E-Blast!

Call Us : 540-828-0890 Mail Us : adminasst@bridgewaterumc.com

Bridgewater UMC E-Blast

Friday, August 15, 2025

Announcements from Pastor Mary

Hello everyone!

This Sunday, we welcome the Summer Praise Dancers from InMotion School of Dance to lead us in worship. Their presentation is based on the story that Jesus told about the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. "Our own" Ansley Leach & Kendall Ruliffson will be dancing! We hope you will want to come and experience this powerful presentation. I can't wait! There is more information below!

Next Sunday (Aug 24th) will be our Back to School Sunday! There will be a special blessing for everyone returning to school at all levels! Please bring your backpack or school bag to church! Worship will be centered on the importance of education, especially Christian Education!

I will be away next week... as they say, "The lake is calling and I must go..." I will be attending the Festival of Wisdom and Grace at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina from August 18-23 for spiritual renewal and education. Feel free to contact Robin in the Church Office for scheduling or admin. If you have a pastoral care need, please contact our Lay Leader, Karen Chamblee. Karen can direct you to the pastor on call, if needed. Our pastor on call is Jenny Day at Dayton UMC.

We had the BEST week at Bible School! We learned about Jesus, Levi a tax collector. We learned about forgiveness and how Jesus rose from the dead. Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers that have performed astounding feats like organizing fun games, and making mac & cheese and balloon animals! Everyone can step right up and offer their gifts to Jesus, but the best news is that Jesus steps right up and meets us there! Thank you most of all to our leader Gracen Kelley, our new Children's Ministry director!

NEW DIRECTORY We have printed a new (paper) directory of contact information for members and friends. If you would like a printed one, please pick one up at church. We have more copies out for Sunday, if you do not have one yet. If you would like an electronic copy (PDF format), please call or email Robin in the church office. Thank you!

Blessings, Pastor Mary

Please continue to share the good news that our worship time is at 10 AM.

Keep inviting friends & neighbors to Sunday School at 9 AM & joyful, meaningful worship at 10 AM!

The Prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. ~ James 5: 15-16

Joys and answered prayers

Thank you God for the love of Jesus, our church, our family and our friends
We give thanks for God's grace and mercy

Our Sympathy to the Families of

Holly Hatcher, murdered at her home in Broadway

Current Prayer Concerns

Carolyn VanDyck

Dorice Graham

Spencer and Michael Hatcher

Katrina Davis

Becky Crawford

Ongoing Prayer Needs of our Congregation

Georgia Lee Byerly

Grace Fishback

Betty Foley

Henry Graham

Casey Hartman

Rodney Hildebrand

Deidra Hill

Barbara Kiracofe

Dorothy Lion

Shirley Creekbaum

Ray Michael

Stephany Plecker

Mitzi Puffenbarger

Joanne Simpkins

Bonnie & Tom Snook

Sandra Stroud

Vic Taylor

Nancy Thomas

Gary and Marcia Tyeryar

Donald Usry

Doris Waters

For the people affected by fires and natural disasters and the people helping them.
For all involved in the protests and ICE raids around the country.

For our nation, the decisions of the new administration, congress and the courts; and may God bless and guide America

For peace in Ukraine and the Middle East and for all of the people living there

For immediate action to provide food and medicine to those starving and suffering in Gaza

May there be peace on earth, and may it begin with us

For Bridgewater UMC - for growth in spirit and faith

For all of the active duty members of our armed forces, for veterans and for our first responders

Our children and grandchildren and our families and friends

For college, high school, middle school and elementary students - for their learning and grades

For better health and more strength. For successful medical treatments

For patience.

For strength to spread the gospel even when it's hard

Help us to put God first in everything we do

Those who think that God has deserted them in the midst of today's world circumstances

For people and families dealing with depression and anxiety, with mental illness and with addiction

For less death in our family, for peace and grace in facing grief and loss

Those who are mourning or afraid and for all those fighting cancer

Worship Volunteers for this Sunday, August 17, 2025 (3rd Sun)

Greeters Jim & Judy Tongue

Ushers Don & Jason Gilkeson

Reader Shadrach Baako-Amponsah

Audio-Visual Mark Kipps

Acolytes Madelyn & Nolan Gilkeson

Sanctuary Servers Kathi Hemmis

BUMC Youth Group

Church Zoom Prayer For Teens, & Youth Check-In
Starting back Sunday, August 17, 2025 (EVERY SUNDAY)
All church members, parents, and teens are invited to join us in prayer for the teens in our church, Bridgewater, Harrisonburg, and surrounding areas as we pray for their safety, well-being, and faith walk.

