Volume 14 Issue 11 T HE V I S I T O R Newsletter Date November 2016 I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Attendance/Stewardship 3 Birthdays 4 Children s Ministries 2 UMW News 4 Youth New 2 UPCOMING EVENTS November 2 9 am Prayer Shawl 10 am UMW Meeting 11:30 am UMW Luncheon November 5 5p Youth Rake & Run November 6 Daylight Savings Time Ends Fall Back 1 hour Memorial Sundat November 8 Election Day November 11 Veterans Day November 12 8a UMW Bazaar November 13 Prayer for Persecuted Church November 17 6p Trustees November 20 9:30a Sunday School 10:30a United Worship Service FLC November 21 6p Finance Committee 7p Church Council November 24 Thanksgiving Day Dear Friends, From the Pastor s Desk Do you remember the old hymn Count Your Blessings? It calls us to name them one by one. It reminds us that doing so helps us recall all that God has done. I think that is still great counsel for each one of us today. We all face the temptation of either passing by all the blessings of life without paying attention and giving thanks or even worse assuming we deserved all those blessings in some way. November is the month that calls us to pause and remember. Obviously, we aren t just to do it in November, but there are specific days ahead that slow us down and escort us into a room of thankful remembering. Three of those days fall on a Sunday. Sunday, November 6, we will spend time as a church family pausing to remember and give thanks for those who have gone on to be with the Lord in the past 12 months since last All Saints Day, which is November 1. As is true each year, this time will be very special, indeed. Our goal is not to raise up the sadness at their passing, but to recollect the joy and impact of their living among us. We will memorialize those who were part of our church and then we will remember family and friends we have lost who were not actually part of Christ Church. Finally, we will remember the martyrs of the Church of this year. Our Communion offering that day will go to flood relief efforts in Haiti and North Carolina. The second day of thankful remembering will be on November 13. That Sunday we will join Christians all around the world in praying for those brothers and sisters in the faith who are being persecuted simply because they are Christians. We take our religious freedom so much for granted here in America. That privilege is not shared by all Christians around the world, and we will take time to be reminded of our blessings and also our responsibility to pray for the persecuted church in other parts of the world. On Sunday, November 20, we will all come together as one congregation to worship in a United Service. We will alter the morning schedule a bit Sunday School at 9:30 and Worship at 10:30. Our service will be in the Family Life Center since it can accommodate us all at one time. I hope you will plan to be there as we worship and celebrate as one body. Oh yes, there is also a certain Thursday coming up! I hope you will have the opportunity to be with family and friends on Thanksgiving Day. Remember, we don t prove we are thankful primarily by the words we give but by the lives we live. Be sure to Count Your Blessings. Take time to name them. Share them with others and remember those who shared with you. Your friend, Pastor David P.S. Thank you for all the pastor appreciation gifts and cards. Contact numbers for Pastor David & Pam David s cell 270-791-4967 Pam s cell 270-799-1083 November 27 Hanging of the Green Christ United Methodist Church Exists to: Connect Persons to God and to One Another (Worship/Fellowship) Help Meet Needs (Service/Every Member a Minister) Reach Out to Share Jesus Christ (Evangelism) Instruct in Christian Growth (Discipleship) Send Persons in Ministry (Missions) Transform the Community of Bowling Green
Page 2 Volume 14 Issue 11 Children s Ministry Youth Back to the Beach! (VBS Reprise) has been scheduled. Please join us on December 27 th and 28th as we enjoy, once again, some of our favorite music, songs and crafts from this past summer s Surf Shack VBS. The program will run for 2 days from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 noon. Please let Patty know how you can help! Our annual Advent/Christmas Workshop for children ages 3 years through 2 nd grade has been scheduled for Friday, November 18 th. We will meet from 6:00 pm 7:30 pm. We will learn about the Christian traditions of the season, read Christmas stories and craft some Christmas treasures! Pizza will be served. A sign-up sheet is on the Bulletin Board in the YCC. Parents are welcome, but not required, to stay. Tell Me the Story of Christmas (this year s Children s Christmas Play) will be performed on Sunday, December 4 th @ 6pm in the Sanctuary. Mark