An Attitude of Gratitude words from Pastor John

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1 S T. A N D R E W U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H Volume 15 Issue 11 Novmeber 2015 An Attitude of Gratitude words from Pastor John If there is a theme for the month of November, I think it has to be that of Gratitude. The Thanksgiving celebration is just around the corner, and we will be gathering with loved ones and family in special ways. The children will be busily warming up their scissors in the classrooms, cutting Pilgrim s hats and turkeys out of construction paper. They will hear once again the stories of that first Thanksgiving. updates to the pilgrim s original menu. We will find our place once again around the table to remember, to be present with, to celebrate, and to give thanks. For me, the moment I treasure most is being together with family and loved ones around the table. Reflecting on an attitude of gratitude, the scriptures are filled with examples. Here are two that I just love: The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. (Psalm 126:3) And in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Without question, today s Thanksgiving celebrations would be unrecognizable to those who attended that first meal. We ve made quite an event out of our modern day Thanksgiving gatherings. According to a report issued by the Calorie Control Council, the average American may consume more than 4,500 calories and some 229 grams of fat during a typical holiday gathering from snacking and eating a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and all the trimmings. One thing that hasn t changed over years is that Thanksgiving continues to be a day for Americans to come together around the table even with some It is a bit of a process to first recognize the blessings in our lives and then respond with praise and thanksgiving to God. Everything that we are and everything that we have comes from God The Lord has done great things for us. I look forward to joining with you, especially in this season for worship, for our response to God--giving our praise, our worship, and giving God all the glory for the work that he has done in our lives. May our hearts overflow, may our worship be pure, and may God be always present in our midst. May God Bless you and your household in this season. May God watch over you and keep you safe as you travel. Pastor John The people of St. Andrew have been called by God to embrace, equip and encourage persons of all ages to live as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. e 3

2 Happy November Birthday! Russ Hackett 11/01 Kim Loesch 11/01 Nathan LaMothe 11/03 Wil Tucker 11/03 Noel Ashbaugh 11/06 Brycon Baxter 11/06 Sue VerStreate 11/07 Ryan Smith 11/09 Amy Fenning 11/10 Betty Darst 11/11 Alice Bennett 11/16 Gracelynne Baxter 11/18 Macy Miller 11/19 Mark Sledge 11/19 Dan LaMothe 11/21 Jane Henry 11/22 Laura MacPherson 11/22 Austin Cheney 11/24 Sarah Doebereiner 11/26 Benjamin Micheals 11/26 Joanne Miller 11/26 Donna Bales 11/28 Michelle Schlicher 11/28 Saul Boroff 11/29 Morris Miller 11/29 If your birthday is in November & is not here, please let Donna know Sermon Topics and Scriptures Lessons for November 2015 November 1 Communion Sunday "Love & Justice " Mark 12:28-34 Rev. John Schlicher November 8 " The Inclusiveness of God's Grace " Ruth 3:1-5 Rev. John Schlicher November 15 "God Fills Us" 1 Samuel 1:4-20 Rev. John Schlicher November 22 Combined Service 10:30 "What is Truth" John 18:33-37 Rev. John Schlicher November 29 First Sunday of Advent "Our Coming Savior - Elizabeth & Zechariah" Malachi 3:1 Rev. John Schlicher Looking Ahead OCTOBER ~Wednesday 28 Harvest Party/Trunk or Treat NOVEMBER ~Wednesday 4 Meals From the Heart ~Saturday 14 Bazaar ~Sunday 22 Stewardship Sunday Thanksgiving Luncheon Advent Decorating ~Thursday 26 Thanksgiving, Office Closed ~Friday 27 Office Closed Phone: Fax: standrewumc@ameritech.net Website: Office Hours: 9:00 3:00pm Monday Thursday 9:00 Noon Friday Sunday Worship Times 8:15am, 9:30am & 11:00am 9:30am Sunday School Child Care at Sunday Services St. Andrew UMC is a Safe Sanctuary Congregation Staff of St. Andrew Rev. John Schlicher - Senior Pastor pastorjohnschlicher@yahoo.com Debbie Caudill - Director of Spiritual Formation dsfcaudill@gmail.com Ed Baker- Organist Donna Kirk - Administrative Assistant standrewumc@ameritech.net Childcare: - Chelsea Welch The Personal Touch - Custodians Congregation - Ministers of St. Andrew DECEMBER ~Sunday 6 UMW Christmas Program ~Thursday 10 No Promises a cappella group concert ~Sunday 13 Music Sunday, Combined Service Caroling ~Thursday 25 Christmas Eve, Services 7 & 9 Office Closed ~Friday 25 Christmas Day Office Closed ~Sunday 27 Combined Service JANUARY ~Wednesday 6 Meals From the Heart ~Sunday 18 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Office Closed V OLU ME 1 5 ISS U E 11 Page 2

