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The WellspringFuquay-Varina United Methodist Church

February 2015

Ash WednesdaySoup Supper 5:45-6:45pm

Worship 7:00pmPlease drop off crockpots of soup (any type) by 5:30 pm in the main kitchen. Donations of crackers, spoons and napkins appreciated. For questions, contact Terri Pavone at tlpavone@nc.rr.com. Online signups will begin in early February - watch the bulletin for more details.

Observing a Holy LentPastor Gene Tyson

Lent marks the beginning of the church’s journey toward Easter. It is a season of 40 days, not counting Sundays, which begins with Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday.

It is a time of preparation before celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our Ash Wednesday liturgy tells the story:

Brothers and sisters in Christ: the early Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church that before the Easter celebration there should be a forty day season of spiritual preparation.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church to observe a holy Lent: by self-examination and repentance: by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s Word.

Lenten Worship: Noon RespiteThis year, our Lenten worship services are going to look a little different. Instead of our usual worship with guest pastors sharing a message, we are worshiping simply through a prayer and communion service each Wednesday at noon in the Centrum.

On one Wednesday, we will pray using a psalm, on another we will slowly study a gospel reading together through the ancient practice of lectio divina. Each week will be a great opportunity to be drawn closer into God’s presence during our 40 day Lenten journey.

You are welcome to join us on your lunch break, and we hope this will be a true respite in your week. All are welcome to join in the sacrament of communion each week as we gather together. Worship will be followed with a light lunch at 12:30pm. Come any Wednesday that you are able, and bring a friend or co-worker.

February 25March 4March 11

March 18March 25

Lent is a time when we, as followers of Christ, focus on what God has done for us through the passion, death and resurrection of his Son and our Savior Jesus Christ.

The death of Jesus paid for the sins of the world past, present and future, and his resurrection ensures new life for all and the promised coming of His Kingdom.

It is indeed “Calvary Love” for which he gave his life.

In his book “Simply Jesus: A New Vision of Who He Was, What He Did And Why It Matters”, N.T. Wright says, “The crucifixion was the shocking answer to the prayer that God’s Kingdom would come on earth as in heaven.”

Therefore sisters and brothers of all ages, as residing Elder and Lead Pastor at FVUMC, I invite you to observe a holy Lent of 40 days beginning Ash Wednesday, February 18 through Holy Saturday April 4.

Observe “by self-examination and repentance: by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s Word.”

On Ash Wednesday, we will gather from 5:45-6:45pm for a soup supper followed by our child-friendly Ash Wednesday service at 7:00pm.

Then, join us for our weekly noonday services on Wednesdays and take part in serve & share opportunities throughout our community as we walk through this season together.

God bless each of you as enter into these 40 days, and I look forward to seeing you and your family on Ash Wednesday.

Pastor Gene

Practice, Practice, Practice: Lent 2015Pastor Kevin Johnson

Following Jesus takes practice.

While we know that to be true, we often aren’t very good at thinking about practices besides reading the Bible and praying.

So this Lent, we are going to focus as a church family on a different practice that we can do for each week of Lent. These will be things you can engage in with your family or by yourself. We will provide different ideas for how you might practice following Jesus in different ways during Lent. What type of practices? Here’s an example:

S i l e nc e .

We are a noise-filled culture.

Even while I write this, I am playing music in the background to drown out other conversations around me.

So what would it look like if we didn’t turn any music on in the car? What if instead of flipping the TV on once the kids are in bed, we practiced silence and listened to God?

Maybe your family could even try a “silent dinner” and see what you notice differently when you take out the noise.

As we engage in these practices, our hope is that we get in the habit of following closely after Jesus.

After all, Jesus needed these practices in his life. That’s why he went up on mountainsides to pray, or took his disciples to the other side of the lake.

What could happen if we encounter God in these spiritual practices during Lent?

Look for our weekly email after Ash Wednesday for the first practice that we will do together!

