THE CHIMES Dixboro United Methodist Church November/December 2016 Vol. LXIII No. 5 ADVENT BEGINS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27 TH I ve been sifting through my father s files (Rev. Dr. George Morris) lately, as an attempt to keep his life s work alive, even as his memory fades. The article below was written to First United Methodist Church of Peoria, Illinois in 1997, while he was Senior Pastor. I share it with you, not only because it helps put our Christmas preparations into proper perspective; it also provides an important reminder of the meaning and purpose of the Advent season: In his Homilies for the Nineties, Walter Burghardt reminds us that Advent celebrates the coming of Christ in three stages: Christ has come. Christ is here. Christ is coming again. He highlights three memorable verbs that suggest our proper response (to Christ): We remember. We repent. We rehearse. We remember because Christmas has a past. On a night we now take for granted, the whole world was turned upside down. A unique person entered our world. Not an angel. Not another prophet, but God s own Son... Since that time our earth has not been the same... In Christ Jesus, men and women need no longer be slaves to sin and Satan. So, Advent prepares us for Christmas by helping us to remember. Second, we repent, and it is a sincere repentance that brings the past into the present. If the first Christmas is to come to birth in me, if Christ is not only to live in me but come alive in me, Advent calls for a conversion. To convert means to turn, to turn from something to Someone. Concretely, to turn from self to Christ... Advent is the season to cut compromise out of our Christianity, to stop being half-hearted about the Church, about morality and love... Finally, Advent is a time to rehearse, i.e., to go through privately what will eventually happen publicly. Advent is a splendid season to rehearse the final coming of Christ in flesh no longer fragile, no longer hidden in Eucharist, to deliver the kingdom to God the Father (I Corinthians 15:24), to judge the living and the dead. But how do we prepare for something so awesome and unpredictable? We do so by living AS IF as if Christ were coming in majesty THIS VERY Christmas. I hope you will make it a priority to be with us in worship this Advent season. Together, we will remember, honor and celebrate the past. Together, we will repent turn from self to Christ. Together, we will share our hope in Christ as we rehearse his final victory over sin and death. I look forward to sharing this holy season with you. See you in worship! Rev. Tonya Arnesen Thanksgiving Baskets Dixboro UMC is planning a special hands on outreach opportunity during the Dixboro Thanksgiving Farmers Market on Tuesday, Nov. 22. From 10am-2pm, we will provide guests with free coffee & hot cocoa. We ll also be assembling 8 Turkey Dinner Baskets to be distributed to needy families in our community. Please contact Mary Turfe with questions or to volunteer to help with this outreach effort at 734-660-4494. Feel free to donate cash or food. Nov. 27 1st Sunday of Advent Dec. 4 2nd Sunday of Advent Dec. 11 3rd Sunday of Advent Dec. 18 4th Sunday of Advent Dec. 24 Christmas Eve 6pm & 8pm Dec. 25 Christmas Day Worship
Dixboro Devotional Where the Church Meets to Pray Janice Clark Read Psalm 37:1-7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him Prayer: Dear Lord, help us live all our days with Your gifts of patience and hope. Amen Focus: Learning to wait patiently My most vivid memory of waiting was when I was a 7 year-old child, waiting for my father to return home on a very warm summer evening. My father worked at Republic Steel in Canton, Ohio, and in 1937 many steel mills in the U.S. were on strike. He chose to work inside the mill instead of striking. And so he was gone from home for seven weeks, which seemed like a very long time to a little girl who loved her daddy very much. The night my father was to return home, I was allowed to get ready for bed and then sit on the porch swing with Mother to wait. We didn't know whether someone would bring him in a car or whether he would be walking from a bus stop. We also didn't know what time to expect him or from which direction he would come...only "tonight he'll be here!" Mother kept me occupied by helping me sing songs, recite rhymes, and work string puzzles on our fingers. After a while, we could make out a figure with a blanket over one arm and a cloth bag on the other arm. I wanted to run to meet him, but Mother said I'd better wait for him to come to us. Such a joyful reunion! We spend a great deal of our lives waiting- in anticipation, in anxiety, with patience, and also with impatience. Sometimes the waiting is difficult. We wait for medical reports, wait to hear about a new job, wait in line at the grocery store, and wait for the traffic light to change. At other times, waiting is happy anticipation. We wait for joyful special occasions, something wonderful to come out of the oven, reunions with family and friends, and for the birth of the Christ Child. Psalm 37 reminds us that our Lord