THE FIRST WORD SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE FAMILY SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE KIDS SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH

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1 THE FIRST WORD A publication of Ellijay First United Methodist Church December 2014 SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE FAMILY December 14 Cantata Chancel Choir 11 a.m. Hand bell Choir will call us to worship No Children s Church December 17 A Night in Bethlehem Play 6:30 p.m. December 21 Christmas Potluck Brunch No Sunday School December 24 Christmas Eve Service 5:30 p.m. SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE KIDS December 3 Special Advent Lesson & Craft December 10 Christmas Parties for SLAM & JAM December 11 Dress rehearsal for a Night in Bethlehem December 17 Christmas Play 6:30 p.m. December 18 Preschool Program/Parties 10:30 a.m. December 21 No Sunday School Church-wide Brunch SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH December 7 & 14 Bake sale after church for Christmas Family December 14 Shopping for Christmas Family 3 p.m. December 17 Christmas Play 6:30 p.m. December 21 Christmas Party & Progressive Dinner 4 p.m. December 28 No Youth

2 SUNDAY Each Sunday 8:45 a.m. Early Worship 9:45 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Worship 5:00 p.m. Handbell practice 6:00 p.m. Impact Youth ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS Each Monday 4:45 p.m. BODY AND SOUL exercise for ladies 1st Monday 5:30 p.m. Finance Committee Meeting January 5 6:00 p.m. Administrative Council Meeting January 5 2nd Monday 6:30 p.m. UMW Claddagh Night Circle - December 8 4th Monday 11:30 a.m. Prayer Shawl Workshop December 15**because of holiday Each Tuesday 11:00 a. m. Adult Bible Study BYKOTA CLASSROOM 1st Tuesday 8:00 a.m. UMM Prayer Breakfast/Meeting at Annie s December 2 3rd Tuesday 6:30 p.m. UMM Dinner & meeting Shane s Rib Shack December 16 3rd Tuesday 12:00 noon UMW Noon Circle December 16 covered dish Each Wednesday 4:00 p.m. S.A.L.T. Saved-Accepted-Loved-Transformed Grades 6, 7, 8 5:30 p.m. Wednesday Night Family & Friends Dinner 5:45 p.m. Grace Notes 6:00 p.m. Youth IMPACT (9th 12th grade) 6:00 p.m. Children s Wednesday Night program/choir 6:30 p.m. Adult Choir Rehearsal 1st Wednesday 5:00 p.m. Board of Trustees Meeting, BYKOTA CLASSROOM, 12/3 Each Thursday 4:45 p.m. BODY AND SOUL exercise for ladies 1st Thursday** 11:00 a.m. Joy Circle December 11**Changed to 2nd Thursday this month 2nd Thursday 11:30 a.m. Single Ladies Lunch December 11 Each Saturday 9:00 a.m. BODY AND SOUL exercise for ladies

3 GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP OFFERED For anyone who may be grieving a loss, recent, past, or anticipated, Rev. Allan Tarr and Heartlite Hospice offer a free Grief and Loss Support Group, beginning Tuesday January 6, The group will meet each Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. in the Waters Building, 33 Sand Street, Ellijay. This building is across the street from First Baptist Church, right behind the office of Heartlite Hospice Care. There is no cost or need to register; however, for planning purposes Allan would like to have an idea how many will attend. Please Allan at allantarr@gmail.com to let him know you are interested, or if you have any questions. Rev. Allan Tarr's sermon on Nov. 23, 2014, "Anxiety; Take the Cure," included five things the dying anxiously regret as they approach death. This list is from an informal survey compiled by a long-term hospice nurse. 5 THINGS THE DYING MOST REGRET: 1. I wish I d lived a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. 2. I wish I hadn t worked so hard (or such long hours). 3. I wish I d had the courage to express my true feelings. 4. I wish I d stayed in touch with my friends. 5. I wish I d allowed myself to be happier. SPECIAL ACTIVITIES for The WHOLE FAMILY December 14 Cantata Chancel Choir 11 a.m. Hand bell Choir will call us to worship No Children s Church December 17 A Night in Bethlehem Play 6:30 p.m. December 21 Christmas Potluck Brunch No Sunday School December 24 Christmas Eve Service 5:30 p.m. SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE KIDS December 3 Special Advent Lesson & Craft December 10 Christmas Parties for SLAM & JAM December 11 Dress rehearsal for a Night in Bethlehem December 17 Christmas Play 6:30 p.m. December 18 Preschool Program/Parties 10:30 a.m. December 21 No Sunday School Church-wide Brunch

