The Bridge CHRISTMAS EVE

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1 The Bridge DEC 2018/JAN/FEB 2019 CARLISLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH knowing our new neighbors It was raining and the wind was blowing, but on September 9 fourteen CUMC volunteers visited over 100 homes in the surrounding neighborhoods of Spring Garden Campus (SGC). They informed the neighbors of the SGC construction start date and timeline, invited them to our groundbreaking ceremony and provided information about CUMC. The volunteers were not quite sure how our new neighbors would accept our visit. Here is what some of the volunteers had to say about their experience. Rick and I had the privilege of speaking to the residents of Dawn Ridge while delivering our handouts. Our experience with the residents was very positive. All those we spoke to were very happy to know that a church was being built. We had a few suggestions that we have a Spanish speaking service and that we make a path from Dawn Ridge through the trees directly to the church. They were very appreciative for the information we were sharing with them and many said, God bless to our congregation. ~ Debbie & Rick Washinger (Continued on Page 8) CHRISTMAS EVE Monday, December 24 4:00pm - Communion Worship in the Sanctuary 5:30pm - Family Worship in the Sanctuary 7:00pm - Contemporary Worship in the Multipurpose Room 10:00pm - Candlelight Worship in the Sanctuary *childcare available at all services Celebrate Christ's birth with family & friends welcoming from afar... When our good friends Cindy and Frank Basil from Shady Grove United Methodist Church in Virginia told us that some church friends of theirs were moving to the Carlisle area, we were excited! We d never met Michelle and Greg - our memberships at Shady Grove did not overlap - but we were eager to share what s been happening at CUMC with others. So, we met Greg and Michelle at a contemporary service and the rest is history! And what an opportunity to form a new connection with folks who were connected to others we knew - through God. Jeff & Barb Harpel Greg and I previously lived in Richmond, VA and attend Shady Grove United Methodist Church. (Continued on Page 9)

2 children december 1 Breakfast at Bethlehem, 9-11am, MPR 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 KIDS WORSHIP, 8:15, 9:45 & 11:00am 2 KIDS PRETEEN, 5-7:30pm 9 KIDS PRETEEN, 5-7:30pm 13 Sunbeam Choir Christmas Party with KIDS TIME, 6:45-7:30pm 16 KIDS PRETEEN Christmas Party, 5-7:30pm january 6, 13, 20, 27 KIDS WORSHIP, 8:15, 9:45 & 11:00am 6 KIDS PRETEEN, 5-7:30pm 13 KIDS PRETEEN, 5-7:30pm 19 Family Bowling, 1-3pm 20 KIDS PRETEEN, 5-7:30pm 24 KIDS TIME, 6:45-7:30pm 27 KIDS PRETEEN, 5-7:30pm february 3, 10, 17, 24 KIDS WORSHIP, 8:15, 9:45 & 11:00am 3 KIDS PRETEEN, 5-7:30pm 9 KIDS EVENT Nerf Afternoon, 2-4pm 10 KIDS PRETEEN, 5-7:30pm 17 KIDS PRETEEN, 5-7:30pm 24 KIDS PRETEEN, 5-7:30pm 28 KIDS TIME, 6:45-7:30pm MARK SCHORY Children & Family Ministries Director mschory@carlislepaumc.org 2 CUMC kids BREAKFAST AT BETHLEHEM ANIMALS AT THE MANGER Pancake Bar, Special Music from the Sunbeams & Little Lights Choir, Christmas Portrait Area, Puppet Animals, Games & Activities for all ages Saturday, December 1 9:00 to 11:00am in the MPR SIGN UP: CARLISLEPAUMC.ORG/ONLINE-SIGN-UPS/ NEW KIDS CARLISLE, OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, IS OFF TO A GREAT START! The kids of KIDS PRETEEN are doing something extra special for the community. ~ It started with the Harvest of the Art Pumpkin Patch booth in September ~ They did a reverse Trick-or-Treat for Halloween ~ They did Thanksgiving Cards for the CUMC LAMs ~ They will adopt a woman and some children for Christmas ~ There are more community outreaches being planned in 2019 JANUARY SPECIAL FAMILY EVENT WINTER FAMILY BOWLING SATURDAY, JAN 19, 1-3 KIDS PRETEEN and KIDS TIME will continue with the same schedule KIDS WORSHIP will continue every Sunday at 8:15, 9:45 AND 11AM FEBRUARY SPECIAL KIDS EVENT NERF AFTERNOON SATURDAY, FEB KIDS PRETEEN and KIDS TIME will continue with the same schedule KIDS WORSHIP will continue every Sunday at 8:15, 9:45 AND 11AM

