PLEASE JOIN US FOR SUNDAY WORSHIP

10:00 am Traditional Worship

11:30 am Contemporary Worship

Resident Bishop .......................................... Young Jin Cho, Richmond Episcopal Area

Superintendent... ..................................Danny Kesner, Charlottesville District

ALDERSGATE ALIVE
WINTER 2015

Lead Pastor .......................... Scott Davis, ScottDavis@cvaumc.org

Associate Pastor .............................. Chris Fuss, PastorFuss@gmail.com
Church Administrator ..........................Amy OBrien, AmyOBrien@cvaumc.org
Music Director / Organist.....Rafael Scarfullery, rafael@rafaelscarfullery.com
Accompanist .........................................................................Jo Pettitt, allegrojo2003@aol.com
Handbell Director......... Melody Day, melody@DaySongStudio.com
Worship Leader........................................................... Chelsea Morse, chelc87@gmail.com
Director of Ministries with Young People .......Rachel Miller, rachelmiller@cvaumc.org
Nursery Coordinator ......................................Cassie Cooley, casfcooley@gmail.com
Nursery Assistant............................................................................................... Alicia Tyl
Tyler
er
Our Missionaries
Clara Biswas (Cambodia)

Fred & Ruby Amoah

Amoah--Darko (Africa)

Ministers
Every Member of Aldersgate Church

1500 EAST RIO ROAD

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22901
434.973.5806
WWW.CVAUMC.ORG
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/CVAUMC

AN INVITATION TO
HOLY CONVERSATION

Table of Contents
Page 3

An Invitation to Holy Conversation

Page 5

Taize Services

Page 6

Outreach and Missions

Page 8

Fellowship of Friends

Page 9

Chicken Trail Winner

Page 10

Habitat for Humanity

Page 11

Childrens Ministry

Page 12

Youth

Page 13

Africa Lighthouse Baptist Temple

Page 14

PACEM Fundraiser

Page 15

Bits and Pieces

Page 16

Staff Listing

Bits and Pieces

Cruise opportunity: The Journeys of Paul
Don and Pat MacNicoll are still hoping to gather a group of family and friends from AUMC to take an October
cruise to visit places in Turkey, Greece and Crete where the Apostle Paul worked in ministry. The cruise
begins Oct 10, 2015, for 12 days, using a small passenger ship (646 people) of the Amazara Club Cruises Line.
Don and Pat will host another information meeting this coming October to answer questions and provide
brochures. Watch for the date. If you would like information sooner, contact Don at dmacnicoll@msn.com.

United Methodist Men Sweetheart Supper

Saturday, February 14
Burtons Grill at Stonefield
Need a ride or to RSVP?
Contact Merrill Bishop, 975-3072 or rambishop1@gmail.com
Annual St. Patricks Day Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner
Saturday, March 21
5:30 to 7:30 PM
Adult Meal: $10

Senior 60+: $8

Child 12 & under: $5

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!

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.

15

14

Seeking Volunteer Radio Announcer

WTJU Radio, which broadcasts from the University of Virginia, on 91.1 FM in Charlottesville,
Waynesboro & Staunton, and on 102.9 FM in the Richmond area, is looking for a volunteer
announcer for our new early Sunday morning show, First Light, which runs from 6-9 am.

An Invitation to Holy Conversation

Dear Aldersgate Friends,

First Light is the first music that most listeners hear on a Sunday, and it sets the tone for the
day. The show is usually a mixture of sacred and gentle classical music, with an occasional hymn as
appropriate. The presenter is solely responsible for programming the show and might include works
by composers like Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, Haydn etc. as well as an occasional work by a
lesser-known composer. We are delighted to provide full training, support and mentoring. The
station and the university both have large CD collections, which the presenter is most welcome to
augment with music from their own collection.

On Monday, January 19, at the first Church Council meeting of the new year, we talked
about looking outward and thinking forward as a congregation. We shared what we are
learning about how to reach new people by networking with those in our community. We also
talked about how to be as welcoming as possible to those who enter our doors and always
being aware of whos not here.

We look forward to hearing from you, and perhaps you might just be the person our listeners would
look forward to hearing as they begin their Sundays. Please contact us as below.

