Rev. Nathan A. Decker, Pastor Administrative Assistant Jane Kay, Editor
HIGH STREET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH June, 2018 Mailing Address: P. O. Box 218, Franklin, VA 23851 Located at 31164 Camp Parkway, Courtland, VA
757-562-3367 [email protected] www.highstreetumcva.org Editor: [email protected]
ROLLING RIVER RAMPAGE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL IS ALMOST HERE!
CHILDREN AGES THREE TO THOSE FINISHING FIFTH GRADE ARE WELCOME!
VBS will be Sunday, July 8 thru Thursday, July 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a light
supper served each night to children and volunteers. Parents are welcome for Sunday supper.
Children will enjoy crafts, Bible stories, recreation, songs, and even a puppet show. Invite
your friends and neighbors to join us!
You can register your children on-line by going to the High Street UMC website. We will also
have registration on June 24, July 2, and July 8 at church services and at 5:15 p.m.
We will need lots of help to make our VBS a success. Youth and adults are needed to escort
children from station to station or to help in the pre-k classrooms. We also need assistance
in registration, decorating, running errands, setting up and taking down decorations, etc. If
you can help all nights or some nights, please contact Anne Hager, VBS Director at
757-304-9302, or contact the church office.
If you cannot help, but would like to make a monetary donation, contact the church office.
All help will be greatly appreciated!
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
2
God is Not Anxious by Nathan Decker
“Peace, be still.” - Jesus, in Mark 4:39, rebuking a storm.
I am not afraid. The Church (and specifically the United Methodist Church) in America is going
through some pretty catastrophic changes. The institutions and traditional ways we have grown accustomed
to being and doing in our faith may not survive the next decade. Each year, more and more churches are
closing. Several churches are already packing their bags in anticipation of a change in the way we make
decisions regarding human sexuality. Most churches look at their attendance, budget, and bills with fear and
trembling. Still, I am not afraid.
We’ve been in storms like this before. We followed Jesus out onto the water. We laughed as we
fished, splashed water, and listened as the Master told us stories. And when the winds of change picked up
and the waves of culture and context tried to drown us – we looked and Jesus was peacefully sleeping in the
back of the boat. We shook him awake in our terrified state. “Jesus, don’t you care that we’re drowning?”
Our mouths drop as we watch him. He stands up. He isn’t afraid. He looks into the storm the way a
matador looks at the bull. He isn’t anxious. The wind tries to blow him over. He leans in. The waves try to
make him loose his balance. He stands fast. In the midst of the storm, Jesus leads us with a heart that is at
peace. Jesus knows the truth that we should memorize and trust: God is with us, we do not need to be afraid.
We’ve been in storms like this before. The Church has split and argued over language, culture, skin
color, slavery, women preachers, laity being allowed to vote, interpretation of salvation, scripture, and many
more issues. Each of us empowered by the Holy Spirit listens for God in the Bible, our Faith, and our
experiences and tries to discern what is worth fighting for and what is worth allowing for the sake of the
Church and the Gospel. If anything, the rainbows after storms should teach us that no one color is the one
expression of God’s love. We have been in storms like this before, and we came out diverse and growing on
the other side.
So, we do not have to be afraid. Even when our little boat gets rocked by the waves of culture’s
constant changing forces and even when the wind tries to tear the sails of our soul apart: God is not anxious.
Jesus still stands fast, face defiant, unafraid, rebuking the wind and the waves. He still calms them with his
words. Jesus is still whispering into our worries, doubts, fears, and terrors, “Peace, be still.”
I am not afraid. We need to not let fear win in the midst of times like these. Leaders do not put their
heads in the sands and hope that it all works out. Leaders lead with hearts at peace because we know God is
with us. Leaders lean into the wind, take charge of the storm, and point us toward the future where the
Kingdom of God reigns. Let us lead in these times of chaos and uncertainty. Let us tell the storm, we are not
afraid. After all, it’s what Jesus would do.
“Clouds come floating into my life,
no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky.”
-Author, Rabindranath Tagore.
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
3
Congratulations to Jason Jones, this year’s recipient of the Gladys Walker Bowman Scholarship
and
Congratulations to Emily Wrenn, this year’s recipient of the Frances B. Holt Memorial Scholarship.
