From the Pastor’s Pen It’s February already! Can you believe

it! Just a month ago many of us resolved

with high confidence to start anew— on

something, or everything. How are you

coming along with those new year's

resolutions? Perhaps you resolved to eat

better, work out more, take steps towards

financial freedom, move to another city

or have better relationships. If you’re

still on track with all your resolutions,

Keep up the good

work. I wish you all the best and much

success in achieving your goals.

While engaging in this tradition of

making resolutions and setting goals for

the new year, did you consider your

relationship with God and your church?

God desires your involvement in

building His Kingdom. Our mission is to

serve in our community, to partner with

others and allow God to use us as a

world-wide team of disciples of Christ.

Each one of us can do so much to help

fulfill our mission. The church needs

people who are willing to “go the extra

mile” and give of their time and efforts

in fulfilling our mission.

That’s why. when we join the church,

we are asked to give by our presence,

our service, and our gifts. I encourage

each one of you to explore ways to

deepen your relationship with God, and

your church, in at least one of these three

areas.

After all, what better resolutions can

we make than those that serve God?

First Peter 4:10 says:

Each of you should use whatever

gift you have received to serve

others, as faithful stewards of God’s

grace in its various form.

Blessings,

Pastor Bob

Youth Happenings 2

Stewardship 3

Women’s Ministry 3

Upcoming Events - Activities/Outreach Committee

4

AGAPE 4

Missions 4

February/March Worship Attendants

5

February Anniversaries & Birthdays

5

Update from Haiti—Kayleigh Gibson

6

Inside this issue:

February 01, 2019 Newsletter Printed Monthly Volume 2, Issue1

Budget thru end of January $12,583

Offerings thru end of January. $ 9,958

Below Budget ($2.625)

E XP A N S I ON P R OJ E C T

L OA N B A L A N C E

As of 12/31/16 $163,850 As of 12/31/17 $137,795 As of 12/31/18 $ 85,017

Please remember to put

“EXPANSION” on the memo

line when writing your check.

Jesus loves You! No

matter what you think

or how you feel,

Jesus Loves You!

C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s!

Youth Happenings

Youth meetings and events will resume

after Super Bowl Sunday (February 3rd)

… Pra i se Team meet i ng a t 4:00pm;

regular youth meetings follow, 5:00pm

to 7:00pm

Our Resurrection 2019 trip was a huge

success and a lot of fun. Thirty-nine

(39) youth and adults made the trek to

P i geon Fo rge th i s yea r . T h a n k s t o

everyone who hel ped insure a l l ou r

youth who wanted to attend were able

to do so, and to everyone who came out

to support our fundraisers. Without you,

your prayers, and the participation of

the entire church, our youth groups and

events would not be successful.

Please MARK YOUR CALENDARS for

our next youth fundraiser on Saturday,

February 16th! Join us for a Paint Party

with Jen Otey (my better half!), 10:00am to

12:30pm in the Fellowship Hall here at the

Church. Cost is $35.00 per person. Jen is

donating a portion of all fees back to the

youth group. The theme for our paint party is

Poppies. Please contact Susan Spraker if

you’d like to sign up, or check out Jen’s

Facebook page - Rose Cottage School of

Art — for a sneak peek at the picture we will

be painting and to purchase tickets.

Youth Director

RESURRECTION 2019

FESTIVAL OF GIFTS AND TALENTS

JANUARY 25th - 27th

LeConte Center

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

An awesome annual event of worship and

spiritual growth for youth and youth mentors.

Youth

Page 2

New Women’s Bible Study

Our once a month women’s Bible study began again starting January 2nd, and will run

through May 1st. We will meet the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm in the

Epworth House. For the next four months (February 6, March 6, April 3, and May 1), we

will be reading and studying scripture along with Priscilla Shirer and her reading book,

Breathe.

