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A Note from Pastor Susan
Dear Family - How in the world are you? As I have been in contact with many of you, I am finding more and more answers to that question as "restless”, "cabin fever" and even "done". I think we are all over this stay-at-home order, and yet I hope we all continue to be faithful to the restrictions placed upon us. It has been said that to be apart today means we can be together tomorrow. That's actually an adage that is true for many things. What we want for tomorrow is often a result of what we do today. If we want a comfortable retirement tomorrow, start saving today. If we want a healthy body tomorrow, we need to be mindful of what we do with our bodies today. If we want our "dream career" tomorrow, we need to take advantage of educational opportunities today. And, so on and so on. Spiritually, the same is true. If we want to be like Jesus - if we want to nurture that life-giving relationship with him - if we want to live faithfully, then the little things we do today build that foundation. Prayer, time in the Word, worship (online or personal worship time at home), tithing, reaching out to others (in safe ways) and others are spiritual disciplines. They build spiritual strength, enhance spiritual maturity, and glorify God. We may be off work for a time. We may be out of touch with family for a time. We may be frustrated with the way the world is for a time, but keeping our spiritual foundation strong will enable us to get through this, walking with the God who will never leave or forsake us. So, stay home if you can, stay safe if you can't and keep those regular appointments with God. He really is our refuge and strength. His... and Yours, Pastor Susan
The Grapevine Weekly Newsletter of La Plata United Methodist Church
April 30, 2020
In This Issue
Employment Opportunity Summer Camp Information Silent Auction Cancelled for 2020 Claim Your Blessing! ASP Updates CCPS School Nurses Staff COVID-19 Call Center Sunday School At Home Youth Group Continues! Supplies Needed for Super Heroes! A Note From the Finance Committee Text Your Tithe “Charles County Cares” Initiative Opportunity to Participate Family Devotion Let’s Celebrate! Let Us Pray Hope Keeps Us Going Facebook Find
3 Port Tobacco Road La Plata, MD 20646
301.934.2288 laplataumc.org
Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. Susan E. Boehl
Sunday Worship Services:
8:30am Café Worship 11:00am Traditional Worship
Courage Corner
Hope is being able to see
that there is light despite all of the darkness.
Silent Auction Cancelled for 2020 We are sad to say that we have made the decision to cancel our Silent Auction for 2020. We will be back in April of 2021, so save all those items you been collecting for next year's auction.
Text Your Tithe
Text 844-905-2671 enter the amount as the message
and send the text
Summer Camp Information The BWC website is still sharing information about summer camps! If you have a child or grandchild entering grades 2 - 12 in the fall check out: bwccampsandretreats.com for information about camps the Baltimore Washington Conference offers at Manidokan and West River. Our church offers camperships, contact Corrie Roberts at [email protected] to talk about camperships and your needs.
Employment Opportunity Children and Youth are our greatest resource. They are not only the future of the Church, they are the PRESENT! La Plata Church is currently accepting applicants for the position of Director Of Christian Education and Youth Ministry. Corrie Roberts, who will hold this position until May 31, has tendered her resignation to serve God in other ways. This is a 20 hr/wk PART-TIME staff position. Applicants should submit a resume and references. At least one year experience working with children and/or youth or comparable training is preferred. If you have a heart for children and youth or know someone who does and may have an interest, please contact the church office for more information. Make a difference in the life of our church and in the lives of the younger members of our church family. Position specifics are available upon request. Deadline for applicants is June 1. Thank you!
Claim Your Blessing! At La Plata Church, we are claiming this time in our lives as the season of Miracles! Now, more than ever, we need to double down on God's provision and power in spite of the world. You can have a part in this, by claiming your miracle or blessing and making a small video about it. Send a video giving praise to God about some way he is breaking into your life and where you are seeing God in action! Then, send it to the Facebook page of Mark Stancliff, our Technology Chair. Your video will be included in one of our worship services so we can all praise God together! We will be concentrating on God's mighty acts for the next few months, so keep an eye out....the miracle of birth....the uniting of spirits in marriage......healings...... God making a way when you thought there was no way..... God is still at work! Catch him in the act....and share!
Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
ASP Fundraisers Also, as a result of COVID-19, we lost two of our best fundraisers . . . the Soup, Stew & Chili Cook-off and the Mexican Fiesta. As restrictions relax and we are permitted to gather once again, we will explore the potential for rescheduling these events. In the meantime, we are planning to continue with
our bench building project as both a fundraiser and tool training for our youth. These sturdy benches are 48” long; made with pressure-treated lumber and are paintable or stainable. Each bench sells for $100 and we will deliver to any location in the commuting area. Please reply to John Carns [email protected] or 301.848.0060 (text) to let me know how many benches we can make for you.
