F I R S T U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H

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1 F I R S T U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H A vital church connecting with God and with each other...driven to serve Connections for November 2017 CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP 4:30 p.m. A Family-friendly service of Carols and Candlelight Featuring a time with our children with each child in attendance receiving a small memento gift; A time of Blessing for All the Newborn Infants during the past year of families with young babies are encouraged to be here; Candle-lighting with Silent Night ; Music by Myrna Cakerice Guest soloists: Anson Woodin and Roy Cakerice with Pastor Fred Lewis preaching. 7:30 p.m. A Family Service of Traditional Carols and Candlelight Featuring music by Myrna Cakerice, our Chancel Choir, and special guest soloists including: Megan Kroeger, Anson Woodin, and Dr. Michael Golemo; a time with our children with each child in attendance receiving a small memento gift; UP With Puppets Special presentation Candle-lighting with Silent Night ; with Pastor Fred Lewis preaching. 10:30 p.m. A Quiet, Late-Night Service of Carols, Communion, and Candlelight Featuring the music of Myrna Cakerice on the organ/piano a guest soloist: Megan Kroger The Sacrament of Holy Communion celebrated; Candle-lighting with Silent Night with Pastor Cephas Davis preaching. A TIME TO REMEMBER and RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP VOWS The Advent/Christmas/Epiphany seasons are a wonderful time for everyone to take the time to remember their baptism, their place in God s holy church with all who have faithfully lived and died, and to give God thanks for the ways God is at work in this world. Take time to rejoice that a Savior has come for you! Come and worship!

2 Whenever I think of Christmas, I often think of soft snow falling on Christmas Eve. Perhaps, I got too much of Bing Crosby s White Christmas while I was growing up. Or, maybe it is because I do remember many a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day when snow seemed to magically appear. As an adult there is still a child inside of me who likes to come out of worship on Christmas Eve with snow dusting the ground in its fresh beauty. I don t like to shovel snow any more than I did when I was young. It seems like when I was a child that we always had a lot of snow and no snowblower. Yet, I will admit there were some wonderful winter days I enjoyed playing in the snow. Rolling around in it, making snow angels, and building snow forts and snow people, and of course sledding. Now that I ve grown older my heart smiles on each lovely snowy day and I don t even mind too much being outside in snow or driving in snow just as long as there is no hidden ice or strong cold winds blowing. Snow for me has long been a personal symbol of God s grace. I like to imagine myself walking in God s grace! God s grace is like the snow that falls on the earth and covers all of its scars and wounds. Snow can make the earth and all of life appear lovely, peaceful and pure. Of course, we often destroy that beauty of snow in the same way we may try to deny or even destroy God s grace. We mess it up. We make it dirty. We poison it. However, the good news is that it snows again! It keeps coming to us just as God s love keeps searching and coming to us in order to make all things possible and beautiful and very good. God is continually covering up our scars from life s challenges, our wounds from life s hurts, and our sin with grace. God is for ever and ever giving us another chance to know the loveliness, peacefulness and purity of God s embrace. God is constantly at work in our spiritual being to save us and make us whole! So every time it snows, I think of God s grace. Thankfully snow comes every year to us in the upper Midwest--- numerous times a year. It seems to me so theologically correct that Christmas comes at the end of the calendar year when it often snows. For me a White Christmas echoes the sentiment of that great world evangelist E. Stanley Jones when he said: the past is buried in the love of God, the present is guided by the love of God, and the future is unfolding under the beckoning love of God.

3 As we celebrate this Christmas 2017 and move faithfully, with hope surrounding us, into 2018, let us allow God s grace and our own personal histories to converge and blend together. Like snow let us affirm that God s grace has met with our past and buried it. Let us believe that today and all our tomorrows will be guided by God s love. Let us have real confidence to say that the unknown, unmarked, unsoiled, clean-looking future will open up for us in one joyful and exciting step at a time as we look to the love of God that calls us to faithfulness. Someone has said Whatever your past, just remember you have an unmarked future. In this season of blessings and of holiness, I pray that you will celebrate God s grace along with me and face 2018 with all the hope and courage you and I can find. Lastly, let me add that it has been a deep joy to spend all the past Christmases with you since I will hold the memory of YOU lighting your Christmas Eve candles and singing with a desire for sincere unity Silent Night, Holy Night as I continue on my life s journey with God. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Pastor Fred An INVITATION for YOU: Because I want to say thank you for our work together in ministry through the years at Ames First United Methodist Church and since this will be my last Christmas with you as your Senior Minister, I cordially invite YOU to a Holiday Open House at my church parsonage located at 1321 Burnett Avenue on Sunday, December 3, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. I hope you will be able to attend. --- Rev. Fred Lewis

