AUTUMN 2015

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Table of Contents

Page 3 Building Community

Page 4 AUMC Youth

Page 6 20 Benefits of Singing

Page 8 Member Care / Hospitality

Page 9 Stephen Ministry

Page 10 Love INC Holiday Meals

Page 11 A Most Unusual Wedding

Page 12 Prayer Opportunities at AUMC

Page 13 Praise Expo 3

Page 14 Arise! A Christian Response to the Refugee Crisis

Page 15 Bits and Pieces

Page 16 Staff Listing

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Sign up for AmazonSmile, and Amazon will automatically donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. We hope you will pick Aldersgate United Methodist Church! Our thanks to Sybil Robertson for setting this up for us. It’s as easy as 1-2-3: 1. Create an Amazon account if you don’t already have one. 2. Go to smile.amazon.com 3. Search and select as your charity “Aldersgate United Methodist Church Charlottesville” Amazon sends the checks regularly to AUMC. So, get started today! Remember to pick your charity before you shop.

Saturday Morning Men’s Group

The Saturday Morning Men’s 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.

Don’t forget ... set your clocks back one hour before bed on Saturday, October 31!

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!

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ARISE! A Christian response to the refugee crisis

Barely a day goes by that we don’t hear on the news about refugees. The U.N. reported that in 2014 there were almost 60 million refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) around the globe. Put another way, that’s one in every 122 people worldwide. This is the highest number of refugees and IDPs since World War II.

The Dept. of Homeland Security allowed about 70,000 refugees to legally relocate to the U.S. last year, and rescue agencies do amazing humanitarian work to bring them here. The local chapter of the IRC (International Rescue Committee) relocates about 200 people to Charlottesville annually….but in 2016, that number will likely increase by at least 25% to 250.

So much is needed by refugees when they first arrive in Charlottesville. The IRC provides tremendous support in the initial months in so many ways...finding a rental home, getting an in initial job, learning to speak English, and getting registered in schools and for medical and social services.

But refugees continue to need support and education in order to rise up out of poverty and assimilate into the U.S. culture. Because they do not speak the language, use public transportation, and many do not have higher education and/or work experience, most initially get jobs in housekeeping, laundry, landscaping...or similar jobs that pay close to minimum wage. The spiritual and emotional needs are enormous. Refugees have fled from violence and persecution, and most have lived in refugee camps for years before coming here.

Our spiritual ancestors were themselves refugees. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob moved from the Promised Land in search of food (Genesis 12:10; 26:1; 41:57; 42:6; 43:1-7). Ruth was an immigrant who continually crossed national borders. Joseph, Daniel, Moses, David, and the baby Jesus were pushed out of their homeland because of war or persecution. And being hospitable according to the New Testament means to “love the stranger” (Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9). Jesus commanded his followers to welcome people who had no social standing, such as the poor, the sick, and the outsider (Luke 14:12-14).

As a Christian response to the Refugee Crisis, Faith Painter of Aldersgate will launch a new Ministry with Africa Lighthouse Baptist Temple called ARISE!...Alliance for Refugee and Immigrant Support and Education. The ministry will improve quality of life for refugees and support them in becoming self-sufficient through the following programs:

· Coordination of resources among faith-based organizations · Educational and social programs · Scholarship program · Short term direct financial assistance · Volunteer support and mentors

The program will launch this fall. Watch for an announcement of a kick-off program at Aldersgate. For more information, contact Faith Painter at faypainter8@gmail.com or 962.6333.

