The Valley Ridge District is partnering with the Northern Virginia District for this year’s Training Day Saturday, January 11 beginning at 8:30 a.m. This is an annual event designed to equip, encourage, and empower clergy and laity in their ministry. This year’s theme, Go! Make Disciples! Transform the World! will feature keynotes from Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson (Virginia Conference), Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, Jr. (Western North Carolina Conference), and Michael Beck. Our nearest satellite location is edges (706 Harding Ave., Blackburg). The cost is $45/person and includes lunch. We are working on getting a sizeable group from NMO-UMC to attend. Please see Nancy Sasser or Pastor Fleischer if you would like to participate. Register at https://2025.novatrainingday.com. For questions or assistance registering, please contact Robin Barge robinbarge@vaumc.org or (540) 989-3335.
Bishop Sue and Martha Stokes, conference lay leader, invite the Virginia Conference to explore spiritual disciplines from September 2024 to June 2025. The book, Soul Feast, by Marjorie J. Thompson will help guide this initiative with a different spiritual practice focus each month. On the first Monday of each month, there will be a live webinar to discuss the next spiritual discipline and suggested resources. Join here: https://vaumc.org/soulfeast/
WHAT IS WINTER CAMP?
Open to current 1st – 12th graders | December 13-15
$198 (standard rate)/$248 (supporters rate)
S’mores over a campfire, hikes to the (potentially frozen) waterfall, starry nights, and camp friends are all waiting for you at winter camp! We’ll be incorporating the highlights of summer camp along with fun Christmas activities (decorating cookies, making ornaments, other fun surprises!) to make winter camp full of memories, laughter, and community. You don’t want to miss out, so register today! Everyone will receive a Winter Camp long sleeve t-shirt with the theme graphics as part of their registration fee.
Camper Check-in will begin at 4 PM on December 13th and Camper Check-out will begin at 2 PM on December 15th.
WINTER CAMP 2024 THEME:
Our 2024 Winter Camp theme is, “The Sounding Joy,” and will focus on the sounding joy that resonates from all of God’s beautiful creation, including us! Campers will enjoy singing songs and spending time together amidst the gorgeous evergreens and twinkling stars (and Christmas lights, too). Throughout the weekend, campers will learn about the symphony of nature created to bring glory to God and to be enjoyed all around us! We will explore what it means to be a beloved community that cares for one another and how to care for God’s wonderful creation. We will make crafts, enjoy wagon rides, indulge in wintertime snacks, play games, sing lots of songs, and experience the power of the Christmas Story. Join us for camp and experience the sounding joy of God’s beautiful creation! We hope to see you there!
CLICK HERE FOR WINTER CAMP PACKING LIST
United Methodist Day at the General Assembly is January 30th. We will have arranged visits with our state legislators to discuss issues that are relevant to our faith with direction from our partners at Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy.
Early Bird Registration through December 20 – $25
Regular Registration closes on January 17 – $35
Questions? heatherwray@vaumc.org
Register: https://na.eventscloud.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=815503&