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You are Invited to Connect
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Tonight, April 19 at 6:30 PM EDT on Zoom
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Please join us. More details below.
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April 2022 * Volume 23, Issue 4
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President's Message by Albert Weal, Jr.
Glory
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And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. (Luke 9:28-32).
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Although they did not understand, Jesus forecast and prepared the disciples for his arrest, trial, death, and resurrection. In the Transfiguration, Peter, who had according to Luke just declared Jesus the Messiah, and fellow companions saw Jesus in all glory for the first time. Peter’s reaction and immediate response? Let’s build a tent or shelter for you, Moses, and Elijah. Within weeks, Peter would see Jesus again in glory after the resurrection.
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To see Jesus in glory, I sincerely hope you will join us tonight as Mark Lubbock, deployed GCUMM staff, shares with us about the spiritual discipline of prayer. Connection details for tonight’s webinar are below.
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In the weeks and months ahead, the Virginia Conference will realign its districts. I encourage you to reach out to men in your local churches and districts so that all new districts have effective leadership moving forward. I encourage you to find mentors and co-leaders to work together in ministry. The VA Conference UMM are available to help and support you. Please contact me or Bob Longworth, VP for Membership and Development, for questions or more information about opportunities to serve beyond the local church. Let’s work together to see and help others see Christ in glory.
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Albert Weal, Jr., President
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Call to Prayer with Rev. Mark Lubbock
Love, Learn, and Lead Webinar Tonight, April 19 at 6:30 PM
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Please join us tonight, April 19 at 6:30 PM, on Zoom for a Love, Learn, and Lead webinar on prayer.
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One tap mobile
+13017158592,,89824607164# US (Washington D.C)
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+19292056099,,89824607164# US (New York)
Dial by your location
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
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+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
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Prayer is a way of deepening our relationship with God. Jesus constantly retreated in order to be with God in prayer. Paul set the itinerary for his missionary journeys based on prayer. Jesus and Paul are models for us. Please join us and discover the spiritual discipline of prayer for this Easter season.
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We welcome the Rev. Mark Lubbock, deployed staff at GCUMM, as our speaker. Mark has served the Louisiana Conference for more than 15 years and became the first clergy person to become a certified men’s ministry specialist. He is also the founder and CEO of Gulf South Men, a non-profit organization that assists churches and men’s organizations in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama with tools to make disciples.
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Webinar recordings from previous Love, Learn, and Lead webinars are posted on our website https://vaumc.org/UMM.
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Nominations Open for VA UMM Cabinet
Serving Men of the Virginia Conference
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Nominations for Cabinet officers of the Virginia Conference United Methodist Men are now open. We welcome your nominations.
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Each year, the Virginia Conference UMM elects Cabinet officers for the following positions for terms that begin on July 1. Please click on the links below for job descriptions.
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If you, or someone you know, has a passion for men’s ministry and are willing to serve now or in the future, please contact President, Andrew Kissell by email or call him at 757-839-0790.
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Nominations close on April 30, 2022. All nominees will be highlighted in The BEACON. Electronic voting will occur in early June followed by the installation of officers at the annual business meeting of the Virginia Conference UMM Friday morning, June 17, at Annual Conference.
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2022 UMMen Annual Conference Breakfast is June 17
This Just In: Was Jesus a Boy Scout?
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You are invited to the 2022 UMMen Annual Conference Breakfast on Friday, June 22, 7 AM, at Bethany UMC, 1609 Todds Lane in Hampton. Men, spouses, and guests will gather at 7:00 a.m. to enjoy a hearty breakfast, install Cabinet officers, and conduct the annual business of the Virginia Conference United Methodist Men. The cost of breakfast is $12 payable at the door. Please email David Collins to let us know that you are coming so that we can prepare the right amount of food.
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We welcome Kip Robinson, a retired United Methodist missionary having served with his wife Nancy in Sierra Leone in West Africa, who will speak on This Just In: Was Jesus a Boy Scout? Kip’s role as a missionary was two-fold: serving as the mission team coordinator for the Sierra Leone Annual Conference and also serving as the Conference Engineer. While there he helped design and build a primary school which became a model for future primary schools. The Ebola crisis occurred during their tenure.
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Kip and Nany served together as the presidents of The Friends of Barnabas Foundation, a non-profit faith-based health care ministry to remote villages in the mountains of Honduras. Previously, he served as associate director of United Methodist Volunteers in Mission for the Southeastern Jurisdiction, was the Virginia Conference’s UMVIM coordinator for eight years, and is a certified lay speaker. He now serves the Virginia Conference as the chair of the Conference Committee on Mission Personnel.
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We look forward to seeing you in Hampton on June 17.
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James: Mercy Triumphs
Join Community UMM for Bible Study
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The Men's Bible Study of Community United Methodist Church in Virginia Beach welcomes all men of the Virginia Conference and beyond to join us online for Bible Study Monday nights at 7:00 PM! On April 4, 2022, we began a new study, James: Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore. We are currently meeting via Zoom from 7:00 PM until 8:30 PM. We meet every Monday night, except for the 4th Monday night of the month when we have our monthly UMM dinner meeting. You are welcome to join us for that too if you're in the area!
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In James: Mercy Triumphs, Beth Moore delivers a personal, in-depth study that includes viewer guides and video sessions. James, Jesus' own brother, started out as a skeptic. See how one glimpse of the resurrected Savior turned James into a disciple. Topics covered in this study include joy; hardship; faith; reversal of fortunes for rich and poor; wisdom; gifts from above; single-mindedness; the dangers of the tongue; humility; and prayer.
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Please contact our leader, Kevin Keith at [email protected] for the Zoom link and any questions.
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Support Camp Rainbow Connection
Camp Set for July 17-22
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Camp Rainbow Connection is a week-long respite camp for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The staff and volunteers of Camp Rainbow are dedicated to providing a wonderful and enriching summer program for each camper, along with a week of respite for families and caregivers. Campers participate in a variety of activities including Bible class, music, science, arts and crafts, games, dancing and special activities.
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Camp Rainbow Connection is on schedule to have one camp this summer, July 17-22, at Richard Bland College in Petersburg, VA.
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I ask that you encourage everyone to support the camp with a donation to:
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Please make checks payable to "Virginia Conference UMC" with "Camp Rainbow Connection" in the memo line.
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Camp Rainbow Connection Advocate
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UNITED Men’s Ministry
Launching on May 1
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The General Commission on United Methodist Men (GCUMM) is introducing a “modern way” of doing men’s ministry on May 1. Greg Arnold, General Secretary & CEO, said we are approaching men’s and scouting ministry with a much larger and more modern vision. The Commission has re-imaged how men’s and scouting ministry can be effectively offered, packaged, and distributed to the church and world around us.
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UNITED Men’s Ministry is an innovative online resource providing an easy-to-follow package of resources including leader coaching, online learning, support, topical studies, connection, and more. The goal is to help churches launch, grow, and sustain effective men’s ministry.
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If you feel your men’s ministry effort could use a restart or a boost, please visit www.UnitedMensMinistry.com to be a part of the launch on May 1, 2022. Register on the website for the launch event and join the movement.
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Words to Live By …
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Happy Easter
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Worthy is the Lamb that was slain,
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And hath redeemed us to God by His blood,
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To receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength,
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And honour, and glory, and blessing.
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Messiah, Part III, Number 53
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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.
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