3 middle school retreat report On November 2-4, 20 students and 8 leaders went on our annual Middle School Fall Retreat to Teen Quest Camp in Somerset PA. They joined 3 other youth groups for a weekend of learning, worship, group bonding and fun activities. Here are some of the highlights from the weekend: 18 out of 20 students said they most definitely grew in their relationship with Jesus; every student what was your favorite part of the trip? we stayed up late and hanging out with the other girls riding the horses playing paintball the special 8th grade only late night trip playing 9-square and chapel what did you learn on this trip? I learned how to spend time with Jesus. Satan gives you what you want, but God gives you what you need that I need to journal and spend time with Jesus everyday that worship is our weapon said they made a commitment to Jesus on this trip; 4 students said this was their first time committing their lives to Jesus. youth middle school Jan Small Group Battle, 5-7:30pm Feb. 8 - Nerf Night, 7-10pm Full Middle School Calendar is available online at middle-school/ HIGH SCHOOL Jan Overnighter, 8pm-8am Feb Serve at Salvation Army Full High School Calendar is available online at high-school/ erin fleet Youth Ministries Director efleet@carlislepaumc.org carlislepaumc.org/youth 3 3

4 adults december 2 Advent Study begins, 6:30-7:30pm 4 WOFF (women of faith & friendship), 6-7:30pm 6 Thursday Men s Breakfast (every Thursday), 7:45am 9 Theology Pub, 6-7:30pm 13 Parenting Discussion, 6:45-7:30pm 27 Mom s of Little Disciples, 6-7pm january 8 WOFF, 6-7:30pm 13 Theology Pub, 6-7:30pm 13 Faith Journey begins, 9:45-10:45am 13 New Beginnings begins, 9:45-10:45am 13 Transitions begins, 6-7:30pam 13 Theology Cafe (every Sunday), -6:30pm 16 Crucial Conversations begins, 10-11am 17 Crucial Conversations begins, 10-11am or 6-7pm 17 WoW begins, 1-2:30pm 22 LIFT (Tuesdays) begins, 6:45-7:30pm 24 Mom s of Little Disciples, 6-7pm 24 Parenting Discussion, 6:45-7:30pm 29 The Forge begins, 6pm february 5 WOFF, 6-7:30pm 10 Theology Pub, 6-7:30pm 28 Mom s of Little Disciples, 6-7pm 28 Parenting Discussion, 6:45pm 4 CUMC adult grow jim cox Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and the grace of God was on him. ~ Luke 2:52 CUMC offers a number of opportunities to grow in wisdom and stature. They can be found online, in the bulletin, and at the info desk in the Gathering. I urge everyone to take advantage. I personally have grown spiritually from Sunday School, Stephen Ministry, Lay leader, Disciple, and a number of other Bible studies over the years. Presently I attend and teach Sunday School, Theology Café, and a book study on the Will of God. This past summer I had a great learning experience accompanying our wonderful youth on a mission trip to Nassau. And as a result, I am helping in the youth group. My wife Glenna and I joined Grace about 12 years ago. We wanted an inclusive church with a youth group to encourage our grandchildren to come to church. It worked. Growth classes aren t just an academic pursuit. They prepare us for Christian living. Growth can be painful and involve friction. At times we face and change old clichés and halftruths. But we also reap the rewards of maturing. At the forefront of all my present being is the loss of my wife Glenna to cancer Nov. 7, She was a model and inspiration of mature faith. Some say such things are the will of God or that he is testing us. I am convinced this is not true. Scriptures are firm: God desires none to perish or suffer. But maturing in faith helps us in dealing with the storms of life. We must build on the Solid Rock or our houses will blow away. Glenna and I had questions. There were