Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church
The 2017 session of the Virginia Annual Conference
will be held June 16-18 at the Hampton Roads
Convention Center.
This Year's Theme
A New Thing (Isaiah 43:19 -- "See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in
the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.")
Rev. Dennis Lipke and Sara Lynn Croll (Conference
Delegate) will be in attendance representing Ginter
Park United Methodist Church.
GPUMC SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
Please come out and support our Church Softball
team! All games are located at Henderson Middle
School (4319 Old Brook Road, Richmond, VA
23227) and played on Tuesday
evenings. The schedule is as follows:
May 2
8:40 p.m.
May 9
8:40 p.m.
May 16
7:00 p.m.
May 23
7:00 p.m.
June 6
7:00 p.m.
June 13
7:00 p.m.
DO YOU NEED A RIDE TO CHURCH?
We now are providing ride assistance for both
worship services. Please contact the church office for
more information (804) 262-8651.
FINANCE & CHURCH COUNCIL
MEETING
The next meeting for Finance (6:30 p.m.) and Church
Council (7:00 p.m.) will be May 10th in the Scott
Walford Room.
Washington, D.C.: The Council of Bishops (COB)
has called a Special Session of the General
Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC)
to be held February 23-26, 2019 in St. Louis,
Missouri, USA.
In announcing the call, COB President Bishop Bruce
R. Ough said the Special Session will be held in
accordance with Division Two – Section II – Article
II of The Constitution of The United Methodist
Church as recorded in Paragraph 14 of The Book of
Discipline (2016).
The purpose of the 2019 Special Session of the
General Conference will be “limited to receiving and
acting on a report from the Council of Bishops based
on the recommendations of the Commission on a
Way Forward.”
The 32-member Commission was appointed by the
Council of Bishops to assist the bishops in their
charge to lead the church forward amid the impasse
related to homosexuality. The Commission’s task
includes examining paragraphs in The Book of
Discipline concerning human sexuality and exploring
options to strengthen the unity of the church.
Per the Constitution of the Church, the 2019 Special
Session of the General Conference shall be composed
of the delegates to the 2016 General Conference or
their legal successors or alternates, except when a
particular annual conference or missionary
conference shall prefer to have a new election.
The Secretary of the General Conference will
communicate with annual conference secretaries
regarding updated delegate information, seating of
reserve delegates, and the issuance of new certificates
of election for annual conferences choosing to hold
new elections.
The Commission on the General Conference and the
Business Manager of the General Conference will
develop and forward additional information regarding
the logistics of the special session of General
Conference at the appropriate time.
“The Council of Bishops encourages the entire
church to continue in deep, unceasing prayer for
Holy Spirit breakthroughs for the Commission on a
Way Forward and the Special
Session of General
Conference,” Bishop Ough said.
BIRTHDAYS: MAY, JUNE & JULY
MAY
2
Scott Bray
6
Lee Ford, III
8
Ed Martin
Angela Meccia
11
Gail Hadley-Goggin
14
Carter Gibson
18
Madelyn Lee Carlton
19
Cindy Fisher
Jana Kurze
20
Juan Rodriquez
21
Shirley Overstreet
26
Keegan Blake
Keith Anderson
28
David Williams
30
Robert Womer
Barbara Jessup
31
Barbara Bennardo
Christopher Hayden
JUNE
6
Jeneba Karim
7
Liz Turner
Susan Hiers
8
Horace Ford
Isabella Kurze
9
Jennifer Berry
11
Callie Robinson
Tiffany Clouse
12
Natalie Rodriquez
13
Natalia DeBardeleben
Allison Douthat
14
Taylor McConaghy
15
Christopher Meccia
Sheleen Velanquez
16
Winn Carlton
23
Margaret Martin
26
Araceli Rodriquez
Jordan McCants
Kyra McCants
27
Gene Carr
Cooper Blake
28
Lisa Williams
Walker Martin
29
Mary Swing
JULY
1
Ryan Douthat
Noah Martin
2
Leslie Colbert
6
Joyce Roberts
8
9
11
12
13
14
19
27
28
30
Nancy Langford
Brian Durrett
Joyce Forcke
Geme Kane
Leo Colbert
Ashley Vronek
Jean Pleasants
Chris Otto
Hyland Terranova
Madi Terranova
Vonda Crane
James Johnson
Jasmine Johnson
Michael Riddick
GRADUATION SUNDAY
Please inform the church office of any
graduates within our church
family. We will celebrate all
graduates on Sunday, June 11th
during both worship services.
