Nutshell IN A. Walnut Grove United Methodist Church N E W L E T T E R. December 2011 January 2012 Go...and make disciples.

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1 IN A Nutshell Walnut Grove United Methodist Church N E W L E T T E R December 2011 January 2012 Go...and make disciples. Matthew 28:19 CORE VALUES: For the past several weeks Pastor Laure and I have been preaching/teaching on Walnut Grove s CORE VALUES. These can best be described as the principles that help define who we are and what we hold to be most important in our life together. These Core Values were adopted by the church two years ago. A CHRIST-CENTERED COMMUNITY: First and foremost and above all, we value Jesus Christ, who loves us and calls us into relationship. Jesus is the purpose of our lives and we always seek to have Him as our Center. We believe and teach that Jesus lived on this planet and showed us what God is like, that He went to the cross to die for our forgiveness, and rose again to give us new life. When we accept Him as Savior and promise to serve Him as our Lord, it means that we seek center everything we do around His goals. When our relationship with Christ is the center, it will impact every area of life. Jesus Christ is the preeminent value of our individual lives as well as our corporate life together. GROWING IN GRACE THROUGH SPIRITUAL DIS- CIPLINES: God invites us to be in an intimate relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Our relationship with God, as with all relationships, must be nurtured. God has given us many ways to help us grow in our relationship with Him. The church has called these activities spiritual disciplines. There are many such disciplines but prayer and Bible study are two of the most important. The Bible is God s Word for God s people and therefore must be studied individually and corporately. Studying the bible individually with a daily quiet time helps us feel God s presence throughout the week. Studying the bible corporately helps us hear God s Word in new and different ways and ensure we are on the right path in our personals study. Prayer is conversation with God and can take place anywhere and often must take place when we are alone. However, there is much power when we pray together. heaven will be like but the one thing that is certain is that we will all fall before God s throne in worship. (Revelation 4) Worship is not entertainment but a time to focus on the One who always will be. WE ARE FAMILY: God is our Heavenly Father which makes us God s children. There is no such thing as a solitary Christian. God calls people to be involved and part of a community of faith. As sisters and brothers we are also called to love, care for, and hold one another accountable. Isn t it great to know we have a family of faith? REACHING BEYOND OUR WALLS IN WITNESS & SERVICE: There is much joy in the Christian life! It s great to come to the church, fellowship with other believers, learn about the Bible, and spend time with God. Yet, the church is not just about being together and having a spiritual social club. The Church is about reaching out to others. We are called to follow in the footsteps of our Lord. As Jesus came to seek and serve the lost, touch the lives of those in trouble, and share the good news, invite people into a new community, so it is our responsibility and privilege to do the same. We must constantly be looking for ways to witness to what Christ has done in our lives to those who have not heard. We must always be looking for the poor, broken, and downtrodden and seek to share our blessing with them as well. Church is about reaching out to others in Christ s love. Over the next few months a group of us will be gathering to dream about where God is leading us. We will be looking at the changing culture in which we live, evaluating our ministries, and seeking God s direction for the future. These core values will lead us in our discussion. We also would love to have your input and your prayers. In Christ, WORSHIP WHICH CONNECTS US TO GOD S GRACE: From the opening chapters in Genesis to the closing pages of Revelation we are shown that God calls His people to worship Him. In all truth, we all worship many things but God calls us and commands us to worship Him alone. Immediately after being delivered from slavery in Egypt, the people came to the mountain of God and worshiped. King Solomon built a Temple so the people would have a place to worship. Jesus and the early Church regularly gathered with others to worship. We don t know what

