F i r s t U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h o f J o h n s o n C i t y. Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors

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1 F i r s t U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h o f J o h n s o n C i t y 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 Coordinator youth@fumcjctx.org * Sarah Allen Education Director * Cindy Leonard Wesley Nurse Mo-Fr 8-12 & 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. 1 Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God John Wesley Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Services 5:00 pm service for children and families 7:00 pm service for families DECEMBER 2015 Childcare will be provided for 5:00 and 7:00 services 11:00 pm service no childcare provided Living Nativity December 4th & 5th; Dec. 11th & 12th Shows are 6:30pm, 7:00pm, 7:30pm, 8:00pm and 8:30pm Cast needs to be at church by 5:30pm on day of performance to dress, eat and do dress rehearsal. During Living Nativity we are in need of food for the cast, and cookies for the guest kitchen. Please contact Donna Sultemeier for food for the cast, Jeanne Hardy for cookies. We appreciate your help!

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 Our Gifts 1st Service 2nd Service SS November 1st November 8th Brunch November 15th November 22nd Year to date as of the week of November 29, 2015 Budget Requirements $266,208 Tithes Received $238,438 2 The family of Tommy C. Thurlkill wishes to express to the church family and most especially the John Wesley Class its sincere thanks and appreciation for all the kindness and support shown to us on the death of our loved one. Mary A. Thurlkill and Family New Address: Elnora Kneese 1401 Max Copeland Dr. Room 210 Marble Falls, TX ~*~*~ Bernice Casparis Knopp Retirement Center 103 E. Trailmoor Dr. - Room 14 Fredericksburg, TX Wheelchair ramp builders Our wheelchair ramp crew was at it again in November, building two, a big one and a little one. The first was rained out three consecutive Saturdays, ironic after a whole summer without a drop, but we got it done. The lady near Blanco had had four knee replacements (the first pair didn t work out) and was looking forward to getting freed from her trailer. When it was done, she said, You just can t imagine what this means to me. Tommy Levitt, our qualitycontrol boss, looked up at her from his wheelchair and said, Yes, Ma am, I sure can. The second ramp was a smaller one, for a lady near JC who is newly confined to her wheelchair. Getting from house to car, however, required navigating several steps plus rough ground, so we built a flat surface to get her from point A to point B under her own power. With all our construction projects, both wheelchair ramps and the storage sheds for flood survivors, we ve had good help from our youth, and we have appreciated the real work they ve put in. Glad to have them on the team.

3 Poinsettia Order Poinsettias will be placed in the altar area and may be picked up after the Christmas Eve Service. Please have your order in by December 13th. I wish for my poinsettia to be listed as follows: In Memory of In Honor of Ordered by: 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. 3 Collections Our three fall collections are over! You can relax. Our first collection was work clothes for Crystal City, where the First UMC was trying to launch a resale shop to help residents of the colonias outside town. We hauled a pickup truck load down, and the pastor and his wife thanked you very much for your generosity. On the way home, we picked up some child-sized winter coats for our Coats for Kids collection. In addition to the donated coats, we were given some generous checks and told to go shopping, and we did. The distribution was at the food pantry at the beginning of November, ahead of the first cold snap. The leftovers from Coats for Kids went into our final collection of the year, for Mission Border Hope in Eagle Pass. That community had flash flooding this summer, with hundreds of homes water-damaged. We found a great el cheapo used furniture source in Austin which sold us a trailer full (five) used-but-usable sofas for $ Pastor Becky Baxter Ballou, director of Border Hope, said the sofas would have cost $100 each in Eagle Pass resale shops, if they could have found them at all. She said all five would be in homes within 24 hours of our delivery, and the coats arrived just ahead of the first freeze of the season. Good work you can take a break from clothes collections for a couple of months. Lent begins in February, and with it comes our annual Lenten Disaster Used Clothes Drive, but you have a little time.