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Dear Aldersgate Friends, Fall has always felt to me like a time of new possibilities and new beginnings. Students are beginning another year of classes, sports and other fall activities kick in, and the church moves into another season for ministry. In this edition of Aldersgate Alive you'll find celebrative stories of our ministry together as well as new groups and activities emerging this fall. So much of what we do is about building and strengthening relationships, giving our newcomers places to join in all that is happening here as well as encouraging members to grow in faith as well. During the Sundays of October we'll continue to build our relationships with God and one another through a sermon and worship series, "Building Community." We'll focus on the story of Nehemiah, a person of deep faith and trust in God who demonstrates a great love for God's community. I'm fascinated by his ability to see possibilities in the midst of challenging circumstances and his penchant for helping others use their gifts for this massive construction project he undertakes in Jerusalem. An important part of building community is learning and working together. I'm very grateful for the privilege of doing that with you here at Aldersgate and look forward to the journey ahead! Grace and peace, Scott Rev. Scott Davis, Pastor

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Church website: cvaumc.org Church facebook: facebook.com/cvaumc Church twitter: @CVAUMC Youth twitter: @AUMCYouthCville Youth instagram: AUMCYouthCville

The mission of the AUMC Youth is to grow together through Christ by serving others, bonding with Christian friends, and discovering our faith. AUMC Youth Group is for Middle School/Junior High (6th-8th grades) and High School/Senior High (9th-12th grades) and meets every other Sunday during the school year from 5-7pm. THIS FALL we begin our Youth Drama Group which meets the off weeks of Youth Group. The Youth Drama Group is for students grades 5-12 and meets from 5-6pm. (Dinner is not provided on Drama Group nights.) Contact Rachel Miller, Director of Ministries with Young People, at rachelmiller@cvaumc.org

with any questions regarding AUMC youth and/or to be added to the AUMC Youth e- mail list.

Youth Sunday School: There are two classes. We thank Kathryn Reid for leading the 6th-8th graders and Rebecca Wagner for leading the 9th-12th graders. If you're interested in helping either of them, regularly or as a sub, please let Rachel know!! They will both meet from 10:05ishAM-10:50ishAM. You can reach Kathryn at kathrynbreid@gmail.com and Rebecca at wagnerwimps@yahoo.com.

Crucifers and Acolytes: All children and youth, grades 3rd and up, we need YOU to help in Worship! Parents, please follow the link below to sign-up your child/preteen/teen to help with leadership in Worship on the Sundays that work with your schedule (you do not have to sign up for Sign-Up Genius, just pick a date and enter your email, it will email you a reminder closer to the date for which you signed up...) More information about what the Acolyte and Crucifer do are available by following the link: ww.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0445A4A82EA3FE3-sunday1

Our current Sunday morning schedule for our super-star kids includes: 9AM - Children's Church for kids in Pre-K through 5th grade during Worship. 10AM - Sunday school for children in Pre-K through 5th grade. 11AM - Children's Church for kids in Pre-K through 5 grade during Worship.

The Children’s Ministry Team (CMT) is made up of congregation members who believe in devoting time and energy to the children of the church and community. We do big things! Our first meeting for the 2015-2016 school year will be Tuesday, September 15th. For more information about the CMT and/or joining in on the fun please feel free to contact Rachel Miller at rachelmiller@cvaumc.org

Prayer Opportunities at Aldersgate

The first of the three prayer initiatives, small group prayer, began two years ago this September

as a response to Bishop Cho’s 2013 Annual Conference Episcopal address and his appeal for churches to

become “Prayer Covenant Congregations.” Our Wednesday night prayer group began meeting every

Wednesday for one hour of prayer and included in that hour is prayer for the renewal and revival of the

congregation, the conference, The United Methodist Church, and the universal Church. We have prayed

consistently for the Holy Spirit to come and reignite the church and our congregation. We have used a

number of formats including: Korean Style Prayer (we all prayed Psalms simultaneously out loud); Lectio

Divina (praying a Scripture with silence and asking specific questions of discussion); conversational

prayer; and contemplative/centering prayers. Centering prayer is usually described as quietly preparing

for contemplative prayer by internally focusing and silently repeating a sacred word or phrase to open

your mind and heart to God. The expressions “resting in God” or “sitting at God’s feet” are used to

describe being in communion with God through contemplative prayer. We consistently open with a

short prayer, music, Scripture, silence intermixed, prayer requests, and closing thoughts and prayers.

All are welcome to join us Wednesdays 5:30 – 6:30 pm in room 108. You may join us weekly for prayer or

just drop by occasionally.