times of anger and of despair. Glenna endured 2.5 years of pain and challenges with dignity, grace, courage and love. Glenna never blamed God. She continued ministering to family, friends and strangers. At the end she lifted her arms to heaven declaring, I love my God, Come Lord Jesus! Chills came over me as I felt the presence of God in that room. We were on Holy Ground. Faith has a ripple effect on those around us and ricochets through the ages. Let us grow together in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. - jim cox crucial conversations Many of us have the opportunity to engage in crucial conversations frequently; and likely, most of us have had that chance recently. However, because these conversations usually involve our opinions and emotions, and the outcome matters a lot to us, we may not handle that discussion very well. Perhaps you ve shied away from having that conversation until it couldn t be ignored. (Continued on Page 11)

5 adult volleyball TRY US OUT Volleyball Night December 6, 6:30-8:30PM Adult Co-Ed Volleyball has no fees and is a year-round Connect ministry with many of our players coming from the community or other churches. Usually the focus of sports ministries is to play and win in competitive leagues. The focus of this 18-year-old ministry is to play in a way that, if Jesus were to stop by the MPR on Thursday night, he would want to join in and he would have a really good time. We try to do this by following these three rules: Have Fun ; Don t get hurt ; and Try to get better. funeral host ministry The Funeral Host Ministry was created a few years ago with the goal to be present and assist at Funerals or Memorial Services to create a warm, welcoming and caring environment for family members and guests. The Host Ministry is comprised of a team of church members who offer service We play in the MPR on Thursday nights from 7-9pm, except when Carlisle CARES is here (Dec 2018, March, May and July 2019). Those months we play 6:30-8:30pm. We currently have around 25 people who play regularly for a portion of the year. Some come only in the Summer (college students) and others only in the Fall or Spring. We now have somewhere between 8-14 players each night since some people come late and others leave early. Each week we split into teams and make adjustments during the evening to keep the games fun and competitive. You can join us anytime, but on Dec 6 we will have a try us out night where we will have two courts: one for normal play and one for practicing serving, returning, setting, and hitting. Please contact Bob Kilmer, rkilmer@pa.net or Emily Clepper if you have any questions. - bob kilmer and hospitality to those whose funeral is being held at CUMC. Two to three Greeters are present at each funeral and arrive an hour before the service is to begin. Greeters are present at each door to greet and assist family and friends and answer questions they may have regarding the location of the place of Visitation or Viewing such as the Chapel or the Gathering, the restrooms, etc. Prior to the service we make sure the family is comfortable and guests are welcomed and assist in making things run smoothly. When the service (Continued on Page 9) connect december 6 Volleyball Try Us Out night, 6:30-8:30pm january 18 Knitted in Love Prayer Shawl Ministry, 1pm, Chapel february 15 Knitted in Love Prayer Shawl Ministry, 1pm, Chapel weekly connect SUNDAYS Narcotics Anonymous, 6pm, Room 4 MONDAYS Narcotics Anonymous, 8pm, Room 1 TUESDAYS Alcoholics Anonymous, 6:30 or 8pm, Building 33 Narcotics Anonymous, 7pm, Room 4 AlAnon, 7:30pm, Room 1 WEDNESDAYS Bridges Prayer Team, 11am, Library THURSDAYS Co-Ed Volleyball, 7pm, MPR Narcotics Anonymous, 8pm, Room 1 SATURDAYS Alcoholics Anonymous, 8pm, Building 33 Shepherds/LAMs and our Home Communion team visit at least monthly based on personal schedules. Card and Altar Flowers are sent/delivered each week by our teams.

