In This Edition Page 1 3 Announcements RUHL S CHURCH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Page 4 Pastor s Column Page 5 - Calendar This Week in Worship This Sunday we take time before Thanksgiving, and the Advent / Christmas season that follows right after, for a little Anniversary Sunday of sorts. No we aren t going to have a big deal and have dinner and all. But, we are going to take some time to look back on the year that is coming to an end and to look ahead to the year to come. Our text will be Ecclesiastes 3:1-13. Take some time to read ahead, then reflect a bit. What are some of the blessings that you have seen or experienced this year connected to your church family here at Ruhl s.. The Greening of the church! Thanksgiving is almost here and Christmas is right around the corner! The church always looks so beautiful when it is decorated for Christmas! But we need your help! We need as many volunteers as are willing to participate in the Greening of the church as we put up all the Christmas decorations on December 2 after the second service. The more volunteers we have, the faster it will go. There will be light refreshments for all who stay to help. Thank you! Voices Needed! Do you like to sing, but are afraid you don t have the time to fulfill a commitment to singing in a group? (Then please consider helping, even if it s just a small amount of help that you feel that you may have to offer.) The choir and praise band are in need of more voices! We ll take all the help we can get, (even if it s just temporary.) PLEASE consider joining choir for this Christmas season! We currently have an urgent need for every voice, so prayerfully consider whether God wants to hear from you! Rehearsals are held Wednesday evenings at 7:30 PM. See Shawn for further details. Thanks! Target Your Discount Cards The Preschool is once again selling the Target Your Discount Cards. This card allows you to access discounts at many businesses in the Manheim, Lititz, Mount Joy, and Lancaster areas and can be used as many times as you wish between now and December 31, 2019. The discounts vary from a percentage off a purchase or free items with a purchase. Visit www.targetyourdiscount.com for a complete list of businesses or Ginny Brown. If you have any questions or wish to purchase a card ($20) see Ginny Brown or call De Leitzel (664-3371). A TargetYourDiscount Card is a gift that keeps on giving. Thank you from the staff and children of Ruhl s Preschool for your support!
FOOD PANTRY Jesus said, I am the bread of life. How many times did Jesus talk about, or do something involving food? Food is a big deal. Often, we can take it for granted. But, food is a really big deal for more than we might realize; those who struggle to have enough. To better serve those who have needs in this area, we are expanding the Food Ministry that you have been so generously supporting. Now, in addition to collecting non -perishable food items in the shopping cart to take to the Manheim Food Pantry, we are keeping a small set of shelves (in the hallway near the office), stocked with some items from the cart (and whatever you might wish to bring specifically for this) so that when someone stops by who has need we might be able to meet it more immediately. Also, this gives the opportunity for you to help someone you might become aware of. If you find someone who is struggling with enough food to eat, you can stop anytime, fill up a couple bags with items that would be appropriate for the specific situation and deliver it to them. No questions asked. This is to help us serve our neighbors. If you have questions, please speak to Pastor Blaine. And again, thanks for the generous support that has already been given. COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING SERVICE Wednesday, November 21, 7:00 PM Ruhl s United Methodist Church will be hosting the annual Community Thanksgiving Service. Rev. John Laughlin from Salem U.M.C. in Manheim will be the preacher. Mark your calendars. Invite a friend. There will be a special offering received in two ways: 1) monetary to be used by the ministerium for its help fund. 2) non-perishable food items that will be given to the Manheim Food Pantry. THANKSGIVING FOOD BOXES Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and we are providing 24 Thanksgiving food boxes to families in the Manheim area that are in need. If you would like to help with food donations, we would welcome any type of food (fresh, canned, boxed or frozen), paper products or personal care items (toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, soap, shampoo etc). If you wish to donate cash, sign up for a specific food item, or wish to assist in any other way, please contact Kris Gray. Please bring your donations before 9:00 on November 18 to the New Fellowship Hall Kitchen and label them Thanksgiving meals. Thank you for serving the Lord in this way!
TRIM A TREE Trim a Tree will be held December 9. Donations will be taken to Lancaster County Council of Churches. Items that are needed this year are socks for women and boys; gloves for men, women and children; hats for men; scarves for men and children; and toothbrushes for adults and children. Also needed are coats for men, women and children (no long wool coats, please; jackets are preferred). Coats can be new or gently used. All other clothing should be new. Thank you for your support. Missions Commission Children s Christmas Program The Children s Christmas Program will be Sunday, December 9th. We will have ONLY ONE service for this special event. We will have Sunday School at 9:15am Children s Christmas Program at 10:30am Brunch to follow the Service Help Needed We are looking to personalize our website with pictures of our church. We are looking for someone with a nice camera and photography background to share their time and talents taking pictures around the church. If you can help, please speak to Dustin. Volunteers Needed We are looking for more people who would like to read scripture for the 8:00 am Service. If you would be willing to do that please see Dustin and let him know. Thank you. Prayer Walkers! There is a new start time for the prayer walkers. We will start at 10 AM in the Sanctuary and as you walk around the church inside or outside, please use the following list as suggestions as you pray. Pray our sanctuary will be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pray for our Church family, that we will be open to the Holy Spirit. Pray for Pastor Blaine as he brings the message God has for us. Pray for Bonnie, Ben and Jonathan. Pray for Dustin and our youth. Pray for Heather, Daphne and Harper Pray for Shawn leading Music Ministry at Ruhl s Pray for Yvonne, Chy Chy, Sol, and Ny Ny Pray for our leadership and for our teachers Pray for our Ministries. Pray for Ruhl s Preschool At 10:35 will we meet in the prayer room for a time of praise and thanksgiving.
