The Connect, May 8, 2025
“Ruth and Naomi” by Kelly Latimore
Sunday Worship at 10:30 a.m.
Goodbye, Richard Bass! Richard is retiring after serving as our communications manager for the last five years, maintaining the prayer list so our members and friends get the prayers they need, helping our members navigate the transition to Subsplash giving and tracking down pledges so we can budget for our church expenses, helping new members learn about Annandale UMC, fielding countless questions and handling countless logistics every week. He will be at worship today for a fond farewell. If you would like to make a donation for a love offering for Richard, you can do so through Subsplash or leave one with Elaine Woods: ewoods@annandale-umc.org .
Jason leads the service, continuing our series on Ruth and Naomi. In today’s passage, Ruth searches for a field where she can glean enough grain to feed herself and Naomi without being harassed. In what looks like a stroke of luck, she meets Boaz, who gives her his protection and his permission to take from his crops. Join us as Jason examines the meaning of “luck,” and how often divine providence can mask itself in it.
Music highlights today include “Order My Steps” from the Adult Choir, “Your Grace Is Enough,” “Remembrance (The Communion Song),” and “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” from the Praise Team, and “Grace Greater Than Our Sin” from the hymnal.
Thank you to the Mary and Martha Circle for hosting fellowship hour this week, and to the Annandale UMC Staff for hosting last week. Next week’s hosts will be the Children’s Ministry. If you are willing to help, email Elaine Woods, ewoods@annandale-umc.org .
Welcome Sarah!
Sarah Gates ( children@annandale-umc.org ) joined the staff as the Children’s Minister on Apr. 25. Elaine Woods, by handing off children’s ministries to Sarah, will have time to handle some of tasks Richard has overseen, including managing giving and new member engagement, as well as being able to focus more on developing our adult classes and small groups.
A native Mississippian, Sarah Gates moved to the DMV area in 2015 to pursue a career in international development. She will begin a (hybrid) Master of Divinity program at Candler School of Theology at Emory this fall, with a particular interest in children’s ministry and chaplaincy. Sarah has pursued her longstanding commitment to supporting children and youth’s education, employment, and development through various jobs and volunteer positions - including coordinating life skills and job readiness activities for youth and young adults in rural Colorado, researching the effects of war on primary school students in northern Uganda, and teaching Sunday school to young children through Godly Play since 2022. Sarah tends to prefer talking to children over adults and loves that Godly Play acknowledges that children have rich spiritual lives. Having grown up in the Church of Christ, Sarah began attending the same Episcopal church her father attended at LSU. While newer to the United Methodist Church, Sarah is delighted by the presence of Bibles in the pews and the richness of the musical offerings.
In her spare time, Sarah enjoys trying to maintain her French language skills, writing essays on Christianity and culture for Mockingbird, and taking walks in Mason District Park while asking everyone if she can pet their dog. She takes Harry Potter very seriously and would love to talk to you about it.
Current Events at Annandale UMC
Our next 30s/40s group meeting will be on Saturday, May 10, at noon at Greenspring Gardens (4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA 22312). We’ll enjoy getting to know each other and discussing our goals and hopes for the group in this beautiful setting. Children are welcome! Contact Rachel Meier at rachel.s.matlock@gmail.com with questions.
Spreading Christ’s love through cookies: The Kairos Prison Ministry team is preparing to share God’s love with the men at Greensville Correctional Center on May 15-18, and a sweet and tangible gift they can share is cookies. A cookie sign-up sheet, prison-approved recipes and instructions are on the table in the atrium. Sugar-free and gluten-free cookies are especially needed. Cookies must be dropped off by May 13. If you cannot bake but want to make a donation for baking supplies, make a check to Annandale UMC with “Kairos Cookies” in the note line. If you are willing to pray for the team and participants, please sign up in the atrium. Contact Jay Morris at 703-200-6300 or jmorris55@verizon.net for details.
Camp Highroad “Spring Cleaning” Trip, May 31: On Saturday, May 31, our church will be doing light maintenance, landscaping, and facility improvement projects at Camp Highroad! This Christian camp is a one hour drive from Annandale UMC at 21164 Steptoe Hill Rd, Middleburg, VA 20117. Maps are available. We will have a light breakfast in front of the church starting at 7:30 a.m. for anyone who wants to meet up in advance, heading out by 8 a.m. Lunch will be provided (please contact Teresa directly with any food restrictions or allergies). We will leave Highroad at 4:30 p.m., and stop for pizza on the way home if desired (majority rule!). If we are forced to cancel due to inclement weather, those who RSVPed will be contacted. We are so thankful for all those at Annandale United Methodist Church who have volunteered their time and resources to keep this camp a reality! For more information, carpool questions, or to RSVP, please contact Teresa Beyer at larachliath@gmail.com or text or call 301-221-8321 .
