The Poster is. Ingathering Report. Join us for an Advent Journey. Nut/Cookbook Sales. Fun and Fellowship

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1 FT. DES MOINES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH The Poster VOLUME 7 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2011 Join us for an Advent Journey The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem by Adam Hamilton A Simple girl, an ordinary man, an unforgettable destination. Explore the story of the birth of Jesus with fresh eyes and ears. Sunday afternoons at 4:00 p.m. November 27 th December 18 th Sign up with Pastor Kathy or the signup sheet in the hall near the sanctuary doors so books can be ordered. Books are $12.00 and an optional four-week devotional book for Advent is $6.75. Hanging of the Greens Saturday, Nov. 10:00 a.m. Everyone is welcome to help decorate the church for the holidays. Fun and Fellowship The monthly Game Night will be held on November 19, at 4:00 p.m. Bring your favorite game along with a snack to share and your own beverages. This fun activity is open to all ages so pick up Grandma and bring the kids! If you have questions, please contact Debbie McCloney. Ingathering Report The 32nd Thanksgiving Ingathering was held on Saturday, November 5, It was organized by United Methodist lay people 32 years ago as a one-day offering to celebrate our blessings and help the needy. WOW! Again this year, we thank you for your support of the Ingathering. Your generosity enabled us to complete 21 school kits and 9 sewing kits for UMCOR and 25 layettes and 7 kids book kits for Nigeria, for a total in-kind credit of $ Special thanks to Ruby Price and Pam Schisel for sewing book bags, Jean Drew for sewing baby blankets and Larry Hart for delivering the kits to Greenfield, Iowa. Thanks, also, to the Nut Committee for contributing the shipping costs. Joyann Benoit & Jackie Wilde on behalf of the Committee Nut/Cookbook Sales Don t know what to get that hardto-buy-for person on your Christmas list? I have the perfect gift ideas! Who doesn t love nuts or a church cookbook. The cookbooks are $15 each & nuts range in price from $5.50 to $11.50 a pound so there s something for every budget. Contact the church office, join us for coffee time after church on Sundays or call Debbie McCloney at to purchase. Proceeds from the cookbook will go to the general budget. Proceeds from the Nut sales are used to supplement other programs like Outreach and Ingathering, shampooing carpets and Annual Conference expenses. The Poster is published monthly by Fort Des Moines United Methodist Church, 6205 SW 9th St, Des Moines Iowa To contact us, phone , fax , or to church_ftdsmumc@ q.com Pastor Kathy s phone is INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Pastor s Ponderings 2 Heifer International 3 Food Pantry News 3 Poinsettias 3 About The Poster 3 Calendar pages are inserted Information for The Poster should be in the Church office by the 29th of the month prior to being published. Office Hours 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Monday to Friday Sunday 9:45 a.m. Holy Communion is the first Sunday of the month

2 P AGE 2 VOLUME 7 ISSUE 11 What else could the topic of a November newsletter article be but Thanksgiving? I like the idea of Thanksgiving, because I think we need to set aside a time to think about what we have to be thankful for, and to express our gratitude to God. However, I m not sure we always do that very well on Thanksgiving Day. When William Bradford first set aside a day for the Pilgrims to gather and give thanks on November 29 th, 1623, they were asked to gather at the meeting house from nine to noon to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings. In the 388 years since then, Thanksgiving has changed a little. For many people it has turned into a time to gather with friends and family, stuff themselves with way too much food, fall asleep in front of the football game on TV, and then rouse themselves in time to eat a piece of pumpkin pie. (Sound familiar to anyone?) In the midst of all that, saying thanks is sometimes an afterthought, or is forgotten altogether. It s probably time for us to remember our roots and make Thanksgiving a time for of all things, thanksgiving. There s nothing wrong with the emphasis on friends and family, and I m not in favor of throwing out the turkey and pumpkin pie, (although I d be perfectly happy without the football!) but it might be nice if in the midst of all that, we took some time to thank God for it all, to render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings. One of my favorite Thanksgiving hymns is Now Thank We All Our God, by Martin Rinkart. It s a wonderful expression of gratitude to God, but it has come to mean even more to me since I read of the circumstances that surrounded it s writing. This version of the setting for the hymn s writing is found on Wikipedia: Martin Rinkart was a Lutheran minister who came to Eilenberg, Saxony at the beginning of the Thirty Years war. The walled city of Eilenberg became the refuge for political and military fugitives, but the result was overcrowding, and deadly pestilence and famine. Armies overran it three times. The Rinkart home was a refuge for the victims, even though he was often hard-pressed to provide for his own family. During the height of a severe plague in 1637, Rinkart was the only surviving pastor in Eilenberg, conducting as many as 50 funerals in a day. He performed more than 4000 funerals in that year, includ- Pastor s Ponderings ing that of his wife. He was surrounded by pain and suffering, death and dying; circumstances that would make most people despair. And yet in the midst of that, he was able to write these words of gratitude to God: Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has done, in whom this world rejoices; Who from our mothers arms has blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today. O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us; And keep us still in grace, and guide us when perplexed; And free us from all ills, in this world and the next. All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given; The Son and him who reigns with them in highest heaven; The one eternal God, whom earth and heaven adore; For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore. Martin Rinkart could teach us a great deal about giving thanks. If he, surrounded by such suffering, could give thanks and praise to God, how much more should we? Pastor Kathy

