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April 2024 * Volume 25, Issue 2
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President's Message by Albert Weal, Jr.
Wait and Then Follow
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Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes. (John 20:8-10).
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Imagine. You had just witnessed the horrendous passion and crucifixion of your Teacher and Lord whom you have followed for the last three years. Now, women came running to inform you that the Lord was not in the tomb where he had been laid. After running to the tomb to see the burial linens folded up and separated from the shroud that had covered His head, you believed, but then you returned home.
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John’s account of the resurrection is puzzling at this juncture. How could the disciples return home and to the lives they led before following Jesus? To be fair, the disciples had not yet encountered the risen Jesus. They did not fully understand the scriptures. Pentecost was still in the future.
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After the resurrection, returning to our previous lives is no longer an option. Returning home to wait, discern, and follow God’s leading is an important discipline and practice. Jesus, the Risen Lord, does go before us. Just as the disciples who dropped their fishing nets, we, the men of the United Methodist Church, must follow where he leads.
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There are so many opportunities for you to follow Jesus. The Virginia Conference United Methodist Men are seeking candidates to the offices of Vice President Spiritual Growth and Secretary. Is God asking you to serve in this capacity? More information is below. Continue reading.
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Please plan to join us for the 2024 Annual Breakfast in Hampton on Friday, June 21. More information is below.
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General Conference will meet in Charlotte, NC on April 23. Please pray for General Conference and for the Virginia delegation. Andrew Kissell, past president of VACUMM, is a member of the Virginia delegation.
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Please continue to pray and follow Jesus,
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Albert Weal, Jr., President
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Servant Leadership
Seeking Candidates for VAC UMM Cabinet
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How do you feel about servant leadership? How does that compare with the kind of leadership we normally see in the world? We know that on our faith journey both our goals and our motivation matter. But glorifying God and doing his will is even more important than any of our plans, strategies or goals. Not that setting goals isn't important, but we must always be mindful of God's purposes and especially the relationships God builds as part of our journey.
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Those relationships make the burden lighter, and the journey more fulfilling. They teach us how to be in relationship with God. Nothing has been more meaningful to me than the journeys I have taken with you, as your Christian brother, as a Fellowship, District, Conference and Jurisdictional President. When you step up as a servant leader with your District or Conference, your journey will take you to places you cannot imagine, and, if I may be so bold, helps you grow in faith more than any Bible study (please don't stop studying the Bible).
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Servant leadership makes you fruitful in ways both worldly and spiritual, in both head and heart. UMMen like to say, "Faith without works is dead" because service turns our motives into action! And those actions make a difference both in the world and in your life! Spiritual growth is a natural outcome of service. Paul says it like this in Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV), "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
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Please let me know If you are willing to step up and serve the UMM. Be prepared for the best journey of your life.
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Mentor a Camper
All God's Children Camps in June and August
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Can you believe that the first week of All God's Children Camp (AGCC) is less than two months away? There are still slots open for all three weeks.
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A ministry of the Virginia Annual Conference, All God’s Children Camp is a weeklong overnight camp for children, ages 7 to 12, with an incarcerated parent. AGCC is a place where children learn they are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God and are truly ‘somebody’. A one-to-one mentoring program provides campers, who face so many day-to-day challenges, with adults who walk alongside them, cheer them on, build them up, and encourage them.
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Mentoring is one of the best ways to give back to your community, and AGCC has the perfect opportunity for you. So, grab a friend, neighbor or family member and come spend a week exploring the outdoors while mentoring some pretty amazing children who need to hear that they are loved. Check out the weeks below and then complete the mentor registration form as soon as you are able. Mentor registration forms are due on June 1.
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- June 9-14: Westview on the James (4 females and 6 males needed)
- June 16-21: Chanco on the James (10 females and 10 males needed)
- August 11-16: Chanco on the James (5 females and 7 males needed)
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Words to Live By
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Christ Before Us
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the glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
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The shroud and napkin resting.
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Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
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To Galilee, he goes before you.”
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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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