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2330 South Jefferson Street
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2330 South Jefferson Street
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The Tower Times |
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November 2003 |
The Pastor’s Message |
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Worship Times Our Sunday worship is at 11:00 AM. Sunday School is at 10:00 AM.
There is a Contemporary
Service each Wednesday at 7:00 PM
November 2 November
9 November
16
November 23
November
30 |
I will sing praises to my God all my life long. -Psalm 146:2b You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. -Mark 12:30 As we prepare for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons it is fitting that the Psalm and Gospel Lesson for the very first Sunday of November (21st Sunday after Pentecost) invites us to love and praise God. As we look forward to our first Charge Conference together on November 23 and set our sights on the mission and ministry we will carry forth in the new year, it is doubly fitting. We have good reason to love and praise God! At this writing you have responded so generously through our Consecration Sunday emphasis. It heartens this Pastor to know that so many of us are growing in our stewardship in significant ways. Although it surely helps our church leadership determine the appropriate funding of our ministries when God's people respond in this way, the growth in faith and love that this represents is far more important. Our goals are shaping up well for next year and our leadership is just about ready for the full year of mission and ministry ahead in 2004. We will celebrate all of this at our Charge Conference on November 23. I am also most heartened by the spirit of anticipation and enthusiasm among our voice choirs as we lift up the importance of the music ministry of our church on November 9. Rev. Cheryl Harrison-Davidson, my spouse and our Director of Contemporary Music, will preach on the importance of music in our worship and spiritual life. The choir has set a membership goal of 30 and dream of a full choir loft each Sunday. Our children's choirs and Praise Team also encourage increased participation. Pray with me that all of our vocal choirs will increase in membership as we emphasize this important aspect of the life of the church! I will look forward to celebrating our recruiting success with you November 9! As Christian people we seek to love and praise God. This is such a spontaneous experience for all of us this time of year. So let us love and praise God together in these ways and more! Rev. Bill |
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The Adult Fellowship Group |
The Angels are coming! |
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Join us at 10:45 to
leave the church for a tour of the historic mansion built by the
Fishburn family. Now called
Mountain View
and owned by the city, it is a social and meeting center of all kinds of
groups in the Roanoke Valley. We will enjoy a catered lunch ($6.50)
there before returning to the church. |
The Advent Angel tree will be up by mid November. Remember, one gift only, for the angels on the tree. For those who can do more, we also have 35+ angels who are very needy that are not on the tree. For these we ask that you purchase clothing, a coat, underwear, toys, etc. Each of these angels will require an expenditure of $150 or more. Call Terry Wilkinson (772-0490) or Dawn Long (989-2387) for information. |
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Girl Scouts |
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We have 9 Girl Scout troops sponsored by our Church. We recently added Susan Witt’s troop of Cadettes and Seniors to our Church sponsorship. We are hoping a Daisy troop will form and be a part of SRUMC. If you know anyone who wishes to participate in Daisy’s as a child or leader please get in touch with the Girl Scout Council. I would like to thank the Board of Trustees for helping the Girl Scouts put lights in the Youth House basement. I would like to especially thank Mr. Ruble for the installation of the lights. The Girl Scouts at SRUMC were given a donation from a disbanding troop. We decided the best use for this money was the lighting problem at the Youth House. This will not only help the scouts that meet there but also Vacation Bible School and the Interfaith Hospitality Network.