your calendars! Play practices are being held on Wednesday evenings at 6pm. A Christmas Mitten Tree will be set up in the YCC during the 1 st week of December. We will again decorate our tree with newly purchased hats and mittens your children bring in to donate to children in need. The hats and mittens collected will be sent to the Foundry and HOTEL for distribution. Thank you, for being part of this program! Thank you to everyone for the sweet gifts for pastor appreciation. Patty November 5 RAKE & RUN Message from Pastor Michael As this newsletter comes out we are moving out of Pumpkin Spice Latte season and into Peppermint Latte and Caramel Machiatto season. It is indeed a wonderful time of year! Some may even say it is the most wonderful of all seasons. Even more important than our seasonal coffee choices though,( I ll pause here to let our astonishment pass at something being more magical than seasonal coffee) is that we are moving quickly into the season of Advent and Christmas. During this season our student ministry activities will change fairly drastically and there will be a number of events and outings to look forward to: 12/04/2016 - We won t have youth but want to strongly encourage everyone to come out and support our Children s Ministry in their Christmas play. 12/11/2016 - Opryland Hotel Scavenger Hunt Night 12/18/2016 - Youth Progressive Supper We also need to begin looking ahead to Winter Blitz in January. I will be reserving rooms soon. The deadline to sign up and get the early bird price is Sunday, November 27. So let us know soon if your student is planning to go..
The Visitor O UR S T E W A R D S H I P A N D A T T E N D A N C E O C T O B E R 2016 Budget for the Year $570,011 Needed per Week $10,962 Received Oct 2 $ 8,790 Oct 9 $17,100 Oct 16 $ 7,653 Oct 23 $ 4,394 Oct 30 $12,319 Budget to Date $ 482,316 Received to Date $ 469,772 Building Fund Loan Balance $123,687 Received October 2016 $1,315 Received 2016 $48,198 STEWARDSHIP OF ATTENDANCE S.S. 8:45 10:00 11:00 Oct 2 148 109 UnitedService Oct 9 127 137 92 Oct 16 119 150 105 Oct 23 138 137 90 Oct 30 116 141 121 If you are interested in electronic giving, log on to our website at www.christumcbg.org to find a link to set up your account. A special thanks for your generous giving. Due to your generous donations We were able to send $750 To the Bolivia Evangelical Band If you have an old band instrument that you would like to donate to Bolivia Evangelical please bring it by the church office. Servants for November Greeters 8:45 Service Tammy Davis & Linda Lohmann 11:00 Service Shan Winquist, Gloria Moore Janice Shaw, Carrie Bolton Communion Servers 8:45 Service Bob & Bonnie Bezkor Richard & Gloria Strout 11:00 Service Shan Winquist, Gloria Moore Janice Shaw, Carrie Bolton Building Lockup Shan Winquist Prison Fellowship Angel Tree Page 3 It s that time again when our church buys and delivers Christmas gifts for children who have a parent who is incarcerated.. These children live in Warren or a surrounding Co. The gifts are bought on behalf of the incarcerated parent, in hopes the child knows that parent is remembering them at this special time of year. Paper angels will be on Christmas trees in both services for you to choose from. Angels can be picked either Sunday Nov 20 or Nov 27. Each child will have two angels on the tree. One angel will have a suggestion of a toy item and the other a clothing suggestion. After you choose an angel you will register with a volunteer at the tree and then purchase (please keep purchase @ $25 per gift) and wrap your gift returning them no later than Dec 4. Some of the gifts will be delivered that very day! If you would like to help on Dec 4 or in delivering the gifts please let me know. Thank you ahead for what I know will be a tremendous outpouring of love for this ministry. With Deep Appreciation, Pam Grout 270-799-1083
Page 4 Volume 14 Issue 11 November Birthdays UMW Tammy Davis 11/2 Martha Jackson 11/2 Larry Byrd 11/4 Troy Guthrie 11/6 Taylor Gulley 11/6 Sandy Hartman 11/8 Bonnie Hanes 11/9 Marilyn Miller 11/9 Bethanne Jones 11/10 Steve Kavanaugh 11/15 Connie Pittman 11/15 Carmen Cogan 11/16 Marie Nilda-Cann 11/18 Pat Keller 11/18 Amanda Reckard 11/18 Ralph Dragoo 11/21 Linda Bragg 11/23 Matt Moore 11/23 Jim Smith 11/26 Kevin Brooks 11/27 Anita Cataline 11/28 Sara Gulley 11/28 Phyllis Laflin 11/29 If you would like your birthday listed in The Visitor, please call the church office O C T O B E R B I R T H D A Y S United Methodist Adult Fellowship The UMAF will attend the Franklin Mennonite School Benefit Supper on Friday November 4 at 4pm near Auburn. A delicious home-cooked meal is always served. Cost is a Donation to the school. Sign up sheet in the connection area.