ASP Team to Make Local Home Repairs As another way to keep our teams together and active, we are looking for some local ASP-like projects to work on this summer. If you or you know of someone in our church or community with a dire need please let me know and we will see if it is something we are able to assist with. This can include but not be limited to: decks; ramps; flooring; dry-wall repair; painting; miscellaneous repairs, etc. We would expect the homeowner to reimburse for any materials required to do the work. Thanks and stay tuned regarding re-scheduling of cancelled events.
The Grapevine Editor: Sherri Hastings
Publisher: Karen Hamner Circulation: 750
Weekly deadline for submitting articles is Wed. at 4pm.
This Past Week
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Appalachia Service Project Updates ASP Summer Program Cancelled As with so many other things this year, ASP’s summer program was cancelled to insure the well- being of homeowners, volunteers and staff. The hardest part of this is that upwards of 500 families will not get much needed home repairs and will endure another year of leaky roofs, rotting floors, sub-standard bathrooms and not enough safe access in and out of their homes. Because the need is on-going and ASP staff works year-round to prepare for the summer program, our volunteers have generously agreed to donate a portion of the fees we have already paid for this years trip to ASP (to off-set their on-going expenses) and to apply some funds to our 2021 trips.
CCPS School Nurses Staff COVID-19 Call Center When Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) closed March 16 in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), school nurses left behind their offices, but not their medical knowledge and drive to help people stay healthy. Nearly 50 school nurses work in CCPS – a mix of employees of the Charles County Department of Health and agency nurses. Since schools closed in mid-March, school nurses have been staffing the COVID-19 call center for the health department from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Following Gov. Hogan’s mandate on physical distancing, the nurses are now working from home answering calls and providing information, support and reassurance, Sheila Brockmann, school nurse at La Plata High School, said. “I have been in school health for 18 years and this is the first time school nursing staff has been utilized to work in a different capacity,” Peggy Bird, interim school health program manager, said. Bird oversees the school health program with Cheryl Smith, the acting assistant nursing supervisor for CCPS. Brockmann said when news of COVID-19 was first reported, she kept an eye on it. “When we first started hearing about COVID-19, I became obsessed with reading about it, and watching news reports about it,” she said, adding that the globe has grappled with other public health concerns in the recent past such as the avian flu, SARS, H1N1 and Ebola. “They were scary, but we were able to get them under control.” Piccowaxen Middle School’s nurse Melissa Golden admits to not being overly concerned about COVID-19 — at first. “My first thoughts on coronavirus virus was that it was not as prevalent as the regular flu, but I was wrong,” she said. “With COVID-19, it became clear very quickly that this was something different,” Brockmann said “It was coming and coming fast. It was moving and changing and it was difficult for the medical experts to get a handle on it,” Brockmann said. “They will though, I am confident that we will get through this and be stronger and smarter for it.” The school health program is a collaborative effort between CCPS and the Charles County Department of Health which allows for nurses in each school. Nurses make sure students are taking their maintenance medications for ADHD, allergies and other health issues. Schools are communities, ones that have people with asthma, diabetes, seizure disorders and those who have anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that is life-threatening. Then there are the everyday situations that call for a nurse’s attention — the occasional headache, injuries, stomachaches, pink eye and colds. “Because school nursing is such an autonomous position, someone who can think quickly, act responsibly and know when to ask for help — that makes a great school nurse,” Bird said. Brockmann said she loves her job. “I love seeing my students every day and being their support at school,” she said. “I appreciate how difficult it must be for parents to send a child to school with a medical condition. I take that part of the job very seriously.” Both Golden and Brockmann are nursing veterans. Brockmann started her nursing career in her native Philadelphia working on an in-patient psychiatric ward before briefly working with patients with dementia. She has worked in home health and started as a substitute school nurse before sharing the job at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School and Mattawoman Middle School. She now works fulltime at La Plata High School. Golden’s specialty is in step-down pulmonary/cardiology, and has worked as a nursing instructor at Prince George’s Community College, an investigative nurse for a health insurance company, as a home health nurse, in urgent care, and spent years working in hospitals and long-term treatment facilities. “I have a service heart and have always wanted to help people,” Golden said. “It was either nursing or social work. Nursing won out.” School nurses, like other medical professionals, recommend physical distancing and maintaining good basic health through nutrition, hygiene and rest during the COVID-19 crisis. “We will make it through this and when we return to schools, the school nursing staff will be ready to care for CCPS students,” Bird said. “Many of my nurses have voiced that they greatly miss their school community, both students and staff.” Brockmann, who works with high school students, understands how COVID-19 has upended lives. “I miss them so much,” she said of the students. “I think about them every day and wish we were at school going through our routine, and yes, even complaining about it a little. I look forward to when this passes, and when we will back at school and back to our normal routine. This too shall pass and [we] will have stories to tell our future generations about what it was like during this crazy time.”
