May 13, 2018 December 23, 2018 Fourth Sunday of Advent We are glad that you are here! Rev. Bill Reinhart, Pastor Today s Sermon: The Real Christmas Story: Elf More, Grinch Less Choosing Love: Do you know the Code of the Elves? Treat every day like Christmas; There s room for everyone on the Nice List; and the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loudly for all to hear. What might happen if we all started living like that (with the possible exception of the third one;)? When God sent love into the world on Christmas, it was a bold, worldchanging act. How can we love more boldly?. 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 from 9:20-10:20. Devotional resources are available on the bookshelf in the entryway. Hearing assist devices are available, please ask an usher. 8:15 am Joyful Praise Worship 10:30 am Celebration Worship Coffee Fellowship & Education 9:20-10:20 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 Lighting the Advent Candle Advent Candle Lighting Song Opening Song Wonderful, Merciful Savior #214 gray songbook The Light of the World John 1:1-14 NLT Songs Here I Am to Worship One Small Child The Early Word Night Lights Let the Children Come Luke 18:15-17The Message Message Elf More, Grinch Less: Choosing Love [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 Offering Music Joseph s Lullaby Dave Jacobs Music by MercyMe 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 Hold Us Together Blessing Music for Departure
Sunday School Classes meet 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. (NOTE: There are no SS classes on December 30. They resume on January 6.) A Sermon Discussion takes place every Sunday at 9:20 at a designated table in the fellowship hall. 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. Christmas Eve Candle Lighters Sought We are looking for someone to light the Christ candle at each of our services. See Pastor Bill if willing to help at one of them. 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 or cash. Cash donations to cover groceries may be labeled for the Christmas Dinner and put in the offering plate. Food items are due by noon today. Invite someone who might be alone pick up invitations and/or flyers in entryway. Help set up tables today at 11:30 am. Volunteer to work one or more of the shifts on Christmas Day. We still need more volunteers. Sign up on the bulletin board today if you can help. Clean-up is often short of volunteers, if you can come help with that!! Happening Today Coming Up Christmas Offering & Regular Giving Be sure that your offerings are clearly identified today as either general fund donations or Christmas offering. Loose plate offerings will go to the general fund. Christmas offering contributions for apportionments and missional work should go in the special offering envelopes received with your Christmas letter or envelopes found in the pew racks. Christmas Dinner Table & Chair Set-Up We will set up tables and chairs for the Christmas dinner at 11:30 am today for anyone able to help. Christmas Day Dinner Tuesday You are welcome to come enjoy the Christmas dinner on Tuesday at 1:00 pm as a guest, even if you aren t volunteering. And we encourage you to invite friends or family as well, especially those who are alone on Christmas Day. Come at 12:30 pm for a fun carol sing, too! 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. 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.
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! Take Poinsettias Home After Christmas Eve services are over, you are welcome to take home any poinsettias which you donated. Thank you again for brightening our sanctuary this Christmas season! Prayer Journaling January Class Sheryl Lehman will offer another three session prayer study in January. What a great way to start off the New Year with a commitment to prayer. Prayer is a gift of communication, freely given. You will receive a free workbook to use as you wish. Join in on this study on January 10, 17, and 24. We ll offer it daytime or evening, as people s schedules allow. Sign up on the bulletin board in the lobby. Praise and Coffee Gatherings On January 7 at 6 pm Sheryl Lehman will host Praise and Coffee fellowship time in the side room at Perkins. These gatherings are monthly on the first Monday for a time of fellowship, fun and coffee praising God. Men, women, young, old all welcome! Bring a friend. Coffee is optional. Life Happens! A Caring Ministry Life Happens is a monthly ministry where guest speakers share first-hand experiences on difficult topics, helping us know what to do and what to say to let people know we care. Join us on the 2nd Monday of each month from 7:15-8:15 pm. We meet in the fellowship hall for a time of listening, learning, caring and dessert. Come whenever you can. The next one is on Monday, January 14, 7:15-8:15 p.m. Family Life after Suicide Doug & Jodi Morey, presenters New Visual Identity Launched You ve probably noticed that the bulletin looks different! Our MCCI Re-Branding Team has launched our new visual identity and logo, so you will notice the new look in church 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. Phone Directories Available If you need an updated BUMC phone and address directory, pick up a copy on the white table in the entryway. Comfort Choir Available There is a group of people in our congregation willing to go to the home or bedside of a person who is ill or in hospice, even on short notice, to quietly sing hymns or praise songs. If you have a family member or friend who might be blessed or comforted in this way, please contact Craig at 763-682-1994 or 763-242-7922. Foster Parents Needed Wright County has a pressing and continuous need for foster parents. If interested in learning more, attend one of the upcoming orientations on January 8 or February 12 from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm at the Wright County Law Enforcement Center room S2021A, or contact Marisa Ferguson at 763-682-7484 or marisa.ferguson@co.wright.mn.us Confirmation Corner There is no confirmation class this Wednesday, December 26 for winter break. The registration deadline for the required January Confirmation Retreat has passed, so please get the forms and money in ASAP if you haven t already! If you are in need of a scholarship, let the office know.
Celebration Worship 10:30 am The Real Christmas Story Gathering Music Welcome and Announcements Invocation & Sharing Christ s Joy Pastor Bill Reinhart Prelude I Wonder as I Wander American Folk Song Lighting the Advent Candle Advent Candle Lighting Song Opening Hymn People, Look East #202 red hymnal The Light of the World John 1:1-14 NLT The Early Word Night Lights Special Music Lo, How a Rose E er Blooming Four or More Men With Jensen Maiden, flute arr. Russell Robinson Let the Children Come Luke 18:15-17The Message Message Elf More, Grinch Less: Choosing Love [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 'In the Beginning Was the Word Music by Marienne Kreitlow Based on John 1:1-5 KJV Doxology #94 red hymnal 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. Hymn of Sending Forth Love Has Come! Tune of Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella Blessing Postlude Bright and Glorious is the Sky Danish Folk Melody
Next Sunday Celebrating the Good News: We will celebrate this First Sunday of Christmas by singing some favorite songs, sharing special music of the season, hearing some musings of Max Lucado, and more. Join us for worship as we let the sheer glory of the birth of Christ settle into our hearts to remind us as we head into a new year that we no longer wait or wander alone Christ is here with us, today and always! Prayer Matters Pat Bowe developed pneumonia and is in ICU at Abbott NW as of Thursday. Pray for Peter Metcalf and family, as his father passed away this week at the age of 94. We thank God for the many ways God has blessed us this past year with new ministries and new people. Pray for the many who are traveling at this time of year. Pray for those who are grieving a loss in the midst of Christmas celebrations. Serving Today Music Leaders: Joyful Praise Team (8:15) Marienne Kreitlow (10:30) Flutist: Jensen Maiden (10:30) Men s Directors David Gaeth & Gerry Starr (10:30) Reader: Andrea Dorado (10:30) Ushers: Dean & Pam Croft (8:15) Linda Bostic & Lester Hamann (10:30) Coffee Servers: Jeanne Wermager & Maryann Barfknecht Nursery Attendant: Angie Masteller This Week in Ministry Monday, December 24 5:00 pm Candlelight Praise Service 7:30 pm Candlelight and Carol Service Tuesday, December 25 1:00 pm Christmas Day Dinner Wednesday, December 26 No Wednesday activities Saturday, December 29 8:00 am Wesley Meal Sunday, December 30 8:15 am Joyful Praise Worship 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