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Your weekly update from the Elizabeth River District View this email in your browser
Weekly e-News
November 17, 2020
Each week we pray for a different church or ministry in the district. Please hold in your prayers this week:
 
Covenant UMC and
pastor Tommy Suh.
To support those families who have had a harder time this year, the Wesley Community Service Center is hosting a toy drive to ensure all the children serve through WCSC have something to unwrap this year. Here is how you or your group can help:

Toy Drive Information
When: November 16 - December 21, 2020
Donate:  New, unwrapped toys. Please see a list of desired items at https://tinyurl.com/wcsctoydrive
Deliver: Please deliver toys by December 21 to our offices at 1701 Elm Ave, Portsmouth, VA 23704

If you have any questions about how to get involved, please call 757-399-0541. 
On Saturday, November 21, from 9 am to 3:30 pm, Rev. Jason C. Stanley, Coordinator for Church Revitalization for the ERD, and Rev. Brian Boettcher, pastor at The Garden UMC, will facilitate a workshop for churches who are interested in discerning adopting a Simplified, Accountable Structure. As allowed by the Book of Disciple, a church can restructure to a simplified, accountable leadership board. This workshop will explain what that means, how it works, and provide tools for a church's discernment. The workshop will be on Zoom from 9 am to 3:30 pm. Click here to register. 
To date, we have completed three cluster Charge Conferences via Zoom. There is one more Cluster Charge Conferences on November 22. To review the Charge Conference Orientation click here. 

Leaders are asked to register their attendance to assure that everyone is placed in the correct Zoom Room.  If you're Charge Conference is on November 22, you can register by clicking here. 

District Training Day is going virtual on Saturday, February 6, 2021, with live, Zoom training opportunities. Then, on Saturday, February 13, we will launch District Training Day On-Demand. Both the live and the on-demand webinars will focus on how to be in ministry during a pandemic. 
Responding to COVID-19
Virginia is currently under a 25-person limit in response to the increase in COVID-19 case. This limit applies to any mission and ministry programs or other activities, limiting them to 25 or less. It does not apply to worship services.
Read the most current Technical Assistance Manuel, updated October 15, 2020. Click here to read.  Learn more about returning to church here.

All questions regarding reopening should be directed to DS Wayne Snead at elizabethriverds@vaumc.org.
The next monthly Zoom check-ins with DS Wayne Snead will be:
  • November 19 at 3 pm

You can submit your questions to elizabethriverds@vaumc.org.
Recently Rev. Jason Stanley talked with Jason Moore of Midnight Oil Productions about creative ways to worship in-person AND online this Advent and Christmas. You can watch it here.

Earlier Rev. Jason Stanley spoke with Rev. Rachel Gilmore about different ideas for ministry this Advent. Watch here.

2020


November 19, 3 pm:      DS Zoom Check-In


November 21, 9 am:       Simplified, Accountable Structure training via Zoom. Click here to register. 

November 22, 2 pm:      Cluster Charge Conference via Zoom
 

2021


February 6:                     Virtual District Training Day
UMFS December offering - new resources now available
United Methodist Family Services (UMFS) is the Virginia Conference designated offering for December. UMFS deeply appreciates the support of local churches in this ministry, helping high-risk children create a brighter future. We have created a variety of digital assets to support the offering this year, and help you share the work of the ministry with your congregation. You can find the following resources at www.UMFS.org/church: 4 short videos, an electronic bulletin insert, church offering scripts, and images for newsletters, emails, social media, and websites. Please contact Jill Gaynor (jgaynor@umfs.org or 804-254-9463) with any questions. Thank you for your support!
Read the latest edition of the Virginia Conference's e-Advocate here.
Do you know a high school senior discerning a call to ministry? Whether they feel called to be a pastor, a youth minister, a music minister, a religious studies professor, a faith-based non-profit leader, a military or hospital chaplain... Randolph-Macon College’s Bailey Scholars Program could help them (a) afford college and (b) find a supportive community for vocational discernment as they grow in college and prepare for seminary. Attached are two fliers that you can share with your youth group, in your church newsletter, etc. We are the oldest continuously operating Methodist college, and we're committed to nurturing a new generation of leaders both in the UMC and across denominational lines too.  Application deadline is Feb. 8, 2021.  If you have questions, email me at kendragrimes@rmc.edu.
Visit the -new- Elizabeth River District website to see a complete listing of current job openings on the district. Click here to see the list. 
If you have placed a job opening and it is no longer needed, please email Denise Smith at elizabethriverdistrict@vaumc.org and ask for it to be removed. 
LOCAL CHURCH NEWS
Family Village Collective, in collaboration with Norfolk United Methodist Church (NUMC) is hosting a virtual holiday marketplace, featuring local businesses, artisans, and vendors. This multi-week event will include 2 live stream shopping events, 2 curbside pick updates, online shopping with special holiday sales, and virtual church services to help you get in the holiday spirit! 

Shop Small & Buy Local This Holiday! Do your holiday shopping online with our Marketplace Vendors. Vendors will be offering special discounts to event participants, will provide free local pick up on an assigned date, and many vendors offer national shipping as well.
See the list of events & dates below. Be sure to mark your calendar and turn on your notifications. 

Online Marketplaces: 
Small Business Saturday Market 
Sat, 11/28/20, 12-2 pm
Last-Minute Shoppers Market. 
Sat, 12/12/20, 12-2 pm 
*Livestream with Vendors, offering special holiday sales and discounts to event participants.

Local Contactless Pick-Up at NUMC: 
Sat, 12/5/20, 12-3 pm 
Sat, 12/19/20, 12-3 pm 
*Order ahead online and pick up your products in person.

Learn more here.
Glory Sightings: Do you have a glory sighting you would like to share with us? What has God been doing during this time in your community? Send a small write up along with some pictures to elizabethriverdistrict@vaumc.org.
The deadline for submissions to the e-Newsletter is every Thursday at 5pm. Email your information about your events and special programming to Denise Smith at  elizabethriverdistrict@vaumc.org  (Flyers in PDF or JPEG are preferred.)
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