May 13, 2018 December 9, 2018 Second Sunday of Advent Rev. Bill Reinhart, Pastor Today s Sermon: The Real Christmas Story: How Christmas Changed the Grinch...Finding Peace We love to laugh at the Grinch and his poor dog Max as they, in vain, attempt to stop Christmas from coming to Whoville. And yet we all have within us the potential to be grinchy, especially at this time of the year. God s word (and even Dr. Suess) instruct us on how to let God grow our hearts two sizes and experience more of God s peace. We are glad that you are here! Questions? Ask anyone with a red nametag for information about our church. Welcome Flyers for new worshipers are found on the Welcome Table in the entryway. Please fill out the Thanks for Being Here card in the pew rack. Time will be given to write any prayer requests and/or comments on your worship experience on the back of the card, then place it in the offering plate. A staffed nursery is available in the education wing for children 5 & under. Children s activity bags for worship are available on the rack by the bookshelf. Copies of the sermon manuscript are available before the service from any usher, and can also be found posted on our church website. Words will be projected for all songs. Some songs are also found in the red hymnal, black hymnal or gray songbook found in your pew and page numbers are listed accordingly in your bulletin. Coffee is served between worship services each week in the Fellowship Hall. Devotional resources are available on the bookshelf in the entryway. Hearing assist devices are available, please ask an usher. Joyful Praise Worship 8:15 am Coffee Fellowship & Education 9:20 am Celebration Worship 10:30 am
Joyful Praise Worship 8:15 am The Real Christmas Story Music for Gathering Welcome and Announcements Invocation & Sharing Christ s Joy Pastor Bill Reinhart Handbell Prelude Away in a Manger arr. Anna Laura Page Lighting the Advent Candle Advent Candle Lighting Song Opening Song It Came Upon a Midnight Clear #218 vs. 1 &4, red hymnal New Testament Reading Live Peacefully Ephesians 4:26-32 The Message Song Change My Heart, O God #195 gray songbook The Early Word The Peace Makers Handbell Anthem Peace, Peace Powell/arr. Fred Bock Gerry Starr, solo; Elizabeth Knutson, synthesizer; Laurie Schroeder, keyboard Gospel Reading The Path of Peace Luke 1:67-69 The Message Message How Christmas Changed the Grinch...Finding Peace [Media clip used in accordance with Christian Video Licensure 504157260] Time of Reflection Spend this time in meditation or to write a comment or prayer on your response card Invitation to Offering Offertory My Peace Pastoral Prayer & The Lord s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. Closing Songs Hark the Herald Angels Sing vs. 1 Newborn King Blessing Music for Departure
Sunday School Classes meet each Sunday from 9:20-10:20 am for children ages 3 through 8 th grade. Classrooms are labeled in the education wing through 6th grade. 7th & 8th graders meet in the Youth Room. A Sermon Discussion takes place every Sunday at 9:20 at a designated table in the fellowship hall. The UMW Christmas Bake Sale is today. Stop by the table in the entryway and take home some sweet treats and leave a freewill donation. Proceeds will to the Emma Norton and other mission projects of the UMW. A Church Potluck takes place today at 11:45 am. Barbecues are provided, so even if you didn t More Than Just Words This Advent This year we challenge you to let the Advent messages of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love be more than just words! Seek to find them for yourself, then find ways to offer them to others. The mission tree in the entryway has ornaments that you may take home. Some list a specific act of kindness to offer, others are blank so you can come up with your own ideas. Either way, take home an ornament as a reminder to make these themes more than just words this season! Christmas Movie Day December 16 Miracle on 34th Street The Grinch It s a Wonderful Life Elf A Christmas Carol. Remember these movie classics? For the four weeks of Advent sermons will center around movies with messages of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love, leading up to The Real Christmas Story on Christmas Eve. As a companion event the Adult Discipleship Team will show one of these movies (hint: think green tights ) on Sunday, December 16 at 11:45 a.m. Snacks and refreshments will be offered while all ages enjoy the movie together. Join the fun and bring a friend! Happening Today Coming Up bring a dish to share, feel free to join us! Or run out and grab a salad to bring the more the merrier! This is before the children s Christmas program at 1:00 pm, so stay for a fun program with the kids! There will also be an activity for kids from 12:00-12:30 to keep them busy. Children s Christmas Program is at 1:00 pm Our Christmas Nativity children s program is always fun with our Sunday School kids telling the story of Jesus birth, and this year they ll remind us of how we continue to share the story with others. United Methodist Women Brunch The UM Women invite you to join them this Thursday, December 13 at 10:30 am for their annual Christmas Brunch. This month all are welcome (men and women) to come enjoy fellowship, devotions and a great meal. Bring a dish to share (breakfast or luncheon items.) Martyn Dibben will do a program on Conserving our Natural Resources. Happy Birthday, Jesus Party Dec. 16 Next Sunday, December 16 the congregation is invited to join Sunday School families in the fellowship hall between services at 9:45 to have cake and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus! Christmas Caroling Next Sunday Spread some Christmas cheer! Join us for caroling to care centers and homebound BUMC members on Sunday, December 16. Tentative plan is to leave church around 3:30 or 4:00 and return before 7:00 pm. See Craig Lilja with questions or suggestions for a caroling stop. Sign up on the bulletin board. All welcome!
