The Sower FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN. December 2014 Newsletter for Washington Farm United Methodist Church. Mark Your Calendar

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1 The Sower December 2014 Newsletter for Washington Farm United Methodist Church Mark Your Calendar December 1-19 Christmas Tree Project December 6 Breakfast in Bethlehem December 9 UMW Christmas Dinner December 21 Christmas Cantata December 24 Christmas Eve Services Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14 FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel. There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God s angel stood among them and God s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, Don t be afraid. I m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger. At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him. Luke 2: 1-14 (The Message) Have you ever noticed that the entire Christmas story begins with a lot of questions? When an angel appeared to old Zechariah telling him t Elizabeth, long past her child-bearing years, would have a son, he asked, How will I know this is so? When the son grows up to be John the Baptizer, he will ask the crowds that come to him, Who has taught you to flee the wrath that is to come? When the angel appeared to Mary to announce that she was to conceive a child, she too had her question, How can this be, since I do not know man? When she traveled in haste to visit her cousin, Elizabeth greeted her with a question, How is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Later on, the Magi would ask wicked King Herod, Where is the One that has been born King of the Jews? Thus there are questions that begin the Christmas drama and so they prompt me to ask you some questions, three of them in fact. The Continued on page 2...

2 ARTICLE Con t from Page 1 first question is this: Who brought you to the church? I don t mean, who physically drove the car. I mean in the long run. I mean, who in your background is responsible for your being here every Sunday, or even if it s only once or twice a year? Who planted the seed of faith in you? Who was the faith-person in your background? In that sense, you have my first question: Who brought you here? Who made the mark on your spirit? Who marked you for Christ? Whom are you marking introducing to the faith, passing on values to? The second question is this: Who holds you? Who holds you with love, encouragement, and affirmation? In this season where the material overshadows all that Christmas represents, holding each other is among life s greatest blessings. Intangible gifts of love, support, and encouragement have more value than any tangible trinket that can be purchased. Who holds you? That s my second question: Who holds you? Whom do you hold? Or should? My third and final question is the deepest of all. It s this: Who are you? Who are you? Because who you are is what you do. It s not the other way around. What you do doesn t make you who you are, but who you are determines the kinds of things you do. If you know you re nothing, with no past and no future and no God, just a bunch of impulses that need to be satisfied, then you will do nothing things, selfish things, hateful things. But if you know you re a child of God, full of dignity and worth, then you will do God-like things. A child, trained by kind, loving, and faithful parents, will do kind, loving and faithful deeds. It follows. Are you a Christian? A disciple? Who are you? So, in the tradition of the Scriptures, I ve left you this Christmas season with three questions the day itself provokes: Who brought you here? Whom are you bringing? Or should? Who holds you in love and affirmation? Whom do you hold? Or should? Who are you? Does that cause you to act the way you do? Or should? From the very beginning, Christmas raises three questions. From the very beginning, Christmas offers answers. Merry Christmas! Peace, Philip GIVING

3 Christmas Tree Project The valued community tradition of the WFUMC Christmas Tree project is rapidly approaching. Once again, we have ordered 1000 Christmas trees to be delivered November 29th, the Saturday after Thanksgiving! The trees will be available starting mid-morning and the project will run approximately two weeks. On the theory that "many hands make light(er) work", we will need numerous volunteers throughout the project to make it a success. The first order of business was to set up the racks and rack lights on Saturday, November 22, thanks to all of you for assisting in that. We now will unload the trees on the on the 29th of November at 7 AM. For the last two years we have had over 40 volunteers to unload the trees making this monumental task so much easier. The annual Christmas Tree Project is an outreach project of our church. It not only brings in funds for our ministries, but we also donate quite a few trees to non-profit organizations such as United Community Ministries (UCM), Mondloch House Family Shelter, Fort Belvoir and to Mount Vernon. We also make sure no patron who is in financial difficulty goes without a tree. Most importantly, the whole project helps bring our congregation and community together. We have a lot of fun working and chatting and keeping warm on those chilly days and evenings. The sign up lists for afternoon and evening workers from November 29th to December 14th will be on the Fellowship Porch as long as is necessary to cover the times on the sign up sheets. The success of this year s project will be dependent on the support of all in our congregation, so please reserve several mornings and evenings to help. God Bless you all! Rob Stanton

