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Worship in February at Fairlington Sunday School: 9:30 am Worship: 9:30am and 11:00
February 4 – Reconciling Sunday with Holy Communion Love in All Colors Celebrate our Fifth Anniversary of Choosing to Be a Reconciling Congregation Witnesses: Luke Cleckley Anne Hancock Laura Glomb
February 11 – Scout Sunday ~ Transfiguration Sunday
Paying Attention Preacher: Rev. Mary Beth Blinn
February 14 – Ash Wednesday 6:30-7:00pm Family-Friendly Service with the imposition of ashes
7:30-8:30pm Service includes Chancel Choir, Holy Communion and the imposition of ashes
Remember Preacher: Rev. Mary Beth Blinn
Sermon Series for Lent ~ Giving It Up Many of us give up certain things for the forty days of Lent. But there may be things we need to give up forever. We’ll be exploring some of them during the six Sundays of Lent and on Easter Sunday.
February 18 –First Sunday in Lent Giving Up Control Preacher: Rev. Devon Earle
February 25 –Second Sunday in Lent
Giving Up Expectations Preacher: Rev. Mary Beth Blinn
Coming up In March
March 4: Giving Up Superiority March 11: Giving Up Enemies March 18: Giving Up Our Lives March 25: Palm Sunday Giving Up Popularity
April 1: Easter Sunday ~ Giving Up Death
Pastor’s Corner
What are you giving up for Lent? This question permeated my high school. I felt like I needed to give something up because everyone else was doing it. By the day before Ash Wednesday, I had decided that I would give up soda. However, I had no rationale behind why I was giving it up except that it was Lent and that is what you do.
There are reasons that we give things up for Lent. This 40 day period (not including Sundays) that lead up to Easter reflects the forty days and forty nights Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting. Giving things up reflects Christ’s fasting in the wilderness and is a way to make intentional space in our lives to focus on God as we prepare for Easter. This year through our sermon series, Lenten Study, and Caring for God’s Creation Lenten Devotional, you will have the chance to practice giving things up. What you give up may not be what you would expect (it’s not the typical chocolate and soda) and may awaken within you new habits that you may choose to continue after Lent. I hope you will join us in giving things up this Lent!
Blessings, Pastor Devon
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Have you ever thought about not looking at a mirror for a WEEK?
To support your journey through Lent and to help you go deeper with our worship series, we are inviting you to join in a Lenten study for adults called “Give It Up” by Dottie Escobedo-Frank. This study has a brief scripture reflection, thoughts by the author, and encouragement to give up for a brief period of time some parts of our lives that dominate our culture, like mirrors and media.
There are 3 ways for you to participate:
1.Join a Sunday morning class at 9:30 for 6 weeks beginning February 18th. 2.Join our virtual discussion group that allows you the flexibility to join in your own reflections and discussion with others when you have the time. We will gather on Sunday, February 18th at 12:15pm for a 30 minute introduction. 3.Join in your own personal study and reflection on the book. The study can be self-facilitated, and you can write your thoughts in a journal.
All participants in the Lenten Study are invited to join us for a “Simplicity Retreat” on the evening of Friday, March 9th and Saturday, March 10th in the morning here at the church. The retreat will offer participants a time to reflect and consider ways to simplify our lives. Our facilitators are Anne Wilson and Sue Gunter.
To join a group or for more information please email me or give me a call. If you would like to study on your own, I can order you a book.
~Christian White [email protected] /(703) 671-8557 ext. 103.
Wander Outdoors with SING Do you have cabin fever? Come wander outdoors at Huntley Meadows Park with SING -the Spirituality in Nature Group- on Saturday, February 17 from 2-4pm. We will meet at the nature center, 3701 Lockheed Blvd. Alexandria. We will walk together and have space for guided individual and group spiritual practices. For info Contact Pastor Devon, [email protected].