Supplies Needed for Super Heroes!
The costume guild and friends at Port Tobacco Theater are making mask covers and caps for Charles Regional Medical Center personnel. Because of the great demand for masks for everyone, supplies are running short. In particular: • Elastic for masks – ¼” or smaller to go around the ears. Elastic is sold out many
places and can be ordered, mostly from China – which takes at least a month to arrive.
• Materials to make ties for caps – ½” single fold bias tape (made by Wrights) works well, but other similar items could be used. Cotton would be best. Buttons for caps ½” to 5/8” work well. These go on the cap above the ear so that the elastic strap can go over the button and save the top of the ear from chafing. Regular flat buttons, 2 or 4 holes are fine. Not shank buttons.
If you have any of these items sitting around gathering dust, we could really use them right now so that we don’t have to slow down production. Just for one department at the hospital, they have requested 60 sets (mask and cap). If you have a question, please feel free to call Pat Brennan (240) 346-4080. Pat will pick up regularly any items dropped off in this bin, so that distribution to those sewing can be made. Thanks for any and all contributions, Pat Brennan
Don’t miss the Preacher’s Pop-Up Prayer on FB Live! Thurs at 7pm!
Sunday School At Home Be sure to check out Sunday School at Home, found on our church website. Click on the image to take you to resources for your family, including videos designed just for kids. New videos are posted each week, so check them out! One from this week highlighted several of our Sunday School opening songs, go ahead, make a joyful noise to the Lord!
Youth Group Continues! Even though the church building is closed, ministry continues! I have been reaching out to our youth families to keep in touch and wanted to let everyone know that we are still having Youth Group! For the past year, we have used the Alpha Videos for Youth during Youth Group. In this time of enhanced technology. we continue gathering using ZOOM to play games and do our Alpha video, discussion and all. We now gather each week, on Wednesday evenings. All youth are welcome to join us! Send me, Corrie Roberts, an e-mail and I will make sure to invite you! Reach me at: [email protected] I look forward to seeing you all soon!
A Note From the Finance Committee 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Thank you for your generous giving! During this time of great uncertainty and hardship, we praise God because La Plata UMC continues to receive offerings to sustain our ministries in the face of interruptions caused by the COVID-19 virus. We have been able to meet our expenditures with the help of your faithful gifts. Last week, the Finance Team reviewed the financial statements for the first quarter 2020. Our total income for the quarter is under budget, yet only slightly less than the same quarter in 2019 (less than 2 percent difference). We are humbled and inspired by the generosity of our church family. With the church facilities closed, we have increased digital giving options. Now in just seconds, we are receiving offerings to La Plata UMC via a text message. We also continue to your receive offerings via snail-mail and online giving. As we begin the second quarter and church facilities remain closed, we are assessing income and expenses to mitigate potential financial stress. We are seeking government grants to assist with payroll and we’ve taken steps to lower monthly utility costs. The Baltimore-Washington Conference is also helping churches in the conference with financial relief. Local churches will not be billed for the local church component of the Conference Sponsored Pension and Health Benefits Plans for April through June 2020. This waiver will not impact the benefits received by any of the participants. We are in unprecedented times, and we will make it through. We are people of hope and witnesses of God’s grace. We continue to be amazed and inspired by your generosity. Thank you!
Text your Tithe
In less time than it takes to write a check, you can make weekly offerings by sending a text message. Just read the instructions below of how to get started and you can continue to support the work of our church by texting your tithe.
