The METHODIST MESSENGER - Bailey United Methodist Church

DECEMBER 2013
The METHODIST MESSENGER
Contact Us
PO Box 218, Bailey, NC 27807
(252) 235-45276
[email protected]
Eldrick Davis/Pastor
[email protected]
Janet Robinson/Office Manager
Pleasant Grove Music Director
[email protected]
Sean Larkin/9:45 Music Director
[email protected]
Sharon Whitley/11:00 Music Director
[email protected]
Sandy Wescott/Youth Leader
[email protected]
Liz Hounshell/Student Intern
[email protected]
Carolyn Amerson/Nursery Supervisor
A publication of Bailey & Pleasant Grove United Methodist Churches
Watch out for the Grinch!
Every year I enjoy the television special “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” It was
a joy to see that after the painstaking task of taking away all the candy, games,
toys, decorations, and food, that Christmas came anyway. Christmas came with the
thunderous sound of joyous praise, without lights, toys, bells, and whistles.
The sight of the Whoville community singing together in spite of the barren landscape reveals the miraculous blessing of the Advent season. This season announces and proclaims the coming of the Lord and culminates with the climatic moment
of the birth of a newborn King. Christmas morning breaks in on the dark cold
landscape of our lives with the singing of angelic voices from afar. The gospel of
Luke says, “Suddenly, a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the
angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on
earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’” (Luke 2: 13-14)
Can it happen? Has the Grinch stolen our Christmas? Is the Cindy Lou of our
hearts crying because our candy cane has been taken away? I believe the worship
celebrations, songs of the Christmas season, and the words of scripture can help us
to redirect and sharpen our focus while changing our hearts. We must look past the
commercial cloud with its hustle and bustle and celebrate with joy, remembering
what God has done.
Santa Claus is real, the Christmas trees are beautiful, the gifts are wonderful, and
the food is delicious because Jesus, the Son of God is born. Christmas cannot be
stolen without taking away Jesus. Everything else is simply an extension of God’s
love expressed in various ways. If we would not celebrate with praise, the birth of
Christ, the rocks would cry out, “Jesus is born!” Let us join the Who’s as they
sing. Our Christmas joy cannot be stolen.
“Fahoo forays, dahoo dorays
Welcome Christmas! Come this way
Fahoo forays, dahoo dorays
Welcome Christmas! Christmas Day
Welcome, welcome, fahoo ramus
Welcome, welcome, dahoo damus
Christmas Day is in our grasp
So long as we have hands to clasp
Fahoo foraysm dahoo dorays…”
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Eldrick
Please join us at Pleasant Grove for our annual Pre Candlelight Communion Christmas Eve service on Monday,
December 23rd, at 7:00 pm. The Praise Team will be presenting a musical presentation. Refreshments will follow
the service.
Join us for one of the two Candlelight Christmas Eve Services at Bailey UMC Sanctuary. Services will be at 5:30 &
7:30 pm.
Please join us in celebrating the birth of Christ in these special services.
The METHODIST MESSENGER
Sunday, December 15th
5:00 pm
Regular practices are from
7:00-7:45 pm.
Christmas
rehearsal is on the same
night from 7:45-8:30 pm.
Dates are as follows:
Dec. 4th, Wednesday
Dec. 10th, Tuesday
Dec. 18th, Wednesday
Christmas/New Year’s Break
Jan 7th, Tuesday
Jan. 15th, Wednesday
Jan. 22nd, Wednesday
Jan. 29th, Wednesday
Please join us on Sunday, December 15th, at 5:00 pm in the
Bailey UMC Sanctuary for our Christmas Cantata, “Bethlehem
Morning” presented by the Bailey UMC Choir.
Musical
selections by other groups will also be included in our worship
service. Come worship with us as we celebrate the birth of our
Savior, Jesus Christ!
Immediately following our musical
celebration, we will have a Christmas
Party in the Family Ministry Center.
This will be a time of fun, fellowship,
and enjoyment for all ages!
As part of our Christmas Party, we
will once again be having a Baked
Goods Auction. The proceeds from
the auction will go to the Bailey &
Pleasant
Grove
UMC
Youth
Program.
Please contact the Church Office if
you are willing to donate a baked
good.
December 11:00 am Ushers
Harry & Jane Finch
Harold & Margaret Eatmon
December 11:00 am Acolyte
Ushers
December 9:45 am Ushers
Dec 1st:
John Weller & Payton Weller
Dec. 8th:
Bill Garrison & Adam Blevins
Dec. 15th:
Thomas McKeel & Logan Vick
Dec. 22nd:
Ike Bullard & Christian Bullard
Dec. 29th:
Dana Liles & Austin Liles
December Tellers
Sandra Perry/Debbie Glover
Alternate: Betty Lou Lamm
.
