FUMC Advent Schedule. ART & SOUL EVENT Sunday, December 16th. FAMILY ADVENT NIGHT Sunday, December 2nd

Transcription

1 FUMC Advent Schedule FAMILY ADVENT NIGHT Sunday, December 2nd 4:00 pm Children s Advent Fair 5:00 pm Annual Chili Cook-off 6:00 pm Hanging of the Greens CHRISTMAS PARADE Monday, December 3rd 6:00 pm Downtown CHORAL & HANDBELL CONCERT Sunday, December 9th 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary CHILDREN S CHRISTMAS MUSICAL Wednesday, December 12th 6:00 pm in Cupp Hall ART & SOUL EVENT Sunday, December 16th 4:00 to 6:00 pm - Art Exhibit & Labyrinth (CLC) THE LONGEST NIGHT REMEMBRANCE SERVICE Sunday, December 23rd 5:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES Monday, December 24th 4:00 p.m. - Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary 6:00 p.m. - Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary 8:00 p.m. - Contemporary Worship in the CLC Sunday, December 30th 10:00 am Worship Service in the Sanctuary (one combined service) NO SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES

2 Beginning with Grace It feels too early to talk about a new year! The leaves of last Spring are only now showing their best color, and next year's buds are still months away. But Advent is almost here, and with Advent begins a new year of the Christian calendar. Good things start early. If you have a long history with the United Methodist Church, you have probably heard the term "prevenient grace." We think that God likes to get an early start, graciously preparing the way for good things long before they arrive. At the church, we want to be financially prepared for the opportunities to come. During our fall stewardship campaign, please fill out your pledge cards with extra grace! Your generous and disciplined giving is more than a "thank you" for the blessings of the past. It is a way of participating today in the good work of tomorrow. I hope you share my excitement over the future. By God's grace, we will be ready for it! -Zach Bart Patton, bpatton@fumchs.com Ext. 123 It's so good to finally be here on the ground in Hot Springs! The past week has been filled with education and excitement, as I have begun to familiarize myself with the students, families, schedules, activities, and routines of FUMC. I was able to be a part of the Jr. High Refuge Retreat with ACCYM this past weekend at Shepherd of the Ozarks near Harriet. Our ministry took 22 students this year! We certainly have an amazing group of teens, and it is truly an honor to be here to serve your youth and families. Thank you so much for all of your kindness, graciousness, patience, and prayers as our family gets settled in here. I look forward to getting to know you all and serving our Lord together--making much of Jesus in Hot Springs! May God Continue to Bless Our Homes -Bart Youth Parents- there will be a Youth Parent Meeting on Sunday, November 18th at 4 PM in the Underground. Youth Volunteers- there will be a Youth Volunteers Meeting preceding this on Sunday, November 18th at 3:15 PM in the Underground.

3 Michelle Wilkins, , Ext. 130 JOIN US! FAMILY ADVENT TRADITIONS Sunday, December 2nd 4:00-7:00 p.m. Sunday, December 2nd from 4:00-7:00pm come learn more about the true meaning of Christmas! From 4:00-5:00pm, we will have craft stations set up in the Christian Life Center s Children s Wing for families to enjoy spending some quality time together making Advent-themed crafts! Then from 5:00-6:00pm, stay for a good meal and get involved in some serious taste-testing with the Annual Chili Cook- Off! Afterwards, from 6:00-6:45pm walk over to the sanctuary for a beautiful Hanging of the Greens service. Our children will be singing and participating in this meaningful service, so come support them! Make this an annual tradition for your family. It will be a tradition that you can share together for years to come! December 2nd Caring at Christmas! Our next Kids R.O.C.K. mission will be to help make candy cane invitations at the Advent Fair on Sunday, December 2nd from 4:00-5:00pm. The kids will hand these invitations out at the Hot Springs Christmas Parade on Monday, December 3rd. We will NOT have pizza for this mission project, but encourage everyone to stay and eat chili with us at 5:00 at the annual chili cook-off in the CLC! Then at 6:00 join us as the children s choirs sing and kids participate in the Hanging of the Greens service. The Hanging of the Greens service is a service for the first Sunday in Advent. It is based on the English tradition of decorating the home with wreaths, garlands, a Christmas tree, and evergreens for Advent and Christmas. This service is meant to ready the church and our hearts for the joy of the Christmas season! Build a tradition with your family by attending from 4:00-6:45 pm for this festive night to celebrate the beginning of Advent! FUMC Children s Choir Christmas Float and Musical! SAVE THE DATES! Our Children s choirs will be performing on a float in the Hot Springs Christmas Parade on Monday, December 3rd at 6:00pm. Then on Wednesday, December 12th at 6:00pm, the children s Christmas musical will be held in the Christian Life Center in Cupp Hall. Come support our children by attending both of these wonderful events! Invite your family, friends, and neighbors to come hear the children present The Great Christmas Giveaway musical... teaching us It is better to GIVE than receive! Kids R.O.C.K. hosts ANGEL TREE Kids R.O.C.K. will be hosting a Salvation Army Angel Tree again this year to help local kids in need! If you can help, please pick out an angel(s) from the tree located in the Christian Life Center atrium beginning on Tuesday, November 20th! Then bring your unwrapped gift(s) to the CLC Welcome Center by Sunday, December 9th. (Please be sure the Angel Tag and/or the Angel # is attached to EACH gift.)