“Charles County Cares” Initiative End Hunger in Charles County, LifeStyles, and other organizations are working on a program that will allow those in need to receive food, toiletries and information about resources during this COVID 19 Crisis. This initiative, Charles County Cares, is designed to allow for the delivery of groceries, meals, toiletries, etc., to eligible homebound individuals, curbside pickup of same, and promotion of operational food pantries. End Hunger in Charles County: Services Available during the COVID-19 Crisis End Hunger in Charles County is working collaboratively to provide emergency food, prepared meals, and other meal items to children and households in need. The goal is to work in a coordinated effort to maximize all available resources and to avoid duplication of effort. The organization will assist existing programs through funding and other resources as needed. We have partnered with agencies to provide the following services in Charles County: · Community Cabanas: LifeStyles is working with volunteers to build, install, and maintain ten cabanas throughout the community, located in areas such as Waldorf, La Plata, Indian Head, and Nanjemoy. These cabanas will provide necessities, such as toiletry items, ready-to-eat food, and water, for those in need. This drive-through process will be maintained by volunteers who will provide services each weekday from 11am – 3pm. This is done through a partnership with End Hunger and Charles County Government. · Meal deliveries: LifeStyles in partnership with other providers and Charles County Public Schools are coordinating the delivery of meals for households with school-age children that are not able to access the daily school meal distribution sites, to seniors who are homebound, and also for those that are homeless that need access to nutritious meals. These meal deliveries are scheduled for weekday deliveries, utilizing homebound delivery protocols developed by the Maryland Food Bank. When the purchase of groceries is more efficient and economic, it will be used as an alternative. Households must be pre-approved and requests for same-day delivery may be considered, but not a guarantee of availability. · School meal sites: Charles County Public Schools has 11 drive-through sites throughout the county to provide three meals for children 18 and under from 11am – 1pm Mondays through Fridays. Educational materials are also being distributed at that time. Children must be present in the vehicle to receive food. Southern Maryland Food Bank is providing groceries at these sites on Fridays to assist families. · Curb-side Food pantries: End Hunger has provided an updated listing of sites that are currently operating to provide non-perishable food items to the community that last from 3 – 7 days. Persons are served without direct contact, and information is collected from staff and volunteers via phone, email, or from a social distance. This list of food pantries will be maintained frequently as the situation changes. LifeStyles is currently providing curbside food pantry services from its satellite Waldorf location each weekday from 8am – 4pm. The link for pantries and meals in Charles County continuing service during this time is https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1z_I3HvqqMTjtUmjaCP70_CCZ-3wvsI9tqoUbHk2Ev-c/edit?ts=5e7b5294#gid=1433775003
· Groceries: End Hunger in Charles County will provide grocery gift cards to persons to purchase grocery items to supplement pantry items or to homeless individuals to access hot meals from grocery stores when appropriate. End Hunger will coordinate with local farmers to purchase food for families that have cooking facilities and are able to prepare their meals. · Hot meals: Southern Maryland Food Bank is providing hot meals through the Meals of Hope mobile unit at designated locations throughout the county that are considered food desert areas, i.e., Cobb Island, Bryans Road, etc. Our Place is also providing curb-side hot meals at their location in Waldorf on Designated days (to be determined). Please call if you are in need or have donations. · End Hunger in Charles County: 301-383-3683 · LifeStyles: 301-609-9900
Opportunity to Participate FAMILY! Now is the time! Help is needed to care for the vulnerable among us. Let us roll up our sleeves and work for the community and her welfare. Please see where the Lord is urging YOU to help! Charles County Cares – Community Cabanas We Need Help! Ten “Charles County Cares Cabanas” are being constructed, measuring 4’x3’x6’, and placed in strategic locations around the county. These Cabanas will contain bags of non-perishable food items and water, toiletry kits, and information about available resources. Cabanas will be open five days a week, Mondays through Fridays, from 11am – 3pm. Families and individuals will be able to pick up bags each day. Cabanas will be stocked daily with 50 bags of food and 50 bags of toiletry. The first cabana was placed at the New Hope Church of God in Waldorf on Monday, March 30th with four more scheduled to be placed soon. The remaining cabanas will be put in place as they are completed. We will eventually need 3500 meal bags each week, but for now we estimate needing 1750, to have 50 bags of food at each cabana. The same is true for hygiene kits. Volunteer Staffing of the Cabanas We desperately need volunteers to commit to a one-hour time frame to stand (or sit in your car) at a six-foot distance from the cabana to instruct individuals to limit themselves to one bag per person. You are NOT expected to enforce rules or engage with clients. A sign-up volunteer list has been created on the following website: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508094FA4A92BA4FB6-charles1 Volunteers will be assigned to Community Cabana Captains. If volunteers are sick, have potential COVID-19 symptoms, or are considered the ‘vulnerable population’ during this COVID-19 virus pandemic, we ask that you not volunteer. Persons must be 18 years old to volunteer. Volunteers should not bring children to the site with them. Food and Toiletry Donations We also need volunteers to donate non-perishable food items and toiletry items, and to bag those items for distribution. The process and suggested ingredients are detailed below. You are instructed to wear gloves and to wash your hands often with soap and hot water. Donors can have them pre-made in bags or drop off assorted requested items. Donors are asked to call LifeStyles at 301-609-9900 or End Hunger at 301-383-3686 to state they will be delivering items, so staff are available to assist. Donations can be made daily from 8am – 4pm. Cabana Captains can access additional bags from the Fuller House. If volunteers are donating checks or items but have not assembled them into bags, they can drop them off at the Fuller House located at 3470 Rockefeller Court, Waldorf, MD 20602. Checks should be made payable to End Hunger in Charles County. Please write COVID19 food in the memo. Thanks and God bless you!
