January Newsletter HAYMOUNT UMC
A Note From the Pastor
Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ: the Child Born in Bethlehem!
I turn to Howard Thurman each December for his brooding poetry about the Christmas season. This year, his poem "The Growing Edge" captured my attention.
The Growing Edge
All around us worlds are dying and new worlds are being born;
All around us life is dying and life is being born:
The fruit ripens on the tree; Against the time when there shall be new leaves, fresh blossom, green fruit.
Such is the growin
It is the extra breath from th
The one more thing to try when The upward reach of life when wearines
This is the basis of hope in m
The incentive to carry on when And men have lost their reason; When worlds crash and dream
The birth of a child--life's most dra
This is the Growing Ed
Look well to the gro
In a season that invites joy and hop ourselves in "moments of despair" friends and family.
January 2025
Thurman turns us toward the Child born to Mary a child born so that we might live and even thrive in seasons of exhaustion.
I invite you to read with me this year I am committing to reading the gospels of Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John every 90 days. We will read a chapter daily and complete the gospel cycle four times this year To make this easy for you, consider downloading the Haymount app to your phone At the bottom right corner of the app is a section labeled Bible. Click there on January 1 and then on the next screen click
Haymount United Methodist Church
1700 Fort Bragg Road
Fayetteville, NC 28303
910.484.0181
Lead Pastor
Rev Allen Bingham allenbingham@haymountumc com
Pastor
Rev. Donald Warren donaldwarren@haymountumc com
Director of Contemporary Worship
Katie Powers katie@haymountumc com
Director of Traditional Worship
Wes Lockfaw weslockfaw@haymountumc.com
Director of Children and Family Ministries
Rachel Madsen rachel madsen@haymountumc com
Director of Youth Ministries
Jessica Scott jessica@haymountumc com
Director of Special Projects
Karen Barkman
karen barkman@haymountumc com
Director of Finance
Nicole Andre nicole@haymountumc com
Communications Coordinator
Morgan Bunker morgan@haymountumc com
January Birthdays
January 2
John Dees
Robbie Strickland
January 3
Pat Trujillo
January 4
Kendall Strickland
January 5
Emily Torbett
January 8
Mary Farr
Dusty Fry
Barry Swift
January 9
Hugh Bryan
Eydie Hammaker
John Owen
January 11
Rick Mathis
January 12
Suzanne Pate
January 13
Kelli Canady
Abby Cartrette
Susan McGugan
January 14
Rick Booth
Christie Lockhart
January 15
Minh Courtney
Kendal Draughon
Owen Driggers
Steve Howard
January 16
David Nash
January 19
Peggy Davis
Ana Fueyo
January 20
Karen Koonce
Morgan Ross
January 21
Mandy Middleton
January 22
Ann Bingham
Michael Ramos
Peter Stewart
Tom Torbett
January 23
Ellen Bowman
Nathan Howie
Dena Lingle
John Pate
Grace Vanias
January 24
Kenneth Cole
January 25
Nicholas Kinzey
Megan Packer
January 26
Ina Cartrette
Henry Richardson
Asher Zoss
January 27
Brooke Bieniek
Ben Brookover
Randy Draughon
January 28
Hudson Armstrong
January 29
Pitt Dickey
April Hrabar
Drew Kramer
Molly Lewis
Sue Smith
January 30
Tricia Everett
Carol Lloyd
January 31
Charlotte Howard
Memorials and Honoraria
Memorials have been given to the glory of God in the memory of:
David Fowler by: William and Sabrina Brooks
Ruth Ruppe by: Rick & Brenda Booth, Phil & Katherine Pugh, Greg & Taylor Whitley, Stephanie Stang, Karl & Kathleen Rouse, William & Sabrina Brooks, Sarah Meoni, Bob & Genny Lou Exum, Kelly & Gina Puryear
Bruce McClelland by: Margaret Hedgecoe
Alex Batdorff by: Rick & Brenda Booth, Kelly & Gina Puryear
John Bergland by: Rick & Brenda Booth
Journey to the Manger Thank You
Our Children’s ministry would like to extend a huge “Thank You” to all who helped out with our second annual Journey to the Manger! It was a wonderful afternoon of fellowship and fun that would not have been possible without our fantastic volunteers!
