2330 South Jefferson Street
Roanoke, Virginia 24014

Phone: (540) 344-4437
Fax: (540) 345-8041

    Following the worship service on June 22, Moonyeen and I will get into our Jeep Cherokee Sport and drive to our new retirement home in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. The exact location is the Rideout family farm at 18144 Harwood Creek Road, Stony Creek, VA 23882. Yes, you can still hear the hum of a farm tractor when the earth is tilled in the Spring, cultivated in Summer and the crops are harvested in the Fall.

    While we will miss you and the activity at South Roanoke United Methodist Church, we do look forward to the freedom that the retired status offers us. It will be a time of discovering and pursuing new interests. Who knows, Moonyeen and I may return to Roanoke next Spring to display some of her paintings at the Annual Art Show. “Spring Training” (baseball) in Florida is also on my list of things to do in the not too distant future.

    I believe that South Roanoke will continue to enjoy a strong and fruitful ministry. Your new pastor is The Reverend William G. Davidson. He is married to The Reverend Cheryl Harrison-Davidson. They are the proud parents of two children, Chris and Salina. Chris graduated from Poquoson High School this Spring. Salina will be a ninth grader at Patrick Henry High School in the Fall.

    I have known your new pastor, who arrives June 23rd, for a good many years. He comes to South Roanoke United Methodist Church from Trinity United Methodist Church in Poquoson, Virginia. God has blessed him with many gifts and graces for ministry. I am confident of his ability to lead South Roanoke United Methodist with a vision for the future. He will, of course, need your prayers and acts of service in the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Bill’s first sermon at South Roanoke United Methodist is scheduled for June 29th. You will want to be present to welcome your new shepherd and to share in worship. Let him know of your pledge of support for the ministry of this very able congregation.

    I will be your former pastor. In taking leave, I thank you for being my partner in ministry since June of 2000. God bless you and the ministry to which you are called.

On Sunday, June 22 immediately following the 10:00 AM worship service you are invited to come to the Fellowship Hall for a reception honoring Amos and Moonyeen Rideout as they begin their retirement. Amos has served as a United Methodist Minister for 38 years, and he and Moonyeen will be retiring to a new home in Dinwiddie County where Amos was raised. Amos has served as Senior Minister of South Roanoke United Methodist Church for the past three years, and we hope you will take this opportunity to say goodbye to the Rideouts. 

The Virginia Annual Conference will be held at the Roanoke Civic Center June 15-19.

    Amos Rideout has been invited to deliver the sermon for the Service of Retirees which will be on Monday at 3:30 PM.

Miracle of Missions Yard Sale

    It looks like the summer is gearing up to be another busy season for missions at SRUMC. June 6-7 we’ll have our “Miracle of Missions” yard sale to benefit ministries in Kenya. If you can help us by donating your time or items for the sale, please call Diane D’Orazio (725-9886). Items can be brought to the Fellowship Hall starting the day after Memorial Day and until Wednesday, June 4. If you need for items to be picked up, please call Diane or the church office. It’s a lot of work, but the fellowship is worth it and the proceeds do indeed change lives.

    Up-coming mission projects are: the D’Orazio’s mission trip to Kenya, Interfaith (June 29-July 6), and this summer’s Appalachain work project at the

Greeters Needed

Fiftieth Anniversary Preparations

Most of us take pictures of the important moments of our lives.  Some very special pictures find their way into albums.  All too often, though the pictures that really tell the history of our lives are tucked away into drawers or into boxes without labels to identify people or dates.  As years pass it becomes difficult to recall the stories that go with the pictures.  Decades of pictures get jumbled together.  Now imagine that happening for 80 years.  This is the state of South Roanoke United Methodist Church’s history.  For our 50th Anniversary Celebration we plan to assemble a scrap book(s) that will tell our history.  While sorting through old pictures, newspaper clippings, letters, and church bulletins I have become fascinated by some of the stories and awed by the “faith of our fathers and mothers”.  These stories need to be recorded now or they will soon be lost.  These are our everyday saints. 

I have divided this project into segments and have sorted the available information into these categories.  Now I need help!  I cannot possibly research each of these categories thoroughly in order to write a rich and colorful history.  I would like for persons to volunteer to take what I have,  contact people involved with that program through the years, and then write a summary hopefully including some personal anecdotes from that area of the church. The list of areas is:

1. Early history 1923-1952

2. Building the new church on Jefferson plus physical improvements

3. Ministers and the Parsonage

4. Staff

5. Sunday School. The oldest program. History of the various classes and various Christian education opportunities offered.

