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Micah’s ecumenical network of churches will once again host noonday worship services throughout the lenten sea-son. Services will be held at noon in

a different church each week, with a pastor from another Micah congregation delivering the mes-sage. Lunch will follow at each worship site and an offering will be collected to benefit Micah.

March 4th ... Christ Lutheran ChurchMarch 11th ... Fredericksburg

United Methodist ChurchMarch 18th ... St. George’s Church

March 25th ... Fredericksburg Baptist Church

Write your “burden” on a purple card and tie it to the cross in the courtyard. Cards are in baskets through- out the church. On Easter Sunday, please bring fresh-cut flowers to the courtyard. We will cover the cross with flowers as a symbol of resurrection and hope.

When we observe Lent, the 40 days of preparation for Easter, we often think of what we are “giving up” or “starting” as a spiritual discipline. May we also be ready for the surprises God puts on our path.

I was reminded of Lenten surprises when one of our trustees was at the church, a few weeks ago, trying to prepare for the advancing winter storm. It was a cold day. Scott emerged from the court-

yard with an Easter egg! For almost a year, the chocolate-filled egg had escaped notice. Dozens of searching eyes didn’t “see”.

This year, our Lenten study in an invitation to the FUMC congregation to celebrate Jesus’ prayer for each of us and our church and an opportunity to discern, to “see” the vision, that God is placing before FUMC at this time. It is an adventure and has already revealed many surprises. May we keep the eyes of our hearts open to God’s leading.

On April 18, Kathy Merry, an author of our Lenten study, will be with us, helping us process our season of discernment, percep-tions, historical data and demographics, as we begin to “put into words” what God is revealing for the next chapter of our ministry. What are the needs of our community and how is God preparing the FUMC congregation to glorify Christ by reaching out to our neighbors? Registration begins in late March.

The Bishop’s Convocation on Prayer takes place Saturday, March 21 at Trinity UMC in Richmond. Along with the keynote, Reverend Kilby’s experience of Break Through prayer, participants will have an opportunity to learn and experience several types of prayer and spiritual disci-plines. Information on registering for the event is in the newsletter. Let us know, if you plan to attend and whether or not your are interested in carpooling (MonaLamb@fumcva.org or 373-9021, x19).

God surprised the world when the death of Jesus was not the last word! The cross, a place of painful, suffer-ing death, is a symbol of God’s promise, presence and power. Jesus told the crowd and his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me [Mark 8:34b].” As we continue to be blessed by encounters with the Holy, may God bless us to be a blessing in our community and the world.

In Christ,

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Are you ill, grieving, distressed, burdened, or in one of life’s many situations that tear you down and wear you out?

Do you need Reconciliation, understand-ing or renewal? Come to this service on Thursday, March 5, at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary, where praise and thanksgiving will be given for God’s physical, spritual, emotional, and relational healing power. God wants to heal us. Through the grace of Jesus Christ, God has healed many. We will sing Hymns, read scripture, hear stories of how God has acted in people’s lives. Accord-ing to scripture, anointing with oil will be offered, and we will offer specific prayers for God to act in us. With God, anything is possible.

This year’s Bishop’s Convocation on Prayer will be held Saturday, March 21, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Trinity UMC (903 Forest Ave., Richmond, VA 23233). The Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey, Di-

rector of Missional Church Initiatives in the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, will be the plenary speaker. There will also be small group learn-ing opportunities in the areas of prayer and Wesleyan spiritual disciplines.

Register online at https://www.vaumc.org/pages/events/2015-events/bishopsprayerconvo. You can also pay by credit card online. A flyer that includes work-shop descriptions and schedule (pdf) is available at http://www.vaumc.org/ncfilerepository/Events/2015BishopsConvocationonPrayer.pdf.

Both laity and clergy are invited to attend. Reg-istration cost is $10 and includes lunch. Deadline to register is March 16.

Once you have registered, let Mona Lamb in the church office know so we will know how many mem-bers from FUMC are going. For more information con-tact the Rev. Marc Brown at MarcBrown@vaumc.org.

Our congregation is on a prayerful journey about understanding who God wants us to become as we follow Jesus. We live in rela-tionship with God and each other.

Your support and encouragement is important in helping our church to hear our perceptions and see life through the promise of God’s faithfulness.

We ask for your commitment in five different ways, pick one or choose them all! Fill out a commitment card and grab a book if you still need one in the gather-ing space or stop by the church office.

A. Pray for our church dailyB. Pray for our Promised Land Task ForceC. Allow your voice to be heard in a

small-group D. Attend worship regularlyE. Come to the discussion on

April 18thF. All of the above!

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Our FUMC family expresses sympathy and love to...