See How The Concept Of Sabbath Can Change Your Life

A Five-Session Study from Priscilla Shirer

One of the greatest challenges among women in our culture is taking time to cease

from all the activities and just breathe. We are in bondage to busyness. We constantly

strive to complete the limitless to-do lists that hinder us from experiencing all that God

has for us. By neglecting time for tranquility, serenity, and repose, we limit our Christ-

likeness and miss out on some of God's greatest gifts. In the Old Testament, Sabbath

was given to the Israelites as a gift, and it is still a gift to us today. If you are weary,

worn out, and exhausted, then the concept of Sabbath will change your life. Please join

us! For more info, please contact Susan Spraker at 620-5806.

There are several mentions of tithing in the New Testament (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42, 18:12; Hebrews 7:5-9), but all refer to the Old Testament system. The New Testament does not give any specific rules about tithing, and most

aspects of the Old Testament Law do not apply to Christians (see What Does the Bible Say about the Old Testament Law?)

Jesus seems to support the tithe in Matthew 23:23-24, but these verses are primarily intended as a criticism of the Pharisees as Hypocrites who obeyed the letter of the law but not the spirit of the law. They were so meticulous about the law that they tithed even the small amounts of spices they grew in household gardens, but they ignored the more important matters of justice, mercy and faith!

However, Jesus made it clear that we are obligated to be generous to those in need (Matthew 25:31-46).

Page 3

The Activity/Outreach Committee has been planning some big events ...

Sunday, March 17th:

(right after church)

A St. Patrick’s Day lunch and bingo party! We will provide the food and drink and then have a bingo party. Wear your green and come join us for good eats, good prizes and good fun. Mark your calendars now and be sure to bring a friend. More

information will be provided as we get closer to this

event.

Sunday, May 19th: (right after church)

We will be doing a potluck Teacher Appreciation Sunday. Teachers, mark your calendars ... you will all be recognized for all the hard work you do.

Saturday, June 1: Our Annual Summer Bash

Sunday, August 18th: Our 2nd annual Service at the Lake will be held at the Rural Retreat Lake.

All our activities are funded by donations; so, if you feel so inclined to donate, please mark your checks “Activity Fund”. We always need help with these events too; so, if you would like to help, see one of the Committee members listed below.

Thank you!

Activity/Outreach Committee Members

Ginny Smith Mary Ann Williams

Ray and Sue Schrier Teresa Steffey

Mark and Mitzi Haynes

T h e c h i l d r e n w i l l b e

col lect ing coins dur ing

g r e e t i n g t i m e f o r t h e

M i s s i o n s C o m m i t t e e .

These funds will be donated

to the AGAPE

Food Pantry

for the months

of February

and March.

A 2019 AGAPE volunteer sign

-up sheet is in the open office.

There are still pick-up dates

open. If you’d like to help with

AGAPE, please take a moment

to sign up.

AGAPE Food Pantry

committee

Page 4

The Next Steps Committee is planning

ways to make us a more hospitable church!

You may notice a focus on our newly

appointed “main entrance’ across from the

bathrooms.

We will create an inviting space with

brochures, our church history, coffee, and

gifts.

In the future, you will see signs on the

outside pointing visitors in the direction of the

main entrance. There will be signs coming to

show directions to the bathrooms and the

nursery inside.

We could use your help! (1) Would you be

willing to sign up to be a greeter before the

11:00 am service? (2) Would you be willing to

help spread gravel on our new sidewalk to

connect the road to the main entrance

sidewalk? (3) Or maybe you would be willing

to donate money to the sidewalk fund. See the

sign up sheet at the front back entrance of the

church, or mark your envelope “sidewalk

fund.”

Let’s be fishers of men and make RRUMC a

special place to visit and join.

