New Sermon Series Beginning November 9th: The True and Better Promise

Transcription

1 The New Sermon Series Beginning November 9th: The True and Better Promise Come and explore the Old Testament promises and the New Testament fulfillments that led to the coming of the Christ Child. Greening of the Church Sunday, November 30 3:30-5:00 p.m. It is a time honored tradition by many to have the congregation green or adorn the church for the season of Advent; the season of waiting for the Christ child to come. Our congregation has not done this together in a few years, and we are excited to offer the opportunity for everyone to come and help! The greening should be simplistic, using evergreens, holly, and Christian symbols throughout the Sanctuary and other worship areas. As part of our time together, we will begin with a short time of worship where we will learn about the traditions and symbolism of the greening and ask God for his blessing on our Advent preparations and subsequent season of waiting. Our Garber worship committee will have the needed items out of storage and/or purchased, ready for groups to work together to get everything in its proper place. Lots of hands will make easy work, and we should all be finished by 5:00 p.m. All ages can help! We hope you will mark this date on your calendar and plan to join us as we share in the privilege of preparing our worship spaces and grounds for the coming of the Christ Child!

2 Join us for Session 2 of Recharge! (Wednesday night programming for children) Wednesday Nights, Nov. 5th Dec. 17th 5:00 7:00 p.m. *** We will not meet Nov. 26th due to the Thanksgiving holiday.*** In Session 2 we will discover the true JOY of Christmas through our favorite Christmas Carols! We will also be preparing for the Annual Children s Christmas Pageant which will be performed at the Garber Family Christmas Dinner on Wednesday, Dec. 17th. New Garber Staff members! We welcome Alyssa Howell to the life and ministry of the Garber Church as the new assistant for Music and Worship Ministries. Having grown up in Farmville, NC, Alyssa attended East Carolina University where she earned a music degree in vocal performance. The Farmville Presbyterian Church is her spiritual home where she was very embedded in the music ministry. Her mother serves as the worship musician. Her uncle is the choir director. She moved to New Bern with the new school year in order to teach music at the Epiphany School. Alyssa will have a variety of duties. Among those first assigned to her is the guidance and development of our children s music ministry. You may contact Alyssa at: ahowell@garberumc.com Susan Donnelly joined our church staff in September as our new bookkeeper. Susan and her family moved to New Bern from Minnesota and live at 110 Wingate Drive. The Donnelly family enjoys golf, gardening, and boating. Susan and her husband Brian, who works at Weyerhauser, have two sons, Devin and Ian, who are students at HJ McDonald Middle School. Susan s address is: sdonnelly@garberumc.com

3 Wednesday Night Adult Studies Session 2: November 5 December 10 (No class on 11/26 due to Thanksgiving) 5:45-7:00 p.m. December 17: Garber Family Christmas Party and Kids in Christ Nativity Pageant Join us on Wednesday evenings for Communion at 5:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary, followed by a delicious dinner and studies at 5:45 in the Ministry Center. There is great connectivity in our small group studies, as well as lots of learning! Please pre-register for classes and dinner! Forms are available online or in the Narthex and Atrium. The studies for Session 2 are: If There is a God... Believing in God in a World of Suffering Pastor Banks will help us deal with the suffering we see around the world from a biblical perspective. Led by Pastor David Banks Location: Morris Hall Fee: none Alpha (continued from Session 1) Please register even if you are already in the class; those wishing to enter at this point must talk to Pastor Atha. Led by Pastor Matthew Atha Location: Room 123 Fee: $10 Parenting and Marriage Lecture and open discussion format. Let s talk about how to raise kids with a true heart for Jesus! And how to set the example for them with our own marriages and relationships. Led by Mary Coleman Room 223 Fee: none Questions? Please contact Mary Coleman or mcoleman@garberumc.com Gifts and Memorials The Board of Trustees, on behalf of Garber church, has created a brochure outlining their responsibility and administration of Gifts and Memorials made to the church. The brochure is located on the information table in the MC Foyer and Sanctuary hallway. The Trustees appreciate the spirit of giving inherent in each donor s prospective gift and thank each donor for their thoughts and intentions. As circumstances arise for donors to consider a memorial gift, experience has taught us that prospective donors frequently need guidance regarding their gifts and donations. At the end of the brochure, a list of current ministry needs have been highlighted to help you direct your gift. All memorial donations will be recorded in the Book of Memorials.

