First United Methodist Church of Johnson City

Transcription

1 First United Methodist Church of Johnson City Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors First United Methodist Church 105 North LBJ Drive PO Box 207 Johnson City, TX Website: Angela Bacon * Carrie Anders Youth Director youth@fumcjctx.org * Ronnie Birck Education Director * Cindy Leonard Wesley Nurse Mo-Fr. 8-12pm & 1-5pm CLeonard@mhm.org ************************* Pastor Lee Romero pastor@ fumcjctx.org Cell: ************************** Worship Services 8:30 a.m. Contemporary Service 10:50 a.m. Traditional Service Sunday Christian Education Classes 9:40-10:30 a.m. Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God John Wesley Christmas carol singalong We did it last year for the first time, and it was such a hit that we re doing it again in the Sanctuary at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, December 18. Christmas lights bus tour DECEMBER 2018 It s not a concert it s you and a roomful of others singing the carols you ve been singing all your life. We ll have an accompanist, and some leaders for guidance, but the music will come from your heart and voice. Why? Because the music of Christmas is as much an essential part of the celebration as the smells and tastes and other sounds that bring back memories you forgot were still there. Other than singing a few carols in worship services during the month, it s just you and the car radio. We can do better than that. Join us on the 18th and get filled up with Christmas spirit. The ministry with older adults is planning a bus tour of Christmas lights during December, and it s not limited to just older adults. No date yet, but get your name on the interested list and we ll make sure you know as soon as one s set. We ll use the church bus and head out in time to have dinner in Marble Falls, then stop at the town display along the lake. Second stop will be the creekside display in Burnet. There ll be time in both places to get out and walk among the lighted figures and structures in both places. Final tour is back home, around the courthouse and through PEC, just to remind ourselves where the best lights are. There s no charge for the tour, but it s Dutch treat for dinner. If you re interested, let Angie know. The bus only has space for 14, and we expect to fill er up.

2 As members of this congregation, we pledge to faithfully participate in its ministries by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness. Our Prayers...Lord Hear our prayers: for those who are ill, grieving, or facing difficult times; for those persons in nursing homes, assisted living and homebound; for our military and civilian men and women serving in harm s way and their families; for our leaders, and children everywhere. Our Presence 1st Service November 4th November 11th November 18th November 25th Our Gifts 2nd Service SS Year to date as of December 1, 2018 Budget Requirements $286,944 Tithes Received $270,575 During Living Nativity we are Dec. 24th Christmas Eve Services in need of food for the cast, everyone is welcome! and cookies for the guest kitchen. Anyone who would like to donate cookies for our guests, please contact Terry Wiemers (830) All leftover cookies are given to our friends who are shut-ins or Nursing Home Residence. We usually need about 180 dozen cookies. We also collect cookie tins to distribute the cookies. Please contact Donna Sultemeier (830) to sign up for food for the cast. Please bring only listed items Juice boxes and water, NO SODAS Soups: potato, taco soup, and chili Sandwiches: tuna, chicken salad, pimento and PB&J Fruit Chips & dips Dessert: cookies ( little Angels need to stay clean) THANK YOU!!! 5:00pm service for children and families 7:00pm service for families Childcare will be provided for 5pm and 7pm service 11:00pm service no childcare provided Bill Wiemers 90th Birthday Celebration Date: December 22, 2018 Time: 2 4 P.M. At: FUMC Johnson City Activity Center 105 N. LBJ Drive, Johnson City, TX R.S.V.P by December 15th (only if you are coming) In lieu of gifts a donation can be made to FUMC Johnson City Missions Program Your presence is a gift to us.

