Pastor Gayle’s 2024 Reflections
Dear Friends,
As I reflect back over the year, both blessing and challenge come to mind. We transitioned to a simplified accountable structure for church leadership. Our signature ministries continue to change and adapt to be relevant and produce fruit in our community. We have said “hello” to new friends and “till we meet again” to old friends.
Two words come to mind when I consider the blessings of the people gathered at Cokesbury: compassion and generosity. This year we were able to provide Christmas gifts for a family who struggled not only with financial need but also with grief in the loss of a loved one right before Christmas. We were able to provide Food Lion gift cards for 15 families of Featherstone School students at Thanksgiving. During the school year we provided weekend food bags for 10 students every week. We assembled UMCOR flood buckets.
Several people generously gave their time to help others learn English or prepare the community garden or make a meal for people staying at local shelters or serve food at Streetlight’s Wednesday evening dinner.
Jesus asks us, “Are you able?” Are we able to respond to the need around us with compassion and generosity? Are we able to be “Christ-bearers”? In this new year, may we respond, “Yes, we are able!”
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your loving generosity and overwhelming kindness towards my husband and me. Your gift of a love offering has blessed us and filled us with gratitude. As we enter into 2025:
May the generous outpouring of God’s love for you, fill you with joy. May the faithful presence of God’s Spirit fill you with hope. May the grace and compassion of Jesus Christ make a path before you. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
And all God’s people say: Amen!
Pastor Gayle and Julius
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Cokesbury United Methodist Church Rental Space for: Birthday parties, receptions, repasts and coming of age celebrations. The space is equipped with table and chairs, there is a well- equipped and functioning kitchen, and 2 available bathrooms. The space will accommodate about 100 people comfortably. POC for the rental of the Fellowship Hall is Rev. Gayle, Pastor of Cokesbury UMC. The contact number is 703-494-5400. The address is 14806, Blackburn Road, Woodbridge, VA, 22191.
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Words of Wisdom…
PEOPLE
People make time for who they want to make time for.
People text and reply to people they want to talk to.
Never believe anyone who says they’ve been too busy.
If they wanted to be around you, they would.
WALK AWAY
Walk away from people who put you down.
Walk away from fights that will never be solved.
Walk away from trying to please people who will never see your worth.
The more you walk away from things that poison your soul, the healthier you will be.
STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF
Not everyone is going to understand your journey.
Not everyone is going to believe in what you believe in.
You are on your own path, so never change who you are.
Stay true, Stay you.
IMPERFECTION
Nobody is perfect. We make mistakes. We say the wrong things. We do stupid things.
We get back up. We learn. We grow. And, we move on.
LIFE IS LIKE A BOOK
Life is like a book, some chapters are sad, some are happy, and some are exciting, but if you never turn the page, you will never know what the next chapter has in store for you.
I LOVE YOU
When someone tells you to get home safe, stay warm, have a good day, or sleep well,
I hope you understand what they’re really saying is “I Love You”.
HEALING IS FEELING
Sometimes, the only way to heal is to feel. To give yourself the space to grieve, to cry, to scream if you need to. Healing is messy, unpredictable, and never as simple as you’d hope. But in those raw moments, when you let yourself truly feel, you begin to rebuild yourself, one piece at a time.
SPECIAL FRIENDS
It has been said that real friends are very hard to find.
The ones who stay when times get tough, real friends, the lasting ones.
And as I’ve traveled through this life, I have found this to be true,
I will never find a better friend than I have found in you.
Submitted by Elaine Copeland, Greeter and regular contributor
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Reminders and Links:
Connect with Cokesbury:
703.494.5400
Gmail : CokesburyUMC@gmail.com
Website : CokesburyUMC.church
Facebook : facebook.com/cokesburywoodbridge
Instagram : instagram.com/cokesburyumc_woodbridge/
Contact Pastor Gayle: 703.980.1029. Mondays are her sabbath.
Keep an eye on Cokesbury UMC’s Facebook page and website for periodic updates and items of interest.
– The worship message is streamed online every Sunday at 10am on Facebook. You can find previous worship messages there as well.
Worship Services – 2025 – YouTube
Common Lectionary Daily Readings
For Tithes, Offerings and to support our Operations & Ministries:
– Join us for Sunday Worship,
– Via mail to Cokesbury UMC, 14806 Blackburn Road, Woodbridge, VA 22191,
– Via the mail slot next to the upstairs door at the church.
– Click here to visit the donation page
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World Cams – Rolling live worldwide video feeds.
Winter Cams
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Thanks to all who have contributed their time and efforts to the publication and assembly of the Cokesbury Digest since March of 2020, particularly Eunice Bonner’s tireless efforts at collecting the valuable congregational insights that go into each edition, and Elaine Copeland for her consistent and inspiring contributions.
As communication needs have evolved over the years, and in an effort to reduce duplication of efforts and information, future editions may become less regular as we lean on other sources for church information such as in-worship announcements, the weekly bulletin distribution emails, and the weekly bulletin:
Know God will keep you and bless you,
Walter and Eunice
Cokesbury Digest Co-Editors
Volume 6.01 – January 2025 – issue #122
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