6:45–7:00 PM – Prayer for teens in church and community (all church members invited)
7:00–7:15 PM – Teen Check-In (for teens only)

Topic: Joe Johnson’s Personal Meeting Room
Join Zoom Meeting:
Click Here to Join
Meeting ID: 336 202 6286
Passcode: 122281
Questions? Text Joe at (240) 328-5847.

Zoom Check-in Every Sunday at 7 PM

Don't forget our check-in Sunday evenings at 7 PM. Contact Jomo if you need the link!

Blessings, Jomo Johnson (240) 328-5847 dumbumyouth@gmail.com

Hi, BUMC kiddos, friends, and families!

A huge thank you to everyone who attended and everyone who assisted in our Vacation Bible School - Step Right Up!

Children’s Church will be returning on August 24!

~Gracen Kelley~

B-UMC Kids Group Me,

email gracenkelley123@gmail.com or phone (call, text) 804-867-6143

Coffee Social on Sunday Aug 17 - 9 AM - Fellowship Hall

On Sunday, August 17th The Nurture Committee will have a Coffee Social from 9-9:45 AM in the social hall! Stop by for a doughnut and cup of coffee and stay for our 10 AM worship service to see the In Motion praise dancers perform!

We are excited to welcome the InMotion Dance Team to our worship service on this Sunday, August 17. This is something you won't want to miss!

The InMotion Summer Praise Dance group is in its twelfth touring season in the Harrisonburg area. Our purpose is to create community within our own studio, learn more about the nature of worship, and extend the gift of worship through dancing to our surrounding community. This year, we are dancing the Scripture narrative of “The Good Samaritan,” found in Luke 10:25-37. We are excited to share in worship with you on the 17th and hope that you are blessed by experiencing worship in a new way.

Time for Operation Christmas Child!

August Collection is School Supplies

It’s time for Operation Christmas Child! We will be trying to prepare 100 boxes again this year to include school supplies, hygiene items, and lots of other fun things for children in need.

In August, we will be collecting school supplies. Lots of items are on sale in preparation for back-to-school. These are the items we are collecting:

pencils

black ink pens

crayons

glue sticks

small notepads

Post-it notes

pencil sharpeners

erasers

scissors

colored pencils

stickers.

We appreciate the church’s support for this important project for children!!
Thanks, Johna

UWF Reading Program - Reports Due Aug 24th

The UWF Reading Reports will be due on August 24th. If you have a report to turn in, you can get it to Kathi Hemmis, or leave it in the container on the reading cart.

There is still time to read another book before the deadline. There are plenty of good books! In December Kathi will be taking the 2020 books off the shelves. We have some really good books, so take a look! Recently we has several new books generously donated by Johna McFarland.

~ Kathi Hemmis

Our Church Directory Update is Here!

Our Church Directory has been updated with your help. Printed copies can be picked up on the table under the quilts at church. We have printed more for Sunday morning!

If you would like an electronic copy (PDF), please call or email Robin in the office at 540-828-0890 or adminasst@bridgewaterumc.com and she will send you an electronic copy. If you see any corrections that are needed, please let me (Judy) or Robin know. We want your help to make this perfect!

Thank you! Judy Tongue, Membership Secretary

The Arc of Harrisonburg and Rockingham is excited to launch Nourishment for Neighbors, a community-based nutrition initiative taking place September 15, 16, 17. Funded by the MLK Day of Service Grant, this project is designed to address food insecurity by providing individuals and families in our community with fresh, nutritious groceries and wellness resource packets filled with healthy recipes and information about food access programs.
Groceries will be carefully selected to align with the educational materials and delivered to designated community pick-up sites.