Celebrate Advent 2013 - St. Luke United Methodist Church

Celebrate Advent 2013
St. Luke United Methodist Church
1394 E. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola, FL 32514
(850) 477-3145 phone (850) 478-2085 fax www.stluke-umc.org
“As we begin the joyous season of Advent, let us join together as the family of God to worship our
Creator. All are sincerely welcome as we approach the throne of grace. May God bless us all!”
(The Newsletter Newsletter, December 2000)
The First Sunday in Advent 2013 is Sunday, December 1st! Below are dates/activities for
you to review and save as we approach Advent! Continue to watch your e-mails and printed publications
for more information on the events/activities in the life of St. Luke. Save the dates and be blessed!
Poinsettias Orders Now Underway! - The beautiful Poinsettia Tree will be in place in the worship
area on Sundays, December 15th and 22nd and on Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24th . You may
order a poinsettia in honor of or in memory of a loved one, by completing a poinsettia order form or calling
the church office. Sunday, December 8th will be the last day to place your order. You may choose to
take your Poinsettia(s) home after Christmas Eve worship services.
Ensley Elementary Secret Santa Program is Now Underway! - All types of elves are needed
to ensure the success of this year’s program for Ensley Elementary families. ~~ Gift Giving Elves,
Shopping Elves, Organizing Elves, Wrapping Elves and Delivery Elves ~~ Look for the Secret Santa
Tree in the Gathering Area and your opportunity to sign up to be the elf of your choice!
Chili Supper and Hanging of the Greens
Sunday, December 1st 2013
-Chili Supper at 5:00 p.m.
-Hanging of the Greens Service at 6:30 p.m.
Prior to the Hanging of the Greens service, the St. Luke Youth will host a Chili Supper in the Fellowship
Hall. Come enjoy chili and fellowship before the service! Then… join your St. Luke family for the joyous
and festive Hanging of the Greens service celebrating the beginning of Advent! We will enjoy wonderful
music as presented by our Adult, Youth, Elementary Children and Cherub choirs; share Scripture lessons
and hang the beautiful Chrismons on the Christmas Tree. The Hanging of the Greens is a special service
your entire family can participate in and will enjoy.
Santa Claus will be joining us in the Fellowship Hall following the Hanging of the Greens Service!
A Night in Bethlehem – A Hands-On Holy Land Experience
Friday, December 6th, 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
ALL families are invited to “a Christmas experience where participants do more than just hear about the
birth of Jesus—they’ll see, touch, feel, and smell what life was like during this miraculous time.”
Preparations are underway for our annual Night in Bethlehem! For more information or if you would like
to volunteer your services, contact Sandra Jesse at [email protected] or 850-292-1539.
Youth Drama Performance
Wednesday, December 11th, at 6:00 p.m.
On December 11th at 6:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary, our Youth Drama Team will perform:
‘A Cricket County Christmas Cruise’ Talk about fish out of water! It's another case of podunk 'n pauper meets prim and proper when the
country cousins take an exotic tropical cruise with their city cousins. The hillbillies are mistaken for the
ship's janitors, they think an actor playing the wise man in a Christmas pageant is the real thing and gollee - is that Glenda Mae and Brenda Mae looking like super models after miraculous makeovers? There's
no end to the silliness when the yokels rub elbows with the maitre d', the cruise director and Michael, the
wealthy sophisticate passenger - or is he? Hilarious entertainment with a theme of judging on outward
appearances creatively interwoven with the Christmas story.
We do hope you’ll come, have dinner, and enjoy the show!
Christmas Parade - Saturday, December 14th, at 5:15 p.m.
Yes, we WILL have a St. Luke float in this year’s Christmas Parade, which will be held on Saturday,
December 14th at 5:15 PM. EVERYONE is invited to participate! In 2010 AND 2011, St. Luke won
“Best in Parade” in the church division. Please contact Darlene Henderson at 850-607-7616 or
[email protected] if you would like to help out. If you can’t ride with us but would like to contribute
some candy, beads, or gently-used stuffed animals, a drop box is located outside of Room 12 in the Ed.
Building. Leftover Halloween candy & recycled Mardi Gras beads are greatly appreciated!
Children’s Choir Christmas Musical
Elementary Children’s Choir to present “An Out-of-the-Box Christmas”
Wednesday, December 18th, 6:00 p.m. - Sanctuary
Spark the imagination of your children with the creativity and child-like faith of “An Out-of-the-Box
Christmas”! When boxes show up at a dress rehearsal with all the wrong costumes, the kids have no other
choice than to think out-of-the-box. Cowboys, pirates, cheerleaders & even a super hero lead the way in
this fun retelling of the Christmas story. Embolden your kids to share the good news of Jesus Christ with
“An Out-of-the-Box Christmas”!
Change in Worship Time! “Our 10:45 a.m. worship service start time will be
moved to 11:00 a.m. beginning December 1st. This will enable our 9:30 a.m. service to have the time it
needs and will ensure a smooth transition into the last service of the morning!” Thank you. (*The service
time change was approved by the St. Luke UMC Church Council in regular session on October 20, 2013.)
