THE RESPONSIVE READER PASTOR S PAGE DECEMBER 2017 Church Family, It s the most wonderful time of the year. We are entering Advent and Christmas seasons. During Advent, we await the coming of Christ, both the birth of Jesus and the return of Jesus. At Christmas, we celebrate Emmanuel, God with us, and what that means for us. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 Perhaps you are like me and have experienced separation from your loved ones in your life. Your loved ones may be you cousins you were close to growing up, friends you haven t spoken with in years, or a neighbor you have just been too busy to stop and have coffee with. The cause of this separation may have just been life gradually pulling you away from each other, perhaps something happened that has created bitterness between you, or maybe it was something else. The beautiful thing about Emmanuel is that it brings all together in God. God can reconcile long lost friends, bitter family members, or even strangers. This is the good news that Christmas brings, that in Jesus, we can all be together celebrating the Savior of the world. We do this together as a family, the family of Christ gathered together by the Holy Spirit to bring us home to the Father. This time of the year makes us think about home. Whether it is the way home used to be when we were children or what it will be like this year. Home is a place where we can be with others whom we share mutual love and care for. This Advent season, let us invite people to come home for Christmas. Invite the community, your friends, and family home to our church through your Christmas greeting cards, cookies, and other gifts of love and care. As Christians we rely upon love of God that we may share love with all others, no matter our history together or lack thereof. Your Servant in Christ, Rev. Daniel Eplee INSIDE THIS ISSUE: BIRTHDAYS/ ANNIVERSARIES 2 CHURCH STEWARDS 3 UPCOMING EVENTS 4 ORGANIZATIONS 5 TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS 6 COUNCIL MINUTES 7 CHURCH CALENDAR 9
DECEMBER 2017 PAGE 2 BIRTHDAY WISHES 1 Tommy Barrett 17 Elaine Bedenbaugh 4 Lee Bedenbaugh Amber Surerus 5 Emily Livingston Nolan O neal 6 Ashley D. Stockton 19 Jeremy Graham Reese Sanders 20 Stephanie Graham 7 Emilee Parr Travis Grimsley 8 Jimmy Delk Charlotte Delk 10 Chandler Berry 23 Daniel Eplee 13 Chris LaCons 25 Brenda Bass 14 Donnie Graham 29 Vickie Clanton Craig Livingston Aaron Livingston 16 Tina Porter Ann-Marie Carlisle 31 Haley Davis ANNIVERSARIES 3 Terry and Marilyn Rawls 9 Kurt and Melissa Long 19 James and Judy Long 27 Bill and Melanie Wyatt
DECEMBER 2017 PAGE 3 FLOWERS 3 Vickie Clanton in memory of Larry Stewart 10 Men s Club 17 Poinsettias by the congregation 24 Poinsettias by the congregation 31 UMW COMMUNION STEWARDS Stanley and Zalia Hawkins USHERS 3 Lee Bedenbaugh / Aaron Livingston 10 Marty Livingston / Russell Hawkins 17 Billy Waites / Buddy Livingston 24 Terry Rawls / Lee Bedenbaugh 31 Michael Davis / Kurt Long GREETERS 3 Danny & Jenny Stone 10 Terry & Marilyn Rawls 17 John & Judy Amick 24 Shane & Linda Livingston 31 Lee & Elaine Bedenbaugh ACOLYTES 3 Kursten Long 10 Bridger Boulware 17 Emily Hawkins 24 Kaleb Hesson 31 Kursten Long WALL-O-MONEY Don t forget to take an envelope or two from the wallo-money in the back of the church. The goal would be to have all envelopes taken and returned with donations inside by the beginning of the new year. If all envelopes are taken and returned by the end of the year we would raise over $5,000.00 for the expansion fund.