6 serve december 1-31 Hosting Women & Children of Carlisle CARES overnight 2 Angel Tree gifts due College Volunteers on Mission trip to Florida 28 VIM Harrisburg Habitat Day, 7am-5pm january 5-12 Haiti Mission Trip to Mellier february 2-9 Volunteers in Mission trip to Puerto Rico weekly serve WEDNESDAYS Homework Club, 6-7:30pm, Hope Station & Safe Harbour Mission Central (3rd Wed.), 8:30-Noon, Plus Lunch Salvation Army (3rd Wed.), 4-5:30pm THURSDAYS Emergency Assistance, 9:30-11:30am, Church Office LeTort Snacks, 3-4pm, LeTort Elementary SATURDAYS Samaritan Fellowship, 8-10am, Room 3, 4 & 9 6 SERVE teams that meet as needed/volunteer schedules: Blessed to Serve, Homeless to Home, Little Lights Readers, and Samaritan Kids blessing others This fall CUMC responded in many ways to help our neighbors in need. In September we collected over $5477 to send to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) for families in North and South Carolina as rebuilding from Hurricane Florence began. CUMC will be sending a VIM Team (Volunteers in Mission) to help with hands-on rebuilding in March. Led by Cheryl Hale we hope to send 10 people to share our love and skills with those in need. In November CUMC collected items for those in the path of Hurricane Michael, particularly in the Florida region. Items requested by Mission Central were collected through November 11 as they continue to respond to the many disasters and needs. A team of college-age young adults will be heading down to Florida through Volunteers in Mission in December to help hands-on with recovery. In November, CUMC joined others in our community to provide Holiday dinners (turkey and all the sides) to over 850 families in need in our community through Project SHARE. Project SHARE writes The reasons for our good fortune are many, and the reasons that the needy find themselves in this situation are also varied. We are called to bless all and this campaign is a way for you to SHARE your love and compassion for our community in this caring region in and around Carlisle, PA. As the holidays approach, we have two more opportunities to bless those in the Carlisle area through Alternative Gifts and our Angel Tree. Alternative Gifts 2018 How can you teach your kids to give at Christmas? How can you bless a person in need? What can you get for those on your list who don t need more stuff? Last year through CUMC over $8,000 was given through our Alternative Gift program to our SERVE ministry partners and people in need. Gifts this year range from $2 to feed someone at Salvation Army to $60 to provide a partial scholarship for school in Sierra Leone and there are many gifts in between! One of the Alternative Gifts this year is for books for Little Lights kids. (Continued on Page 7) ALTERNATIVE GIFTS 2018 $2 Salvation Army Dinner; $3 Samaritan Kids Bags; $10 Books for Little Lights; $10 Food Card for LeTort; $10 Homework Club Snacks; $12 Hygiene Kit at Mission Central; $15 Month Tuition in Haiti; $20 Blankets for Farmworkers; $20 VIM Supplies in Puerto Rico; $20 VIM Supplies in South Carolina; $25 Emergency Giant Gift Card; $40 Air Mattress for New Home; $60 School Scholarship in Sierra Leone

7 homeless to home CUMC s Homeless to Home SERVE ministry is to help those who are moving from a homeless situation into housing. We provide basic household items: bedding, kitchen items, cleaning suppplies, and bathroom items. In additon, information on community resources and CUMC worship services are provided. Many of those moving into housing have nothing. Their situation is fragile, and providing these items can help them be successful in this transition. Of late, there have been several families who have been staying at the domestic violence shelter. One mother had been there for 8 months with her 3 year old child. She was so thankful for the items provided by CUMC as she moved into housing. Another woman also came from the domestic violence shelter and has 7 children. In addition, we have served single women, men and families who have been homeless. It is hard to imagine the strain of keeping your family operating with some semblence of normalcy while in a shelter. To be able to help them in this small way with our Homeless to Home Ministry is a blessing. This ministry is making a difference! So far in 2018 we have served 26 households: 28 adults and 28 children which is considerably more than Unfortunately, the need is great for this ministry in our community. If you would like to help, please contact Art or Cindy Thanks for your ongoing support and prayers for this ministry. - Art & Cindy kunst (Blessing...continued from Page 6) Currently we have almost 1/3 of the children attending CUMC s Daycare/Preschool receiving state funding for their care. This care allows parents to work while children are gaining an educational foundation for the rest of their lives and receiving a hot meal and two snacks every day. Little Lights now has over 30 kids coming from lowincome homes where resources are very tight. Through Alternative Gifts this year these children will all receive a book/s to have at home and encourage reading because of your generosity. This is just one of the many ways you can help share joy this season by blessing others. Alternative