Service Times: 8:00 a.m. (Traditional)
9:30 a.m. (Contemporary)
11:00 a.m. (Traditional)
Worship Schedule
Sunday December 1st
-Worship Services at 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
-Fellowship/ Refreshment Time at 9:00 a.m.
-Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Sunday December 8th
-Worship Services at 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
-Fellowship/ Refreshment Time at 9:00 a.m.
-Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
“Preschool Sunday”* at 11:00 a.m. Service!
*Our preschool teachers, students and families will be joining us in worship at 11:00 a.m.
Sunday, December 15h
Adult Choir Christmas Cantata
“Changed by a Baby Boy”
Sunday, December 15th, 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. – Sanctuary
Join your St. Luke family as we enjoy the musical celebration of Christ’s birth presented by the St. Luke
Adult Choir. This year’s musical, “Changed by a Baby Boy”, has a Southern Gospel feel that celebrates
His birth. You will be encouraged by God’s ultimate gift of love and experience a deeper walk with the
One who changed everything.
Other Notes for Cantata Sunday, December 15th:
-A nursery will be provided for all 3 services.
-Fellowship Time/Refreshments will still take place at 9:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
-There will be a Contemporary Worship Service at 9:30 a.m.
-Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. will meet as usual.
Sunday December 22nd
Worship Services at 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
No Fellowship/Refreshment Time
-Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Sunday December 29th
Two Worship Services on December 29th at: 9:30 a.m. (Contemporary) and 11:00 a.m. (Traditional)
No UMM Breakfast ~~ No Fellowship/Refreshment Time
-Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Family Christmas Eve Service
Tuesday, December 24th, 4:00 p.m.
Family Christmas Eve Service at 4:00 p.m. There will be a Children’s Nativity Scene, the Elementary
Children’s Choir will sing, and we will conclude with communion and a traditional candle lighting service
with candle glow sticks!
Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Services
Tuesday, December 24th at 5:30 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Services of special music, Scripture readings, candles and Holy Communion
Special Note – If your child or youth plays an instrument and has a Christmas piece he or she would like to
play as a part of the gathering music of any of our 3 Christmas Eve Services, please contact Esther Felt at
[email protected]
Nursery Notes: A nursery for Preschool Age Children Only will be available for ALL of the worship
services including special events and services: Hanging of the Greens and Christmas Eve.
Advent Devotional 2013 - The Daily Devotional for the 2013 Advent Season can be found in The
Upper Room. If you have a copy of the November/December issue you can follow that or you can read the
Daily Devotional at: http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/. You may wish to subscribe to this daily
devotional online and have it e-mailed to you.
The St. Luke SPRC has approved the following dates for the St. Luke UMC Church Office Closures:
NOVEMBER 2013
-Close at 12 Noon Wednesday, November 27th
-Closed Thursday, November 28th (Thanksgiving) and Friday, November 29th (day after Thanksgiving)
DECEMBER 2013
-Close at 12 Noon Tuesday, December 24th (Christmas Eve)
-Closed Wednesday, December 25th (Christmas Day)
-Closed Thursday, December 26th
-Closed Friday, December 27th
-Open on Monday, December 30th
-Close at 12 Noon, Tuesday, December 31, 2013
JANUARY 2014
-Closed Wednesday, January 1, 2014.
Resume normal business operations on Thursday, January 2, 2014 (8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday)
*****
Preschool Holiday Closures*:
The St. Luke Preschool will be closed:
-November 25 – 29, 2013 (Thanksgiving Holiday)
-December 23, 2013 – January 6, 2014 (Christmas and New Year Holiday)
-Preschool will resume session on Tuesday, January 7, 2014
(*Approved by the Preschool Board)
**
Youth Christmas Party- Friday, December 20th, From 6:00 - 10:30 p.m.
Join us for our annual Youth Christmas party! All 6th – 12th grade students are encouraged to be a part of
our progressive dinner: we’ll board the trolley and visit several homes along the way, enjoying fellowship
and good food. Afterward, we will play “sneaky Santa,” so you’ll want to bring an inexpensive, wrapped
gift, to place under our tree in the youth building. Meet at the Youth Building - the trolley will leave at
6:15 p.m., so make sure you’re there on time!
Kids Day Out – Christmas Edition – Saturday, December 21st !
In December, we will have a Kids DAY Out, so that parents can finish their last minute Christmas
shopping.
Here are the details:
Date – Sat., Dec. 21
Time – 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Please drop off in the Fellowship Hall.
Ages – 6 weeks old to 6th grade
Cost - $25 for one child, $40 for two siblings, $50 for three, $60 for four
Lunch and Snack provided! Please email [email protected], or text (850) 291-6048, to register.
As always, continue to watch your e-mails and printed publications for more information on
the events/activities in the life of St. Luke. Blessings!