The United Methodist Foundation of West Virginia will be hosting its fourth annual Bishop's Chalice Challenge on July 15th, 2024, at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club. In the coming months,the foundation will make more information available, including sponsorship and golf registration. Mark your calendars and join the foundation for another great year of golf and raising funds for the Endowment for Religious and Spiritual Life at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Source: THE WV UNITED METHODIST MEN'S JOURNAL BI- WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Friday March 29,2024

The General Commission on United Methodist Men is thrilled to announce the next online chapel service, set to commence on April 2nd, 2024, at 10 am Central Time, 11:00 am Eastern Time. This initiative aims to bring together individuals in a shared experience of faith and spirituality. We are excited to embrace technology as a means to strengthen our spiritual connections and provide a space for meaningful worship. This online chapel service is an opportunity for us to unite in faith, transcending physical boundaries and welcoming individuals from across our connection. Event Details: Date: April 2nd, 2024 Time: 11:00 am Eastern Time Location: Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87164785560?pwd=M3FaMjZUZVI0VXZrOU1EamVLdW5idz09 Meeting ID: 871 6478 5560 Passcode: 968697 To view future chapel services click here

The Spruce Street United Methodist Men at the beginning of the year decided to give members of all of the Monongalia Country volunteer fire departments a copy of Strength for Service to God and Community, a book of daily devotions for first responders. It was decided that it would be best to give out the books at each fire department’s monthly meeting. This was accomplished with the help of United Methodist Men members Roger Britton, Joe Pride, John Beaumont, David Weaver, Dan Eranrich and Kenny Goodwin. The volunteer fire departments in Blacksville, Brookhaven, Cassville, Cheat Lake, Clinton District, Cool Springs, Granville, River Road, Star City, Triune Halleck and Westover were visited. Each meeting was attended by 15-20 volunteer firefighters. Some firefighters looked through the book, read some of the devotions, and gave thanks for the authors. A total of about 170 books were distributed. “I feel one of the things that helped was that I know where each of the volunteers were coming from and their feelings, for I have walked in their boots, done and seen some of the things that they have to go through during a run, and I know that no two runs are the same and you always have to expect the unexpected,” said Donald Davis, who organized the book distribution. Davis is president of the Spruce Street United Methodist Men. Davis was a firefighter from 1961-67 when he served in the U.S. Air Force. “God Bless the members of the fire departments and the men in blue, for they will always be there when needed,” Davis said. In recent years Strength for Service books have been distributed to first responders by several other United Methodist men’s fellowships in West Virginia, including a distribution by Cross Lanes United Methodist Church men in the Cross Lanes and Tyler Mountain areas and a distribution by First United Methodist Church of South Charleston men in South Charleston.

George Hohmann (left) receives a plaque recognizing him as a Fellow of the Society of John Wesley. Making the presentation is Steve Nailor, president of the United Methodist Men Foundation.  (Caption by WV UMM March 24, 2023; Photo by Mark Lubbock) George Hohmann had spent his entire life serving others. He had worked tirelessly in his community, volunteering at his church, district, state, and national United Methodist organizations and dedicating his time to those in need, scouting and men’s ministries. Despite any personal challenges along the way, he never lost sight of his commitment to helping others. On March 9, 2023, on his retirement as Secretary for the United Methodist Men Foundation (UMMF), George was recognized for his service for his gifts of leadership and writing given to help so many, especially in the United Methodist Men organization. He was selected to become the 866th member of the Society of John Wesley Fellows. The John Wesley Award, is a prestigious honor given to individuals who demonstrate outstanding service and commitment to their community. It is the highest award for a United Methodist Man. Overwhelmed with emotion, George could hardly believe it. He had never sought recognition for his work, but it was humbling to be acknowledged for the impact he had made. George was born in Fairmont, WV. He attended West Virginia University (WVU). While at WVU he was on the rifle team. After graduation, he went to work for the newspaper in Fairmont. A job became available at the Charleston Gazette, which he took, and through the years he became editor. George attends First United Methodist Church in South Charleston where he is a certificated lay speaker. About 23 years ago he became part of the church's boy scouts group, a member of the Administrative Council and other church committees. From 2014 to 2018, he served as Vice President of the WV United Methodist Men. In 2018, he was elected President of the United Methodist Men, serving as a member of the Boy Scout Committee and Co-chair of the Mon Valley District Golf Committee raising funds to send the Boy Scouts for a weekend at Jackson's Mill. In 2020, he became the Secretary of the national United Methodist Men’s Foundation. He has led the UMMF team for Vision/Planning /Marketing. He has been an outstanding UMMF Secretary and contributed greatly to the success of the Foundation. From 2020 to March 2023, he also served as Secretary to the Northeastern United Methodist Men. At the award ceremony, George was surrounded by his brothers and friends from the UMMF he had served since 2020. He was presented with the award by Steve Nailor, President of the UMMF, who spoke about the countless ways that George had helped the UMMF and make the community a better place. George took the stage to accept the award, and the room erupted in applause. He spoke about the importance of giving back to others, and the joy that comes from helping those in need. He thanked his wife for her support and sacrifice, which allowed him to work tirelessly along with so many volunteers to make a difference in communities, church, scouting, and men’s ministries. Credits: Our thanks to Steve Nailor and Wayne Custer for their contribution to this story