4 Christmas Eve Nursery Volunteers NEEDED! Please prayerfully consider giving one hour of your day on Christmas Eve to provide loving care to our precious little infants and toddlers! We need 6 workers for each of the three services at 4:00, 6:00 and 8:00 pm on Monday, December 24th! Please contact Michelle Wilkins (501) , if you can help with this vital ministry! CONFIRMATION CLASSES COMING SOON! Save the dates Our 2013 Confirmation class will form on Wednesday, January 9th beginning with the Confirmation Orientation Class from 6:00-7:00 pm to be held in the CLC Library, room #203. The class schedule for 2013 will be as follows: Wednesday, January 9th *6:00-7:00pm *Orientation Wednesday, January 16th 6:00-7:00pm Wednesday, January 23rd 6:00-7:00pm Wednesday, January 30th 6:00-7:00pm Wednesday, February 6th 6:00-7:00pm Wednesday, February 13th *6:00-7:00pm *Ash Wednesday Service in CLC Wednesday, February 20th Wednesday, February 27th Wednesday, March 6th 6:00-7:00pm 6:00-7:00pm 6:00-7:00pm Friday, March 8th Saturday, March 9th Weekend Retreat!!! Sunday, March 10th: Confirmation Sunday! Teresa Holt, disciple@fumchs.com , Ext. 116 Save the Date! Art and Soul, December 16th Our Second Annual Art and Soul Event will be Sunday, December 16th, 4:00-6:00 p.m. in the Christian Life Center. An excellent array of artists will assist us in experiencing the Good News as we prepare for our Savior's birth. This year, along with paintings, we will have mixed medium, pottery, and photography. The children in our Child Development Center and the participants from the Caring Place are already hard at work on their contributions to the exhibit. We will have our "Slice of Christmas" with pie and coffee/cider and there will be two labyrinths this year so that all can walk the journey. Those interested in participating as an artist in the event should contact Teresa Holt asap (tholt@fumchs.com) so that they can receive forms and information. The deadline for contributions is Sunday, November 25th. Art Supplies Needed for Our Little Ones Cornelia DeLee works with our Child Development Center on Tuesdays. Their work will be exhibited at the Art and Soul Exhibit this December. They are always in need of supplies. If you would like to help, below is a list of needs: Prang oval 8 watercolor sets, stencils (letters & shapes), foam brushes, craft paints, beads, & jewelry makings, manilla construction paper, pastels, craypas (oil crayons), colored pencils, craft sticks (popsicle sticks), sequins, ribbon, interesting buttons, & odds & ends from your sewing & craft projects, colorful material samples, wallpaper sample books, and small precut wood shapes (scrap wood ok). She would also welcome volunteers to assist her and her team teach a spring "Hammer Seminar", Tools needed will be hammers, nails & small precut wood shapes of various kinds from which the kids can make their own unique sculptures. This will challenge their problem solving skills in 3-dimensions as well as give them an exciting hands on experience! You may contact Cornelia at revcornie@sbcglobal.net or

