The Pathfinder - Jonesborough United Methodist Church

The Pathfinder
Jonesborough United Methodist Church
PO Box 115, 211 West Main Street, Jonesborough, TN 37659
Phone: 423-753-3942, Fax 423-753-9193
Web site: www.jnsbrumc.org
E-mail: [email protected]
December, 2015
HIGHLIGHTS
P2 Choir at Biltmore
Christmas Eve services
P3 Parsonage Open
House
Christmas Eve Service
Notable News
Stewardship
Library News
P4 Hospitality Groups
Walking to Bethlehem
Thank You
Christmas Happenings at JUMC
The Children’s Christmas Program will
be on Sunday, December 6, during the
10:45 am service. Please join us for the
musical “Christmas is Jesus.” There will
be praising, dancing, hand bell ringing,
singing, and lots more. It will be a very
special Sunday!
————————————————
The Chancel Choir would like to invite everyone to worship
P5 Administrative Council with us as we present The King of Love Christmas Cantata at
Meeting
P 6 Mission Emphasis
JAMA Food Item
the 10:45 am service Sunday, December 13. Roger Strader
and Bob Krogstad have arranged a collection of songs surrounded by Scripture as they tell the story of how Jesus came
to earth. This collection begins with the jubilance of “Joy to
the World,” filled with the King’s love and the message surrounding His glory. As John W. Peterson so clearly shares, “It
is a musical experience of extraordinary power and beauty:
meaningful lyrics, attractive music, brilliant orchestrations
and a well-conceived concept and development. May we share
and offer this beautiful musical experience together to the
Glory of God.
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Appalachian Christmas
Church Family
News
On Sunday, December 13, at 7 pm, The Jonesborough Novelty
Condolences to Steve
Campbell and family on
the death of his father,
Roy Campbell
Save the Date
Dec 6 Children’s Pro
gram at 10:45 am
Dec 13 Choir Cantata
Appalachian Christmas
Band will be part of the 22nd annual “Appalachian Christmas”
along with the McChoir Sisters. It’s
a community Christmas sing-along
with lots of laughing and fellowship. The Youth sponsor a soup
and sandwich dinner at 5:30 pm.
Join us as we celebrate this special time of the year!
Choir Sings at Biltmore Christmas Candlelight Tours
If you ask our choir why they would practice for months, travel to
Asheville, and sing for hours to strangers who might not even
Dec 19 Tour the
realize that the spiritual music was being performed live, you will
churches of downtown
get this answer: “We love to share our God-given talents and
Jonesborough, 11amthe real reason for Christmas with others.” We had a wonderful
3pm
time spreading the Gospel through music on November 13, with
Dec 19 Parsonage Open
an encore performance December 30. We will share some of
House, 2-5 pm
the “Biltmore” music during the 10:45 am services this ChristDec 24 Christmas Eve
mas season.
services at 5 & 8 pm
Dec 30 Our choir will be
performing at Biltmore
Estate in Asheville
Looking Ahead
Jan 22-24 Youth trip to
Resurrection
Jan 23-24 Kids go to
Rezkids
Jan 24-31 Family Promise
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Parsonage Open House
Come and celebrate this glorious season with Pastor Karen and her family at the Parsonage
(1016 Allison Drive, Jonesborough) on Saturday, December 19, from 2-5 pm. The Lane family
would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you for the many wonderful
things you do for us by opening our home and inviting you to a party. So, please come and
enjoy some yummy holiday food and some great fellowship. What joy it brings us to spend
this special time with you!
Christmas Eve Carol, Candlelight and
Communion Service
Join us on Christmas Eve at 5 pm and 8 pm to worship our newborn King.
The 5 pm service will be more family-oriented, while the 8 pm worship
will be a more formal, traditional service with special solos and beautiful
music.
Notable News
Congratulations to Charlie Conner, son of Greg & Ann Connor and grandson
of Erma Toth, who represented the USA during the International Power-lifting
Federation Open World Championship in Hamm, Luxembourg. Charlie received a
gold medal and finished 5th overall in the 105kg weight class division. He is the
weightlifting teacher at Daniel Boone High School. We are proud of you, Charlie!
Stewardship
Financially speaking, we need to increase our generous giving to JUMC by at
least $30,000 in order to pay all our expenses by year’s end. God has marvelously blessed us with the means to do this during this Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Thank you for prayerfully stepping up your giving.
Library News
Helen Conger donated Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, by Joanna Weaver.
The following books have been placed in the library: Faith, Foolishness or Presumption,
by Frederick Price, which has a table of contents with answers
that affect our life today; The Three Mrs. Parkers, by Joan Medlicott; and Sunday Snickers, 350 Cartoons and Newsletters for
Churches, donated from the Virginia Maden estate.
To all who donated materials to the library, thank you for placing
your name inside the materials.