3 Giving thanks for Thanksgiving Your Community Thanksgiving Potluck Feast was a big success. We had more diners than ever well over our usual 200 or so. And it went smoothly, thanks to the volunteers who set up and decorated the room, provided the food, prepared it, managed the kitchen and serving tables, and then (bless them!) stuck around to help clean up afterward. This time we had roast turkey, smoked turkey, and fried turkey to choose from, plus ham and probably another meat or two I missed. And, for a change, enough cranberry to last through the whole meal. We also had our usual abundance of desserts lots of choices of pies, of course, to fill a one of each plate but also non-pie goodies. One visitor said she likes to try things she s never had before, and loved our dessert table for exactly that reason. Whoever made the peanut butter pie: she wants that recipe. More of our guests figured out the two main secrets to the Thanksgiving buffet. First, don t load up with lots of everything your first time through the line. Dishes come and go, so if you re full after one pass, you don t have room for the good stuff that hits the table later. Like the roasted brussel sprouts. Second, make sure you re still there at the end, because that s when the leftovers get divided up and everybody goes home with makings for at least one more meal over the weekend. This year, the turkey came out almost precisely even, and the food remaining in the refrigerator was the least we ve had in a long time. None of it would have happened, though, without the volunteer Thanksgiving elves, some of whom weren t even members of the church. When you put on an event that even outsiders want to work on, you know you have a winner. You certainly did this year. Newspaper ad Did you notice the church s ad in the paper Thanksgiving week? It was a listing (with dates and times) of all our activities during the month of December. The next one, for January, will appear in the paper following Christmas. Our plan is to run one every month, during the last week of the preceding month, providing you a calendar of everything we re doing. The reason is two-fold. For one thing, there are a lot of people in town who would be interested in some of the things we do, but don t know about them. They re welcome to participate; we just have to let them know what opportunities there are. The second reason is that some of our own members don t know about some of the things we have going on. So we ll try it. If it s helpful to you to have our events in an easy to find place, let us know, along with any suggestions for improvements and let s see how it works. I wish for my poinsettia to be listed as follows: In Memory of In Honor of _ Ordered by: Poinsettia Order Poinsettias will be placed in the altar area and may be picked up after the Christmas Eve Service. Number of poinsettias X $10.00 = Amount due with order $ (Checks may be made payable to FUMC, If paying with cash please use an envelope. Mark your check or envelope poinsettia. )

4 Sunday School Classes FELLOWSHIP led by Bill & Elaine Swiss. New members and visitors are welcome to join in for a Study on Adam Hamilton Joseph. The class meets in Fellowship Hall, located near the Sanctuary. JOHN WESLEY led by Barbara Hudson. If you do not have a class, please join us in the Johns Wesley room for Unshakable Hope Building Our Lives on the Promises of God. SEEKERS The Seekers class is studying Bill Johnson's Hosting the Presence, a book and DVD about discerning what it means for each of us to be THE BODY of Christ. We welcome know-it-alls because the rest of us certainly are in the don't-know-it-all category. Join us no matter who you are. YOUTH - All 6th 12th graders join us in the Youth Room for our study on Dare to be Daniel. Video, discussion, scripture, & snack. CHILDREN PreK-5th Grade is studying The Life of Joseph All classrooms are upstairs accessed from the hallway by the church office. Please remember and pray for our nursing home residents, those in the hospital and shut-ins: Dolores Bozeman, Doris Hartmann Elnora Kneese, Yvonne Leonard, Irma Nell Simpson DECEMBER LECTIONARY December 2nd 1st Sunday of Advent Jer 33:14-16 Psalm 25:1-10 (UMH 756) 1 Thess 3:9-13 Luke 21:25-36 December 9th 2nd Sunday of Advent Mal 3:1-4 Luke 1:68-79 (UMH 208) Phil 1:3-11 Luke 3:1-6 December 16th 3rd Sunday of Advent Zep 3:14-20 Isa 12:2-6 Phil 4:4-7 Luke 3:7-18 December 23rd 4th Sunday of Advent Mic 5:2-5a Luke 1:47-55 (UMH 199); Heb 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45 December 24th Christmas Eve Isa 9:2-7; Psalm 96 (UMH 815); Tit 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20 December 25th Christmas Day Isa 52:7-10; Psalm 98 (UMH 818); Heb 1:1-4 (5-12); John 1:1-14 December 30th 1st Sun. after Christmas Day 1 Sam 2:18-20, 26; Psalm 148 (UMH 861); Col 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52 December 31st Watch Night/New Year s Eve Eccl 3:1-13, Psalm 8 (UMH 743); Rev 21:1-6a; Mt 25:31-46