Lenten Devotional Calendar
As we move into the season of Lent, the Caretakers of God's Creation team invites you to reflect deeply on how we can live simply and sustainably. We cannot love God unless we also love the world God has created. As Christians we believe that God hopes and works for a world where all living things shall be included in the feast of life. We believe that God made the good earth to sustain and delight us and that we are called to take care of it. May this Lenten creation care calendar guide you on that journey. You will find copies in church Sunday, February 11 when it will also be available for download from the website. ~Anne Wilson
Coloring: A Spirituality Workshop Sunday, February 11 at 9:30am in Room 110
Recently, coloring has gained huge popularity among adults as a way to step out of the daily grind and find peace. Coloring allows us to enter the safe sanctuary of our inner child and reclaim our God-given gift of creativity. Contemplative coloring provides an opportunity to look inward so that we may discern how to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a hurting world. We will explore four different methods of prayer - lectio divina, intercessory prayer, centering prayer, and ignatian examen - while coloring our way through Lent. Coloring books and pens provided.
Reflections on Giving BY KEN CHADWICK
We give Thee but Thine own, Whate'er the gift may be; All that we have is Thine alone, A trust, O Lord, from Thee.
~William Walsham How (1858)
The first verse of that well-known hymn provides insight into why I believe in giving back to God through my prayers, my presence, my gifts and my service. You see, I do believe that unto whom much is given, much is expected. God has provided me with many blessings: a wonderful wife and companion; a healthy family of three (3); a roof over my head; and a job I enjoy. But the second verse of that hymn clearly highlights my responsibilities towards those blessings given:
May we Thy bounties thus As stewards true receive And gladly, as Thou blesses us, To Thee our first-fruits give!
You see, we hold those blessings, the corpus of that “Trust”, as stewards. The blessings are not our possessions, but a means to an end, a tool meant to be used productively, beneficially, and properly to the glory of God, the source of the Trust, to care for his Kingdom. Much as in the parable of the talents, we are meant not to neglect, misuse, or waste the blessings of God given to us but to use them productively, to increase their value, so as to ultimately be a blessing to others in the Kingdom. We are accountable in the end only to God, the source of all of our blessings, and it is to God that our first-fruits are due in return, not out of obligation but in grateful gratitude.
And we believe Thy Word, Though dim our faith may be: Whate'er for Thine we do, O Lord, We do it unto Thee.
I grew up with that hymn and its melodic tune believing that the saints of old had been entrusted with the faith which they, each in their own unique way, passed on to me as a child. As I matured in my own faith, no matter how dim it may have been at any given time I, too, believed and still believe that it is my obligation to currently support the cause and fight the good fight for faith, truth, hope, mercy, justice and love. It is also important for us now to look to the future and pass the torch forward so that our progeny and future generations may also have this blessed assurance and live in the faith with the knowledge that all blessings come from God for whom, in trust, we hold them. Passing on this stewardship tradition, to paraphrase a local radio broadcaster, is a “core value!”
Come to the Gardens
As February quietly tiptoes forward, and daylight lengthens, chickadees remain busy. Noisy blue jays and northern cardinals brighten an otherwise stark landscape. In the FUMC A.L.I.V.E! garden, clover covers the ground, roots work unnoticed, nourishing and loosening the soil to be ready for spring planting. Much is happening that the eye cannot see, though we should not be deceived into thinking that nothing is happening because we don’t see it. There is power and divinity, however invisible, in all that God creates (Romans 1:20). Despite our commuter related headaches, and daily news that can weigh heavy on hearts, Nature reminds us that God is still working and listening. Stop by the King Street pollinator garden or the A.L.I.V.E.! vegetable garden. Look, smell, and listen for the small signs, that God the gardener continues to make a way for the spring that will surely come.
~Anne Wilson
Beth El Hebrew Congregation And Fairlington United Methodist Church
Invite You to Our 60th Annual Interfaith Dinner
Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at 6:30pm Beth El Hebrew Congregation
3830 Seminary Road Alexandria, VA 22304
The Beth El Brotherhood and Fairlington United Methodist Men have sponsored this annual Interfaith Dinner since 1958 -- one of the longest running interfaith gatherings in U.S. history.
How Does the Interfaith Community Address Our Country in a Time of National Stress?
