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Alpha

In Alpha you can explore the meaning of life and the Christian faith over the 10-week course. It's relaxed, non-threatening, low key, friendly and fun. Each week Alpha begins with a meal and is followed by a talk that looks at a different aspect of the Christian faith. Following the talk there is discussion in small groups. People stay in the same small group so they can get to know each other, continue discussions and deepen friendships. The emphasis is on exploration and discovery in a relaxed and informal environment.

The next Alpha course begins on Tuesday, January 24 with dinner at 6:00 p.m. The final session will be on April 3.

A previous Alpha participant wrote

'I thought Alpha might be "too basic" for me - I considered myself a Christian, after all. I noticed that each week, the "basic" questions about Christianity brought new feelings and questions and new perspectives from my Alpha friends. The small group setting that Alpha uses is perfect for discovering more about you and your relationship with God. I came out of Alpha having a renewed faith and desire to be a Christian - one with not just the pilot light on, but one that is burning bright.'

Child care will be provided for each Alpha session and for the day retreat which will take place on Saturday, March 3. If you would like to learn more about Alpha or have questions, please contact Burdette Robinson here or call 837-7717; or contact Carol Uzzle here or call 359-6041, ext. 117. Registration is online here or you may call Carol to register. 

The program for Wonderful Wednesday on January 18 will be an introduction to Alpha. Make plans to come to get a taste of what Alpha is like. Please make a reservation for the dinner here, by signing the friendship pad on Sunday morning or by calling the church office at 359-6041 by Monday, January 16 at 3:00 p.m.

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Journey 101: Serving God

January 22 - February 26

Through service we live out our faith in concrete acts of love. Others come to know God as they observe us. We invite you to explore Serving God, the third of the Journey 101 courses, beginning on Sunday, January 22 at 5:00 p.m. Rev. Abby Kocher will lead this 6-week course, which will end on February 26.

The classes will explore

• Biblical background for service and social justice
• Use of financial gifts and resources for God's purposes
• Ways to become a better steward of time
• Ways of sharing personal faith stories
• Spiritual gifts and their role in serving God and others

The Journey 101 classes may be taken in any order and are offered throughout the year. The format to the class is similar to that of Alpha, with small group discussion following a presentation. Child care will be available.

You may register on line here or by contacting Rev. Carol Uzzle here or 359-6041 ext. 117.

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Sunday Evening Bible Studies

Beginning in February 

On Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., beginning in early February, we will offer two new Bible studies. Each study has a resource book which costs less than $10. Child care will be provided.

IMMERSION BIBLE STUDY - BOOK OF ACTS

Acts is the history book of the New Testament. Over an 8-week period you will trace the growth of the early church and become familiar with the missionary journeys and ministry of Paul and others who took the Gospel into the world. Andy Weaver will lead this exploration. Participants are asked to use the new Common English Bible, which will be available for purchase during the first session, along with the Immersion textbook.

LIVING THE GOOD LIFE TOGETHER: DISCERNMENT

As Christians we are called to be knowledgeable and prepared and to bring the scripture alive in the world as doers of the word. Discernment is "seeking God with all our senses - taste, sight, sound, smell and touch. It means using all our senses to discern the presence of God - and to do this with clarity. Such discernment informs wise actions in our daily lives." The Living the Good Life series course on Discernment is a 12-week class broken into two sections. The first six weeks are a time of discovery and preparation known as Come and See. The group will apply what they have learned and discussed to daily life during the last half of the class, Go and Do.

You may register for both classes on line here or by contacting Rev. Carol Uzzle at 359-6041, ext. 117 or here.

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At youth group Sunday night, January 15, we will celebrate Martin Luther King Day with a movie night, watching "The Road to Freedom."

The schedule is as follows:

4:30 p.m. - Middle school youth group/high school choir

5:30 p.m. - Dinner ($3)

6:00 p.m. - High school youth group/middle school choir

Tuesday, January 17

11:00 a.m., Fellowship Hall

Please bring your favorite side dish or dessert to share at our covered dish luncheon. The main dish and drinks will be provided.