5 Thoughts from the Center Office Wow! What a great church we have! You all are amazing and I am blessed to be able to say that I am your pastor! We wrapped up Thanksgiving with a fantastic community Thanksgiving meal; on the Sunday prior to that we participated in the JC Ministerial Alliance Community Thanksgiving Service, held at Liberty Lighthouse Church. As we head into the Advent and Christmas season, I am watching and participating in the activities around the church to get us prepared for the many activities of the season. Costumes are being readied for the Nativity weekends. Cast members are being recruited, as well as a replacement for Sophie, our faithful donkey, who has retired this year. We have already been involved in raising funds for Christmas Joy at the Light Spectacular event. We participated in the parade, reminding everyone of the coming Living Nativity weekends. The Nativities are being setup in the Activity Center and cookies are being baked all around town in preparation for our guests that will hear the Christmas Story. All of this may sound like busy work and you ask what all of this has to do with being the church, and the true mission of the church? Over my blessed years at JCFUMC, I cannot tell you how many times people have shared the impact of these things you do, on their life and their life in Christ. They are sharing from their hearts and with tears of joy and appreciation. You give them hope in a world that many times is belabored with hate and acts of violence. Their hearts are warmed by the Christian love that is poured out in the presence, the story, the acts of kindness that abound throughout the year. YOU are the Church, Christ has called us to be. Never under estimate the impact of the simplest of acts, can have on or in bringing someone to know our risen Savior. You are AWESOME! MERRY CHRISTMAS! 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:34b-36 God s Blessing, Pastor Lee The second service choir is trying to compile a list of people who would be willing to step in as accompanist on those Sundays when Sandra is out of town or ill. We will try to give you as much notice as possible and promise to keep the hymns and the anthem simple. We have a couple of people we rely on but we would love to expand our list so that we don't have to panic! If you can help, please let Angie know. Thank you! The Choir

6 A Note from your Wesley Nurse Thank you to everyone for all your love and support throughout the year. I pray that you have a peaceful and joyous Holiday season. Here are tips for the holidays from the Daniel Plan. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 Healthy Holiday Food Tips If you fail to plan, you plan to fail! This is never more true than during the holiday season! Here are a few ideas to help you stay ahead of the game and plan wisely. Spice it Up! Use spices and herbs to flavor foods instead of heavy sauces. Many herbs and spices have been shown to have amazing health benefits, and they taste great! saffron: improves memory and helps to support positive mood. curry: is a potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent and helps to decrease the plaques thought to be responsible for Alzheimer s disease. oregano: potent antioxidant and may help with PMS and insomnia. basil: potent antioxidant, improves blood flow to the brain and may help memory. cinnamon: improves working memory and ability to pay attention garlic: improves blood flow to the brain, increases immunity ginger: potent anti-aging properties, anti-inflammatory thyme: Increases DHA (an important fat) in the brain sage: improves memory and overall mental functioning rosemary: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory Minimize alcohol consumption. Alcohol not only contains a lot of calories (in the form of sugar), but it decreases your judgment and impulse control. Next thing you know, you ll be flirting with that second piece of pie And regretting it in the morning. Swap This for That Human beings are not designed to seek pain and deprivation. If you make this journey one of deprivation, you will guarantee failure. Being healthy and taking care of the body gave you is an honor. Here are a few suggestions for some healthy alternatives: Green tea with a few drops of Stevia instead of coffee. Sugar free, steamed almond milk with a bag of Green Chai Tea and a few drops of cinnamon flavored Stevia. This is guilt free Tea Latte.