2 United Methodist Women Ruth Robinson, Vice-President Walnut Grove United Methodist Women Ruth Robinson - Vice President The holidays and the New Year are just around the corner. Has our group achieved our goals for the year? If the awards that Walnut Grove UMW received recently at the District Meeting are an indication of our success, I d say we could be considered overachievers. The Burlington District UMW meeting was held on October 23, At that time Walnut Grove won the Incentive Award; the Seven Star Unit Award (Candle Burning, Gift in Memory, Gift to Mission, Penny and a Prayer, Pledge to Missions, Special Mission Recognition, and World Thank Offering); a Certificate of Appreciation (for participation in at least three Mission Studies between August, 2010 and July, 2011); and the Mission Today Gold Unit award. All of these awards show how the Walnut Grove UMW is so very active locally, nationally and globally. When Dorothy went up to receive the first award and started to return to her seat, she was told to just stay at the front, Walnut Grove would be receiving more awards. At the end of the meeting the statement was made by a couple of people as to how much Walnut Grove is admired for all they do. Ruby makes the statement that we are small but mighty. Our hope is that next year will also be a great one. It would be wonderful if more Walnut Grove ladies would join our group. We meet the 1 st Tuesday of each month at 7:00p.m. in the fellowship hall. There will be a program and business meeting every other month beginning in January. There will be fewer meetings than in the past but they will be powerful. Please make your New Year s resolution to attend the Walnut Grove United Methodist Women s group. Have a happy and safe holiday season!! Keeping Christ in Christmas...and Advent: "Every year, we say we're going to cut back, simplify, and have a family Christmas that focuses on the real reason for the season - Jesus. But every year, advertisements beckon, the children plead, and it seems easier to indulge our wants and whims. Overspending, overeating, materialism, and busyness rob us of our peace and joy and rob Jesus of his rightful place as the center of our celebration." (Christmas Is Not Your Birthday, back cover.) Yes, already the advertisements are touting Christmas sales, retailers are seeking our money and people are seeking our time. If we truly want to "keep Christ in Christmas" then we will need a plan and commit to it early. Keeping Christ is Christmas is more than changing the way we greet people. Keeping Christ in Christmas will mean changing the way we celebrate the Holy Day. Advent begins November 27 but here are are a few ideas to help you get started now. First, commit to spending time with God daily. Second, commit to spending time with Christ's Body, the Church, through worship weekly. Third, commit to giving away as much as you spend on gifts. (That may sound extreme but think about it. If Christ is really first in our Christmas, would Christ want us to give a things to people who really don't need them or would Christ prefer for us to give to to those who have real needs? Talk to the children and grandchildren about this. Look for more information and ideas soon.) Fourth, begin praying now for God to show you some new traditions that will help you focus only on Him and not the holiday trappings of our culture. We will be offering a devotional book to be used during the season. It is entitled, "Christmas Is Not Your Birthday" and is written by Michael Slaughter, Pastor of Ginghamsburg UMC near Dayton, Ohio. This December, let's truly put Christ back in Christmas.

3 M ARY MART H A BUSY LADIES Mary Martha Busy Ladies met in the Fellowship Hall on November 8th for a covered dish lunch and business meeting. There were 14 members present. Devotion was led by Jane Sparks. The first upcoming event, the Thanksgiving meal to seniors, included the volunteering of MMBL members to be responsible for certain foods. It was announced that Beverly Roberts has donated a 30 lb. turkey for the meal. (Thank you Beverly) The list of people to receive the meals was also updated. The second upcoming event, the Exchange Club dinner, required more discussion as previous menus were being adjusted. This is the biggest fund raiser that the MMBLs handle and one that the MMBLs enjoy doing. The new aprons for the Fellowship Hall were demonstrated. They were received before the Harvest Festival and will be used for the Exchange Club dinner. Thank you to Carol Gerbracht for getting the 25 aprons. The MMBL Christmas party is planned for December 13th at Bennett Point Grill near Durham at 6:00pm. This is the date of our regular meeting and will replace the December meeting. Please let Madora or Jane know if you plan to attend. The MMBL will again participate in the Christmas Caroling by providing fruit baskets for the carolers to deliver. A request was read