Rev. Brad Phillips District Superintendent

Message from the District

As I write this article summer will soon be over. Kay, who is a teacher, is seeing far too many back-to-school ads in the paper. Looming in the not too distant future is the fall and with that comes all kinds of ―gearing up‖. Among the activities are charge conferences where this year we will celebrate the hope that is found in each church.

Fall, this particular year, is going to bring about two wonderful events that I wrote about last month, but I feel need to be shared with you again. The first is the Stop Hunger Event on Saturday September 19 at Virginia Wesleyan College from 9AM-noon. Very few of us have suffered from true hunger. We have felt hunger because it has been too long between meals, but we do not know true hunger. 1 billion people on our planet either have no food, or are very malnourished. I cannot imagine having to tell my children and now grandchildren that there is little or no food for them to eat. However, there are many people who have to do just that. I hope that you can support this on several levels. We need funds so that we can buy the food to pack. The cost is $0.25 per meal. We need $71,000 in order to do 284,000 meals to fill a container. We are going, I hope, to be able to see this container taken down to the port.

We are working on corporate sponsorship, but also need financial help from churches and individuals. We also need individuals who can give us a few hours on a Saturday morning to come and pack the ingredients that make up a meal. It is easy to do. It is fun. It is rewarding. You meet all kinds of nice people while packing meals. Can you and will you step up and help us to make this a memorable mission event for the Norfolk District? I’ll be there, how about you?

Second of all, there is a wonderful stewardship planning event on the district that will be held the very next Saturday Sept. 26 from 8:30AM until noon at Oak Grove Church in Chesapeake. There is no admission charge, but you are asked to register online (information inside). It seems that many people cringe when they hear the word stewardship. Either we are uncomfortable about doing it, or that we really don’t understand everything about it. We have a great opportunity for lay and for clergy to come and learn together so that stewardship can become a user-friendly word and ministry opportunity. I’ll be there also. Won’t you come and let us learn more together?

All looks busy, however, we are busy doing ministry and mission as a district. I hope you will want to come and join us and be a part of some things that are special.Superintendent

Blessings,
Brad

The District Beam, The United Methodist Church, Norfolk District Office,
Sept, 2009