Gift brochures are available in The Gathering, MPR, and online. Holiday cards are available for any gifts given in honor of loved ones. Gifts are available to purchase through December 24th. Angel Tree CUMC is looking for angels among us who can provide a present under the Christmas Tree for children in our community. CUMC has received 140 tags for children from Children & Youth Services and the Salvation Army in Carlisle. Names, ages, and gift ideas are specific for each child. Please follow the instructions on the tags as each agency asks for presents differently. Angel Trees will be located in The Gathering and outside the MPR starting November. Presents are due back no later than Dec. 2. Thank you for being angels to kids in Carlisle! The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped. ~ Proverbs 11:25 (The Message Version) thank you Thank you to Bob Hale who is stepping down from leading Sunday s My Brother s Table Meals at Salvation Army for formerly Allison and 5 years at CUMC. With family moving closer and work commitments increasing, Bob is passing his cooking duties off to our Youth Group! The Youth Group was looking for a regular way to serve in our community and will take up serving 5 times on Sundays at the Salvation Army. We also continue the monthly Wednesday meal at Salvation Army too! Thank you Bob and youth for feeding our neighbors who are hungry. 7

8 emergency assistance The Emergency Assistance Fund is one of the seventeen ministries that comprise the CUMC SERVE pillar. Since CUMC began as a unified church, a trained volunteer member of CUMC is on hand Thursday mornings to meet and interview persons who come to the church office. (Our program is spread effectively by word of mouth.) The volunteers are generally drawn from persons with experience as a Samaritan Fellowship Steward. The volunteer talks with applicants to determine their specific needs and what they have done to take care of them. These requests cover the full range of needs from a gasoline card to get to work or medical appointments, all the way up the spectrum to needing several hundred dollars to prevent eviction from a residence or to avert a utility shutoff. Today, even phone minutes are a critical need. The volunteer discusses the needs and advises the applicant where they might find help. CUMC has created an Emergency Assistance brochure listing specific organizations by the sort of assistance they can offer. Samaritan Fellowship is one of the main organizations we recommend for meeting the larger needs. Occasionally it can respond that day if it deems necessary. When we can help, CUMC offers Giant gift cards to buy food, gasoline, or a meal. In all cases we offer to pray with the person, which generally seems to calm them. In 2017, CUMC Emergency Assistance helped nearly 40 applicants and gave nearly $1000 in Giant gift cards for food, meals, and gasoline. So far in 2018, we have given $ in gift cards to 32 applicants. - charles reynolds (Neighbors...continued from Page 1) With the rain, wind, and cold weather I was not looking forward to the day. I believed the people we would be introducing ourselves to either had a church family or weren t interested in ours. I was pleasantly surprised at how welcoming our new neighbors were to our plans, information handout and invitation to join us at the groundbreaking ceremony. They were surprised that we would come out on such a day to introduce ourselves to them. One gentleman was incredulous that we were missing the ball game! Their welcoming to us made my day! ~ Robin Turner It was a hoot to visit our new neighbors on Sunday, 9/9. Despite the persistent rain, our enthusiasm was never dampened. We went door to door, found many folks at home and were met universally with positive remarks and expressions of gratitude for informing them about the start of construction and our groundbreaking ceremony. Our canvassing took less than one hour. I look forward to doing this again when we next want to update these new neighbors. ~ Kerm Leitner My partner and I visited with three homeowners who live adjacent to the ground on which we plan to build our new church. Two of the owners built and occupied their homes for over 50 years. One 8 of these two homeowners is a member of our church. A third, younger couple purchased an existing home two years ago. All of the three owners were aware of our church s plans to build. All were interested in learning more about the building project and eagerly accepted our handout. The owners appreciated being kept informed. I was happy to see and talk with one of the older couples at the groundbreaking ceremony for our new church on September 23. Even though the wife had difficulty walking on the gravel road they accepted the church s invitation and came to learn more about us. ~ Loretta Maddox Thanks all! I had a great time even in the rain. Everyone we spoke to was receiving and I think some will actually come which makes me really happy! ~ Tracy Horgan a way forward A Way Forward and the United Methodist Church A copy of the all-church handout from November 4 is available on our church website at org/article/a-way-forward/. Please plan now to be a part of a book discussion group or read the titles on your own.