3 Please pray for these people who have been in the hospital, ill, or recuperating in the past month or are simply in need of our prayers and support. Ann Shelton Julie and Stan Erk Diane Hutton Edith Leonard Betty Bracken Jack Darst Kara Sandberg Marjorie Craver Nancy Schlicher Morris Miller Alex Reed, grandson of Art & Kathy Bauer Vera Kercher Alia Powell The St. Andrew prayer chain is always available to pray for you. Contact Jan Garrett Prayer requests can be made at the Atrium prayer box, or by contacting the church office. Every week, a group of people pray for the needs of our members, our church, our community, our country and world. remember where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them - Matthew 18:20 Care and Prayer Thanks so much for all those who helped with the September St. Paul meal. We served approx. 140 guests. Special thanks to Margaret Erin, Don Hill, Jerry Sedlacek and Bonnie Neidhart for preparing and serving. Thanks a lot to Donna Kirk for the pulled pork sandwiches and all those who provided cookies. At this time I can no longer serve as the coordinator for the St. Paul meal. We have an opportunity to serve again in September If God is calling you to step up and serve in this way, I will be happy to give you the support needed. Jane Henry On October 6th a serviceberry tree was planted behind the playground in memory of Bob Henry, who passed away in early January of this year. It is a native tree that bears white blossoms in the spring and has white berries in the fall, a favorite of our songbirds. A heartfelt thanks to all who contributed to Bob s memorial fund. Jane Henry Our sympathy goes out to Ernie Muller on the passing of his mother, and Dee Baxter on the passing of his father. Please keep these families in your prayers. We are celebrating All Saints Day on Sunday, November 1. If you have a loved one who passed away within the last year and would like them to be remembered during the service, through a candle on the altar, please contact Donna in the office by Sunday, October 25th. The sign-up for next year s altar flowers is posted next to the bulletin board by the office. If you would like to purchase the flowers for a Sunday, please enter your name and special reason, if any, by the date. The flowers will cost $25. Please return the vase when you are done with it. Page 3 F OOTPRI NTS

