WELCOME AND SHARING NEWS OF THE CHURCH ALIVE. OPENING SONG Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

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1 First United Methodist Church 516 Kellogg Ave. Ames, Iowa :30 Saturday December 5, 2015 OUR MISSION STATEMENT: A vital church connecting people with God and with each other driven to serve! THE GATHERING This week in our prayers for the world let us remember especially the people of Cape Verde, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal. GATHERING IN GOD S LOVE Lo, How a Rose (Carter/Beck). O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Berry) Diane Mohr, pianist WELCOME AND SHARING NEWS OF THE CHURCH ALIVE PASSING OF THE PEACE OPENING SONG No. 196 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus ADVENT CANDLE-LIGHTING (Light 1 candle) This first candle is the light of Hope. We now light this second candle as symbol of Christ the Way. May the light sent from God through the prophets lead us to the way of salvation. O come, O come, Emmanuel. (Light second candle) CANDLE CAROL No Light the Advent Candle vs. 1 and 2 ANTHEM Mary, Did You Know Dean Swyter, instrumental soloist CALL TO PRAYER

2 TIME FOR PERSONAL PRAYER PASTORAL PRAYER SONG No Like a Child SCRIPTURE Luke 3:1-6 MESSAGE In the Wilderness Rev. Fred Lewis SONG FOR MEDITATION Emmanuel, O Come, O Come Emmanuel (UMC) PRAYER OF GREAT THANKSGIVING THE LORD S PRAYER BREAKING THE BREAD GIVING OF THE BREAD AND CUP As you come forward to receive the elements of Holy Communion, you are also invited to bring forward your offering for the Christian ministries and missions of this congregation. Please place your gift in the offering plates that you will find near entrances into the sanctuary. PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION WITH BLESSING CLOSING SONG No. 220 Angels from the Realms of Glory MUSIC FOR SENDING FORTH Angels From the Realms of Glory (Bennett) A TIME TO REMEMBER & RENEW MEMBERSHIP VOWS The Advent/Christmas time is a beautiful season 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!

3 Children s Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal is on Sunday, December 6 (today), the 2 year olds through fifth graders will have a run-through of their 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 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. Children s Christmas Program That Christmas Story Join the children of First United Methodist Church on Sunday morning, December 13 at 10:00 a.m. with a prelude beginning at 9:50 a.m. featuring the wonderful instrumental talents of many of our children. This year s Christmas program has the children discussing what they can do to make the Christmas story more exciting so it isn t the same ol boring story they hear every year. They came up with some interesting ideas. Listen to some of the younger children of the church tell their version of the Christmas Story. Hear the Christmas story from the mouths of babes and laugh along with us as we discover that even though it s the same story, it s the most amazing story EVER! L 2 IFE Groups Rejoice! Starting January 2016, there will be a L 2 IFE group gathering to study the One Year Bible at 6:00 p.m. every Friday night! I am encouraging all elderly singles who never have anything to do on Friday nights to join us in learning and sharing about our sacred text, the Bible. There will be one meeting in December on the 18th to talk about our reading tactics and to get your copy of the book. For more information, call Lee Stanley at I am anticipating an enthusiastic gathering of faithful Christians! We may evolve into a weekly potluck. It is up to the group. Daily reading will involve about minutes.

4 WHAT S UP WITH OUR YOUTH GROUPS? Middle School Youth and High School Youth groups - On December 9 the groups will be joining in on the all-church caroling party. To end this year, the youth groups will meet on December 16 for a special Christmas party planned by the leaders and youth. High School Delicious hot chocolate mixes to give or to enjoy yourself! Our high school youth group will be selling hot chocolate mixes for $5 (each mix is about 5 servings) today after both services in the back of the church. Thank you for your support! Help the high school youth decorate their mitten tree! Our high school youth group is collecting hats, mittens, socks and underwear for Youth and Shelter Services. Please place items on the tree in the high school room or in the box located outside the high school room. Thank you! The Confirmation Class will NOT have class meetings in December. The youth have been diligently studying and working together all fall. With no class sessions scheduled in December, it allows the youth and their mentors time to meet. The youth have been given a reading assignment on Church History to work on while they are on break from weekly classes. When 2016 starts, the Confirmation class will begin some of their visits to other places of worship and learn more about those who are Jewish, Roman Catholic, and Greek Orthodox. The students and their families are encouraged to attend regular weekly worship during advent and to be present at a Christmas Eve worship service. The youth Sunday morning classes will be held today and December 20, but on December 13 the classes will all go into the sanctuary to watch and share in the joy of the annual Children s Christmas program. There will be no classes on December 27 or January 3. Up With Puppets are busy getting ready for their Sunday evening, December 20, special Christmas presentation for the congregation at 6 p.m. In 2016, Up With Puppets are hoping to attend another festival for churches with puppet ministries. Advent devotional materials for children, youth, and adults are available at the Welcome Center and Children's Nook.

5 All Church Christmas Caroling Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 9. Everyone is encouraged to come to our Pizza, Praise and Prayer weekly pizza dinner from 6-6:30 (we will also serve soups that night!) We will divide into groups and leave at 6:30 p.m. sharp from the Multipurpose room to go Christmas caroling around town with stops at Northcrest, Waterford, 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! Contact Nicole Smith, or nicole@fumcames.org if you have any questions. PAJAMA PARTY!!! EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO ATTEND! That s right! It s time for our annual PJ Party on Wednesday, December 16 beginning at 6:00p.m. A Sign-Up Genius has been sent out to families to let us know what they will be bringing. If you didn 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 shortly after, move to the Sanctuary where there will be a special reading of the Christmas story from the Gospel. We will then move back into the Multipurpose room for the food, crafts and games. Come join in the fun and fellowship in Jesus name as we celebrate Christmas time! Happy Birthday, Jesus!! Children and their families are invited to celebrate at a Birthday Party for Jesus during the Sunday School Hour on December 20. 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.