Our discussion moved to what we are learning about worship, including how bridges are
being built between our two services through experiences like the December 21st Combined
Service of Lessons and Carols, and the 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm Christmas Eve services, which grew
this year. The December 21st 5:00 pm Christmas Drama included the debut of Higher Voices, a
22-member youth praise choir, and actors from Blackbox Players, which made us think about
further opportunities for collaboration.

Steve Myers, Co-Director: steve@radiosteve.org

Ralph Graves, Co-Director: rgraves321@aol.com
WTJU office (M-F 9-5): (434) 924 0885
http://www.wtju.net/get-involved

Sedona Taphouses Steak-Out for Charity to benefit PACEM

(People And Congregations Engaged in Ministry) in February
Sedona Taphouse at 1035 Millmont Street in Charlottesville is doing their Steak Out for Charity to
benefit PACEM in February. Sedona Taphouse does Steak Out for Charity every Monday throughout
the year. Heres how it works.
All day on Mondays, Sedona Taphouse has a special. You can order an 8-ounce Black Angus flat iron
steak with garlic whipped potatoes for just $6.00. This menu item is usually $16.40. $1 of each
steak purchase goes to the charity of the month, which in February is PACEM. A beverage purchase
is also required. The special is good all day for lunch and dinner. Sedona Taphouse opens at 11:30
am for lunch and is open until midnight. Steak Out for Charity is for dine-in only and is not valid on
to go orders. You do not have to specify that you want to donate to charity. If you order this $6
menu item and a beverage on Mondays, $1 will go to charity. There is also a one-steak-per-person
limit.
Tell your friends and family about his amazing charity opportunity at Sedona Taphouse. Youll want
to make reservations on Monday nights, because the restaurant gets pretty busy. More information
about the restaurant and the program can be found online at www.sedonataphousecom.

As wonderful as these and other developments are, our current Sunday morning worship
schedule leaves sometimes as little as 15 minutes for the 11:30 worship leaders to prepare for
meaningful worship. Its also been challenging to offer worship during what is lunchtime for
most people. And currently the pastors, worship leaders, and others have little time to visit with
members and guests following the 10:00 service.

With this in mind, Church Council is inviting the congregation to have a holy conversation
about how to better align our Sunday morning schedule so that we can prepare to offer our
very best worship to God and more effectively engage our guests and members through shared
conversation, study, and fellowship opportunities.

We would like to talk about a Sunday morning schedule that would include having the
11:30 am worship service move to 9:00 am, with the 10:00 am worship service moving to 11:00
am. Wed also like to explore exploring having Sunday School, small groups, and time for
conversation with refreshments in between both services and/or before or after worship.

With this proposal the flow of our Sunday morning would include:

9:00 AM WORSHIP A blend of modern music and hymns, with interactive times for children
as we reach more young families and Communion every Sunday, just as it is now at 11:30.
10:00 AM Gathering in the Reed Room (former sanctuary)
for conversation and refreshments, Sunday School, Small Groups,
other opportunities for study and fellowship?
11:00 AM WORSHIP A more traditional service with hymns, choir, musical groups, Communion
the first Sunday of the month, just as it is now at 10:00 am.
12:00 PM Gathering in the Reed Room (former sanctuary)
for conversation and refreshments?

This is the beginning of a holy conversation, so take time to think and pray about the new
people we are trying to reach and how we may please Christ by this and any other plans we
make at Aldersgate.
We will be having a series of conversations after worship on Sundays and at other times
during this process of discernment.
If we are feeling calling to move forward, a great Sunday to begin this new schedule
would be Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015. It would also be wise to test this for a year.
During Mondays Church Council meeting we talked about how much we are learning
together, how discerning Gods next steps for us comes through an interactive process of holy
conversation, trying new things, and especially praying for Gods will to be done in and through
us. Please join us in prayer and reflection as we explore this proposal together as we seek to
follow Gods will for our congregation.