4 The Game of Life The board game "Life" was created in 1860 by Milton Bradley as The Checkered Game of Life. It simulates a person's travels through his or her life, from college to retirement, with jobs, marriage, and possible children along the way. Once a player reached the Day of Reckoning, they had to choose between moving on to Millionaire Acres (if they had a lot of money), or try to become a Millionaire Tycoon (if they had little or no money) with the risk of being sent to the "Poor Farm". The 1963 version had Art Linkletter as the spokesman and included his likeness on the $100,000 bills. In the "real" game of life we all have similar choices and those of faith have God on their side for direction at the crossroads. Like the board game, the choices we make have consequences that not only affect us but our families and our extended church family as well. Stewardship is one of those choices. Everyone has to decide how best to share their time, talent and assets with family, friends and church. God gives us directions so we don't make a wrong turn, but we have to take the time to listen to him. Remember 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17, 19 God "Richly provides us with everything for An Extra-Special Sunday To celebrate Consecration Sunday and Thanksgiving, we all will worship at 10:30 and then share in a Celebration Dinner in the fellowship hall. Meat will be provided, please bring a side dish or dessert to share. our enjoyment" (v.17). God wants us to be happy! To "Take hold of the life that really is life" (v.19) is to experience abundance as a gift to be shared: it is no private possession and beyond anything we can earn or deserve. Not being rich or having money, but "the love of money" is" a root of all kinds of evil" (v.10). This Stewardship Season St. Andrew is asking you to turn inward and reflect on all the blessings of life you have received and to use this time to renew your time, talent and monies to fully thank God for these many blessings. Look for your 2016 pledge card Sunday November 15 th to turn in Sunday November 22 nd. Each card will reflect your 2015 gift and encourage an increase determined by committee budget requests. Remember Galatians 5:22-23a "that Abundance is the truth about life made known in the spirit or disposition of Jesus, the driving force of the church. So Paul says in these verses that generosity is part of the fruit of the spirit. It is impossible to turn on the lights of greater giving when the power is off or low. Morale, or what the church call Spirit, is "the power that turns on the lights," and the number one stewardship challenge! November 22 With Many Blessings, Finance and Stewardship Afterward, we will join together to decorate the church inside and out for Advent and Christmas. Please highlight Nov. 22 on your calendars! V OLU ME 1 5 ISS U E 11 Page 4

5 Maggie Bright By Tracy Groot Reviewed by Pat Reynolds So much has been written about World War II, yet there remains much we may not know. This proves to be true for me personally in Maggie Bright written by Tracy Groot. This historical fiction book parallels the lives of Clare and Jamie one, the inheritor of the Maggie Bright yacht and the other, a young British soldier assigned to an impossible task. The story takes place during the days leading up to the Battle of Dunkirk between England and the German Blitzkrieg. The boat harbors secrets which may shed light on Hitler s darkest schemes, while across the channel, the entire British army is in retreat with little hope for rescue along the shallow beaches of Dunkirk. King George calls for an unheard of national endeavor to pray as a unified nation while Churchill recruits civilians and their watercraft to save the stranded British Expeditionary Force on the shores of Dunkirk. When only the prayers of a nation can save the BEF, Maggie Bright proves to be both a holder of secrets and a savior of men. Dear Friends, It's time to start thinking about our annual Thanksgiving food donation for Wesley Center. This year, Greg and Dorie Williams will be heading up our giving effort. They will hand out brown paper bags on Sunday, November 15. Please fill your bag with non-perishable food items and return it to church on Sunday, November 22. Thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving! Investing in the Wesley Center Neighborhood What an inspiring place it was to be Wesley Community Center...October 10.. with 24 neighborhood mothers-to-be and some of their partners, mothers, friends and children! Adding in Wesley staff members, 4 Unitarian and 3 United Methodist lay people created a cross-cultural, interdenominational, intergenerational event with benefits for everyone. Speakers from Nurse Partnership, Children's Medical Center and the Wesley Center spoke about infant mortality, safe sleep for babies during their first year, and a support group that meets monthly at the Wesley Center. When we ate lunch, I sat across from Jonelle who is due in January and had come alone. As we talked and she showed me pictures of her two other children, and several others joined in. I enjoyed hearing them talk about good schools they had found and doctors that had been helpful. I also heard Jonelle say that she hasn't gotten monetary aid for her son because she doesn't want him to use it as a crutch as he grows up. We made a good connection, and I wished her well when she left the party. She will be in my prayers. We thank you for your generous donations of money and items for the laundry baskets filled with clothing and other items the mothers will need. You played an important part in letting them know they are loved and helping them be ready to give their babies a healthy start in life. Please keep them in your prayers, and stand with us as these outreach/mission opportunities arise. Marcy Lauersdorf Jane Henry Marge Sedlacek Page 5 F OOTPRI NTS