CHILDREN’S CHURCH

Children will be dismissed to

Children's Church

after the

children's message

ANNIVERSARIES

BIRTHDAYS

BIRTHDAYS

CONTEMPORARY USHERS

Feb. 03 - Mark Haynes

Feb. 10 - Stephen Bear

Feb. 17 - Jerry Davis

Feb. 24 - Brian Smith

Mar. 03 - Mark Haynes

Mar. 10 - Stephen Bear

Mar. 17 - Jerry Davis

Mar. 24 - Brian Smith

Mar. 31 - Mark Haynes

TRADITIONAL USHERS

Feb. 03 - Tony Rudolph & James Bear

Feb. 10 - Michael McBride & Susan Evans

Feb. 17 - Chad Trivitt & Donnie Buck

Feb. 24 - Dale Steffey & Tony Rudolph

Mar. 03 - Michael Spraker & Tim Carter

Mar. 10 - James Bear & Donnie Buck

Mar. 17 - Tony Rudolph & Becky Harrison

Mar. 24 - Michael McBride & James Bear

Mar. 31 - Chad Trivitt & Donnie Buck

ACOLYTES

Feb. 03 - Houston Bear

Feb. 10- Reagan Evans

Feb. 17 - Houston Bear

Feb. 24 - Abbie Pollard

Mar. 03 - Maddoc Spraker

Mar. 10 - Houston Bear

Mar. 17 - Abbie Pollard

Mar. 24 - Houston Bear

Mar. 31 - Abbie Pollard

NURSERY SCHEDULE

Feb. 03 - Amy Bear

Feb. 10 - Mitzi Haynes

Feb. 17 - Michaela Fiscus

Feb. 24 - Catherine Cregger

Mar. 03 - Alison Pollard

Mar. 10 - Maddy Fiscus

Mar. 17 - Mitzi Haynes

Mar. 24 - Catherine Cregger

Mar. 31 - Amy Bear

Alternate: Barbara Rudolph

February 26th

Stephen & Frances Grubb Feb. 01 - Ray Schrier.

Feb. 02 - Joey Blankenship

- Tessa Glenn

Feb. 03 - James A. Hall

- Devon Meredith

Feb. 05 - Kay Reasor

Feb. 14 - Grant Grubb

- Derek Stidham

Feb. 16 - Harry Fleming

- Tony Glenn

Feb. 25 - Michael Jones

Feb. 26 - J. W. Cumbow

- Martha Ruth Norris

- Charlie Rudolph

Page 5

Rural Retreat United Methodist Church

P.O. Box 307

Rural Retreat, VA 24368

Phone: (276) 686-6429

Fax: (276) 686-6429

E-mail: rrumckayelayne@outlook.com

Website: www.ruralretreatumc.com

R E M I N D E R

MARCH NEWSLETTER

ARTICLES & INFORMATION

DUE BY FEBRUARY 15TH

Update from Haiti – Kayleigh Gibson , January 22, 2019

Kayleigh is traveling with the Hands for Haiti mission team from Bastian Union Church for a week long mission trip to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Hello friends,

I just wanted to update everyone.

Today was an extremely tough day for me, not just physically but especially mentally. We started the day by helping with the “baby feeder” program. We carried around two buckets of soup and a couple jars of peanut butter mixed with baby formula and served the people of the Ravine.

The Ravine is considered the poorest part of Port-Au-Prince. Never in my almost 23 years of life have I experienced the poverty I did today. (1) The stream of water is being consumed with trash, live animals, feces, and Lord knows what else. This is the water they bathe with, drink, and cook with. (2) You’ll notice another picture is of what looks like a small hall-way with shacks on either side, so close together you couldn’t stand between and extend both arms. (3) These are their homes. Hundreds of these shacks, one on top of another. Some of these shacks house 10+ people. We also hosted a medical clinic to those living in the Ravine. We served 100+ people while also sharing the word of God. Several of the Haitians we serve accepted Jesus into their lives for the first time. More than once today I wanted to cry because I was so tired, so hot and so hungry but then I took a step back and realized where I was and what I was doing. I do not have words for today. These pictures may shed a little light but doesn’t begin to bring justice to the situation. All you can do is cry and pray for these precious people.

So as you brush your teeth tonight with your clean drinking water, lay your head on your pillow and pull that blanket up over you, just count your blessings and thank the good Lord above for it all.

Please continue to send your love and prayers to Haiti, not just for us but the beautiful people who call it home. Thank you all for your kind words. I love y’all.

(1) (2) (3)