With the escalation of  political instability and gang violence in Haiti, many people have asked about the safety of our students at the school RUMC supports in Momance. Many schools and businesses have been forced to close. Despite the dangerous situation, the students at Les Pionniers de Momance are currently safe and attending school. The school leaders and the community have created a safe haven for our children. At times, the students will not wear their uniforms, and the staff will take additional safety precautions, but they have been able to stay in school. Principal Wadson and the teachers are committed to maintaining a stable environment for the students, so they do not live in fear.  

If you are currently sponsoring a student, thank you!! You can rest assured that the safety of the children is the top priority of the leaders in Momance.  As we kick off our annual student sponsor campaign, you can continue your sponsorship by making another $300 yearly or $25 monthly donation to RUMC marked for Haiti.

If you would like to join the team at RUMC and make a difference in the life of a child in Haiti by sponsoring a student, you can give online or by check. Your sponsorship supports teacher salaries, textbooks, uniforms, school supplies, and facilities maintenance and improvements.

We are grateful for all our past and present sponsors. Last year RUMC sponsored 110 students.  It would not be possible to fulfill the essential needs of the children and families of Momance without you and your commitment to this effort.  Most importantly, we ask you to keep our friends in Haiti in your prayers.

Mario Loremy, a community leader, sends the following message, "Thank you for your prayers and your encouraging words.  You make us feel strong, my friends."

David Stultz is an up-and-coming young organist from the Chattanooga area who recently received his Master’s Degree in Organ Performance at the University of Notre Dame and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Music Arts (DMA) at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He is serving as the Associate Director of Sacred Music at St. Hugo of the Hiss Parish in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Our church was blessed to host David in December of 2022 for what turned out to be a spectacular program of Advent and Christmas music. We are beyond thrilled to welcome him back this year on Sunday April 7, 2024 at 7:00 pm in our church’s sanctuary to celebrate our risen Lord.

There will be an offering in midst of the concert to both help the church cover the costs to bring David as well as to put funds toward the next concert. Admission is free and your attendance will be seen as an offering in and of itself. Everyone is welcome. We will host a light reception in the lobby immediately following the concert.

In the March Communicator Tracey Barker, Trustee Chair, shared their review of 2023. The Finance Committee works closely with Trustees as they work to update, repair, and maintain our facilities. Last year we celebrated paying off the mortgage, an incredible accomplishment.

We do however, want to be mindful of the ongoing costs of maintaining our wonderful facility. We want to keep the building and grounds and everything pertaining to them in good shape. Our Trustees are doing a good job being proactive and enacting a multiyear plan regarding upkeep and replacements but none of that happens without funding. While this work is supported by the General Fund (the yearly budget), you can make an extra contribution above your normal giving to the General Fund to the Maintenance and Repair Fund (just like the Building Fund before it was paid off). 

Of course, there are many other areas of ministry and missions in our church that can be supported through special giving including donations in memory of someone or donations in honor of someone. These areas include but are not limited to Benevolence, Children’s Christmas Celebration, Youth and Children’s Ministry, School Partnership, NCIC, etc.

Our church provides important ministries within and beyond the walls of the church, all of which are not possible without our shared generosity together. When we sacrifice and make giving a top priority God uses that to accomplish far more than we could imagine.

In stating the above, the Finance Committee wanted to communicate: one, there are many opportunities to give in support of all that happens through RUMC; and two, our commitment to giving starts with the General Fund. The General Fund is what provides for staff salaries, utilities, office and ministry supplies, programming and everything that is considered “day-to-day” operations. Without General Fund (or non-designated) giving essentially none of the rest matters because it is the General Fund that allows the church to exist in the first place.

In 2023, the General Fund experienced a deficit or “use of funds” of just over $60,000 and as of February of 2024 has a negative balance. It is our hope as the Finance Committee, and specifically my prayer as the Chair that this trend is reversed in 2024. I know this is a generous church and if you are made aware you’ll want to do something about it.

A new and exciting initiative of RUMC is the CARES service team being formed and led by our own Lee Kay. This is our response to a call from UMVIM-United Methodist Volunteers in Mission-for all United Methodist congregations to assemble and dispatch early response teams (ERT) to serve when needed in the aftermath of disasters and to utilize training in advance offered by UMCOR-United Methodist Committee on Relief for that purpose.

The mission of your CARES ERT is “To provide a caring Christian presence in the aftermath of a disaster.” The team is neither a first response group of emergency workers nor a recovery, rebuild, or repair team. Rather, we will fill a specific need (think tarping roofs, removing debris, and praying with and listening to survivors) in the early days after a disaster to establish the presence of the church. ERTs are trained to respond within their own community but, through our connectional UMC system, to travel to another district, conference, or jurisdiction with an invitation from that area’s ERT coordinator.  All ERTs are trained by authorized UMCOR trainers and wear badges to allow entry into secured disaster areas.

In addition, CARES will team up with our own FaithWorks ministry to use that same training and tools to assist with basic shelter needs in Ringgold and Catoosa County. Please consider joining our CARES team in a role comfortable to you and contact Lee Kay at lee@ringgoldumc.org or call  423-580-6596.

