the MESSENGER First United Methodist Church

Transcription

1 the MESSENGER First United Methodist Church Boone, Iowa Sunday Worship Schedule 9:00 a.m. Traditional Service 10:00 a.m. Coffee Fellowship 10:10 a.m. Sunday School 10:10 a.m. Adult Sunday School 11:15 a.m. Contemporary Worship PASTOR: Rev. Doug Cue December 2017

2 2 A message from Pastor Doug I know it seems early but let me ask you What do you really want for Christmas? Santa asks the children. Husbands ask their wives. Wives ask their husbands. Children ask their parents. Parents ask their children. What do you really want for Christmas? The answers vary my two front teeth; a new car; an ipad; a Wii; clothes; new phone; cash. These are all legitimate answers, but are they what we really want for Christmas? At the risk of coming across as sentimental or just another Christmas cliché, here are a few ideas that may prove more meaningful and enduring than the newest gadgets or the latest fashions or the hottest new toys. What I really want for Christmas is a genuine love. But, it is hard to feel love when the traffic is heavy and lines are long. It is hard to feel love for the person who ignores the "Twenty Items or Less" sign and leisurely unloads a full shopping basket of goods. Loving my fellow man is not so easy when I read the newspaper and watch the evening news. Sometimes it s hard to express love in this kind of world. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. --1 John 4:7-12 What I really want for Christmas is authentic peace. But, it is difficult to find peace as battles rage around the world. It is hard to be at peace when a family falls apart. Peace is not easily found in high unemployment numbers and shaky economic numbers. Cont. on pg 4

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4 4 "People are always more encouraged when we share how God's grace helped us in weakness than when we brag about our strengths." Rick Warren Sue Lehman & Joan Galloway A few of Boone FUMC who helped at the Eastern Star safe house trick or treat evening. Cont from pg 2 Message from Pastor Doug Norm Stolte, Kio Dettman, Mark Carpenter FUN WAS HAD BY ALL!! Left: Tyler Nickens and his momma Nicole Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 What I really want for Christmas is inexpressible joy. But, joy is hard to find in a hospital waiting room. The joy seems to fade as age and disease take away our strength and drain us our energy. There is little room for joy when bills pile up, disappointments break our spirit, and pettiness drives us toward bitterness and rage. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9 What I really want for Christmas are those things money cannot buy, time will not devalue, and no one can take from me. Those are things that no person can give me, and no tragedy can diminish. What I really want for Christmas are gifts that I can possess if I will accept them for what they are gifts from a loving God. They are available. They are real. And they are found in the manger. What do you really want for Christmas? -Peace and grace.. Pastor Doug

5 5 BULLETIN BOARD Memorial Committee Messenger Deadline December 10th Church Website or Messenger Address Free Clinic at FUMC 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 6 8 p.m.

6 8 YOUTH ACTIVITIES Sunday, December 10: Soup Supper at 5:30p followed by Youth Christmas Program at 7p in Sanctuary Wednesday, December 20: ALL CHURCH Christmas Caroling Dinner at 6p for kids, caroling at 6:30p followed by hot cocoa/cookies Wednesday, December 27: NO YOUTH GROUP Upcoming Events Sunday, January 14: All Church Skiing at Seven Oaks 4p-8p Wednesday, February 14: Ash Wednesday Spaghetti supper REMEMBER!! Friends are always welcome at youth group. Please have a parent accompany them the first time to fill out info form. NURSING NEWS A headline in the Kennebec Behavior Health newsletter declared December as a National Stress-free Family Holidays Month. After I stopped laughing I read on. Most of their suggestions were not new except the statement to let go of the idea of perfection. This is a worthy but not easy goal to work on, as stress can have serious consequences for physical, mental, social and family health. So, accept help and the outcome of the help, keep it simple, be sure to take time to feed your soul, quiet time, me time -whatever you call it. To that end, check out the many opportunities of our church. Pastor Doug has a study about Joseph, Sunday worship experiences at two different times and of course Christmas Eve Services, children s Christmas program, Boone High School choral concert, join a study group or circle for a different focus. Also, there will be a selection of Advent daily devotionals available in the church library to help your Advent experience. Come and go anytime the church is open and read the devotion for the day. Have some quiet time. There will also be study books from past years that you may take home. So many ways to make this Advent season special. Your Heath Ministries Committee wishes you a blessed holiday season and remember there is no such thing as a perfect holiday and THAT IS OK. Special dates First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2017 Second Sunday of Advent, December 10, 2017 Third Sunday of Advent, December 17, 2017 First day of winter, December 21, 2017 Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 24, 2017 Christmas Eve, December 24, 2017 Christmas Day, December 25, 2017 New Year s Eve/Watch Night, December 31, 2017 SING PRAISE! On December 6 th, the UMW General meeting will be in the sanctuary at 10:00 a.m. to listen to a wonderful concert presented by Boone High School Chorale group (46 singers strong). Everyone is welcome!

