You are Invited to Connect
Tonight, October 12 at 6:30 PM EDT on Zoom
Inclusion

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89824607164

Meeting ID: 898 2460 7164
Please join us. More details below.
BeaconNameplate
October 2021 * Volume 22, Issue 9

President's Message by Albert Weal, Jr.

Inclusion

UMMAlbertWeal
Good Morning,

Please join us tonight for a Love, Learn, and Lead webinar with Bishop Sharma D. Lewis speaking on the work of inclusion. Within our local fellowships, districts, conferences, and jurisdictions, how can we be more inclusive so that all men in our communities are invited and represented? How can fellowships partner together to support men in our churches and in our communities? How can we expand our ministry to Methodist churches in our nation and world? I hope you will join us tonight to discuss these questions.
Monday, October 18, is the third annual United Methodist Men Give Day. Our Virginia Conference United Methodist Men is fully supporting this effort. The General Commission on United Methodist Men is committed to “coach men and youth to thrive through Christ, so that others may know Christ.”

I invite you to join us on Monday, October 18 for GCUMM’s third annual Give Day. For more information, please read below or visit http://bit.ly/ummgive2021.

The Virginia Conference United Methodist Men and I are grateful for your support.

Albert Weal, Jr., President
757-677-6096
[email protected]

Inclusion

Bishop Lewis will be our guest speaker

UMM LLL
Please join us tonight, Tuesday evening, October 12, 2021 at 6:30 PM EDT for a Love, Learn, and Lead webinar on inclusion with Bishop Sharma Lewis. All are welcome and invited to join the webinar.

Bishop Lewis will be sharing with us the need for more ethnic involvement within UMM, larger cluster UMM fellowships, and a potential relationship between UMM and the Pan-Methodist movement.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89824607164

Meeting ID: 898 2460 7164
One tap mobile

+13017158592,,89824607164# US (Washington D.C)
+19292056099,,89824607164# US (New York)

Dial by your location

+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 898 2460 7164

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/komBF24v0

Webinar recordings from Love, Learn, and Lead webinars are posted on our website https://vaumc.org/UMM.

Give Day 2021 | October 18, 2021

Coaching men and youth to thrive through Christ

GiveBackNew_1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and let us run with perseverance the race set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

––A paraphrase of Hebrews 12: 1-2a
From the General Commission on United Methodist Men

Paul reminds us that we have been called for a purpose, and we must keep moving in the direction that will allows us to fulfill that purpose.

GCUMM is committed to our mission to “Coach men & youth to THRIVE through Christ, so that others may know Christ.” We also know that we are not in this race alone.

Leaders in men’s and scouting ministries are doing the remarkable. We continue to expand our ministries. All of this requires additional funding beyond our normal revenue resources.

We invite you to join us in this race for new disciples on October 18, our third annual Give Day.

The “why” is simple: there is a continued financial need to dramatically expand the discipleship opportunities for men and young people. Former funding sources are continuing to struggle. Last year, your generosity allowed us to continue to provide faith-building opportunities.

Consider this: hundreds of men and women, clergy and lay people across this country, joined in a grass-roots prayer ministry. These men and women are hungry for more training and more resources.

Also, within the last six months, hundreds of scouting volunteers have been trained by professionals reflecting our work with youth in BSA, Girl Scouts, and Campfire. In 2020, we trained more leaders in these areas than any previous year.

While face-to-face events were cancelled, our work continued and expanded through technological processes. We continued to provide training resources for men and youth around the world.

A “World Day of Prayer” with leaders of The African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African American Episcopal Church Zion, and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church was held this past year.

We are called to reach and disciple more men and more youth. The demand for more materials in men’s and scouting ministries dramatically increased during this year. Despite the increased costs, we continue to write and produce much needed original print and electronic resources.

We were fortunate to hold the National Association of Conference Presidents of United Methodist Men and the United Methodist Men Foundation meetings virtually this year. The leadership of the United Methodist Men were able to receive valuable training in a virtual environment.

We are beginning to see an increase in travel now that the pandemic has allowed for face-to-face meetings. Yes, Zoom is serving us well, but face-to-face meetings with new users are important as we move forward.

Paul reminds us to throw off everything that hinders us and run the race before us. The race we run is to provide opportunities to share the Good News of God’s love with men around the world. As we continue to run into that new future, we hope you will join us by giving this October 18.
UMMGive

The Most Reluctant Convert

Film on C. S. Lewis premiers on November 3

ReluctantConvert
On Wednesday, November 3rd, The Most Reluctant Convert, a film telling the story of C. S Lewis’ Christian conversion, premiers in movie theaters across America. The film is directed by Norman Stone and stars Max MacLean and Nicholas Ralph.

The Most Reluctant Convert chronicles the spiritual evolution of a 20th century mind for a 21st century audience.

Click here for more information.

Words to Live By …

AmendTogether
“A man is not someone who can bully someone, who can hurt someone, either physically or psychologically. A man is somebody who devotes his life to his spouse, takes care of her, protects her, and is on an equal journey together.”

Gil Hanke in “Hanke looks back at his tenure”
by Jim Patterson
UMMen, Fall 2021

For more information about AMENDING Through Faith in the Virginia Conference,
please contact Steve Schaefer
SmallVaConf
In continued efforts to fulfill the Virginia Conference goal of having Connectional Ministries become a greater resource to districts, laity and clergy, United Methodist Men are now partnered with Virginia UM clergy. Clergy, you are receiving the Beacon newsletter as part of your Virginia Conference connection.
MailPoet