DECEMBER 16-29 2018 VOLUME 198 ISSUE 25 ADVENT P. 3 Find out how you can get involved this Advent Season! WELCOME JENNIFER PIVER P. 4 We welcome Jennifer Piver as she steps into the roll of Director of Fifty-Forward Ministries.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! What a powerful statement that is! It is also a beautiful hymn and a faith fact that can be our guiding star through this Christmas season. I remember singing this hymn, my very favorite, as a young girl in church surrounded by my family on Christmas Eve. I would sing loudly and proudly as if I was the one making this declaration! Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! As I ponder these words I am thankful that Christ chose to come for us to make our joy complete. I am also thankful that God has allowed me to be a part of First Methodist for the past twenty years...for the love I have been shown, the acceptance I have been given, and the honor to serve the Lord within this church family! Words cannot express my appreciation for all of the friends and volunteers who faithfully minister to the seniors in our church, working tirelessly year after year. To those who serve on the Fifty Forward Council and those who participate in the many ministries of Pastoral Care, I say thank you, again and again, for enriching the lives of our senior adults and comforting those who are going through difficult times. You have brought me much joy! It is also with great respect that I say thank you to the ministers, past and present, and the staff of First Church with whom I have had the privilege and joy of working alongside! Our fellowship has been sweetened by our common desire to serve the Lord in this place. Thank you Lord for my many blessings! I will receive Christ anew, once again in my heart as I sing loudly, Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Debra Tallman Director of Fifty-Forward Ministries DEBRA TALLMAN FAREWELL RECEPTION Sunday, December 16 9:00-11:00am The Wright Place Debra Tallman will be retiring at the end of the year. A reception in her honor will be held on Sunday, December 16, from 9:00 to 11:00am in The Wright Place. A basket will be provided for those wishing to show appreciation to her through a monetary gift or love offering. Cash or checks are asked to be made payable to Debra Tallman. Join us as we thank Debra for her wonderful years of service to this church. IN LOVE AND REMEMBRANCE TO Bobbi Baughn, Lisa Bond and Mary Bond on the death of their sister, aunt, and great aunt respectively, Lorraine Middlebrooks. Lorraine died November 29, 2018. The family of Charles Scales. Charles died December 4, 2018. Tom Helms on the death of his brother, William E. Helms. William died December 9, 2018 in Spartanburg, SC. Bob Noyes and family on the death of Bob s mother, Joan Noyes. Joan died December 11, 2018. CONGRATULATIONS Dan Lovelace and Kelly Wieczorek on the birth of their son, Graeme Steven Lovelace, born November 8, 2018. Proud grandparents are Gary Lovelace and Bronwyn Lovelace. Nick and Jenny Medley on the birth of their son, Connor Wynn Medley, born December 1, 2018. WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Dylan and Sara Stackpole IN CELEBRATION Betty Richardson is celebrating her 90th Birthday on December 31st, 2018, in the north Georgia mountains with her family. 2 DECEMBER 16-29 2018 VOLUME 198 ISSUE 25
December 16 // 3rd Sunday in Advent 8:00, 9:30, 11:00, & ICON at 11:00am Sanctuary Choir Christmas Concert with Orchestra 7:30pm Main Sanctuary December 19 // Church-Wide Caroling 6:00pm Meet in The Wright Place December 21 // Longest Night Service 6:00pm Chapel Senior High Progressive Dinner 6:00pm December 23 // 4th Sunday in Advent 8:00, 9:30, 11:00, & ICON at 11:00am Baby Recognition 11:00am Main Sanctuary December 30 // Combined Service 10:00am Main Sanctuary Midday Christmas Eve Service Noon Main Sanctuary A contemplative service with communion for those who desire an earlier service. Candlelight and Communion Service 4:00pm Main Sanctuary A service of candlelight, Christmas carols, children s sermon and communion. Candlelight and Communion Service 6:00pm Main Sanctuary A service of candlelight, Christmas carols, children s sermon and communion. Nursery provided. An ICON Christmas 6:00pm Wesley Abbey An intimate and contemplative, multi-sensory candlelight and communion service. Includes children s sermon. Nursery provided. Candlelight and Communion Service 8:00pm Main Sanctuary A traditional service of candlelight, Christmas carols and communion. Candlelight and Communion Service 11:00pm Main Sanctuary A traditional service of candlelight, Christmas carols and communion. FUMCPensacola.com 3
