November/December, 2014

Fairborn United Methodist Church Newsletter
November/December, 2014 Issue
Fairborn United
Methodist Church
100 N. Broad St
Fairborn, OH 45324
937-878-5042
www.fairbornumc.org
Facebook: FairbornUMC
Twitter: @FairbornUMC
YouTube: Fairborn UMC
Instagram: @fairbornumc
Sunday Schedule
9:30 am Worship (Traditional)
11:00 am Worship (Contemporary)
Pastor Aaron Chivington
Pastor Meghan Howard
A relevant church that unchurched
people want to attend.
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Article/Info from our Pastors
Monthly Church Calendar
Gently Used Toy Drive Information
Christmas Worship Service Information
Upcoming Events
Royalheirs Concert Information
Ministry Info for Youth & Children
Birthdays, Bible Readings, etc.!
“A Ragamuffin Church”
Changing Church for Jesus:
If what Jesus said in Matthew 28 is still correct and current for the modern church, “go
and make disciples of all nations,” then
maybe we should reevaluate the way we do
church. By that I mean that many of our
churches are focused on how to do church for
those who already attend. This means that
our services are designed to keep the members that we have happy. The problem is
that Jesus did not say, “Stay.” Jesus said
“Go!” If Jesus’ mandate is still the mission of
the church, then we need to start asking ourselves several relevant questions including
what should our worship services look like if
they were designed to be part of the “Go.”
The mission does not negate the need for a
communal gathering where people study the
Bible, share the sacraments, and practice authentic community. I would argue that these
acts would actually be the vehicle of transformation for a new or non-Christian. But how
we go about with the implementation of
these worship components should be evaluated regularly with the question, “Is our service designed for non-believers?” Another
way of saying this is, “Do our services provide
the least resistance for a person wanting to
know Jesus.”
November/December, 2014
Page 2
Fairborn United Methodist Church has gone online! We’re on Facebook, Twitter, and our
video collection is on our YouTube site. Of course we continue with our amazing website
page, which is at www.fairbornumc.org. Visit us online and “Like” us on Facebook and
“Follow” us on Twitter to get updates and see what’s going to be happening at our church!
Our name on Facebook is: FairbornUMC.
Our name on Twitter is: @FairbornUMC.
Our YouTube name is Fairborn UMC. Check out our video collection as
well as previous sermons here!
Our Instagram name is: @fairbornumc.
Remember that if you aren’t able to join us in person for worship, you are able to view a
Live Stream of our Worship Service on Sunday Mornings at 11:00 am. To view the online
service, visit our website, www.fairbornumc.org and click on the ‘Live Stream Worship’
link.
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Changing Church for Jesus, (Cont’d.):
Simply put, the service should not be a stumbling block but a catalyst for the transformation of
new and mature believers.
I’m New and I Don’t Know the Secrets:
A typical church service is filled with understood patterns and behaviors. It’s like a dance that
has been learned and we forget that there might be people who do not know the steps. That
is why we need to regularly evaluate how we do church. Self-evaluation is difficult work for
those of us inside the church to perform because we are so accustomed to the dance that we
have forgotten what it would be like to not know the steps to the church dance. We have
lived a good part of our lives either believing that “this is the way church is always done,” or
we were assimilated into the current system of “church” that we now are part of and now is
the way it’s always done. At one time, we did not know that after the third verse of the second song, we were supposed to sit down. At one time, we were ashamed that we did not
know all the words of the Lord’s Prayer that everyone just seemed to start saying on cue as if
we were all robotic. There was a time when you felt uncomfortable even walking into the
building hoping that someone (not too scary) would introduce themself to you and show you
where to go. I have heard stories of visitors being scolded for bringing coffee into the sanctuary, or children being chastised because they were running in the hall, and I’ve even seen
someone ask a visitor to move because they were sitting in their seat. These behaviors exist
because we have forgotten the purpose of a worship service and how it should be designed.
Church Identity:
The identity of your church should drive the need to constantly evaluate everything to see if it
is not only user friendly, but non-Church friendly also. At least that is how I read the scripture. I remember not too long ago someone said to me, “Not everyone can be the Andy
Stanley church that unchurched people want to attend.” I listened and then thought to
myself, “Why not?” Maybe that doesn’t need to be your church mission statement, but it
should be part of the design concept of our regular worship services. A church should be a
place where people who have never been to church enjoy being. And more importantly than
mimicking the success of some other church, I think that such a concept makes Jesus happy.
