April 15, 2018

Sign on Rio Road announcing Aldersgate Methodist Church.

Celebrating Fifty-five Years of Ministry

1963 - 2018
In 1962 the Virginia Methodist Conference and the Charlottesville District
Conference initiated a search to determine the potential for a Methodist
Church on the northern outskirts of Charlottesville. A door-to-door survey,
conducted by lay members of the local Methodist churches, revealed that
16% of the residents in the fast-growing Rio Road, Greenbrier and Route
29 North neighborhood were either Methodist-related, or interested in
establishing a new Methodist Church. In October, 1962, the Virginia
Conference appointed Rev. Claude Reed, Jr. to take the lead in chartering
Aldersgate Methodist Church. During the formation and chartering of the
church, Sunday services were held at Greenbrier Elementary School. On
March 24, 1963, Dr. Owen Kelly, District Superintendent and Rev. Reed
presided at the Chartering Service at which time 66 persons were received
as Charter Members. Subsequently, a Quarterly Conference was called
and a nine-member Building Committee was elected. The Building
Committee located a 3.8 parcel of land on East Rio Road and funds for the
purchase were provided by the Charlottesville District. Architects
presented plans for a modest church building with ample room for
growth. In December of 1963, ground was broken for a two-story brick
building consisting of a sanctuary on the main level and multi-use rooms
on the lower level. The first worship service was conducted in the new
Church building on December 4, 1964.
Building upon this foundation, Aldersgate is celebrating 55 years of
ministry to the Charlottesville community. We have grown to become a
vital community of faith with an inviting and supportive fellowship, and
we look forward to a bright future of “making disciples of Jesus Christ.”
 For Our Youngest Friends
and Their Parents
A professionally staffed nursery is available for children birth through
age three during all services and Sunday School on the lower level. An
usher will be happy to direct you. Additionally, a Parent Room is
available in the Parlor adjacent to the Sanctuary, for viewing and
hearing all services. Please ask an usher to show you the way. All
restrooms are equipped with changing tables.
th
Aldersgate’s 55 Anniversary
Celebration
Today we recognize a milestone of ministry at Aldersgate. You are
invited to a reception following each worship service. Join in celebrating
our past, renewing friendships and enjoying fellowship. In addition, the
History and Archive Committee will display photos, records and
documents related to the church’s history .
College Care Packages
Believe it or not, it's already that time of year again: time to collect
goodies for the college exam care packages! If you have leftover Easter
candy that needs a good home, we are happy to provide one. We are in
need of candy, gum, chocolate, nuts, granola bars, mints,popcorn,
pens, pencils, crackers, or any individually wrapped food items or little
items that a college student in the midst of exams might enjoy as a spirit
lifter AND reminder that their church family is thinking of them. These
little packages really do show the students that they are not
forgotten! The items can be placed in the tub located in the hospitality
room downstairs; deadline is 4/23. Questions? Call Susan Reed at 973-
0766 or email at reedr3va@gmail.com
Food Drive for the
Emergency Food Network
The Outreach & Missions Team will be collecting food items for the
Emergency Food Network on April 15, 22 and 29. The Emergency Food
Network provides a 3-day food supply to individuals and families in the
Charlottesville-Albemarle area who find themselves in an emergency
without food. The following items are suggested: Breakfast cereal,
canned fruit, canned pasta sauce (in plastic jars, please), canned vegeta-
bles, baking mixes for cakes/breads/pancake mixes, coffee/tea. Your
food contributions may be placed in the collection bins in the Reed
Room and the Welcome Center. Monetary donations are also wel-
come. If you would like to make a monetary donation, please make
your check payable to AUMC, note "Emergency Food Network" on the
memo line and place it in the offering plate. Thank you for your support
to the Emergency Food Network.
Nursery Volunteers Needed!
Please consider joining Aldersgate’s group of loving nursery volunteers
and help care for the smallest of our members while their parents
attend worship! This is an easy and fun service to our church. Volun-
teers sign up for about 1 service a month. You can attend worship at 9
and then volunteer during the 11am service, or you can come early and
volunteer for the 9am service, then attend worship at 11am. If you are
willing to join our group of volunteers, please email kathryn-
breid@gmail.com. Many thanks for considering!
 Thank You!
Our PACEM Men’s Shelter Week came to a close last Saturday. It was a
successful week overall. The men were very grateful for their meals and
a comfortable, warm place to call home for a week. We hosted 24-34
men for a week in our old Fellowship Hall. Our guests were served a
delicious dinner on Easter Sunday. At each of their seats were lovely
Easter Cards the children in Sunday School made for each of the Men
and a special Easter Treat made by Olivia and Catherine
Wamsley. Various groups of friends from our church, the Men’s Group,
The Praise Band and Sisters in Scripture prepared the meals. One meal
was donated by the Peterson’s from Wood Grill and one meal was
donated and served by Mission BBQ.
Boy Scout Troop 119 from AUMC were an amazing help setting up and
taking down of all the cots, tables, and chairs. Thank you Scouts! Our
custodian, Lloyd, graciously worked extra hours to keep the area for our
guests clean. That is a lot of work cleaning up after 34 men!!