6 The Outreach team is excited to announce: An A Cappella Christmas with NO PROMISES A CAPPELLA Christmas Adopt-A-Family Thursday, December 10, 7:00pm at St. Andrew UMC Coffee, punch and cookies will be available during the music program. Warm your holiday spirits with soaring vocal arrangements of popular and sacred holiday favorites, alongside hits by the Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder and Ambrosia. A family-friendly, one-hour concert featuring the incomparable voices of NO PROMISES A CAPPELLA. Our friend and former St. Andrew Music Director John Slate sings bass, and our praise band support, Adam Wheeler, sings lead and harmony in NO PROMISES, a new professional a cappella ensemble bringing exhilarating vocals and breathtaking harmonization to popular favorites of jazz, Motown, classical and adult contemporary music. Nursery childcare will be provided. Invite family, friends, and neighbors to join us for a wonderful evening! Free admission---free-will offerings accepted. to the World"? To help prepare us for the Advent season, we are offering a 4 week study on the music of Advent. Music is such an important part of Advent and Christmas. Can you imagine Advent without "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"? How about Christmas without carols like "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Silent Night," and "Joy It pleases the Lord Jesus when we sing of his coming with carols we know by heart. It pleases him even more when we think about the words we are singing. In 24 reflections on well-known carols and Christmas songs, James Howell explores the birth of Jesus. He ponders the meaning of certain phrases from these songs and relates them to our daily lives. Join us on Wednesday evenings at 6:30: November 4, November 18, December 2, and December 9. Contact Debbie Caudill or Donna Kirk in the office to sign up for the class. Jerry Sedlacek Our Christmas tree with gift ornaments for children and adults in our Adopt-A-Family program will be up in the Atrium the Sunday before Thanksgiving, November 22. This year we will gather Christmas gifts and food for families from the Wesley Center and Fairbrook Elementary School. Cash donations designated for our Adopt-A-Family program will be used to complete the gift and food packages we assemble for each family. Gift, food, and cash donations should be returned to the church by Sunday, December 13, so our gift packages can be completed and sent to the Wesley Center and Fairbrook Elementary School in time for Christmas. More details on our families and the donation time line will be in the November and December Sunday bulletins. V OLU ME 1 5 ISS U E 2 Page 6

7 UPDATE: Needed: Able-bodied helpers with vehicles to assist with moving donations for Attic Treasures from Chris Watters' garage (near Lantz Rd.) during the week before the Bazaar. If you can help, call Bonnie Neidhart ( or ) or Greg Williams ( or ). Need a little help On Sunday, August 30 th in preparation for the New Hope Dinner, a large Cuisinart pan with handles was left in the church kitchen. We have been unable to find the pan and suspect that it may have inadvertently been placed somewhere else or may have been mixed with pans belonging to someone else. Please contact Donna Shoup if you have any clues as to its possible location. Thanks in advance for your detective work. Friends! With the leaves changing color, I know it is getting close to our annual Bazaar. Join us for a day of serving, fellowship and fun. Many servant hands and feet make for a successful day of meeting our neighbors and raising funds for missional needs. Please sign up to help set up the week before the Bazaar, as well as to serve on the day of the Bazaar. There are plenty of slots to be filled! The Sweet Shoppe would like all donations in by Thursday, November 12th. The Bake Shop needs their goods delivered to the church by Friday, November 13th. Please bring in donations of soda and water by Sunday, November 8th! Homemade pies are still needed for the kitchen, as well. Thank you for all of your help and continued support. Susan Gilbert This meal is open to the entire church. We encourage you to invite friends and neighbors. Reservations are required. If you are disabled and unable to come to church, you can make a reservation as well, and a plate of hot, delicious food will be delivered to you! If you do not drive at night, we will have volunteers to drive you to and from church. In addition to food and fellowship, there are opportunities to grow in Christlikeness by offering to help serve, clean up, provide rides, or take meals to those who cannot participate. You can register by calling or ing the church office or signing up on the sheet provided in the Atrium. This Advent season, we will embark on the journey to the birth of Christ in a new way. The story is very familiar to us, but this year we will hear it through the eyes of the participants. Starting November 29th and continuing through Christmas Eve, join us as we hear the message anew. On December 13th we will have a combined service at 10:30 am, where we will celebrate the good news through music. Looking forward to journeying through Advent with you! Page 7 F OOTPRI NTS