Sunday School Schedule
King’s Kids (ages 5 – 5th grade)
1st Sunday of the month – No class – Children are asked to attend Worship
with their family. There will be a brief time of interaction with the children
during the service.
2nd – 5th Sundays of the month – 9:45 upstairs above the Sanctuary
King’s Teens (6th – 12th grade)
1st Sunday of the month – No class – Youth are asked to attend Worship
with their family.
2nd – 4th Sundays of the month – 9:45 in Room 11
5th Sunday of the month – No class
All Middle and High School aged youth meet each Sunday night from 4:00 – 7:00 pm. This includes time for fellowship, team building, worship, devotion, and prayer each week. All youth are welcome!
The Youth who attended Pilgrimage the week-end of Nov. 8 had a great time! Thanks to Dana Liles, Jessica
Brame, and Julie Wood for serving as parent chaperones!
Thanks to all the Youth who assisted with the BAM Thanksgiving Festival and with Operation Christmas Child. You
have helped make the upcoming holidays brighter for other children and youth.
Upcoming activities:
Dec. 7 – Bailey Christmas Parade – Youth handing out mugs
Dec. 8 - Christmas Caroling Party (Children and Youth) – 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Dec. 15 – Church Christmas Program and Party (all Church families) – 5:00 pm – until
Dec. 31 – Youth Lock-in
The METHODIST MESSENGER
It’s here! It’s finally here! Christmas is finally here! I just love
Christmas, don’t you all? Is it the Christmas tree with its
blinking lights? Maybe it’s the beautiful music or the delicious
Christmas goodies. Perhaps it’s Christmas dinner with turkey
and dressing and all of the trimmings. For some it might be all
the visiting with family and friends. For many people the best
thing about Christmas is the presents—both the ones we give
and the ones we receive. Especially the ones we receive!
Hmmm...I think I left something out—oh yes! It’s someone’s
birthday. It’s Jesus’ birthday. You know, sometimes we get so
caught up in all of the decorations, lights, parties, and presents that we miss
the real Christmas. The birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! So remember this
holiday season, why we truly celebrate CHRISTmas and be thankful.
Be Bold in Christ,
Sandy Wescott
The Ethel Merritt Circle
meets
on
Wednesday,
December 11th, at 6:30 pm,
at the Bailey Café for their
Christmas Party.
The Betsy Bissette Circle
meets
on
Thursday,
December 12th, at 6:30 pm,
in the home of April Hill for
our annual salad dinner/
Christmas Party.
Thanks to everyone who prepared a shoebox this
year, those that donated money, and for all the
wonderful people who helped. We filled 40 cartons
with shoeboxes which is a total of 693 boxes. 79 of
those boxes were from Bailey & Pleasant Grove
UMC.
Thanks to Amy Pearson who provided the truck for transport and the two super guys that loaded and delivered them to Rocky Mount. Thanks also to the
following: Betty Lou Lamm, Natalie Harrell, Dot Best, Amy Toney, Glenda Patterson, JoEllen Murray, Brenda Lamm, Betsy May, Celia Glover, Patricia
Finch, Sandy Wescott, and Jessica Brame. We could not have done it without
your wonderful help and support!
The
UMW
meets
on
Thursday, January 2nd, at
7:00 pm in the Christian
Welcome Center for a
General
Meeting.
Liz
Hounshell, our Duke Intern
will be the speaker.
Penny Jackson & Janet Robinson, Coordinators
Your donation to our choir
was a tremendous and
unexpected blessing! I am so
thankful that you opened your
church to us. This may be the
only opportunity some of my
students ever have to hear
about our Lord!
The Thanksgiving Festival on November 16th was a huge
success once again. Over 800 turkey plates were sold and
over 100 plates given to Bailey Area Ministries’ clients. The
preliminary proceeds are over $4,700.
Special thanks to all the churches, businesses, participants,
school programs, and supporters of this ministry. Bailey Area
Ministries has helped over 260 families with food and financial support in
2013.
Sarah McLamb
Director of Choral Progarms
Corinth Holders High School
Christmas Missions Offering
It’s Christmas time again. Time for decorating, preparing holiday treats and waiting in long lines at the
store buying gifts. Unfortunately, each year thousands of dollars are wasted on presents that collect dust
on a shelf or are tossed away in a closet and forgotten. Would you like to change this trend? Once again
we are offering gifts that can be purchased through Zoe Ministry that can help orphans and vulnerable
children in Africa learn about God’s love and help provide for themselves and their families. Here is a list of
gifts that we are offering:
A pair of Rabbits
Maize seed for a group farm
A pair of Chickens
Banana Tree Bulbs
Goat
Ox Plow
Cow
$10
$15
$20
$30
$50
$85
$500
Please see the Zoe Christmas Gift display at church to make your purchases. Simply pick up a gift card
holder along with the corresponding book mark to represent your gift. Then either write a check payable to
the church or enclose cash in an envelope designated for “Zoe Christmas” and place it in the offering or
drop off at the church office.