from Beverly Roberts for the MMBL to sponsor a home economic workshop or housekeeping workshop for the young adults in our church. The motion was made and approved that we provide this in January. The devotional booklet, Upper Room is again being ordered for the elderly. The January meeting will be a BIG covered dish meeting in the Fellowship Hall as the plans for the coming year will be discussed. All members are encouraged to attend. The Mary Martha Busy Ladies meet the 2nd Tuesday of each month in the Fellowship Hall at 11:45 a.m. unless announced in the Church Bulletin. For information phone Madora Davis ( ) or Jane Sparks ( ). Sisters in Christ~ Walking for a Cure Sisters in Christ~ Walking for a Cure is gearing up to begin it's 4th year in the fight against breast cancer. We had a wonderful walk through Philadelphia this past October. We met many new friends and hopefully let the light of Jesus Christ shine through us to many who are struggling with breast cancer. Our walk for 2012 will take us to the shore of Lake Superior in Cleveland, Ohio. We are excited about this journey and have a new opportunity for you to help support the Susan G. Komen Foundation. After the holidays, it's time to come out with your friends for our First Annual Sweetheart Ball! Mark your calendars now for Saturday, February the 11th from 6:30 till 11pm. Join us for an evening of Dining and Dancing for a Cure! We will also hold a Silent Auction. Steve Ray will be playing your favorite music and our own Cheryl S. Parker will be the caterer. This event will be held at the North Pavilion at Duke University. It's a beautiful location and this is sure to be a night to remember. We are limited to the first 150 people, so get your tickets now! To purchase your tickets to the Ball, please contact Kim Horton at or Cheryl Humphrey at

4 Prayers and Squares Ministry of Walnut Grove, Chapter 913 Updates: By Brenda Berry Prayers and Squares will sponsor a Wednesday Night Supper on December 7th from 5:30 PM until 7 PM. Come join us for a delicious meal! Look for the menu in the bulletin on December 4th. See you there! YUM! YUM! In 2011 thus far, we have made 100 prayer quilts and military squares. The quilts have been sent as far south as Florida and as far north as Pennsylvania. Most of the quilts have touched the lives of people from the mountains to the sea in North Carolina. The most important part of this ministry is that the prayer quilts are an outward sign of our love for others. Each person who receives one of the Prayer Quilts has their own personal stories. Many have shared how the prayer quilts have inspired them and how grateful to people who may or may not know them are willing to say a prayer for them and their families. God s love is wrapped in each one of the quilts and for the person who receives it. Many of you have asked who participates in the Prayers and Squares Ministry of Walnut Grove. The entire church is involved because of the prayers that you pray for the individuals who need our prayers. We are so thankful to everyone who says a prayer and ties a knot in the quilts for each person who is in need of prayers. If you have a request for a prayer quilt, please check with the person to see if they would like a prayer quilt. If the person agrees, then contact Brenda Berry at or brenda.berry505@gmail.com or any member on the committee. The Prayers and Squares Quilt Ministry are so excited to have you and the following people that make this ministry possible. Sewing prayer quilts are Sarah Clayton, Jeanne Crabtree, Iris Tilley, Ginger Terry, Beverly Roberts, Nita Trembly, Ruby Tilley, Peggy Mustian,, Brenda Berry, Eugenia Roland, and Ashley Parker Conway. Everyone is sharing their quilt making talents to make quilts for Prayers and Squares. There are many other helping hands that help sort fabric, sew in the threads for the knots, and press the fabric. They are Emma Beckham, Faydean Cannada, Barbara Parker, Judy Parker, Louanne Bledsoe, and Jane Clapp. The members of Prayers and Squares are thankful for all who encourage, donate, and help us with this ministry. There will be a change in the meeting times for Prayers and Squares. We will meet in the Modular Unit on the 1st Monday and 3rd Monday at 6 PM of each month. For the months of December and January we will meet on December 5, December 19, January 2, and January 19th at 6 PM in the Modular Unit. If school is not in session due to inclement weather we will not meet. Come join in the fun! We firmly believe that in many cases, We know not when the requests may come nor where the quilts will travel but God does. So we knowingly keep sewing, making quilts, and saying prayers to our Father and having faith that all is in His hands.

