| Churches team up to do mission ANNAPOLIS Volunteers from Calvary and Trinity UMCs teamed up this fall to help construct and repair homes in Brenton, W. Va. Four vans and three pick-up trucks carrying construction tools and 24 volunteers made the trip to Wyoming County, W. Va., as part of the Appalachian Service Project. Dividing into teams, some repaired leaky roofs, one team replaced an old ceiling, others replaced windows and rotten exterior siding boards, painted, made a new bathroom floor and repaired the deck at the Appalachian Service Project center. The two churches plan to have another mission trip next fall, and would welcome others to join them. For information, contact Betty Hepler at (410) 263-5370. Controversy in campground community CHURCHTON The community around the West River United Methodist Camp is in the midst of a battle over building a communications tower at the campground. In December 2001, Nextel received permission and leased the space to build a 130-foot tower on the property within the year. The company did not build, but turned the management of the site over to Summit Tower of Minnesota, which then sought an exception in order to build a 170-foot tower to further enhance cell phone reception for several companies. Some of the neighbors are opposed. My feeling is we will be stuck with one big phallic symbol as you come into West River, John Sanders told the Annapolis-based Capital newspaper. Andy Thornton, director of camping, would like to see it built. The site is at the edge of the campground property, shielded by woods. It wont impact the program in any way, Thornton said. The money earned from the Nextel contract will be used for the development of the Master Plan for Camping, Thornton said. Strange birds land in Beltsville BELTSVILLE As residents watch geese fly overhead in the annual migration, theyre seeing some strange birds in the vicinity of Emmanuel UMC, reported Olivia Heath. The bright pink tropical flamingoes are unpredictable, arriving under the cover of darkness, and roosting on random lawns. These are special birds that the churchs youth are using to raise money for Sarahs House in Ft. Meade which helps women and children. Half of the funds will also be used for the youth to attend ROCK 2004, Heath said. The pink flamingoes first flocked to the parsonage where the Rev. Richard Davis had to pay to shoo them away. Construction begins at Mt. Zion  HIGHLAND Construction has begun on a new extension to Mt. Zion UMC. Members from near-100-year-old Ruth Burgess to babies born since June attended the groundbreaking service Sept. 14 for the latest phase of a major building expansion to the church, which was built in 1862.
The extension will not only add six new rooms to the church, but also double the size of the parking area. The biggest part of the costs will be a new septic and storm water management system, said the Rev. Tom Connar. Funds from pledges and contributions from a three-year campaign for the $1.9 million construction project will partially cover the costs. The remainder will come from a loan from the United Methodist Development Fund, Connar said. Church member taught math 41 years UNIONVILLE  When school began this fall, Jim Moffatt was absent for the first time in 41 years. Last summer, he retired as a math teacher, spending his entire career with seventh and eighth-graders. The school systems loss is Linganore UMCs gain. He has been a member for 38 years and is totally unable to say no, said Kathleen Zimmerman, chair of the administrative board. For the past 22 years, Moffatt taught at Monocacy Middle School. He won several awards for his math teaching, and twice was a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching. His theory about programming is the more folks you involve, the better the program, said his wife, Barbara Moffatt. | 
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