Life Happens Monday, Dec. 10 Our next Life Happens monthly session is tomorrow evening from 7:15-8:15 pm in the fellowship hall. Kris Dirks will share about Getting a Stage VI Diagnosis, offering tips on how we can best support someone going through this difficult situation. Learn what you can do and what you might say. Help With the Christmas Dinner We have posted the Christmas Day Dinner signup sheets with many ways to support this wonderful community outreach ministry our 22 nd annual dinner!! Donate food, supplies or cash. (Turkeys needed by Dec. 11; other items by Dec. 23.) Help cook turkeys on Saturday, Dec. 15. Invite someone who might be alone pick up invitations and/or flyers in entryway. Post flyers around town. See Laurie immediately if you could help with this! Help set up tables on Sunday, December 23. Volunteer to work one or more of the shifts on Christmas Day. Help with Christmas Eve Hospitality Christmas Eve hospitality is so very important, please consider serving as an usher or greeter for one of the services at 5:00 pm or 7:30 pm on Dec. 24. Sign up on the bulletin board. UM Men s Fellowship Dec. 15 The UM Men s Fellowship gathers this Saturday, December 15 at 7:30 am for a home-cooked breakfast, meeting and fellowship. We ll smell turkeys baking while we meet, and following the meeting, the turkeys for the Christmas Dinner will be cut up and frozen. Join us! End of Year Giving Deadline Please note, all 2018 contributions should be in by Monday, December 31. Thank you in advance for your faithful giving as we end 2018 and look to a new year. Though we are slightly behind currently, we hope to close the year with all our financial obligations met. Poinsettias for Sale Today There are some extra poinsettias available for sale in the entryway for $10 if you wish to take one home or deliver to a friend or neighbor. All the profits will go toward apportionments. Poinsettia Watering Help Sought Would you help us keep the poinsettias watered until Christmas? See Laurie if you re willing to help with this task. Wesley Meal Cakes Needed It s hard to think past Christmas baking, but ten white cakes are needed for the Wesley meal on Saturday, December 29. Sign up today if you can provide one or two. Thanks! 2019 Promise Cards Still Welcome It s not too late to turn in your promise cards for 2019, both for financial estimate of giving and ministry commitments. We welcome them through the end of the year, but appreciate having them as soon as possible. Not only does it help the church in planning ministry, it also helps you find clarity and joy in your faith walk and spiritual growth. New Visual Identity Launched You ve probably noticed that the bulletin looks different! Our MCCI Re-Branding Team launched our new visual identity and logo last Sunday, so you will begin noticing the new look in our publications, correspondence and signage soon. A training session for all ministry leaders and staff will take place in January so all of us can use the new look in our ministry promotion. 2019 Offering Envelopes Available If you requested offering envelopes for the coming year, they are available in the entryway. If you want envelopes but don t find any with your name on, please write your name down and we ll get some for you! Confirmation Corner This Wednesday, December 12 is Faith Night. Bring your Bible and your appetite.
