THE PROPHETS FORETOLD ADVENT & CHRISTMAS AT 1ST UMC

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1 THE PROPHETS FORETOLD ADVENT & CHRISTMAS AT 1ST UMC Thanksgiving is behind us, and the rush to Christmas is underway. From the Chancel Choir Cantata to Sunday School Christmas parties, there will be weeks filled with activities here at the church. During worship, we ll be taking a look at the Christmas Story through the eyes of the Prophets and how they foretold the coming of Christ. Take a look below at some of the biggest events of the season. For more events and details, please visit 1stchurch.org/Christmas. COME AND WORSHIP: A CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Sunday, December 2nd at 10:30 am in Asbury Hall Pre-worship music and refreshments start at 10:15. CHILDREN S PROGRAM and FAMILY CRAFT NIGHT Sunday, December 2nd beginning at 5:00 pm Sanctuary & Asbury Hall JOY TO THE WORLD: MORNING GLORY CHRISTMAS CANTATA Sunday, December 9th at 8:15 am Sanctuary GLORY TO GOD: A CELEBRATION OF CHRIST S BIRTH CHANCEL CHOIR CHRISTMAS CANTATA Sunday, December 16th at 10:30 am and 7:00 pm *To help free up parking spaces for guests, there will be a shuttle running from BEHIND the Junior High School to the Porte Cochere from 8:30 am until 12:15 pm. CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT WORSHIP: ESPECIALLY for CHILDREN and FAMILIES Monday, December 24th at 2:00 pm Sanctuary CHRISTMAS EVE TRADITIONAL CANDLELIGHT WORSHP Monday, December 24th at 7:00 and 10:00 pm Sanctuary

2 Advent is a time for preparation and in the Old Testament there are many stories about God s people preparing for the Messiah. On Wednesdays, starting December 5th we will host Noonday worship in the Sanctuary with lunch following in Wesley Hall. Each service will be short and designed to fit into your lunch hour. Rev. Catherine Nance will speak at the first service on December 5th. Her focus is on Emmanuel: Old Testament images for Christ and tips for Advent prayer practices. On December 12th and 19th, Rev. Tim Jones, the Director of Communications for thholston Conference, brings the messages of Anticipating Hope and Being Hope. Rev. Tim Jones WELCOME TO Wendy Hardenbrook Martha & Nick Cotter Melissa Kelley Jocelyn Kennedy Malone was baptized on Sunday, September 30th. Her parents Matthew & Cassie Malone also joined the church on that Charlie Feather was baptized on November 18th. He is the son of Steven & Morgan Feather and grandson of Don & Karen Feather.

3 Alternative Gift Fair Success We hope you were able to pick up a few gifts on your list at this year s Alternative Gift Fair. There were 16 vendors on hand with hundreds and hundreds of items for sale. Two of the vendors were new to the fair. Clayton Hensley, our Director of Communications, promoted the AGF with two local tv appearances. Two stations, WATE and WVLT came out to cover the fair here at the church. Each of the vendors represented a mission, ministry, non-profit group or fair trade organization. After the shopping was done, the vendors reported selling more than $8,000 worth of goods. How wonderful to see so much support for helping folks locally and around the world. Jewel Rankin would like to thank to Mark, Lauren and the Outreach Committee for their assistance. Directions to The Way Forward. Rev. Catherine Nance and Rev. Laura Rasor (of Broadway UMC) have been hosting 90-minute informational sessions regarding the upcoming called General Conference of the United Methodist Church. You still have several opportunities to take part in one of these sessions. More information at 1stchurch.org/direction. Sunday,December 2nd at 2:00 p.m. at Broadway Tuesday,December 4th at 10:30 a.m. at 1st UMC Tuesday,December 4th at 7:00 p.m. at Broadway COMING SOON TO DECEMBER 5th Rev. Matt Hall Celebrate Recovery Meets Each Wednesday 5:30 Light Meal 6:30 Worship 7:40 Share Groups DECEMBER 12th The Word Players ONLINE ALL THE TIME! DECEMBER 19th Rev. Matt Hall THE CHURCH BELL Page 3