4 A Note from your Wesley Nurse Thanks to everyone that has supported my Wesley Nurse programs this past year. I have enjoyed being here to serve you and the community. Please let me know if you have questions or issues you would like to discuss. My office door is always open for you. Have a happy, healthy, holiday. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13 12 Ways to Have a Healthy Holiday Season Brighten the holidays by making your health and safety a priority. Take steps to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy and ready to enjoy the holidays. 1. Wash hands often to help prevent the spread of germs. It's flu season. Wash your hands with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer. 2. Manage stress. Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out and overwhelmed. Some of the best ways to manage stress are to find support, decrease workload, connect socially, and always get plenty of sleep. 3. Don't drink and drive or let others drink and drive. Whenever anyone drives drunk, they put everyone on the road in danger. Choose not to drink and drive and help others do the same. 4. Bundle up to stay dry and warm. Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: light, warm layers, gloves, hats, scarves, and waterproof boots. 5. Be smoke-free. Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke. Smokers have greater health risks because of their tobacco use, but nonsmokers also are at risk when exposed to tobacco smoke. 6. Fasten seat belts while driving or riding in a motor vehicle. Always buckle your children in the car using a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt according to their height, weight, and age. Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip and encourage passengers to do the same. 7. Get exams and screenings. Ask your health care provider what exams you need and when to get them. Update your personal and family history. 8. Get your vaccinations, which help prevent various diseases and save lives. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year. Besides the flu vaccine, adults should get other vaccines too. 4

5 9. Monitor children. Keep potentially dangerous toys, food, drinks, household items, and other objects out of children's reach. Protect them from drowning, burns, falls, and other potential accidents. 10. Practice fire safety. Most residential fires occur during the winter months, so don't leave fireplaces, space heaters, food cooking on stoves, or candles unattended. Have an emergency plan and practice it regularly. 11. Prepare food safely. Remember these simple steps: Wash hands and surfaces often, avoid crosscontamination, and cook foods to proper temperatures and refrigerate them promptly. 12. Eat healthy, stay active. Eat fruits and vegetables, which pack nutrients and help lower the risk for certain diseases. Limit your portion sizes and foods high in fat, salt, and sugar. Also, be active for at least 2½ hours a week and help kids and teens be active for at least 1 hour a day. 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 No December movie Our monthly Free Family Movie Night skips December because churches tend to be pretty busy during that month. In our case, that would be Living Nativity. We ll be back the first Monday in January, though, with the original "Ghostbusters", and later in the year will come The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Airplane, and Jurassic World, among others. They re here, they re free, so plan ahead. Thank you for supporting another successful 30 Hour Famine! 5

6 Thoughts from the Center Office As I write this note we are coming up on the Thanksgiving Holiday. I saw a post on Facebook that made me pause and smirk for a moment, but then reflected on what it really meant. It said we are the only nation that the day after our holiday giving thanks for all the blessings and good fortune that we have, that we run over and fight people for more stuff. Hmmmm On Sunday the 29 th of November we enter into the Advent season. A season as we prepare for the coming of the greatest gift of all, the Christ child. We are preparing for our Living Nativity. We as families are rushing around and trying to get so many things done during these next few weeks, it can be truly crazy. But let s slow down and take a minute to think about what we are doing and what is going on in our lives. As we look at the tragedies and injustices that are taking place around our world, you have to wonder what is going on. As we go about our business we need to continue to be the beacon of Christ s light in the world. We need to PRAY and be the hands and feet of Christ. We need to seek God s will. As you enter into this season, may it be a season of peace and reflection on how truly blessed we are. I pray that you will be in the presence of the King of Kings and know that you are loved. Christmas blessings to all! Blessings to all, Pastor Lee New Directory!!! We are getting ready to create a new photo directory and we need you to make it complete! Lifetouch and the church will begin sign-ups in January. The dates for the photography will be; Thu., February 11th, Fri., February 12th & Sat., February 13th 6 Don t miss out! Be part of our directory.