JOYS & CONCERNS
Bob Womer, Zeke & Jean Taylor, Barbara Bennardo,
Bill Kinney, Judy Wilkinson, Richard Bearden (Mary
Swing’s Father), Theo Brown, Jennifer Andrews, Joyce
Forcke, Ruth Plott, Debbie Oliver, Keith Anderson,
Jane Whitlow, Owen Steinmann (4mo old Hospice),
Avery Nicole Baughan (1 month old with liver mass)
SERMON SERIES
I propose to preach a series of seven sermons over
the next few weeks. The series title is: Easter: The
Rest of Jesus’ Story. These messages will be based
upon the lectionary readings for the respective
Sundays.
April 30th
May 7th
May 14th
May 21st
May 28th
June 4th
Truth in Front of You
Shepherd Love
Words of Comfort
Words of Farewell
Praying for You
Water for the Thirsty
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Please see the other side of this sheet for the
children’s Vacation Bible School registration, which
will be held June 25-June 29.
There will be an Adult Bible School class as well in
the Scott Walford room at the same time as the
Children’s Bible School. Please contact Mary Swing
(804) 515-9065 or the church office (804) 262-8651
to register.
THOSE SERVING OUR CHURCH IN
MAY & JUNE
Crucifers
Acolytes
MAY
7
Lee Walker
14
21
28
Jacob Durrett
Lee Walker
DJ Turner
JUNE
4
Lee Walker
11
18
26
Jacob Durrett
Horace Ford
DJ Turner
JULY
2
Lee Walker
9
16
23
Jacob Durrett
Horace Ford
DJ Turner
Jonas Fleming
Jacob Fleming
Eli Durrett
Philip Turner
Austin & Logan Taylor
Jonas Fleming
Jacob Fleming
Eli Durrett
Philip Turner
Austin & Logan Taylor
Jonas Fleming
Jacob Fleming
Eli Durrett
Philip Turner
Austin & Logan Taylor
USHERS
MAY
Captain:
Altarperson:
Team:
JUNE
Captain:
Altarperson:
Team:
JULY
Captain:
Alterperson:
Team:
Robert Burns
Floyd Davis
Willie Herbert,
Chuck Turner, Lee Walker
Jim Gray
Horace Ford
Barbara Ford,
Alice Gray
Barbara Jessup
Robert Burns
Shirley Overstreet, Conway
Kehoe, Lee Walker
ALTAR GUILD
MAY
9:30 – Allison Douthat
11:00 – Jean Taylor, Shannon Kontopanos,
Callie Robinson
JUNE
9:30 - Allison Douthat
11:00 – Laura Roberts, Susan Hiers
JULY
9:30 – Allison Douthat
11:00 – Jean Taylor, Shannon Kontopanos,
Callie Robinson
Each Sunday, the flowers are given in honor of or in
memory of our loved ones. If you would like to place
flowers on the altar to recognize someone or some event,
please contact Jean Taylor (308-8815). Would you like to
join our Altar Guild? We would like to have you in one of
our groups. Please call Jean Taylor.
LECTORS
May
7
21
28
Chris Heirs
Michael Kurze
Mary Swing
WORK DAY
***Please come out and help us on Saturday, June
10th to work on various jobs around the church. We
will begin at 9:00 A.M., and there is a job for
everyone!***
GPUMC TO SPONSOR A REFUGEE
FAMILY
Every five seconds a person is displaced in
the world today. This means that on any given day,
thousands of people are being forced to leave their
homes. One of the greatest things we can do is to
help those people find a home again, whether that is
through resettlement to another country, helping them
find legal status where they are or helping them to
feel safe in their communities. Church World
Service writes that they “see each day the resilience
and courage displayed by refugees and immigrants.