Thinking Out Loud by Rev. Blaine R. Wenger An Attitude of Gratitude This past Sunday was Veteran s Day. Since it was a Sunday, many got to take Monday as a day off work to observe it. In a little over a week, it will be Thanksgiving Day. These things together have me thinking. I remember when I was a child, mother taking my brothers, sister and me Trick or Treating. We did not live in some big neighborhood. There were no close neighbors to walk to. We would get dressed up in our costumes and pile in the car, full of excitement and expectation, and we hoped soon, candy. Then, each year, we made precisely four stops. We would go see two sets of grandparents, a great uncle and aunt, and the closest neighbor up the road. We knew all these people and they knew us. Still, we would pull in a driveway, and before we would spill out of the car, my mother would remind us, Don t forget to say thank you. Don t forget to say thank you. What an important idea. If you think about our calendar, the government (and Hallmark) seems to be trying to help us to not forget to say thank you. How many days, how many observances are there to at least in part, say thank you? Mother s Day. Father s Day. Grandparent s Day. Memorial Day. Armed Forces Day. Veteran s Day. And Thanksgiving Day. These stand out. But now, with the internet, it seems like there is a special day for just about everything and everyone. I ve seen promotions for Daughter s Day, Son s Day, Boss s Day, Secretary Day, Teacher s Day, First Responder s Day, Aunt s and Uncle s Days. (No Politician s Day, yet! Interesting.) I ve seen days for Cat s and Dog s, and Barbecue and well you get the idea. I m not saying we shouldn t give thanks for, and thank directly, many of these persons. But isn t it a little sad that we have to be reminded? We observe Veteran s Day, on the day that marks the end of World War 1. So we don t forget. So that we give thanks. But every day, we should give thanks for those who served. Their service wasn t just a one day in the year thing. Their service was every day, rain or shine. There weren t holidays or days off. We remember their service for what they did, and because they didn t stop doing it until the job was done. You can say pretty much the same thing of mothers and fathers and many others in general. My thoughts are twofold then. First, as we look back to Veteran s Day, and as we look forward to Thanksgiving Day; every day should have an element of Veteran s Day, and Thanksgiving Day, and Mother s Day, and Father s Day and on and on to all the people who have made and do make a difference in our lives. When is it not appropriate to give thanks? Secondly, if something is important, shouldn t we think ahead and plan a little? Sure, you can throw together an impromptu party. But, when something is important, don t we tend to do some planning and prep. There is a whole industry for planning weddings. And I think it is pretty normal to plan for the graduation party, for the Anniversary, etc. Instead of just planning when we want to party, to celebrate, how about a bit more planning to say thank you? I m not just talking about the big thank you s like for a teacher or volunteer who is retiring after years of service. How about thinking ahead to next week, what do I have to be thankful for? Ahead of time, before someone puts you on the spot. How about, really, giving some thought each day, to who can I thank today? What am I thankful for today? If we intentionally think ahead, even planning to be thankful, maybe less and less things will slip by everyday where we could express thanks. In other words, maybe, just maybe, if we are more and more thoughtful everyday for all that we have to be thankful for, we might find ourselves developing an attitude of gratitude that doesn t need reminded by mom, or the calendar, or social media. Maybe, just maybe we can develop an attitude of gratitude that is a part of who we are, that comes from the heart, that is natural and genuine. Today, I am thankful for. Today, I want to say thank you too. Grace and Peace, Pastor Blaine
RUHL S CHURCH CALENDAR Sunday, November 18 th 8:00am Traditional Worship Service 9:15am Sunday School for All Ages 10:30am Worship Service 6:00 7:30pm Children s Christmas Musical Practice 6:30 8:00pm IGNITE for all Youth Monday, November 19 th Tuesday, November 20 th Wednesday, November 21 st 7:00pm Community Thanksgiving Service Thursday, November 22 nd Happy Thanksgiving Friday, November 23 rd Church Office closed Saturday, November 24 th Sunday, November 25 th 8:00am - Traditional Worship Service 9:15am Sunday School for All Ages 10:30am Worship Service 6:00 7:30pm Children s Christmas Musical Practice NO IGNITE Looking Ahead Community Thanksgiving Service Wed, Nov 21 st Greening of Church, Sun. Dec 2nd Children s Christmas Program Sun, Dec 9 th Community Christmas Dinner Sat, Dec 22 nd Christmas Eve Service Mon, Dec 24 th 7:00 PM