MORE THAN JUST A BABY

Transcription

1 December 25, 2011 MORE THAN JUST A BABY Even stories told about the birth of the baby in Bethlehem can miss the point if their focus is on a little baby. The birth of Christ isn t as much about a Baby being born as it is about God coming to us in the form of human flesh. Yes, He was born as a baby, but this baby grew to be a boy and then to become a man who suffered and died for our sins and was gloriously resurrected from the dead in a grand display of victory over death for all who believe in Him. Christmas is really about Immanuel, God with us. Jim The Church Staff Rev. James W. Smith... Senior Minister Christie Umpleby... Preschool Director Rev. Noel C. Perez... Hispanic Minister Mike Jones...Church Administrator Rev. David Warlick... Minister of Worship Arts Stephen Thompson.. Sound & Maintenance Mark Ashby... Youth Director Melanie Castleberry... Finance Secretary Sallie Minick... Children s Director Anne Hunter... Church Hostess Alwen Yeung... Pianist/Accompanist Connie Brodess... Secretary Mark Watford... Organist Lyn Dozier... Secretary Danny Minick... Praise Team Leader 200 South Lee Street Americus, Georgia office@fumcamericus.com

2 Americus First United Methodist Church MORNING WORSHIP December 25, :00 a.m. in the Sanctuary Christmas Day PRE-WORSHIP MUSIC Alwen Yeung *GREETING AND WELCOME CHORUS (Please fill out your communications card and place it in offering plate later in worship.) Joy to the World (Isaac Watts) Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare him room, And heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing. Public Domain ANNOUNCEMENTS PRELUDE Christmas Bell Medley Sylvia Roland, Handbells *CAROL OF PRAISE #240 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing PASTORAL PRAYER, LORD S PRAYER #895 SOLO Gesù Bambino TITHES and OFFERINGS OFFERTORY PRAYER OFFERTORY Sussex Carol *DOXOLOGY #95 Michael Yates, Tenor SONG OF PREPARATION How Many Kings Chris and Christi Barr, Leaders SCRIPTURE READING John 1:14-18 THE MESSAGE God with Skin On (Christine D. Anderson) (Pietro A. Yon) (Traditional English Carol; Mark Hayes, arr.) *CAROL OF RESPONSE #238 Angels We Have Heard on High (Sing only stanzas 1 and 3.) *BENEDICTION *POSTLUDE Sammy Bledsoe, Sound Tech Bryan Hamrick, Media Tech * Congregation stands. Look for CHILDREN S ACTIVITY BOOKLETS at each entrance today. Welcome, Guests, to Americus First United Methodist Church! We are glad you are here and hope you worship with us again. We invite you to join our congregation. If you are interested in membership, call at

3 GROWTH GROUPS ARE COMING! Prayerfully consider joining a Growth Group in You will be receiving more information in the mail soon. The groups will enjoy fellowship and discuss the previous week s sermon scripture and how it applies to their daily lives. Step out in faith and grow in your relationships with God and members of the Body of Christ at FUMC. You may sign up for a group at the church from January 9-13 or on Sunday, January 15, at the Winter Roundup. The groups will begin meeting the week of January 22. ANGELS AMONG US! You may be sitting by an angel today and don t know it or you may be an angel in disguise. A big thank you to all of the FUMC members who responded this Advent season to the special requests the church office received for help with Christmas for families in our area. God bless you! 11:00 Greeters for December Front Door Franklin Hardin North Door Kay Tye South Door Fan Wilcox & Joan Anderson In Our Thoughts and Prayers Gale Brown, Beth Carroll, Walt Grant, Steve Griffin, Senora Grimes, Carey Harbuck, Darrel Harbuck, Danny Hollis, Mary Hunt, Anne Hurst, Phillip Mathis, Harold Moore, Jack Partain, Ginger Perkins, Rodney Vance, Hazel Waller, Julian Webb, and Wylene Webb Prayer Pagers: Gail Arial: Linda Wilson: To add someone to the prayer list, please call the church office at SEE NEXT PAGE..

