CHANGING TIDES December 2018 and January 2019 Estero Bay United Methodist Church 3000 Hemlock Ave. Morro Bay, CA 93442

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1 CHANGING TIDES December 2018 and January 2019 Estero Bay United Methodist Church 3000 Hemlock Ave. Morro Bay, CA Sharing the Joy of Christmas Monday December 24, :00 pm Morro Bay Vet s Hall This year we are taking our Christmas Pageant, a time to retell the story and sing carols, to the Monday Night Community Dinner. We will be sharing the story as we build a living nativity and need everyone to participate. Our program will close with a prayer for peace. So sign up to come, sign up to play a role in the nativity young and old alike are needed. We have been asked to provide cupcakes for about 100 people. This will be our gift to those who are attending the meal. The dinner will be prepared by Circle of Friends, a service group. Please come and share the joy of Christmas. The Emmanuel Choir Returns! Please join Jack and Friends for Sunday Rehearsals on 11:15 and 9:00 am. The choir and our pianist, Robert will perform during worship on 12/16. It s not to be missed! We are entering the season of advent as we look forward to the celebration of the Birth of Jesus. This magical time of the year reminds us of the gifts that Jesus taught us: the gift to love, to help others and to work toward peace. Our world is a challenging one. There is much commercialization of Christmas and it is easy to get caught up in the frenzy. If we take a little time each day to listen and see all the gifts we have been given and count our Blessings as my Grandmother used to say, I think we can find the magic of Christmas. It is the smile that lightens a stranger s day. It is reading a story to a child. It is singing a song. It is sharing all the love you have in your heart with all you meet each day. It is knowing that you can handle the tough times that come your way because over 2000 years ago a child was born who brought light and love and strength and hope. Judilyn Duba Leadership Committee Chair Alternative Christmas Gift Giving Many of us wonder what to give to a person who has everything, so here are some fun and different ideas for alternative giving. How about a gift of Honeybees or a flock of Chicks or a share of a Heifer or a Sheep? These donations benefit those in need through the Heifer International Project Contribution gifts may be made to UMCOR, through the Cal-Pac Disaster Response Task Force for those affected by the recent fires in California. Or give support to the Children s Center Guardian Angel Program which provides financial assistance to children in need. Please see the displays in the Narthex for more information and instructions. Or call the office

2 Cookie Sign Up We are contributing homemade cookies to the Christmas Party for Achievement House. Please see the signup sheet in the Narthex and many thanks to those willing to contribute! The cookies can be delivered to the church Tuesday December 4 th or before Wednesday December 5. Thank you for contributing! This year our church has collaborated on a group effort in preparing an Advent Calendar for this Advent season. As we look forward to Christmas, we hope this reminds you of all the blessings you have. Being part of the United Methodist church, each one of us can help change the world in so many different ways through our Apportionment giving. Each Methodist Church is asked to contribute a certain amount of money each year to the larger church organization. This is where the magic happens. When each church pays their share huge benefits happen in our country and around the world. We are a bit behind on our giving this year. Our Advent Calendar will highlight the different programs our church helps. The Blessing money that you put in the envelope will truly help our church meet its obligation and will be paired with others to create good works far and beyond Morro Bay. Let s count our blessings and help the world along the way! Messy Church aka Come Together Wednesday, December 12, 5-7 pm Topic: A Very Merry Messy Christmas Esther Sisters Baby Jesus Shower Thursday, December 13, All women and friends are invited to the annual Baby Jesus Shower as we host our San Luis Obispo County Health Nurses. Our donations of new baby items - clothing, toys, diapers, blankets and wipes are needed for the new mothers and babies countywide. Please bring your favorite addition for the buffet salad lunch. At the November meeting the Esther Sisters made a donation of $500 to the Children s Center and will continue to put out the freewill offering basket at their monthly meetings. December Worship Schedule December 2 Advent 1 Communion Signs of the Coming Luke 21:25-26 December 9 Advent 2 Messenger Luke 3:1-6 December 16 Advent 3 The Unexpected Luke 3:7-18 December 23 Advent 4 Leap of Faith December 24 December 30 Luke 1:39-45 Christmas Eve 5:00 pm At the Morro Bay Vet s Hall Sharing the Joy of Christmas Living in God s Favor Finance Team Update for October Income 122,776 Expense 132,251 Net (9,475) Fifth Sunday Church Potluck Sunday December 30 we will have a church potluck dinner after worship and hear holiday stories during this fun fellowship time. Bring a main dish, salad, vegetable or dessert to share.