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Hospitality Groups
We are regrouping and recreating our hospitality groups for JUMC. These
are groups that provide meals for families after funerals. Erin Sherlin and
Gail Lewis have agreed to chair these groups. We have 10 group leaders—
2 per group—already in place. All we need now is YOU!
We need volunteers to serve on a team. Each team would be called up
once a year, or maybe only once every other year, to provide a meal or a
reception for a grieving family. Team members would be responsible for
providing the food, setting up, cleaning up, and being present to serve the
food. Not every team member does every job. If you like to cook, your job
would be to bring a dish. If you are beyond cooking these days, you could
donate money to help buy the meat. If you are a hands-on person, you could come wash dishes. We
would like to have 8-10 people on each team so that everyone’s work is easy.
Please contact Erin Sherlin, Gail Lewis or the church office if you are willing to serve in a group.
Walking to Bethlehem . . .
A small group of our congregation set off on a virtual journey in September. As a
group, they have traveled over 6,254 miles through the US, Morocco, Algeria, Libya and
Egypt. Their destination was Bethlehem, and they reached that goal! Along the way, some
have made new friends, some have tried new exercise regimes, some developed healthier lifestyles, and we have all learned some geography! Most of all, we had fun.
It has been a great adventure and I am very proud of everyone who participated. Always
remember — every step counts!
Renee McNees, RN
Parish Nurse
Thank you . . .
It is with grateful hearts that we thank each of you for your love, cards,
food, flowers, and especially your prayers during this most difficult time in
our lives. The love of God and His people have been our strength.
Thank you from Joyce M. Pardue, Jean M Conger, Kay M. Clayton,
Ann M. Goldstine, and the Harry Montgomery family.
——————————–————————-———————————We would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and concern
shown to us during this difficult time of Jim’s passing. Your prayers, phone
calls, beautiful cards and heartfelt memories shared, have meant so much to
us. We are truly blessed to be part of JUMC.
Wiley and Gail Daffron, Stephanie, Tim and Chris Furches.
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Highlights of November
Administrative Council Meeting
Mike Dickson thanked the Trustee Committee for logging in approximately
3,000 hours of volunteer work in 2015 while reducing our annual expenses by
about $3,000. Lighting has been installed on the walking trail and work is continuing on the depot. Someone gained entrance to the Good News Fellowship
Hall by breaking a window next to the railroad tracks. Nothing was taken or damaged; the window has been replaced.
Insurance on all of our church properties has been reviewed and updated.
Our Finance and Stewardship Committee is working on finalizing the 2016 budget
and will be bringing more information to the membership on stewardship for the
coming year. Final preparations were put in place for the November 8 Charge
Conference. The Nominations Committee presented their committee and ministry team recommendations for 2016; all recommendations were accepted.
Jackie Rose reported that the new Toddler Room is working out very well.
Help is still needed with the children’s ministry and she hopes volunteers will
step forward soon. Please let her know if you can help. Mary Ann Clark reported
that parking for Storytelling went well and the youth are gearing up for cooking
for Family Promise and Appalachian Christmas and attending Resurrection Weekend in January.
Early next year will see a return of the Bloodmobile and a program on
safety and care of older adults as planned by Parish Nurse Renee McNees. Pastor
Karen reported several new families joining the church this fall. Preparations are
being made for an ice cream social, combined worship service with hanging of
the greens, Thanksgiving breakfast, a Family Promise week, Appalachian Christmas, the Christmas cantata, two trips to Biltmore by our choir, and a parsonage
open house.
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December Mission Emphasis
Jubilee Project in Hancock County
The decision to support Jubilee Project came about when
we learned from Heidi Taylor, the administrative assistant there, of
the need for funds to send their youth to Resurrection and perhaps
replenish camping funds. From trips to this Holston Conference project in Sneedville, and from their visits here with us, we know how
far they can stretch their money. It was particularly heartwarming to
learn that children from Jubilee wanted to give back, so they visited
the Bethlehem center in Chattanooga, where they helped pack
lunches for the homeless and took stuffed animals to children in the
children’s center.
If you can include Jubilee Project in your Christmas giving,
we will forward your donation earmarked for Jubilee Resurrection/
Camping Fund in time for them to use for what they need in January and, if there is enough, to replenish the camp fund. In addition,
you can also donate on December 1, Giving Tuesday, by going to
www.umcmissionary.org/give, and designating your gift for Jubilee
Project #781350. Doing this will put them in the running for matching funds up to $25,000. Remember, the early donations are most
likely to receive matching funds.
Your generosity will be greatly appreciated.
Jonesborough United Methodist Church
PO Box 115, Jonesborough, TN 37659
JAMA Item for
December
Cereal
Please give generously
to Jonesborough Area
Ministerial Association.