7 7 Please remember and pray for our nursing home residents, those in the hospital and shut-ins: Delores Bozeman Anna Lou Felps David Freer Elnora Kneese Sunday School Classes FELLOWSHIP - led by Elaine Swiss. The class is studying Chip Ingram s The Invisible War what every believer needs to know about Satan and the spiritual warfare. New members and visitors are welcome to join in. The class meets in Fellow Ship Hall, located near the Sanctuary. JOHN WESLEY - led by Barbara Hudson. The John Wesley Class will have a 4-week Advent Study beginning Nov. 29th thru Dec. 20th entitled "Sent, The Gift of Hope". A book will be provided for study and a DVD will be used in class. If you are not involved in a Sunday School class, please join us. NOMADS' - The Nomads class will be doing a 10 week DVD study of Dr. David Jeremiah s Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World. How can we have confidence in anything when everything in the world seem so unstable? Dr. Jeremiah will take ten scriptural principles to inspire us to trust in the God we know and love during these trying times. SEEKERS The Seekers invite one and all to join us in our study of Ephesians, guided by author John Macarthur. Bring a Bible - old school or digitized - no other materials are necessary. We look forward to seeing you. YOUTH - Join us in the youth Room on Sunday mornings from 9:40-10:40am to discuss the birth of Jesus and the Reason for the Season. CHILDREN - The curriculum used for Nursery, Preschool Class, K-2nd and 3rd-5th Grade is Deep Blue. All classrooms are accessed from the hallway by the church office. Yvonne Leonard Melrose Sultemeier Gracie Wittkohl Bernice Casparis DECEMBER LECTIONARY December 6, nd Sunday of Advent [Purple or Blue] Mal 3:1-4 Lk 1:68-79 (UMH 208) Phil 1:3-11; Lk 3:1-6 December 13, rd Sunday of Advent [Purple or Blue] Zeph 3:14-20 Isa 12:2-6 Phil 4:4-7; Lk 3:7-18 December 20, th Sunday of Advent [Purple or Blue] Mic 5:2-5a Lk 1:47-55 (UMH 199) Heb 10:5-10; Lk 1:39-45 December 24, 2015 Christmas Eve [White or Gold] Isa 9:2-7 Psalm 96 (UMH 815) Titus 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-20 December 25, 2015 Christmas Day [White or Gold] Isa 52:7-10 Psalm 98 (UMH 818) Heb 1:1-4; John 1:1-14 December 27, st Sunday after Christmas Day [White or Gold] 1 Sam 2:18-20, 26 Psalm 148 (UMH 861) Col 3:12-17; Lk 2:41-52 December 31, 2015 Watch Night/New Year [White or Gold] Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 Ps 8 (743) Rev 21:1-6a Mt 25:31-46

8 December 2015 First United Methodist Church Sunday School Nursery Michelle Lefford and Kimberly Scallorn Pre-k Sarah Allen Kinder-2nd Andrea Fox 3rd-5th Bryan Anders Sunday School classes can be accessed in hallway by the office. Classes are from 9:40-10:30am. A BIG THANK YOU to Cindy Leonard and Paula Moeller for teaching Sunday school from September through November!! Keaton Allen earned a seal at the JBQ meet in Bastrop on November 14th. Reid Weirich placed 8th overall for intermediate. Keaton Allen placed 2nd overall for pee wee. JBQ (Junior Bible Quiz) meets every Sunday from 5:00-6:15pm in the fellowship hall. We will be hosting our next meet on January 9th. SAVE THE DATE!! Check-in starts at 9:00 am and quizzing starts at 9:30 am. *We will NOT be practicing December 20th and 27th. Have a happy holiday!* Pajama Christmas Party Join us for a ride on the Polar Express on Monday, December 21st at 5:30pm. We will have dinner, enjoy decorating Christmas treats, and watch the Polar Express movie. **Wear your most festive pajamas. Bring a pillow and blanket for the movie.** Children s Choir We will be singing a song on Sunday, December 12th during 1st and 2nd service. Join us during Sunday school to practice. If you child wants to participate, but will not be able to make Sunday school, contact Sarah (512) WE DID IT! We filled 101 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child! Thanks to everyone who contributed!!! Education Director: Sarah Allen Cell:(512) education@fumcjctx.org 8 Like us on Facebook: FUMC Johnson City,TX-Education