Dear HSUMC Family,
Thank you once again for all the ways you showed your love and support to Walker and me during
my recent total knee replacement surgery and my ongoing recuperation. It was good to be back
with you today for another inspirational service. A week is not a week without church on
Sunday! Your calls, cards, and food gifts were welcome and much appreciated. Many sleepless
nights due to pain and discomfort gave me plenty of time to think in the quiet of the night how
blessed my life has been in many ways because of this church. High Street has always been a
friendly, loving church; but lately a renewed spirit of serving our entire community has brought us
even closer together as we open our doors and hearts to all who will partake of what we have found
here--that through God's love and our sharing of it, we are all "better together." I look forward to
getting my strength back so that I can be more active in our future endeavors together. To God be
the Glory for what this church stands for in all our lives.
Sincerely,
Becky Gillette
We were very touched by your many expressions of sympathy when our son Ben
passed away recently. He never lived in Franklin as he was “out on his own” when
we moved here almost forty years ago. Your thoughtfulness of us has been a real
blessing.
God Bless each one of you!
Jean and Stuart Vincent
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
4
The United Methodist Women’s “fall sale” is usually held in November in conjunction with the
United Methodist Men’s Brunswick stew or pork loin dinner. You could pick up pecans and
limited baked items. We called these past events our “bazaar” . . . but it is not really a bazaar.
Last year, several of us were talking about what we could do to attract more folks to come and
shop our sale. We put together an “ad hoc” committee comprised of three representatives from
each circle and met for a brainstorming session.
The results of our meeting is the newly named fall sale . . .
THE METHODIST MARKETPLACE ON CAMP PARKWAY!
“The Marketplace” will have numerous stores where you can shop for a variety of items:
Pecan Shoppe
Baked items
Silent Auction - handmade afghan; weekend at beach, river, lake; yardwork;
miscellaneous odd jobs; prepare and serve cookout; etc.
High Street UMC ornament
Book Store - Gaynelle and Donna’s books
Canned goods - do you put up pickles, watermelon rind, tomatoes, etc. Maybe you CAN
some extra to sell at the Marketplace?
Christmas Shoppe - do you make wreaths, Christmas crafts, etc
Soap Shoppe - Donna Dudley makes homemade soap
Rada Cutlery - possibly looking into selling this again
Baby Gifts - smocked, knitted, crocheted baby items
Vintage Shop
Elegant Elephant - new or like-new jackets, sweaters, coats
We hope the entire church will participate. Start planning your crafts, canning your pickles, and
looking through your closet for that jacket that you just haven’t had the right thing to wear
with.
More information to follow as we continue to make plans. We are always open to suggestions as
well. Please let us know your thoughts!
Kathy Worrell,
Co-President UMW
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
5
MISSION TEAM NEWS
The Mission Team met on May 16, and although summer is fast approaching, we are still working on some
projects. Please continue to support the collection of Health Kit items that has been announced in the bulletin
and newsletter over the past month. These Health Kits and the school kits will be boxed up and delivered to
the Virginia United Methodist Annual Conference in Hampton the middle of June by Pastor Nathan. From there
they will be loaded onto an 18 wheeler with all of the other kits from churches all over Virginia and taken to the
Sager Brown storage facility in Alabama. There they will be checked in and stored until needed for a disaster
or extreme need anywhere in the world. How great to know that we here at HSUMC can help in such a global
effort! You can still bring the Health Kit items listed below to church anytime before June 11.
1 hand towel - 15”x25” to 17”x27”, kitchen cleaning and microfiber towels not accepted 1 wash cloth
1 comb - needs to be sturdy, no pocket combs or picks 1 fingernail or toenail clipper - no metal nail files and no emery boards 10 adhesive bandages - 3/4” to 1” size common household band aids
1 bath size bar of soap - 3 oz. or larger sizes only - no Ivory or Jergens soap - do not remove from packaging 1 toothbrush - adult size only - do not remove from original packaging 1 plastic one gallon zip lock bag
$1 to purchase toothpaste
You can purchase all of these items or you can pick up one or more of the index cards (which have individual
items on them) in the basket on the round table in the narthex. Please bring the items back to church before
June 11 and place them in one of the boxes marked “Health Kits”, either in the narthex near the water fountain
or in the hallway outside the church office. Thanks so much for your support!