offers companionship and comfort while we are waiting, whatever the circumstances may be. Want to Share Your Story? If you would like to participate in the Dixboro Devotionals, please contact Mary Turfe: maryt810@yahoo.com www.dixborochurch.org Don t Forget to Check Our Website! Check our website regularly to stay up to date with what s going on with our church. We have the calendar, pictures, sermon videos, and news posted regularly. You will also find our weekly bulletins along with this CHIMES (and previous editions) for view and download. Youth Christmas Program Sunday: December 11 You re invited to A Charlie Brown Christmas Pageant presented by the DUMC youth with a couple of opening acts from our youngest DUMC family. The program will begin at 5PM, and a spaghetti dinner will follow in the Fellowship Hall, proceeds will support Motown Mission Experience. Christmas Day Sunday, December 25 at 10am Every 5 years Christmas Day lands on Sunday morning, and this is one of those years. Please join us on Sunday morning as we celebrate the birth of Christ on his birthday! What a joy we have to be able to worship together on Christmas morning. Come in your pj s if you would like, bring your favorite Christmas gift, be ready to sing, and hear about God s SALVATION to the World! Rev. Tonya M. Arnesen Lead Pastor Rev. Mary Hagley Minister of Children and Youth Rev. Cathy Freeman Deacon Emeritus Zack Belsky Director of Music Ministry Administrative Assistant dumc@dixborochurch.org Like us on Facebook! (734) 665-5632 5221 Church Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48105
3rd Grade Bible Presentations September 25 We had a beautiful celebration of our 3rd Graders receiving Bibles this year. Brooke Burns and Callen Savage were thrilled to receive their Bibles from the church. They have been reading them every day starting from the beginning. In, Michelle Cox, (their teacher) is walking them through how to use their Bibles, and they are loving it! What joy it is to witness Brooke and Callen s excitement to reading God s Word! During our worship service we invited the congregation to share with each other about their favorite Bible with the people sitting near them. Our teachers, whom we recognized that day too, had the privilege to share with the kids. Our teachers are Patty Fragner, Marilyn Pobanz, Michelle Cox, Janice Tuckett, Harold Tuckett, Aileen BeMent, and Brent Howlett. We also welcomed three new members Carol Barnett, Mark and Susan Obert. CROP Hunger Walk We had a beautiful walk through Ann Arbor on Sunday, September 25. The youth were challenged by a congregation member to invite as many friends as possible and she would donate $10 for every person who walked. Our youth invited about 8 friends to walk to end hunger! In total we had 26 Walkers (12 youth and 14 adults) and crushed our goal by raising $2,619. God is good, all the time!! Pennies for Haiti Thank you for your generous love offering for Haiti! We collected $468 in change, plus another $2,000 special giving. All of this money will go to UMCOR who is leading the post-hurricane Matthew relief efforts in Haiti. Thank you!
First Responders Thank-You Picnic
Mission Immersion Day, October 9 This was a great day of being God s Hands and Feet in the world, as we focused Risk-Taking Mission and Service! We had 7 projects: Neighborhood Canned Food Drive (183lbs of food for Food Gatherers), Pizza to First Responders, 2 clean up projects, letter writing to shut-ins and members, building duck houses, and serving at the Soup Kitchen. History of the Christmas Cookie Jayne Worth-Howlett Long before Christmas, ancient cooks prepared sweet baked goods to celebrate the winter solstice. By the Middle Ages, the Christmas holiday had overtaken solstice rituals throughout much of present day Europe, but the old feast traditions remained. Spices like ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper were starting to be widely used and were quickly incorporated into holiday baked goods. German lebkuchen (gingerbread) is thought to be the first cookie traditionally associated with Christmas. However, gingerbread men are credited to Queen Elizabeth I of England who had gingerbread molded into the shapes of her favorite courtiers. Dutch settlers introduced Christmas cookies to the "free land" in the early 17th century. Here's a recipe for 'Christmas Cookey' from Amelia Simmons' 1796 cookbook, "American Cookery. 'To three pounds of flour, sprinkle a tea cup of fine powdered coriander seed, rub in one pound of butter, and one and a half pound sugar, dissolve one tea spoonful of pearl ash [a rising agent] in a tea cup of milk, kneed all together well, roll three quarters of an inch thick, and cut or stamp into shape and slice you please, bake slowly 15 or 20 minutes; tho' hard and dry at first, if put in an earthen pot, and dry cellar, or damp room, they will be finer, softer and better when six months old.' It may be too late to try out Mrs. Simmons' recipe for your Christmas 2016 cookie plate, so check out the UMW Cookie Walk on December 11 for an assortment of (freshly made) treats. Happy eating!
Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat, October 21 We had a beautiful fall evening for our Trunk or Treat fun night on the Dixboro Village Green! We welcomed over 300 kids from the community in their amazing costumes. The Dixboro Farmer s Market does a count of people every market, and at the Fall Festival they estimated 1,100 people came for a fun evening! Thanks be to God! We had 21 trunks uniquely decorated. Our trophy went to the youth for The Nightmare Before Christmas theme, our two top winners of a $10 Dixboro General Store gift card went to Patty Fragner (The Wizard of Oz theme) and Marian Robinson (Scarecrow and pumpkin display) and our next prize - a $5 Moonwinks gift card -went to Tammy Bargo (Michigan Tailgate theme). All gift cards were donated. Thank you to Ken and Shirley Koch for letting us use your hay bales for the maze and the hayride wagon. Also thank you to Ed Martin for driving the hayride 8 times, and Chris Martin for driving the Friendly Ghost train countless times! And finally thank you to everyone who decorated their trunks, handed out candy, and created a fun and safe atmosphere for our children to enjoy!!
Annual Turkey Dinner October 15 Hats and Mittens Oct. 24 Eighteen women of the church cut and sewed hats and mittens. There will be more than 30 warm heads and more than 60 hands that will be warm this winter as a result of fun, fellowship and a spirit of helping others. Thank you all for cutting, pinning and sewing. Hugs, Shirley Koch Carole Buttrum
Trivia Night, November 4 Thank you to everyone who attended and helped with Trivia Night! A great time was had by all and proceeds will go to DUMC Missions. Congratulations to Tom and Cathy Freeman, Meredith Burr and Barb Scheffer who won the game. Next Trivia Night will be posted soon-hope to see you there! DUMY Events: November 13 DUMY 11:30-2pm Making Snow people for Christmas Dinner/Nursing Home Residents December 4 DUMY 11:30-2pm College Care Packages & Rehearsal for play December 11 Christmas Program and Dinner 5pm **Stay all day** DUMY will pick up after the New Year! Schedule Date PK-Kindergarten 1 st -5 th Grade Youth (6 th -12 th ) November 6 Lord s Prayer Lesson #1 Learning the Bible Lesson #1 November 13 Lord s Prayer Lesson #2 Learning the Bible Lesson #2 November 20 Meal Prayer Pail Learning the Bible Lesson #3 November 27 Mary s Story Lesson #1 Learning the Bible Lesson #4 December 4 Joseph s Story Lesson #2 Learning the Bible Lesson #5 December 11 Jesus Story Lesson #3 Learning the Bible Lesson #6 December 18 Shepherd s Story Lesson #4 Christmas Celebration & Cantata Rehearsal December 25 No January 1 No January 8 Search for the King Lesson #5 Learning the Bible Lesson #7
History Corner Susan D. Engle Rev. Ronald Alvord Brunger (1911 2001) Last week I began to de-clutter and reorganize part of the History Corner. In the process, I came across this newspaper obituary for Rev. Ronald A. Brunger. He wrote this church s history during his pastorate, 1937 1940. I transcribed and posted it to his Find A Grave memorial (findagrave.com - memorial # 54369018) the other day, along with complete birth and death dates and places: [Ann Arbor News: Obituary, published in 2001:] Brunger, Rev. Ronald A. Chelsea, MI "A minister of the United Methodist Church who served pastorates throughout Michigan during his long career and who also made significant contributions to the study of church history in Michigan, died on Saturday, September 29, 2001 in Chelsea, Michigan. Reverend Brunger had been a resident at the Chelsea Retirement Community since 1992 and had been in the nursing unit since April 1995 when he had suffered a severe stroke. He was 90 years old at the time of his death. Reverend Brunger was ordained in 1937, and he served as a full-time pastor for the next 42 years. He officially retired in 1979, but he continued to serve in a part-time and supportive capacity for another 16 years. His appointments were geographically spread throughout the state during those years, predominantly in rural and small town parishes, and he was the only person ever to serve in all seven districts of the Detroit Conference. Reverend Brunger developed a special interest in matters related to the history of the Methodist Church in Michigan, and he was an acknowledged expert about the circuit riders who provided ministerial services to the scattered white residents and the missionaries who served native Americans in frontier Michigan. He participated very actively in the Michigan Methodist Historical Society throughout most of his ministry. In this capacity he wrote extensively on a variety of local and state church history topics, and, with the particular assistance of his wife, Florine, made important contributions to the organization and maintenance of the Church's archives at Adrian College. Ronald was the oldest of the five children of Clifford Irving