4 The Christmas Story for Kids Tuesday, December 4th Monday, December 10th 6:00 to 7:30 pm Christmas is a special time for children, especially when they get to hear the story about the birth of Jesus. This year, Ms. Denise and the 1st Kids Ministries team invite you and your children to come for a special dinner and story time where the kids will hear the Christmas story in the Bible and participate in activities to help them learn more about the birth of our Savior. NEWS Sunday School leader needed in January Do you like to spend time with children? Do you enjoy sharing your faith story with others? Are you a life time learner? Do you enjoy crafts? If you can answer yes to a couple of these questions then you need to contact Denise Johns about a current opening in the Children s Sunday School department at djohns@1stchurch.org. During the month of December, Kids Own Worship will only be meeting on Sunday, December 9th. Rev. Nathan Irwin Director of 1st Youth nirwin@1stchurch.org Youth Christmas Party December 9th at 6:00 pm, Room 152 Sunday, November 25th was the commitment Sunday for the 2019 Stewardship Campaign. If you were unable to bring in your pledge card you can still: Registration is open for Resurrection This year s theme is Voices United. Jorge Acevedo is the keynote speaker and I Am They returns to lead the music during each session. Resurrection 2019 is coming up January 25th to 27th. Visit 1stchurch.org/resurrection to let Nathan know you ll be attending. Place it in the offering plate Mail it to the church at 804 Montvale Station Road, Maryville, TN Bring it by the church office Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Go online to make your pledge at 1stchurch.org/stewardship. THE CHURCH BELL Page 4

5 Memorials & Honorariums Memorial Fund In Memoriam: Dennis Burns Marvin Eaves Evelyn Campbell Music Memorial Jerry & Frances Hodge Nancy Martin Charlie & Barbara Barton Hope Lewis Pat Blankenship Michael Gaddis David & Leslie Rader Joseph & Jackie Sprigg Charlie & Frankie Moyers Randy & Laney Lambert Bill & Elizabeth Pedersen Cecil Carmen Garst Sunday School Class Bob & Marilyn Byrd Jim & Susie Curtiss John & Lydia Gibson Carl Koella Gloria Leonard Ral & Teresa McCammon Doug Gzym & Betsy Tucker Richard & Elizabeth Ryburn Nancy Surbaugh Shields Sunday School Class Jean Calloway Rebecca Gibson Ed & Katherine Hoskins Larry & Joann Garner Michele & Ellison Thomas William & Brenda Johnson Shannondale Community Carl & Jean McDonald Ann Doege Mike & Pam Jarvis-Miller Pam Young & Tom Klein William & Judy Clabough Jerry & Frances Hodge Jimmie Eaves & Leslie Roberts Bill & Elizabeth Pedersen Cecil Carmen Janie Haley Crestview Dental Care Scott & Susan Hawkins Al & Jeanne Redwine Charles & Clara McNutt Ben Long JoAnn Myers Pat & Ernie Blankenship John & Julia Story Bob & Marilyn Byrd Jim & Susie Curtiss Keith Noble Dwain & Jane Pesterfield Dwain & Jane Pesterfield Joined First Church June 9, 1968 Entered the Church Triumphant November 3, 2018 Dennis Reagan Burns Joined First Church June 7, 1990 Entered the Church Triumphant November 12, 2018 Christian sympathy extended to: The family of who died on November 3rd. The family of Dennis Reagan Burns who died on November 12th. The family of who died on November 12th. Former 1st UMC pastor, Richard Richter in the death of his sister earlier in November. In honor of: Nan Werner Bill Bennett Eula Gray Fortner Goddard Joined First Church 1934 Entered the Church Triumphant November 4, 2018 Building Fund Kristine Tallent Kristine Tallent Celebrate Recovery In honor of: Food Prep & Servers Pat Blankenship Celebrate Recovery Anonymous Choir Fund Family Promise UMCOR Welcome Table Karl & Sherry Miller Trendsetters Sunday School Class Trendsetters Sunday School Class Steve & Shirley Stinnett In honor of: Food & Prep Servers Pat Blankenship Ed & Judy Green

6 Maryville First United Methodist Church 804 Montvale Station Road Maryville, Tennessee Phone: Change Service Requested NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID MARYVILLE TN PERMIT NO. 113 WAYS YOU CAN GIVE December 16th during the 7:00 pm presentation of the Chancel Choir Cantata December 24th Christmas Eve Services Online at 1stchurch.org/Christmas Use a Christmas Offering envelope on Sunday or mark the memo line on your check. Throughout the years, you have shown your Christmas spirit through your gifts to the annual Christmas Offering. In 2014 the Christmas offering helped pay for scholarships, and teacher and pastor salaries at the Pukuka United Methodist Church in South Sudan. In 2015 your offerings helped neighbors in need of assistance with their utility bills and more through Good Neighbors of Blount County. In 2016 Compassion Counseling Center benefitted from the Christmas Offering so it could help offer counseling services to more people. In 2017 you helped ease hunger in the area by aiding the Food Connection of Blount County and helped even more people through Good Neighbors. In 2018 the Christmas Offering will go to Camp Wesley Woods, one of four such camping ministries in the Holston Conference. This past year, 169 campers made first time commitments to Christ and hundreds more renewed their faith through this vital ministry. The next edition of The Church Bell comes out on December 17th. If you have something to submit, the deadline for submissions is December 14th. That edition will be the last Church Bell for 2018