4 The United Methodist Men continue to meet at Annie's Restaurant at 8:00 AM on Maddox Dr. on the first Tuesday of each month for our Prayer Breakfast and devotional. Our evening meetings are held on the third Tuesday at Shane's Rib Shack at 6:00 PM. We welcome ALL men of the church to come and participate in these exciting fellowship opportunities. Our next breakfast meeting will be December 2 at Annie s. Our men continue to provide service to members of the community by building wheelchair ramps, providing transportation and food, and helping with repairs and cleaning at Camp Glisson and Hands of Hope. NEW OPPORTUNITY: MEN S BIBLE STUDY The United Methodist Men will be offering a men s Bible study on Saturday mornings at 8:00 a.m., beginning January 10, The first study will be on What We Believe as United Methodists. Topics will include: John and Charles Wesley and the history of Methodism in England and America Core Methodist beliefs Connectionalism; the global Church What is this thing called Grace? Social Principles and current controversies Whatever questions/topics the group would like to discuss ALL men are encouraged to come and share in learning and fellowship. Coffee will be provided. Please sign up by Tuesday at noon. There will be sign up sheets at all three entrances to the sanctuary on Sunday. You can call the office ( ); the office (office@fumcellijay.org); or fill out the form on the website ( under the Wednesday Night Supper Tab. DECEMBER 17 DECEMBER 3 Sponsored by United Methodist Men Breakfast for Supper DECEMBER 10 Sponsored by Claddagh UMW Circle Chicken, Broccoli/Rice Casserole Sponsored by Preschool Ham, Potatoes, Vegetables, Rolls and Dessert Children and Youth Christmas 6:30 A Night in Bethlehem

5 ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES--9:45 a.m. HELPING HANDS CLASS We are planning an Advent study that will compare the Christmas stories found in Matthew and Luke. We have social get-togethers during our church year. Our class continues to give a monthly donation to Gilmer Community Food Pantry, Murphy Harpst, Gilmer Christian Learning Center, and Kids Kottage. We also sponsor a young boy in Kenya. Other projects are supported on a onetime basis if funds are available. If you are not already in a Sunday morning class, we welcome you to join us in the Fellowship Hall at 9:45 Sunday morning. CORNERSTONE SS CLASS The Cornerstone class is an active class for adults of all ages. We have monthly social gatherings and are active in many ministries, including the Gilmer County Food Pantry, Faith, Hope and Charity Recycle Store, and the Kenya Project. BYKOTA The BYKOTA class (Be Ye Kind One To Another) supports the Wednesday night children s programs, the Gilmer Food Pantry, the New Beginnings Transitional Housing program, Kids Ferst and the Back Pack Program. Join Us!!! BEN BARRETT SS Class The class maintains an emergency food freezer, makes monthly donations to Gilmer Food Pantry, provides Sunday night meals for youth, and supports GRASP and Vacation Bible School with monetary donations. CROSSWALK SS CLASS has been reorganized under the leadership of Al Summers. This class is open to all adults. The class meets in Marianne s Preschool Office. Please join us! Please consider volunteering for: ~~Sunday School Teacher for 4 year olds to 1st grade (every other month) ~~Children s Church leader (once every 3 months) ~~Nursery Helper (once every 3 months) ~~Choir Leader for 4 year olds 1st grade (Wednesday s, 6 6:30 pm) Please see Marianne for more information. Claddagh Night Circle meets 2nd Monday at 6:30 p.m. Noon Circle meets the 3rd Tuesday at 12 noon. Joy Circle meets the 1st Thursday at 11 a.m. The church has a wheel chair missing from our storage closet. If you took it to use would you please return it. We have had requests from folks needing to use it. We have two walkers that are available to use if needed. Tamra Acree, Parish Nurse