Page 5 Volume C lean out your closets for Grandma s Attic, prepare your favorite treat for the Bake Sale and come celebrate with us. The purpose of the bazaar is to raise funds for missions. As in years past, we are asking the congregation to support us in t his effort. Grandma s Attic Items will be accepted on Friday, November 11 (priced, please) from 8am-noon. Sing-up sheets are in the connection area and there are plenty of ways you can help. Breakfast served by UM Men Lunch served by Youth (proceeds for Youth Projects United Service November 20 Sunday School 9:30 am Worship in FLC 10:30 am
Page 6 Volume 14 Issue 11 Mission Minute From Jennifer Taylor & Judi Kavanaugh Christian sympathy to the family of Parker Jane Foley. Parents-Sean & Tabitha Foley Sister-Josephine Brother-Lincoln Grandparents Bob & Darlene Conrad Great Grandmother Charlotte Powell Aunts Taryn & Taylor Conrad H.O.T.E.L, I.N.C The Salvation Army has a mission to preach the Gospel of Jesus and meet human needs in Jesus' name, without discrimination. Their phone number is 270-843-3485 and their website is http://salvationarmykentucky.org/bowlinggreen/. They post client specific needs on their Facebook page as they occur. General current needs are personal hygiene items and new or gently used pillows for the shelter. The Salvation Army also needs help the day before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Day with special meals. They need volunteers for the Angel Tree table in the mall. To volunteer in these or other capacities call Heather or Jennifer at the above number. To volunteer to be a bell ringer beginning in mid November, call Captain John Phil Winter at the above number after October 31st. M.E.A.L.S., Inc. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me... Matthew 25:35 It is a very sad and tragic situation to be in a position to not have enough to eat at any time of the year. It is particularly distressing during the holidays when so much of our celebration is based on special meals with loved ones. Once again this year, M.E.A.L.S., Inc. will provide a Christmas Food Box to each family served by our ministry. It will contain a ham or turkey along with the other items needed for a traditional Christmas dinner. In addition, we are including some other items that will enable our recipients to have a few other meals during this special holiday time. This year CUMC is responsible for providing saltine crackers for the Christmas box. They can use the crackers with the can of soup and jar of peanut butter that will also be in the box. We need 75 boxes of crackers. Each box should contain 4 sleeves of crackers, since we will put one sleeve of crackers in each Christmas Dinner Box. A Cracker Collection Box is located in the entryway to both the Sanctuary and the FLC. We prayerfully ask for your support in this collection process as we strive to feed our neighbors who do not have enough to eat and share Christmas love with our friends through the gift of food. If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Helen Terry @ (270) 991-9075 or (270) 745-0943. Our next opportunity to serve with this wonderful ministry is Saturday, December 10 th.