5 SOULS SISTERS HIT THE TRAIL Sunday, October 14th, Soul Sisters of FUMC hit Tower Mountain and walked the Dead Chief Trail. It was a great evening of fellowship and hot dogs were waiting for them when they got to Valley Forge Park. This is a group of ladies that meet the second Sunday of each month at 5:00 to 6:30 for devotions and fellowship. To find out more call Teresa Holt at ext Pray Until Something Happens "My house shall be called a house of prayer" Matt 21:13 PRAYER ROOM OPENING The Prayer Room Ministry Team has been praying and working with the staff to find a location for a room specifically for prayer. After Pastor Michael and Rev. Teresa shared about their prayer rooms at previous churches, it was suggested that the prayer room be located behind the choir loft. God has been faithful and prayers have been answered. The plan is to open the prayer room officially on Sunday, December 2, during the Advent Event. Come participate in the Advent Fair, the Chili Supper, the Art and Soul Exhibit, and when you come for the Hanging of the Greens, please visit our new prayer room. The prayer room will be open on Sunday mornings from 9:15-10:50 and Wednesdays from 5-7 PM. If you would like to go for prayer in the prayer room at another time, you can go to the church office and ask one of the secretaries to open the breezeway door for you anytime Monday through Thursday from 8-4. The door will remained locked behind you for security purposes. The Saints and Sinners Class has been preparing and serving dinner at Samaritan Ministries on the fourth Monday of every month for over a year now and we need some help. Are there one, two, or three other classes who would like to alternate months with us? It usually takes three couples or individuals to prepare the food at home, deliver it, serve it and clean up. We eat with the men and the experience is very gratifying and uplifting. We want to continue this service, but we need help so, please prayerfully consider joining us in this task. If you have any questions or want to volunteer, you can let Teresa Holt know or you can call John or Sue Polk at Thanks. Meet Your Stephen Ministers Stephen Ministry is a ministry of First United Methodist Church that partners trained care ministers with those who are encountering life struggles. These ministers are there to listen and encourage their care partners through the rough patches of life. If life is especially hard right now for you or someone you know (through divorce, grief, job loss, loneliness, etc), contact the church office ( ) to get connected with a Stephen Minister. Today, we want to introduce you to Helen Southard. I'm Helen Southard and I've been a Stephen Minister for 4 ½ years. I enjoy caring and helping those needing my love and understanding at a difficult time in their lives. Being a Stephen Minister has helped me become a better person. I'm more caring to everyone, not just my care receiver. I feel God is using me in ways I have not thought to be possible. To help someone that needs love and prayers at a vulnerable time in their lives is so very rewarding.

6 Candy Poirier, Ext. 117 THANK YOU TO VOLUNTEERS AT SHAREFEST A BIG THANK YOU to all of you who helped with the work at Safe Haven Saturday, Nov. 3 rd. We got a lot done on the outside and it is looking good. Again you are all a blessing to the church and the community. The Senior Saints again will be traveling to Ouachita Baptist College in Arkadelphia to the "Festival of Christmas" concert on Friday, November 30 th. The tickets are $13 each. We will leave the Christian Life Center at 5:00pm and have dinner on the way at the Fish Net, which is always a great time and then head to the concert. If you would like to go, call Candy Poirier at ext. 117 to reserve your ticket. I have only 19 tickets so hurry and make your reservations. FUMC FOOD PANTRY We will be collecting non-perishable food for the food pantry that we will have here at the church. We also will be having a "Baby Pantry" which we would like to stock with non-perishable baby food and diapers. This time of year we have a lot of folks that are in need of food at times when other pantries are not open. FUMC pantry will be open on Tuesday's from 2-4pm. This is a great outreach to our community and if you would like to help by giving items for the pantry, you may leave it at the Program Office in the Educational Building room 105. Thank you for your support with this ministry. As Romans 12:13 says, "Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Ring in the Christmas Season!!! The Outreach Committee invites you to join them in ringing the bells for the Salvation Army at the Kroger store at 4407 Central Ave. (next to Hobby Lobby). This year we have committed to ring bells on three days; Saturday, Dec. 1st, Thursday, Dec 6th, and Saturday, Dec. 8th. The ringing begins at 10:00 AM and ends at 7:00 PM each day. The days will be divided into nine time slots of one hour each and we need two or more volunteers for each hour. Families are encouraged to participate with their children. This presents a great opportunity to emphasize the importance of giving during the Christmas season. Your first opportunity to sign up will be at the Thanksgiving dinner, Wednesday, Nov. 14. In addition, sign-up sheets will be available at all three church services on Sunday, November 18, For more information or for early sign-up contact Claire Wisman, Ron Hall, rhall@fumchs.com Ext. 118 "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..."-well, at least at Walmart and other stores around town. But it is only the middle of November, and not even Advent yet!!??!! However, the Christmas season will be with us soon and with it comes all of the "special" Christmas music being presented at First United Methodist Church! One event I want to mention to you at this time is the Christmas Celebration event being presented on December 9 th, 7:00 p.m., in the church sanctuary. This annual event will once again feature our Chancel Choir and 'Seasonal Singers,' both the Celebration and Jubilation Bell choirs, and an orchestra made up of members of the Arkansas Symphony and our church's own talented instrumentalists. There will be a variety of styles presented in the event with the main work presented composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams and titled "The First Nowell." This glorious work has an interesting history behind it, which I will elaborate on in a future church newsletter. Bring some friends! I am always excited about the annual Christmas event; I am especially excited about this one and I will tell you why in the next "Ron's Ramblings!"