Our monthly food collection for the Franklin Cooperative Ministries will continue through the summer. We will
be collecting boxed macaroni and cheese and Jiffy corn muffin mix for the month of June. As usual, there are
collection boxes in the narthex near the water fountain and in the hallway outside the church office. Thanks
so much for your generosity in helping feed the food insecure in our community. The local United Methodist
Churches will again be sponsoring the “Christmas in July” event that we have done in cooperation with the
Franklin Cooperative Ministries for many years now. This will be near the end of July, and we will get that date
to you as soon as it is available.
The Franklin Cooperative Ministries also is in need of children’s spring and summer clothes. You may take them
to their office at 301 West 1st Avenue from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9:00
a.m. to 12:00 noon on Fridays. They are closed from 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. for lunch. Lastly, the FCM is in
need of volunteers at their clothing closet. Contact me if you are interested.
Our church members have been very generous with their donations to Missions, and as a result, we are able to
use some of these donations to help out other agencies and organizations. Donations were recently made to All
God’s Children’s Camp, RAM, The Genieve Shelter, Southampton County Social Services, and Franklin City Social
Services. Funds were also given to our own Vacation Bible School mission project and to the Backpack Program.
We bid farewell to our very special mission team member, Gretchen Hopkins, as she left us for Chesapeake.
Her spot will be hard to fill, especially as our liaison to the Franklin Cooperative Ministries. If anyone is
interested in volunteering in this area, please let Pastor Nathan know. Thanks for all of your support for
missions at High Street UMC.
Ruthie Ponder, 569-9449
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
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Happenings at High Street June, 2018
7
Summer Sunday for children will officially begin on June 3rd. Our time
will be from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. We will be doing things a little
differently during the summer. We will not be using our regular Sunday
School curriculum, but we will still be learning lots about the Bible and
having fun!
Our theme for summer is “Adventures with Bible Heroes”. We will be meeting in one big group,
three years old up through those who have just finished the sixth grade in school. There will be
times when we will split into age-appropriate groups as well. There will be at least two teachers
with the children at all times, and if any of you have ever been to Kids Club on Sunday evenings,
it will be a little similar to that format . . . crafts, music, story telling, games, and other activities.
There will even be some Sundays when we will be outside!! So, come join us beginning the first
Sunday in June!
If any parents would like to help out on any particular Sunday, please contact Ruthie Ponder
(569-9449). Our regular hard working Sunday School teachers would love to have a break once in
awhile! Come join us as we meet Bible Heroes like Noah, Moses, Jonah, David, and more!! You are
welcome to join any of these classes or meet in the Fellowship Hall for “Coffee and Conversation”
at 10:00.
THE BACKPACK PROGRAM Our Backpack Program to feed 50 food insecure children right here in
Franklin is winding down for the summer. Thanks so much for all of your
support with this worthwhile project over the last ten months. We as a
church family, raised $5400 to fund this program and also put in many hours
unloading the food, packing the backpacks, and delivering the packs to S.P.
Morton Elementary School in Franklin, two times a month.
I can’t thank everyone, but a special thanks goes out to Richard Tomlin, our church custodian, for his help in
putting the food in the closet after Food Bank deliveries each month and setting up our tables each month for
our packing sessions. We couldn’t have done it without you, Richard!
We will start fundraising again in late August for next year’s Backpack program. We were able to complete
our funding for the Backpack program through the Lenten and Easter envelope donations and with profits
from our Mission Team Baked Potato/Salad Bar Fundraiser. This will begin our sixth year of supporting this
program!
Thanks so much for your gifts, your presence, your time, your service, and most especially, your prayers for
these precious children who sometimes struggle to have enough food!
Ruthie Ponder, (569-9449)
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
8
COMMUNITY DAY
Saturday, April 21, 2018 was ideal - a beautiful day for a Community Day . . . and that is just
what High Street United Methodist Church had!
Our goal was to exceed the 750 participants at the last Community Day held at HSUMC in
2016. This year, emergency personnel stationed at the entrance estimated attendance to
exceed 1,200.
Jane Riddick-Fries, event chair, stated that Community Day would not be possible without
everyone working together. She said ”. . .it really does take a village”!
Everywhere you looked, there were children and adults having fun. Music was provided
throughout the day - everything from gospel to bluegrass.
One of our presenters - Donna Dudley - was doing a program on “decorating cupcakes for
kids”. In advance, she made 180 cupcakes (thinking she would probably only need 50). She
had 230 kids to take her class!!