Pastor Kevin

O b s e r v e a H O l y l e n t :

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Surrendering to That Holy NudgingPastor Valerie Tyson

Grace and Peace! Our Bishop, Hope Morgan Ward, is currently visiting each of the eight districts in the North Carolina Conference. Pastors Kevin and Laura, Gene and I recently joined our brothers and sisters for the Fairway District meeting which convened at White Plains UMC in Cary.

Bishop Ward likes to share stories. She’s good at it too. Her stories are meaningful and memorable because they are “real.” She interprets her everyday life experiences in the light of faith and passes them along to encourage, inspire and transform us.

During the meeting, she brought to our attention the first issue of a new magazine that is being published quarterly entitled Every Day Grace.

Every Day Grace offers short stories from people just like us who are in the local church. These “real” stories are wonderfully written and are transparent, exposing warts and all!

And sooooo…….I thought I might share a little story myself and entrust to you a truth about my life.

Here goes: My prayer life has been in the tank!

There it is! Not a pretty confession for anyone, certainly not a pastor! But, it’s the truth. I must confess my lack of a truly disciplined prayer life has troubled me for a while. (Isn’t that called grace?) Our gracious God, by grace, has been causing a “holy disturbance” in me for missing out on this means of grace we have been given called prayer!

About a month ago, I made a decision. Prayer was going to become a priority. Come hades or high water, I determined that every day (except Sunday) I would spend some disciplined time in prayer with the help of God. It’s been a battle, but I am happy to report I am well on my way to getting my prayer life under control.

Although it has only been a matter of a few weeks, I can already tell a HUGE difference in my life. I am much more at peace and much better equipped for the day. But the best part is the fellowship with God. This morning, I was trying to find some words to

describe to God how I felt about our time together. “It’s like beautiful pearls, but much better. It’s like a treasure hidden in a field, but much greater.” I found that I couldn’t even find the words. Our time together is so, so rich and good and fruitful.

Is there a place in your life that you sense God is causing a “holy disturbance?” What do I mean by that? Is there a feeling inside that is unsettled? Is there a place where you are wrestling about something? Are you not at peace about situation? Is God calling you to a holy response?

For me, it has been about my prayer life. With the help of God, I am surrendering to that holy nudging!

That’s my story….warts and all! As the Season of Lent approaches, maybe this is a good time to pay special attention to the “holy disturbance” in you. Invite God to help you discern what that is and what your response should be. Give it shot. What kind of story do you have to tell?

Blessings! Pastor Valerie

Copies of Every Day Grace magazine are available in the information display by the Welcome Center. You can email mandreolli@nccumc.org for subscription information. Currently, the subscriptions are free. An Every Day Grace television program is also being produced and is avilable on YouTube and WNCN. More information is available at nccumc.org/news/2014/10/every-day-grace-tv-coming-fall/

O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar.

– Psalm 139: 1-2

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Believing God: Women’s Bible Study

A 10-week women’s Bible study, Believing God by Beth Moore, is being offered on Thursday mornings at 10:30am in Room 117/119.

Originating from a concept in Isaiah 43:10, Believing God examines what it means to believe God rather than only believe in Him. Participants study the lives of Abraham, Moses and others from Hebrews 11 as examples of people who believed God. This study parallels a personal journey Beth took in coming to understand what it means to believe God.

Please contact Annette Ragan to sign up at 919-285-6343 or Annette.ragan@gmail.com.

12 Extraordinary Women: Friday Morning Study

They were ordinary, common, and in some cases shockingly low-caste, yet each was made extraordinary by her life-changing encounter with God. Readers will be challenged and motivated by Twelve Extraordinary Women – How God Shaped Women of the Bible, and What He Wants to Do with You by John MacArthur.

This is a poignant and personal look into the lives of some of the Bible’s most faithful women. Their struggles and temptations are the same trials faced by all believers at all ages.

