PARISH VISITOR. A View From the Pulpit by Rev. Jennifer Collins. Printed December 29, 2008 / Final Issue of 2008

Transcription

1 PARISH VISITOR First United Methodist Church - Coffeyville, Kansas Printed December 29, 2008 / Final Issue of 2008 Volume 44 Issue 12 A View From the Pulpit by Rev. Jennifer Collins A New Year Covenant Prayer This week marks the beginning of a new calendar year. And if you re anything like me, it may take you a few weeks to get used to writing 2009 instead of As with any new thing, it takes time to get used to it. With the new year and the resolutions that often accompany it, we may find ourselves promising to make changes or resolving to do things differently. And more often than not, we tend to make resolutions to take better care of ourselves, whether that is eating better or exercising more or getting rid of some bad habit. A resolution to take better care of ourselves is one way we can be good stewards of God s good creation. In the Christian Year, the new year started just over a month ago with the beginning of Advent. The beginning of the Christian Year begins by celebrating the advent, or the coming of Christ as a baby into the world, and looking forward to Christ s second coming when all things will be put right in the world. During Advent we remembered Mary and Joseph, ordinary people called by God to do extraordinary things. On Christmas Eve we celebrated that the Light has come into the world and the darkness has not overcome it. In the midst of all of the New Year celebrations, it is fitting that this Sunday Rev. Jack Gregory will be sharing with you what we call, A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition. The Covenant Prayer is a prayer we pray to once again commit ourselves to following Christ. It is a prayer that asks God to use us as God s servants. It is a prayer to affirm our covenant with God. Along with any other resolutions we make this year, may we resolve once again, or perhaps for the first time, to be servants of God. Whether or not you are at worship this Sunday at First UMC, I invite you to join in praying this Covenant Prayer: I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen. (UMH 607)

2 Volume 44 Issue 12 Page 2 OUR GIVING NOVEMBER 23, 2008 General Operating Fund $ 6, Board of Trustees Sunday School Offering Bridges to the Future Scholarship Fund Emergency Assist. Fund Christmas Baskets Vision Team Youth Fund 6.65 NOVEMBER 30, 2008 General Operating Fund $3, Board of Trustees Sunday School Offering United Methodist Student Day Bridges to the Future Youthville 2.00 DECEMBER 7, 2008 General Operating Fund $5, Board of Trustees Sunday School Offering Christmas Baskets Christmas Offering United Methodist Student Day 5.00 Emergency Assist. Fund 2.00 Youthville 1.00 DECEMBER 14, 2008 General Operating Fund $6, Board of Trustees Sunday School Offering Emergency Assist. Fund 2.00 Christmas Baskets Funeral Dinners Bridges to the Future Youthville 1.00

3 January 2009 Birthday Calendar SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 Don Lank Larry Wright 2 Becky Dobbins Jackie Waddell 3 Jeff Gossard Kathryn Thompson Travis Walker Chuck McFate Pat Stoneking Martha Banzet Paul Crandell Ron White Juanita Austin John Collins Elizabeth Ryan Linda McFate Ellis Roberson Joe Derryberry Judy Ford Burle Neely Katelyn Neely 30 31

4 January 2009 Church Activity Calendar SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT Happy New Year Church Office Closed :00 UMW Exec. Board 1:30 UMW Unit Meeting 5:15 Trustees 7:15 Taixe 8 5:15 Staff Parish Relations Committee :00 Youth 9:00 Salvation Army Volunteers 5:15 Vision Team 18 2:30 Asbury 4:00 Veggie- Tales Movie 19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Church Office Closed :00 Youth 5:15 Vision Team

5 Volume 44 Issue 12 Page 5 CHRISTMAS TREES WANTED FOR VBS If you have a green, artificial Christmas Tree (not pre-lit) that you would be willing to let us use for Vacation Bible School this summer, please let Pastor Jenny Collins or the church office know. We'll put your name on a list and contact you as VBS approaches. This year's theme is Camp E.D.G.E. (Exploring and Discovering God Everywhere) and we are looking at creating a "forest" of evergreen trees for decoration. FROM THE PASTOR S BLOG: YOUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS AT WORK (December 11, 2008) We ll be giving $500 to the Crisis Resource Center (formerly Safehouse) for Christmas for the women and children in their care. I m really pleased by the fact that we were able to get such an amount together in less than 24 hours. FROM THE PASTOR S BLOG: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR TRANSPORTATION (December 11, 2008) In talking with the local manager of the Crisis Resource Center, I confirmed that they have folks at the shelter who would like to go to church if transportation could be arranged. So we re looking for volunteers to provide transportation. We need either women or couples to volunteer. FROM THE PASTOR S BLOG: HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY (December 12, 2008) The trustees decided several meetings ago that at least one of our thirteen bathrooms needed to be handicapped accessible. The bathroom in the bride s room was chosen for alteration. The two small doors on either side have been removed and a new, wider door installed in the front. Other modifications, such as a new toilet, will also be made. Dave Larimore has been hard at work on this project. FROM THE PASTOR S BLOG: CHRISTMAS BASKETS: THE NUMBERS (December 16, 2008) We had 16 people show up to help fill 25 Christmas baskets, designated for 44 adults and 47 children in just under 1 hour. What a night. I got there late, but what I was there for was a great experience. FROM THE PASTOR S BLOG: FELLOWSHIP COFFEE (December 16, 2008) Elizabeth Collins and Emma Thompson are signed up to provide snacks for coffee fellowship time this coming Sunday, but all the Sundays after that are open. Please sign up if you would like to help. The sign-up sheet is on the pillar by the table where we put the coffee and the snacks. THANK YOU To Members of First United Methodist Church, I want to thank all of you for the cookies, gifts, calls and visits. To someone who cannot get out and about these thoughtful things are a blessing from God. Thank you, again, for your caring and your being angels of love. I appreciate it so very much, Mary Ellen Jordan JUST A NOTE OF THANKS I want to take a couple of lines to thank the pastors and people of First United Methodist Church for making my job here more than a job. I have learned to love all of you and to be grateful to God for blessing me with this chance to both serve Him and you at the same time. I enjoy talking and being with all of you and believe I have one of the best jobs in all the world. You bless me daily and I thank you and pray God will bless you all as well. Happy New Year! Your Church Secretary, Miss Linda

6 The Parish Visitor (USPS ) published monthly by the First United Methodist Church 304 W. 10th Coffeyville, Ks Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Parish Visitor 304 W. 10th Coffeyville, KS (620) FAX: (866) Volume 44 Issue 12 Printed December 29, 2008 Periodicals Postage Paid Coffeyville, KS VeggieTales Movie Event Just a reminder: The next movie event will be held Sunday, January 18, 2009, at 4:00 pm. We ll be watching the latest VeggieTales feature, Abe and the Amazing Promise: a Lesson in Patience. As usual we ll have movie style popcorn and juice boxes for refreshments. We ll have coloring sheets and lots of games to play, including Blongo Ball (a.k.a. Vertical Golf) and (hopefully) the VeggieTales version of Dance Dance Revolution. This is a free event, everyone is invited, and you re encouraged to bring friends. God s Blessings On Each And Everyone! Have A Blessed 2009