Featured Keynote Dinner Speaker: Rabbi Gerald Serotta
Rabbi Gerald Serotta is the Executive Director of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. He was the Founding Executive Director of Clergy Beyond Borders. Rabbi Serotta formerly served as a University Chaplain and Hillel Rabbi for 28 years, the last twenty at The George Washington University where he was Chair of the Board of Chaplains. He also served as President of the Association of Hillel and Jewish Campus Professionals. While on Sabbatical from Hillel he was Senior Rabbinic Scholar-in-Residence at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism where he worked on issues of globalization and economic justice from a Jewish perspective.
Check-in at the door: 6:00 PM. Cost is $15 per person, RSVP Keith Davis [email protected] and pay at the door.
Our Christian Formation Program Rev. Christian White
[email protected], 703.671.8557 ext. 106
Fairlington Youth Events
All youth grades 6th-12th are invited to join any program at any time! Contact
Christian with any questions.
Sunday, 2/4 (12:15-2:00pm): High School Program and Lunch Saturday, 2/10 (3:00-9:00pm): Italian Cuisine Night Sunday, 2/18 (6:00-8:00pm): Youth Dinner and Program Night Sunday, 2/25 (6:00-8:00pm): Youth Dinner and Program Night
Faith Formation Opportunities
Formation Groups for All
Ages Sundays, February 4th, 11th,
18th, and 25th Each Sunday, 9:30-10:30am
in various classrooms. See our website, the bulletin, or
the Connect boards for more information.
Family Dinner Night!
Wednesday, 2/7 (6:00pm) Ho’s Chinese
An informal dinner offering fellowship and food.
Cost is $25 per family ($10 per person).
RSVP to Christian by 2/5.
Sunday Adult Bible Study Continues Sundays, February
4th and 11th 7:00-8:30pm in Room 109
Daniel: Faithful in All Circumstances
Facilitator: Jim Dooley
Adult Bible Study Continues Wednesdays,
February 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th 10:00am-11:30am in Room 109 The Message of the Sermon on
the Mount Facilitator: Anne Wilson
Confirmation 2018
Confirmation is a time in the life of the church where we prepare our young people to become professing members of Fairlington United Methodist Church. It is a time of learning, reflection, and prayer. Each young person moving through the process of Confirmation is matched with a Mentor who will guide the young person through the program, share their faith, and role model Christ-like living. The following young people will be part of our Confirmation group this year.
Amelia Alcorn Sullivan Atkin Jakob Mensinger Tyler Plank Taryn White Maddy Yee You are invited to pray for these persons, asking God to be present with them.
Welcoming . . .Nurturing . . .Serving . . .Welcoming . . .Nurturing
How We Serve the Community—ALIVE! FUMC is a founding member congregation of ALIVE! a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization of volunteers from 42 faith communities in Alexandria. Through ALIVE! many Fairlington members work with others to help families and individuals in need in Alexandria. ALIVE! serves thousands of Alexandrians annually with shelter; low-cost early childhood education and childcare; financial help for rent, utilities, medical care and other critical needs; emergency food; and deliveries of donated furniture and housewares. ALIVE! Leaders are currently developing a strategic plan to ensure the future of the organization—look for further information coming soon. To learn about ALIVE! programs and how you can help, go to https://alive-inc.org/index.htm
~Rolf Blank [email protected]
Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church Rising Hope is a mission of the Alexandria district that depends on the generosity of churches, community organizations, and individuals to serve the crushing needs of hundreds of low-income and homeless families and individuals every year.
175-250 families are fed from their food pantry every week.(10K annually!) 16,000 hot meals a year are served from their soup kitchen. 2,800 hypothermia bed-nights are provided annually. 20,000 visits to their free clothing closet annually.
Additionally, hundreds of individuals take advantage of Rising Hope’s services through its recovery programs and its drop-in emergency referral and assistance center. While Rising Hope may look like a social service organization, it truly is a Church community living out the Gospel message. We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Rising Hope’s mission is to bring “the power of Christ” and the “support of the church” to the community living in poverty along the Route One Corridor. Each week, an average of 50 individuals participate in Sunday worship and another 100 participate in the mid-week services. Three quarters of the worshipping members have been homeless at sometime in their life.