13

Prayers Were Answered for Christmas

Just in time for Christmas, prayers were answered for an Albemarle
County congregation of African refugees and immigrants. The week
before Christmas, an anonymous donor contributed the balance of
$52,000 that was needed to buy a church property near Stony Point.
The miraculous gift was the subject of media stories on Newsplex, WVIR,
and front page of the Daily Progress on Christmas Day.
Faith Fay Painter, a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church,
led the fundraising campaign as part of her mission work. AUMC
members may recall that last Fall she walked over 200 miles on a
Christian pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain to raise
awareness and funds for this church. She is so grateful for the donations
and support she received from our Aldersgate family.
Adam Blalock, Fay and Tom Blalocks son, did his Eagle Scout project at
the church. He did landscaping and installed a sign.
We had Faith that with God all things are possible, said Pastor Peter
Chege of Africa Lighthouse Baptist Temple. The Lord is so good to us.
In exactly one year, the money has been raised for us to purchase this
land. I just cannot express in words what it means to us to have a
church home of our own, where we can worship in our own culture. We
are so grateful to Ms. Faith for accepting this burden for us and for our
Lord.
Pastor Cheges ministry focuses on meeting the spiritual and social
needs of African refugees and immigrants who settle in the
Charlottesville area. Our families have many needs, but God is so good
to us and we are so grateful to be here in America where there is
opportunity, said Chege. Where we all come from, in Africa, there is
so much violence and poverty ...and there is not potential like there is in
America. But our families need mentoring, practical support and
encouragement, because it takes 3 to 5 years at least to become
adjusted to the way of life here.

Grace and peace,

Susan Painter, Lay Leader
Laura Nelson, Worship Team Chair
Scott Davis, Lead Pastor

For more information, visit www.lighthousebaptisttemple.org or contact

Faith Painter (434.962.6333 or faypainter8@gmail.com) or Pastor Peter
Chege (434.760.5740 or pastorlbtc@gmail.com).

12

Youth
Our energetic AUMC Youth have lots of exciting things going on this season! We continue to meet almost
every Sunday evening from 5-7PM and love for new friends to join us! We continue to learn about serving
others as we grow in our relationship with our awesome God!
The night of Saturday, March 7th through the morning of Sunday, March 8th we'll be sleeping on the
playground for our annual "Box Out." We do this to raise awareness about
homelessness in our community, state, and world. We also do this in the hopes that
our friends, family, and church will make monetary contributions in our honor - we
then send 100% of the donations to The Haven, a day shelter in Charlottesville.
(Checks can be made out to AUMC, with "The Haven" or "Box Out" in the memo line.)
During the month of March we'll also be collecting toilet paper for the guests, staff,
and volunteers of The Haven. Last year 757 rolls of toilet paper were collected! This
year's goal is 850 rolls! If you have huge cardboard boxes to donate for our Box Out
please leave them in the new Youth Center on the ground floor - also, any toilet paper
roll packages can be left in the Youth Center too. We thank you! (Please contact
Rachel Miller with questions at rachelmiller@cvaumc.org)

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.

Member Care / Hospitality Team

The Member Care / Hospitality team is preparing to celebrate
Lent and Easter by having several special Sip n Chats. Sip n
Chat is help each week after the 10:00 worship service in the
Reed Room. It is a time to meet new people, chat with old
friends, and enjoy some food and rink. There is even a small
table and chairs set up for the children. This is a time of
fellowship for all ages.
We will have a special Sip n Chat on Sunday, March 29th (Palm
Sunday) and Sunday, April 5th (Easter). There will be more food
than usual in a festive setting. If you would like to contribute a
snack or special dessert for these occasions, please contact
Robin Oliver at 434.978.3553 or robinaoliver@comcast.net.
There is a sign up sheet in the Reed Room on the wall for anyone who would like to host Sip
n Chat on a particular Sunday or just provide snacks or a dessert. Food is always welcome!
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.

Quiet prayer in the Taize tradition with Holy Communion

Wednesdays 6:30 pm
Sanctuary
February 25 through March 25
Taize is a quiet, meaningful way of singing and praying using
keyboard, acoustical guitar, and other instruments. Some of the
Taize music like "Jesus, Remember Me," is found in our United
Methodist Hymnal. Each Wednesday at 6:30 pm, we'll be gathering
in the Sanctuary to sing, hear scripture, experience some silence,
receive Communion, and pray as we move through
the Lenten journey together.

11

Children's Ministry

OUTREACH AND MISSIONS

Children and their families are invited to join us for our Annual Valentine's

Look what you did in 2014!