5 Walnut Grove Crafters By Brenda Berry Walnut Grove Crafters Sponsored Craft Pink for Walnut Grove Relay for Life Team On September 24 and September 25, the Walnut Grove Crafters sponsored our 3nd Annual Scrap Pink Weekend with an average of 16 people participating. We began on Friday at noon and crafted until about midnight. Friday night we had pizza for supper. Since we had so many out of town guests we decided to have breakfast on Saturday at 8:30 AM. Our breakfast menu was a ham and egg breakfast. Helping Faydean, Jeanne, Iris, and I with the meal preparations for Saturday Morning were Jimmy Berry, Les Cannada, and James Walker. Once breakfast was over we crafted until about 1 PM and had a covered dish luncheon. Needless to say we keep up the Methodist traditions of eating well when we get together! There are some very good cooks in our group! Oh, me, oh my! Meetings and Other crafting tidbits: In December, 2010, the crafters decided to do a recipe swap every other month. Our next recipe swap will be December 3. If you are interested in the recipe swap, contact Brenda Berry at or at brenda.berry505@gmail.com by October 18 for more information. We make a recipe card for each person participating in the swap. There are about 15 crafters participating in the exchange. Jeanne Crabtree and Patti Fife wearing pink in honor and in memory of those who have or have had cancer. Jimmy Berry cooking the country ham. From the yard sale of crafters used or new supplies, the Friday night supper, the Saturday morning breakfast, and the homemade candies, cupcakes, cookies, pies, and spiced tea, the silent auction of a Christmas wreath, and donations, $891 was raised for the Walnut Grove Relay for Life team.

6 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat If you would like to place flowers in the church anytime, please contact a member of the Worship Committee OCIM Food of the Month Personal Care Items: (Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Bar Soap, Deodorant, Lotion) Please note that these dates sometimes change. For the most up-to-date information check your Sunday bulletin or visit our website of com December p WG Crafters 3 8 a WG Crafters 4 12 n Blood Drive 4:30 p Youth Praise Team 4:30 p The Ornament Dram Reh 5:30 p MYF 5:30 p The Ornament Choir Reh Kassie Kimrey Kathryn Parker Shane Parker Sandra Penland 5 6 p Prayers and Squares Phil Hines Blade Jones 7 p UMW Cheryl Ray Robin Williams 7 Supper/Activities/Choir 8 Darryl Clayton 9 Lynwood Clayton Cameron Ray Casey young p Children s Choir Musical Ricky Triplett 6 p MMBL Gardner Latta Supper/Activities/Choir Mary Blalock Grant Berry Angie Comer Tammy Guy Ellie Wimberly Stuart Milton p Adult Christmas 6 p Prayers and Squares 5 p Christmas Eve Service- Program Sarah Clayton Heather Cole Catlin Compton 6:30 p Christmas Caroling Stephanie Harris Jackson Marlette Supper/Activities/Choir Carl Scott Dezarae Marie Coleman Betty McCullock David Young Contemporary 8 p Christmas Eve Service- Traditional Dathene Hawkins Happy Birthday Jesus 10:30 a Christmas Day Service Barry Parker 11a Compton Reunion 5 p Wilkerson Reunion Sarah Lockamy Scott Read 7 p Sanctuary Choir Billy Hall Pam Kimrey Jennifer Virginia 5 p WG Crafters Ruth Robinson Barry Walker Pamela Sparks 9 a WG Crafters Jake Berry Joe Bumgarner Barry Roberts Phil Wimberly

7 January 2012 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 10:30 a One service only Katie Bumgarner Callie Clapp Roger McFalls 2 Iris Ashley Lora Cunningham 3 7 p UMW David Jones Luna Roberts 4 Supper/Activities/Choirs Jim Walker 5 Linda Lovitte Jessica Pope 6 Cari Humphrey John Samuel Lee Rodney Overcash 7 8 5:30 p MYF Timmy Parker 9 Branda Jones Sharon Dement 10 11:30 a MMBL Jason Berry John Ducker 11 Supper/Activities/Choirs Mark Sheppard 12 Alysha Berezny 13 Keith Berry 14 I.J. Mangum 15 5:30 p MYF Jo Anne Cates Ashley Cecil Billy Sheppard 16 Martha Long Worth Miller Clint Taylor 17 Korie Dean Emily Sykes Donovan Tyler Oakley 18 Supper/Activities/Choirs Ben Davis, Amanda Tilley 19 Sara Bordeaux 20 Jane Bumgarner Michael Dow Lois Evans Matt Roberts 21 Pam Rodgers 22 5:30 p MYF 23 Katherine Berezny 24 Caylen Quigley 25 Supper/Activities/Choirs Baylee Patten 26 Amber Snipes 27 1 p WG Crafters Michelle Lee Debbie Vuolo 28 9 a WG Crafters Todd Harris Wesley Milton 29 5:30 p MYF Zachary Creech Jack DiFabio 30 Lorraine Hines 31 Devon Metcalf OCIM FOOD OF THE MONTH Soup and Crackers If you would like to place flowers in the church anytime, please contact a member of the Worship Committee. Please note that these dates sometimes change. For the most up-to-date information check your Sunday bulletin or visit the website of

