Abingdon United Methodist Church
101 E. Main Street Abingdon, Virginia 24210
276-628-2321 abingdonumc.org
THETHETHETHE CommuniquéCommuniquéCommuniquéCommuniqué May 2020
EASTER
2020 The Year of Social Distancing
WORSHIP ON SUNDAYSWORSHIP ON SUNDAYSWORSHIP ON SUNDAYSWORSHIP ON SUNDAYS
www.abingdonumc.org
@facebook.com/abingdonunitedmethodist
Online giving @abingdonumc.org
Abingdon United Methodist ChurchAbingdon United Methodist ChurchAbingdon United Methodist ChurchAbingdon United Methodist Church
101 E. Main Street Abingdon, Virginia 24210101 E. Main Street Abingdon, Virginia 24210101 E. Main Street Abingdon, Virginia 24210101 E. Main Street Abingdon, Virginia 24210
276276276276----628628628628----2321 abingdonumc.org2321 abingdonumc.org2321 abingdonumc.org2321 abingdonumc.org
2 May 2020
FAITH IN ACTION VOLUNTEERS Thanks to all of the volunteers who came out in April to help at Faith in Action as the Coronavirus rages across our country and the world! Our volunteers bagged food, stocked shelves, prepared carts, checked in clients, and assisted with the operation of EFIA. We served 20 households, 44 members on Monday and 104 house-holds, 269 members on Friday for a total of 124 house-holds, 313 members. These clients were given a full cart of food along with a $20 gift certificate for shoes and clothing at the Thrift Store. Thanks to all the volunteers
for your devotion and hard work.
WORSHIP AND GIVING DURING
THE PANDEMIC We hope you are tuning in to our Facebook page or at www.abingdonumc.org each Sunday and Wednesday for a message, music and more. Wednesday devotions are posted by noon and Sunday morning music starts
at 9 a.m. with the message at 10:30 a.m. each week.
Thank you very much for continuing to give each week of your tithes and offerings to keep the church going during this crisis. You can give by mail, by dropping off your payment at the Church Street door mail slot or online on our website. Although, the church office is
closed, payments are collected each day.
The May/June Upper Rooms are available. Please email Michele if you want one mailed to you at [email protected] or we have some you can pick up that are located outside of the Church Street door in the Gray Mailbox on the corner of Plumb Alley. Also, we have a link on our website that you can download a free Upper Room and make use of various
Covid-19 resources.
OUR NEXT TIME TO SERVE WILL BE:OUR NEXT TIME TO SERVE WILL BE:OUR NEXT TIME TO SERVE WILL BE:OUR NEXT TIME TO SERVE WILL BE:
Friday, May 29 at 9:30 a.m. (No FIA on Mon., May 25)
May 2020 3
Finance
2020 Budget $580,000
Received in April $40,369 Expenses in April (44,886)
Net Income in April (4,517)
Received Year-to-Date $184,595
Expenses Year-to-Date (182,020)
Net Income Year-to-Date 2,575
Anniversaries
May 5May 5May 5May 5
Jeoff & Dee Dee
Bodenhorst, Jr.
Mike & Suzanne Rankin
May 7May 7May 7May 7
Robert & Carla Countiss
May 13May 13May 13May 13
Andy & Beth Stockner
May 17May 17May 17May 17
Jim & Renee Richmond
May 21May 21May 21May 21
Carson & Judy Jackson
May 24May 24May 24May 24
Stevan & Marsha Demase
Darius & Missie Johnson
May 25May 25May 25May 25
Mark & Jennifer Eschle
May 26May 26May 26May 26
Eddie & Sandra Jonas
May 30May 30May 30May 30
Harry & Joan Cuskey
May 10May 10May 10May 10
Jason Clayman
May 11May 11May 11May 11
Beth McCoy
May 12May 12May 12May 12
Judy Harris
Charles Huddleston
May 13May 13May 13May 13
James Patterson
May 14May 14May 14May 14
Wayne Dowe
Shirley Graves
May 15May 15May 15May 15
Bruce Mathews
May 16May 16May 16May 16
Cindy Brewer
May 17May 17May 17May 17
Eddie Jonas
May 18May 18May 18May 18
Pat Buston
May 19May 19May 19May 19
Bill Fuller
Bill Gibson
May 20May 20May 20May 20
Greg Meade
Bill Moffet
RC Miller
May 21May 21May 21May 21
Dick Gail
Jeoff Bodenhorst, Jr.
Amanda Nichols
May 24May 24May 24May 24
Frank Blair
Paige Gibson
May 29May 29May 29May 29
Stephen Lowe
May 30 May 30 May 30 May 30
Gail Blair
May 31May 31May 31May 31
Ned Hearl
Eric Smith
PRAYERS Sharon Mi l ler , Bruce Mathews, Nancy (Deanna Reyn-olds) , The Creasy Fami ly , Phy l l is Marshal l (Emma
Clark) , Joanne Bol l ing (Mary Dudley) , Nancy Adkins.