These are families who have survived war, violence,
persecution, torture and often decades living in
camps. They continue to inspire us in our work as
we strive to help them realize their own dreams.”
Donna Taylor has agreed to head up a group
of interested church members who would like to be a
part of a group who will work with the family we are
sent. If you are interested in helping Donna, please
give your name and contact information to our staff
at (804)262-8651.
MISSIONS YARD SALE
May 13th * 6 a.m. – 12 noon
Mechanicsville Christian Church
Over one thousand people come by on the day of the
sale to buy items from our 20,000 square feet of
fabulous treasures. (8061 Shady Grove Road, 7464303) All proceeds with go towards missions.
Monthly FOOD PANTRY Report
GPUMC 100th ANNIVERARY
Your Food Pantry and Clothes Closet continue to
minister to those in need. We partner with the food
pantries at St. Thomas Episcopal Church and St. Paul
Catholic Church. During the month of March, the
GPUMC food pantry served 249 households for a
total of 776 individuals. Our USDA allotment of
canned goods has decreased somewhat during the
past couple of months; therefore, we could use
donations of canned foods including fruit, vegetables,
peanut butter and tuna. We always need grocery
bags with handles and donations of gently used
clothing are welcome. If you have some time to
volunteer in these programs, you may be able to help
register clients using an I-Pad, package bread
products, sort clothing for the clothes closet or just
help greet and assist those clients who need our help.
We operate each Wednesday from 10 AM until
Noon. In addition, the sorting of clothing for our
clothes closet can be done at other times if you are
not available on Wednesday mornings.
Jesus tells us in the Gospels to “not be alarmed” and
to remain alert even amid the necessary rumors of wars,
wars, etc., nor be led “astray by false prophets.” In
Ecclesiastes, we are reminded there is a time for
everything.
During the terrible tumult of war (WWI), plague
(Spanish Influenza Pandemic), escalating crime
(organized crime), and financial devastation (Great
Depression), and celebratory times of Peace (began Nov.
11, 1918), Women’s Vote, Roaring Twenties, advances in
medicine (Penicillin), cinema (soundtracks and color),
radio, television, and aviation, the members of Ginter Park
Methodist Episcopal Church, South were not distracted
from God’s call to plant and grow His Church. They
enthusiastically and faithfully obeyed God.
Just four months after the U.S. finally officially
entered WWI and our men went to war amid increased
intensity, our first Sunday School 26-member class met on
July 29, 1917 in Ginter Park School’s Assembly Hall.
Our church’s focus has been as a missionary church from
inception. Rev. L.S. Flournoy became our first pastor in
November and welcomed the Church’s 41 new members
on Dec. 9 for a total of 56 church members and 59 Sunday
School members. They added a new focus: a church
building of their own.
The land was bought for $5,600 on Sept. 11, 1918.
The cornerstone laid on July 30, 1921. The very first
church service and Sunday School class in our education
building took place on March 12, 1922. At that time, we
had 180 church members and 252 Sunday School
members. They raised enough money to support several
missionaries, local missions, churches, and eventually
retire the debt on the church of nearly $74,000. By our
20th anniversary in 1937, there were 608 church members,
and 540 Sunday school members. The church had a total
of “915 different church members” from 1917 to 1937
according to founder member J. Binford Walford. Even
as the drums of war would beat again shortly, those early
members were sustained by and enjoyed God’s blessings
and inspiration which are inspirations and blessings to us
now as we go forward.
 Thank you, Horace Ford, for loaning your copy of
the 75th anniversary video to us.
 If anyone knows the name of the company that
made the 75th anniversary Porcelain Plate, please
let Mary Swing know.
 Upcoming 100th Anniversary Sunday celebrations
will be May 21, June 11 and July 16.
 Our big celebration will take place on Sunday,
Oct. 15th. If you did not receive a letter in the
mail about this celebration, please let the church
office know. Thanks.