Prayer Walking began a year ago this September. The focus of Aldersgate is moving from an inward

focus to an outward and invitational focus. As part of this change we decided to begin to intentionally

and specifically pray for our neighbors. An even more exact target was to pray for those who lived within

a one-mile radius of the church. So we decided to walk the neighborhoods, the retail areas including a

mall, and the small office sections surrounding the church. We begin with prayer and then walk for a

while and then stop and pray as we enter and leave areas. We pray for both the spiritual and physical

needs of our neighbors. Our motto is “to be on the scene without making a scene.” We also try to greet

and talk to anyone we come across as we are walking allowing the conversation to be guided by those

we meet. It is important that even though we generally decide on a path to walk that we allow the Holy

Spirit to work during our walk by either changing paths when led to change or seeing the people around

us through God’s eyes. We walk the first Thursday of each month 5:30-6:30 PM and gather under the

covered walkway. Please consider joining us for a walk!

The Prayer Wall was established a year ago this October as we began to redesign our website. Prayer is a

spiritual discipline that knows no boundaries. We often pray for missionaries and friends all over the

world so it made sense that people should be able to request prayer from anywhere in the world 24/7.

The prayer wall also focused on the area of prayer combined with reaching outside the church. It is

another great opportunity to have a connection between prayer and the community both inside and

outside the church. There is a button to click when someone prays for a request, which allows a

connection between the person requesting prayer and those praying of the request. We have received

request from both inside and outside the church. Please join us in prayer by going to www.cvaumc.org

and clicking on the Prayer Wall each day.

If you have any questions about these ministries or need more information contact:

Mike Thornton 434-305-9531 or email mikethornton@cvaumc.org

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Special Needs Ministry: Many parents who have children with special needs are not able to find a church home because nothing is in place for their child and family on Sunday mornings – well it’s time to change this! Any family in our community who is not sure what participation at AUMC could look like due to special needs in their family are encouraged to contact Rachel (rachelmiller@cvaumc.org.) Please share this information with any family you know who might need special accommodations.

Want to meet fellow moms of Aldersgate UMC? Join our Weekday Toddler Play Group starting in September (September 21st to be exact). We plan to meet twice a month on the first and third Monday from 9:30-11 at different places around C'ville. Please contact Tori or Heidi if you would like to join us and to find out where we'll be! Tori: (804) 450-7035 (okay to text!)... Heidi: Heidi.j.crockett@gmail.com

Weekend Play Group: Want to hang out with families on Saturdays and get to know families at AUMC who have toddlers and young children? We plan to meet twice a month on the second and fourth Saturdays from 9:30-11. On the second Saturdays we'll meet at the church for play and fellowship and on the fourth Saturdays we'll schedule to meet at a local park or join up for a hike or other type of outing. Contact Alicia or Emmy if you would like to join us and to find out more! Alicia: darcanar@gmail.com... Emmy: emmyllyons@gmail.com...

Weekday Toddler Play Group Want to meet fellow moms of Aldersgate UMC? Join our Weekday Toddler Play Group starting in September. We plan to meet twice a month on weekday mornings at various spots around C’ville. Please contact Tori or Heidi if you would like to join us and let us know what days of the week work best for your schedule so we can start planning events. Tori Fahrenkrog – Text: (804) 450-7035 or Heidi Crockett: Heidi.j.crockett@gmail.com

Trunk or Treat! Join us at Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Sunday, October 25th from 4PM until 6PM for this fun and safe event for children & families. We invite all children to dress up and trick-or-treat from trunk to trunk! We ask that all children are accompanied by an adult age 18+ and that no adult wears a mask that completely covers her/his face. Please invite friends, family, neighbors, super heroes, and especially dragons and princesses! This event has grown each year so all members and friends of AUMC are invited to decorate their vehicle's trunk and pass out candy! This year there will be a small award for Best Trunk! Please contact Rachel with questions at rachelmiller@cvaumc.org or (434) 973-5806.