Page 7 Volume 14 Issue 11 Memorial CONTRIBUTIONS In Memory of Margaret Taylor We are reminded in our baptismal covenant of the many ways God redeems, restores, and saves God s people when they go through difficult waters. Water can be both gift and devastation. We ve seen this in the aftermath of hurricane Matthew in Haiti and North Carolina. Through our generosity, we the people called The United Methodist Church in Kentucky can be a blessing to those who suffer. I am certain that we have been, and will continue to, pray for people who are dealing with the aftermath of this killer storm that has displaced so many people. However, there comes a time when more than prayers are called for. Therefore, as your Bishop, I am calling on each church to receive a special offering on a Sunday of your choosing in November for Kentucky s gift of recovery to Haiti and North Carolina. We are the baptized people connected by Jesus Christ, the living water, who speaks in the midst of the storm, Peace be still. Thank you in advance for your great generosity. In Christ, Bishop Leonard E. Fairley Our Communion offering on 11/06/2016 will go to UMCOR to help with recovery after Hurricane Matthew Bill & Joyce Buckman Mildred Cundiff Ray & Mary Rose Henry & Ann Pepper Harold & Diane Brantley Tiffany & Scott Kennedy Pat O Connor Ikey Lucas Steve & Nancy Speakman Bruce Thurman Melanie Cook Denise Cole Lynn Strange Kendra Farley Nancy Brandenburg Elizabeth McKinney Ann Puckett Heather Rogers Evelyn Pepper Soares Kim Thomas Holly Vaughn Leslie Ann Watkins Gift Cards for the Foley Family We would like to give our church family the opportunity to provide gifts for the Foley babies, Josephine and Lincoln. Instead of a traditional baby shower since the babies are preemies, we are asking you bring gift cards that Tabitha and Sean can use to get the items they need. Some suggestions are Babies R Us, WalMart, Target, Kroger. We will have a decorated baby box for you to deposit your gift cards in at the connection area for first service and inside the FLC for second service on Sunday, November 13. Questions? See Pam Grout, Juanita Cox or Becky Harrell
Page 8 Volume 14 Issue 11 This year, for the first time, our church is the Relay Center for Operation Christmas Child in Warren County. Operation Christmas Child is a project of the international relief organization, Samaritan s Purse. Its mission is to provide local partners around the world with shoeboxes filled with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies as a means of reaching out to children in their own communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ. These simple gifts are shipped outside the United States to children affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine and disease; and to children living on Native American reservations in the U.S. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered giftfilled shoeboxes to over 135 million children in more than 150 countries and territories. Shoebox gifts are a way to demonstrate God s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We need volunteers to receive gifts here at our church during National Collection week, November 14-21. Please consider signing up for one of the following shifts. Volunteers are especially needed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Drop-off times are: Monday, Nov 14 2pm-6pm Tuesday, Nov 15 3pm7 pm Wednesday, Nov 16 8am-noon Thursday, Nov 17 3pm-7pm Friday, Nov 18 3pm-7pm Saturday, Nov 19 8am-noon Sunday, Nov 20 1pm-5pm Monday, Nov 21 8am-11am We will receive the gifts, pray with the donors, and pack the shoeboxes into cartons that will hold about 15 shoeboxes. We will deliver the cartons to the Collection Center at Franklin First Baptist Church where they will be loaded into trucks with other cartons collected from our region and sent on to a Processing Center. This ministry opens our doors to people from all over Warren County who will be bringing in their shoebox gifts. Please pray for these donors. Many of them have church homes; some may not. Pray God s blessing on each of them. Please pray for each child who will receive a shoebox gift. May they feel God s love through the generosity of the person who sent their box. Please pray for all who are involved in this ministry here at Christ Church. If you would like to pack a shoebox, there is information at the website http://samaritanspurse.org/occ A donation of $7 per box is needed to defray international shipping costs. You can pay this online or include it in your box. You can print a label indicating boy or girl and the intended age range. You will also receive information on how to track your box to see its destination country.
CHURCH STAFF 716 Cave Mill Road Bowling Green, KY 42104 842-4343 & 842-8762 Church Fax: 842-6776 Office hours: 8:00-2:00 Our E-Mail Address: Info@ChristUMCbg.org Worship Services Sunday Worship ~ 8:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Sunday School ~ 10:00 a.m. Nursery provided for all Sunday Services Youth Activities ~ Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. Dr. David Grout... Pastor Rev. Michael Romans.. Associate Pastor Patty Wintuska... Children s Director Kelli Truelove... Assistant Youth Director Eric Doades... Choir Director Jeanie Orr... Organist Bonnie Hanes... Administrative Assistant/Treasurer April Taylor... Nursery Supervisor Shan Winquist... Lay Leader Angie Gordon Minister of Visitation & Congregational Care /Director of The Learning Tree Chase Stewart...Custodian Lorenzo Hall, Jr.... Security Our Web Page: www.christumcbg.org