Author John MacArthur shows that the God to whom they were so committed is the same God who continues to mold and use ordinary people today.

Everyone is welcome to join the conversation on Friday mornings at 6am in the Conference room on the adult wing. For questions, contact Les Page at mtnman17@gmail.com.

Camp Rockfish Hosting Couples Retreat WeekendA weekend focused on strengthening your marriage is being planned at Camp Rockfish Feb. 27-March 1. This retreat will be a chance for couples to come together and work on building a stronger relationship with each other and God. Couples will engage in classes and worship, while enjoying Rockfish activities and some quality time together. Cost is $175 per couple. For information or to register, contact Debbie Powers at 910-425-3529, ext. 22 or Debbie@camprockfish.org.

Fairway District Lay Servant Ministry –

Spring 2015 ClassesSaturday, March 21 9:00 am-5:00 pm

Pinehurst UMC 4111 Airport Road

Courses Offered:• Basic Course:

Lay Servant Ministries Instructor Rev. Tal Madison, pastor of Smyrna UMC in Robbins

• Advanced Course: Go Preach! Instructor Rev. Ray Broadwell, Fairway District Superintendent

• Advanced Course: Living Our Beliefs Instructor Dr. F. Belton Joyner, Jr., retired NC Conference pastor

For more information about the courses and to register, visit fairwaydistrictnc.org/lay-servant-ministry-spring-2015-classes.

Registration is open through March 6. Cost is $20 and includes snacks and lunch. Participants will also need to purchase the book(s) for their course.

Loving & Learning God

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In Our Thoughts and PrayersWe offer our sympathy and prayers to:

Carter & Willie Williams on the death of their grandson, Daniel Myers Williams

Chip Love’s family upon his death 

Stephanie Weeks, Fran Sykes, Karen Johnson, Virginia Jones, Mike Tucker, Dale Sullivan, Nick Powell, Mary Anne Hatch, Linda Riley, Bill Ervin, Diana Koenig, Ann Hull, Polly Sheets, Koyla Knox, Bonnie Green, Joan Lesher, Doug Jones, Judy Dolan, Dona Stanley, Tom Kelly, Cornelia Coble, Vicky Croft, Paige Wallace, Meredith Kimbro, Tom Myatt, Rebecca Williams, Carol Chambers, Lynn Rosado, David Stuart, Jakob Kish, Mario Marchese, Rob Matney, Cindy Travers, Iris Brown,Tristan Wachter, Logan Thomas, JoAnn Heiser, Dee Chisenhall, Jeff Fox, Emily Ashworth, Craig Judd, Clay King, Jill Zatyko, Sue Simkiss, André Carson, Mary Rose, Bill Young, Bob & Katharine Kinton, Howard Hanmann, Fran Applegarth and PJ Ramsey

UMW Circle of Faith Meets February 3

The monthly Circle of Faith meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 3 at 10am in the choir room. All women are encouraged to attend.

This is a community of women whose purpose is to know God, to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ, to develop a creative supportive fellowship, and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church.

PrimeTimers’ February Events

On Saturday, February 14, PrimeTimers are attending the N.C. Master Chorale concert in Raleigh (tickets are $15 per person).

We will leave from the church at 3pm and stop for dinner after the concert. Call Debbie Corr (919-557-7437) for tickets or if you need transportation to the church.

On Tuesday, February 17, a Walgreens pharmacist will speak at 10:00am in the choir room on topics including diabetes management, mental health, medication safety, and tips for choosing a Medicare plan.

Remember, in case of inclement weather, we follow the Wake County schools’ decision.

Starting Point: The Place to Find Out More About FVUMC

Our Starting Point gatherings are an introduction to the church, pastors, staff and leaders of our ministries. We’d love to help you connect with the small groups, ministries,

and activities that resonate with your life and interests. We will also take some time to explore membership at FVUMC. No pressure—just a time for conversation about what it means to join the congregation and to be a United Methodist.