Literacy in the Home
Join us on January 26 from 4:00 – 6:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall for our January Parent Partnership Forum. We will be hosting special guest speaker, Mrs. Lizzie Shepherd, a Vanstory Elementary 4th grade teacher. Childcare will be provided, as well as a light dinner. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Rachel Madsen no later than January 19.
4:12 Tweens Meetings
Be sure to join us in room 205 from 6:15-7:00 PM on Wednesday evenings during the month of January for our upcoming 4:12 Tweens meetings!
This month’s challenge for our Tweens is to set aside time to read their bible!
For more information on 4:12 Tweens, or for questions you have about upcoming meeting dates, contact Rachel Madsen at rachel.madsen@haymountumc.com
Upcoming Events
Chorale returns to Haymount for the second time, with a showcase of their own! A gem in our midst, don’ i hi i h i i e com uary
2 a off
season of its Music for a Great Space Concert Series. The upcoming concerts of this series are made possible through the generous support of its patrons through donations and free-will offerings All concerts take place in the sanctuary of HUMC at 4:00 PM unless otherwise indicated.
February 2: The Cross Creek Chorale
March 23: Ensemble Galilei- A Celtic Ensemble
April 18, 7pm: The Seven Last Words of Christ, presented by Choir and Orchestra
May 18: Prelude to Memorial Day Spectacular
“Thank You”! Without the help of our generous congregation, concerts such as this would not be possible!
Make a New Year s Resolution Join a choir!
Cherub Choir (Ages 3 – Kindergarten) – Room 120 Wednesdays 5-5:45 pm
Gabriel Choir (Grades 1-5) – Room 220
This Choir includes Singing, Handbells, and Royal School of Church Music Curriculum Wednesdays 5-5:45 pm
Youth Worship Arts (Grades 6-12) – Rooms 220 & 222
This group includes handbells, vocal music, instrument music and visual arts. Wednesdays 5-6:30 pm
Men’s Chorale (Ages 15 and up) – Sanctuary Wednesdays 6:30-7 pm
The Carillonneurs (Adult Handbells) – Room 220 Thursdays 5:30-7 pm
Chancel Choir (Ages 14 and Older) – Choir Room Wednesdays 7-8:30 pm
YOUTH
LUMINARIES THANK YOU
Our Youth Ministry would like to thank everyone who donated to our Christmas Eve Luminary fundraiser! With the money we raised through this fundraiser we will be able to extend our programming, and help our youth attend conferences throughout 2025. Thank you for contributing to the growth of our Youth Group!
JANUARY NEWS
2024 HOLIDAY SEASON RECAP
We had a lot of fun this holiday season and enjoyed evenings of fellowship and worship as a group throughout the month of December! One of our favorite memories was decorating a Christmas tree in the youth room! We would also like to specifically thank everyone who opened up their homes during our Progressive Dinner-it was an evening to remember!
YOUTH VOLUNTEERS
Our Youth Ministry is always in need of volunteers willing to donate their time to help with various youth trips or activities. If you are willing and able, please contact Jessica Scott at jessica@haymountumc.com for more information and volunteer opportunities
MomCo U
We’re thrilled MomCo, our g children ages birth to Kindergarten (formerly known as MOPs) This year has been a season of growth and connection for our group, and we’re so grateful for the continued support of our church family.
First, we’re celebrating a 33% increase in membership! This growth reflects the community we’re building together and the impact of creating a welcoming space for moms to connect, learn about motherhood and Christ, and share life together.
In addition to resuming our monthly regular meetings, we ' ve been increasing the number of opportunities for mothers of young children to connect through hosting park play dates, activities, and more!
In December, we had the privilege of participating in a service project to bless the shut-in members of our church With our children, we decorated festive gift bags to brighten their holiday season It was a beautiful opportunity to teach our children about the joy of serving others while strengthening our bond as a group
We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our church for supporting MomCo’s mission A special thank you goes out to the new mentor moms who have joined us this year. Your wisdom, encouragement, and guidance have been invaluable, and we are so blessed to have you walking alongside us
Thank you for helping us grow as mothers and as disciples of Christ. We look forward to what God has in store for MomCo in the months ahead!