Youth Sunday is June 1. Join us during worship as we celebrate the young members of our congregation by giving Bibles to third graders so they can grow in their faith journey, bridging rising sixth graders from Children’s to Youth Ministries, recognizing our new high school and college graduates, and more.
ACCA Furniture: Thanks to Adam, Cory, Glenn, Randy and Will for volunteering to help deliver donated furniture to families in need in March. Our next big date is Saturday, June 14. If you can help, call Ted Torsch at 443-415-8954.
Save the date for Vacation Bible School, June 23-27, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. This year’s theme is Egypt: Joseph’s Journey from Prison to Palace. Alongside Joseph, children will experience the heartbreaking trials, joyous victories, and tear-filled celebrations of this unique Bible hero. VBS campers will experience rotations in science, Bible stories, music, recreation, snack and craft, learning about the culture of Josepth’s time. Registration will close on Sunday, June 15. The cost is $25 per child. Register online at annandalechurch.com/vbs .
The youth are going on a summer mission trip to West Virginia, July 19-26! It will be through the Jeremiah Project. We will do basic home repair such as painting, yardwork, building stairs, railings, and wheelchairs ramps, along with having time to pray together and a day off for fun activities like tubing. Registration and cost information will be available closer to the event. If you are interested in joining us, please let Peter know at pkwon@annandale-umc.org . You can learn more about the trip at https://jeremiahproject.org/mission-trips/summer-2025 .
Do you wish Annandale UMC had a class for you? We’re always looking for members willing to cut through the bustle of daily life and be part of the core groups allowing new activities to exist. Our next group we hope to put together is one for the empty-nesters: a 40s-60s fellowship group. Contact Elaine if you are interested at ewoods@annandale-umc.org .
Get Involved
Become a member of Annandale UMC! There’s a specific process for membership at United Methodist Churchs involving talking with our pastors and filling out a form. We greatly appeciate the many congregants who join us throughout the year and would love to officially welcome you into our church. To become a member, or find out whether you already are, contact Richard at rbass@annandale-umc.org .
Meet our congregants as a greeter! Volunteers greet everyone who enters our church 10-10:30 a.m. Sunday mornings, welcoming new visitors and longterm attendees alike. To volunteer, contact Elaine at ewoods@annandale-umc.org .
We welcome new and returning volunteers at our weekly food distribution — sign up at annandalechurch.com/foodsignup . To learn about more of our mission activities, visit annandalechurch.com/missions .
Want to do more at church? Contact Richard for general volunteering at rbass@annandale-umc.org , Elaine for children’s activities and adult classes and groups at ewoods@annandale-umc.org , Peter for youth activities at pkwon@annandale-umc.org , Harry for volunteering in the church office at helanko@annandale-umc.org , and Pat for music ministries at pvaughn@annandale-umc.org .
Monday night online study: We’re currently discussing Fleming Rutledge’s The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ. In this book Rutledge addresses the issues and controversies that have caused pastors to speak of the cross only in the most general, bland terms, precluding a full understanding and embrace of the gospel by their congregations. Join us live on Riverside Mondays at 7 p.m. at annandalechurch.com/mondayclass , or catch the recordings at jasonmicheli.substack.com/ .
Caring for Our Congregants
Stephen Ministers are here to support you. Stephen Ministers are lay members of our congregation trained to provide one-to-one care to those experiencing a difficult time in life, such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or relocation. Email cyndij123@verizon.net for this free, confidential, Christian support. The email that has been included in this notice in the past was not active. If you left a request in the past and did not receive a reply, please email cyndij123@verizon.net. We regret the error.
Morning Prayer: Each weekday morning at 8:30 a.m., we gather virtually on Zoom for Morning Prayer. We follow the liturgy from Brian Zahnd’s Prayer School. All are welcome to participate.
Would you like to add a name to our prayer list? Our prayer list is available in the atrium on Sundays. We also send the prayer list on Sunday afternoons by email. To add a name for our congregation to pray for, send an email to connect@annandale-umc.org . If you or someone you added should be removed from the prayer list, please let us know. Direct phone calls to Richard Bass at 703-256-8330, ext. 113. If you don’t receive our emails, contact connect@annandale-umc.org and we’ll sign you up.
Our Prayer Shawl Ministry members knit or crochet shawls by hand, which are then prayed over, blessed, and given to our members who are sick, grieving, homebound, or who need a special blessing. If you are interested in being of part of this ministry or if you know of someone who would like a prayer shawl, please contact Rita Witkowski, rita6@cox.net , or Elaine Woods, ewoods@annandale-umc.org .