june-july 2021 messenger
TRANSCRIPT
Covenant United Methodist Church 20301 Pleasant Ridge Dr. Montgomery Village, MD
Contact Us:
Pastor Dawn Stewart
301-926-8920
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MESSENGER
June-July 2021
Open Hearts Open Minds Open Doors
In this Issue: Who Are We…? p. 2
Finance Committee p. 2
Sunday Night Bible Study p. 3
Tuesday Night Live p. 3
Monday Bible Study p. 3
Sunrise Bible Study p. 3
Independent Bible Study p. 3
Becca’s Buddies p. 4
Young Adult Book Group p. 4
Children’s Ministry p. 4
Little Free Pantry p. 5
Summer Newsletter p. 5
Birthdays p. 5
July 20, 2021
@covenantumcmontvill @covpreschool facebook.com/covumc
From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear friends,
I want to give you an update on the Catalyst program. Our orientation retreat was held on Saturday, May 22, 2021. It was a day of building an environment of openness and vulnerability for learning and growing.
The Bishop began with words of congratulations and inspiration. She invited us to open our Catalyst gift boxes. Inside we found a kaleidoscope to remind us to focus on the light and to remember that even as old things fall away, new beauty emerges; a magnifying glass to remind us to look closely at ourselves, our communities, and our church; a notebook and pen to reflect and journal along the way; a balloon filled with confetti to remind us to stop and cele-brate; a cup to remind us of the one who fills our cups to overflowing; and packets of different seeds to remind us that we plant seeds in many different ways to create beautiful glimpses of the kin-dom in our own places.
One of the most powerful exercises of the day involved writing down the four most important roles in our lives now. Mine were pastor, mother, wife, and daughter. Next, we were invited to crumple them up and throw them away. Finally, we were asked to reflect on what was left. It was a challenging and humbling exercise designed to help us reflect on our core identity: the essence of ourselves deeper than the most important roles we take on in our lives. Once we could name that core identity (mine was child of God), we were in-vited to think about living all our important roles from our core identity. This exercise helped us think about the importance of knowing our core identity as Covenant UMC and doing all that we do from that core identity.
We met with our cohort and synergist. Cohorts are combined teams of three churches (our team is partnered with the teams from Dumbarton UMC in Washington, DC, and Mt Zion UMC in Baltimore, MD) who work together to reflect on and grow from the learning opportunities offered through Catalyst. Our synergist is Rev. Dr. Brian Brown, a child of the Baltimore Washington Conference, who serves as the senior pastor of Woodlawn Faith UMC in the Virginia Annual Conference and as a certified coach to pastors across the na-tion. We had great discussion and are excited about the learning partnership being forged among these churches.
Our first learning sprint focuses on looking deeply at the community around us. We will watch videos from experts on community engagement, youth work, and more. We will look closely at our MissionInsite data, which pro-vides valuable demographic information about the people who live and work around our church.
(Continued on p. 2)
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We had a very good month financially in April. Contributions came in at $56,000, which included a $1,000 donation for our mortgage. Expenses, including the extra mortgage payment, were about $33,000. Our cash balance at the end of the month increased by $23,000. Our mortgage is now down to $267,000.
Two important announcements: First, Maureen Abbett concluded the “audit” re-quired by the conference for the years 2019 and 2020. She determined that the poli-cies and procedures that have been put in place for the accounting of the church’s finances have been followed and that the financial reports are consistent with the bank statements and financial statements presented to the finance committee. Thank
you, Maureen, for a very well thought-out plan of action for the audit and your execution of that plan.
Second, Dennis Gurtz has resigned as Endowment Chair. This position was set up in 2018 when Covenant opened an endowment fund with the Mid-Atlantic United Methodist Foundation. However, Dennis has been involved in the finances of Covenant for more than 20 years. He served as Finance Chair for many years during a challenging time for the church’s finances. He is a big reason why the church is financially stable. He has been adamant about paying down the mortgage, and we’ve had years recently when we’ve made extra payments on the mortgage. We look forward to renewing that commitment to get that mort-gage paid off. Please join me in thanking Dennis for his leadership and his stewardship all these years.
Stewardship is defined as the job of supervising or taking care of something, such as an organization or property. It is our responsibility as members of the Covenant family to practice stewardship of our church through the giving of our tithes and offerings. Thank you for your generosity and practicing stewardship.
See you in church! Lois Utterback, Finance Chair
This summer, we invite everyone to join a church-wide exploration of “Who Are We as the People of God?” We begin this study along with our Catalyst Team to discover how much we have in common as people of God and as Christians. Please pray with us that God will guide us as a community of faith in this adventure.
We’ll move at a slower pace than our Catalyst team, with two online lessons com-pleted independently (lessons 1&2 in June, 3&4 in July, and 5&6 in August) and a virtual group discussion each month. The participant’s study guide, drawn from Who Are We: A Journey from Head to Heart, is here. To choose one of the discussion groups at the end of each month, go to www.covenant-UMC.org and select either the discussion group listed under Sunday Night Bible Study or the one listed under Tuesday Night Live. The Sunday Night Bible Study discussion link is for 6:30 pm on 6/27, 7/25, and 8/29. The Tuesday Night Live discussion link is for 7 pm on 6/29, 7/27, and 8/31.