9 to 5! At the riverside Din-ner theater ... that’s our destination March 22. A check for $52 (includes dinner, tip and show) will reserve your spot for

this show featuring Sally Struthers. We will be carpooling for this one and will leave the church parking lot at 12:30 p.m. Send your checks no later than March 10th, made out to FUMC with MerryMakers on the memo line, to Ronda Worcester, 701 cobblestone Blvd. #102, Fred-

ericksburg, 22401. Please let me know if you are willing to drive or would like to ride with someone else.

Workshops are pro-gressing well on the 2nd and 4th Mondays 9:30 –

11:30 of each month with projects being worked on by dedicated crafters for the BAZAAR ON NOVEMBER 7TH 2015. In March we will be working on Christmas items; April is time for paper and button projects and painting of items that have been made by our participat-ing male woodworkers; with June providing opportuni-ties to help with sewing projects. Many hands are needed to make this the success it usually is, so we hope if you can’t come for the workshops that you are busy using your talents at home.

A few items needed are ALTOID TINS and OLD JEWELRY – just put them in the Bazaar basket in Mis-sion Control room.

Thanks for all the prayers and help. Call Sharon Bradshaw (373-8245) if you have any questions or ideas to help with the BAZAAR.

Holy Communion is a sacrament of the United Methodist Church. It is a means of grace and a vital part of the worship experience for believers in Jesus as the Christ. The Member-

ship, Care, and Nurture Ministry wants to provide Holy Communion to those who are not able to attend worship on a regular basis due to life and health concerns.

If you have previously received lay-communion-server training and have been serving the shut-ins, we want to provide a refresher orientation and new com-munion sets. Or, if you sense a strong desireto be a new lay-communion servant, takingcommunion to those confined to theirhome, nursing/retirement home, or hospital room, contact thePastor of Congregational Care, Rev. Henry “Hank” McCaslin, 540-373-9021, ext. 22, or email at henrymccaslin@fumcva.org.

FUMC is still seeking persons who are able to teach and assist with the Special Needs Sun-day School classes. If you have the heart and passion for children and youth who have special

educational and developmental needs, please contact Rev. Henry (Hank) McCaslin, Pastor of Congregational Care at 540-373-9021, ext 22; 540-273-3214; 540-903-0090, or henrymccaslin@fumcva.org.

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You may think it is pretty early to start talking about School Dressing Days, but the committee has been working since right after last year’s event to prepare for this year’s event.

NOTE: the dates this year will be Friday Au-gust 14 and Saturday August 15 (this is the third week-end, not the traditional second weekend in August). Set-up day will be Thursday, August 13. The event will be held again at the LDS church on Bragg Road. Please consider volunteering some time on one of the above days. It’s not a hard job at all and the joy you get back is immeasurable. Details on signing up will come later, but you can mark your calendars.

A box will be available in Mission Control for con-tributions: deodorant, bar soap, toothpaste, undies (boys, mens, girls, teens), socks (check out what the kids are actually wearing). Gently-used coats, hoodies and jackets (when it gets warmer), shoes appropriate for school and backpacks.

Contact Jean Himmel, 540-368-9541, dhimmel1@cox.net for more information.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Bread for the World launched its 2015 Offering of Letters: Feed Our Chil-dren campaign last week, urging Congress to strength-en national child-nutrition programs when the law governing them comes up for reauthorization this year.

“One in five children in the United States lives at risk of hunger,” said Christine Melendez Ashley, senior domestic policy analyst at Bread for the World. “Child-nutrition programs are vital because they ensure that our children get nutritious meals and have the energy to grow and learn.”

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 funds and sets policy for national child-nutrition programs and must be reauthorized every five years. It includes school lunch and breakfast programs, summer feed-ing programs, after-school and child-care feeding pro-grams, and The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, & Children (WIC). Together these programs serve about 29 million low-income children annually.

For more information, go to www.bread.org or Sandy Howson at 540 373-4704 or showson@infionline.net.

by Sandy Howson, 540-373-4704 showson@infionline.net

The Monday Morning Bible Study meets from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Room 210 on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month (unless the church is closed). Every week is a fresh lesson, so join in whenever you can! On Monday, March 2nd, we will meet HERODIAS. To order a book, arrange for babysitting or if you have further questions, call Ann Braz at 710-6588.

Small Group for parents with young children meets on Sundays at 3:00-4:30 PM in room 210 for fellowship and Bible study. Childcare is provided during this time. A sign-up sheet is placed in the Gathering Place or you can sign up online at www.fumcva.org. Contact Pastor Won Lee (540-373-9021 x15, wonlee@fumcva.org) with questions.

Have you noticed the same faces in the kitchen for coffee hour week after week, month after month, year after year? It is time for some new energy and enthusiasm. Training will

be provided along with a blessing! Call Mary Jordan at 540-303-2281 or sign up on the plea for volunteers on the table. Weeks with no volunteers will result in a closed window.