3 P AGE 3 VOLUME 7 ISSUE 11 Heifer International - Nov. 20 Heifer International is a nonprofit, humanitarian organization dedicated to ending hunger and poverty and caring for the Earth. They do this by providing livestock, trees, seeds and training in environmentally sound agriculture to help struggling families build sustainable futures. An essential element of the sustainable approach is Passing Gifs. Recipients agree to pass on the gift of one or more of their animals offspring and training to another in need. In this manner, an endless cycle of transformation is set in motion as recipients become equal partners in ending hunger and poverty. This congregation has a history of purchasing a particular animal each year. We ve done pigs, bees, chickens and water buffalos in recent years. This year no specific animal will be emphasized. Monies collected on Nov. 20 will be sent to Heifer International to be used where most needed. Mark your calendar and give generously! Food Pantry News 2011, to-date, has brought extraordinary need to the Food Pantry. Requests are up by 7% over 2010, which was already a record high year for DMARC. However, 2011, to-date, has already seen an extraordinary response! The 12 neighborhood-based pantry sites assisted 10-12,000 people each month with the support of a generous and giving community, offering hope and help in this time of extraordinary need. Volunteers contributed 28,000 hours of service to DMARC, the equivalent of nearly 13.5 full time staff positions. DMARC congregational membership grew by two congregations bringing to 137 the total DMARC membership of faith groups, representing nearly 70,000 constituents across Greater Des Moines. The loyal and expanded DMARC network of congregations, grocers, vendors, producers, civic groups, businesses, and individuals collected and/or provided food or personal products and cash donations. A new pantry site has opened at 32nd & Hubbell and the Johnston site has moved to a new location. During the holiday season we collect extra items to supplement the Bidwell s Christmas Share Program. Food Pantry Sundays will be Nov. 20 and Dec. 11. Non-perishable food items, cash, diapers and formula are needed to provide meals for hungry families. Please be as generous as you can. Little is much when God is in it. No Room at the Inn Over 300 Nativity sets are displayed in an artistic and beautiful way at Valley United Methodist Church (4201 Ashworth Rd, West Des Moines) on Dec. 2, 3, & 4. Doors are open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.. Admission is free, however donations will be received for the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity. A Celebration in Song and Dance The Des Moines Diversity Chorus, along with Hurley and Dancers, will present Grateful! A Celebration in Song and Dance on November 21, at 7:30 p.m., at Urbandale United Church of Christ. Come, celebrate the things that bring joy to our lives. The concert is free and open to all. Donations will be gratefully accepted. All Saints Sunday All Saints Sunday was celebrated on Sunday, Nov. 6. This is a time when we remember those who have gone before us during the last year. We remembered Rose Halverson, LaVerne Walters, Helen Norris, Betty & Burt Wilson, Art Alber, Pat Cateron and Emma Riegel. We give thanks for their faithfulness and example in the life of our congregation. It s Time to Think Poinsettias It s time to start thinking about poinsettias for the holiday season. Poinsettia plants can be given in honor of someone or in memory of someone. They will be used to decorate the sanctuary and given to shut-in members. Members can sign-up by filling out the form found in this issue of The Poster and including a check made out to Ft. Des Moines UMC. Cost for each plant will be $7.00. The last day to order plants will be Dec. 11. A Word About The Poster Recently we ve received a couple of questions about the arrival time of The Poster. It is generally mailed about the 9th of each month. This allows the summary of the Council meeting minutes to be included. We strive to include information for at least one month, middle of November to middle of December, for example, and we include two monthly calendars. Bulk mail then takes 5 days or more to deliver it to your home. You can read parts of it on our website, on the 9th or 10th of each month.

4 Address Service Requested Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Des Moines, IA Permit No. 11 Ft. Des Moines United Methodist Church 6205 SW 9th St Des Moines IA Phone: Fax: The Fort Des Moines United Methodist Church: a community of faith in worship and action, open to all in the Spirit and Love of God. Education Classes held Sept. 11, 2011 thru May 20, :00-11:45 a.m. Staff Rev. Kathy Sides Pastor Mildred Zeliadt, Organist Ben Sides Choir Accompanist Pamela Schisel Choir Director Jane White, Administrative Assistant Benny Hotopp, Custodian Lesson Texts You are invited to come to worship prepared by reading the text ahead of time. You may wish to bring your own Bible. 13th Judges 4:1-7 Psalm Thessalonians 5:1-11 Matthew 25: th Ezekiel 34:11-16, Psalm 100 Ephesians 1:15-23 Matthew 25: th Isaiah 64:1-9 Psalm 80:1-7, Corinthians 1:3-9 Mark 13: th Isaiah 40:1-11 Psalm 85:1-2, Peter 3:8-15a Mark 1:1-8 11th Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Psalm Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1: November/December 2011 Events: 20th Food Pantry Offering received 20th Heifer Project Offering received 27th United Methodist Student Day Offering received. 9th Christmas potluck supper 11th Food Pantry Offering recieved

5 November 2011 Monthly Planner Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday City Election 10:00 AM UMW Food Pantry Heifer Project 7:00 PM Radio Club 7:00 PM SPPRC :30 PM Finance Comm. 7:30 PM Trustees 7:00 PM Council 11:30 AM Fellowship Hall in use 10:00 AM SHARE Iowa 4:00 PM Game Night Office Closed 10:00 AM Girl 10:00 AM Hanging of the Greens Printed by Instant Calendar on 11/11/2011

6 December 2011 Monthly Planner Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday :00 PM Christmas Potluck Food Pantry 10:00 AM UMW 6:00 PM Comm :30 PM Finance Comm. 7:30 PM Trustees 7:00 PM Radio Club 7:00 PM SPPRC 10:00 AM Girl 2:00 PM Fellowship Hall in use 10:00 AM SHARE Iowa 4:00 PM Game Night 7:00 PM Christmas Eve Service 7:00 PM Council Printed by Instant Calendar on 11/11/2011