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships in the amount of $1000 are available
for members of GPUMC who will be entering their
first year of college. A list of requirements and
applications are available in the Church Office. All
written materials must be turned into the Church
Office by May 15.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS
BASEBALL GAME
St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Richmond (Knights of
Columbus Council) is running a bus trip to the June 11
Texas Rangers v. Washington Nationals baseball game
in Washington, DC. The cost is $70/person (includes
bus transportation, game ticket and driver gratuity). The
bus departs at 12:30 PM from All Saints Catholic
School 3418 Noble Ave. Richmond 23222. Game time
is 4:05 PM. The bus returns to Richmond at about 10:00
PM. To make a reservation, make your check payable
to “Knights of Columbus Council 6589” and mail it to
K of C Council 6589, c/o Sidney Bragg, 4408 Fitzhugh
Ave., Richmond 23230. Please direct questions to John
Tucker at [email protected] or 804-837-4900.
_____________________________________________
UNITED METHODIST WOMEN
GPUMC UMW....Please Mark Your Calendars
May 2 - 10:00am - Our Regular Monthly UMW meeting
followed by our compiling a history of Ginter Park's
UMW to include in the 100th Anniversary presentation on
October 15. We will also explore where our money goes
when we give through UMW. Bring sandwich-rest of
lunch provided.
June 2-3 - "On The Road Again in Mission" to the
Roanoke Valley to give helping hands to "Roanoke
Community Outreach Program" and "Henry Fork Service
Center" as we head to Ferrum College to be a part of
UMW Day at Ferrum College. This will be not only a
working but educational weekend celebrating the heritage
of The United Methodist Women of our Conference and
Ferrum College.
In support of this UMW trip, we will be collecting
napkins, paper plates, plastic forks, plastic cups, Lysol
wipes and baby wipes for Roanoke COP and school
supplies for the Henry Fork SC. Any items you wish to
donate to these ministries may be left in the box
underneath the table outside the church office.
CHURCH SURVEY
Please fill out the survey and return to the church
office.
1. Please rate the following items on a scale of 1 to 5,
with 5 being best:
a. Condition and appearance of sanctuary.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
b. Condition and appearance of fellowship hall.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
c. Condition and appearance of Scott Walford room.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
d. Condition and appearance of nursery.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
e. Condition and appearance of youth rooms.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
f. Condition and fitness of staff offices.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
g. Condition and appearance of exterior church grounds
& parking lot
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN the Ginter Park United
Methodist Women on Tuesday, June 6, for an
entertainment program by Patsy Butler followed by
luncheon. Watch for more information in weekly
bulletins.
2. Do you feel unsafe or at risk in any areas of the
church (please specify)?
June 17 - UMW Breakfast @ VA Annual Conference
(Hampton Convention Center)
3. Is our church easily accessible? If no, please note
areas of needed improvement.
July 28 & 29 - VA Conference Mission Encounter - Bon
Air UMC. Mission Studies on: Climate Justice; Spiritual
Growth Study - Living as a Covenant Community; 2017
Geographic Study: Missionary Conference of the UMC in
the United States; and Joined and Held Together: A
Children's Study on Missionary Conferences.
KITS FOR CONFERENCE.....this year we will again
support the Kits for Conference project. There are two
choices: (1) You may complete kits and leave them
underneath the table outside the church office OR (2) you
may donate monies to have kits made for you by dropping
your check payable to Ginter Park UMW in the offering
plate noting on MEMO LINE the NUMBER and TYPE
OF KITS purchasing. There is a display on the UMW
bulletin board reflecting the contents required for each of
the seven (7) type kits and a cost for each kit. For your
convenience, there will be pickup sheets on kits and cost
on the table outside the office. Either kits or monies must
be turned in by June 11. Contact Laura Roberts if you
have questions. (559-2069)
4. If you could update or upgrade one area of our
church, what would you do and why?
5. List four repairs or improvements, in order of
importance to you, that you would be willing to
support financially at our church.
We welcome any other feedback that you are led to
provide about our church building or grounds in the
space below.