Celebration Worship 10:30 am The Real Christmas Story Gathering Music What Child Is This? The Holly and the Ivy Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella Ella Lichtenberg, flute; Jill Starr, piano Welcome and Announcements Invocation & Sharing Christ s Joy Pastor Bill Reinhart Handbell Prelude Away in a Manger arr. Anna Laura Page Lighting the Advent Candle Advent Candle Lighting Song Opening Song It Came Upon a Midnight Clear #218 red hymnal New Testament Reading Live Peacefully Ephesians 4:26-32 The Message The Early Word The Peace Makers Handbell Anthem Peace, Peace Powell/arr. Fred Bock Gerry Starr, solo; Elizabeth Knutson, synthesizer; Laurie Schroeder, keyboard Message How Christmas Changed the Grinch...Finding Peace [Media clip used in accordance with Christian Video Licensure 504157260] Time of Reflection Spend this time in meditation or to write a comment or prayer on your response card Invitation to Offering Offertory Angels We Have Heard on High Arr. John Innes Ella Lichtenberg, flute Pastoral Prayer & The Lord s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. Closing Song Hark the Herald Angels Sing #240 red hymnal Blessing Postlude Go! Tell It on the Mountain arr. Mac Huff Gospel Reading The Path of Peace Luke 1:67-69 The Message
Next Sunday The Real Christmas Story: It s a Wonderful Life...Experiencing Joy All of us have moments of regret and disappointment, sometimes feeling that our lives have not been all that we have hoped for. Advent reminds us that we were created to live with a joy that rises above our mistakes and failures, a joy that has less to do with who we are, and more to do with who God is. Because of Jesus, it really can be a Wonderful Life." Prayer Matters Debbie Bishop is recovering from ankle surgery to stabilize three fractures. Pray for healing and for her not to go stir crazy in recovery! Pray for trust and faith for the Otness & Smude families as they wait another two months for an adoption judgment new date Feb. 7. Beth Ristow s grandmother has cancer. Wendy Fitch asks prayers of preparation for baby Jace, who will have head plate surgery in January. Serving Today Handbell Director: Jill Starr Song Leader: Gerry Starr (10:30) Flutist: Ella Lichtenberg (10:30) Reader: Suzy Smith (10:30) Ushers: Laura & Maverick Gilson (8:15) Jeremy Carlson (10:30) Coffee Servers: Bonnie Kelly Sr., Bonnie Kelly Jr., Gail & Jane Hurley This Week in Ministry Monday, December 10 6:30 pm BeFrienders 7:15 pm Life Happens with Kris Dirks Tuesday, December 11 7:00 pm Leadership Team Meeting Wednesday, December 12 6:00 pm Confirmation Faith Night 6:00 pm Senior High Youth 6:30 pm Handbell Rehearsal 7:30 pm Joyful Praise Rehearsal Thursday, December 13 10:30 pm UMW Annual Christmas Potluck Noon Nutcracker Advent Study 6:30 pm Paulette s Adult Bible Study Saturday, December 15 7:30 am United Methodist Men & Turkey Baking Sunday, December 16 3rd Sunday in Advent 8:15 am Joyful Praise Worship 9:20 am Sunday School & Fellowship Hour 9:45 am Happy Birthday Jesus Party 10:30 am Celebration Worship 609 8th Street NW Buffalo, MN 55313 763-682-3538 Office@buffaloumc.com www.buffaloumc.org Church Leadership & Staff Pastor: Rev. Bill Reinhart PastorBill@ Lay Assoc. Minister: Laurie Schroeder Laurie@ Youth Coordinator: Curtis R. Rieck Curtis@ Children s Coordinator: Debbie Bishop Debbie@ Administrative Asst: Michelle Jones Office@ Lay Leader: Paulette Moore Leadership Team: Pam Sieberg Staff Parish Team: Gail Hurley Property Team: Dave Sieberg Finance Team: Tyson Kaldenberg Bookkeeper: Patty Steer Patty@ Custodians: Bob & Ryan Highberg Bob@ NOTE: All email addresses are: @BuffaloUMC.com