D ECEMBER 2017 P AGE 4 The Outreach Committee will begin collecting again in September for the Backpack Ministry. This food is sent home with children from Pomaria-Garmany Elementary to ensure they have food over the weekend. December s request is: CapriSun pouches Matthew 25:37 **Also, remember the Pomaria Community Food Bank when doing your grocery shopping. UPCOMING EVENTS Christmas Card Drop Box. A drop box will be placed in the vestibule for Christmas cards to be delivered to golden-agers or shut-ins of the congregation during the week before Christmas. Last day to place cards in the box will be Sunday, December 17th. Advent Bible Study.. Pastor Daniel will be conducting an Advent Bible Study on Wednesday evenings @ 7pm in the fellowship hall during the season of Advent. Everyone is invited to attend. Middle Agers Christmas Social A Christmas social will be held at the home of Lee & Elaine Bedenbaugh on Saturday, December 9th, @ 6pm. Wear your favorite tacky Christmas shirt/ sweater and come enjoy the fun and fellowship! Everyone is asked to bring a finger food to share. Golden Agers Christmas Dinner. The annual Christmas dinner for the Golden-Agers of the congregation will be held on Sunday, December 10th @ 5:30pm in the fellowship hall. There will fun, fellowship and entertainment. Christmas Program. The annual Christmas program will be held on Sunday, December 17th @ 6pm. The program will be followed by a covered dish supper and a visit from Santa. Women s Prayer Breakfast.. All ladies of the congregation are invited to join the prayer breakfast on 12/21 @ 8am. Bring a friend and come join in the fellowship. Christmas Eve Services. The traditional candlelight service will be held at 9pm, in addition to morning worship on Christmas Eve. *** Newsletters available via email. It s not too late to sign up if you d like to begin receiving your newsletter via email instead of a paper copy, please send your name and email address to bedenbaughs@gmail.com.
DECEMBER 2017 PAGE 5 MEN S CLUB UNITED METHODIST WOMEN The men s club will meet on Sunday, December 3rd @ 8am in the fellowship hall. All men of the congregation are invited to participate. The UMW will be sponsoring a monthly women s prayer breakfast. It will be held the Thursday after the third Sunday each month at 8:00am. This month it will be held on 12/21. This is open to all women of the church. Come and bring a friend for fellowship to start your day! UMYF Kids in Christ A youth Christmas gathering will be held. Details to be announced. Kids in Christ will be having a Birthday Party for Jesus at 10:00am in the fellowship hall on Sunday, December 17th. Everyone who attends is asked to bring a $5 gift for an exchange. SOC GROUP GO GROUP The SOC Group will be meeting for their Christmas social on Friday, December 8th, 6:30pm at the home of John & Judy Amick. Everyone needs to bring 3 prizes, your gifts and a heavy finger foods. The GO Group will be having their Christmas social on Thursday, December 7th, at noon at the home of John & Judy Amick. WORDS OF WISDOM.. WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM.
2018 Service Opportunities.. It s that time of year again If you d like to be added or make changes on any of the following list of service for the coming year, please let Elaine know by December 10th. ***Greeters ***Ushers ***Alcolytes ***Flower List *** Yard Maintenance ***Communion Stewards
MINUTES NEW HOPE UMC ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL MEETING November 5, 2017 Attending were: Lee, Elaine, Robert, Gary, Zalia, Terry, Larry, Dianne and Pastor Daniel. Lee welcomed everyone and Pastor Daniel opened the meeting with prayer. The minutes from the October meeting were presented and approved. The treasurer s report was presented as follows: Maintenance fund --- $31,052.11; Operating Fund --- beginning balance of $125,059.63, income of $7,824.68, expenses of $5,972.75 ending balance of $126,911.53 ; Building expansion fund -- $192,362.72; the charge account balance was reported as $478.28 and the reimbursement account balance was $500.14. Committee Reports: Church Education ------ No report. Family Ministries ---- The committee met and finalized details for the Fall Festival. The Christmas program will be on 12/17 Gary and Samantha will be directing the program this year. Nurture ------ The committee will meet in November. PPRC ----- The committee met on 10/23 to discuss and set the pastoral compensation plan for the upcoming year. There was discussion on the split of compensation between the charge. The split will remain the same for the coming year. The subject will be revisited in 2018. Parsonage Committee ----- No report. SOC ---- The group will meet on 11/12. They will host the annual Christmas dinner for the golden agers on Sunday, 12/10 @ 5:30. Trustees ------- The floor in the fellowship hall has been repaired. Men s Club ---- The group met on 11/5. They will be completing approx. 50 more health kits for victims of the hurricanes. They will also be sponsoring a lunch for members of the congregation on 11/26 following the morning worship service. UMW ------- The group will hold a prayer breakfast for all the ladies of the congregation on 11/16 @ 8am. Worship ------ The committee met and planned worship services for the month of November. The Thanksgiving Eve service will be held on 11/22 @ 7pm. Turkey stew will be served followed by a brief Thanksgiving meditation. The Chrismon tree will be put up on 11/30. The committee will meet again on 11/14. UMYF ------ The group met on 10/22. Two attended which is promising. Another meeting/ outing is scheduled for November. GO Group -------- The GO group will meet on 11/9 at the home of John and Judy Amick. Outreach Committee -------- The annual Pomaria Gives Thanks service will be held on 11/19 @ 5pm at Pomaria Garmany Elementary. The food bank will also be providing holiday food baskets for families in need. We will try to provide the fixings for 10 baskets. (the list of needed items will be in the bulletin) Council also voted to give a $200 donation to help purchase turkeys/hams for the baskets.