6 Bringing Christ s healing love to hurting people The mission of our Stephen Ministry is To share the love of Jesus Christ by providing one-toone, distinctively Christian care to individuals who are experiencing life s challenges and difficulties. What do Stephen Ministers do? Stephen Ministers bring distinctively Christian care to those in need by working alongside our pastors to care, encourage, and provide emotional and spiritual support to people who are going through a difficult time, such as divorce, grief, hospitalization, unemployment, terminal illness, relocation, chronic illness, or loneliness. Stephen Ministers needed: Male and Female Ever thought about becoming a Stephen Minister? Applications are being accepted for a new Stephen Minister training class. If you have a desire to share God s love with those that are hurting, consider becoming a Stephen Minister. You will join the more than 600,000 laypeople worldwide that share the love of Jesus Christ by providing one-to-one, distinctively Christian care to individuals who are experiencing life s challenges and difficulties. If you would like to be part of this ministry or would like more information about it, visit our web page at or contact one of our Stephen Leaders: Steve Ketcham at or steve.ketcham00@gmail.com ; Debbie Halligan at or dhalligan@etcmail.com; or Sandy Williams at or sandraw460@yahoo.com. Your health and wellness committee is here to help with medical questions and referrals. You can talk to any of our RN's: Tamra Acree, Nancy Smith, Katherine Meyer, Grace Ketcham and Carol Maiyer. Jennifer Vines is our occupational therapist. We are happy to assist you. ***Dec. 7th B/P screening in office

7 DO SHORTER DAYS AND THE APPROACHING HOLIDAYS HAVE YOU DOWN? Submitted by Sandra Williams Shorter days with less sunlight may be a trigger for some people for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Additionally, loss of loved ones as the holiday season approaches can trigger an overwhelming feeling of loss and longing. Here are some proactive steps that you can take to combat your depression: TWENTY-THREE WAYS TO DUMP DEPRESSION *GET OUT Go to church, go to a NAMI meeting, go to a movie, go to a presentation at the library. Check your local paper to see what is going on. Don t just sit there! *GET YOUR FEELINGS OUT Call a friend whom you trust, call your minister or therapist. Talk about your feelings or your problems, specifically and honestly. Sharing the load makes it lighter. *GET UP AND DO SOMETHING The urge to crawl into bed and hibernate is typical during depression. Don t give in to it. Do something, anything, preferably with someone you like. Change where you are and whom you are with. A friend once gave me very good advice. She said, If you do not know what to do, do the dishes! In other words, do something even for a little while. *LEARN FROM OTHERS Read material and books on recovery from depression; read the Bible, especially Psalms. *BE WITH OTHERS Company beats misery. Avoid being alone as much as possible. *DO FOR OTHERS Stop thinking about yourself and do something for someone else. Send your Mom some flowers; write a poem for your sister s birthday; take over a household chore your spouse usually handles; cheer up an elderly relative or friend with a surprise visit; take your kids to a funny movie. *MAKE A CHECKLIST Are you getting out; helping others; talking with friends; walking in the sunlight; making a gratitude list; being kind to yourself? *MAKE A GRATITUDE LIST Be thankful for what you have rather than wishing for what you could have had. Make a list of people who like you, who love you and include God on that list. Count the miracles that have happened to you. *MAKE A WORRY LIST Include all the things that are bothering you, then cross off all those that don t have to be attended to today. You can worry about those tomorrow. Next to the remaining worries, note what steps you can take to deal with them, then start dealing. *TRY DISTRACTION To get away from your problems for a little while, divert yourself with something you enjoy a crossword puzzle, a jigsaw puzzle, a DVD movie, needlepoint, a good book (serious or escapist, whichever relaxes you best), a hobby (if you do not have one, start shopping for one). Or tackle something that needs doing letter writing, closet cleaning, dog grooming. Some people keep a list of tasks that need doing for just such an occasion, and get pleasure out of crossing something off.