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5 Sunday School News Eileen Fraidrech Christmas is coming! Our Sunday School classes are preparing for this exciting time Advent wreaths, nativity sets, and Christmas trees can be found in the children s classrooms, and of course, our unit for this quarter is Our Savior s Birth! We will experience the joy and wonder of the season in many ways this year through our three-week, church-family Advent program, at which we ll be making Advent wreaths, banners, and chrismons as we learn about the significance of Jesus birth, through our Breakfast in Bethlehem experience, in which our entire church is invited to take part (see separate article), through our Sunday School classes, for both children and adults, and through our guitar and piano classes, in which we ll be learning Christmas music. Our children have learned to focus on others through many mission opportunities here at church, such as Operation Christmas Child and Angel Tree. Additionally, several of our classes have taken part in other mission projects Mrs. McGrew s class put together sewing kits for the Annual Conference mission project and received a nice letter of thanks. Mrs. Wolski s and Mrs. Dawes middle school class made fleece blankets to donate to Project Linus, an organization that gives blankets to children who are experiencing a trauma or crisis. Again this year, we will have a Children s Christmas Eve service, at which families with children can experience the joy and excitement of Christmas at a special interactive service geared to children. All children present are invited to be part of our walkin/no-rehearsal-required pageant costumes are provided downstairs before the service, and the children can experience the wonder of Jesus birth in the role of shepherds, angels, wise men, animals, the inn keeper, Mary, and Joseph. Older children (6 th grade and up) will be narrators. Our guitar and piano students will also play at this service. Wishing our entire church family a Merry and Blessed Christmas! And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:12. Matthew 28:5 But the angel answered and said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. Breakfast in Bethlehem! (Santa Claus is coming to Washington Farm ) Saturday, Dec 6, 9:00 AM-noon Mark your calendars for a spectacular Christmas experience--breakfast in Bethlehem! This exciting event is similar to a one-day VBS for families to enjoy together. Guests will enjoy a pancake breakfast, followed by an interactive tour of Bethlehem set in the time of Jesus birth. Led by costumed guides, participants will visit the carpenter and make a dreidel, visit the Baker and make bread, visit the jeweler, the spice shop, the stone mason, and of course, the inn and stable where Mary and Joseph will be with baby Jesus. Additionally, we ll have our own Washington Farm Santa Stop where we ll watch a skit and hear a story, and children will have the chance to visit Santa! (Children and families can have their picture taken with Santa each child will go home with a framed photo.) It will be meaningful not only for the children who are participants, but also for the adult and youth volunteers. We need costumed guides, cooks, greeters, decorators, actors, and more. Please help if you can it will be a wonderful time of fellowship and a joyous celebration of the birth of Jesus. To register as a participant, a youth helper, or an adult volunteer, please visit our website and follow the link for Breakfast in Bethlehem!

6 Christmas Special Events Church-wide Advent Program Wednesdays during Advent, 7-8 PM Come join with the church family in this weekly time of celebration and devotion in preparation for Christmas. A special program is planned for each Wednesday during Advent Dec. 3, 10, and 17. We ll be continuing some of the traditions that we started last Christmas making Advent wreaths for use in our homes on week 1, making felt Christmas banners on week 2, and making Chrismons (special ornaments using Christian symbols) on week 3. Each night we ll enjoy a devotional, snacks, fellowship, prayer, Christmas carols, mission opportunity, and the planned craft. This faith and fellowship program is for all ages to enjoy together please come!!