Our September kick-off cookout was a highlight of the back-to-school season, bringing together families from both our church and community gers, g g p
By: Jenae Dwornicki
United Women in Faith January Update
During the season of Christmas, we use lots of lights –on Christmas trees, candles in the house and in windows, etc. We give light to others by our actions and smiles. We give light to others with gifts. We trust the homeless at Operation Inasmuch see that light of Jesus’ love as they received the socks from Haymount UWFaith – a small but grateful gesture Thanks to everyone who donated socks to this project There were nearly 400 pairs!!! WOW!!! This action lasts long after the Christmas lights are unplugged!
UWFaith will sell desserts at WEF on January 22 and February 19
UWFaith will have a Prayer and Self-Denial Program in January, February or March
UWFaith invite ladies to join a circle.
Thank you for sharing your light. Keep the light burning in 2025!!!
Inasmuch Breakfast Schedule
How to Get Involved
Did you know that the Inasmuch campus is located in the third poorest zip code in North Carolina (28301)? More than 30% of our population lives in poverty. Serving breakfast to our homeless and struggling community provides not just a hot, nutritious meal, but it also feeds those souls in need of comfort; Inasmuch is a sanctuary from the streets. Every other month, HUMC serves breakfast at Inasmuch and we would love if you would join our team
Our schedule this year is as follows: January 7, March 4, May 6, July 1, September 2, and November 4. All dates are on a Tuesday. We meet at the headquarters building at 7 am and we are generally done by 8:45 am No experience is necessary; you learn on the job If you are interested in joining the team or if you want to sign up for a date in advance, please contact Barbara Speir at barbara-speir@nc.rr.com or at barbara@inasmuchfay org
The Heart and Soul of Haymount
Our Congregational Care Ministry
When you ask members of our church what makes Haymount special, many will say that our sense of community is unmatched. Whether it’s receiving a card when your loved one passes away, or receiving flowers when you’re admitted to the hospital, you can always count on Haymount UMC to make you feel seen and cared for There is a group of individuals working behind the scenes to help create this sense of community and comradery- our Congregational Care Ministry.
Within our Congregational Care Ministry there are many facets (First of which is our Congregational Care Team) This group has been meeting since its conception in the fall of 2022. They meet monthly to discuss the needs of the congregation and help plan activities such as Fellowship Lunch and Gentle Yoga
Through the help of the Senior Adult Endowment Fund, Congregational Care also is responsible for various other ministries including card ministry, and flower ministry that deliver cards and flowers
to homebound or sick and injured members of our congregation. In addition, they put on our monthly Fellowship Lunch and our weekly Gentle Yoga class Congregational Care even helps facilitate Home Communion for our members currently living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Does this sound like a place where you would like to plug-in at Haymount? Contact Katherine Pugh for more information and areas where you can get involved.
Angel Tree Thank You
Urban Ministries Thanksgiving Boxes
Our Missions Committee would like to thank everyone who came out and donated their time and efforts to help us pack and distribute 300 Thanksgiving boxes at Urban Ministries during the week of Thanksgiving. We had an amazing turn out and packed Thanksgiving boxes for our community in record time!
In addition, we were able to donate a large amount of nonperishable food items to help stock Urban Ministries’ pantry for the Holiday season through our Holiday Food Drive. With the help of our amazing volunteers and those who donated to our Holiday Food Drive, we were able to make an immeasurable impact on our community this Holiday season
We would like to thank everyone who participated in our annual Angel Tree program through Prison Fellowship These children were gifted some amazing items, and by doing so our church played a crucial role in strengthening relationships between incarcerated individuals and their loved ones. As always, we are continuously amazed by the generosity of our congregation. We would also like to extend a special “Thank You” to our Church Office staff who helped make this all possible!
El Salvador Mission Trip
The El Salvador medical and construction team will travel July 12-19, 2025. A team meeting is scheduled for 6 PM Thursday January 9 [with light dinner] at Wes and Lucy Jones' house located at 320 Summertime Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28303. Estimated travel costs (including airfare/room and board) are $1,400 to $1,500/person Some scholarship support may be available RSVP to jwesjonesmd@gmail com or 910-977-2568 (cell) No commitment needed to attend.
A Christmas Surprise
For Foster Care Youth
One of the main pillars of our church over the last nearly 8 decades has been our commitment to our mission work. We have made an immeasurable impact on communities across the globe, across the country, and across town. So, when the Cumberland County Department of Social Services came to us with a need-our missions committee responded.