8 Dates for Crafting for 2011 and 2012 No crafting in the month of November. December 2 December 3 December 30 December 31 January 27 January 28 Basic setup for each Walnut Grove Crafting Days The fun will begin on Friday at 10:00 AM until midnight. On Saturday morning we will start anew at 9:00 AM 6:00 PM. Since we craft in the Fellowship Hall, we, also, are responsible for setting up the chairs for Sunday morning 8:30 AM Service. Each person is asked to bring a snack to share on Friday night; a covered dish to share for lunch on Saturday. Supper is on your own on Friday night as is breakfast on Saturday morning. You do not have to commit to the entire weekend. Come craft for as long as you like! So mark your calendars, bring a friend, and come join the fellowship and fun as we create memories for our families and friends through the various crafts each of us select to do and share. Faydean Cannada and Iris Tilley discuss making calendars for Stuart, I received this from Brandon (Stephanie's brother). His is as follows: Mama, send this to the church, this is where I where the prayer cloth every mission and I m still here. It s strong and powerful. My saying is if you go to war determined to die you will surely live, if you got to war determined to live you will surely dies. Iris

9 Shaping Stronger Leaders and Churches In Durham, N.C., Duke s Chapel United Methodist Church is giving its student pastor a house for his young family to call home. But if you ask members of the congregation, Pastor Innocent Justice is giving them just as much in return. Now a student at Duke Divinity School, Justice was a young man living in his native Rwanda during the war and genocide in the 1990s. After witnessing the murder of his father and losing several other family members in the violence, he fled his country and lived for three years as a refugee in the Republic of Congo. He s working at Duke s Chapel as part of the Divinity School s field education program, an internship supported by The Duke Endowment. The program, as old as the Divinity School itself, has a goal of forming leaders for the church. The idea is to learn by doing, taking the theology learned in the classroom and applying it in the real world. For Duke s Chapel and several other churches in North Carolina, the field education program has brought international students to small, rural congregations, and created enriching experiences for everyone involved. It strengthens the congregations by helping them live in the Christian call to hospitality, says the Rev. Julia Alliger, pastor at Duke s Chapel. By opening our doors to people who come from such different experiences, we can begin to imagine what one body in Christ really means. Learning by Doing At Duke Divinity School, the field education program gives students who are earning their Master of Divinity a chance to move beyond the campus to practice their ministry and reflect on their calling. The students must have at least two field placements during their three years of study. Some may lead Sunday school classes, Bible studies, or church services, or create a youth program for a congregation that never had one. Others perform all of the duties a pastor normally handles in a rural church, with the help of a mentoring pastor. The Duke Endowment has funded field placement scholarships for decades, providing $2 million annually, including scholarships and stipends for more than 100 students each summer. Participants often say the program influences what they have to offer in ministry, and gives them a deeper appreciation for the leadership roles ministers have in churches and communities. The opportunities that were opened to me gave me the chance to see and experience things that otherwise I never would have, says one former student. It broadened and shaped what I have to offer to local church ministry. Finding a New Family For international students