Cokesbury Digest – 7/14/2021

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, regular in-person worship remains canceled until further notice. Drive-in and Lawn services are planned and plans regarding the return to in-person worship are being developed.

Please continue your mitigation efforts as the Delta variant of the coronavirus is gaining traction. Infection rates of the Delta variant have risen dramatically in the last few weeks and this trend is expected to continue, particularly among those not yet fully vaccinated. It is estimated to be up to 60% more transmissible than the original strain and currently accounts for about 50% of new cases.
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A devotion for today
It’s Always Been You – Phil Wickham
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Worship Services (weather permitting – inclement weather will move worship to online only):
 – This Sunday, July 18th, 10am: Drive-In, Lawn, and Online (bring lawn chairs). Those with lawn chairs please park your car closer to the church, or in the Flea Market parking area, to allow those who remain in their cars to park closer to the worship service area,
 – Sunday, July 25th, 10am: Drive-In, Lawn, and Online (bring lawn chairs)

We will begin expanded outdoor worship this Sunday. Those who wish to do so may bring lawn chairs for the area by the main parking lot under the trees (above the pavilion), and those who wish to remain in their cars may do so. Online worship via Facebook will also be available.

Tentative planning is currently underway to safely return to in-person worship in the Sanctuary sometime in August. A lot of work must be done before that can happen, and a lot of health related rules must be followed. Stay tuned for more info!
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Prayer Requests and Hospitality:
July Birthdays:
Roshier Bailey (7/02),
Linda Irby (7/15),
Edna Plancon (7/18),
Alexander Berry (7/25),
Bruce Magruder (7/26),
Mary Jewell (7/30)
July Anniversary:
Walter & Melanie Blair (7/4)
Continuing prayers and concerns for: Eunice Bonner, Deirdre Dorsey, Mary Jane and Harry Fizer, Kathy French, Kyle Keen, Marian Benson Ivy, Mary Jewell, Rev and Mrs Taylor Mertins and Elijah, Cheryl Petitt, Rev Gayle Porias, Mark Young
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Music Moment: 
– The word “music” originated from the Greek “mousa” or “muse”, originally any of a group of patron sister goddesses of poets and musicians and later of all liberal arts sciences, and associated with such institutions as museums,
 – In 2016, Mozart sold more CDs than Beyonce when Universal Music Group released a box set commemorating the 225th anniversary of his death. He wrote his first symphonic piece at age 8, and his first opera at age 11. Each set included 200 CDs,
 – Prince released his debut album, “For You”, when he was 20 years old and he played all 27 instruments used on the album,
 – A Stradivarius is one of several stringed instruments, particularly violins, made by Antonio Stradivari and his family during the 17th and 18th centuries. The secret to their construction of great sounding instruments remains hidden, and only about 650 survive. Their violins are so sought after that the “Lady Blunt” Stradivarius violin, made in 1721, was sold for $15.9 million in 2011 to support aid for the Japanese earthquake and tsunami,
 – In 2015, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield released an album recorded entirely while in orbit on the International Space Station, titled “Space Sessions: Songs for a Tin Can”. His cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” went viral and has been viewed almost 50 million times. You can see it here: “Space Oddity” cover by Chris Hadfield,
 – None of the Beatles could read or write music, though they were well versed in musical composition and theory. They just went with and developed the tunes they came up with,
 – Barry Manilow did not write one of his most popular songs, “I Write the Songs”. It was written by Bruce Johnston in 1975 and was first recorded by The Captain and Tennille,
 – The song “Happy Birthday” is the most profitable song of all time. It was adapted by the Hill sisters in 1893 from their song “Good Morning to All” when they needed a song to celebrate birthdays in their classroom. They registered its ownership and received royalties for each public airing. Over the years ownership has changed and the royalties have grown to about $2 million a year. It costs $25,000 to use “Happy Birthday” in a TV show or movie,
– Studies have shown that listening to music utilizes the entire brain and your heartbeat can mimic the musical beat,
– Exposure to music enhances a plant’s growth rate and size,
– The oldest known musical instruments are flutes made from bird bone and mammoth ivory excavated in the Geißenklösterle Cave in southern Germany. They date from about 42,500 years ago,
 – An “earworm” is that catchy melody or song that gets stuck in your head.
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COVID-19:All of Virginia is now in Open Season vaccine eligibility. Every Virginian 12 and older is eligible for vaccination and pre-registration is no longer required.