If you wish to join this study without a computer, please contact Mary Church at (240) 429-9452, or for other questions, please email her at [email protected].
Summer Special: Who Are We as the People of God?
(Continued)
All Catalyst team members will participate in the 18-week conference study “Who Are We” from June through September. We invite you to join us in that study (though at a slower pace!). Please see Mary Church’s article on “Who Are We As The People Of God?” below.
If you have questions, concerns, or want to learn more about the Catalyst program, feel free to contact me or any of our team members (Rayna Robb, Luke Lowery, Florence Thomas, Jenn Simpson, Mary Church, and Jill Maisch) and we’ll be happy to do our best to answer or find an answer to your question.
Grace and peace, Pastor Dawn
Our Sunrise Bible Study friends have begun to gather for Bible Study in person at Sunrise Senior Living on
Thursday mornings at 10:30! All who request a copy can receive a weekly printed Bible study. It includes a scripture reading, a meditation, a song, and a prayer that is written by one of our four dedi-cated teachers. These reflections are based on The Upper Room devotional. We also send weekly notes of hope and encouragement to each member of the class, reminding them of God’s love.
If you have questions, please contact Kim Irish through the church office at [email protected] or call (301) 926-8920 and your message will be forwarded.
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Independent Weekly Bible Study
We encourage you to make time for Bible study. If attending a virtual Bible class is not possible for you, please request our Weekly Independent Bible Study. Many thanks to the Sunrise Bible Study teachers who create this gift of love, faith and inspiration.
To receive a copy of this weekly study, please email or phone Nancy Reding in the office at [email protected] or at (301) 926-8920.
Reflect on how God is calling each of us to faithful action through scripture, UM Social Principles, and stories of ministries around the world with Reclaiming and Living Covenant, by Jen Kidwell and Neil Christie. Tuesday Night Live gathers 7-8 pm on Google Meet.
Also, the last Tuesday of each month this sum-mer, we will host the “Who Are we as the Peo-ple of God?” discussion (see description on p. 2).
To join us, go to Covenant’s website (www.covenant-UMC.org), find the Tuesday Night Live listing, and click on the Google Meet link. If you have questions or want to be added to the our email list for a weekly study guide, contact Mary Church at [email protected] or by phone at (240) 429-9452.
Join us Sundays from 6:30 - 7:30 pm on Zoom as we discuss Be Still and Listen: Experience the Presence of God in Your Life, by Amos Smith. We are exploring the contemplative nature of the Bible as we come closer to God—learning to listen to God, explore the Scripture’s mystical truths, and experience God in silence and stillness.
Also, on the last Sunday of each month this summer, we will host the “Who Are We as the People of God” discussion (see description on p. 2).
To join, go to Covenant’s website (www.covenant-UMC.org) and click on the Sunday Night Study Zoom link. If you have questions or want to be added to the Sunday Night Bible Study email list for the study outline, please contact Mary Church by email at [email protected] or by phone at (240) 429-9452.
Our exploration of Shannon Bream’s study will be completed in June. Her book outlines the lessons, wisdom, and insights of Bible women that can trans-
form our lives today. To join us on Monday afternoons from 1-2 pm, go to Covenant’s website (www.covenant-UMC.org), find the Monday Bible Study listing, and click on the Zoom link. For more information, contact Judy Watts by email at [email protected] or by phone at (410) 730-6877.
The Monday Bible Study will not meet during the rest of the summer, so everyone is welcome to join the church-wide study of “Who Are We as the People of God?” (see description on p. 2).
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“YOUNG” ADULT BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
A group of “young” adults (we welcome all who feel they are young in age or heart) have begun a book discussion group on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 7:30 pm on Zoom. The link is on the church website.
We are reading Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church, by Rachel Held Evans. If you would like to be added to the email list for the group, please contact Pastor Dawn at [email protected].
Some of us also made knitted and crocheted blankets for children through Project Linus. The mission of Project Linus is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth, and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.” At last count, we have made and donated over 40 blan-kets and small afghans. Thank you to all who contributed to this mission. The need is ongoing, so if you are interested in helping, please contact Mariana at [email protected] or (301) 926-4718.
Hopefully we will be able to start in-person Secret Shop in July (YAH!).
Secret Shop Update
While our in-person Secret Shop has been closed, our hands have not been idle! A number of our dedicat-ed elves have worked on many projects at home.
Becca’s Buddies is a Sunday School class serving adults (over age 18) with special needs. We welcome anyone seeking Bible study and fellowship with a great group of people who love the Lord and are eager to learn more about our faith. We are currently meeting at 10 am by conference call on select Sun-days (see below). If you would like more information about this class, please contact Anita Stonebraker ([email protected]), Carol Guth ([email protected]), or Mary Church ([email protected]).