Reveille United Methodist Women

10th Annual Spiritual Life Retreat

February 4

8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon

What is a Hymn, Anyway?

Led by Donna Fay Kessel

Ladies: Be sure to mark this date on your calendar - February 4. Come and join us for a morning filled with food, fun, and fellowship. We will explore the origins of hymns, their authors, and the extraordinary circumstances of their compositions. We will sing our favorites and look at some new praise songs. And we will have the opportunity to tell stories about the hymns we have sung all our lives.

The retreat leader is Donna Fay Kessel, current Reveille UMW President. Donna Fay has been a choir member for over 30 years and is a frequent soloist at Reveille.

The day will begin with coffee and breakfast snacks at 8:30 a.m. and end with lunch at noon. The cost for the event is $25, which includes breakfast and lunch. Invite a friend!

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Help Feed the Homeless

                             BAG LUNCHES 

On Sunday, January 22, bag lunches will be prepared for homeless persons in Richmond at 10:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall. Mark your calendar to participate in this outreach ministry. If you would like to contribute food for the bag lunches, contact Jennifer Huneycutt here.

                                HOT MEAL

As the temperatures drop, our homeless neighbors appreciate, and need more than ever, the hot noontime meal that we serve once a month for Richmond's Friends of the Homeless. The date is Thursday, January 26. We need 10 potato casseroles, made and baked at home and brought to church by 10:00 a.m. that morning, labeled with your name and FOH. See the sign-up board near the welcome center or fellowship hall for the recipe. If you like to bake, our lunch guests really enjoy homemade desserts, too. 

This month, the Living the Good Life: Hospitality class is providing the food service help, so we will not need to ask for other volunteers to serve. This is a great project for any individual or small group that can be available on the fourth Thursday of each month.

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Art and Music Program

The Covenant Sunday School Class will host Dennis King and Kevin Bruny for a program of art and music on Sunday, January 22 at 9:30 a.m. in the chancel area of the sanctuary. The program will include Christmas carols, new and old, accompanied by a mixed media presentation of stained glass art.

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First and Ten

The first of ten celebratory postludes will be offered on Sunday, January 29 at the 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. worship services. Marcel Dupré composed his Cortege et Litanie in memory of one of his most gifted and famous students, Jehan Alain, who lived only 29 short years. Dupré was one of the outstanding figures of 20th century French organ music and was internationally renowned as composer, music editor, author, teacher, Director of the Paris Conservatoire and successor to Charles Marie Widor as organist of St. Sulpice. When you hear this piece, please feel free to move to the chancel and watch my feet. Marcel Dupré was known for composing some of the most complicated pedal technique of his time. More on that next week.

- Cathy Armistead

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A Note of Thanks

January 3, 2012

To Our Reveille Family:

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for allowing us to serve our congregation with our culinary talents in food service. In 2012, there will be new faces and a new format in the Wonderful Wednesday kitchen. We are excited to find new ways we can contribute to RUMC and the community.

In his service,

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Special Gifts

Congregational Care Fund

In memory of Virginia Talley

Frances Carroll Circle

Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Beck

General Memorial Fund

In memory of Virginia Talley

Bill and Betty Hopkins

United Methodist Committee On Relief

In memory of Sam Waddell

Betty and Woody Hathaway

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Staff

James R. Noland, Senior Pastor

Abigail W. Kocher, Associate Pastor

Stephen A. Coleman, Associate Pastor

Carol T. Uzzle, Minister for Teaching and Learning

Cathleen V. Armistead, Director of Music Ministries

Dwayne H. Stinson, Director of Youth Ministries

Kaarina Jobe, Worship and Music Leader for The Point

Anne W. Stratton, Administrative Manager

Cheryl L. Arrington, Pastoral and Congregational Care Secretary

William F. Wright, Facilities Manager

Glynis M. Holcomb, Financial Manager

Thomas A. Goodall, Custodian

Tyrell A. Jefferson, Custodian

Elaine B. Kastelberg, Director of Weekday School

Beverley F. Tilley, Weekday School Administrative Assistant

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