9 sunday morning hospitality food Have you ever wondered how the lovely spread of food each Sunday morning appears in the Gathering and the MPR after each service of worship? At CUMC there are 7 teams of Sunday morning food providers with 7 or 8 members on each team. Each team has a leader who organizes the team s food donations. On a 7-week rotating schedule, each team has a week to provide the food. This large group of faithful men and women ensure that there is a variety of food choices to provide something for everyone with the purpose of making members and guests alike feel welcomed and valued! Just as you would provide coffee and food to persons visiting in your home, CUMC has a hospitality ministry to create a welcoming and hospitable environment after each service. This time allows persons to greet visitors, talk with others members, and meet new people. Many have wondered why we have a hospitality ministry? The Bible actually talks about hospitality. Hospitality is a virtue that is commanded and commended throughout scripture. My favorite passage is from Hebrews 13:2, where the writer reminds us not to forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. As followers of Christ, we show His love and compassion when we practice hospitality not only to fellow Christians but even more so to strangers and the less fortunate. If your heart is open to being a part of this ministry - to help provide Sunday morning food as a member of a food team, please contact Joanne Monoski at jmonoski145@ gmail.com. You will be a blessing and you will be blessed! - joanne monoski (Welcoming...continued from Page 1) In 2013, Greg received notice his job was terminated and he began looking for new employment and found a position within a few weeks with Amazon. The new job, however, would take us to Central Pennsylvania. We made plans for the move and let family and church friends know we would be leaving within about six months. The youth director at Shady Grove UMC, Frank, and his wife Cindy, told us they had friends in the Carlisle area. Their friends were involved in Carlisle United Methodist Church, volunteered with the youth and would be happy to connect with us when we moved. I found the wife, Barb Harpel, on Facebook and we conversed back and forth prior to moving. By the time the relocation happened in March 2014, we made the decision to attend Carlisle United Methodist Church and met Barb and Jeff Harpel soon after the first service. We still attend Carlisle UMC and are involved in Sunday School, Adult Life Groups, and are supporters of the Youth Group. Greg leads Sunday School for Pathways at 11:15 am in the Library. I co-lead Women of Faith and Friendship with Sherry Monoski and periodically lead small group studies. God s connections with Barb and Jeff through Frank and Cindy in Virginia, gave us a readymade family at Carlisle UMC. Greg & Michelle Williams (Funeral...continued from Page 5) begins we move to the Sanctuary and remain there during the service to offer assistance if anyone needs help. Following the service Hosts are in place to direct family and guests to the location of a reception whether it be in the Gathering or the MPR room and remain there until all guests have left. We as Funeral Hosts do our best to create a caring atmosphere and provide hospitality to family and loved ones, and we find this extremely rewarding and an important ministry of the Church. The Funeral Host Team consists of Sue Baxter, Barb Birmingham, Pat Boyer, Elissa Henderson, Joanne Reynolds, Carolyn Riley, Linda Wakefield, and 9 Bonnie Cash, Coordinator.

