The METHODIST MESSENGER - Bailey United Methodist Church
Transcription
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 The Methodist Messenger Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID BAILEY, NC Permit No. 8 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