welcome JENNIFER PIVER Jennifer Piver has found her dream job. She knew it would be the perfect fit for her years before she was even hired. Seven years ago, while volunteering at Vacation Bible School at First Church, she had the privilege of connecting with Debra Tallman. After finding out a little more about Debra and her Fifty-Forward Ministry, she jokingly commented that Debra had her dream job and asked her to keep her in mind when she retired. In 2018, after twenty years of service, Debra made the decision to retire and remembered their conversation from years ago. With over ten years of collective experience in retirement communities and a passion for working with Senior Adults, Jennifer is the perfect addition to the staff at First Church as the new Director of Fifty-Forward Ministries. She became part of the the First Church family in October of 2018 and has been shadowing Debra until the end of the year. It s so great to be able to go to work everyday where I can just love on people and make a difference in somebody s day, stated Piver. Jennifer knew that she wanted to work in a retirement facility from highschool age and it allowed her to focus her college studies to reach her goal. She attended University of Alabama where she majored in Healthcare Management with a minor in Food and Nutrition. After graduating, Jennifer married her boyfriend of two years, Alan and jumped right into a marketing role at a retirement community in Birmingham, Alabama. After two and a half years in that position, she and her husband moved to Pensacola in 2002 where she accepted a job as the Marketing Director at Homestead Village. After a few years at Homestead, Jennifer moved her grandma Bernice, to live at the community. Jennifer proudly described being able to see her grandmother everyday at work and how it deeply affected her. Jennifer stated, I truly feel that my love for seniors is a gift from God and a direct result from my close relationship to my grandparents. It was my grandma Bernice (who passed away in 2007) who made me realize that I wanted to work with seniors." Another special grandmother in Jennifer's life is her last living grandparent, Joann 'Grandma Wo Wo'. "I have the blessing of sharing a daily devotional with Wo Wo every evening over the phone," commented Jennifer. Jennifer and Alan welcomed the birth of their son Mark in 2006 and after almost six years at Homestead, Jennifer resigned to stay at home with Mark full-time. Jennifer spent the next ten years working from home for various senior resource publications until she accepted a position as the Marketing Director of Carpenters Creek in 2016 where she worked until coming to First Church. You can often find Jennifer and her husband watching their son Mark (age 11) play sports, including basketball, soccer, golf, and baseball. It s a family affair!, commented Piver. When she isn t cheering on her son, Jennifer would like to think of herself as a homebody, and could think of nothing better than to curl up on the couch with a blanket and a good movie. She also enjoys playing tennis and hopes to start playing more. Jennifer has thoroughly enjoyed her time so far on staff at First Church and commented that she often has to pinch herself to make sure it s all real. She is still amazed that she gets to come to work everyday to do what she does love on others. Debra and I were visiting at the hospitals the other day and we were spending time with a blind patient. Her food was delivered and I was able to feed her. It was so rewarding, stated Piver. Jennifer knows she has big shoes to fill, but hopes that she can continue to build on the foundation that Debra has created and provide the Fifty- Forward community with the same level of care for years to come. Her goals are to involve the greater Pensacola area and increase the awareness of the events that First Church has to offer. Join us as we give a warm First Church welcome to Jennifer. We are lucky to have her and look forward to many years of ministry together. 4 DECEMBER 16-29 2018 VOLUME 198 ISSUE 25
NEW COMMEMORATIVE ORNAMENTS A new Christmas ornament is now available! It was commissioned by the Bicentennial Planning Committee and designed by local artist and church member Mitzi Holt. The ornament, featuring the Main Sanctuary, is $15. They are available in the Church Office during office hours and on Sunday mornings. Shipping is also available for additional cost. FUMCPensacola.com 5
ANNOUNCEMENTS WHAT'S HAPPENING FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CHURCH-WIDE CHRISTMAS CAROLING December 19 6:00pm Invite your Community Group, Sunday School class friends, family, neighbors all are welcome to join us as we spread Christmas cheer to our homebound friends. Contact Lisa Bond at 850-549-8967 for more information. CHILDREN & FAMILIES Contact: Lisa Bond LBond@FUMCPensacola.com BABY RECOGNITION December 23 11:00am Main Sanctuary Reception at 10:15am The Wright Place All parents of babies born December 2017 - December 2018 are invited to join us as we celebrate your newest addition. Contact Amy Fitzgerald or Lacey Adair for more information. NO SUNDAY SCHOOL December 30th ELEMENTARY WINTER RETREAT February 1-3 All third and fourth graders are invited to attend the elementary winter retreat! This will be an opportunity for the children to experience worship and spiritual growth, as well as participate in camping activities, all surrounding the theme "Walk with Jesus" from Matthew 28:20. Registration can be completed through Blue Lake at www.bluelakecamp.com/ winter-retreat. Please contact Lisa Bond at 549-8967 once you register, so we can plan accordingly for travel. SAVE THE DATES January 23 Kid Connect Begins January 24 Chill Time Begins January 24 