10 leadership council s newest members At the first Leadership Council meeting of 2019 on January 21st, we will welcome three new members. On October 28, CUMC elected Bill Bunt, John Seaton and Darlene Sheaffer to serve terms. John and Darlene are new to the Leadership Council while Bill Bunt previously served two years of a four-year term. An orientation was conducted with the two new members conducted by both pastors and the Leadership Council chair on November 14. The Leadership Council will be reorganizing for 2019 at which time pillar and area responsibilities will be determined as well as electing a vice-chair. Marian Gibble will remain as the Council s appointed recording secretary. Monthly meetings will continue to be held in the Library on the third Monday of each month starting with Executive Sessions at 5pm. In welcoming our new members, it is most appropriate to thank publicly our three departing members, Jeff Barnes, Ron Chipriano and Stephanie Peffer. Jeff and Ron were elected to the very first Leadership Council on February 2, 2013, and served five-year terms, which actually spanned five years and nine months. Stephanie was elected on April 12, 2015, to fill the unexpired term of Scott Ham, who had moved out of state. From the outset, Jeff Barnes oversaw the maintenance of the present facility and has led the Building Committee since its inception. This past year Jeff turned over the present facility to Jeff Boley as the time required to lead the Building Committee has dramatically increased. Throughout his tenure, Jeff has served quite visibly as the building expert among us. We are so blessed that he will continue to chair the Building Committee and report as needed to the Leadership Council throughout the months ahead until the building and move have been completed. Ron has been this chair s right hand during the past three years serving as vice-chair. He also has the distinction of being the most diversified Council member having led or co-led the SERVE, CONNECT and WORSHIP pillars. This chair often carlisle umw news Our recent indoor yard sale was a huge success, and we thank all who contributed in any way. We realized a profit of close to $4200 after expenses. A very special thank you to Deb Washinger, Carolyn Roller, Shirley Garrison and Joanne Monoski and the many, many volunteers. Our Executive Board will meet on Dec. 5 and with the combined income from the yard sale and salad smorgasbord, decide our mission distributions. We expect to be able to increase our distributions to those agencies/programs we have supported annually, and hope to be able to add a few additional ones. FEMININE HYGIENE KITS FOR MISSION CENTRAL No experience is needed. Women, men and children alike can participate. We ll show you how when we gather after January 1, 2019 for a Day together for the Girls. 10 Watch for further details in the coming weeks. Sponsored by Carlisle United Methodist Women. forms subcommittees to complete tasks between meetings and appointed Ron to serve on almost all of these subcommittees. Ron has led My Brother s Table adding our Wednesday serving monthly, shopped and cooked the meals and created an atmosphere for prayer and devotions among those attending these dinners at the Salvation Army. Not surprisingly, Ron will continue in this role. Stephanie, who came to the Council with a background in finance, initially worked on the Finance Team. The past two years she has led Personnel. In this capacity, she worked closely with the pastors, led all of the hirings during this time and led the Leadership Council when sitting as the Staff Parish Relations Committee. Stephanie often brought to the table the concerns shared by many younger members who are parents and have to juggle work and parenting with church responsibilities. Thanks, Jeff, Ron and Stephanie for your very dedicated service over a number of years. upcoming umw events December 20, 2018 On Thursday, December 20 at 10:00am, the UMW Eunice Circle will host guest speaker Rhonda Schneider, Executive Director of the Nome, Alaska Community Center. She will present a short video and offer details about the Center s programs and what they are doing to contribute to the UMW s social justice priorities. All women are welcome to attend. April 27, 2019 Carlisle UMW will host a Spiritual Enrichment Day. Watch for details in upcoming months.