9 WOW Worship on Wednesdays Dec. 2 6:30-8:00pm ALL Youth students (6th-12th grade) are invited to the FUMC Activity Center for a Youth worship service, music, guest speaker and snack. Come & praise God student style! Let s keep Christ in Christmas let me see it on you! High School Youth (HSY) Wednesday, Dec. 2 6:30-8pm WOW Youth Worship Sunday Dec pm Recycling Cans project Sunday Dec pm Christmas Party, Carrie s house Middle School Youth (MSY) Wednesday Dec. 2 6:30-8pm WOW Youth Worship Wednesday Dec. 9 6:30-8:00pm MSY Night Wednesday Dec. 16 6:30-8pm MSY Christmas Party Wednesday Dec. 23, Dec. 30- No MSY Enjoy Christmas! Monday, Dec. 28 1pm-4pm- Ice Skating at Eisbahn, Fredericksburg. $10 skate rental plus concessions (if you want any). Monday Dec pm Dinner at Chilis and Christmas Lights in Marble Falls. Bring $$ to pay for your dinner. Fair Trade Booth Our Youth group promotes Fair trade shopping by selling products from HOPE Ministries. Artists in developing countries hand make products that we sell. 60% of our proceeds goes back into HOPE ministry. 40% we keep for the charity of our choice. Booth dates are Dec. 4,5,11 & pm at FUMC Living Nativity shows. Sign up to work a shift and help us earn $ to help others! Living Nativity Shows Join us as Angels and Shepherds for our Living Nativity Shows on Dec. 4, 5, 11, or 12. Cast practice, costumes and dinner at 5:15pm, shows 6:30-9pm. No experience required, please RSVP to Carrie. Sunday School Join us in the Youth Room on Sundays 9:40-10:20am to discuss the birth of Jesus and the Reason for the Seasons WOW what an amazing weekend we had on our 30 Hour Famine! We had 28 students who helped to raise over $8,000 for World Vision and our local JC Food Pantry. Students each raised $210 to be able to participate, plus our Kiss a What?? Contest, and our Bake Sale all brought in more than we had expected. We had 22 students Do The Famine and check in at 8am on Saturday, Nov. 21 and began with a morning worship and team devotionals.. They spent Saturday afternoon doing 5 service projects: raking leaves, helping the JC Food Pantry, cooking for Meals on Wheels, holding a Bake Sale, and picking up our Fair Trade products. We had an afternoon devotionals, nap time, then Tribe Games where they fought for food. Evening was spent in some free time, performing skits and worshipping Jammies for Jesus style. After a night s rest, they awoke still hungry and spent Sunday morning sharing their testimonies in church. Then a party to celebrate which included several grown-ups kissing a sheep, getting their hair shaved off, or going pink. Closing worship brought home the point that this is Our Fight and to keep our flames lit for Jesus and for serving others. The best piece of bread was communion! Then a breakfast feast was the reward for these dedicated students. I am so proud of everyone who participated! We made it Our Fight 2015 Youth Director: Carrie Anders Church Office at Cell at youth@fumcjctx.org 9 Like us on Facebook FUMC - Johnson City - Youth to find fun pics, upcoming events, messages from Youth Director

10 HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 10 Jayme Roschetzky December 1 Sally Wells December 1 Darlene Young December 1 Lindsay Breazeale December 2 Shannon Meurer December 2 Bill Swafford December 2 Kayla Kneese December 3 Todd Kneese December 4 Holly Liesmann December 4 Jason Brothers December 5 Kalli Dalland December 5 Jack Logan Rosales December 5 Joel Honeycutt December 8 Lilli Philips December 9 Ronnie Batchelor December 10 Colleen Adair December 11 Shelby Sultemeier December 11 Virginia Smith December 13 Brooke Renfro December 14 Jerry Sultemeier December 14 Deborah Paige December 15 Wesley Porter December 15 Kristine Urbanovsky December 16 Kaci Gumbert December 17 Butch Philips December 17 Bill Wiemers December 18 George Barnette December 19 Jim Odiorne December 19 Brittini Young December 19 Wren Liesmann December 21 Hagen Birck December 22 Tammy Liesmann December 26 Jenifer Holland December 27 Margie Roe December 28 Tom Walston December 28 Ron Young December 28 Amber Fry December 29 Cindy Weiershausen December 30 Jeffery Brothers December 31 Dale Hardy December 31 Earl North December 31 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Christy & Brock Lacy December 3 Mark & Kris Urbanovsky December 17 Will & June Dahmann December 22 Glenn & Wendy Sultemeier December 22 Pat & D'Lee Pickett December 28

11 A Place to Grow in Christian Love First United Methodist Church PO Box 207 Johnson City, TX Return Service Requested Hand folded and sealed with love especially for... DECEMBER 2015 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. The Living Nativity Christmas Pageant 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 9-12 & 1-3 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: 11 Friday, Dec. 4 & Saturday, Dec. 5 Friday, Dec. 11 & Saturday, Dec. 12 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm The show starts every half hour and last about 10 minutes. All are welcome! Children can pet the animals, free hot chocolate, coffee & cookies.