3 CHURCH NEWS Leadership Meeting Sunday December 2 11:15 am UMCC Santa s Workshop Saturday December 8, Messy Church Wednesday December 12, 5-7pm Esther Sisters Baby Jesus Shower & Lunch Thursday December 13, Emmanuel Choir Performs Sunday December 16 UMCC Christmas Program Wednesday December 19 & 6:00 pm Morro Bay Vet s Hall Carole Singing. Monday December 24, 5:00 pm. Bring your voices and join us as we sing with the diners at the Community Dinner. Fifth Sunday Potluck December 30, 11:15 am December Bible Study and Prayer Join us Wednesday Mornings at For scripture and conversation: applying the word to our daily lives. December 5 Jeremiah 33:14-16 Psalm 25: Thessalonians 3:9-13 Luke 21:25-36 December 12 Malachi 3:1-4 Luke 1:68-79 Philippians 1:3-11 Luke 3:1-6 December 19 Zephaniah 3:14-20 Isaiah 12:2-6 Philippians 4:4-7 Luke 3:7-18 December 26 Micah 5:2-5a Luke 1:46b-55, Psalm 80:1-7 Hebrews 10:5-10 Luke 1:39-45, December 30 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 Psalm 148 Colossians 3:12-17 Luke 2:41-52 Preschool Christmas Program Wednesday December 19 th - & 6:00 pm We will have Two Performances to accommodate our growing school and ask that you attend only one Performance. Seating is limited and tickets are required to enter. Tickets are available at the Preschool office. All Preschoolers will participate. Come enjoy the Sounds of Season, as performed by the children of MBUMCC. Angel Tree Program It is our mission to serve children and families of our community by providing quality childcare service to all. Our program provides financial assistance to families with quality Preschool education and the opportunity to attend an After School Program. Please visit the display in the Church Narthex. Your gift of $25, $50, $100, $500 or more can help. Tax deductible donations can be made now through January 1. Mailing address is PO Box 843 Morro Bay, CA We hold these members and friends in prayer Ian Baldwin Michael Kaney Nancy Carr Theresa MacKinnon Beth Cook Frances McCay David Dabritz Carolyn Neuman Judilyn Duba Sylvester Rodgers Joyce Fox Donovan Ropp Ian Erickson Celeste Rhine Ruben Garcia Jane Rhine Brian Hillenburg Arlene Stone Will Winholtz The Family of Stephen Hillenberg

4 December 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Leadership Meets 11:15 am Sunday Worship 9:45am Choir Rehearsal 11:15 am 16 Choir Rehearsal 9:00 am Emmanuel Choir Performs Christmas Eve Vets Hall Dinner Program 5:00 pm Office Closed until January 2, Pray Alone/Together Pray Alone/Together Pray Alone/Together Merry Christmas 5 Evening Bible Study 12 Messy Church 5-7pm UMCC Christmas Program & 6:00 pm Lectionary & Bible Study will not meet this week Esther Sisters Baby Jesus Lunch Esther Sisters Baby Jesus Lunch UMCC Santa s Workshop Fifth Sunday potluck 11:15 am 31 January 7 January 14 January 21 January 28 January Worship Beginnings Genesis Genesis 1:1-5 1:1-5 Mark 1:4-11 Communion Heeding the Call 1 Samuel 3:1-10 John 1:43-51 Change Order Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Mark 1:14-20 Who Has Your Ear? Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Mark 1: Pledge Drive We give thanks to all those who have pledged for We are still accepting pledge cards please see the letter and cards in the Narthex Year End Contribution Statements will be out by January 31. January Bible Study and Prayer, Wednesdays 10:00am January 2 Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-7, Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12 January 9 Isaiah 43:1-7 Psalm 29 Acts 8:14-17 Luke 3:15-17, January 16 Isaiah 62:1-5 Psalm 36: Corinthians 12:1-11 John 2:1-11 January 23 Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 Psalm 19 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a Luke 4:14-21 January 30 Jeremiah 1:4-10 Psalm 71:1-6 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Luke 4:21-30