Brothers in Christ, I want to thank each of you for your love of this ministry. God placed this important ministry on our hearts and minds to become his hands and feet to reach men and their families. This ministry is about where men and their families will spend eternity. I continue to be excited about where God is leading this ministry with Greg Arnold as the new general secretary of the commission and the staff he is building; he is the right leader for this troubled season. If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land…— 2 Chronicles 7:14 Within the heart of each of us is a longing for something more, a season of new spiritual refreshing, a personal revival. God has His own recipe for revival in our hearts. He has written it down for all of us: “If My people will... then I will hear from Heaven.” When you follow this recipe precisely and put it into practice, it will result in a new spirit reanimating us and enabling us to soar into spiritual regions some of us may have never known. Much talk of revival is from man’s side, man’s viewpoint. Thus, it becomes man-centered. We must seek to see it in God’s viewpoint. God is waiting, willing, and longing to send a new spirit of revival to His people. However, He does not overrule our own will. Consequently, in a very real sense, while revival is always the sovereign work of Almighty God, it is also conditional. The Bible says, “If My people...” If certain conditions are met, certain results will follow. God’s problem today is not with the lost but with His own people. Many are pointing to the decay of our culture as being the result of the decline of our moral fabric and the influence of secular, and often downright godless factors all around us. However, God reveals that the real issue is not with “them” but with “us.” GOD’S DEMAND is to: “humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways” God’s demand begins with a call for His own people to “humble themselves,” to recognize and confess their need to seek Him in all things. Second, God calls His people to pray. Next, God demands that we “seek [His] face God’s demand also includes turning from our “wicked ways.” Sin that is unconfessed and therefore unforgiven is the greatest obstacle to revival If we do these things: “We will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Excerpts with permission from The Joshua Code by O. S. Hawkins, copyright O. S. Hawkins. Mary and I pray you and your families have a Christ-filled Christmas and that God will grant blessing in the New Year. We love you all y’all!!! Grace and peace, Herman Lightsey, president National Association of Conference Presidents

by James Turner, Peninsula-Delaware UMM President The Peninsula- Delaware Conference Board of United Methodist Men pray that you will experience the fullness of the Advent season. May the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love of the season be found in you and your families as you celebrate the birthday of Christ. John 1: 4-5 "In Him was life and that life was the light of all mankind. The light that shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." May we proclaim the Love and Light of Christ together in this Season of Advent. We look forward to serving Christ with you the Men Ministry of the Pen-Del Conference in 2022. Together we can transform the world for Christ. All of us have gifts and talents that we can bring to the table. Christ is counting on us. By forming new friendships and relationships we can grow men’s ministries and by establishing clear lines of communication our mission of bringing men closer to Christ is possible. We need you and want to hear your ideas. We are planning to meet with you soon. Pray for us as we are praying for you. Prayer is our only line of defense. When we pray together, we can grow together. Again, may you and your families find Hope, Peace, Joy and Love through Christ in this season of Advent by James Tuner, Pen-Del Conference UMM President & Bill Paxton, Pen-Del Conference UMM Prayer Advocate December 13, 2021

Nehemiah Chapter 1 Words from Ben Nelson, NEJ UMM President I hope that you, your family, and your friends are doing well in these critical times. “O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” A lesson from Nehemiah Separating life into distinct categories of “sacred” and “secular” damages any attempt to live a whole and satisfying life, a life lived to the glory of God. The damage to life is most obvious when the separation applies to our daily work. It is common for us to refer to the work of pastors, priests, and missionaries as “sacred”, and that of lawyers, tradesmen, and engineers as “secular”. Work, by its very nature, is holy. This biblical story is dominated by people who have jobs in gardening, shepherding, the military, politics, carpentry, tent making, homemaking, fishing, and more. God called Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the city using ALL the citizens to help him. With the help of EVERYONE, the city was rebuilt in an amazingly short amount of time. All lent their Labors to the cause. They praised God when the job was done! Nehemiah couldn’t have done the job by himself, but EVERYONE working with him made the job a success. Brothers, United Methodist Men, are facing the same problems as Nehemiah. Our structure is badly damaged through apathy, COVID-19, and a lack of training about our job to further the kingdom of God here on earth. We have neglected the “sacred” side of our lives in hopes that we will be satisfied by focusing on the “secular” side to achieve wholeness in our lives. Brothers in Christ, we give you thanks for the opportunity to work, learn, and to help each of you and others who faithfully give in their roles and provide work for this ministry. We bless all that has helped us to learn what is good, true, and beautiful, distinguish between right and wrong and contribute to the needs of our society. I hope that God gives each of you the strength and growth for the challenges ahead. May we both pray and praise you for your abundance this harvest time. We pray that this harvest is not just shared but shared justly. This harvest time, may we both pray and praise to you for the wealth of the harvest and pray that this harvest is not just a promise but is full of promise for all.

A message from Ben Nelson, NEJ UMM President Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and desires of little children; to remember the weaknesses and loneliness of people who are growing old; to stop asking how much your friends love you, and to ask yourself if you love them enough; to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear on their hearts; to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you; to make a grave for your ugly thoughts and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open? Are you willing to do these things for a day? Then you are ready to keep Christmas!” ― Henry Van Dyke Benjamin Nelson, Jr. NEJ UMM President www.NEJUMM.org