The Starting Point gatherings are open to anyone, whether you’re new to FVUMC or have been attending for a while. We meet in room 117 on the Adult Wing from 4:30-6pm. Upcoming gatherings are on February 22 and April 6. Free childcare is available. If possible, please help us plan ahead by signing up using the link at fvumc.org/starting-point. Even if you’re not pre-registered, please join us!!

New to the FVUMC FamilyWe welcome the Lohmeyer, Pasnak, and Bracy families who recently joined FVUMC and celebrate the baptisms of baby Rosie and baby Laura. What a blessing it is to welcome them and renew our covenant with God to faithfully participate in this congregation through our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.

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Serving & Sharing God

Fairway District Missions Response Rally

Sunday, February 22 – 2:00 to 4:30pm Jonesboro UMC, 407 W. Main Street, Sanford

Join your brothers and sisters from around the Fairway District for an afternoon of inspiration, information, and celebration

INSPIRATION – Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, keynote speaker

INFORMATION – Learn about the conference ministry focus areas:

• Effective Lay and Clergy Leaders – Rev. Ray Broadwell, DS

• Healthy Congregations – Rev. Gray Southern, Pastor – Apex UMC

• Congregations for Children (C4C) – Rev. Elaine Lilliston, C4C Coordinator

• Imagine No Malaria – Rev. David Harvin, INM Campaign Director, NC Conference

• Unity – Bishop Hope Morgan Ward

CELEBRATION – Ministry Fair Displays celebrating the outreach of our local churches and food pantries

Each congregation is challenged to collect 1 pound of non-perishable food per church member. Winners will receive “The Golden Can Award.” Please donate canned meats,

cereals and powdered milk.

Serving Our Community: Clothing Closet Give-Away Shares God’s Abundance

The Clothing Closet is a ministry offered quarterly to provide free clothes for those in need in the church and community. Our guests receive a Christian welcome, breakfast, printed devotion and help finding what they need.

To make this outreach possible, it takes many hours of setup and organizing donations. Ways you can share the gift of your time:

• Can you carry a bag? — Help bring the clothing from the sheds into the building. Trucks needed! Wednesday evening 2/4 at 8pm

• Can you read clothing labels? — Help organize and sort donations Thursday 2/5 & Friday 2/6 from 8:30 am-6pm

• Can you offer a warm greeting to our guests (or run a vacuum?) Give-away: Saturday 2/7 from 8-10am — Cleanup following

Other ways to get involved include donating trash bags or baked goods/breakfast items for the shoppers and also bringing clothing donations to the church on Thursday or Friday. It is extremely appreciated if you sort donations by gender/size and clearly label each bag.

Contact Heather Williams for questions at 919-818-0453 or williams2002@nc.rr.com.

Curamericas Mission Team Interest Meeting

Sunday, February 1 at 2:30 PM in Room 117/119 on the Adult Wing is a meeting for anyone to “drop in” and ask questions of the Curamericas staff and to learn about upcoming mission trips to Guatemala. For questions or if you are interested but unable to attend, contact Dave Heiser at heiserdm@cdmsmith.com.

Share the Gift of Your

Time

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Donate Coupons for Military Families

Please donate your unused coupons to help support our deployed troops. These coupons are given to Military Missions in Action (MMIA) in F-V and mailed to military bases overseas.

Only donate “manufacturer” coupons – we cannot use store or restaurant coupons. The coupons must be current or have expired less than two months ago. Please sort clipped coupons into “Food” and “Non-Food” piles and put each pile into a labeled envelope. (However, clipping and sorting are NOT required—we have a team of volunteers.) Put coupons in the plastic tub that’s labeled “Coupons for Troops” in the lobby’s Welcome Center.

For questions, contact Tanya Page at 919-662-5565 or pagemail13@aol.com.

Music Ministries

Want to Try Singing in the Choir?