Service Project on Sunday, February 8th. In Children's Church during the 10AM
Thanks to your generosity, AUMC contributed $36,729 to charities in 2014 as follows:

MISSION

Worship service children will be making hearts for residents of The Laurels.
Following 10AM Worship children and their families are invited to meet by the

AMOUNT GIVEN

VA Conf. Missions Kits

UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) Philippines
UMCOR Other
Cambodia (Clara Biswas, missionary)
AFCI (Fred & Ruby Amoah-Darko, missionaries)
Haiti Mission Trip
Volunteers in Mission (VIM)
AIM (Alliance for Interfaith Ministries, local outreach)
PACEM (winter shelter for local homeless citizens)
Heart Havens (home for intellectually disabled adults)
Love INC (cooperative efforts of local churches & individuals)
Wesley Foundation campus ministry at UVA
Good Samaritan Fund to help local residents in need
Stop Hunger Now
Blue Ridge Area & Emergency Food Banks
Centurions in Hope (ministry to the military)
School Supplies (for Greer Elementary School)
CROP (worldwide hunger relief)
AIR (Action In Reading)
Meals on Wheels
The Haven (local homeless day shelter)
Local Benevolences

1,828
3,309
1,080
3,105
2,620
1,925
1,755
3,063
3,925
1,639
1,300
1,300
1,400
1,763
1,797
975
1,449
275
966
244
252
305

A hearty Thank You from the Outreach and Missions Committee!

"stage area" of the Reid Room around 11:15 (during Sip & Chat). Parents will
need to provide children's transportation to The Laurels. After passing out the
hearts we may go to Cici's pizza for fun and fellowship together. Please make
plans to join us as we share God's love in our community! (Please contact Karen Smith with questions kgtsmith@embarqmail.com)

Please consider participating in Aldersgate's first year of our new Adopt-a-Heart program, this is a joint effort
between the Friends of Fellowship and the Children's Ministry. By
participating you will be agreeing to be in touch with your new special
friend for a minimum of one year. The special friends (hearts) to be
adopted are those who are part of our congregation but are not able to
join us regularly. There is an endless list of possibilities when it comes to
being in touch... Send cards, take a meal, call and chat, purchase a
Christmas poinsettia or Easter lily in church and take it to him/her after
the holiday, the list is endless! Most importantly, be a true and caring
friend who shares the light and love of God! The "hearts" will be available
for adoption on Sunday, February 8th, just in time to send your new
special friend a Valentine's Day card! We hope that families with children
will be a big part of this ministry but anyone in the congregation can adopt a heart! (Please contact Rachel

AIM Director Search

The Alliance for Interfaith Ministries (AIM) is looking for a half-time Director to begin May 1, 2015. The
primary purpose of AIM is to provide emergency assistance to families who are threatened with
homelessness, loss of power or fuel, or other temporary financial emergencies.
Duties and responsibilities of the Director include supervising volunteers and a part-time worker, establishing
and maintaining a calendar of operations, fundraising, processing mail, writing checks, preparing statistical
reports, and having regular interaction with the 45 supporting congregations. AUMC is one of the
congregations that supports AIM.
If you would like more information about this search, please contact Bill George at 434.972.2490 or
glendageor@aol.com.

Miller - rachelmiller@cvaumc.org - or Anita Ratliff - atratliff@gmail.com - with questions.)

All children (through 5th grade) are invited to join us for a Children's Easter
Celebration on Sunday, April 5th at 10AM in the finished fellowship hall on the ground
floor. The Celebration will begin with crafts, games, and a reading of the Easter story!
Around 10:30 the Children's Easter Egg Hunt will begin! Please invite friends and
family! (Adults and youth are needed to help with all the exciting activities. Please
contact Lynn Bremer if you're able to help ltbn2books@comcast.net)

7
10

OUTREACH AND MISSIONS CONT.

SAVE THE DATE

CHARLOTTESVILLE DISTRICT-WIDE FUNDRAISER FOR HEART HAVENS
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2015
ALDERSGATE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
8AM TO 1PM
This will be a huge district-wide yard sale. Food, music, moon bounce, face painting, bake sale, plus other
activities are being planned. All proceeds will benefit Heart Havens as we continue to raise funds for an
apartment here on the Charlottesville District for adults with intellectual disabilities.
Please contact Deb Reynolds rynldsdeb@yahoo.com or Bob Forrest jbforrest4@gmail.com if you would like
to help.

Project Linus Make a Blanket Day

Our church will host this event on April 18 from 9am to 2pm 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.

School Kits for Annual Conference

If you would like to sew bags for the school kits or shop for the supplies, please contact Leatha Harlow, 9750633 or leathaharlow@comcast.net.

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 mail. 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 at 434.975.0633 or leathaharlow@comcast.net.