In 2017, Fairlington supported Rising Hope through its mission budget and by collecting 400 cans of yams and boxes of cornbread for the Thanksgiving and Christmas food basket distributions. Many of you have also personally donated to the work of Rising Hope through donations of cash , food, clothing,and volunteer hours. ~June Stowe [email protected]
Every Girl. Every Day. Period. An Invitation to All FUMC Women Every month, millions of women and girls miss school and work because they lack something essential: feminine hygiene supplies. Days for Girls is giving back days of education and opportunity through providing DfG Kits. On Saturday, February 10, all women are invited to the Sew and Pack Event hosted by the South Arlington Days for Girls Chapter at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church. Meet at FUMC at 1:00 p.m. to carpool or join us there 2700 19th St S, Arlington, 22204.
EVENTS Sacred Spaces of Gathering February 3 Fellowship Outing: Pot Luck Valentine’s Brunch (11:00am-1:00pm; home of Suzanne Nuckolls); RSVP by
February 1 to Karlene Masters, [email protected]. February 4 Social Justice: Stand in the Red Zone, UMW’s annual Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign during the Super Bowl February 4 &11 Boxed chocolate sales for Valentine’s Day in Fellowship Hall (10:30-11:00). Contact Sandy Millard, [email protected]. February 10 Mission Activity: Days for Girls Sew and Pack Event at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church (1:00-4:00). Contact Karlene Masters [email protected]. February 24 Mission Activity: Crafts for Kids at Cora Kelly Recreational Center (9:00-12:00). Contact Kathy Richards [email protected]. February 27 60th Annual Interfaith Dinner at Beth El Hebrew Congregation. Contact Keith Davis [email protected]
Karlene Masters [email protected]
P.S. I Love You Need chocolates for your Valentine? Mint Patties and Mint Meltaways will be available from United Methodist Women in the Fellowship Hall between worship services on February 4 and 11. All proceeds go to missions. Contact Sandy Millard [email protected] to reserve your box today!
Fairlington wrapped up our 2017 budget year with revenues of approximately $5,000 greater than expenses due primarily to strong year end contributions and several prepayments on 2018 pledges. Thanks to all for your generosity in supporting our annual operating budget and to gifts for special programs such as our Christmas party for homeless children and many other community outreach programs. A number of congregants also made significant 2017 contributions designated for our Building Renovation Fund. If you pledged in 2017, and you haven't fulfilled that pledge it is not too late to do. Every year we count on late payments on prior year pledges to help sustain our annual budget.
On January 16th, the Finance Committee approved a 2018 budget of $953,000 for our programs at FUMC. This budget includes funds for our staff salaries and benefits, building maintenance, our
music, education and youth programs, our community outreach, our office and communications expenses and our payments to support the many programs of the Virginia Conference and the United Methodist Church worldwide. The total amount of pledges for 2018 was approximately $720,000 and we thank those who have pledged. Your commitment helps greatly with our budgeting process. If you haven't yet pledged for 2018, we still need your help! To achieve our income goals in 2018 to support our Fairlington programs, we must supplement pledge commitments with funds from other regular givers, and from plate offerings each week, building rental income and through special one-time gifts that we receive.
Blessings, as we move into 2018 with many exciting events at Fairlington including our Next Level Innovation initiative and continued planning for our building renovation. If you should have questions about our Fairlington budget for 2018 or the work of the Finance Committee please feel free to contact me. ~Randy Nuckolls, Finance Chair
[email protected] or (202)253-4506
Finance Committee
End of Year
Bishop Sharma Lewis will host a listening session, Chat n’ Chew 2.0, on Saturday, February 24, 2018, from 8:30am to 2pm at Ebenezer UMC in Stafford VA. This event is for both laity and clergy from the Alexandria, Arlington, Rappahannock River, and Richmond Districts. It will focus on the work of The Commission on the Way Forward regarding unity and human sexuality, allowing lay and clergy voices across the conference to engage directly in this important conversation. Cost is $10, with lunch included. Register at eiseverywhere.com/chatnchew2. Yes, we can carpool. Contact Mark Elder, [email protected].