6. United Methodist Women.  The second oldest program

7. United Methodist Men

8. Music

9. Children and Youth Programs, VBS

10. Family Ministries

11. Service (this could be divided)  Aftercare, Interfaith Hospitality, Habitat House, ASP, etc.

12. Scouting

13. Worship (Ushers, Greeters, Altar, Acolytes, Special Times of the Church year, Contemporary worship)

14. Preschool

15. Stewardship and Church Government

16. Special Gifts

17. Adult Fellowship Activities 

Vacation Bible School
GET READY TO SHINE AT VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
LIGHTHOUSE KIDS: SHINING GOD’S LIGHT

Vacation Bible School at SRUMC from July 14, 2003 until July 18, 2003 will explore God’s light through Bible and mission stories, fun crafts, recreation, music, and much more. Children will discover God’s light in the most amazing ways. Each day will be filled with fun, time with others, light learning experiments, new songs and cool snacks. Lighthouse Kids will be held at SRUMC July 14, 2003 through July 18, 2003 from 9:00 AM to Noon. Come and discover God’s light! To volunteer, register or get more information call Colleen Marston (989-0623).

ANNOUNCEMENTS

GUESTS and VISITORS are welcome to join us at South Roanoke for worship and fellowship. We invite those who have no church home to make South Roanoke your church and add your witness to ours.  And for a modern worship experience, join us each Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. for our contemporary service.

WE WILL BEGIN OUR SUMMER SCHEDULE ON JUNE 1 AND CONTINUE THROUGH AUGUST 31. This year’s schedule will be a little different from previous years. Sunday School for all ages will begin at 9:00 a.m. followed by the morning worship service at 10:00.  

THE COUNCIL ON MINISTRIES WILL MEET on Monday, June 9 at 7:00 PM

THE AFTERCARE SOCIAL CLUB will meet on Tuesday, June 10, at 6:00 PM when they will go to the Mill Mountain Zoo.  For information regarding the Social Club, call Bonnie Dayton (981-0237).

THE UNITED METHODIST WOMEN will have their Annual Salad Supper on Tuesday, June 10, at 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. You are asked to bring a salad or dessert to share. This is a wonderful time of fellowship for our women.

THE ADULT FELLOWSHIP GROUP will gather at the church at 10:00 AM on Thursday, June 12 to leave for Burnt Chimney. They will visit the Boone's Country Store and the Homestead Creamery to purchase some of their delectable baked goods. Then continue on to Smith Mountain Lake and lunch at Bill and Ellie Clark's home. Cost for transportation is $2.

THE 221^ST SESSION OF THE VIRGINIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE will be held at the Roanoke Civic Center, June 15-19. Amos Rideout will deliver the sermon for the Service of Retirees on Monday, June 16, at 3:30 PM. Joe Kennedy will be the organist all day on Wednesday and for the morning events and communion service on Thursday.

USHERS ARE NEEDED FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE. About 200 ushers will be needed between Monday, June 16 and Thursday, June 19. Please call Ray Reed, 981-3351 if you can help. 

A RECEPTION HONORING AMOS AND MOONYEEN RIDEOUT will be held immediately following the worship service on Sunday, June 22, as they begin their retirement. They will be retiring to a new home in Dinwiddie County where Amos was raised.  Amos has served as a United Methodist Minister for 38 years and has been the Senior Minister here at South Roanoke United Methodist Church for the past three years. We hope everyone will show up and take this opportunity to express your appreciation for their service to the church.

A RECEPTION FOR OUR NEW MINISTER AND HIS FAMILY will be held in the Fellowship Hall, immediately following the worship service on Sunday, June 29. Everyone is invited.

THE CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP SERVICE has adopted an abbreviated summer worship schedule. There will be no regular Wednesday night services from May 21st through the summer. In their place, special Wednesday night services will be announced in the bulletin. A regular Contemporary Worship Service schedule will resume in the Fall.

GET READY TO SHINE AT VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL – LIGHTHOUSE KIDS: SHINING GOD’S LIGHT - Vacation Bible School at South Roanoke United Methodist Church, from July 14, 2003 until July 18, 2003, will explore God’s light through Bible and mission stories, fun crafts, recreation, music, and much more. Children will discover God’s light in the most amazing ways. Each day will be filled with fun, time with others, light learning experiments, new songs and cool snacks. Lighthouse Kids will be held at South Roanoke United Methodist Church July 14, 2003 through July 18, 2003 from 9:00 AM to Noon. Come and discover God’s light! To volunteer, register or get more information call Colleen Marston (989-0623).

GREETERS NEEDED!!! We have had a difficult time finding greeters for Sunday mornings. This is a small but important part of our service because the greeters provide the first impression of South Roanoke United Methodist Church. Starting in June, families or individuals wishing to be greeters may sign-up outside the church office. All that is required is to be at the front door 15-20 minutes before the start of worship. Please check your calendars and volunteer to be a greeter!