7 Light Coconut Milk in your tea or coffee instead of half and half or soy creamer. Drink sparkling water sweetened with root beer flavored Stevia instead of diet soda. Try sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon or lime and a few drops of lemon flavored Stevia in place of wine. This is a great drink for parties when you want a drink to be social but you don t want to consume alcohol. Try almond milk instead of dairy milk and soy milk. Eat ½ apple with almond butter instead of cookies and candy. Eat ¼ cup raw, unsalted nuts and 1 piece of 70% low-sugar dark chocolate instead of muffins, cookies and candy. Try salsa or sugar free catsup instead of the catsups and barbeque sauces that are filled with sugar. Use Vegannaise, guacamole or hummus instead of mayonnaise. Stay hydrated! Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. This is not only healthy for your brain, skin and body, but it will help you not to feel hungry. Often, we feel hungry when we are actually thirsty. Americans are chronically dehydrated. Plan ahead and Prepare in Advance Always have an ice chest prepared with healthy, nutritious food. Have one day each week that you prepare some short cuts for your week. If you are busy, this can help you and your children make healthier choices. Boil a dozen eggs so they are ready to grab for your ice chest. They are also a great snack for your kids. Chop up vegetables and fruit a couple days each week and keep them in an air-tight container- ready to snack on. Prepare enough food for dinner so that there are always leftovers. Immediately pack left over food from dinner in small, to go containers and put them in your ice chest when you are cleaning up from dinner. Put the ice chest in the refrigerator so all you have to do is grab it in the morning. My ice chest always has raw nuts, chopped vegetables, fruit, lean protein (either a hard boiled egg, fish or chicken), hummus or guacamole and a protein bar. I always pack whatever salad and food I have left over from the previous night. Cheat with PROTEIN AND HEALTHY FAT! Cheating with sugar sets you and your hormones up for a vicious fall, sending the signal to your brain that you are still hungry. But if you eat lean protein and healthy fat hormones are released that tell your brain that you are full and satisfied. Cindy Leonard, RN, is a Wesley Nurse with Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM). MHM s Wesley Nurse program is a faith-based, holistic health and wellness program committed to serving the least served through education, health promotion and collaboration with individual and community in achieving improved wellness through self-empowerment. Learn more at

8

9

10 Happy Birthday! Jayme Roschetzky December 1 Sally Wells December 1 Darlene Young December 1 Shannon Meurer December 2 Kayla Kneese December 3 Todd Kneese December 4 Holly Liesmann December 4 Jason Brothers December 5 Kalli Dalland December 5 Joel Honeycutt December 8 Lilli Philips December 9 Ronnie Batchelor December 10 Colleen Adair December 11 Shelby Sultemeier December 11 Kenneth Troppy December 13 Jerry Sultemeier December 14 Deborah Paige December 15 Wesley Porter December 15 Gray Grote December 16 Kristine Urbanovsky December 16 Betty Fort December 17 Butch Philips December 17 Bill Wiemers December 18 George Barnette December 19 Jim Odiorne December 19 Brittini Young December 19 James Wittkohl December 20 Wren Liesmann December 21 Hagen Birck December 22 Tammy Liesmann December 26 Jenifer Holland December 27 Kourtney Kyzar December 27 Tom Walston December 28 Ron Young December 28 Amber Fry December 29 Cindy Weiershausen December 30 Jeffery Brothers December 31 Earl North December 31 Happy Anniversary! Christy & Brock Lacy December 3 Mark & Kris Urbanovsky December 17 Glenn & Wendy Sultemeier December 22 Will & June Dahmann December 22 Pat & D'Lee Pickett December 28 Zenon & Tracy Corpus December 28 Last wheelchair ramp? In the midst of Thanksgiving week s chaos we added another task two actually removing one wheelchair ramp and re-erecting it in a new place. We had built the ramp for a family who no longer needed it, and they told us we were welcome to remove it and use the parts for someone else. On almost the same day, we learned of a neighbor who had begun using a wheelchair. So on Monday of that week, down came the existing ramp, and almost exactly across the street, and back up again. Good crew, quick job, happy beneficiaries. Can t beat that.

11 A Place to Grow in Christian Love First United Methodist Church PO Box 207 Johnson City, TX Return Service Requeste Hand folded and sealed with love especially for... December 2018 The mission of the Congregation of the First United Methodist Church is to continue to be a committed fellowship of disciples sharing the love of God through Jesus Christ and furnishing a place of Christian worship, programs, services and facilities for its members and the people of the Johnson City area. Living Nativity at the FUMC December 7th & 8th Worship Services 8:30 a.m. - Contemporary Service 10:50 a.m. - Traditional Service Christian Education: 9:40-10:30 a.m. *************************************************** The church office is open: Monday - Thursday 9 am - 12 & 1-4 pm Office Phone: Pastor Lee s cell Pastor s pastor@fumcjctx.org Secretary s secretary@fumcjctx.org Youth Coordinator: youth@fumcjctx.org Education Director: education@fumcjctx.org Visit our Website: Dec. 14h & 15th Shows are 6:30pm, 7:00pm, 7:30pm, 8:00pm and 8:30pm