Love in All Colors! Reconciling Sunday February 4th: Join us at 9:30am and 11:00 am We celebrate Fairlington's 5-year anniversary of becoming a Reconciling Congregation, intentionally welcoming all people as beloved children of God. Our celebratory theme, “Love in All Colors,” reflects the breadth and diversity of God’s human creation as proclaimed in our church’s welcoming statement. We will hear personal testimonies from FUMC members. They will share how being part of a reconciling congregation has personally affected them and shaped their faith journey. We ask all FUMC members to invite a friend to be a part of this special Sunday. Also in keeping with the theme, you are invited to dress colorfully! -- including wearing a reconciling stole or Fairlington on Fire T-shirt.
~Mark Elder, [email protected]
Follow this link http://bit.ly/5yearReconciling to see the extensive work and accomplishments of this church and its Reconciling Ministry Team over the last five years, since we became a reconciling congregation in February 2013. Thank you, Church!
5 Years of Accomplishments February 2013 ~ February 2018
FUMC Friends, The safety of our congregation is of the utmost importance. In an effort to better protect our church, we have recently formed a Safety Committee that will address areas that we can improve. In the coming weeks and months, we will conduct a fire drill, provide training on how to react in a crisis situation, and make small operational changes that you may not even notice. Our mission is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all who enter through our doors. If you have questions or concerns, please email me. ~John Philibin, Safety Committee Chair
NEW! Safety
Committee
SteepleTalk is a publication of
Fairlington United Methodist Church
3900 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22302
Lead Pastor Pastor Mary Beth Blinn
Associate Pastor Pastor Devon Earle
Director of Music Dr. Louise Wilson
Minister of Congregational Family Life
Rev. Christian White [email protected]
Coordinator for Youth Programs Jessai Canaday
Office Manager Michelle Tello
Administrative Assistant Eileen Joyner
Preschool Director Carol Keller
Custodians Miguel & Rufina Muñoz
Office: 703.671.8557 Fax: 703.820.7399
Music Office: 703.671.4057 Preschool: 703.671.3939
www.fairlingtonumc.org on Facebook
EARLY Deadline for the March SteepleTalk
Wednesday, February 7 Please submit photos, logos, links and single-spaced articles 300 words maxi-mum to [email protected]. Please include email addresses of the contact people mentioned in your article.
Book Notes from the Library & Beyond
A Life Beyond Amazing by Dr. David Jeremiah Dr. Jeremiah challenges us to make nine important decisions which will transform our heart, life and world. These decisions revolve around the qualities of Love, Joy, Peace, Endurance, Compassion, Generosity, Integrity, Humility, and Self-Discipline. He explains each quality in a separate chapter and presents Biblical references to provide the necessary proof. “A life beyond amazing doesn’t have to start when we step into heaven,” he writes, “A life beyond amazing can be lived right here on earth.” Upcoming FUM Womens’ Book Discussion: All women of the church are invited to discuss "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi over a potluck luncheon on Sunday, March 11 at 12:30 (place to be announced soon). The book is widely available from libraries and book sellers. Point of contact: Carol Weldon, [email protected], (703)927-5904.
Update: Next Level Innovations
NLI NEWS! During the winter months of 2018, plans are being made to organize or expand teams in the areas of communications and technology, worship planning and diverse worship exploration, welcome, stewardship, outreach, and focus (ministry alignment.) These teams will begin doing their work in March and throughout the second quarter of the year. Our mentor, the Rev. Brian Brown, is ready to partner with us in any way that is helpful. We’re even planning a choir exchange with his congregation, Woodlawn-Faith UMC, for Sunday morning, March 18! This is a busy and exciting year for Fairlington as we move forward in “...making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world through welcome, nurture and service.” ~ Pastor Mary Beth Blinn
FUMC Inclement Weather Policy In times of severe weather we will post updates on the church office phone at: (703) 671-8557, and our website: www.fairlingtonumc.org. On weekdays, the church office and the Preschool’s closures and late-openings follow the Alexandria City Public Schools decisions.
FEBRUARY 2018
♪ ♫ Concert to Benefit UMCOR United Methodist Committee on Relief Puerto Rico Hurricane Victims
Sunday, February 11, 2018 at 4pm Presented by
Fairlington UMC Chancel Choir St. John’s UMC Sanctuary Choir
Springfield UMC Sanctuary Choir
Springfield United Methodist Church 7047 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield
703-451-2375 www.sumc-cares.org
5 t h A n n u a l U M C C h o i rs S i n g fo r