Looking forward to the spring, our Music Ministry is planning for a vibrant Holy Week full of music from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. For this short-term commitment, all are invited to come and sing traditional choral music accompanied by piano and our Instruments of Praise! Rehearsals are Wednesdays from 8:15- 8:45pm and/or Thursdays from 7:00-7:20pm in the choir room. For questions or other rehearsal options, contact Ashley Kotz at akotz@fvumc.org

Annual Pine Straw SaleThinking about sprucing up those flower beds this spring? Make plans now to purchase your PINE STRAW from the FVUMC Music Ministries! Pine straw will be for sale on Saturday, March 21 at the church, with home delivery available. Pre-orders will be accepted in the weeks prior. Watch the bulletin and the March Wellspring for more information!

Youth & Children’s MusicYouth Choir & Youth Handbells are open to current 6th-12th graders. Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings, 6:45–8pm. Bells rehearse Sundays, 6–6:30pm. Previous experience and the ability to read music are not required. Contact Jennifer harrenstein at jharrenstein@fvumc.org for details.

Kidz NPraise Children’s Music program meets Wednesdays at 4:30 pm for singing, instruments, drama, games and more! The program is open to all children three years old through 6th grade. The children gather each week to learn music for worship and to work on a spring musical. Register online at fvumc.org/kidznpraise-spring2015.

Wednesday Night Dinners Are Back!

On Wednesday nights, you’re invited to pre-order meals which are served in the centrum (or available for pick-up) from 5:45-6:15pm. Cost is $5 for individual meals, $4 for kids meals, and maximum family cost of $18. Orders must be placed by 10am on the Monday prior. Visit fvumc.org/order-dinners for meal info and links to each week’s online order form.

Take a Moment to Say ThanksFor the past 5 years, ClubWorx has allowed us to bring 100+ youth to use their basketball courts, game room, showers and swimming pool on Saturday afternoon of our DISCOVERY Weekend. Not only do they not charge us but they incur additional costs to provide this for us – hiring lifeguards and providing towels and soap, etc. for our youth to shower. If you are a ClubWorx member, please take a moment to say ‘thank you’ to the managers and staff.

Fuquay-Varina Emergency Food Pantry

February Requests: Mac & Cheese, Spaghetti, Pasta Sauce - No glass jars, please

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Children & Family Ministries

Seeds of Faith Preschool: 2015-16 Registration

January has been nice getting back into the routine as we all returned from the December break. Registration has begun for our 2015 - 2016 school year which starts in September.

If you are a church member and missed registration, please call Lynne Sorrels, director, at 919-557-1568 or email seedsoffaith@fvumc.org.

Classes are offered for 2-year olds, 3-year olds, and 4-year olds. Children must be at least 2 years old by 8/31/15.

Open houses are scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 5 at 2pm and 7pm. Staff will be here to talk about preschool & take you on a tour of daily activities with your children. (These are mainly for parents who are not familiar with our Preschool.)

Community registration is on Thursday, Feb. 12 at 9:30am in the centrum.

Please let your friends know - we hope to see many new faces next school year!

Palm Sunday CelebrationOur annual Palm Sunday celebration will take place on March 29 from 4pm-6pm. If you are interested in helping organize this event, a planning meeting is being held on Monday, February 9 at 7pm in the Adult Wing Conference Room. Join us! To volunteer to help on Palm Sunday, please contact Amanda Rackley at arackley@fvumc.org or (919) 552-4331, ext. 113.

Also, toward the end of February watch for the hungry bunny in the church lobby – the Children’s Ministry will be collecting donations of individually-wrapped candy and plastic eggs for the egg hunt!

Congregations for Children: Serve in SchoolsCongregations 4 Children (C4C) is an initiative through the North Carolina Conference (of which FVUMC is a part) that encourages churches to partner with local schools in an effort to help improve K-3 literacy rates, meet basic needs, and encourage parental support.