Calling all ladies!!!  Our next Supper with Sally will be held on Sunday evening, April 14th at 5:00pm. These Suppers (in which Sally doesn't cook or buy anyone's meal) have proven to be great opportunities for laughter and fellowship as we get to know one another better.  This time, we will be able to do a little shopping, have some fun competitions (nothing physical, we hope),  and help raise money for a great cause!  Yes, we will be having an auction with all donations going toward the Partners in Education team to help provide an end of the year breakfast for the teachers and employees at our 3 partner schools (Ringgold Elementary, Ringgold Middle, and Ringgold High).

We would love for all of our ladies to bring an item from home that can be placed in our auction.  We will have a silent auction during Supper with a live auction to follow.   The Partners in Education (PIE) team will be preparing a Potato Bar with all the fixin's so you only need to bring an auction item.  Please sign up on the app or let Sally know that you plan to come so we can bake a potato for you!!!

Join us for Clean Catoosa on Saturday, April 20th, from 8:30 am to noon. The RUMC team will be focusing our efforts on trash pickup at two project sites: Boynton Drive and the Roadside Park at the Ringgold Gap monument on Hwy 41, just south of the Ringgold Depot.
We will meet at RUMC at 8:30 am for breakfast and coffee before carpooling to our designated project sites. Once there, our primary mission will be to clean up roadside litter. All safety vests and other materials needed will be provided for us. All you need to do is REGISTER and COME WITH A SERVANT’S HEART.

Your participation can make a significant impact in preserving the beauty of Catoosa County. Let's come together to make our environment cleaner and more enjoyable for all.
Mark your calendars for April 20th, and let's make Clean Catoosa a success!

The registration deadline to receive a free Clean Catoosa T-Shirt closed on Friday, March 29th, but it’s not too late to still be part of the team. You can register through the church app. If you have trouble registering, reach out to me by email at drew@ringgoldumc.org.

Don't miss this month’s 49ers on April 9th at 6:00 PM in the gym. Join us for an afternoon filled with fantastic food, fun, and fellowship. It's an opportunity to connect with friends and make lasting memories.

This month, Drew, our communications and technical director, and the communications team will be presenting on how to use the church app to stay up to date in the life of the church. The team will help you download the app and give you hands-on assistance with navigating and using it to see upcoming events, catch up on worship or sermons, read the bible, check in to worship and other events, give, and more! You do not want to miss it! Save the date – we can't wait to see you there!

To make the process of downloading the app as simple as possible, you’ll need your Apple ID password (often called your iCloud password) if you have an iPhone or your Google Play Store/Gmail password if you have an Android phone. Bring your whole password book if you’re not quite sure.

RSVP to Kay Harrell at 423-504-2737 or through the church app.

49’ers
April 9th, 6 PM in gym. Pizza and drinks provided. Bring salad and/or dessert. RSVP Kay Harrell (423) 504-2737

Easter Organ Concert
Performance by David Stultz
April 7 at 7pm in sanctuary

Supper (and shopping) with Sally
April 14th at 5:00 pm gym

Clean Catoosa
Serving opportunity led by Faithworks
April 20, 9am – 12 pm

General Budget
Full Year Budget: $610,500
Budgeted in February: $50,875
Received in February: $39,675
Spent in February: $54,968
Budgeted February YTD: $101,750
Received February YTD: $84,376
Spent February YTD: $103,917

In Person :
9 AM: 74
11 AM: 68
 
Online:
9AM: 48
11 AM: 24

Haiti Missions
In Memory of Casi Jenkins Browder Trotter by:
Ernest Pursley

NCIC
In Memory of Tommy Blaylock by:
Joe & Barbara Barger

Benevolence
In Memory of Tommy Blaylock by:
Con & Beth Kellerhals
Alan & Belinda Crisman

In Memory of Mary Ensley by:
Alan & Belinda Crisman

In Memory of Tony Brown by:
Con & Beth Kellerhals

In Memory of Lee Akers by:
Con & Beth Kellerhals

Partners in Education
In Memory of Mary Ensley by:
Con & Beth Kellerhals

Christ Chapel
In Memory of Gwen Smith by:
Con & Beth Kellerhals

In Memory of Tommy Blaylock by:
Ringgold United Methodist Quilters

Ringgold United Methodist Church
706-935-4777 | www.ringgoldumc.org
7484 Nashville St
Ringgold, GA 30736

Chris Bryant, Senior Pastor
Sally Ensley, Minister of Care
Britta Alton, Director of Children’s Ministry
Michael Arnold, Worship Band Leader
Kodi Lowry, Director of Preschool
Taylor Lankford, Executive Director of Worship and the Arts
Marty McGee, Coordinator of Senior Adult Ministries
Pam Blaylock, Office Administrator
Drew Sherrill, Communications and Technical Director
Jamie Smith, Director of Youth Ministry
Carolyn Turner, Organist
Ann McMillen, Pianist