Brunger and Ethel Alice (Gould) Brunger who survived childhood. He was born on May 14, 1911 in Newberry, Michigan, but the family soon moved to the family farm near Grand Ledge, Michigan, where Ronald grew up, attending first a one-room schoolhouse and later graduating as the valedictorian of Grand Ledge High School. He received his bachelor's degree at Albion College before going east to receive a master of Sacred Theology degree at Boston University. He returned to Michigan to commence his career in 1937. Shortly after that, he met his wife, Florine Lebirda Hurst in Ann Arbor; they were married there on May 19, 1940. Florine preceded Ronald in death on December 6, 2000. There are three living children, Richard of San Antonio, Texas; Robert of Tallahassee, Florida; and Bonnie Beth Reed of South Boardman, Michigan. Through Bonnie Beth, there are two grandchildren, Holly Beth and Andrew Lee Reed. Ronald's three surviving siblings are: Clarence Brunger, of Grand Ledge, Michigan; Harry Brunger, of Claremont, California; and Alice Bouknight, of Savannah, Georgia. The funeral is being arranged by the COLE FUNERAL CHAPEL (734-475-1551) and will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, October 5 in the Chelsea Retirement Community Chapel, with Rev. Richard Dake officiating. There will also be a viewing of the body at the Funeral Chapel on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. At the request of the family, memorial contributions may be made to the Chelsea Retirement Community, the United Methodist Outdoor Education Fund, or the Friends of the Michigan Methodist Archives." The other tribute to Brunger s life was published in the Detroit Annual Conference journal, 2002, p. 239: "Ronald Alvord Brunger was born May 14, 1911, in Newberry, Michigan, to Clifford and Ethel Brunger. He graduated from Grand Ledge High School, Albion College and Boston University with a Masters of Theology degree. He married Florine Lebirda Hurst May 19, 1940 and she preceded him in death. Ronald served churches in Dixboro, Garden City, Dexter, North Lake, Newberry, McMillan, Hulbert, Boyne City, Boyne Falls, Stephenson, Ingalls, Tecumseh, Dundee, Azalia, Marysville, Fowlerville, Saginaw: Sheridan, Burt, Rochester: St. Paul s, Salem Grove and Chelsea. He was an active participant in the Michigan Methodist Historical Society throughout his ministry. He died September 29, 2001, at Chelsea Retirement Community at age 90. Three children." The Reverend Brunger s portrait hangs in the gallery between the sanctuary and Fellowship hall.
NOVEMBER Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 Italian Cooking - WCC 3 Tai Chi - WCC 4 TRIVIA NIGHT 7:30pm 5 6 Worship 7 8 All Day Superior Township Election 9 Italian Cooking - WCC 10 Tai Chi - WCC 11 12 VCI Learning 13 Worship 11:30 DUMW 11:30 DUMYouth 14 15 16 Italian Cooking - WCC 17 Tai Chi - WCC 18 19 Michigan Folk School 20 Worship 11:30 am VCI Home Team Meeting 21 1:00 pm Abigail Circle 22 Thanksgiving Farmers Market 23 Italian Cooking - WCC 24 Happy Thanksgiving! Office Closed 25 Office Closed 26 27 Worship 11:30 am Church Council 28 29 30 Bold = Dixboro Church Events Italic = Community Events Please visit dixborochurch.org for more information, and the most up-to-date calendar. dumc@dixborochurch.org
DECEMBER Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 Michigan Folk School - WCC 6:00 pm Shyam Nyati Birthday Party 4 Worship 11:30 am Pizza with the Pastor 11:30 am DUMYouth 5 6 7 Italian Cooking - WCC 8 6:30pm SPRC 7:00 pm Church Conference 9 10 8:00 am Holiday Farmers Market VCI Learning 11 Worship 11:00 am Cookie Walk 1:30 pm Caroling at Superior Woods Nursing Home 5:00 pm Christmas Program & Spaghetti Dinner 12 13 14 15 11:30 am Ladies Christmas Tea 16 17 Michigan Folk School - WCC 18 Worship - A Christmas Carol in Bethlehem 19 1:00 pm Abigail Circle 20 21 22 23 24 6:00 pm Christmas Eve Service 8:00 pm Christmas Eve Service 25 Christmas Worship Service Merry Christmas! 26 Office Closed 27 28 29 30 31 Bold = Dixboro Church Events Italic = Community Events Please visit dixborochurch.org for more information, and the most up-to-date calendar. dumc@dixborochurch.org
Rev. Tonya M. Arnesen, Lead Pastor Rev. Mary Hagley, Minister of Children and Youth Rev. Cathy Freeman, Deacon Emeritus Church Phone: (734) 665-5632 Worship Schedule: for All Ages at 9:00am Sunday Worship at 10:00am Email: dumc@dixborochurch.org Web site: www.dixborochurch.org The mission of the Dixboro United Methodist Church is to develop and sustain disciples of Jesus Christ through worship, education, outreach, and nurture. IF YOU NO LONGER WISH TO RECEIVE THIS PUBLICATION, PLEASE CALL 734-665-5632 Dixboro United Methodist Church 5221 Church Road Ann Arbor, MI 48105 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED THE CHIMES DIXBORO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER November/December 2016