FVUMC is a generous congregation and already provides for our local schools through collection drives, our Clothing Closet, Operation Share, and more. However, this initiative is meant to encourage us to directly partner with certain schools and to have an actual presence in them.

The Children’s Ministry team has decided to partner with Fuquay-Varina Elementary School and Lincoln Heights Elementary School. This year, the two ways we want to help are by being classroom helpers and by providing a meal for teachers during one of their early release days.

For now, we are looking for volunteers who are interested in helping in classrooms at Fuquay-Varina Elementary by reading to students, listening to students read, and reviewing alphabet letters with K-3rd grade students.

If you are interested, you can sign up online at: fvumc.org/c4c-signup or contact Amanda

Rackley at arackley@fvumc.org or (919) 552-4331, ext. 113.

How to Be Famous…Amanda Rackley, Director of Children & Family Ministries

Let’s face it: I’m not famous. Hollywood isn’t calling me tomorrow.

I never made it to American Idol to get “discovered.” There is no record deal.

I’m not even on a reality TV show.

It’s just not happening for me. Don’t feel bad for me, though, you’re not famous either!

But, maybe we are. With our access and connection to social media, we’ve created this online world where we have fans…and likes, and tweets, and comments.

We have amazing ways to communicate with each other, but what is that doing to our relationships? Namely, the relationships we have

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with our family and our children. You know, those people sitting on the other side of that screen. Recently, I’ve had several conversations with colleagues, parents, and friends about the role that social media plays in their lives.

It’s been interesting to note that for so many of us, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. have become addictive.

We post things to see how many “likes” they get. It’s almost as if we do things so we can take a picture of ourselves doing it instead of taking a picture of something we happen to be doing.

One of the hardest and most important questions (besides “why we are doing this?” – which is another conversation altogether) is: who are we neglecting? Our husband, our wife, our children, the dog (okay, maybe not the dog)?

Are we missing out on actually making the memory with our family because we are too busy trying to capture it?

Are we too busy documenting every step of our vacation on Facebook or Twitter that we forget to be present with the ones we’ve tried to get away with and instead insisting on staying connected to the ones we’ve tried to get away from?

I do not have the answers for these questions, but I was struck again by Think Orange blogger Kristen Ivy recently when she wrote about some guardrails that she tries to follow when it comes to social media and family time. I thought they were worth passing along:

• Spend more time making memories than developing followers.

• Be known more deeply than recognized more widely.

• Be more emotionally present than socially available.

Man, maybe I have some brand new resolutions to start attempting!

I hope this speaks to you as much as it did to me, and just maybe we can work on being more deeply-known together in this coming year.

Amanda arackley@fvumc.org

EXTENDED: Family Retreat Registration

Open Until 2/22This year, a Family Retreat will take place March 13-15 at Teen Valley Ranch (TVR) in the western NC mountains. Families and individuals are encouraged to attend for weekend of fellowship, worship and fun. Cost includes housing and meals from Friday dinner through Sunday brunch. The cost for individuals (18 or older) is $120, Family of 2 $180, Family of 3 $220, Family of 4 $260. Each additional child (2-18) is $40. Additional children under 2 are free. Registration form and payment must be received by Feb. 22. Visit fvumc.org/family-retreat for registration forms and a link to the online payment. Checks may be made out to FVUMC with TVR Family Retreat on the memo line. Contact Susan Cole at scole3@nc.rr.com with questions.

Book Club to Discuss Stations of the Heart

This poignant love story of a father for his son is at once funny, heartbreaking, and hopeful. In it a young man teaches his entire family “a new way to die” with wit, candor, and, remarkable grace.

Richard Lischer’s son, Adam, calls to tell his father, a professor of divinity at Duke University, that his cancer has returned. Despite the crushing magnitude of his diagnosis and the cruel course of the illness, Adam’s growing weakness evokes in him an unexpected strength.