7 9 VOLUNTEERS FOR YOUTH GROUP We are looking for members to help mentor the youth group. There is devotion time for all youth from 6:30-6:45p and also lesson time from 6:45-8p for the older youth. If you would like to help with either of these, please contact Jennifer Schoff or Pastor Doug at the church. As we all know It takes a village to raise a child. Our youth volunteers are mighty, but few, and if you are able to help, it would be a great blessing. Imagine if all of us took one week to share; our calendar would be full for a couple of years! THANK YOU! Thank you to all who took part in the United Methodist Women Sunday on October 8. Special thanks to Millie Logue and Lavonne Shearer for helping to plan the service. Congratulations to Nancy Ross, Judy Rabinowitz and Mike Cleaveland who received special Mission Recognition pins. Jan Carpenter ADVENT STUDY 2017 FAITHFUL Christmas Through the Eyes of Joseph We re not that different from Joseph. True, we may not be part of a story that will be remembered for all time, but like Joseph, we encounter circumstances that we d never choose for ourselves. At times, it can be tempting just to walk away, but Joseph provides us a great example of humbly obeying God even when we don t understand, faithfully moving forward in the strength that God provides. The story of Joseph provides us a great example of humbly obeying God even when we don t understand and faithfully moving forward in the strength that God provides. Adam Hamilton is the author of the study. Chapter topics include: 1. A Carpenter Named Joseph 2. Whose Child Is This? 3. Raising a Child Not Your Own 4. The Journey to Bethlehem 5. The Rest of the Story Cost, date and location will be forthcoming. Check with Pastor Doug for more information.

8 10 Power Point 3 rd Joey Hutchings 10 th Martha Hilsabeck 17 th Tamara Peterson 24 th Danis Lingren 31 st Nicole Nickens 3 rd Katelyn & Mackenzie 10 th Katelyn & Jentry 17 th Mackenzie & Ally 24 th TBD 31 st TBD 9:00 a.m. Traditional Service 10:00 a.m. Coffee Fellowship 10:10 a.m. Sunday School 10:10 a.m. Adult Sunday School 11:15 a.m. Contemporary Worship 5:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Service 10:30 p.m. Special music by David Knippel and Dalene O Brien 11:00 p.m. Candlelight Service USHERS NEEDED! Please consider donating your time being an usher! You will be able to experience the joy of fellowship with members you may have forgotten, or never met! Please contact Jacquie Grow at or fjgrow@mchsi.com

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10 December rd Jennifer & Jaxon Schoff Braeden Majors & Joey Hutchings 10 th Leritta Mackie Maci Mosher & Ashton Thilges 17 th Jennifer & Jaxon Schoff Brooke & Vivian Rice 24 th AM:Erva Lu Hutchings & Kio Dettman Brogan Wood & Hayley Bryant 5:30p: 11:00p: Bobi & Todd Treganza 31 st Alan & Jennifer 5 th Schoff Layden Losh & McGuire Bryant Chuck & Caryl Erickson and Gene Stewart, Fred Grow 12 3 rd th Belle Fred Cleaveland, Grow/Gene Tim Stewart/Alan Hooper, Chris & Bennett, Jentry Richard Schoff Morrow 10 th Darrell Erickson/Jeff Anderson/Tom & Jean Tronick th th LeRoy Alan & & Jentry Joan Hamilton, Schoff/Kio Dean Dettman/Norm & Ellen Weaver Stolte th th AM: Charlotte Virgil Bennett, & Martha Kio Erickson/Squeak Dettman, Bob Impecoven, & Danis Dennis Lingren Ethington 5:30p: Darrell Erickson 11:00p: 31 st Fred & Jacquie Grow/Greg & Michelle Stotts