8 Memorial Garden The Memorial Committee will continue to accept orders for memorial bricks until January 10, This will insure we will have them to set in the garden in late spring. If you would like to order either a 4 x 8 or 8 x 8 engraved brick for our garden, the forms are in the office, or the information shelf by the ramp entrance. If you have any questions, please see Karen Spencer or Diane Hutton. ST. ANDREW UMC SEPTEMBER YOUTH Wed. November 4th & 18th 6:30-8:00 p.m. St. Andrew Annual Bazaar Book Sale - Nov. 14th Come help sell books and other media for the church bazaar. Monies collected in the youth room will be used to fund youth group activities! Come for the whole time or just part. 9am-3pm. Sunday Mornings 9:30 10:45 Youth Sunday School class. Start out in the 9:30 service, end up in the Youth room for Bible study. Current : Echo the Story Youth Bible study using storytelling, creative reflection, and dialogue to help discover meaning and identity in the biblical narrative. For more information please contact our youth team at youthst.andrewsumc@gmail.com or Ann & Dan LaMothe at (571) V OLU ME 1 5 ISS U E 11 Page 8

9 November 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 All Saints Sunday Daylight Savings Ends 8:15, 9:30, 11:00 Worship 9:30 Sunday School- All Ages 11:00 Adult Bible 6:30 Women s Bible 2 7:00 Outreach CR 7:00 Boy Scouts FH 7:00 Why Weight :30 Sew & Sow 121 6:00 Oak Tree Corner FH, EDU 7:00 Boy Scouts :00 Flower Group FH 12:00 Worship CR 1:30 Staff CR 6:00 Meals From the Heart 6:30 Small Groups meet 7:00 Choir Practice 5 6 2:00 Girl Scouts FH 8:00 NA FH 7 8 8:15, 9:30, 11:00 Worship 9:30 Sunday School- All Ages 11:00 Adult Bible 6:30 Women s Bible :00 Boy Scouts FH 9:30 Sew & Sow 121 7:00 SPRC Veterans Day 7:00 Choir Practice 12 7:00 Missions Team Church Bazaar 9-3 Scout Game Night and Overnighter Bazaar set up 15 UM Student Day 8:15, 9:30, 11:00 Worship 9:30 Sunday School- All Ages 11:00 Adult Bible 6:30 Women s Bible 16 7:00 Boy Scouts FH, 116 7:00 Finance CR 7:00 Why Weight :00 Oak Tree Corner FH, EDU 18 6:30 Small Groups meet 7:00 Choir Practice 19 10:30 Footprints Folders 20 2:00 Girl Scouts FH 8:00 NA FH 21 9:00 Esther Circle 22 Stewardship Sunday 10:30 Combined Worship 9:30 Adult Sunday School Thanksgiving Luncheon Advent Decorating 6:30 Women s Bible 23 7:00 Boy Scouts FH 7:00 Why Weight No Evening Activities 26 Thanksgiving Office Closed 27 Office Closed 8:00 NA FH Advent 8:15, 9:30, 11:00 Worship 9:30 Sunday School- All Ages 11:00 Adult Bible 30 7:00 Why Weight 105 Page 9 F OOTPRI NTS

10 non profit organization us postage paid Xenia Ohio permit # N. Fairfield Rd. Beavercreek, OH standrewumchurch.org RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED 1 St. Andrew UMC Holiday Bazaar November 14 9:00 AM till 3:00 PM Lunch will be served Take out available Antiques and Collectibles Holiday Crafts Unique Gifts Bake Shoppe Cookie Walk Sweet Shoppe Theme Basket Silent Auction Attic Treasures Pre~owned Children s Clothing Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose Room Used Toys Used Books, Tapes, CDs Children s Activities