Pastor s Report: Pastor Daniel reported on the following topics: 1) he tried to reach out to neighboring churches about an Advent Bible study not a good response. He will be conducting an Advent Bible study for New Hope and Capers on Wednesday evenings beginning 11/29. 2) Arabella will be baptized on 11/12 Rev. Terry Fleming and Amanda Richardson will be leading worship that day; 3) Chloe Grace Simmons will be baptized on 12/31; 4) he began serving in a clinical pastoral education program at Self Regional Hospital in Greenwood at the end of October, it will last until 5/31; 5) on 10/28 the bishop visited the Greenwood district --- Capers Chapel is planning to have a congregational development meeting with a district representative in January would New Hope be interested in participating?; 6) he will begin the drive for more Bibles for the pew racks in the sanctuary in January. Project Reports: Sunday School Room / Fellowship Hall Expansion --- Upcoming/Ongoing events: 1) Wall-of-money donations are coming in; 2) Yard sale on 11/18; 3) Shealy s BBQ supper in February. Vinyl siding repair/cleaning --- Joel Yarborough and Trey Simmons will be cleaning the siding on the church building. Trey may begin cleaning the lower areas this week. (depending on the weather) Stained Glass window repair --- The repair work on the windows is scheduled for 11/7-11/8 if the weather allows. Old Business Letters were sent out to six individuals to receive quotes on cleaning the sanctuary/fellowship hall on a regular basis. Bids were received from three individuals. The lowest bid was for $175 per month. Council approved the bid. The carpet and pews in the sanctuary have been cleaned. New Business Adjourn The bread cloths used for Communion were missing. Zalia has donated new cloths. There will be another council meeting on 11/15 @ 7pm to approve the 2018 budget and review nominations report prior to charge conference. The meeting was adjourned by Lee.
DECEMBER 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 Men s Club Breakfast @ 8am in the fellowship hall 4 Christmas Program Practice @ 7pm 5 6 Advent Bible Study@ 7pm 7 GO group @ noon at the home of John & Judy Amick 8 SOC Christmas Social @ 6:30pm at the home of John & Judy Amick 9 Middle- Agers Christmas Social @ 6pm 10 Golden Agers Christmas Dinner @ 5:30pm in the fellowship hall 11 Christmas Program Practice @ 7pm 12 Worship Committee Mtg. @ 7pm 13 Advent Bible Study@7pm 14 15 16 17 Birthday Party for Jesus @10am Christmas Program followed by a covered dish dinner @ 6pm 18 19 20 Advent Bible Study@ 7pm 21 Women s Prayer Breakfast @ 8am in the fellowship hall 22 23 24 Morning Worship @ 11am Christmas Eve Candlelight service @ 9pm 25 Merry Christmas! 26 27 28 29 30 31
Happenings at New Hope Advent Bible Study Wednesday nights @ 7pm 12/9 Middle-Agers Christmas Social 12/10 Golden-Agers Christmas Dinner 12/17 Christmas Program @ 6pm 12/21 Women s Prayer Breakfast @ 8am *** Check inside for organizations and committees meeting times and dates. New Hope United Methodist Church Established 1795 Pomaria, South Carolina New Hope United Methodist Church 3777 New Hope Road Pomaria, SC 29126 (church) 331 Holloway Street Pomaria, SC 29126 Parsonage Phone: 803-276-4200 E-mail: admin@newhope-umc.org