4 In memory of Bob Perry From Arcey and Carole Brown From Jerry and Ginger Perkins From Smitty and Linda Eason From Nancy Carlan In memory of Rob Carter & Bob Easterlin From Arcey and Carole Brown Gratitude is the memory of the heart. Jean Baptiste Massieu Our Love and Sympathy to Martha Wood and sons, Jody and Kellette Wade, on the death of Martha s sister, Corinne Heys Lawrence, on December 18,2011, in Montgomery, Alabama Dear Nimble Fingers, Reggie and I wish to express our appreciation and gratitude for the lovely quilt you made for us. It will always be a reminder of the thoughtfulness, time, and talent with which it was created by you kind, dear ladies. We will remember your expression of love in doing things for others and cherish that we are now enfolded in this outward expression of care. Being surrounded with the warmth of the Nimble Fingers group as it was presented was truly a blessing. Thank you. With grateful hearts, Reggie and Mary Comer SANCTUARY CUSTODIAN NEEDED FUMC is looking to contract with someone to weekly clean the sanctuary and adjoining education building to include the Bright Beginnings area. Interested persons should contact Mike Jones in the Church Office. Our Record of Faithfulness Last Sunday Membership: 956 Total Worship Attendance: 378 Sunday School Attendance Hispanic SS Attendance 9:00 Worship Hispanic Worship Attendance :00 Worship Attendance Hispanic Offering... UMYF Hispanic Offering YTD... $19,930 Benevolent Fund YTD... $13,109 Budget Giving... $8,474 Budget Giving YTD... $639,156 HOLIDAY NOTICE The next Fellowship Supper will be January 11, (December 14 was the last one for 2011.) The church office will be closed on the following dates during the holidays: December 23 December 26 January 2 Reminder: You may make donations to the church by automatic draft. To do so, just call Melanie in the finance office at

5 UNDECORATE THE SANCTUARY AND SOCIAL HALL We've enjoyed all the beautiful Christmas Decorations in the Sanctuary and Social Hall for these four weeks, and now it's time to take them down and store them for another year. We could use your help! Join us to undecorate on: Monday, January 2 beginning at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 3 beginning at 5:00 p.m. We could REALLY use some people to lift and carry boxes and tree parts on Tuesday! Won't you help? Thanks! David and the Worship Committee REMINDER: 2011 FINANCIAL GIVING SHOULD BE RECEIVED BY DECEMBER 30. Join A Choir in 2012! We need you in your choir next year! If you enjoy singing, you need to join us! You don't need to read music or have a spectacular voice just love to praise God in song! We would all love to have you join us! Chancel Choir open to all high school age and adults Wednesdays, 7:00-8:30pm beginning January 4 Sunday mornings, 10:40am through 11:00 Worship Youth Grades 6-12 There will be a meeting for those interested in youth music on Sunday afternoon, January 15 at 4:30. Elementary Choir Grades 1-5 Sundays, 5:30-6:30pm beginning January 8 PreSchool Choir Wednesdays, 6:30-7pm beginning January 11 Handbell Choir Sundays, 5:30-6:30pm beginning January 8 Plan now for the early summer event, Children's Music & Arts Week 9:00a.m.-2:00p.m., Tuesday-Friday, May 29-June 1, Check out the website for photos, videos and info. facebook: americusfumcyouthgroup Winter Schedule December 25: MERRY CHRISTMAS January 8: Youth Activities Resume January 8: Puerto Rico Meeting at 4:00 p.m. in Foundry Remember Team 316 commitments for Flyers are available in the church office. Mark

