Focus on Faith December 2018 Faith United Methodist Church Events This Month December 2 Feed the Need December 8 Crafty Ones December 9 Children s Presentation Pastor s Open House December 10 Dora Circle Luncheon December 11 Beer & Hymns December 15 Breakfast with Santa Cantata Rehearsal December 16 Penny Raiders Christmas Cantata December 21 Longest Night Service December 24 Christmas Eve Service December 25 Christmas December 30 Fellowship Meal Church Office Hours Mon-Thurs from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Article Submission Deadlines Bulletin: Tuesdays by 3:00 Next Month s Newsletter: By December 18 Weekly Events Sunday: Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. Worship Service, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday: Women s Bible Study, 10:00 a.m. No study on Dec. 25 or Jan 1 Wednesday: Choir Practice, 6:30 p.m. Church Office: 317-898-2204
Camerontary I began writing this November 15 and at that time some folks were already listening to Christmas music and some had even started decorating. Other folks are incensed that it is not even Thanksgiving, and Christmas stuff has already started. This year, I am one of the folks who is ready to start the celebration already. Yes, Christmas has become a materialistic, secular season of shopping, parties, and activities. Yes, there are parts of the celebrating that are aggravating. Yes, there are days in which the darkness and the gloom both inside and out drag us down to a level from which it seems impossible to rise. However, this is still a season of hope. As we near Christmas we reach the longest night of the year and from December 21 on there is a little more light each day for the next several months. The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned. (Matthew 4:16) The secular Christmas season begins blossoming as early as August, when stores put out decorations for us to look over and, hopefully, buy. People begin planning shopping trips, travels to be with family, menus, gift giving, and any number of celebratory activities as soon as they are able. Some of their activities are started on Christmas Day the year before. The season can turn into an overabundance of gatherings and celebrations. Once we get past Thanksgiving it turns into a fullfledged binge of activities leading up to the actual day or days of celebrating Christmas. In the secular world, the day is a day of gift giving, eating, and overconsumption of infinite varieties. I am grateful for the season of Advent in all this celebrating. A Sunday morning spent preparing to celebrate the birth of one who calls us to an abundant life not based in consumption is refreshing. Jesus calls us to give of ourselves to those who cannot pay us back. Jesus calls us to work for justice based in shared resources rather than following rules. Jesus calls us to lives of loving kindness rather than amassing stuff. Jesus calls us to be faithful rather than to be strong or right. Advent reminds us that, while the secular celebrations are fun, we have access to something much deeper. When God is in Advent, and Jesus Christ in Christmas, we have access to the fruit of the Spirit [which] is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. (Galatians 5:22-23) The secular celebration of Christmas is wildly different from the celebrations of Advent and Christmas in Christianity. There is overlap as well. Both groups give gifts, have parties, and celebrate the season. Christians have a longer perspective than an annual celebration. We are re-living, re-experiencing the joy and wonder of that first Christmas when the angels appeared to shepherds, The angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for see I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors! (Luke 2:10-14) Whether you have already started celebrating or will wait until closer to Christmas, may you have an Advent filled with light and a Christmas and new year filled with joy and peace. We have access to... love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control December 2018 Grace and Peace, Cameron
Dora Circle Luncheon Monday, December 10 11:00 a.m. at Olive Garden Business meeting and dessert to follow at Faith at 1:00 p.m. Offering Envelopes Please be sure and pick up your offering envelopes for 2019 which will be in the narthex. If you don t currently have an assigned envelope box, just ask Pam and a number will be assigned to you. In addition, we will give out Stewardship Commitment Cards for 2019. (Not Faith Promise) Please remember to return them by the end of December. On-going Ministry Projects Food, Toiletries, Socks, and Underwear Thank you for continuing to provide nonperishable food items, shoes, and clothing for those in need in our community. Please consider replenishing our supply of hygiene items, socks, and underwear these items are in great demand! Again, thank you for your generosity. Recycle Caps & Lids Please continue to bring in those caps and lids for recycling for our Buddy Bench project. See the box in the Narthex for a list of acceptable lids. Crafters Market Thank you to each of you that made the 2018 Crafters Market a success. Whether you made something, bought something, helped to set up, maintain, take down for the event, or offered prayers for a successful event, you helped make it happen! Those of you that managed a particular area made it easy for others to focus on what needed to be done. Each of us brings gifts to Faith UMC and your gift of making sure this event was God filled is deeply appreciated. Becky Anniversaries Joe & Marian Borondy December 1 Eddie & Amanda Santiago December 14 Vicki & Ben Clem December 23 Birthdays Pat Snyder December 8 Bruce Mack December 11 Rick Davis December 12 Candy Gauer December 21 Cameron Pitzer December 27 November Guests Last month we welcomed: Carole Harkness, David King, Cathy Norman, Josh Hanselman, Karen Williams, Wesley & Sawyer Manifold, We are thankful for each and everyone of you. Faith United Methodist Church 9031 E 16th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46229 Phone: 317-898-2204 Email: faithumc16@sbcglobal.net Website: faithumc16.org Facebook: facebook.com/faithumc1965