This is the story of one last summer and the young man who lived it as honestly and faithfully as possible. We meet Adam in many phases of his growing up, but always through the narrow lens of his undying hope, when in the final season of his life he becomes his family’s (and his father’s) spiritual leader. Honest in its every dimension, Stations of the Heart is an unforgettable book about life and death and the terrible blessing of saying good-bye.

To join the dinner and discussion on Friday, February 20 at 6:30pm, contact Suzanne Jones at dsjones@nc.rr.com or Matilda Storm at matildastorm@embarqmail.com.

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Youth & Family Ministries

Needed: Sunday School Teachers

We are in need of dedicated teachers to join our middle school and high school Sunday school teams. Please contact Bobby Rackley, Director of Youth and Family Ministries, at brackley@fvumc.org if you are interested in being added to the teaching rotation, or serving as a sub! All curriculum resources are provided.

M25 Mission CampJuly 19-25, 2015 (tentative dates)

For our senior high mission trip this summer, we’re headed to downtown Atlanta. Mark

your calendars and stay tuned for more information!

Lifeline Youth: Balancing the Needs of Middle and High School Students

Bobby Rackey, Director of Youth & Family Ministries

One of the greatest challenges of youth ministry is reaching the needs of a group of students who span 6th-12th grade. With every turn, we must remember we are talking to seven classes in two school settings, with students of varying maturity who deal with similar, yet sometimes very different, challenges. What is age-appropriate to your college-age senior is too much for an eighth grader, and what engages a sixth grader seems childish to your junior. Trust me, the struggle to juggle is real!

That is one of the reasons why DISCOVERY Weekend is such an important component of our youth programming.

For that weekend last month, 60+ middle school youth were the center of attention, with 45+ high school youth focusing their energy on making the youngest members of our group feel welcomed and loved as full members of our youth group. For our 6th grade confirmands, it was their first youth group event, and by the end of the weekend they and all our middle school

students had numerous opportunities to build relationships with high school youth.

Next month, on March 6-8, the focus shifts: we have our High School Retreat. In this give-and-take balance, we intentionally shift attention to our oldest members of our group, helping them forge relationships with fellow students who are encountering many of the same challenges as they face as high schoolers.

For February, this tricky balance is going to be felt especially during Lifeline. This month, Pastor Kevin and I will be leading a three-part series entitled “Tangled Relationships: Love, Sex, Dating, and Marriage.” As youth leaders, we feel strongly about not ignoring these important topics with our youth, while at the same we recognize that the questions and needs of our middle and high school students will differ considerably.

To this end, we will allow the Wednesday night Life Groups, which are divided by gender and age, to be a place to contextualize some of the deeper topics we’re covering on Sundays in February.

Bobby brackley@fvumc.org

Register Now for Global Vision 2015

Global Vision, March 10-15, is a journey to Washington, DC and New York City for 2 ½ days of seminars. The purpose is to further knowledge of world affairs in a Christian context. This year participants will explore “Peacekeeping at Home and Abroad.” They will also worship at St. George’s UMC in Philadelphia – one of United Methodism’s most historic churches – on the trip home. More information and a registration form is found in the 2015 Youth Events brochure which is available online at nccumc.org/youth. Global Vision is designed for youth in grades 10-12. The cost for Global Vision is $550. Registration deadline is Feb. 17.10

2015 Budget SummaryTotal Annual Budget $1,514,405.35Budget needed YTD - 1/25/15 $104,016.39Received YTD - 1/25/15 $98,389.86 Difference - $ 5,626.53

Building Fund Restricted Account $ 66,064.56Building (Brick & Mortar Expenses Only) Restricted Account $ 43,500.00 Total $ 109,564.56

YTD Budget Expenditures as of 12/31/2014 $1,322,967.63

Sunday Worship AttendanceJan

4Jan 11

Jan 18

Jan 25

Monthly Average

2015 Average

8:00am 74 64 59 72 67 679:30am 415 354 357 574 425 42511:00am 297 286 257 286 282 282Total 786 704 673 932 774 774

Releasing the Resources We Have: Finance ReportDear brothers and sisters in Christ,

What an exciting time to be a member of Fuquay-Varina United Methodist Church! With our current staffing and programs, we are positioned to make more and more disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world as we grow in being Christ-centered, loving God, learning God, serving God and sharing God.