8 Do Shorter Days and the Approaching Holidays Have You Down?, continued *TRY INSPIRATION Listen to soul-stirring music, drive down to the ocean and watch the sunset or sunrise, hike in the woods, climb a mountain, visit a house of worship, listen to your favorite book on CD. *TRY EXERTION Go for a walk, a jog, a bike ride, a swim; shoot some baskets, play a game of tennis; or do whatever you consider both fun and exercise. Or get your exercise accompanied by a sense of achievement by doing physical work that needs to be done neglected chores such as chopping wood, moving furniture, washing windows, scrubbing floors, mowing the lawn. *TRY RELAXATION Use relaxation techniques or any activity that helps you unwind, such as sports, fishing, gardening, hiking, bird watching, movies, TV, reading for pleasure, music, hobbies, listening to CDs, a hot bath, a long drive, a short nap. Get a massage or give one. *TRY MEDITATION A little mind control can do wonders. *TRY SUPPLICATION Prayer can work wonders. Try to learn the will of your God. See where he is working in your community and join Him there. *TRY ILLUMINATION Some cases of depression, particularly in women, are related to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). With winter s shorter days and weaker sun providing less light in their lives, some people become deeply depressed. Light therapy, during which they are exposed to bright light for several hours during the day, miraculously brings them out of the doldrums. *TRY MANIPULATION Of your diet, that is. Sugar is sometimes at the root of bouts of depression or anxiety. Cutting it out of your diet may lift your mood considerably. Over-refined carbohydrates have the same impact. *TRY INVENTION Be creative. Build something, paint, sew, sculpt, cook, compose a melody, write a poem or short story (perhaps drawing on your experiences). *TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS-Be kind to yourself; you deserve it. Share something special with your spouse, partner, or family. *GIVE IN For one day, stop fighting your depression and give in to it. Say, Okay, today I feel like a frog in a bog, so I m going to go to sleep early. When I wake up tomorrow, I m going to feel much better. Don t, however, give in tomorrow. *GIVE OVER Turn whatever it is you can t handle over to God. This is not a cop-out, but a way out. *BUT DON T GIVE UP Remember that today you may feel down, but tomorrow is a new day. These feelings have always passed before, they will this time too. And, remember, your attitude does not have to be dependent on your feelings. It can be up even when you re feeling down. *CALL FOR HELP If you re too depressed to do any of the above, call your spouse, a friend, your minister, your doctor or your counselor as your first line of support. (If possible, program the numbers into your phone; then, all you have to do in an emergency is push one panic button.) If your depression still hangs on stubbornly, speak to your doctor or therapist or consult a treatment center. Dec. 7th B/P screening in office

9 NOTES FROM THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS COMMITTEE If you know of anyone who is homebound or in the hospital, please call the church office so one of our team members can make a visit. There is a first aid kit now located in the kitchen. An AED is on the back hallway wall close to the fellowship hall. Online Giving is now available! If you have difficulty hearing, please see an usher before church for a hearing impaired device. Please visit our website ( Click on the DONATE button IMPACT Worship Sundays 6-8 Dinner, Games, and Worship! 6 th -12 th Graders Wednesdays, 4:00-5:15 S.A.L.T. Saved-Accepted-Loved-Transformed Snack, game, and Bible study for 6 th,7 th, & 8 th Graders! High-school Small Groups Wednesdays 6:30-8:00 Girls: Faithful One Study- becoming a faithful follower of Christ! Guys: Daniel Study- Standing Strong IMPACT YOUTH Upcoming Dates: December 7 & 14 Bake sale for Christmas Family December 14 3 p.m. Shopping for Christmas Family December 17th Youth and Children Christmas Play December 21st 4 to 8:30 p.m. Youth Progressive Dinner/ Christmas Party *We will have dinner and dessert in two different homes. Wear tacky Christmas attire and bring a white elephant gift. Main Course Hosts: Allan & Rachel Tarr Dessert Hosts: Al & Anita Summers

10 Why does the church exist? According to Matthew s Gospel, the risen Christ made it clear: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you (28:19-20) Based on this Great Commission, our United Methodist Church has stated its purpose: WE HAVE A MISSION Welcoming-Worshiping-Nurturing-Sending The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Local churches provide the most significant arena through which disciple-making occurs. So the mission of our congregation is to make disciples. This is a fourfold task.... We could abbreviate our mission as one of welcomingworshiping-nurturing-sending. From The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church 2008, pp For more information on Our Faith, please visit the UMC Web Site. Ellijay First United Methodist Church 75 McCutchen Street P.O. Box 472 Ellijay, GA Church: Fax: Pastor s Residence: office@fumcellijay.org, danny@fumcellijay.org, youth@fumcellijay.org, children@fumcellijay.org Website: Church Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday Tamra Acree, Parish Nurse Pam Corbin, Custodian CHURCH STAFF The Reverend Dr. Danny Barton, Pastor The Reverend Alan Tarr, Assistant Pastor Charlie Bryant, Director of Music Gabrielle Cornett, Pianist Marianne Evans, Director of Children s Ministries & Preschool Ann Hanline, Administrative Assistant Kerri Anne Sanford, Youth Minister Angel Hughes, Nursery Coordinator Cheryl Smith, Organist