Welcome to the Ashland District
Welcome to the Ashland District web site. We hope you will find something of interest here. But more important, we pray that you will find a family in one of our many vibrant churches across the Ashland District.
A Word From Your District Superintendent
Dear Friends,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our risen savior, Christ the Lord. I pray that your summer has been a time for fun and rest and for time to renew.
Now as we look to our ministry together this fall I want to offer you one challenge and then highlight two events. Here is the challenge:
While attending the School of Congregational Development in Orlando, Florida, from July 31 to August 5 sponsored by the General Board of Discipleship and the General Board of Global Ministries, I heard the testimony of one pastor who said his daily prayer is simply: “Lord, send me the people nobody wants or sees. Amen.”
My challenge is to ask you as a leader in the Ashland District to pray this prayer with me and then may we wait and see what God does!
The first of the two events I want to bring to your attention occurs on October 4, 2008. Our District Council on Ministries is sponsoring a relational evangelism event at Duncan Memorial. Authentic Outreach will be taught by its author/creator Stuart Holt. This training was offered at Blackstone last winter and our representatives felt so strongly about its value that we are offering a one-day training event.
We must continually focus on our call to share the gospel and make disciples. We recall the challenge that the Reverend Keith Boyette gave our whole annual conference in June 2006 when he made us aware that nearly one third of our churches in Virginia have not had a profession of faith in the last few years. This relational evangelism event gives us a specific way to address our ministry to folks who are far from God and unconnected to a faith community. Please encourage your church leadership – both pastor and lay leadership to be present.
The second event is our Ashland District Conference on November 16, 2008, at 4:00 pm at Mechanicsville UMC featuring Bishop Charlene Kammerer as our preacher.
We are so fortunate to have Bishop Kammerer as our spiritual leader. She guides the leadership of our annual conference with a vision to share the gospel with all God’s people in a way that empowers and builds up the Body of Christ. You will not want to miss this opportunity to hear our Bishop preach. All members of the Ashland District are welcome – not just delegates to our District Conference.
Finally, during our 2008 Annual Conference meeting we adopted a vision for our Annual Conference to create 250 new faith communities in the next 30 years. This vision is entitled All Things New.” Once All Things New was officially approved delegates were given a chance to come forward to express interest in a particular part of this vision. Over 600 individuals came forward to say they wanted to be a part of creating new faith communities.
Go to our conference website at www.vaumc.org and click on “All Things New” to learn more so you may join in this movement of God to share the gospel and make disciples.
See you in church!
Grace & peace- Mark