like Innocent Justice, the field education experience can be especially rewarding. They gain valuable experience, and some congregations offer a home away from home for the students and their families. When I heard about this opportunity at Duke s Chapel, I said, God, if it s your will, I d love to serve this church, says Justice, who is married and has three young daughters. I can t imagine what my life would be like without this relationship. His daughters attend local schools; his wife works as a private nursing assistant while finishing prerequisites for a nursing certificate. By providing housing, the church is helping Justice continue his studies. Housing is so expensive these days, says the Rev. Susan Pendleton Jones, who directs the field education program at Duke. For the churches to offer it for free is just such a blessing to the students. Laure Kalau, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is also serving a rural church near Durham and living in the parsonage with her family. On the day before she was to be introduced to the congregation at Walnut Grove United Methodist, her third child a daughter arrived two weeks early. The congregation helped us move into the parsonage, and then they had a baby shower for us and stocked our kitchen with food, Kalau says. My parents are back home in the Congo and my husband s parents are in the Congo, so the church has become our home. The congregation is our new family. Providing Reciprocal Blessings The Rev. Stuart Milton, the pastor at Walnut Grove, says his church has had many field education students, but Kalau is the first from another country. When Susan (Pendleton Jones) called me, I jumped on it, he says. This has absolutely strengthened our congregation. We re a rural church and we ve had limited opportunities to become more diverse. This is changing our understanding it s helping us grab a greater understanding of God s vision for the world. At Duke s Chapel, Pastor Alliger agrees. When Innocent Justice speaks of his life in Rwanda, church members are inspired by his ability to forgive. This has always been a congregation that desires to reach out, she says. But it s one thing to read about someone from another country and write a check. It s entirely different to meet someone face-to-face. People have told me that when he shares his story, it opens their eyes to the world. It pushes the boundaries of our church.

10 UMYF The UMYF's Dinner Theater "That's Not My Jesus" went off without a hitch due to some committed youth and hard-working youth volunteers! Thanks to all of you who continually support the youth program here in all of the ways you do! We had a great meal, laughed a little and made some money to off-set the cost of Pilgrimage 2011: Follow the Way, Speak the Truth, Live the Life! We had 59 folks from Walnut Grove travel to Fayetteville and they all worked together to make it a memory filled, awesome weekend of fun, fellowship and worship! Joining us were some wayward college students, a house band member we affectionately call the Piano Man, one of our own Burlington District Officers, some flexible chaperones, role models that would make parents proud and a bunch of engaged youth! Oh, and the same Great Big God who always shows up! We made some memories: pranks gone bad and behavior bordering on "unruly", but we also had some emotional and honest talks and during our times of worship you could feel the presence of God move. Our challenge is to take the high from Pilgrimage and use it to move us to action all year long as we remember "God loves you, and there is nothing you can do about it!" It was a great weekend and I feel honored to be a part of it year after year! At Pilgrimage, WGUMC Youth President and Vice-President, Callie Clapp and Sam Wimberly delivered a check to ZOE Ministry for purchase of a cow, a goat and 8 rabbits! Upcoming Events and Announcements: UMYF regularly meet Sunday nights from 5:30-7:00. UMYF regular Bible Study Wednesday nights 7:00-8:00. All 6th-12th graders are invited to attend! Confirmation classes are scheduled to begin in January! Sunday, November 20 No Youth-Thanksgiving Berry's Grove Wednesday, November 23: UMYF to Durham Rescue Mission 9:00 am to 12:00. WGUMC at 8:30! Sunday, November 27 No Youth-Thanksgiving Holiday December 5:30 Regular UMYF December 11 No Youth-Children's Christmas Program December 5:30 UMYF Christmas Party December 25 No Youth-Christmas Holiday

