The Gulf Central District’s Tips
for a Successful Charge Conference
Your Annual Charge Conference is the yearly business meeting of your church, in which you elect persons to leadership, set the clergy compensation, vote on a list of inactive church members for removal, and consider candidates for ministry. We think of Charge Conferences as being routine, required meetings, but they are also very important.
It is important to hold a separate Charge Conference for each church or charge, so that there are opportunities for questions, motions from the floor, etc. Additionally, we want the District Superintendent or other District staff members to be present with as many Charge Conferences as possible. Because of the large number of Gulf Central churches, the most efficient way for us to do this is to schedule Cluster Charge Conferences at host churches. We realize this means that you may have to drive a distance to an unfamiliar location. Please know that we appreciate your cooperation. This year, at each host location, there will be a group of 2:00pm Charge Conferences, an optional Fellowship Hour at 3:00pm, and then a group of 4:00pm Charge Conferences. We hope you'll use this Fellowship Hour to network with other churches and with our District Staff.
We're looking forward to a great Charge Conference season learning more about your churches and celebrating your good work! [The Charge Conference for Riverview First United Methodist Church will be held at St. Andrews United Methodist Church on Sunday, October 8th, at 4:00 PM.]
Upcoming Events
Sunday, October 1st—Communion Sunday, 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM Services
Tuesday, October 3rd—Trustees Meeting, Library, 7:00 PM
Sunday, October 8th—Stewardship Pot Luck Luncheon, Fellowship Hall, 11:45 AM
Sunday, October 8th—Annual Charge Conference, St. Andrews UMC, 4:00 PM
Tuesday
Sunday, October 15th—RESTORE Cart Donation Sunday
Our “Virtual Church” Continues
We are still currently Live Streaming our 10:30 AM Sunday worship service every week. You can see worship as it is actually happening by connecting to our YouTube Channel "RUMC Live".
Online Giving at RUMC
Giving online is easy and allows you to set up automatic recurring contributions and view your complete online giving history from anywhere you have access to the Internet. Or you can enter one-time contributions from the internet or by smart phone.
To get started, simply follow these easy steps:
- Click on the Online Giving button below. This will take you to our church’s online giving webpage.
- Click on our Create Profile button on that webpage.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to create an online profile and to schedule your recurring or one-time contributions.
Rev. Louis Telcy, Pastor
Here at RUMC, it is our mission to win people to Jesus Christ; to train believers to become growing disciples; and, to send disciples to impact our community and world for Jesus Christ.
Morning Service 8:00 AM
Fellowship Hall
Main Service 10:30 AM
Sanctuary
8002 U. S. Highway 301 South, Riverview, FL 33578 813-677-5995
Download the September, 2023
Bell Newsletter from this link.
Bible Passage of the Week
The Great Commission
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:4-11 (NIV)
“Add a Buck or Two”
Pat Sinda has begun a new stewardship program, called “Add a Buck or Two” Sunday, which will begin on the second Sunday in September (9/10/2023). She notes that our membership has dropped over the year, but our bills have actually increased, and like your own, they recur every month. As you’ve noticed in your own home, the added heat this summer has caused air conditioning bills to skyrocket. RUMC’s July electric bill was $4,500 and our August electric bill was $4,000.
Meanwhile, with people on summer vacations, outings, and cruises church attendance and offerings have been significantly reduced. We need your support to continue to pay our staff, our utility bills, and to keep our doors open.
If this church has given you any strength, hope, or love, we’re asking that you give back an additional buck or two on Sunday, September 10th. Anything that you can find will help TREMENDOUSLY! Pat found a bumper sticker recently that read “Tithe if you love Jesus! Any fool can honk!”
Our 2024 Stewardship Campaign
For the next few weeks, church members will be giving a series of Stewardship talks. Mike Plett, our Finance Committee Chairperson gave the first two talks—speaking about our budget requirements on September 17th and explaining what our Apportionments are all about on September 24th. A hardcopy report, combining both talks is available from this link.
On Sunday, October 1st and Sunday, October 8th, guest speakers will talk about what RUMC means to them and possible futures for our church community. After the service on Sunday, October 8th, the Care Committee is sponsoring a Stewardship Pot Luck Luncheon immediately following the 10:30 AM service in Fellowship Hall. They will be providing the meat, and they ask that you bring your favorite salad, side dish, or dessert.
Our 2024 Charge Conference
Our annual Charge Conference is also coming up on Sunday, October 8th. Our session will be held at St. Andrews United Methodist Church on the corner of Bloomingdale and Bryan in Brandon. Although our session begins at 4:00 PM, those who come early can fellowship with members of other United Methodist churches in Hillsborough County.
A New Bible Study
The Wednesday morning Bible
Study is beginning a new study
this coming Wednesday,
September 27th. It is called
“Twelve Women of the Bible”,
and it will be led by Gayle
Gordon. The study features
homilies by Lisa TerKeurst, Elisa
Morgan, and other women
evangelists. We meet in the
library starting at 10:00 AM
for those of you who are
interested.