Each second Saturday, FUMC hosts a Commu-nity Dinner prepared in the Fellowship Hall downstairs ... free for the community. There are currently dinners EVERY Saturday from 4

to 6 p.m. at our church. When renovations are com-pleted at Fredericksburg Presbyterian Church, they will once again host dinners as well. Preparation for dinner begins from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. with set-up to follow and then dinner served at 4. What a great mission this is!!! Libby Wasem is the organizer for FUMC and can be reached at lawasem@cox.net if you would like to help with this effort.

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Every woman of the church is invited to become a member of United Methodist Women because when women come together for missions, amazing things can

happen. The theme for 2015 is “Welcomed by God, Welcoming All.”

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Westview on the James is an outdoor ministry of the Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, and Richmond Districts of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church. This camp, set on the banks of the James River in Goochland, is about fun, making new friends, renewing old friendships, and

caring about each other in a Christian community. The United Methodist Men and the Wayfarers Sunday School class are offering scholarships for camp.

Westview offers a variety of camp options for children between age 7 and 17 based on the age and interests of the child as well as dates throughout the summer. Camp brochures are available in the church office or from the Directors of Children or Youth Ministries. For more information, visit www.westviewonthejames.org.

Scholarships will be offered for $375 for residential camp or adventure camps and $185 for mini camp. (If the remaining funds are a problem, please indicate that.) Applications can be picked up from the church office or from the Director of Children’s Ministry in room #203 or the Director of Youth Ministry in room #206. Appli-cations for scholarships should be turned into the church office BY SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2015. Scholarship recipients will be asked to write about their experiences at Westview on the James to be shared with our church family upon returning home.

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“Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it.” —Proverbs 22:6

On Wednesday nights between Feb-ruary 25 and March 25, children in grades kindergarten through fifth grade can participate in our “Walk Through Holy Week” program. Each week, we will look at the different events that happened to between Palm Sunday and Easter. Too often, we celebrate one week and go straight to the celebration the following week without understand-ing Christ’s giant sacrifice. This series will help children see what happened, why it happened, and what Easter truly means. Please let Shannon Bolick know if you plan to participate.

This year we are going back to Naza-reth, where Jesus was a little boy! It is time to start planning for VBS 2015. Please prayerfully consider if you are will-ing to take a leadership role for this com-ing summer. WE CANNOT DO VBS WITHOUT ADULT VOLUNTEERS. Let Shannon Bolick know how you are ex-cited to lead this year. Positions needed:

1 – Director 1 – Marketplace Coordinator

1 – Music Leader • 2 – Games Leader 2 – Female Storytellers 1 – Food Coordinator

16 – Tribe Leaders 24 – Marketplace Shop Leaders

Age: 11

School: Grade 5 at Battlefield Elementary

FUMC Activities: Children’s Bell Choir, VBS, Rotation Sunday School, Upward Basketball, Wed. Night dinners, Children’s Musical (Noah), Kids With Purpose, Grade level studies, Children’s Sabbath (Sermonette), Boy Scout Sunday (Scripture reader), Westview on the James camp

FUMC Memory: I love playing Upward Basketball! VBS Market-place!

Hobbies & Activities: Swim team, Baseball, Basketball, Cub Scouts, Camping, Ripstick, Snowboarding, Drawing (especially cars), Building things from things, PS3

Dream: When I grow up, I want to be a Sportscaster on ESPN

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Adults - $6, Children - $3 for 3-12, Under 3 is free, Families - $25 (Tickets will be sold for take-out meals)

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The Outreach Pantry is open Monday through Friday, 1:00-3:00 p.m., unless the church is closed. We always need hot and cold cereals, pasta and pasta sauces, peanut butter, jelly

(grape/strawberry), powdered milk, rice, soups, bread, canned fruits, canned meats and meat, baby formula and diapers. Monetary donations may also be made by writ-ing “Food Pantry” in the memo section of your check. Please check expiration dates. We cannot give out expired items, nor can we give out medicines. Contact Ed Sielski at 786-8515 with questions. Every Wednesday at 11:00 the Chapel Prayer

Group meets to pray for FUMC members/families/friends with health or other concerns (or praises!). We always include prayers for our

military members. Through time, we have lost contact with some of our military and would very much like to have an update on them. If you have any information on any of our military members, please contact Pastor Hank McCaslin at 540-373-9021 or henrymccaslin@fumcva.org. Join us for prayer on Wednesdays in the second floor chapel!

Planning a hospital stay? Are you headed to sur-gery? Want to have prayer and someone from the clergy staff to visit? Tell us when you are in the hospital. If surgery is scheduled, tell us

the day, time and place where a Pastor can locate you. Our Pastors can serve you best when they know your schedule. They can meet you at the health facility prior to surgery. They can have prayer and support you and your loved ones. You must contact the church about your medical status because the hospital does not notify the church of your presence.

Michele Kreisman is collecting used children’s DVDs and books to assist elementary aged English Language Learners as they practice listening to

and reading English at home. There will be boxes in the Command Center for the next few months.