6 HAPPENING THIS WEEK Sunday, December 25, 2011 CHRISTMAS DAY 10:00 a.m. SUNDAY WORSHIP IN THE SANCTUARY 12 noon CHRISTMAS COMMUNITY DINNER IN THE SOCIAL HALL 6:00 p.m. HISPANIC WORSHIP IN HISPANIC WORSHIP CENTER Monday, December 26, 2011 OFFICES CLOSED BRIGHT BEGINNINGS CLOSED until January 4, 2012 Wednesday, December 28, :05 p.m. Music Committee Meeting NO WEDNESDAY NIGHT ACTIVITIES Sunday, January 1, :00 a.m. Morning Worship in Social Hall 10:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Hispanic Sunday School in the Hispanic Worship Center 11:00 a.m. Hispanic Worship Service in the Hispanic Worship Center 11:00 a.m. Morning Worship in the Sanctuary NIMBLE FINGERS QUILTERS HAVE BEEN BUSY!!! As you can see below, the Nimble Fingers group has been busy stitching not one but THREE quilts which were given away in December One went to Reggie and Mary Comer and two went to girls from the Methodist Home in Americus. Left to Right: Martha Wood, Jan Bird, Glenda Kipp, Janice Cliett, Ginny Jones, Reggie Comer (recipient), Pat Cook, Sue Dupree and Mary Comer (recipient). Left to right: Mesa Butler (MCH staff), Marly Fellerer, Jan Bird, Evelyn Heys, Carole Brown, Ginny Jones, Sue Dupree, Angelyn Tripp, Pat Cook, Augusta Mathis, and Jennifer Robinson (MCH staff).

7 Calendar Dates for 2011 and Saturday, December 24 at 5:30 p Christmas Eve Communion Sanctuary Sunday, December 25 at 10:00 a Christmas Day Worship No 9:00 Worship No Sunday School Sanctuary Sunday, December 25 at noon Christmas Community Dinner Sanctuary 2012 Sunday, January 8, :00 p.m. Puerto Rico Meeting Youth Foundry Sunday, January 15, 2012 Growth Group Winter Round Up Monday, January 16, 2012 Bright Beginnings Closed Holiday Sunday, January 22, 2012 Growth Groups Begin Thursday January 26, :00-7:00 p.m. Bright Beginnings Open House Sunday January 29 to Wednesday, February 1 EPWORTH WINTER CAMP MEETING Registration form in Office March 5-7, 2012 A LENTEN SPIRITUAL RENEWAL RETREAT Epworth-by-the-Sea March 8-10, 2012 Bright Beginnings Preschool Spring Consignment Sale March Lenten Retreat Epworth-by-the-Sea Saturday, March 31, 2012 Pagie Buchanan Wedding The Sanctuary May 29 June 1 Children s Music & Arts Week Tuesday Friday 9:00 am 2:00 pm June 10-14, 2012 Vacation Bible School Sunday Thursday 5:30p 8:30p June 17-23, 2012 Youth Mission Trip to Puerto Rico Monday-Thursday: 9:00a to 5:00p Friday: 9:00 a.m. to noon Friday is Jim s, David s, and Mark s day off. Monday - Thursday: 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon

8 LORD, I WANT TO KNOW YOU A new Bible study is starting Monday, January 9. This study is a devotional study on the names of God. "So much of our confusion, our pain, our indecision, and our wrong decisions come because we do not know God. We may know about Him - we may know what others know or say about Him - but do we know what God says about Himself? Do we know for ourselves who He really is and, therefore, how He conducts Himself in the affairs of mankind?" "When you know God more fully by studying His names - Creator, Healer, Provider, and many others - you'll gain power to stand strong. You'll find strength for times of trial, comfort for pain, and provision for your soul's deepest needs. And your walk with God will be transformed." This study is exceptionally good and is not too involved. Cost for the book is $17. The study will run for 17 weeks: Mondays at 10:00 a.m. at Central Baptist and Monday nights at 7:00 at First United Methodist. If there is enough interest we may be able to add other times and/or days. For more information call: Carol Shiver at or Ginny Jones at