The METHODIST MESSENGER
The 2014 envelopes
will be available beginning December 16th,
in the Bob Rogers
Lobby, outside the
Family Ministry Center and in the back of
the
Sanctuary.
2014 Tellers Meeting
All 2014 Tellers are requested to attend a
meeting on Monday, December 30th, at
7:00 pm in the Christian Welcome
Center. This will be a time to discuss
responsibilities, schedules and answer any
questions. For more information, please
contact Jane Finch.
2014 Tellers are: Jane Finch, Sandra Perry,
Debbie Glover, Betty Lou Lamm, Brian
Hester, Betsy May and Celia Glover.
Walk For Missions
You are invited to join Pastor Davis
in a Walk For Missions Program.
Every participant is invited to count
the total number of laps around the
Church Walking Track.
Your
name and total number of laps will
be listed in the Church Bulletin
each week.
Everyone is
encouraged to give a donation toward a mission based on the total
number of laps for the week. We
welcome mission dollar support for
the 3F Ministry as well as other
ministries of the Church.
Lap totals should be turned in on
Thursday
by
email,
[email protected], or
by phone, 235-4576.
The Men’s Fellowship Breakfast
meets the second Saturday of each
month at alternate locations and
begins serving breakfast at 7:30 am.
Men of all ages are invited. This
month’s
breakfast
will
be
Saturday, December 14th, at
Bailey Baptist Church.
Plans are already underway for the
Women of Joy 2014 Conference. We
are accepting reservations and
deposits ($25.00) at this time.
We will be attending the conference
at Myrtle Beach, SC May 2-4, 2014.
Special guests include: Chris Tomlin,
Christy Nockels, Rachel Ramsey
Cruz,
Jennifer
Rothschild,
Jan Silvious, and Nancy Stafford.
You may find more information on
the guests at www.womenofjoy.org/
myrtle-beach.
If you are interested in attending the
2014 Conference, please contact Janet
Robinson at the Church Office at 252235-4576 or by [email protected].
Rejoice! CHRISTmas is coming, and our four-week Advent Devotional Study has
started. We will meet at Pleasant Grove immediately following the worship service
in the Sanctuary and at Bailey after the 11:00 am service in the Christian
Welcome Center. Let’s discuss God’s Word together and learn from each other how
to prepare for a most meaningful Christmas. Everyone is welcome. Hope to see you at
the study!
Liz Hounshell
Duke Intern
The METHODIST MESSENGER
Sunday
1
Youth Group
Sunday Nights
with Jesus
8
Monday
Tuesday
2
3
9
10
6:00-8:00 pm
Christmas
Caroling Party
Youth Group
Sunday Nights
with Jesus
7:00 pm
Zumba
Wednesday
4
7:00 pm
Choir Practice
11
7:00 pm
Zumba
7:00 pm
Choir Practice
16
17
22
23
24
25
Office Closed
Office Closed
5:30 & 7:30 pm
Christmas Eve
Service at Bailey
Youth Group
Sunday Nights
with Jesus
29
No Youth
7:00 pm
Pre Christmas
Eve Service at
Pleasant Grove
30
7:00 pm
Zumba
5
7:00 pm
Zumba
12
6:30 pm
Ethel Merritt
Circle
15
5:00 pm
Christmas
Cantata/Party
Sunday Nights
with Jesus
Thursday
18
7:00 pm
Choir Practice
Friday
Saturday
6
7
13
14
20
21
27
28
2:00 pm
Bailey Parade
6:30 pm
Betsy Bissette
Circle
7:00 pm
Zumba
19
7:00 pm
Zumba
26
31
Office Closed
Youth Lock In
Regular Meetings:
Youth Group: 4:00-7:00 pm each Sunday at Bailey UMC
Sunday Nights with Jesus: 6:00 pm each Sunday at Pleasant Grove
Small Group: 7:00 pm each Tuesday at Pleasant Grove UMC
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BAILEY, NC
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Bailey and Pleasant Grove United Methodist Churches
PO Box 218
Bailey, NC 27807
www.baileyumc.org
Address Service Requested
Sunday Worship Services:
8:30 am: A relaxed worship service in a small familyoriented country church at Pleasant Grove UMC.
9:45 am: A worship service led by guitar and drums that
meets in the Family Ministry Center of Bailey UMC.
11:00 am: A worship service led by piano and organ that
meets in the Sanctuary of Bailey UMC.
The METHODIST MESSENGER
nOVEMber
PGUMC
November:
General Tithes
and Offerings:
$3,387.00
Faith Promise:
$20.00
Total Giving
$3,457.00
Bailey UMC
General Budget
$12,931.80
Repair & Reserve
$180.00
Faith Promise
$920.00
Other Designations
$824.50
Total Giving
$14,856.30