4 Cephas Corner Give me My Christmas When I was growing up in Liberia, West Africa my Christmas was full of joy. My dad took me to the tailor to get me my 2 fitted suits which he did every year. Two suits because I wore one on Christmas and another on New Year which is a tradition in Liberia. A kid s Christmas was full of joy when their parents got them new clothing for Christmas. For me a tailor made suit was not uncommon because dad often got me suits for church. On the other hand, during Christmas there were other kids whose parents were unable to get them a suit or new clothing, while other parents save for months to bring that joy of Christmas to their kid. I became one of those kids as a teenager during the Liberian civil war because dad was no longer working. We went from having 3 meals a day to having one meal. Instead of dad saving for Christmas, he was saving for what I refer to as the best Christmas gift, paying my school fees to remain in a private school. There are kids right here in Ames, like me when I was growing up in Liberia, that are living in poverty. Do you know there are 27% of our population (Ames) living in poverty? Yes! There are 27% living in poverty. Jesus is saying give me my Christmas, we give Jesus his Christmas when we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the strangers. Jesus Christmas request and thanks is noted like this: 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. 37 Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? 40 The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:35-40 NIV). Church, Christmas is about God s liberative story to humanity and how God shows God s mercy/hesed to humanity. In response to God s gift of mercy (Jesus the Christ) we too are called to spread mercy during our life time and recommit to spreading kindness each Christmas. Let this Christmas be your beginning of recommitting to spreading the mercy. The Hebrew word for mercy is Hesed, meaning loving-kindness, mercy, compassion, grace, loyalty and faithfulness. Mercy is also that compassion which causes one to help the weak, the sick, or the poor. Church, showing mercy is one of the cardinal virtues of a true Christian. Mercy is compassion and compassion is a powerful force, a stamp of the divine nature within our spirit. It lies within us all-from the tender child to the hardest criminal waiting for the right trigger to set it off. Merry Christmas!!

5 Ministries reflections of the Associate Pastor, 2017 At the beginning of this year, January 2017, my role as associate pastor changed from Minister of youth and young adult ministries to Minister of Discipleship and Pastoral Care/ Visitation Ministries. This role continues to challenge and engage me into deeper relationships with parishioners in their walk with Christ. My ministries are an extension of our Lead Pastor s Ministries here at Ames First United Methodist Church. Confirmation I and our Lay Leader, Carol Miller, continue to work with our confirmands in their walk with Christ and teaching them basic doctrine of the Christ Faith and how they live out their faith as United Methodist Christians. There our 15 in our confirmation class of 2017/2018. A unique process that I introduced to our confirmation program is to visit every family before and during confirmation. This helps in the discipleship process as youth grow in their faith, knowing that the journey they are about to embark on matters to me as their pastor. During confirmation we will visit the following religious assemblies (with exception of Burns UMC) that are not part of the Christian faith. Places of Faith we will be visiting: Temple B nai Jeshurun, Des Moines, IA (October 2017) Burns United Methodist Church, Ames, IA (December 2017) Hindu Temple Culture Center, Madrid, IA (January 2018) Darul Arqum Islamic Center, Ames, IA (March 2018) Vietnamese Buddhist Temple, Des Moines, IA (April 2018) LIFE Group: As minister of discipleship and a pastor who s never forgotten my calling as a theologian I do visit and study with each of our LIFE groups. To make LIFE group more relational and Wesleyan I encouraged the LIFE group leaders to rotate their meetings to members homes and ask the Wesley question how is it with your soul during meetings. It s a blessing that LIFE group meetings have happened in the homes of each of those who are members of their group, and covenant relationships continue to grow in the name of God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Discipleship Pathway/Visitation Through the power of God the Holy Spirit, we continue to be disciples and empower our members. At the beginning of the year I hosted a Webinar & discussion session, with the topic: "Getting it right at the starting Line." The presenter was Ken Sloane, Director of Stewardship and Connection Ministries, General Board of Discipleship United Methodist Church. The Webinar was 55 minutes. One of my aims since becoming Minister of Discipleship was through prayer for God the Holy Spirit to help us in creating a Yes culture because a YES culture brings about great vitality and discipleship. To