Making an impact in our community and our world, however, does not come without a cost. In January 2015, your Church Council (based upon the recommendation of your Finance Team) approved a very ambitious budget. Anticipated contributions for 2015 (based on pledges and prior years’ history) are $1,400,000; however, projected needs to carry out God’s work through our church were $1,515,000 – a shortfall of $115,000.

As the Finance Team calculated and recalculated, discussed and prayed for discernment, the Team began to look at reserves which our church has

been able to accumulate over the past few years. After taking into account reserves which are required for cash flow purposes, i.e., to cover normal operating costs when contributions tend to lag (typically in the summer) and multi-year purposes like HVAC repairs, the team believed we were at a juncture in which we are not to stockpile reserves for ‘what ifs’ but to use some of those reserves in 2015 for annual operating costs to continue our mission and ministry. As a result, the budget adopted for 2015 projects a deficit at year-end of approximately $115,000 to be covered by accumulated reserves.

Your Finance Team understands that this is not a sustainable model

for more than one year, but we do believe it is God’s model for us this year – not to accumulate but to release the resources we have to make the gospel known and provide relief for the hurting, helpless and hopeless in our community and around the world.

As a member of FVUMC, you are a partner in making God’s call for 2015 a reality. Pray for God to guide us in the ways we use our resources and where appropriate, make changes as he directs. And if you haven’t already completed and submitted your financial commitment for 2015, it’s not too late.

Looking forward with you to witnessing the ways in which God will do far beyond all we ask or imagine as we allow his power to work in us.

Susan Smith 2015 Finance Committee Chair susanmvsmith @gmail.com

Glory to God,

who is able to do

far beyond all that

we could ask or

imagine by his

power at work

within us; glory to

him in the church

and in Christ Jesus

for all generations,

forever and always.

Amen.

–Ephesians 3:20

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We are a Christ-centered community that loves God, learns God, serves God and shares God.

Our Pastors:

Lead Pastor

Gene Tyson

GTyson@fvumc.orgExt. 101

Pastor of Welcoming & Congregational Care

Valerie TysonVTyson@fvumc.org

Ext. 102

Pastor of Christian Formation

Kevin JohnsonKJohnson@fvumc.org

Ext. 103

Our Staff:

Director of Children & Family Ministries Amanda Rackley

ARackley@fvumc.org Ext. 113

Director of Youth & Family Ministries

Bobby Rackley BRackley@fvumc.org

Ext. 106

Director of Music Ministries Jennifer Harrenstein

JHarrenstein@fvumc.org Ext. 105

Director of Traditional MusicAshley Kotz

AKotz@fvumc.orgExt. 115

Lead Accompanist Diana D. Thomas, CAGO DThomas@fvumc.org

Director of Finance & Administration

Joan Thomas JThomas@fvumc.org

Ext. 107

Director of Communications

Julie Brown JBrown@fvumc.org

Ext. 114

Administrative Support

Jane Gue JGue@fvumc.org

Ext. 100

Facilities ManagerWarren Chesson

WChesson@fvumc.org919-285-8676

Childcare Coordinator

Toni Drapkin TDrapkin@fvumc.org

Director of Seeds of Faith Preschool

Lynne Sorrels SeedsofFaith@fvumc.org

Ext. 110

Administrative Assistant - Seeds of Faith Preschool

Diane ChapmanExt. 109

Office Hours: Monday-Thursday: 8:30-5:00pm, Friday: 8:30-1:00pm

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