Mom's Bible Study Begins CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Contact: Lisa Bond LBond@FUMCPensacola.com SAVE THE DATES January 9 Christian Education Kickoff - sign up for classes January 16 Winter session begins - Wednesday Night classes begin JANUARY 28 Monday night classes begin FIFTY FORWARD Contact: Debra Tallman DTallman@FUMCPensacola.com COFFEE WITH FRIENDS December 18 January 8, 15, 22, 29 9:30-10:30am Joe Harrell Library A warm and friendly gathering to meet new friends and share fellowship with others you may already know. SILVERSNEAKERS FLEX STRENGTH & BALANCE EXERCISE CLASS Mondays January 7, 14, 21, 28 9:30-10:30am Franklin Building A low-impact exercise class designed for older adults to help improve flexibility and build strong muscles. There's no cost to SilverSneakers fitness program members. $3 per class for non-members. EDUCATION & SUPPORT GROUP MANAGING LIFE WITH DEMENTIA Tuesday, January 8 1:00-3:00pm Administration Building - Room LS106 Caring for a family member or a close friend with dementia is so important, but can also be complicated. This class is a wonderful place to find support and resource information on your caregiving journey. LUNCH OUT Thursday, January 10 11:30am Sake Cafe' Japanese Restaurant All are welcome to join us for this monthly lunch outing in the community. Please RSVP. FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE WRIGHT PLACE Friday, January 18 6:00-8:00pm The Wright Place An fun filled evening with friends, dinner and live music entertainment. Please RSVP. $7 per person SILVER & GOLD Thursday, January 24 10:30am - 1:00pm The Wright Place A wonderful luncheon with a performance by the Washington High School Drama Club. Please RSVP. $5 per person 6 DECEMBER 16-29 2018 VOLUME 198 ISSUE 25
SERVICE TIMES RUTH S KITCHEN Contact: Susie Schmidt SSchmidt@FUMCPensacola.com SUNDAY 8:00am, 9:30am, 11:00am & ICON AT 11:00am TWEENS Contact: Mary Bond MBond@fumcpensacola.com stay connected YOUTH fumcpensacola Contact: Denise Van Atta DVanAtta@FUMCPensacola.com ANNOUNCEMENTS December 19 & 26 No Dinner MUSIC Contact: Dr. Rick Branch RBranch@FUMCPensacola.com WORSHIP COMMITTEE Saturday, December 15, at 8:30am We will place the Christmas poinsettias in the sanctuary and Wesley Abby. SANCTUARY CHOIR Sunday, December 16: Sing at 8:00am Sunday, December 16 6:00pm Warm up for concert Wednesday, December 19 6:00pm Church-wide Christmas caroling Sunday, December 23: Sing at 11:00am Monday, December 24 Sing at the 8:00pm and/or 11:00pm Christmas Eve Service (warm up 30 minutes prior). YOUTH CHOIR Monday, December 24 Sing at the 8:00pm and/or 11:00pm Christmas Eve Service (warm up 30 minutes prior). Sunday, January 6: Sing at 11:00am Main Sanctuary service FINAL CONCERT OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON Thursday, January 3 6:30pm Main Sanctuary An Epiphany Celebration, Journey to the Manger featuring Libby Kephart Hargrave, Mitzi Holt, Ty LoVette, Jennifer DelGallo-Taylor, Sam Waite, Brenda and Herb Boutwell, Jordan Benson and Rick and Heidi Branch 6TH GRADE CONFIRMATION MEETING January 6 9:30-10:30 am The Wright Place All 6th graders and their parents are invited to join us for Confirmation orientation, which will cover everything you need to know about being in Confirmation! We will be meeting in the Wright Place during the Sunday school hour. See you there! DRAW NEAR WINTER RETREAT January 25-27th Blue Lake Retreat Center All 7th - 12th graders are invited to join us for a weekend full of worship, games, and community. This retreat is designed as a time for our youth to disconnect from their daily lives and grow together in fellowship and faith with youth from our church and from churches in our conference. Come disconnect with us and Draw Near to God! Registrations will be available mid December. GIFT WRAPPING FUNDRAISER Every Sunday till Christmas 9:00 am Youth Building Join us in the Youth Building to help raise money for our Senior High youth mission trip to the Bahamas Methodist Habitat in Eleuthera, Bahamas! Bring your Christmas gifts and we will professionally wrap them for you for a donation. We supply the paper and the ribbons! SENIOR HIGH PROGRESSIVE DINNER December 21 6:00 pm All senior high youth (9th-12th graders) are invited to come celebrate the Christmas season with your church friends at our annual senior high progressive dinner. We travel to three homes (the Cook s, Wimberley s, and Kuba s) and have appetizers, dinner, and dessert. At our final house we will have a white elephant gift exchange. Contact Denise VanAtta or Katherine Varnson to RSVP. FUMCPensacola.com 7
Six East Wright Street, Pensacola, Florida 32501 850.432.1434 (office) 850.432.5749 (fax) Info@FUMCPensacola.com inside this edition... The Methodist Witness is a biweekly newsletter published by First United Methodist Church of Pensacola. If you have information to be included in an upcoming edition, or you have any questions or comments regarding The Methodist Witness Please contact the editor. Please Note: all information to be included is subject to approval and must be submitted by the appropriate deadlines. Kelsey Seager Editor of The Methodist Witness KSeager@FUMCPensacola.com...and more.