6 start this process, I hosted a discipleship retreat for our LIFE groups and Sunday school leaders as well the administrative council on August 19. The discipleship retreat was 3 hours, and the retreat was based on the book "Just Say Yes! Unleashing People for Ministry" written by United Methodist Bishop Robert Schnase. Also, a Bible study based on the Old Testament Book of Ruth was held during the summer. The bible study was aimed towards building relationships among members, so it was held in the home of each participating member. The study brought together twelve of the church families made into two groups, one meeting Tuesday and the other meeting on Thursday. Thus, it was a blessing! Being aware our conference has been calling both clergy and laity to the formation of discipleship, each local church creating a discipleship pathway had been a thought of reflection and prayers. As minister of discipleship, my challenges and thoughts were that the discipleship pathway can't be clergy led since UMC pastors are in an itinerary ministry. My prayer was answered when two of our members, Carrie Copley and Cami Mc Colley, contacted me about how they can help members be engaged through spiritual formations and our passion for ministries. Thus, I am now working with Cami & Carrie on the formation of FUMC Pathway of discipleship. We are in prayers and hopeful to launch the pathway early next year during our worship services. We ask for your prayers as we go through this process, the blessing of this is our Pathway will be laity led. Our visitation ministry, Visiting Friends from First continues to touch lives. One inspiring thing about this ministry is sometimes I show up at a hospital room and see a member visiting, and one response I got was I saw the cyber news and Mr. X was in the hospital so I came to see how he is doing. Something new I did was on Ash Wednesday was to take ashes to our homebound members. Let us continue to be God s hands and God s feet. Stephen s Ministry In a sense of renewal and reawakening our Stephen Ministry, our Lead Minister requested funding from our foundation to sponsor me to a Stephen s leader training. We also hosted Spirit filled healing and anointing services on July 22 & 23. Glory to God. While driving with one of our members on the way to our yearly youth mission trip, he told me about an atheist youth that he had invited to our healing service. During the service the young man came forward during the anointing and the same week he asked for a Bible to read; what a blessing! God is doing God s business!! There was a great response from the healing and anointing service.

7 Liberia Mission Trip By God s Grace, every year I visit my Native country to see families and attend my Liberia Annual Conference sessions. This year my travel will be centered on missions; especially an annual young minister empowerment forum for Liberian pastors under 40 years. From February 8-10, 2018, the Liberia Young Ministers Conference will be held in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, targeting 125 young pastors who do not have the opportunity to attend formal theological school; yet they have demonstrated extreme passion to their callings. Refuge United Methodist Church was founded by myself and my best friend when we were serving as missionaries of the General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church. One Mission focus during my trip will be to revitalize the Children s Hope Village program by starting to offer after school programs for the less fortunate. It is my prayer and determination to have this event yearly. It will be an ecumenical event. If you want to know more about this mission trip and how to support the people of Liberia, contact me or invite me for coffee. My travel dates are January 29 and return February 14. Kindly, keep me in your prayers. In Mission with vision Rev. Joseph Cephas Z. K. Davis, Mdiv. Facebook: Joseph Cephas Davis Twitter: Zebedee1977 Blue Christmas As Christmas approaches, the hustle and bustle can be overwhelming, leaving us feeling empty and emotionally drained, especially if we are grieving a significant loss or under stress. On Thursday, December 21, at 6:30 p.m. First United Methodist Church is offering a supportive service of worship in the chapel to all persons for whom the holidays are difficult due to a death, loss, tragedy, stress or depression. Our Blue Christmas Service allows participants to name personal losses and loved ones as we light candles in a time of sharing personal stories, if so moved. Come, share and celebrate the rich memories of loved ones shining through and warming hearts no matter the weather. Come, experience a quiet time of peace and hope with others seeking to know deeper joy, made available to us in Christ Jesus, the Babe of Bethlehem. Come, share silence, gentle Christmas carols and seasonal readings...and maybe a tear mixed with compassionate smiles of understanding.

8 EDUCATION NEWS Nicole Smith, Christian Education Director Advent Celebration On Wednesday, December 6, Kids Club will have an Advent Celebration. The kids will make an Advent wreath and learn more about the season of Advent. It is always a fun night to help the children prepare their hearts and minds and focus on the true meaning of the Christmas season. We will meet in the Kids Club room (E206) from 6:30-7:30. Christmas Caroling Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 13. Everyone is encouraged to come to our Wednesday Night Meal-soups, sandwiches, and salad that night from 6-6:30. We will divide into groups and leave at 6:30pm sharp from the Multipurpose room to go Christmas caroling around town with stops at Northcrest, Windsor Oaks, Green Hills, and Northridge Village. Folders with many Christmas favorites will be provided. If you think you can t carry a tune don t worry! Join us anyway with a joyful smile on your face and help to spread some jubilant holiday cheer with the rest of us! Children s Christmas Program A J.E.D.I. Christmas Join the children of First United Methodist Church on Sunday morning, December 10 at 10:00am! This year s Christmas program brings in the Old with the New (Testaments that is) as Lucas and Leila learn from their teachers who lead them on an amazing journey where they meet Hanna and Ewebacca, Jenga Feta, and of course Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. It s a fun telling of the Christmas story with a nod to Star Wars. We hope you join us! Actors Only There will be practices for the fourth & fifth graders who have acting/ speaking parts in the Christmas program on Saturday, December 2 from 2-4:30p.m. and Friday, December 8 from 4:45-6p.m. If your child has an acting/speaking part, please mark this on your calendar! Children s Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal On Sunday, December 3, the 2 year olds through fifth graders will have a run-through of the Christmas program during the Sunday school hour. Please have your child here for this rehearsal so they are aware of how things will happen the following Sunday during the Christmas program. We will begin at 9:45 and hope to run through it twice. There will be some coloring activities for the children to do in the pews while