Community Vaccination Center (CVC) offers Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines.
Clinic Hours: Monday through Saturday (8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)
Location: 14041 Worth Ave., Woodbridge, VA 22192 (in the former Gander Mountain store)

PWHD Manassas Mall clinic offers Moderna vaccine.
Clinic Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) Thursday (1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.) and Sunday (closed)
Location: 8300 Sudley Road, Manassas, VA 20109

Please visit the Virginia Department of Health System at Vaccinate Virginia, and see the Prince William County Vaccine Update Information page for the latest state and local vaccination information.

Prince William County offers free COVID-19 testing opportunities for people living or working in Prince William County.

For more information, please visit:
Prince William County COVID-19 Testing Site
Prince William County Coronavirus Site
Virginia Coronavirus Site
CDC Coronavirus Site
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ACTS (Action in Community Through Service) has many volunteer opportunities available. Please visit their website for more information.
Visit Volunteer Prince William for local volunteer opportunities.
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Spotlight Recipe: Summer’s Night Beef Stew
Ingredients:
1 lb. stew meat,
2 Tbsp. oil,
2 tablespoons flour,
4 cups beef broth or low sodium chicken broth,
28-oz. can diced tomatoes (fire roasted optional),
3 carrots, chopped,
4 or 5 medium unpeeled golden or red potatoes, cubed,
Container of mushrooms, chopped,
2 ribs celery, chopped,
1 small onion, coarsely chopped,
4 garlic cloves, skinned and coarsely chopped,
1/4 cup red cooking wine (optional),
1 tsp. pepper,
1 tsp. dry oregano,
½ tsp. dry thyme,
2 tsp. garlic powder,
1 bay leaf,
1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional),
1 bag frozen green beans

Instructions:
1. Brown the stew meat in oil in large soup pot,
2. Stir in the flour to coat the meat and then stir in 1/2 cup broth. Stir until base thickens,
3. Add vegetables, except the green beans, to the beef base,
4. Add the remaining broth and all other ingredients, mixing as you add. Add more broth or water if needed,
5. Cover. Bring to boil and then lower heat to low and cook until the potatoes and carrots are soft. Stir occasionally,
6. Add the green beans about 30 minutes before serving.
Serve over rice or with cornbread.
Variation: This is also a good slow cooker meal. Steps 1 and 2 will be in a cast iron skillet and then transfer to the slow cooker. Follow with steps 3 and 4 in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours, then low for about 4-5 more hours. Add the green beans to the slow cooker about 1 ½ hours before serving.
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Please consider these ways that you can support the church right now: 
 1) Support Cokesbury with Your Financial Gifts, Time, Talent, and Witness,
 2) Share Information About Cokesbury,
 3) Contact Someone from Cokesbury,
 4) Share Your Ideas with The Pastor,
 5) Pray. Pray. Pray.
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Reminders and Links:
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.
Cokesbury UMC Facebook Page
Cokesbury UMC Web Site
Common Lectionary Daily Readings
Crackers and Grape Juice Podcast
Strangely Warmed Weekly Lectionary Podcast

For Tithes and Offerings:
 – Join us for Sunday Worship,
 – Online via the Cokesbury web site,
 – Via mail to Cokesbury UMC, 14806 Blackburn Road, Woodbridge, VA 22191,
 – Via the mail slot next to the upstairs door at the church.

If you shop at Amazon, please use our AmazonSmile access link to direct a portion (0.5%) of the price of eligible sales to Cokesbury UMC (it will not change the prices you pay):
https://smile.amazon.com/ch/54-1255430 
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Live Animal Cam– Live animal cam in Northeast Ohio.
Who Am I? – EpicYouthWatsonville
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God be with you til we meet again,
Eunice and Walter
Cokesbury UMC Church Council Co-Chairs
Volume 2.14 – 7/14/2021