5 Wave Lengths Nathaniel said to Philip, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip replied, Come and see. John 1:46 One of the ways to help grow a church is for the members of the church to grow in discipleship. There are many ways of doing this, through bible reading and study both from an academic perspective as well as reading using such tools as Lectio Divina (a way of finding words or phrases that challenge or prod us in some way) or through SOAP (reading scripture, observing what is being said and our reaction, applying or journaling what stands out, and then being in prayer). Another way to grow as disciples is through a program called Huddle. Huddle is a small group study that uses shapes to help us listen and discern where God is calling us in any given moment of the day. Using a circle, a triangle, a semi-circle and more, we learn a new way to process what is happening in our lives, discern where we need to change or enhance, and where we are in relationship with God. In the group we hold each other accountable for our process as we learn together. There are three basic Huddle groups. Huddle 1, Huddle 2 and an ongoing Huddle/covenant group. Huddle 1 and 2 are both 8 week sessions. In January I would like to start Huddle 1a, a four week program. The sessions will be approximately 90 minutes in length. An interest sheet will be in the hallway asking for the best dates and times to meet. Come and see. Come and grow. Shalom, Pastor Paula Esther Sisters - January 10, 2019 Our study of women of the New Testament leads us to Sapphira Being Honest Christians, Acts 4:32-5:11. Bring a sack lunch and your bible to fellowship together January Mission Outreach The Prado Day Center provides services to the Homeless of SLO County. Their breakfast program is run entirely on donations, so in this coming new year we are going to support the breakfast program. Donations needed: Paper bowls/plates (6-8 size), plastic spoons. Canned fruit, peanut butter, cereal, oatmeal, Jam/jelly, juice. Large, yard size plastic bags. Please bring in donations to the church from January 2 through January 31. Thank you for assisting in this mission! CHURCH NEWS Looking Ahead Vet s Hall Dinner Monday, January 21, 4:30- A signup sheet will be posted to prepare, provide and serve dinner for people in our community. The menu will pork roast (provided free from the Food Bank), mashed potatoes/gravy, veggies, green salad & fruit. March 5 - Fat Tuesday & Annual Spaghetti Dinner The Church Book Club Our book club will meet on Thursday, January 17th at 2pm. The book this month is a delight to read, The One Hundred Foot Journey" By Richard C. Morais It is set in Mumbai, India, Lumiere, France and Paris. It is a delightful story about one family whose life is built in the culinary world and how it evolves through two generations. The insight into human relationships is wonderful. It was made into a film a few years ago & I think the book surpasses the film. Fay Fletcher, 684 Fresno Avenue, Morro Bay

6 Estero Bay United Methodist Church Mailing Address: P.O. Box 234 Morro Bay, CA Hemlock Avenue, Morro Bay, CA , Website: Changing Tides Newsletter December 2018 & January 2019 Estero Bay United Methodist Church Sunday Worship, Childcare and Bible Enrichment at All are welcome! January 2019 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Happy New Year 6 Sunday Worship Esther Sisters Lunch and meeting at Sunday Worship 14 Vets Hall Dinner 4:30-6:30pm 15 5:30pm Book Club meets 2:00 Fay Fletcher s home Sunday Worship Sun day Worship