9 EDUCATION NEWS Nicole Smith, Christian Education Director they wait for their turn to sing. If we see a need to wrap up with a group earlier than planned, we will have some other activities ready for them in another room. The children will all go to their regular dismissal rooms by 10:40. PAJAMA PARTY!!! That s right! It s time for FUMC s annual PJ Party on Wednesday, December 20 beginning at 6:00p.m. A Sign-Up Genius will be sent out soon to families to let us know what food they will be bringing to share. If you don t get the link, please let Nicole know or go ahead and bring a dessert or finger food to share. Don t forget the most important part wear your cozy PJs and slippers too!! We will meet in the Multipurpose room at 6:00 and eat. Shortly after we will move to the Sanctuary where there will be a special reading of the Christmas story. We will then move back into the Multipurpose room for the crafts and games. Happy Birthday, Jesus!! Children and their families are invited to celebrate at a Birthday Party for Jesus during the Sunday School Hour on December 17. The party will take place in the multipurpose room from 9:45-10:45. There will be music, crafts, and of course BIRTHDAY CAKE! During this time, the children, youth, and families will also be making goodies to place in goody bags to be distributed on Christmas Eve to local fire stations, hospitals, hotels, and anywhere else where people have to work to care for others instead of being able to be with family on the holiest of nights. Noon Year s Eve Party Happy Noon Year! This New Year s Eve, celebrate early with a Noon Year s Eve celebration at First UMC! The festivities will begin at 10:30 a.m. (immediately following worship service) with a yummy kid friendly brunch followed by crafts and games. At 11:55 am, we will head to the sanctuary for a prayer for the new year. At noon on the nose, we ll shout Happy Noon Year! as hundreds of balloons fall on top of us from the balcony. Join us for the fun!

10 EDUCATION NEWS Nicole Smith, Christian Education Director Adult Sunday School Coffee Talk: Coffee Talk s Advent study is Lifesong: The Melody of Your Heart. It is a beautiful study that examines four stories about people driven to song when God shook up their world for the better. Take a look at how Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds reacted upon learning of God's plan to save humanity. Conference Room Faith and Reason: During Advent, Faith and Reason will explore unity in the church through the study To Become One. This study is based on 1 Corinthians and the book by Christena Cleveland called Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep us Apart. E110. Wesley s Holy Club: Pastor Cephas Davis is leading this new and exciting group. If you are new to the Methodist faith or maybe just feel like you want more background on this denomination you ve been a part of for a while, this is a great group for you! This group takes a look at the United Methodist faith through discussing the history of it, the sacraments celebrated, and what makes us United Methodists. Library. Wednesday Night Meals We have had some delicious Wednesday Night Meals prepared by some of our awesome Wednesday night families over the past month. We have some more good ones coming up too! Here s what s coming up: December meals: 6-Pizza 13-Soup & Sandwiches 20-Finger foods W.H.A.M. Wednesday Night Adults (W.H.A.M.) - Their Advent study will be the newest one from Adam Hamilton called Faithful: Christmas through the Eyes of Joseph. You are welcome to join the group at any time! Upcoming dates: December 10: Children s Christmas Program 10am December 10: Up With Puppets Christmas Program Time 6:30 December 13: Christmas Caroling to care facilities December 17: Birthday Party for Jesus (Children s Sunday School) December 17: Up With Puppets will perform at 11:00 service (cont. top of next page)

11 EDUCATION NEWS Nicole Smith, Christian Education Director December 20: PJ Party December 24 & 31: No Sunday School One worship service both of those Sundays at 9:30am. December 27 & January 3: No Wednesday Night Activities December 31: Noon Years Eve Party Wonderful Wednesday Women Wonderful Wednesday Women will meet on December 6, 13, 20 at 10:30a.m. There won t be meetings on December 27 or January 3. Upper Room LIFE Group Join Connie Tilroe for a discussion around the Upper Room Devotional. The group meets in the fireside room the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 6:30-7:30pm. All Earth is Waiting Tuesday Morning LIFE Group and our Wonderful Wednesday Women group are both reading "All Earth is Waiting" by Rev. Katie Z. Dawson of Immanuel UMC in Des Moines this Advent season. If you'd like to be a part of either group, feel free to join! If you'd like to have the book to read this Advent season, contact Nicole for a copy. All Earth Is Waiting invites readers to explore the familiar Advent themes of hope, preparation, joy, and peace with the heavens and earth in mind. Through her powerful and personal reflections, author Katie Z. Dawson calls us to consider how all creation longs for the coming of Christ, taking seriously the notion that the good news of Christ is good news for all the world. Anticipating in Christ s birth the reconciliation of the heavens and the earth, Dawson highlights the responsibility to care for this earth in preparation for Christ s return. A Very Up with Puppets Christmas! Sunday, December 10 at 6:30pm Please join the Puppets as they celebrate the holidays with songs, dowel rods, and some special black light performances. Meet some of our newest puppet friends who can t wait to meet you! Invite your family and friends and join us!