The following
troops helped with Interfaith dinners in September: |
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Holiday Shopping Get two gifts for the price of one! When you buy a gift at Art on a Mission you not only please someone on your list with a unique gift but you also provide a gift of better health for someone less fortunate. The Art on a Mission store at Tanglewood Mall sells beautiful handmade scarves, jewelry, pottery, paintings, stained glass, stationary, ornaments, antiques and more. All profits benefit the Roanoke Rescue Mission’s Health Center. Thanks go to SRUMC members who have volunteered at Art on a Mission in 2003: Doris Cutright, Martha Kent, Marge (Dull) Youngman, Phyllis Dickey, Donna Hefner, Terry Wilkinson, Anne Ferguson, and Talulah Gregory. Thanks also go to Prentice and Betsy Moran who have recently agreed to volunteer. Contact Janie Wallace (982-8113) for more information. |
District Conference/Leader Training Nov. 16 at Cave Spring Church 2:30-6pm
2:30-4pm
District Conference with Bishop Joe E. Pennel, Jr., preaching |
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One of the many blessings I’ve received from being involved with missions here at SRUMC is the opportunity to meet some extraordinary people devoting their lives to working for Christ in amazingly challenging places. In July of 1999, while on a medical mission to Kenya sponsored by our church, I met Dr. Dietmar Ziegler, his wife Birgit, and their 4 children. Dietmar and Birgit were German missionaries and in 1997, they were commissioned by the German and British Methodist churches to go work at Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya. Dietmar was the head surgeon and Birgit the head OR nurse. During our mission trip, they made us feel welcome by inviting us to their home for dinner and an evening of fellowship with their family. I remember playing soccer with the Ziegler children Nora, Samuel, Ronja, and Jacob, ages seven to thirteen. Dietmar and I had several discussions about the similarities between human and veterinary surgery. I was inspired by their drive to improve life for the people in Maua. Thankfully, my friendship with the Zieglers did not fade once I returned home. Email had allowed us to become ever better friends over the past 4 years so it was quite a tragic shock when I received word that Dietmar(40) and Birgit(42) had been killed in a car accident outside of Nairobi on September 11th. A truck crossed into their lane and hit them head on. They were killed instantly. Fortunately, their four children were at boarding school several hours away. This loss has literally been felt around the world. I struggled with this news spiritually in a way I’ve never experienced. Why would God take someone so young who had done so much and yet, had so much left to do for Him? Why would a loving God leave 4 children orphaned in a far off land? I’ve prayed for that peace that passes all understanding. I didn’t worry about Dietmar and Birgi because I knew they were at peace at the foot of their Lord, but I agonized about their kids. Then peace came in the form of an email from the bishop of the German Methodist church. Birgit’s sister and one of Dietmar’s brothers are actually married and they immediately upon hearing the news of the accident, flew to Kenya and gathered the children. All four will be living with this couple in Germany. I’m reminded of the saying that when God closes a door, He opens a window. The ways the Zieglers blessed our world are many. Together at Maua Hospital they had built up the surgical department and a burn unit for children. On April 1, 2001, Dietmar took over the leadership of the hospital. His boundless energy and intercultural sensitivity inspired the staff and the community. As the AIDS pandemic increased dramatically, the fight against it became increasingly the central focus in the Zieglers’ lives. They developed a model project for AIDS care at the grassroots level that has been evaluated by specialists and is recognized as a model for future AIDS work in Africa. My life has been enriched by this amazing couple and I’ll miss them, but it’s a comfort to know that we share a God full of mercy and grace who will never abandon us. Please include the Ziegler family and their many friends in your prayers. Thank you. Diane D’Orazio
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Poquoson Mission We’ve been asked by the Virginia Methodist Conference to organize a team to go to Poquoson, VA to help with the cleanup from hurricane Isabel. We are planning to go on Friday, November 21 and return late the next day on November 22. Poquoson’s district will provide us with a place to sleep in one of their churches and make arrangements to use the YMCA for showers before traveling home. Contact Diane D’Orazio (725-9886 or 797-9886) if you are interested. Poquoson is still in the cleanup phase so please consider being an extension of our church in this opportunity to show the love of Jesus. |
Youth News Junior High Conference Retreat: 12 of our youth will be attending, along with Tim and Susan Witt, a state wide Conference Retreat with 800 other UM Youth. Advent-Angels: We are asking each of our youth to bring $10 (of their own money) to youth on November 23. We will go shopping for our “Advent Angels.” Tim Dayton, Youth Ministries |
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♫ Lift Every
Voice Sunday
♫
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News Briefs
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NOVEMBER 2003 |
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| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
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1 |
| 2 11:00 Worship Service 3:30 Praise Team open house and rehearsal Youth and Choir Activities 6:00 Children's Choir open house and rehearsals |
3 |
4 2:00 Totally Tuesdays |
5 7:00 Contemporary Worship Service 7:45 CWS Committee |
6 3:30 PMM's 3:30 Youth Bells 7:30 Adult Choir open house and rehearsal |
7 |
8 |
| 9 11:00 Worship Service 3:45 Praise Team rehearsal Youth and Choir Activities |