4 Matthew s Minute Connection Breakfast If you are new to Garber, our Connect Team invites you to attend our next Connection Breakfast Sunday, November 16 at 9:30 a.m. in Room 123 (Conference Room) of the Ministry Center. This is a great opportunity to meet the pastors, staff, and discover more about Garber Church. Please Beth Hicks at: bhicks@garberumc.com if you plan to attend. ACCESS membership class Garber s next membership class will begin Sunday, November 2 at 9:30 a.m. and meet in the church library on the third floor of the ministry center. If you are interested in exploring church membership, ACCESS is a great place to learn more about Garber Church. We will meet November 2, 9, 16, and 23. You may sign up at the Welcome table in the courtyard or the Welcome desk in the foyer of Morris Hall. You can also Pastor Matthew Atha at: matha@garberumc.com. Welcome new Garber members: Sonny and Sharon Branch joined Sunday, October 19 at the 11 a.m. Morris Hall service. The Branch s live at 108 Johnston Lane in New Bern. Sonny works as a nurse anesthetist in Kinston, and Sharon is retired. The Branch s enjoy fishing, hunting, golf, bridge, and spending time with family. Sonny and Sharon have two adult children who are Garber members: Morgan James (Matt), and Scott Branch (Katie). Sandy Lynch joined October 12 at the 11:00 Sanctuary service. Sandy lives at 907 Longwood Drive in Trent Woods. Sandy is retired from food service administration. She enjoys knitting and weaving and is a part of the knitter s group at Garber. Sandy has three adult children: Janice, Karen, and Steven. Diane de Echeandia also joined on October 12. Diane and her husband, Rafael, live at 105 Southern Hills Drive, and she teaches ESL to adults and college students. She is currently working for Interfaith Refugee Ministry and enjoys writing, singing, and traveling. Diane has two adult children: Christopher and Lauren. Brian and Susan Donnelly joined September 28 in Morris Hall. Brian and Susan have two sons, Devin and Ian, who are students at HJ McDonald Middle School. The Donnelly family moved to New Bern from Minnesota and live at 110 Wingate Drive. Brian is a manager at Weyerhauser, and Susan is the new bookkeeper here at Garber. The Donnelly's enjoy golf, gardening, and boating. Andrew and Prentis Gross joined September 28 in Morris Hall. Andrew works as a financial representative for Western and Southern Life, and Prentis works as a nurse practitioner with CCHC Urgent Care. The Gross' have one daughter, Elynn, born in February They live at 131 Sweet Briar Court and enjoy boating, fishing, surfing, and the beach.

5 MOSAIC NEWS Motivated Seniors Active In Christ Are you seeking to serve God and develop Christian relationships with other Garber members? MOSAIC may be just the place for you. Join us for the following November events: November 13: MOSAIC Trip to Smithfield, NC Tour Ava Gardner Museum Smithfield outlet shopping and lunch Cost: Museum Ticket /travel($9.00) plus lunch Bus departs from Ministry Center at 9:00am November 24 MOSAIC Thanksgiving Lunch Turkey and all the trimmings Program: Marsha King Ministries Peace In the Midst of the Storm, presented through song and storytelling O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His mercy endures forever. Psalms 107:1 Contact Sue Webb at swebb@garberumc.com or call the church office to make your reservations. Treats for Garber s College Students! Every year Garber Students who are in colleges and universities (and School of Math and Science and School of the Arts!) receive a care package from Garber during exams... just to let them know their church is praying for them and wishing them well as they study! This care package contains an advent devotion book and some treats for the season! You can help!!! We are looking for folks who would be willing to purchase a $5.00 gift card to McDonald s, Starbucks, Chick-filet, Target, Dunkin Donuts, Bojangles, etc. to include in the care packages! Any gift card will do as long as it will provide a short diversion from studying for our college friends! If you would like to purchase a gift card, please do so by Wednesday, November 26. You can leave them with Beth in the church office. (And shhhhhh! It s a secret!) Any questions, please contact Ruth Powers at