12 YOUTH NEWS Brooke Kruger, Youth Director Middle School News Sunday School In mid-november we begin a long study on the different aspects of Christmas. Even though most of us have read the story of Christ s birth many times, there are still new insights to be had! Our students will have the opportunity to ponder with their hearts, talk about gifts of the spirit, discuss what it means to be part of the family of Christ, and open ourselves to the peace Christ brings into our lives. High School News Sunday School Our high school Sunday school has been engaging in some meaningful discussion about families, relationships, and dating. In December, we move into our Inside Out book which is designed to challenge the values of the world and affirm that our true value begins with a God of love and shows up in how we live our lives. This study isn t designed to provide answers about holiness, forgiveness, humility, and giving thanks in so much as it is designed to challenge youth to resolve to develop those character traits from the deepest part of their beings and outward into the world. Note about Sunday School Please take note that on December 10 th we will not have Sunday school, as we will be gathering to watch the Christmas program. There will be no Sunday school on December 24 th, and no Sunday School on December 31 st. Regular Sunday school resumes January 7 th with our Epiphany party for both high school and middle school. Wednesday Night Middle School November was a busy month for our middle school, and December shows no signs of slowing down! On December 12 th we will be caroling with the Kid s Club at local nursing homes and retirement villages. On December 20 th we have a Pajama Party Night where everyone is invited to wear pajamas while we play games! And mark your calendars for January 10 th we ve got a special trip for Epiphany to the Adam s Observatory to stargaze like the Magi did. Wednesday Night High School We ll start December off with an Advent lesson, talking about the history of Advent and having a yoga and meditation session. On December 13 th all Wednesday night youth will join with the Kid s Club in caroling at local nursing homes and retirement villages. High school youth will have a Christmas lesson over hot & cold drinks at Café Diem on December 20 th. January 10 th the high school youth will join with the middle school and have a trip to the Adam s observatory to stargaze as the Magi did. Note about Wednesday Night: Please take note that we will not meet on December 27 th.

13 THE BEST EGG OMELET IN AMES IS SERVED HERE ON DECEMBER 2 Our United Methodist Men will be serving fresh, homemade egg omelets on the first Saturday of December! Bring your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to this delicious breakfast served in our Fellowship Hall from 8-10 a.m. This is one of our UMM fundraisers for their projects; which support our ASP team as well as several of our building projects and other local church ministries. Come and eat and then stay to help decorate the church for the holidays, starting at 9 a.m. up in the sanctuary! ANNUAL HANGING OF THE GREENS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2 Gather at 9 a.m. in our church sanctuary to help decorate this house of worship for the Advent-Christmas seasons. Members of our Worship Arts Team will be here with a plan and enthusiasm, to help get this fun task accomplished. We really do need ALL ages of persons; man, woman and child! In the past our Confirmation class and our Boy Scout Troop have been of great assistance. Many hands do make light the work and often we are able to finish by noon. Hope to see you here on Saturday, December 2! MICA IS ALWAYS IN NEED Any time you come to worship is a good time to think of the needs of others and how Christ has commanded us to feed the hungry. On the first weekend of each month, when we gather for sharing Holy Communion around Christ s banquet table, that might be a wonderful time to make an effort to bring items for our MICA Food Pantry grocery cart. Here are some donation suggestions: Canned goods tuna, chicken, vegetables, fruits, beans, soup, spaghetti sauce, peanut butter Boxed Dinners hamburger helper, macaroni and cheese, pasta sides, dried pasta (all types), Ramen Noodles, dried soups Hygiene Products soap, shampoo, toilet paper, paper towels, deodorant, toothbrushes, and toothpaste Cleaning Products laundry soap, dish soap, dryer sheets Monetary donations and gift cards are also accepted. Checks can be made payable to FUMC with a memo to Missions/MICA

