to participate can donate unsold fruits, vegetables, breads and pastries. Gleaners collect these items and deliver them to local community resources where they are used to feed their residents and clients. Organizations that benefit from this gleaning include The Haven, a day center for the homeless; the Salvation Army; Piedmont House, a transitional house for men recently

released from prison and to the Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA). Again this season, Aldersgate will be gleaning at the City Market one Saturday each month beginning in May. Gleaners need to be at the City Market at 11:30 AM and are usually finished by 1:00 PM. If you would like to learn more about this valuable project or want to help, please contact Susan Painter smpainter@comcast.net or 434-987-5448.