Mega Media Sale

As part of the ongoing fundraising efforts for the Heart Havens facility in our Charlottesville District, the
following Media Sale will be taking place. Please bring in your media materials and place them in the two
bins located in the old narthex. Call Deb Reynolds for any questions 295-8217. Thanks!
On Saturday, March 21st, 2015 a Stanardsville UMC Life Group plans to hold a used multi-media sale to
benefit Heart Havens. It will be held at the American Legion Post 128, 638 Madison Road in Stanardsville,
22973. We need to get the word out now so that persons in the district will begin saving their used books,
tapes, DVDs, and CDs for donation to the sale. The only media that cannot be accepted are used sets of
encyclopedias.

FELLOWSHIP OF FRIENDS
Fellowship of Friends is a program here at Aldersgate that connects our homebound
church members with our church family congregation. Remembering these church
members makes a wonderful difference in their lives and at the same time proves to be
an abundant blessing to those who are in touch with them.
Here is an update on what we are doing. Keep in mind that there is room for your gifts
and support in every one of these areas:
The Card Ministry started almost one year ago now. Through this ministry each homebound person
receives at least 2 cards each month. The receivers names are rotated each month amongst the
volunteers who send out the cards. In this way our homebound folks are hearing from a large
variety of members. We hear frequent feedback of how pleased people are to be remembered.
Leatha Harlow coordinates this effort. Please contact her if you are willing to send cards to our
homebound members. Leatha Harlow, 434.975.0633 or leathaharlow@comcast.net.
Home Communion: Our first group of church members completed the required
training and were commissioned in April. In May, we began to serve
communion to our homebound members who want to receive this special
ministry and we are currently serving 17 individuals. We are blessed to be able
to include this service as a part of Aldersgate. We have just commissioned one
more member to serve communion and we would love to talk to you about
what his ministry means to us.

The Upper Room and Aldersgate Alive: Six months ago, a volunteer began sending out The Upper
Room to each homebound person along with the Aldersgate Alive magazine when it is printed. A
few people have also requested the weekly bulletin and we are mailing that to them. All of these
methods of contact help our homebound feel that they are still a part of our church family.

Church Service DVDs: One of our newest ministries is copying the

church service DVDs each week and distributing them to the
homebound members who have requested them. They are able to view
the entire service, hear the hymns, the prayers and the sermons. It
takes less than 15 minutes to make the copies and is as easy as 1, 2, 3.
You do not have to be tech savvy! Is this something you would join us in
doing? We need more help with this project and it pays great dividends
for just a few minutes of your time.

Distribution of the Sunday Church Flowers: Thank you to each of you who have
donated the altar flower this year. Your gift has continued to benefit others as after
our church service, they are often taken to the homebound. What a breath of fresh
air it is for our homebound or hospitalized patients to share in the beauty of our
weekly flower bouquets. One of our team members tracks the distribution and
several of us do the deliveries so that many homebound can enjoy the flowers.
Home Visits: We have found that many of our homebound love visits. They enjoy hearing about
what is happening at church and just the nice break in their routine that a visit brings. It has the
power to truly bring sunshine into their day. Can you make an occasional visit to brighten someones
life?
If you are interested in learning more about the Fellowship of
Friends and perhaps joining us in one of the many roles we serve
in please contact one of the following people. We would love to
answer your questions and talk to you.
Chris Fuss
Pat Daniel
Meredith McKeown
Anita Ratliff
Deb Reynolds
Jean Ward

973-2704
975-1369
295-9190
409-7357
295-8217
964-1178

pastorfuss@gmail.com
jfd740@embarqmail.com
mermck@embarqmail.com
atratliff@gmail.com
rynldsdeb@yahoo.com

And the award goes to ...

After twelve outings, dozens of ratings, and pounds of glorious fried chicken, the staff of Aldersgate
United Methodist Church has come to a unanimous consensus. The winner of Chicken Trail 2014 is
Mels Caf on West Main Street! With crave-worthy fried chicken, home style side dishes, and
service that says, Welcome home, Mels was easily crowned the king of the trail. Michie Tavern
came in second place with Wayside Deli rounding out the top three.
For 2015, the staff will be embarking on BBQ Trail, searching out the great smoke pits and saucy
secrets of the slower side of Charlottesville. Stay tuned ...
We gather together to dine on
fried chicken ...

Arthur (L) and Mel (R) were

thrilled to win first place!