14 NOEL! NOEL! LUNCHEONS Celebrate the Sounds of the Season with us! Come! Enjoy some delicious food prepared by various individuals and groups within the church on Advent Wednesdays at Noon. Beautiful music of the season will be shared! Friends are welcomed! Serving begins at 11:45 a.m. in the MultiPurpose Room. Members of the Worship Committee are hostesses and hosts. Some of the women of our UMW will be preparing and serving the lunch on December 6, we will be hosted by some of the men from our UMM on December 13. Then, on December 20 Chefs Nicole and Fred and others from the staff will provide our luncheon. Each week some soups will be made and served with the trimmings. We will conclude each program before 1 p.m. so those employed can return to work. December 6: Music by the Ames High School Madrigal Choir December 13: Music by the ISU s Jolly Old St. Saxophones, directed by Dr. Mike Giles December 20: Music by Mark Kretsinger-Harries. Both the Madrigal Choir and the Saxophone group from ISU are annual favorites. Peggy Dieter is the new Ames High vocal director who is directing the Madrigal choir this year. Mike Giles is a familiar face, however, there are always new students who come to be part of this fun festive occasion. This year we are introducing Mark Kretsinger-Harries to our congregation and to the Ames community. Mark is a professional church musician. He has served congregations in Kansas and Pennsylvania. He earned both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Kanas where he studied church music, choral conducting, organ, and handbells. Mark moved to Ames in 2017 with his wife, Anne, who is a new Assistant Professor in the ISU English department.

15 2018 APPLACHIA SERVICE PROJECT Yes! The time has arrived to really gear up for our 2018 trip to the mountains of Appalachia as we work with A.S.P. (a mission and ministry of the UMC). The dates are July 21-July 29. Contact Ken Van Pelt who is once again serving as our team coordinators! Each participant is asked to pay $100. There is a registration form available in the church. Each person registering is to pay $50 now with a second payment due by February 1. For more information please contact Ken at kkvanpelt@q.com or WINTER WEATHER REMINDER Remember to listen to the news or call the church if severe winter weather strikes. We will try our best to make decisions and get word out through the news media. If at all possible, we will try to have worship. Stay home if the conditions are dangerous for you. If schools are dismissed early or canceled then the activities at the church will also be canceled. Call if in doubt. We want everyone to remain safe. CHRISTMAS MISSIONS 2017 A Letter is on its way to you If you are a member of this congregation please be looking in your mail for a letter from the church and its mission team with its annual Christmastime appeal. This year all the monies raised will go to support our apportionments as a UMC in the Iowa Annual Conference. Thank you for your generous sharing! Please use the special giving envelopes and mark your contributions for Christmas missions 2017.

16 Report from Good Neighbor Emergency Assistance On November 14, GNEA board met at the Good Neighbor office at 613 Clark Ave. Through the first four months of the fiscal year, Good Neighbor has provided Rent and/or Utility Assistance to 130 households, 3,516 Healthy Food vouchers to 586 households, and distributed 116 Gas vouchers. In all categories in FY 17 has been higher than FY 16, Rent and/or Utility Assistance to 127 households, 3,294 Healthy Food vouchers to 549 households, and 102 Gas vouchers Good Neighbor was selected as a grant recipient from Altrusa International of Ames. A portion of the proceeds raised through the groups Holiday Tour of Homes will be given to support the Heathy Food Vouchers program. The Choral Concert on November 5 was a success with donations of $10, being raised for Good Neighbor. The next board meeting will be held in January 16 at noon at the Good Neighbor Office at 613 Clark Ave. Submitted by Steve J. Hanlin board representative for First United Methodist Church The Twelve Days of Fitness Join the Isaiah 40 Wellness Ministry at Ames First United Methodist Church this Advent for special workouts, devotions and giving opportunities. The program started Monday, November 27th and meets each Monday, Wednesday and Friday until December 22nd. Classes are from 9:00-9:50a.m. A suggested donation of $40 for all 12 classes is appreciated on the first day of class. Everyone from around the Ames community is welcome to attend regardless of your connection to this or any church at all. All ages and skill levels are encouraged. No special equipment or ability is needed. Each workout can be modified for specific needs. The workouts will follow the Twelve Days of Christmas song with some especially fun and interesting workouts along the way. As part of our Advent celebration we will be having special devotions with each class that follow our theme. Our ministry is also collecting donations for the food pantry at Food at First. If you are able, on the first day of class please bring one food item, on the second day of class bring two, and so on and so forth. Prior registration is appreciated but not required. Contact our wellness ministry coordinator Nanette Heginger at or at nrheg@hotmail.com for questions or more information.