10 7:00 Council on Ministries Committee |
11 10:30 Friendship Circle 2:00 Totally Tuesdays 6:00 Aftercare |
12 7:00 Contemporary Worship Service 7:45 CW Committee |
13 12:00 AFG Trip 3:30 PMM's 3:30 Youth Bells 7:30 Choir |
14 Deadline for December Tower Times articles Jr. High Conference Retreat |
15 8:00 United Methodist Men's Breakfast Jr. High Conference Retreat |
| 16 11:00 Worship Service 2:30 Dist. Conference & leadership Training Youth and Choir Activities 3:45 Praise Team rehearsal 7:30 Administrative Board |
17 |
18 2:00 Totally Tuesdays |
19 7:00 Contemporary Worship Service 7:45 Preschool Committee |
20 12:00 AFG Lunch 3:30 PMM's 3:30 Youth Bells 7:30 Choir |
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22 |
| 23 11:00 Worship Service 3:45 Praise Team rehearsal Youth and Choir Activities 8:00 Charge Conference |
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25 2:00 Totally Tuesdays |
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27 OFFICE CLOSED  |
28 OFFICE CLOSED |
29 |
| 30 11:00 Worship Service 3:45 Praise Team rehearsal Regular choir activities - No Youth |
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ANNOUNCEMENTS |
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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. PLEASE SIGN UP on the bulletin board by the church parlor to serve as a greeter. There are still several Sundays open during the summer months. 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! THE ANGELS ARE COMING! The Advent Angel tree will be up by mid November. Look for more details in the upcoming weeks. CHURCH WOMEN UNITED will celebrate World Community Day on Friday, November 7, at First Christian Church in Salem. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. followed by a Bible study, program and lunch. If you would like more information on this event you may call the church office, 344-4437. A BLOOD DRIVE, sponsored by RAMA (Roanoke Academy of Medical Alliance), will be held at the 6th floor auditorium of Carilion on Monday, November 10 from 11:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. If you would like to sign up to donate the “Gift of Life” call Becky Austin who is organizing this event, 342-8101. THERE WILL BE a meeting of the Trustees on Wednesday, November 5, at 7:45 p.m. in the library/conference room. DOLLS AND STOCKINGS FOR THE SALVATION ARMY are in the library. If you would like to stuff a stocking or dress a doll, please sign them out in the library. All dolls and stockings need to be returned to the library no later than November 26. CHURCH WOMEN UNITED will celebrate World Community Day on Friday, November 7, at First Christian Church in Salem. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. followed by a Bible study, program and lunch. If you would like more information on this event you may call the church office, 344-4437. A BLOOD DRIVE, sponsored by RAMA (Roanoke Academy of Medical Alliance), will be held at the 6th floor auditorium of Carilion on Monday, November 10 from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. If you would like to sign up to donate the “Gift of Life” call Becky Austin who is organizing this event, 342-8101. JOIN THE ADULT FELLOWSHIP GROUP at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, November 13 for a tour of the historic mansion built by the Fishburn family. Now called Mountain View and owned by the city, it is a social and meeting center for all kinds of groups in the Roanoke Valley. They will enjoy a catered lunch for $6.50 per person before returning to the church. Sign up on the board by the church office if you would like to participate. The Aftercare Social Club will meet on Tuesday, November 11 at 6:00 PM. For information regarding the Social Club, call Bonnie Dayton (981-0237). The Friendship Circle will meet on Tuesday, November 11, at 10:30 AM in the Terry Wimmer Classroom. PLEASE SEND ARTICLES for the December issue of the Tower Times by November 15 to Joe Kennedy, or email to joesrumc@aol.com. The United Methodist Men will meet on November 15 at 8:00 AM. in the Fellowship Hall. THERE WILL BE a Memorial Service for Katherine Jacocks on Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m. The service will be held in our church sanctuary and conclude in the Columbarium. THE ADULT FELLOWSHIP GROUP will meet for a catered lunch in the Fellowship Hall on Thursday, November 20 when Debby Rattenbury, the preschool director, will talk about her life and give an update on the preschool. All adults of the church (of every age) are welcomed to these programs/trips. Sign up on the board by the church office if you would like to come to lunch on the 20th. MISSION TRIP: We’ve been asked by the Virginia Methodist Conference to organize a team to go to Poquoson, VA to help with the cleanup from hurricane Isabel. We are planning to go on Friday, November 21 and return late the next day on November 22. Poquoson’s district will provide us with a place to sleep in one of their churches and make arrangements to use the YMCA for showers before traveling home. Contact Diane D’Orazio, 725-9886 or 797-9886, if you are interested. Poquoson is still in the cleanup phase so please consider being an extension of our church in this opportunity to show the love of Jesus. MANY THANKS to everyone who patronized our third annual Pumpkin Patch. Once again you helped make it a huge success in support of our youth program. An extra special thank you goes to all those who gave their time to work shifts in the patch. NURSERY WORKERS have been hired for our crib room and toddler rooms on Sunday mornings from 9:30-12:30, Sunday evenings from 4:45-8:00 and on Wednesday evenings from 6:45-8:00. Please feel free to bring your little ones so that you can participate in the service, the Wednesday night service, and the youth group on Sunday nights.
THERE WILL BE NO Contemporary
Worship Service on November 26 due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. We hope
everyone will take this time to be with your families. |
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