Haymount UMC was contacted by the Cumberland County Department of Social Services, expressing a need regarding the over 500 children in foster care this holiday season. The department of social services wanted to make sure these children were not overlooked or forgotten this holiday season, and instead were reminded of their worth and value. Children who are in foster care have been removed from their families because of abuse, neglect, or dependency.
Cumberland County DSS needed donations such as gifts, monetary contributions, and gift cards, so that they could be distributed to children and youth in foster care as well as the foster families taking care of these children during the Holiday season. Upon hearing this need, the missions committee voted at their November meeting to take $2500 from their restricted accounts to purchase items to help make Christmas memorable for these children. After discussing with the social worker in charge what needs were the greatest for DSS, it was discovered that the older children in foster care frequently do not receive as many fun or meaningful gifts in comparison to the younger children. Upon hearing this, our missions committee decided to purchase 10 bicycles for middle and high school aged children. So, a few wonderful men from Haymount braved the Black Friday crowds, and we acquired all 10 bicycles along with a bicycle lock for each bike. This left a remaining total of $1,050 which was used to purchase $25 gift cards, which will be given to fill-in where additional gifts are needed. Without your generous donations and support, our Missions Committee would not be able to complete all the good work we are doing locally and globally. Thank you for your continuous support!
Souper Bowl of Caring
The Souper Bowl of Caring is an annual event where communities come together, inspired by the Super Bowl, to tackle hunger locally. As millions of people tune in to watch the Super Bowl, we’re also tuning in to the needs of our neighbors. At Haymount UMC, our Youth Ministry will be taking action to fight hunger at a local level, making sure that no one goes without the food they need in our community. We will be accepting donations of canned soups and other canned goods from January 12th through February 9th. These donations will support Fayetteville Urban Ministries food bank and the FTCC Food Pantry.
January 5th
January 26th
March 16th
March 23rd
March 30th
April 6th
May 4th
May 11th
May 18th
May 25th
June 1st
June 15th
June 22nd
June 29th
July 13th
July 27th
August 10th
August 17th
August 24th
September 14th
October 5th
October 12th
October 19th
November 16th
Finance Snapshot
November 2024
Please plan to join us on January 16 in the New Life Center at noon for lunch and bingo! Only one request, please call or text Katherine Pugh at 910-797-9278 to let her know that you are planning on attending.
As always, thank you to the Senior Adult Endowment Funds for making this possible. We hope to see you there!
November Revenues: $85,433
November Expenses: $106,138
YTD Revenues: $1,101,414
YTD Expenses: $1,086,929
Liturgical Ramblings
With Donald Warren
Each month, Rev Donald Warren will review some important liturgical dates including their significance and history. In the month of January we are discussing Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Epiphany, and Baptism of the Lord Sunday.
Epiphany
Celebrated annually on January 6, Epiphany is the day after the twelve days of Christmas are over. The Feast of Epiphany commemorates the coming of the Magi from the East, signifying that Christ has come not only for the Jews but for the Gentiles as well. Epiphany can also include a remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord by John in the River Jordan, as well as the miracle at the wedding of Cana, as in each of these events, Jesus is revealed to be the promised Messiah, the Son of God
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - January 18–25, 2025
In John 17, Jesus prays, “I ask not only on behalf of these but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." With other Christian denominations and traditions, we United Methodists recognize that even the existence of differing denominations represents a brokenness within the Christian faith The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity began in 1908 as the Octave of Christian Unity, and focused on prayer for church unity Over the course of the 20th century, the celebration grew and expanded, and it is now observed around the world among Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christian traditions, focused on a prayer for greater unity and cooperation among our various modes of Christian faith and practice. In some cases, the work towards unity has led to denominational mergers, as faithful followers of Jesus seek to overcome theological, doctrinal, and structural differences in the interests of seeking new ways of following Jesus that focus on what unites us instead of what divides us. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2025 celebrates the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, held in 2025 AD near the city of Constantinople, where the Nicene Creed was crafted That creed represents the common beliefs shared among most Christians today, and is the basis for our unity
Baptism of the Lord Sunday
Traditionally observed on the first Sunday after Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord Sunday focuses on the scripture readings that tell of John baptizing Jesus in the River Jordan. Many Christian traditions use this Sunday as an opportunity to reaffirm baptismal vows. The baptism of Jesus is one of the events in scripture where Jesus is revealed to be the Christ.