In Remembrance
Pamela WhitmanPamela WhitmanPamela WhitmanPamela Whitman
Apr i l 1, 2020
Condolences To Brenda Henderson in the death of her mother ,
Wi l la A . Hogston, on Apr i l 14, 2020.
To Kat ie Werth and fami ly in the death of her
g randfather , Doug Werth , on Apr i l 4, 2020
Congratulat ions To Moises Mart inez and Carr ie Lambert who are engaged to be marr ied . They p lan to wed on May
4 , 2020.
MEMORIALS
To the General OperatingTo the General OperatingTo the General OperatingTo the General Operating
In memory of French MooreFrench MooreFrench MooreFrench Moore by Jonathan Weatherly
In memory of Doug WerthDoug WerthDoug WerthDoug Werth by Danny & Erin Ruble
To the Memorial FundTo the Memorial FundTo the Memorial FundTo the Memorial Fund
In memory of French MooreFrench MooreFrench MooreFrench Moore by Carol J. Propst
In memory of Pam WhitmanPam WhitmanPam WhitmanPam Whitman by Susan Kimbrell
In memory of V.T. CarrV.T. CarrV.T. CarrV.T. Carr by Pete and Sydne Montague
To the Emergency FundTo the Emergency FundTo the Emergency FundTo the Emergency Fund
In memory of French MooreFrench MooreFrench MooreFrench Moore, Louise KingLouise KingLouise KingLouise King, H.P. ReminesH.P. ReminesH.P. ReminesH.P. Remines, V.T. V.T. V.T. V.T.
Carr Carr Carr Carr by Beth and Joe McCoy
Bir thdays B ir thdays B ir thdays B ir thdays May 1May 1May 1May 1
Peggy Donaldson
May 2May 2May 2May 2
Frank Sims
May 3May 3May 3May 3
Rose Perkins
May 4May 4May 4May 4
Susan Howard
May 7May 7May 7May 7
Joe McCoy
Thanks to our musicians who came out early in the pandemic to record several weeks of Sunday mu-
sic.
Return Service Requested
Abingdon United Methodist Church
101 E. Main Street Abingdon, Virginia 24210
276-628-2321 abingdonumc.org
A MESSAGE FROM ROBERT Let me thank you so much as a congregation for your continued support and patience as we continue to deal with the current pandemic that has altered so much of our church life. I have appreciated the com-ments many of you have shared on Facebook regarding my devotions and sermons that I put up on Sun-days and Wednesdays, and I will continue this as we move through the next few weeks. The Bishop and Superintendents have made it clear that churches are not to resume normal activities until they give us the word to do so, even if some parts of our conference are already loosening the distancing. Right now we might anticipate mid June for a resumption, but that still depends on when the Bishop says we are to re-sume. I think all of us understand that the possibility of extending the growth of the COVID 19 virus is
something we do not want to see.
There are two pastoral changes that affect Abingdon UMC this year that you need to be aware of. First, due to a change in a couple of churches in Bristol, I was asked to cover Charles Wesley UMC, starting April 1. Most of you know that CWUMC, located about 0.2 mile from AUMC is an historically African American congregation, and, going back many years in our long history was, in fact, part of the Abingdon church. As far as AUMC is concerned there will be no noticeable change to our Sunday morning routine; CWUMC has its service at 9.45 am, during the time between services. I should still be back in time to station myself on the front walk, as I usually do. I also think this gives us a true opportunity to see ourselves in ministry to-gether as United Methodists in Abingdon, and I am sure that only good things for both churches will come from this new arrangement. Technically I am appointed in a dual appointment, which is slightly different than a two church charge—both churches will operate independently, with me as pastor at both. And of
course, with our fine staff, we will have everything well covered at AUMC, as usual.
The other change is that beginning in July, we will be hosting an office as part of the Clinch Mountain Dis-trict Structure that is called Wheels of Care. A pastor is being appointed in a mission position to coordinate transportation for expectant mothers to hospital and doctor appointments. Ballad Health approached the Clinch Mountain District about this and will work closely with the pastor appointed to run the program. The former program director office upstairs is being used to host this program for the district. The even better news is that it brings back to AUMC, the Rev. Laura Blair Plaster, who has been appointed to this posi-tion. We look forward to Laura, her husband and children being a part of our community as Laura assumes this new opportunity. The Clinch Mountain District is funding this program and we expect that it will make a
significant difference in the lives of women in need in our area.
I look forward to the day when we will be back in our church for Sundays!
Robert