11 NOTES from the Music Ministry by Leigh McFalls, Music Director How about some Christmas music? It s that time of year and the music ministry has some really exciting things in store. Children s Christmas Special Music: The Children s Choir (Kindergarten through 5 th grade), is working hard on their Christmas musical, Merry Christmas which will be on Sunday, December 11 at 6:00pm in the sanctuary. They will present in drama and song the story of how Jesus brought JOY, PEACE, LIGHT and LOVE into the world that blessed night in Bethlehem. They rehearse on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 7:00 in the Choir Room. They also plan to have several extra rehearsals as well. The leaders, Anne Campbell, Gwen Hall-DeFabio and other assistants have high expectations for this group. I have personally heard them and know they will be a blessing to all of us. There s nothing like Christmas through the eyes of a child. The Cherub Choir (birth through age 4) is also working on some special music and movement for the December 11 th program. They are meeting on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 7:00 in the Nursery. Teresa Milton and helpers are working (or playing) with this group and having lots of fun! Adult Christmas Special Musical Presentation: This year, the Sanctuary Choir, several members of the Praise Team, youth, young adults and many other willing volunteers will come together to present the dramatic musical, The Ornament on Sunday, December 18 th at 6:00pm in the sanctuary. Singers, actors, dancers, set workers, sound techs, lighting (to name a few) will come together to produce a moving and wonderful story of one Christmas in the life of a family similar to yours and mine. Here s a sneak preview It s the week before Christmas and the Keagan family is preparing to get together and enjoy some of their family traditions like decorating the Christmas tree and working at the Sonshine Soup Kitchen. During the past year, several family members have been through some tough times. Difficult circumstances such as the death of a spouse, loss of a job, divorce and career uncertainty have challenged their confidence in themselves as well as in their faith in God. And, as if this is not enough to deal with, an unexpected, unknown and unpredictable visitor shows up for a visit and turns everything upside down! In the end, they realize that everything in life is constantly changing except for one thing the love and presence of our Savior. And what does this have to do with an ornament? (You ll have to come on December 18 th to find out.) For more information about any of the above opportunities, contact Leigh McFalls at or leighmcfalls@gmail.com.

12 Bits and Pieces Baptism: Oct. 23, 2011 Malaika Grace Mujing Kavu Blake Michael Mavin Deaths - Margaret Vaughn Berry Oct. 21, 2011 Children s Christmas Musical Please come and enjoy our children's musical, "Merry Christmas! An Experience in Joy, Peace, Light, and Love in Jesus!" on Sunday, December 11th at 6:00pm. We will celebrate the gifts Jesus brought to us all. Afterwards we will celebrate Jesus' birthday with cake and refreshments. Toys for Tots Donate new unwrapped toys for children under the age of 12 by December 14 and place in the marked box. All toys and donations collected stay right here in our community. Contact Ann Wagoner ( ) for more information. WGUMC Ministers The Congregation The Staff who help them are: Rev. Stuart Milton Pastor Laure Kalau Assistant Pastor Leigh McFalls Music Ministries Director Cheryl S. Parker Youth Ministries Director Lorraine Parker Organist/Pianist Church Office Phone: Pastor s Address pastorstuart@walnutgroveumc.com Church Web Address Church Address office@walnutgroveumc.com Church office hours are Tues, Wed, Thur. from 9-1pm. This newsletter is printed every other month. Newsletter questions may be addressed to Stuart Milton at or Kim McColman, Newsletter articles may be sent to gallopingkm@gmail.com. Walnut Grove United Methodist Church 7215 Walnut Grove Church Road Hurdle Mills, NC Non-Profit Org. U. S. Postage Paid Hurdle Mills, NC Permit No. 2 Change Service Requested