Avoiding Popular Online Scams
The som scam or guid The may ask you to pay to claim your prize, they may ask for your banking information or address or telephone number, or even your social security number. They might even tell you if you pay a fee, it will double your winnings or increase your chances.
The "Nigerian Prince" Scam - You are contacted by someone that claims to be royalty in another country, a distant relative, or a soldier deployed in a foreign country They may offer to send you valuables or large sums of money, or even love and relationships, if you will send them a small sum of money, or mail them a check or a gift card These messages often have spelling or grammatical errors, or they will refuse to answer direct questions They may tell you they are coming for a visit, but they never show up, or give some excuse for why they weren't able to make the trip
Charity Scams - Organizations pretending to be charities may solicit you for donations, or send you links to sites like GoFundMe or other social media links They may ask for donations for disaster relief, or for diseases, political candidates or causes, or even medical research Be careful if a charity starts asking for too much personal information, or if they aren't transparent about how they will use your money It is always safer to give to and through organizations and charities that you know, like UMCOR, United Women in Faith, United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Greenpeace, The Sierra Club, local charities you are familiar with like Myrover-Reese or Fayetteville Urban Ministries, giving directly to The Republican Party or The Democratic Party, your church, or the school or university you attended
Social Media Scams - Be wary of items that are listed for sale for an unreasonably low price, or where you have to pay a fee to get more information about what is for sale, or receiving messages from people you don't know who are asking for personal information, or for you to send them money or gift cards Watch out for profiles that look like people you know but are incomplete, or newly created profiles If someone is trying to play on your emotions, or tell you very manipulative stories to get you to send them things, or money, beware
Government Impersonation Scams - Watch out for emails or mail that looks like it's coming from the government but is suspicious If you get a letter from the IRS telling you that you must make an immediate payment or you will be arrested, call the local IRS office and ask them to verify it The IRS will never ask you to pay your taxes by sending gift cards Watch out for people who might be impersonating law enforcement officers, or those who are promising government funds or grants in exchange for you paying a fee If they are threatening you with arrest, deportation, or legal consequences, or ask for payments in cryptocurrency or wire transfers, call someone for advice before you take any action!
You should never send money, checks, or gift cards to a person online who asks for them You should never share your banking information online if you are not absolutely certain of the identity of the person you are sharing it with You should never give out your Social Security number unless you know who you are sharing it with
By: Rev Donald Warren
We look forward to seeing you all again in the New Year! Here are the menus for the winter season and the dates for spring seasons More menus to come Prices will remain $5 for the winter season, $8 for upsize, kids 11 and under for free. However, we expect to increase our prices with the spring seasons to $7 for regular, $10 for upsize and kids still free! To register for the whole season, or for individual dates, visit our website!
We need about 12 volunteers each week to make this ministry function. Please look for the time to work that fits your schedule. If you cannot sign up online for volunteering, please call Carol Lloyd 910-988-1803 or Susan Black 910-988-1238
WEF Menus Winter 2025
Jan. 15 Mellow Mushroom Pizza Choices and Salad Bar
GF option available
No Kid’s choice
Jan. 22 Culver’s cheeseburgers or chicken sandwich, choice of fries, slaw, or cheese curds
GF: same with GF buns, fries or slaw
No Kid’s choice
UWFaith will be selling deserts
Jan. 29 Grandson’s meatloaf, mac & cheese, green beans, roll
GF: salad with chicken
Kid’s Choice: chicken tenders, fruit, chips
Feb. 5 MiCasita enchilada and cheese quesadilla with rice or beans
GF: Enchilada and beans
No Kid’s choice
Feb. 12 Hunan Garden sesame chicken, rice, egg roll
GF: Moo goo gai pan with white rice
Kid’s choice: hot dog, fruit, chips
Feb. 19 Sammio’s chicken parmesan, salad, bread stick
GF: Penne pasta with marinara and salad
Kid’s choice: plain pasta with butter/parmesan, fruit, roll
UWFaith will be selling deserts
Feb. 28 Chili cookoff, salad bar
GF options available
Kid’s choice: hot dog, fruit, chips
No WEF on March 5 Ash Wednesday
Spring Season 1: March 12 – April 8
No WEF April 15 Holy Week/Spring Break Spring Season 2: April 22 – May 14