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20 Benefits of Singing in the Church Choir and Performing in a Musical Ensemble

“Music isn’t just a pleasure, a transient satisfaction. It’s a need, a deep hunger; and when the music is right, it’s joy. Love. A foretaste of heaven. A comfort in grief. Is it too much to think that perhaps God speaks to us sometimes through music? How, then, could I be so ungrateful as to refuse the message?” Orson Scott Card 1. Singing and performing creates a sense of spirituality: Participating in a choir can enhance a sense of closeness to God. Music is an ancient and treasured means of worship and reflection. 2. Singing improves focus: Our whole attention is required when we sing, and thus the stress of the past and the future disappear. 3. Singing challenges the brain: Coming in on the right note, in the correct key, at the right time and with enough breath tests the brain of young and older singers. 4. Singing increases lung capacity: Singing is aerobic and oxygenates the blood stream. It also exercises several major muscle groups in the upper body. 5. Singing strengthens the voice: Vocal cords, like other parts of the body, need exercise to function well. Singing can lead to a healthier, stronger and younger sounding voice. 6. Singing creates a sense of belonging, community and shared endeavor: Solo singing can foster health benefits, but singing together enhances these benefits while at the same time reducing loneliness and isolation. 7. Choir singers have fewer symptoms of depression, a higher quality of life and stronger ratings for overall health. Other research has found that singing releases endorphins and oxytocin, hormones related to an increased sense of well being and reduced stress. Lower cortisol levels, indicating lower stress, and higher levels of immune system proteins were also found in singers after singing. 8. The older you are, the more you may benefit from singing. The Senior Choir Project is an NIH-funded study presently underway that will measure singing’s effect on memory, coordination, balance and well being. Half of those enrolled in the study have never sung is a choir. A promising 2014 study, published in the journal The Genrontologist, suggests that regular musical activities, including singing, has long-term cognitive, emotional, and social benefits to people with mild to moderate dementia. 9. Music may be the language of the angels. 10. Singing and performance can produce satisfying and therapeutic sensations, even when the sound produced by the vocal instrument is of mediocre quality. 11. It brings us outside ourselves. It forces us to think about what another person is doing. We've got to pay attention to what someone else is doing, coordinate our actions with theirs, and it really does pull us out of ourselves. And all of that activates a part of the frontal cortex that's responsible for how you see yourself in the world, and whether you see yourself as part of a group or alone. And this is a powerful effect.

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A Most Unusual Wedding After 62 years of marriage, Loice Isendi Lusiji and Simon Lusiji Natse finally had a Christian Church wedding ceremony. Pastor Peter Chege, of Kenya, performed the vow renewal ceremony on June 7 at Africa Lighthouse Baptist Temple, Stony Point.

Music during and after the ceremony was provided by our own Aldersgate Praise Band. During the service, Chelsea Morse and Bill Bricker led the congregation in singing “How Great Thou Art” and “How Great is our God” interchangeably in English, Swahili and two other African dialects. Scott Davis gave the closing prayer. The full Praise Band performed during the reception following the wedding.

The wedding was coordinated by Faith Painter, of AUMC, who has been doing mission work with this church of refugees for two years. Her son, Adam Blalock, was one of the groomsmen in the wedding.

Loice and Simon are members of the Lihya tribe of Kenya, Africa. They were married in 1952, when it was customary for girls to wed at a very young age. Simon and Loice have had a solid and honorable marriage for 62 years.

It was love at first sight. She was walking on a road through his village. She was 13. He was cutting down trees to build a house. He was 17. He spotted her and they had a brief conversation. That afternoon, he visited her father who stated the price: 6 cows and 900 shillings. A month later, they married in the Kenyan customary way….a community affair that lasted for 3 days. The year was 1952. There is no official record of their marriage.

Sixty two years passed. Simon worked in marketing and sales. Loice was a midwife, and delivered hundreds of babies in their village of Triki, Kenya. Loice and Simon are visiting their children in the U.S. for one year. They become Christians, and desired to have a Christian wedding and blessings, and renew their vows to each other.