Law enforcement, rescue personnel, and firefighters mingled with those attending and even
did a little line dancing. There were over 50 vendors representing community organizations
as well as businesses. Foot traffic throughout the vendor area was constant.
Paul Phillips, with the Hunterdale Ruritan Club, manned his booth and he stated he had at
least six individuals interested in joining Ruritans.
Kerri Frolich and Luresa Tyler, representing BB&T, said their booth had many people
inquiring about the bank services and made numerous contacts.
Community Day was successful all around - from our participants, vendors, and sponsoring
partners. It was a free, fun day for the entire family.
We would like to thank our sponsors who so generously made our Community Day possible:
The Tidewater News, WLQM Radio, Feridies, Mackan’s Printing, HSUMC Chancel Choir,
State Farm Insurance, HSUMC United Methodist Men, Southampton County Dept. of Social
Services, and the YMCA.
And of course, a big thank you to High Street United
Methodist Church congregation for their support!
Plans are already underway for Community Day 2020.
Save the date - April 25, 2020. Better Together!
Kathy Worrell, Marketing Chair
Community Day
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
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COMMUNITY DAY PICTURES
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
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MORE COMMUNITY DAY PICTURES
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
11
GRACE’S LITTLE ANGELS
The angels have been busy preparing for our annual graduation ceremony. We have been
working hard all year to learn our letters, numbers, shapes, and colors. We have learned to
share and how to be a friend. There are 3 angel graduates that are preparing to go to
Kindergarten in the fall. We will celebrate them along with the other students who are being
promoted on Wednesday June 6th.
In the month of June, the angels will wrap up their academic year by reviewing all the things
we have learned throughout the year. Our thematic units covered will be the ocean, summer
fun and safety, and Father’s Day. We look forward to having a relaxing summer enjoying the
new playground.
Please don’t forget our St. Jude’s Trike A Thon which will be held on Friday June 1st. Please
see any angel or staff to donate to this worthy cause. We will be raising money for this
organization Tuesday, May 29 until Friday, June 1.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Captain Bob’s fundraiser. We sold 752 plates
between the 2 schools. A grand total of $3300 was raised and divided between the two schools.
Please continue to collect soda can tabs. These aluminum tabs help the Ronald McDonald
House support families of ill children while they are receiving care.
In chapel, Pastor Nathan has been sharing with the angels’ lessons about Pentecost, being
God’s sheep, and how Jesus was a teacher.
I have been adding children from the waiting list these past few weeks and I am proud to
announce that our enrollment update is as follows; 60 students, 6 before and after school care,
and 11 summer campers so far. What a blessing it is to reach so many of God’s children.
Thank you everyone who has promoted this mission. We are so blessed.
Three Angel Graduates
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
12
1 Michael-John Oliver
3 Will Tawney
5 LouAnne Hopkins
5 Julie Griggs
5 Ashton Stephenson
5 Marks Brewbaker
5 Brendan Berry
6 Christie Rogers
7 Alex Hasty
8 Paul Phillips
8 Cindy Councill
11 Geneva Garland
11 Judy Andrews
11 Andy Dempsey
11 Scott Phillips
13 Pat Lowe
13 Douglas Edwards
13 David Strozier
13 Reed Jones
14 Rita Ashby
14 Hannah Hasty
15 Meg Puckett
16 Chris Bidwell
16 Katrina Draughn
17 Brittany Perry
17 Jenna Hasty
17 Stone Casey
17 Charlotte Edwards
18 Tim Cooper
18 Jeffrey Draughn
18 Stacey Drake
19 Mark Lowe
19 Alex Jones
19 Jackson Smith
20 Toni Phillips
21 George Parker
21 Les Powell
21 Brooke Berry
22 Virginia Wrenn
22 Lois Billings
22 Terry Smith
22 Emma Holland
23 Don Spengeman
24 June Fleming
24 Joan Vaughan
24 Claire Hoctor
25 Linda Maya
26 Stuart Vincent
26 Charles Butler
26 Stacy Dempsey
26 Matthew Baynard
27 Josh Freese
28 Bill Benton
28 Joel Hamilton
28 Carrie Rawlings
28 Zhanna Soucek
29 Denney Turner
30 Charles Rogers
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
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Health Care and Assisted Living Facilities Please remember our members who need special care at the following healthcare and assisted living
facilities in your thoughts and prayers each week.