Thank you to the congregation for all the donations of time, food,
toiletries, and monetary donations. Special thanks to Dave Reynolds,
Blaine Stockton, Page Mann, Lucas Ohlendorf, and Jonathan Peterson
for laundry pick up and delivery as well as trucks to transport all the
equipment. I think all that volunteered and were here on the premises
enjoyed their time, in fact many were here multiple days. There were a
few new faces and lots of seasoned shelter volunteers. We hope that
next year will bring even more new faces. Thank you for your help to
make this a successful week.
A Note of Thanks
To all the Aldersgate Members, I would like to thank you all for the
many cards and phone calls I received regarding my recent surgery.
They were deeply appreciated. Dwight Cragun
Youth Group TONIGHT
High School Youth 5:00 PM – 6:15
Dinner 6:15 – 6:45
Middle School Youth 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM
Youth Group Future Events:
April 29th
District Youth Event
May 20th End of Year celebration
June 21st KingsFest at Kings Dominion
High School Youth:
“Convergence: Where Faith and Science Meet “
Convergence: Where Faith and Science Meet is a 9-day program (June
23-July 1, 2018) that allows rising 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students to
come to Randolph-Macon’s campus in Ashland, Virginia and learn about
the intersection of science and Christian faith. They will dive deeper into
their religious beliefs, deeper into the study of science, and will meet
other high school students and Randolph-Macon College student
leaders with those same interests. There will be time in the classroom
and outdoor experiences throughout the region. The cost to participate
is only $100 for this 9-day program. Applications close on May 1, 2018
For more information, visit: convergence.rmc.edu, or contact Laura Y.
Ruxton, Program Coordinator Randolph-Macon College, (804) 752-8712
Summer 2018 Youth Group
Summer will be here before we know it so mark your calendars!
On June 3rd at 5:00 PM, all Middle and High School youth who will be
participating in any of the Weekly Summer 2018 Youth Group Ministry
activities will need to plan to attend this Mandatory Meeting and Dinner
for parents and youth.
 Vacation Bible School 2018
Sunday, June 24th — Thursday, June 28th
Free Family Dinner - 5:30 to 6:00 pm
Program - 6:00 to 8:30 pm
Registration is now available online at www.cvaumc.org/vbs
Five days of VBS fun this year! We will start each
evening with a free, family friendly dinner and
fun for all! Please mark your calendars and plan
to join the fun.
Charlottesville Apartment Project
The Charlottesville District continues to raise money for the
Charlottesville Apartment Project. Our next fundraiser is Wednesday,
April 18th from 4-8pm at three PANERA locations. The three locations
will be, 5th Street Station, Hollymead, and Culpeper. 20% of sales will be
donated back to the CAP project. A printed flyer must be presented
when ordering your food. The flyers cannot be passed out onsite the
evening of the event. You must bring one with you. Please come out and
enjoy some good food and support another fundraiser for our CAP.
Remember, print the flyer or pick one up at church and spread the word
to your friends, family and co-workers. We are permitted to make
photocopies of the flyers and pass them out at book clubs, bridge clubs,
work, wherever.
Please contact Deb Reynolds, rynldsdeb@gmail.com for a flyer or for
more information. Hope to see you April 18th at one of those locations.
PACEM
To our Friends at Aldersgate United Methodist Church:
Thank you for hosting PACEM’s men’s shelter in our 14th winter of
helping people who are homeless in our area. We want you to know
how truly blessed this community is to have congregations like yours to
help in our mission to provide shelter for our neighbors in need. We
greatly appreciate your willingness to prepare and serve dinner, to work
with partner congregations, and for all the movies, showers, bingo,
meals, desserts, and hospitality you provided for the guests in a warm,
welcoming, and compassionate environment each night. In addition to
shelter, AUMC also provides generous financial support for PACEM.
Your financial help supports the cost of PACEM’s shelter staff in your
church. The graciousness of the entire PACEM Family makes it possible
for us to remain open throughout the winter. Thank you for hosting
PACEM’s men’s shelter again this year, for the hands of all your
volunteers, the graciousness of opening your doors, and your
willingness to work with other congregations in our community to
address the immediate needs of our neighbors.
Sincerely,
Sip n Chat Host/Hostess Needed:
June 3rd at 9am and July 1st at 11am
We need your helping hands to set up and/or take down coffee and
goodies. All refreshments are provided (of course you may supplement
if you like). We have instructions printed out and are happy to walk
through the process with you. Please contact Jennifer Hamlin
(Jennifer@eventswithpanache.com) 434.960.1527 or Tina Shifflett
(shiff82@earthlink.net) 434.978.1723 if you can help fill this need.
 Join a New 5-Week Study
Beginning Tuesday, April 17th at 10am and 7pm
"Unafraid: Living with Courage and
Hope in Uncertain Times"
Truth is, a mere handful of fears work for us–fear of stepping in front of
a bus, for example, or not taking care of our health. But the vast
majority–fear of others, of failure, of the future–have almost no basis in
reality, yet tie us in knots and steal our peace of mind. These fears,
experts say, are often vestiges of primitive ‘fight, flight, or freeze’
instincts that, mostly, no longer apply. Making matters worse, our hyper
fractious era of hate media, divisive
politics, and multiplying natural disasters
wreak havoc on our state of mind, leaving
us troubled and unhappy.