December Activities 2, December 2-9. This is the date that you can bring your Faith family Christmas cards. (see next page) You can pick up your cards on December 16. 9 On Sunday, December 9, the children will present a special Christmas message during the morning worship service at 10:30 a.m. You won t want to miss the chance to see our kids in action! 15 Make plans now to invite your little ones and friends to our yearly Breakfast with Santa on December 15 at 9:30 a.m. There will be a light breakfast, a craft, and best of all the opportunity to have your photo taken with Santa. This is also an opportunity to introduce our friendly church to families looking for a great place to worship. Choir practice will be Saturday, the 15th, after Breakfast with Santa. 16 The choir will present this year s Christmas Cantata Darkness Into Light on Sunday, December 16, as part of regular worship. The Cantata tells the story of Jesus birth with lush mel- odies, intriguing harmonies, and vivid, exciting narration. Invite your family and friends to share this beautiful worship experience with us. 21 December 21 is the longest night of the year. For those that are grieving, nights are often the most difficult. To give or receive some support and encouragement, join us for an evening of worship at 7:00 p.m. on this Friday night. All are welcome. 24 And we can t forget Christmas Eve, the most wonderful night of the year! Join us for an evening of candlelight, song, and scripture at 7:00 p.m. And some Christmas hugs to share. 30 For our last Sunday of the year, we will have a fellowship dinner after worship. Come share your memories from the past year. And of course... Merry Christmas Advent Tree Our Advent Tree is ready for your donations of hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves. The tree will remain up until January 5, 2019. Donations will then be delivered to Fletcher Place Community Center for distribution to their vulnerable neighbors. Thanks for considering those who might otherwise be cold this winter! New Idea for Advent We are all very blessed. Here s an idea to share those blessings during the Advent season. A Reverse Advent Calendar. Each day you add an item to a box and on Christmas Eve bring the filled box to the church for Feed the Need. Share your blessings! Rejoice and Be Glad! Advent begins Sunday, December 2, this year. A variety of devotionals are available in the Narthex These booklets invite us to focus on Christ Jesus the Light of the World through scripture, prayer, and spiritual reflections. Teens and young adults have a booklet encouraging them to receive the Word of God. Children will have a sticker book about some of the first visitors to the manger. Let s prepare our minds and hearts for the Christ Child. Looking for Wheels: Anyone have an extra car parked in the driveway? Cindy Hartshorn is looking for a (cheap) used car for Austin. Please contact her if you know of any!
Checklist (couple of changes since November) Once again Faith Fellowship will be our post office to help distribute Christmas cards for you to save on postage. IF you want to use the this year to send out Christmas Cards to the church family, here is a checklist of Faith families to help you in addressing Christmas cards. Keep in mind that some on the list are shut-ins and we will need help in distributing those cards. Remember to put your cards in alphabetical order to aid sorting. You can bring your cards through Dec. 9. They will be ready for pickup on December 16. Look for the festively-decorated boxes in the narthex! 1. Joyce Arterberry 2. Dana Bandy 3. Barbara Bayliff 4. Joe & Marian Borondy** 5. Alberta Bradley 6. Tom & Susan Bradley 7. Todd & Tammie Buchanan 8. Bill & Janet Buntain 9. Jeri Burgess 10. Vicki & Ben Clem 11. Doug & Susan Corey 12. Rick & Julie Davis 13. Shirley Dobbs* 14. Alice Douglas* 15. Matt & Cherilyn Eby 16. Gil & Pat Everett 17. LaVeta Fleetwood 18. Jody & Rich Fleming 19. Janice Flora* 20. Jay & Lori Flora 21. Pat Garrity 22. Candy Gauer 23. Janice George* 24. Harold & Dee Gossman 25. Todd & Lisa Habig 26. Morris & Phyllis Hammonds 27. Carole Harkness 28. James & Shannon Harlan 29. J.D. & Cindy Hartshorn 30. Shelley Hill 31. Marilyn Holliday** 32. Charlotte King 33. David King 34. Margaret Knight 35. Dick Lahr 36. Diane Lee* 37. Deanna Leinbach* 38. Glorina Lewis 39. Bruce Mack 40. Wilma Mack 41. Alison Manifold 42. Cameron & Becky Manifold 43. Gustina Mann-Ray* 44. Dave & Jodi Martin 45. Helen Nelson 46. Rob & Cathy Norman 47. Dana & Bob Oakes 48. David & Barbara Paugh* 49. Tim & Pam Pedigo 50. Judy Pierce* 51. Sherman & Alison Pitzer 52. Helmut & Mary Pliquett 53. Doris Ray* 54. Cheryl Rexrode 55. Sandy Riley 56. Sheri Riley 57. Ruth Rogers 58. Gil & Bev Ryan 59. Steve Ryan* 60. Ed & Julie Santiago 61. Eddie & Amanda Santiago 62. Bob & Sue Scroggs 63. Fred & Jackie Seddon 64. Lori Shaw 65. Pat Snyder 66. Matt & Kim Spencer 67. Sharman Spencer 68. Barb Stokes 69. Willie & Marcus Whitfield 70. Brad & Robin Winslow 71. Helen Wooden** Please let us know of any errors or omissions. *Shut-Ins ** Live Out of Town
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 Feed the Need 3 4 5 6 7 8 Crafty Ones 9:00 a.m. Pat Snyder 9 Children s Play Open House, 3:00 6:00 10 Dora Circle Christmas Luncheon 11:00 a.m. 11 Beer & Hymns 6:00 p.m. 12 13 14 15 Breakfast w/ Santa, 9:00 a.m. Cantata Rehearsal Hall in Use Bruce Mack Rick Davis Hall in Use 16 Penny Raiders Cantata 17 18 19 20 21 Longest Night Service, 7:00 p.m. 22 Candy Gauer 23 24 Christmas Eve Service, 7:00 p.m. 25 26 27 28 29 Cameron Pitzer Hall in Use 30 Fellowship Meal 31 Just because it was posted on FaceBook doesn t mean everyone at church saw the announcement. Share it in Focus! Faith United Methodist Church, 9031 E 16th Street, Indianapolis, IN 317-898-2204