17 USHERING ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE NEW YEAR 2018 Here is the basic schedule to keep in mind as we look to staff our ushering ministry for the Sunday morning 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship hours: First Sunday of a month is assigned to the United Methodist Women *Second Sunday is assigned to the various Church Boards & Committees Third Sunday is assigned to our Youth and their families and friends Fourth Sunday are members of our United Methodist Men and Young Adult Class Fifth Sundays are our Confirmation Class and families and mentors If you wish to assist with the ushering ministry and are not a member of any of these groups PLEASE contact Tim Thomas and he will help you to be assigned. *For all the Committees and Boards (and their chairpersons) here are the 2018 monthly assignments for that SECOND Sunday in each month: January 14 - CEMT Committee and Worship Committee February 11 - YOUTH SUNDAY and BOY SCOUTS March 11 - Welcome & Marketing and Member Care Committees April 8 - Finance and Stewardship Committees May 13 - Welcome & Marketing and Member Care Committees June 10 - Staff Parish Relations Committee and Missions Committee July 8 - Chancel and Bell Choirs August 12 - Worship Committee and CEMT Committee September 9 - Board of Trustees and Foundation Board October 14 - Gifts & Memorials and History Committees November 11 - Staff Parish Relations Committee & Missions Committee December 9 - All elected leaders to Church Council GREETERS Here s the link. Double check that it takes you to the correct place. Interested volunteers can also contact me by phone/text at or me at lvw50248@gmail.com. Thanks. Lori Vander Werff

18 COFFEE HOUR HOST ASSIGNMENTS FOR 2018 It is our pleasure to serve Fellowship Coffee between Sunday services each week. A freewill offering helps to defray the costs. Thank you for your financial support of the coffee hour! In 2018 we plan to once again assign the various groups and committees within our church the responsibility to prepare and host our fellowship time January - Welcome & Marketing and Member Care Committees February - Finance and Stewardship Committees March - United Methodist Women April - Staff Parish Relations Committee and Missions Committee May - Board of Trustees and Foundation Board June - Chancel and Bell Choirs July - CEMT Committee and Worship Committee August - Gifts and Memorials and History Committees September - Welcome and Marketing and Member Care Committees October - Finance and Stewardship Committee November - United Methodist Men December - Staff Parish Relations Committee and Worship Committee HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM OUR AMES FUMC FOUNDATION If you are among the many people thinking of offering some special gifts to your favorite charities, please remember the work of the Ames First United Methodist Church Foundation. Annually, these funds are available for disbursement from our church s Foundation to help students pursue their educational goals beyond high school. A part of our Foundation holdings are for the annual Smalling Scholarship awards, too. Foundation funds support some of the Ames area mission agencies. The funds help offer additional financial support for our youth to attend Confirmation Camp. They help support the ASP team. They especially help to fund new ministry ventures. Funds have helped to support our building addition project and other unexpected property needs

19 JUST IMAGINE THE BLESSINGS --- Thank You! Thank you to all who participated in our financial stewardship program this fall. First Church continues to be a faith-filled community as we join together in giving our best to God and to Christ s ministries through our church. Let s celebrate as we close this year Living Generously and knowing the joy of belonging, trusting, serving, loving and giving! If you have not yet completed an estimated of giving card, we ask to prayerfully do so and return it to the church office. As each of us give of our best to First Church then this church can be at its best by: Creating an inviting atmosphere for all who enter our building and worship ; Welcoming people to join in our journey of faith with Jesus; and Inspiring people into fuller fields of discipleship -- of worship, mission, Christian education, tithing and prayer. Through all of these, our faith connects with our daily life and our lives are transformed in Jesus Christ. In 2018, through the sharing of each person s time, talents and treasures, First Church will be a wonderful blessing as together we: Make possible our worship services and all the ministries of the church; Provide for the maintenance and care of our church property; Spread the good news of God s grace and love, forgiveness and salvation; Teach the principles of faith to people of all ages; Share fellowship and love, inspiration and encouragement with all who enter our church through music, prayer, and service; Bring joy and hope into the lives of church members and friends through small group ministries and pastoral care; and, Support the church staff in all their efforts to enable and empower ministry to grow for Jesus Christ and in changing lives in the name of Christ.

20 GOALS FOR 2018 AS ADOPTED AT THIS YEAR S CHARGE CONFERENCE FOR OUR FUTURE 1. Receive at least 36 new members 2. Increase the number of youth participating in all or any of our youth ministries by Support the goal of the Trustees to replace and upgrade our church sound system and also to work as a congregation to make ready the church owned parsonages at the time of clergy transitions. 4. Increase the number of Bishop's In-Gathering kits by Continue our efforts to reach out and welcome new persons moving into this community and general area through supporting the work of our Welcome and Marketing Committee. 6. Raise financial funds to fully fund and exceed our 2018 operational budget. 7. Focus some fundraising efforts to pay off the debt on our building addition. 8. Promote financial giving to the Ames First Foundation through wills and estate planning and other ways of gifting. 9. Continue our efforts to expand our small group ministries/life Groups by adding 4 more new groups in 2018 as a way to help persons learn about one another and to grow spiritually. 10. Explore ways to expand our church music options for children and youth 11.Increase the number of lay persons assisting in our worship services as readers of scriptures or offering prayers or in other ways 12.Work together as a congregation to experience a good farewell and a good welcoming of our appointed clergy as transitions occur here in 2018.