6 REMEMBER TO BAKE A PIE FOR TUBA CHRISTMAS, DECEMBER 12 As part of our 150 th anniversary celebration, we are serving Pie and coffee both before and after the Annual Tuba Christmas festival on December 12 (concert at 1:30 pm). Each church member household is invited to bring a home-made pie to the church that morning see sign up at either the Welcome Center or downstairs In Fellowship Hall. Joyce Crotty is serving as chairperson for this event that will celebrate our very long history of pie making in this congregation. DECEMBER 12, 2015 TUBA CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT 1:30 IN THE SANCTUARY We are blessed again this year to have Tuba Christmas here to perform for us. Come and enjoy their wonderful music! A treat that you don t want to miss! In addition, this year we will be having an old fashioned pie and coffee social before and after the concert in the FELLOWSHIP HALL. Serving time before the concert will be from 11:00-1:00 and after the concert we will be serving from 2:30-3:30. Don t miss out! NOEL! NOEL! LUNCHEONS Celebrate the Sounds of the Season with us! Come! Enjoy a bowl of warm soup and a delicious dessert 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 Multi-Purpose Room. Members of UMW and the Worship Committee are hostesses and hosts. We will conclude before 1 p.m. so those employed can return to work. December 9 - Music by the ISU s Jolly Old St. Saxophones, directed by Dr. Mike Giles December 16 - Music by our own Saturday at First pianists, Diane Mohr and Mark Forbis ALTERNATIVE GIFT MARKET I will be at our church Dec 6th, 13th and 20th at coffee hour with information on the Alternative Gift Market at FUMC. Karen Kerper 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... Matthew 25:35 NIV

7 The Week at a Glance December 6 - December 12 Sunday December 6 8:30 & 11:00 Service Time Children s Musical Practice Poinsettia Delivery 7:00pm NA/Abraham Rm Monday, December 7 8:30-4:00 YSS/CR CEMT at Nicole s Ann Wong Piano Recital Tuesday, December 8 Quilters 10:30 Jackie Life/par Opera Guild Group Wednesday, December 9 7:00 Pies 10:30 WWW 11:45 Advent Lunch/MPR 1:00 UMW Leadership Meeting/CR 7:00 AA/Alanon-Abraham/Isaac Rms Thursday, December 10 9:00 Ruth Cir/MPR 12:00 Sarah Cir/MPR Friday, December 11 5:30 Luisa Wendt Piano Recital / Sanc & Par Saturday December 12 11:00 Pie Social 1:30 Tuba Christmas 2:30 Pie Social 5:30 Saturday Service CR-Conference Room FH-Fellowship Hall MPR-Multipurpose Room HSR-High School Room SCR-Staff Conference Room ACOLYTES 8:30 Cameron Strawhawker 11:00 Ainsley Jurgens & Carlie Johnson Coffee Hosts December SPRC Worship Committee Nursery Hannah & Machaela Moira & Daniel Utilities Donations Roy Cakerice VIDEO Marty Sankey Harold Kilcrease SOUND Doug Hill Pete Peterson Dean Swyter Harold Kilcrease UTILITIES Utilities for December 7 will be paid for by Joann Van Dyke in memory of Jim Van Dyke s birthday.

8 WE WELCOME YOU! Our Welcome Center is located in the gathering space near the elevator. Please stop by if you have questions or would like to get more information about the church. Be sure to mention if you are a first time visitor. Nursery care is available in Room E203, in the Christian Education Unit, on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings for children under the age of 5. All of our workers are trained and screened. Items for children s worship bags are available in the gathering area. Restrooms are located in the east hallways and by the elevator. Ushers are available at the entrances of the sanctuary to assist you with hearing devices, large print bulletins or any questions you may have. An emergency phone and defibrillator are located on the wall near the west entry. First United Methodist Church Affirmation of Welcome As a community of the people of God, we are called to minister to all people of the world, knowing that the world is often an unloving place, a place of alienation and brokenness. Christ calls us to reconciliation and wholeness, and we are challenged by the Gospel to be agents of healing within our society. We stand in affirmation with the apostle Paul that in Christ "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female." Christ has made us one. We acknowledge that this reconciliation encompasses all within the community of faith who exhibit differences in race, gender and ethnicity, as well as age, culture, physical ability, educational level, economic status, personality, marital status and sexual orientation. In response to the often hostile social climate with respect to diversity within our society and the resulting feelings of alienation from the Church, we wish to make known our caring and concern. It is for this purpose that we affirm the following: all persons share the worth that comes from being unique individuals created by God; all persons are welcome within the membership of this congregation upon making affirmation of faith; and that as members of this congregation, all persons are expected and encouraged to share in the sacramental and general life of this congregation. CHURCH STAFF Rev. Fred Lewis, Senior Minister/Lead Pastor Pastor Dave Shogren, Associate/Visitation Pastor Nicole Smith, Director of Christian Education Deb Benefield, Director of Office & Communications Reid Cummer, Business Manager Myrna Cakerice, Organist/Director of Choirs Steve Pelz, Custodian Matt Woodworth, Part-time/Sunday Custodian Go to our website: for the latest church information. Follow us on facebook. Church office hours: Mon-Thurs: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Friday 8:30 to 4:30 Contact Reid Cummer for any questions on your financial information.how you can get your monthly Giving ONLINE so it does not have to be printed and sent to you, etc. Estimate of Giving Please turn in your estimate of giving cards as soon as possible.