Village At Woods Edge
(Memory Care Unit)
1401 N High Street,
Franklin, Virginia 23851
757.562.3100
Nancy Raiford (Room 10)
Virginia Wrenn (Room 07)
Manor At Wood’s Edge
(Assisted Living)
1401 N. High Street
Franklin, Virginia 23851
757.562.3100
Hope Jones (Rm 1009)
Allen Jones (Rm 1015)
Frank Jester (Rm. 2017)
Village At Woods Edge
(Independent Living)
1401 N High Street,
Franklin, Virginia 23851
757.562.3100
Peggy Gillette (Apt. 312)
Al Strickler (Apt. 308)
Marjorie Whitley (Apt. 314)
Mildred Mason (Apt. 117)
East Pavilion
(Nursing Home)
100 Fairview Drive
Franklin, Virginia 23851
757.569.6424
Doris Bailey (Rm 114A)
High Street United Methodist Church
Memorials and Honorariums
5/20/2018
In Memory of:
Ben Vincent
by:
Ms. Linda F. Jenkins
David C. Trader by:
Anneli U. McCulley
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
14
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Happenings at High Street June, 2018
15
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2
3 8:30 AM Contemporary Worship
Service 9:30 AM Open Door Cafe 9:45 AM Sunday School 10:00 AM Coffee & Conversation 11:00 AM Traditional Worship
Service
4 12:00 PM UMW Morn-
ing Circle Lunch Meet-
ing/Village at Woods
Edge
6:00 PM Girl Scout
Meeting/Upstairs
Classroom 7:00 PM Council on
Ministries Meeting/
Library
5 7:00 PM Boy Scout
Meeting/Scout Shack 7:00 PM Chancel
Choir/Choir Room
6 Bulletin Info Deadline 10:30 AM GLA Pre-
school Promotion
Ceremony/Fellowship
Hall
6:00PM SPRC Inter-
views/Library
6:00 PM UMW Even-
ing Circle Dinner Meet-
ing/Village
7 7:00 PM Chancel
Choir Practice/Choir
Room
8 9
10 8:30 AM Contemporary Worship
Service 9:30 AM Open Door Cafe 9:45 AM Sunday School 10:00 AM Coffee & Conversation 11:00 AM Traditional Worship
Service 12:00 PM Shepherd Meeting/
Fellowship Hall 12:15 PM Vitality Team Meeting/
Library
11 8:30 AM Prayer
Breakfast/Fellowship
Hall 6:00 PM Girl Scout
Meeting/Upstairs
Classroom
12 7:00 PM Boy Scout
Meeting/Scout Shack
13 Bulletin Info Deadline Choir Recording a CD
14 Choir Recording a CD 7:00 PM Chancel
Choir Practice/Choir
Room
15 Annual
Conference/
Hampton Choir record-
ing a CD
16 Annual
Conference/
Hampton
17 Annual Conference/Hampton Father's Day 8:30 AM Contemporary Worship
Service 9:45 AM Sunday School 10:00 AM Coffee & Conversation 11:00 AM Traditional Worship
Service 4:00 PM Grief Support Group/
Library
18
19 7:00 PM Book Club/
Village at Woods Edge 7:00 PM Boy Scout
Meeting/Scout Shack
20 Bulletin Info Deadline Newsletter Deadline
7:00 PM VBS Meeting/
Library
21 Summer Begins 7:00 PM Chancel
Choir Practice/Choir
Room
22 23
24 8:30 AM Contemporary Worship
Service 9:30 AM Open Door Cafe 9:45 AM Sunday School 10:00 AM Coffee & Conversation 11:00 AM Traditional Worship
Service 12:00 PM Youth Group Luncheon
& Talent Show/Fellowship Hall 12:15 PM Vitality Team Meeting/
Library
25
26 7:00 PM Boy Scout
Meeting/Scout Shack
27 Bulletin Info Deadline
28
29 Moore Wedding Rehearsal
30 Moore Wedding
Happenings at High Street June, 2018
16
Honoring God through worship,
Serving God with time, talents and gifts,
Uniting in Christian fellowship,
Making disciples, and
Caring for all God’s children.
Our Mission Statement at High Street Our Mission at High Street United Methodist Church