Hygiene Kits: Items Needed (Male/Female/Child)
Shaving Cream Shampoo (Family Size Optional/Travel Size Preferred)
Lotion Conditioner (Family Size Optional/ Travel Size Preferred)
Razor (Optional) Hand Sanitizer (if possible)
Floss (Optional) Pads/Tampons (Women’s Personal Care Items)
Toothpaste Comb/Brush (Optional)
Toothbrush (Individually Wrapped) Deodorant
Mouth Wash (Alcohol-free/Optional) Soap/Body Wash
Anytime Bags/Lunch Bags: Items Needed (Nonperishable Items Preferred)
Tuna Lunch Kits/Chicken Salad Kits Cookies
Vienna Sausages Slim Jims
Chips Apple Sauce
Water 16 oz (Preferred) Fruit Cups
Juice (Bottle or Boxed/Optional) Microwaveable Spaghetti, Ravioli, etc.
Crackers Plastic cutlery/napkins
Family Devotion This devotion is perfect for siblings! What a great reminder that brothers and sisters can work together, play together and laugh together. Indeed, families are blessings to each other!
Tuesday, April 28 Nevin & Chrissy Barber-19 Richard & Mary Beth Reckeweg-28 Nancy Gasparovic Emily Gomez Larry Johnson Wednesday, April 29 John Hungerford Thursday, April 30 Steve Kingsbury Linda Strickland-Rayner Friday, May 1 Jake Keesee Matt Williams
Saturday, May 2 John Knott Janet Weedon Sunday, May 3 Betty McPherson Sylvia Middleton Monday, May 4 Henry Blass-7 Matthew Green-15 Matthew Simmons Tuesday, May 5 Bruce & Dawn Jones-30 Frances Lewis Jonathan Matteson Wednesday, May 6 Dave Branstetter
Thursday, May 7 Caroline Gray Anna Lancaster Friday, May 8 Ken & Doris White-65 Ralph McAfee Saturday, May 9 Baylen Caldwell Alex McAfee Sunday, May 10 Susan Morris Lucy Mudd-13
For our friends and family who are living in nursing homes, and assisted living or home bound:
Tom Berry Wade Beswick Karyl Beverage Margaret Bowie Frank Brinson Patricia Buckler Sue Carns Jennifer Carpenter Jerome Church Cathy Compton Harolly Coombs Joyce Dean Lane Duque Sandra Fykes Remy Zachary Gordon Carl Greene
Laurie Hamilton Peggy Hamilton Randy Hill Christina Kingsbury Francis Lewis Tina, Paul & Christopher McCormick Donna McKenzie Ed McKenzie Johnny McPherson Renee Nash Carl Occhipinti Frank Quinn Mary Beth Reckeweg Melissa Faith Rollins Crystal Rupprecht
Sunny Rupprecht Donna Sarnacki Tabitha Schneider Carol Sorenson Rosalie Snyder Don Stapleson Michael Stewart Brian Thomason Jeanette Tull Sandy Tull Linda Valente Cora Westmoreland Mike Williams Rosalie Winters
Let Us Pray
Ann Bergerstock Lennis Bridgett
Iris Dickerson Sharon Ferguson
Mike Merritt
Medical personal as the put their lives at risk caring for those with Covid19. Researchers as they strive to develop a cure for this virus. The leaders of our country, may the Holy Spirit be present at every meeting as they keep us informed. Our Pastors as the continue to find new ways to minister to their flock and keep us all connected. For each other that Christ will calm our fears and keep us safe.
Continue to pray for:
Let’s Celebrate! Birthdays & Anniversaries
For our friends and family who have medical issues:
Hope Keeps Us Going
By Kate Summers
Facebook Find
Hope keeps us going even when the answers are not knowing.
No matter what is going on Hope can let us look forward to the new dawn.
The saying "this too shall pass"
Gives us hope in mass. Life is full of ups and downs
We must keep hope and not frown.
Hope for better days Is a good prayer to pray. Focus on your blessings
Don't just sit and be stressing.
Never lose your hope Hoping and action lets you cope. Having hope helps live move on
By focusing on the good, your problems will be gone.