For more information about Africa Lighthouse Baptist Temple, visit www.lighthousebaptisttemple.org or contact Pastor Peter Chege at 434.760.5740 or Pastorlbtc@gmail.com.

AIR (Action In Reading) Begins 11th year in September! AIR is our afterschool reading program for Pre-K through 3rd Graders living at Mallside Apartments (across from Aldersgate and behind Putt-Putt). The aim of AIR is to provide positive literacy experiences and promote an interest in reading and books. Each child receives 2 books a month to take home and add to their own “home” library. This year AIR be led by Lynn Bremer and Marti Crosby. We will meet from 2:30-3:30 on Thursdays at Mallside. We begin each Thursday by greeting the school bus, having the students check in at home, and then all joining together for a snack, a read-a-loud, and an activity at the Mallside Community Room. Our volunteer group consists of adults from the church and the community, UVA student volunteers from Madison House, and our “Junior Volunteers” (4th and 5th graders).

WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS! COME TRY US OUT!

THURSDAYS 2:30-3:30 AT MALLSIDE APTS. IT’S A GREAT WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

All you need is a smile, some patience, and a love of children! The children provide all the rest (and more)!

Info: Ann anngalione@gmail.com 973-2860 or Marty mf7crosby@comcast.net 975-5115

Love In the Name of Christ Holiday Meals for Thanksgiving and or Christmas During the holiday season Love INC. becomes the clearinghouse to make sure everyone in need is served. They gather names from all the various support agencies and then match the families to volunteers throughout the many congregations. As a volunteer you select the size of family you would like to support, usually volunteers provide the supplies and the families fix their own meals. You will contact the family to determine food allergies, anything special they

like and then set a time to deliver the meal. Please contact Love INC. at 977-7777 to assist in this ministry.

School Supply Update

Thank you to the Aldersgate community for your generous monetary contributions and school supply donations for the underserved children of Greer Elementary. Because of your generosity, children will have smiles on their faces as they begin the school year with supplies needed for a successful year. Over 200 bags of school supplies were packed and delivered to Greer on Saturday, August 15th. Aldersgate continues to be a Mission orientated church reaching out to those in need. Blessings to each of you and our outreach ministries.

The Mission Team

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12. There's a whole neurochemistry to singing. We now have evidence that when people sing together, it releases oxytocin, the friendship chemical, or the trusting chemical, or the empathy chemical. 13. It exercises major muscle groups in the upper body. 14. It is an aerobic activity that improves the efficiency of your cardiovascular system and encourages you to take more oxygen into your body, leading to increased alertness. Aerobic activity is linked to stress reduction, longevity and better overall health. Improved airflow in the upper respiratory tract is likely to lessen the opportunity for bacteria to flourish there, countering the symptoms of colds and flu. 15. It aids the development of motor control and coordination, and recent studies have shown that it improves neurological functioning. 16. It provides joy. If people are content they are less likely to encounter physical problems. In their infirmaries, monks used to sing to each other as part of the healing process. And other cultures use singing constantly as a means to live. 17. It can support a sense of being part of society and increase your self-esteem. 18. It helps individuals connect to each other, and to their environment. There's a goosebumpy feeling of connection. 19. Advocates of singing lament its diminishing role in our lives: from the days when we sang round the piano in the pub and to pass the working day, to soothe babies and to mark moments of celebration and sorrow. Singing is sacred and everyday, ritualistic and spontaneous. It makes us better, and makes us feel better. And we should all be doing more of it. 20. Making music is one of the best ways to give thanks to God and our community about the wonderful blessings we receive.

Please, consider offering your time and talents and join one of our musical groups at Aldersgate. Music happens because our members volunteer their time and talents and we have many wonderful people who come weekly to rehearsals to prepare the music for each Sunday. If you would like to be involved, please, contact Rafael Scarfullery or any other of our music staff. Thanks and may God bless you! Rafael Scarfullery AUMC Music Director

rafael@rafaelscarfullery.com

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The Member Care/Hospitality team had a great “End of Summer” social on August 30th. We had about 70 people attend. There was delicious food, great music by our own Praise Band, and plenty of awesome fellowship.