7 Wednesday, November 14 9:00 am Ho Hum Low Impact Exercise (CLC 205) 11:00 am Retired Old Men Eating Out 1:30 pm Knitwit Meeting (CLC 205/207 4:45 pm Church wide Thanksgiving Meal (Cupp Hall) 5:00 pm Jubilation Handbells 6:00 pm Wednesday Night Kids Divorce Care (CLC 209) Courageous Men s Bible Study (CLC 207) Financial Peace (CLC 211) Large Group Bible Study (Cupp Hall) Made to Crave (CLC ) Wednesday Night Youth (Underground) 7:00 pm Chancel Choir ConneXion Practice Thursday, November 15 9:00 am Disciple IV (CLC 201) 11:30 am XYZ Luncheon (Shelton Room) Friday, November 16 9:00 am Ho Hum Low Impact Exercise (CLC 205) Sunday, November 18 8:15 am Worship (Sanctuary) 9:30 am Chapel Communion (Humphrey s Chapel) The ConneXion (Cupp Hall) Sunday School 10:45 am Connect Groups Disciple I (CLC 211) 10:55 am Worship (Sanctuary) 3:15 pm Youth Volunteer Meeting (Underground) 4:00 pm Youth Parent Meeting (Underground) 5:00 pm Sunday Night Youth (Underground) Monday, November 19 9:00 am Christian Believer (CLC 211) 9:30 am Disciple II (CLC 203) 11:00 am Celebration Handbells 1:30 pm UMW Board Meeting (CLC 201) Tuesday, November 20 7:00 am Methodist Men s Breakfast (Cupp Hall) 4:00 pm Intercessory Prayer Group 5:30 pm Spanish Class (CLC 209) Stephen Ministry Leadership Meeting (CLC 204) 6:00 pm Stephen Ministry Training (CLC 207) Stephen Ministry Supervision Meeting (CLC 203) 6:30 pm Cub Scouts (Underground) 7:30 pm Co-ed Volleyball Oaklawn Church of God Wednesday, November 21 9:00 am Ho Hum Low Impact Exercise (CLC 205) No Wednesday Night Activities Thursday, November 22-Facilities Closed Happy Thanksgiving Friday, November 23-Facilites Closed Thanksgiving Holiday Sunday, November 25 8:15 am Worship 9:30 am Sunday School The ConneXion 10:45 am Connect Groups Disciple I (CLC 211) 10:55 am Worship 5:00 pm Sunday Night Youth (Underground) 7:00 pm Charge Conference (Cupp Hall) Monday, November 26 9:00 am Christian Believer (CLC 211) 9:30 am Disciple II (CLC 203) 11:00 am Celebration Handbells Tuesday, November 27 4:00 pm Intercessory Prayer Group 5:30 pm Spanish Class (CLC 201) 6:00 pm Stephen Ministry Training (CLC 207) 6:30 pm Cub Scouts (Underground) 9:00 pm Co-ed Volleyball Oaklawn Church of God

8 Periodicals postage paid at Hot Springs, Arkansas. The First United Methodist Church Messenger [USPS ] is published bi-weekly by First United Methodist Church, 1100 Central Avenue, Hot Springs, AR Subscriptions are 50 cents per year. Postmaster: Send address changes to First United Methodist Church, 1100 Central Avenue, Hot Springs, AR In Memory of Dr. Jim Eastburn Bill & Bernard Cluck Ann Marshall Edwin & Susan Hughes Don & Tish Fulenwider Lawrence & Joan Adkins George & Ann Carrithers In Memory of Bill Luebben Steve & Kathryn Storey Susan Cook Lavetta Walker Wayne & Jane Ranson Donna Kent David & Rynne Belk Suzanne White Arline French Babs Blagg Carl & Lynne Crow Mr. & Mrs. R. Eric Jackson Ann Shelton Zina & Bernard Nugent Disciple II James & Beverly Farrell Skip & Kay Holland Joe & Gretta Kaufman Deenie Johnson Melanie & Ingemann Strigel Robert & Sherry Scudder Dr. & Mrs. William Terry Charles Brenner Don & Tish Fulenwider Lawrence & Joan Adkins Glen & Jane Crone Thomas & Nancy Vandegrift Bill & Judy Creason Ben Kaufman Lee & Sue Tucker Jeff & Cynthia Purnell George & Ann Carrithers Ron & Agnes Mathis Jim & Janet Tarkington Gina Dix Liz Robbins Clare Martin In Memory of Louis Morell, Beth Roberts Grandfather Jim & Janet Tarkington In Memory of Bob Erwin, Natalie Adcox s brother-in-law Natalie Adcox Ronald & Francis Rogers In Memory of Bob Shirley Wayne & Jane Ranson J.D. Bennett Brad & Stace Hudgens Doris Roby Ronald Muse Craig & Tracy Keaton Don & Tish Fulenwider Lawrence & Joan Adkins George & Ann Carrithers In Memory of Opal Holly, sister-in-law of Lavetta Walker Clarence & Brenda Durand In Honor of Charles & Peggy Putnam s 60th Wedding Anniversary Clarence & Brenda Durand In Honor of Don & Betty Jones - The Guitar Man Clarence & Brenda Durand