Fortunately there’s abundant good news.
As pastor and bestselling author Adam
Hamilton shows in Unafraid, we can escape
the echo chamber of anxiety and dread.
With insight, intention and faith, we can
learn to overcome what oppresses us, and
live with courage and hope. Unafraid offers
an informed and inspiring message full of
practical solutions, drawing on the latest research, therapeutic insights,
biblical principles, and personal experience to untangle the knots of fear
and truly embrace Jesus' recurring counsel to his followers: "Do not be
afraid."
Use the Communication Card" in your bulletin to sign-up for the class
and order the study book. The book is currently on sale for $14.50
($24.00 retail).
WILL YOU CARRY THE CHRIST LIGHT?
“Exploring the Acolyte Ministry”
April 22, 2018 from 12: 15 PM – 2:00 PM
The Acolyte Ministry is much more than lighting a candle.
On April 22nd from 12: 15 PM – 2:00 PM we will offer the opportunity for
our children and youth, 4th through the 12th grade to explore the Acolyte
ministry. Lunch will be provided.
We all want to know what is being asked of us prior saying yes:
therefore, attending one of the “Exploring Events” is just that…
exploring. Following the event your child will have the information they
need to make an informed decision prior to saying “Yes” to serving.
This past year we have had 16 committed Acolytes serving in this
ministry at both the 9 AM and 11 AM Services. The mission of the
Acolyte Ministry is designed to develop disciples of Jesus Christ who will
also serve as leaders in Christ’s Church. This exploration event also
meets the training requirements to serve as an acolyte.
If you are interested in “Exploring the Acolyte Ministry” being held on
Sunday, April 22nd contact Carolyn Robertson by April 18th to reserve a
seat at the table for lunch at carolynrobertson@cvaumc.org
Children’s Ministry
We are growing! As a result, the Children’s Ministry is looking for a few
adults that are willing to rotate once a month to serve as “Assistants”
with our Pre-School Children’s Church Sunday Ministry during the 11 AM
Service. This is a Non-Teaching position. This will allow us to continue
to maintain a safe and fun experience for our pre-school age children
who join us each Sunday. Required: Child Safety Policy Training and
fulfillment of guidelines. For more information please contact: Carolyn
Robertson, Interim Children and Youth Ministry Coordinator at
carolynrobertson@cvaumc.org
 Summer Sunday School
WESTVIEW WORKDAY
If you love crafting, music, The Aldersgate United Methodist Men and the Missions and Outreach
science, food creations, drama Team are jointly sponsoring a Saturday workday at Westview on the
or telling Bible stories please James on April 28. Work will be available for people of all ages and skill
prayerfully consider if you would
sets – from log splitting and chain sawing to raking and toting. All
share your talent to teach our
necessary equipment will be provided. Westview provides summer
children the scriptures in a new
camp activities in a loving Christian environment for children ages 7-14.
and creative way about the love
This is an opportunity for us to assist them in doing God’s work.
and life of Jesus.*
Scheduling details will be finalized in the coming weeks, but participants
Children’s Ministry is beginning
will gather at the church parking lot between 8 and 8:15, so that we can
to prepare for our Summer
depart by about 8:30. Expect to work at Westview from 10 until 3:30-4,
Sunday School Programing. This
and return to the church by 5-5:30. Merrill will bring the “Great White”
year we will be offering a new
program of Rotational Sunday School that will allow our children to van, which seats 10. Carpooling will be arranged for the rest. Westview
explore in different ways our monthly scripture lesson. This programing has graciously offered to provide lunch.
model offers our children various approaches to learn their monthly This should be a great opportunity for both fellowship and
scripture lesson while reducing the time commitment of adult leaders accomplishment. So please join us in helping Westview prepare for the
and assistants during the busy summer months. upcoming summer season. If you want to join this crew, or if you have
What is your commitment? We would request you serve no more than questions, contact Dave Reynolds @ 295-8217 or
four Sundays from June 10th to August 26th, during the Sunday School dreynolds51@earthlink.net.
Hour. Approximately once every 3 to 4 weeks on our monthly rotational
cycle. Since vacations vary, we will work together as a team to meet
individual/family summer schedules for all who are interested in serving
New Sunday School Study
and sharing their talent with the children of the church. This will also The Sisters in Scripture class is starting a new series “The Miracles of
allow our regular Sunday School Teachers to take a much-needed rest Jesus: Finding God in Desperate Moments” by Jessica LaGrone TODAY in
this summer. Room 211. Each week of the six-week series, we will watch a short
For more information please contact: video and follow up with a discussion. We meet at 10:00 am between
Carolyn Robertson, Interim Children and Youth Ministry Coordinator at the two services. All ladies in the church are welcome to join us. Please
carolynrobertson@cvaumc.org call Ann Brown at 434-882-2533 with any questions.

*Required: Child Safety Policy Training and fulfillment of guidelines.