Our next big event will be the Advent Brunch on November 29th, so mark your calendars now.

Member Care is also responsible for sip-n-chat which is held each Sunday before and after the Worship services. We are currently trying to simplify sip-n-chat by cutting back on the food offerings. While we have someone to coordinate the 9:00 am sip-n-chat, at this time there is no one to coordinate the 11:00 am sip-n-chat. If you would be interested in acting as coordinator so 11:00 am sip-n-chat can continue, please contact Robin Oliver at 434-978-3553 or robinaoliver@comcast.net.

When was the last time you picked up an Aldersgate UMC cookbook? That’s what we thought ... it’s been quite a while! The Member Care / Hospitality Committee would like to change that. We are launching of an Aldersgate UMC Cookbook with an expected delivery date to be before Christmas, but we will need your help. We would love for you to share your recipes with us. During the months of September we will be collecting recipes with the deadline for submission of September 30, 2015. Your recipes can be handwritten or typed and dropped in the picnic basket in the Reed Room or you can submit them directly to our webpage at FUNDCRAFT Publishing. We will not only have sections for Appetizers, Soups and Salads, Main Dishes, Vegetables, Breads and Rolls, Desserts, but also a section for vegetarian and Gluten Free. Please consider submitting 2-3 recipes, include the title of the recipe, and (of course) your name.

For submission made directly online, go to www.fundcraft.com.

1. Login with our Web ID: 395-15E

2. Select “Type Recipes Online”, which will take you to the Members Page

3. Then select the “Short/Cut Online” bar and begin submitting your recipe.

We look forward to your recipes and Aldersgates’ newest cookbook. Any questions, please feel free to contact Elizabeth Peterson at jepeterson9@comcast.net or 434.466.1116.

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Sharing the Journey in Caregiving – November 7 At some point in our lives, we will experience the loss of someone very important to us: a spouse, family member, close associate, friend or a child. It can be challenging to effectively care for, support, or simply relate to a person diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. The Stephen Ministry congregations in the Charlottesville area have come together to sponsor Sharing the Journey in Caregiving, Saturday, November 7, 2015 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon here at Aldersgate. The event will feature a presentation by Hospice of the Piedmont. Our two guest speakers will be Dr. James Avery, CEO of Hospice of the Piedmont, and Donna Authers, author of A

Sacred Walk: Dispelling the Fear of Death and Caring for the Dying. They will help open a dialog on the important topic of caring for our friends and loved ones when they are most vulnerable. This event is free and open to the public. AUMC will provide a continental breakfast. Plan to come and bring a friend! Stephen Ministry is confidential, one-to-one lay Christian care to individuals in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives. AUMC enrolled in the Stephen Series through Stephen Ministries in St. Louis in February 2003. Stephen Ministry is led by Stephen Leaders: pastors and lay leaders who have attended a week-long Leader’s Training Course (LTC) conducted by the staff of Stephen Ministries. Pastor Scott Davis and Billie Campbell serve as AUMC’s Stephen Leaders. AUMC has trained three classes of Stephen Ministers, and plans to start a new class in October. Stephen Leaders assign Stephen Ministers to people with needs for care. Stephen Ministers meet with their care receivers for about an hour a week for as long as the person needs this level of care. Stephen Ministers participate twice a month in peer supervision and continuing education. AUMC Stephen Leaders also meet with Stephen Leaders from other Charlottesville Stephen Ministry congregations on a bi-monthly basis. These Stephen Ministry Congregations are: First United Methodist, First Presbyterian, St. Paul’s Memorial, and newly enrolled City Church of Charlottesville. If you feel called to this ministry, please contact Stephen Leader Billie Campbell at 975-5298 or billiecampbell@earthlink.net.

Donna Authers, Billie Campbell, and Dr. James Avery meet to plan for the November 7 event