11 new community initiative Over a year ago, Pastor Jim shared his viewpoint that as CUMC gets closer to moving to the Spring Garden Campus there will be a need to market/sell/orientate the greater Carlisle community regarding our purpose and vision. Part of our vision statement includes this wording: To reach the point where every civic and community leader, and the citizenry of Carlisle say, Our town is a better town because CUMC is here. At its November 19, 2018, meeting the Leadership Council approved the position of Community Connector and immediately named Ellen Peters Otto to serve in this voluntary position. In the weeks ahead, Ellen and Pastor Jim will be writing a job description. The Leadership Council chair will be sharing with Ellen all that she will need to know about CUMC as she heads out into the community and begins to inform folks what our church is currently doing and the many ways that the church might be able to help existing organizations with projects and community initiatives. Since moving into town, Ellen has steadily increased her involvement with the community and is currently the secretary of LEAF; board member of Domestic Violence Shelters, YMCA and Partnership of Better Health; graduate of Leadership Carlisle and will become a United Way board member in January. She had been praying how she could become more involved at CUMC when she was approached by Pastor Jim to serve in this new role. Welcome aboard, Ellen! advent walking tour Advent Walking Tour of Carlisle Churches Saturday, Dec. 8, 11am-1pm Begins and ends at First UCC Church CUMC will be a stop on the tour this year as we celebrate Advent in Other Countries. Our Haiti team will share some of the Advent and Christmas traditions of Haiti as we sing songs as a community of faith. After visiting four churches the group returns to First UCC for cookies and fellowship. (Crucial...continued from Page 4) Perhaps you ve become confrontational or combative. Perhaps you ve felt anxious or inadequate. Whether the topic involves finances or illness, child rearing or in-laws, racism or sexuality, learning how to engage in conversation in which we feel heard (without regretting how we handled it later) is a powerful skill to have. Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson is a book that can transform your life in a profound way by giving you practical advice on how to get past the hard parts of dialogue and help make it safe to talk about almost anything. As part of helping our congregation prepare for the future of our church, beginning in mid-january, CUMC Adult GROW will be offering discussions based on the book. Options include attending Faith Journey or New Beginning classes during the 9:45 Sunday School hour or Transitions or Theology Café Sunday evenings, starting January 13. Ann Cook and Cherry France will lead a group on Wednesday mornings (January 16) and Wayne Henderson will lead a group on Thursday mornings (January 17). You can elect to join Women of the Word which meets every other Thursday afternoon, starting January 17 or Kathy and Rich Charette s Parent Discussion monthly sessions starting Thursday evening, January 24. Please sign up I m sure there s a time that will fit your schedule. Sign up details are online at org or call the church office at (717) baptism sundays January 27, 2018 May 5, 2019 Please contact the Church Office at least two weeks prior to the baptism date if you or your child would like to be baptized.

12 coming up in worship... SPECIAL ADVENT SERIES Prepare the Way: Cultivating a Heart for God in Advent Often times we get so focused on Christmas that we forget what it is to celebrate Advent. This sermon series invites you to prepare for Christmas by being fully involved in the preparation of your heart in Advent. We will explore the Way of Peace; the Way of Justice; The Way of Fearlessness and the Way of Faithfulness during the Sundays of Dec january sermon series Once Upon a Time The weather of winter - cold, dreary, snow, and dark - often affords us some great movie nights unlike the sunshine and daylight of summer months. In 2018 Mickey Mouse turned 90 years old and his impact and lessons have touched the lives of countless children and families. The movies of Disney have become classics for generations - with timeless lessons and values for us all. During January we will see the lessons of scripture lived out through characters. Invite friends who love these movies and join us for worship! Jan. 6: Snow White showcasing God s love; Jan. 13: Cinderella showcasing the challenges of jealousy; Jan. 20: Mary Poppins showcasing the importance of unity; Jan. 27: Beauty & the Beast showcasing love february sermon series Themes in Philippians - February 3 thru March 3 The New Testament book of Philippians best illustrates the Christian life as both happy and holy. Even while in chains in prison, the Apostle Paul writes this letter filled with encouragement, joy, and faith. He also reminds the readers that while they may currently be in a season of suffering, they will share one day in Christ s glorious resurrection. Join us during this series to learn from Paul s letter to the Philippians that which applies to our lives today. DECEMBER 17 4:00PM WORSHIP IN THE SANCTUARY. A QUIET, REFLECTIVE TIME TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF LOVED ONES & EXPERIENCE THE GRACEFUL STRENGTH OF GOD IN OUR LIVES. worship SUNDAY MORNINGS 8:15am - Traditional Worship Worship in the Sanctuary with traditional hymns, a full choir and traditional UMC liturgy. 9:45am - Contemporary Worship Worship in the Multi-Purpose Room led by our Praise Band using contemporary music. 11am - Celebration Worship Worship in the Sanctuary with a variety of traditional hymns, songs from The Faith We Sing, and choruses of praise. 12 REV. jim vanzandt Lead Pastor jvanzandt@carlislepaumc.org REV. mira hewlett Associate Pastor mhewlett@carlislepaumc.org 45 S West St, Carlisle, PA carlislepaumc.org