We are currently studying the writings of Luke and how his dedication and skill created a rich and histori-cal chronology of the ministry of Jesus and the labors, sacrifices, and hard work of the Apostles following Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. The Gospel of Luke, along with The Acts of the Apostles, serve to inform us all of our Christian heritage. How grateful we are for Luke and for God choosing him to cre-ate these important writings!
Upcoming Becca’s Buddies Class Dates:
Becca’s Buddies Class
* NOTE: Since we will not meet July 4th, we will meet two weeks in a row in July!
• Sunday, June 6 • Sunday, June 20
• Sunday, July 11* • Sunday, July 18*
• Sunday, August 1 • Sunday, August 15
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Laurel M. Stonebraker, daughter of Glen and Anita and granddaughter of Audrey, graduated from University of Mar-yland Global Campus with a BS in Psychology. She is a full time HR professional for Virtru in Washington, DC. Kariana Head, daughter of Kristen and William and grand-daughter of John and Mariana Uhrlaub, graduated from Dela-ware Valley University Magna Cum Laude with a degree in biology. She plans to work for the next year before moving on to graduate school. Susan Roberts, LT, MC, USN, daughter of Janet Fujikawa and Bill Roberts, graduated from Rocky Vista University with a D.O. degree (medical school), and was promoted to Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. She will be starting a General Surgery residency at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in Virginia in June. James Kreutzer Warren, son of Sylvie and Buddy, graduated from Watkins Mill High School and will be attending Roch-ester Institute of Technology, Honors Program, as a Civil En-gineering Major. Chris Crews, son of Martha and Scott, graduated from Wat-kins Mill High School and will be studying aerospace engineering at Virginia Tech in the fall. Abby Fisher, daughter of Carolyn Thomas and granddaughter of Judy and Barry Thomas, is graduating from Poolesville HS. She will be attending the University of Delaware, Honors College with the intended major of Exercise Science. Gabe Valverde, son of Karen and Roberto, is graduating from Watkins Mill High School this year, and he will be attending the College of William & Mary in the fall. Cora Beswick, daughter of Sarah and Paul, graduated from Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart and will be attending the University of Delaware in the fall, majoring in marine biology. Briana Bannister, daughter of Jennifer Betson, is graduating from Wootton High School. She has been accepted to Parsons School of Design in NYC.
The June and July issues of the Covenant Messenger newsletter are combined into one summer issue. Our next issue will be in August.
Please submit articles for the that issue by July 20.
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8 Jim Yeates 15 Josiah Flanner 24 Luke Lowery
10 Dennis Gurtz 16 Emma Ridgley 25 George Neill
10 Samuel John 18 Richard Sillery 26 Sean Bernard
1 Frederick Herman 12 David Cooper 19 Robin Gordon 26 Suzzie Finn
4 Jim Ashcom 12 Brian McDermott 19 Vannette Tolbert 26 Louis Lyons
5 Michael Spalding 13 Chase Keeler 20 William Pullen 27 Camber Vincent
6 Ann Wexler 13 Sylvie Warren 21 Steve Augustino 28 RJ Ross
8 Mason Pitts 14 Barbara Boyer 23 Bob Finkbeiner 28 Alyson Wilson
1 John Haller 10 Cathy Lipton 24 Anita Stonebraker
3 Matthew Verfuerth 10 DeAnne Post 16 Caitlin Neill
5 Taylor Trammelle 10 Mariana Uhrlaub 18 Nahdi Nah
6 Lynn Schmitt 11 Cathy Slawson 19 Jason Broadman 26 Caleb Head
6 Brian Vermillion 11 Judy Watts 19 Melanie O’Brien 29 James Warren
7 Henry Flanner 12 Marilyn Warren 20 Sylvie Favret 31 Isabella Lopez
9 Lynn Rabenhorst 15 Scott Crews 22 Sandra Brunk 31 Ruth Robertson
The Little Free Pantry could benefit from your donations. Current needs include toothbrushes/toothpaste, hand soap/sanitizer, diapers (sizes 3 & 4), shampoo, conditioner, canned fruit, ramen noodles, juice boxes/pouches, and individual applesauce cups, fruit pouches, and snack packs. You are welcome to stock the pantry as you like, or if there is too much in the pantry, you can bring your do-nations to the church on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. Supply lists are available inside the pantry if you want to take one to keep. As always, cash donations will be accepted.
Little Free Pantry
We are looking to restart in-person Sunday School this summer once or twice a month, so if you are interested in volunteering to teach or would like more details, please email [email protected].
We are also looking to have some outdoor activities this summer, so stay tuned for more details!
Covenant Messenger
June-July 2021
Covenant United Methodist Church
20301 Pleasant Ridge Drive
Montgomery Village, Maryland
20886-4014
Return Service Requested
NON-PROFIT
US POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO 20004
SUBURBAN, MD
Contact Us
301-926-8920
www.covenant-umc.org