Dear Members and Friends of Community UMC:
I hope you are having a safe and healthy summer and have been able to enjoy the virtual worship services, group meetings, and other active ministries that have been ongoing and alive in these past few months. The good news is that as Christians, we continue to worship, grow, and serve God even though we cannot meet in a church building.
We are committed to resuming in-person worship on Sundays at Community UMC as soon as it is safe and practical. Our "Healthy Church Team" has prayerfully developed a re-opening plan that complies with the Technical Assistance Manual published by our conference (www.vaumc.org/return). It has now been approved by our District Superintendent. Please carefully review Community UMC's reopening plan at www.cumcvb.org before returning to church.
CUMC will return to churchwide in-person worship on Sunday, September 6, 2020 for the 9:00AM Traditional Worship service only. Both the 9:00AM and 11:15AM Modern Worship services will continue to be livestreamed. All small groups, including Sunday School classes, will continue to meet together online and not on church property. Please note that prior to the re-opening, we will ensure this plan is sustainable through a couple of "soft openings," when attendance will be limited to staff and leadership only.
Be aware that you cannot just show up on Sunday for worship. Our gathering will have a limited capacity. You MUST pre-register your desire to attend Sunday worship each week by completing a Health Acknowledgement form by noon on the Wednesday prior to the service you wish to attend. This form can be found on our church website: www.cumcvb.org. The first approved registrants up to a maximum allowed capacity will be selected to attend worship weekly. All others may continue to worship with the church online by following the links at our homepage.
Please follow these COVID-19 guidelines for in-person worship:
Stay home if you have a fever, COVID-19 symptoms, or exposure in the last 14 days.
Stay 6' away from others as you enter the church, including in the parking lot. Parking spaces alongside the church are only for those who need to enter using the ramp.
Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth entirely at all times on church property.
Enter and exit through the designated doors and aisles as directed.
Be seated where ushers direct you to sit.
Use restrooms only if necessary; wash hands and follow posted rules.
Thank you in advance for your careful review of our reopening plan and for your cooperation with the Technical Assistance Manual requirements.
Sincerely,
Pastor Matt (and the CUMC Healthy Church Team) matt@cumcvb.org
703-819-0687
Worship Support Team to form
Information and organizing meeting September 10th
Thursday, September 10 - For many years, our church has had volunteers to handle greeting, ushering, coordinating signage, working the connection table, etc. Many of you have been a part of this ministry in one way or another. Due to COVID-19, these responsibilities have become so blended that we have decided to join together and become one team - the WORSHIP SUPPORT TEAM. We will still have many of these same responsibilities but in a new & different manner.
On Thursday, September 10 @7:00 PM, there will be a team training at our church sanctuary to help us get a clearer understanding of our responsibilities. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend & to be a continued part of this ministry. If you plan to attend, please fill out the Health Acknowledgement Form on our church website by Sunday, September 6 @noon.
Looking forward to continuing in ministry together!
David Collins, Andrea Jenkins, Ryan Harrison
Worship Support Team Coordinators
Meals on Wheels making changes
Sentara Healthcare recently announced a decision to sell its nursing home division, necessitating that Meals on Wheels (MoW) must change its location. Begininning September 1st, meals will be picked up by volunteers at Kings Grant Presbyterian church on Little Neck Road. Chef by Design has agreed to furnish the meals. MoW has had an increase recently in requests for meals and are now serving 140+ meals daily. If you would like to volunteer to deliver meals, please call Lou Schroeder at 757-495-1809.
Small Group study on Racism
Andrew Kissell and Barbara Crunkleton will lead a small group study of racism beginning with a review of the book White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo beginning in September by Zoom teleconference. The book explores racism from a white American's perspective and is available from Amazon. Our goal is to help people to have healthy conversations and begin the process of dismantling the institutions and policies of racial discrimination. We have a few spots left so If you're interested in the book study please contact Andrew (757 839-0790) by September 7th. The study will start on either the 15th or 16th of September in the evenings for about 12 weeks.
Update for sharing prayer mail request
To share prayer requests, please visit the CUMC website at cumcvb.org and complete the online form. Melissa Snow will be out of the office for an extended time, and this new procedure is to ensure that your requests are being received and shared in a timely manner. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Restructuring of the prayer chain
Please submit requests online
Please make requests for yourself, or family members
Prayer requests will be published on Sundays and on Thursday, so please keep that in mind when you submit.
If there are emergency submissions, please contact Jannette - 757-633-1843.
If requests are made by nonfamily members, please allow us time to verify the request, mistaken information has been shared before.
Also, there have been times when people were willing to share with their small groups, but not with the entire church, and we want to honor that desire. There are wonderful prayer warriors in our small groups as well.
Information can be hurtful and helpful; we are striving to always be accurate, helpful, supportive, and respectful.
S.W.E.A.T team supporting the food pantry
Community UMC's S.W.E.A.T team has had great success with supporting The Gathering at Scott Memorial UMC's food pantry. They are able to bless many families and we are excited to continue to help them.
To donate, check previous emails for directions.
Through our partnership with The Gathering at Scott Memorial United Methodist Church we continue to strive to serve the needs of our community.
Support Jubilee Project through Amazon Smile
For those of you that make purchases on Amazon, you may be aware of their charity site Smile.Amazon.com where you can designate a charity that Amazon will contribute to based on your purchases. This is no extra cost to you and all the same items are available. A small charity can greatly benefit from these donations. The United Methodist Church sponsors the Jubilee Project in Sneedville, TN which ministers to a very poor area of our country which is currently having to deal with the additional strains of COVID related challenges. CUMC has supported the Jubilee Project in the past by collecting prom dresses, contributing strip thermometers for their new baby kits, etc. and financial support. To designate this charity simply go to Smile.Amazon.com/ch/62-1470979 and you will automatically set The Jubilee Project in Sneedville TN as your charity of choice. If you need further assistance call Alice Konchuba, 757-404-7319.
Upper Rooms are here
Copies of the Upper Room have been placed in the plastic box outside of the tower door. Please feel free to stop by and pick up your copy/copies. Please do not leave any contributions in the outside box.
Current CUMC Contact information
To help keep everyone safe, the church is now working with minimal staff, uncertain office hours, and limited operations. If you have a need during this time, please note the following contact info: Pastor Matt: 703-819-0687
Minister Jannette: 757-633-1843
Leadership Team Rep. Liz Griffin: 757-621-9795