21 DUO VIS-À-VIS PERFORMING ON JANUARY 6 The duo of Brandin Kreuder on viola and Craig Jordan on piano will be here on Saturday, January 6, to present a concert at 3 p.m. in the warmth and beauty of our historic sanctuary. The program of music will feature: Frank Bridge s Four Pieces. Rebecca Clarke s Sonata, a brand new 2017 composition by Christian Messier titled, Unregard dans le vide, and Brahms masterpiece Sonata in F Minor. Online tickets cost $10 at clarkebrahmsames.eventbrite.com and tickets at the door will be $15, with all students admitted free. THE SOUNDS OF 100 TUBAS IN OUR SANCTUARY TUBA CHRISTMAS We are hosting again Tuba Christmas on Saturday, December 9, with concerts at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. We re always looking for volunteers to be here to help greet and seat the folks from the community who come to enjoy the music. A light lunch is being served between the two concerts with the free-will donation monies raised going to Food at First. Please visit with Marcia Skrdla and Sally Peterson if you can help volunteer with the lunch s preparation, serving, or clean-up! It is a FUN time to be here in our church building to welcome so many others from the surrounding communities to this day of Christmas carols and songs. TWO SUNDAYS IN DECEMBER WILL HAVE WORSHIP AT 9:30 A.M. There will be only 1 Sunday worship service on December 24 and 1 December 31 due to the way the Christmas and New Year s holiday happen this year. On Sunday morning the 24 th we will celebrate the 4 th Sunday of Advent and then later that day we will also be having our Christmas Eve services. December 31 st will find us in worship marking the arrival of a brand new year. We will continue to have our regular Saturday at First worship services on December 23 and December 30 at 5:30 p.m. No Coffee Hour Refreshments on December 24 or December 31 due to the holidays!

22 FROM OUR STEWARDSHIP TEAM: BALANCING THE BUDGET --- A Thought to Grow On this Holiday Season! Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat? He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. ---John 6: 3-5 Churches love balanced budgets. It s true. Ask just about anyone in our church s leadership about the health of this church and often before you even hear about discipleship you will hear about whether the budget is in the black or in the red. I understand why that s important. We are called to be good stewards. However, I have yet to meet a congregation who thought they had enough. By this point in his ministry in John s gospel, Jesus had already gathered a following. But when the crowds came to hear him on the mountain his disciples looked out and saw not a blessing, but a problem. Jesus sensed their anxiety and asked them, How are we going to feed all these people? Philip replies that it would take six months worth of wages for everyone to even get a bite. It seems Jesus and the disciples had not paid much attention to the food line item in the first church s budget. And yet, Jesus does something no one expects. When everyone else is stuck in a scarcity mindset Jesus is instead living in the abundance. He looks out, finds what the people are willing to give, and blesses it so that it may be a blessing to others. Maybe Jesus was trying to tell us something there. Maybe, just maybe, we have enough. God of abundance, give us gratitude for what we already have and turn our hearts away from worshipping bottom lines and towards celebrating the abundance that comes from you. Amen. WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THE CHURCH AND SEE A NEED There are people at First Church who are very good and generous in that they look around the church and see a needed item that could benefit the ministry and mission of the congregation. They will then come to the office and donate a gift to pay for the costs; sometimes they will even be invited to go and purchase the needed item. We are so grateful for those who see and then work to fulfill a need. You are always welcomed to make such a contribution, after visiting with pastors and staff. Thank you, also, to those who see a task or job that needs to be done and then will give of time and energy to do it. Churches are transformed when people come together to serve needs through the sharing of their gifts!

23 POINSETTIAS FOR CHRISTMAS Christmas is just around the corner! We will again be offering two different sizes of poinsettias this year. You may choose an 8 inch pot for $15 or an 10 inch pot for $25. Please, place your order by December 11. After all of the Christmas services, you may take your plant home. Remember what you ordered so you know what to pick up. We are also offering the Alternative Mission Gift again this year. The money will go to local missions. POINSETTIAS Name Given in memory of Given in honor of Colors/Size White 8 in. plant Pink 8 in. plant Red 8 in. plant Shimmer (red, white, pink mix) 8 in. plant White 10 in. plant Pink 10 in. plant Red 10 in. plant Shimmer (red, white, pink mix) 10 in. plant Substitutions may be made based on availability My check is enclosed for the amount of. Please write Poinsettias in the memo line. ALTERNATIVE MISSION GIFT Name In Memory of In Honor of My check is enclosed for the amount of. Please write Alternative Mission Gift in the memo line.

24 First United Methodist Church 516 Kellogg Ave Ames, IA Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Permit No. 188 Ames, IA IMPORTANT TAX INFORMATION In order to claim a charitable deduction for 2017, our donors to FUMC must deliver contributions to the church office by noon on Sunday, December 31.