6 ThanksGIVING Support RCS on November 23rd! Come join us on Sunday November 23 rd as we give thanks to God for all He is and all He has done for us. Bring a canned good or other food item with you to worship or Sunday School on the 23 rd to support RCS and those families who are in need of food during this season. In our thanksgiving, let us not forget to be generous to those who are in need around us. God loves a cheerful giver. At this time, when Garber is looking at debt reduction and giving, it occurred to me that an important resource we are able to give is time. I recently read an excellent article which is too long to include here, but I will touch on one of the key points. The article emphasized that we can live ordinary lives and maybe Having an Extraordinary Life isn t the Point...what we are called to do every day, right where God has placed us can be rich and rewarding. We can glorify and enjoy God and enrich and serve others right where we are!! Sometimes, the best way to change the world is to live extraordinarily in what looks like an ordinary existence - to radically love and serve those around us every day, no matter where we are!! Stephen Ministry offers an amazing opportunity to do this, being the hands feet and heart of God within our own church community. While walking alongside another person and offering care (not a cure), you will receive far more than you give. I would encourage you to keep Stephen Ministry in your prayers, and if you are searching for ways to be a cheerful giver, please consider becoming a part of this extraordinary ministry. Do you know how awesome the Kingswood Ministry Program is?! Well let me tell you, it is the most rewarding program any kid could ever be a part of! Big "WHOOP-WHOOPS" and hats off to Ruth Powers and all the Kingswood volunteers for loving our babies like we do. AH Bangert appreciates you and is grateful for the time and resources that you so selflessly give to our children. Your kindness is greatly appreciated. God bless! Michelle Lee, Principal and the AH Bangert Staff

7 BAKE SALE! United Methodist Women Sunday, November 23 rd Sanctuary Courtyard And Morris Hall Atrium RADA Cutlery Fresh Pecans - $12.00 per pound All proceeds benefit local Missions O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 118:1 Dear Garber Family, I wanted to thank all of you who continued to pray and lift up my mother and my family until she passed on last month. I was able to be with her just before then, and I have wonderful memories of a loving, dedicated, strong mother. God was truly with my family that last week. Your many cards and prayers touched Bob and I deeply. What a blessing to have so many friends reach out to us at this time. We are truly grateful. In Christ's Service, Wendy Lawson

8 Alternative Christmas Giving Once again the Garber Mission Committee will offer a great alternative way to give gifts this Christmas: you may give a gift to one of the chosen charities offered in honor of someone instead of another gift they don t need! Alternative Christmas Giving accomplishes 3 things: 1) it honors a friend, relative, teacher, associate with a gift designated to a mission project or organization; 2) It helps people who are less fortunate in our community or the world; 3) It glorifies God! But there is one difference this year instead of turning in your list of names of whom you wish to honor and having us mail them, you will simply purchase the card(s) in the amounts you wish, to the charities you wish, then address and mail them yourself. This will allow you to personalize the cards with a message and/or put them under the tree to be opened on Christmas morning! Alternative Giving will begin on Sunday, Nov. 30. Cards may be purchased in the Atrium and in the Courtyard each week. Looking Ahead.... Nov. 9 - Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes due Nov. 30-3:30pm - 5:00pm Greening of the Church Advent begins Dec. 9-4:00pm - Kingswood Christmas Party - MH Dec. 14-8am and 11am - Cantata - Morris Hall Normal Sunday School Dec. 14-3pm-5pm - Mosaic Christmas Party Dec. 17-5:45pm - Garber Family Christmas Party with meal and Kids in Christ Nativity play - MH Dec. 24-4pm - Family Christmas Eve Worship - Morris Hall 9pm - Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship - Morris Hall 11pm - Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship - Sanctuary Dec. 28-8am and 11am - Sanctuary Worship only Normal Sunday School Nonprofit Organization Auto Return Service Requested US Postage Paid New Bern, NC Permit No 185 Garber United Methodist Church 4201 Country Club Rd New Bern, NC Phone: Fax: PLACE LABEL HERE