In fact, I am always excited about attending a church that is designed for unchurched people.
A church that is legitimately a hospital for sinners and lighthouse for those who are lost. A
church for those who don’t belong anywhere else yet -- sort of a society for Ragamuffins.
The Market:
If we were in business, we would think of our churches as strategically marketing ourselves to
those not in church. This is most likely the opposite of the way most of our current churches
design worship services. Often this means targeting two types of people: 1) non-believers,
meaning people who prior to our church experience did not have a faith in Jesus, and
(Continued)
November/December, 2014
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The Market, (Cont’d.):
2) people who have been hurt by other religions, often including some deformed slant of
Christianity. What if people who didn’t feel like they belong in a church had a church where
they felt like they belonged?
We live in a culture full of people who have experienced religious persons but never really
experienced Jesus in people. Unfortunately, many people have only known church as a
giant masquerade party where authenticity is not encouraged and uniformity in assimilation
is the expected rule. “We don’t really care what’s going on in your life, just do the ‘dance’
correctly.” The saints are so saintly that there is no space left for a relational connection
with regular people. To be fair, there have been moments when we at our own church have
been the people who have failed others and prioritized something above the proclamation of
the message of Jesus’ Life, Death, and Resurrection. So who does the behavior and design
of your church and services say you are targeting?
A Ragamuffin Church
Not long ago I read a book by Brennen Manning titled, Ragamuffin Gospel. Manning challenged individuals and churches to consider the message of earned salvation verses God’s
grace freely given. Manning called into question the authenticity of our faith and for me how
a church should behave. (The book is a must read on my list.) Are we really a gathering of
believers who acknowledge our problems, our dependency upon our Savior, and are
welcoming others into our midst? As Ragamuffins, we are people who live into the fullness
of grace that Jesus gives us, which forces us to live in authentic humility and therefore have
a natural bent towards creating a culture that unchurched people want to be part of. I fell in
love with the title even as my love for Rich Mullins’ music grew. I knew my restless soul
connected not with the typical perfect “my life is all together” church person, but with those
who wrestled with God’s grace and submission. I am a Ragamuffin. It should be no
surprise that we have a church that has started collecting Ragamuffins. That’s how the Law
of Magnetism works.
What I find interesting is that the phrase “Ragamuffin” fits with our staff. We are sort of a
collective of leaders who wrestle with God’s word and have never seemed to fit into the
square hole that our religious culture wants us to conform to. We can’t seem to do church
the way it was always done. We haven’t thrown out all the traditions or the valued aspects
of our history, but we do regularly evaluate everything we do by asking who our target audience is and is it in line with the mission that we have been given by Jesus.
Fitting In:
Maybe you also have never quite fit in. Maybe Church just hasn’t been your thing. Maybe
you feel it in your soul, that angst reminding you something is not quite right.
(Continued)
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Fitting In, (Cont’d.):
In your best moments of happiness, that feeling subsides but the moment never lasts long.
You aren’t really depressed but you also aren’t a constant stream of contentment and peace.
You live with an unspoken hunger for more of God than you have but have at times tried to fill
that void with something else. You look at the world and live out Jesus’ beatitude from
Matthew 5:6, “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and
drink and the best meal you’ll ever have” (Message Bible). Welcome to the club. You are not
as different as you feel. Most importantly, I want to encourage you not to give up on searching for a church. Jesus called the church his body, so I do not believe that you can actually
say you are in a healthy relationship with Jesus, fully submitted to Him as a Ragamuffin, if you
are not part of the body, meaning part of the church. Bluntly put, get your butt in a church.
What is a Ragamuffin:
Ragamuffin is an old English word that once described someone with tattered and torn clothing. Today we use the word to describe someone who does not quite fit in -- someone who
may not have everything together, someone who’s life and perhaps their looks are not perfected. A Ragamuffin Christian is someone who wrestles with God and the scriptures but falls
in complete reliance upon the mystery of God. A Ragamuffin doesn’t fit the mold of a typical
Christian. They are different.
Church:
One of the reasons Ragamuffin people have trouble fitting in at church is because so many of
us are not really living out church. We are going to a masquerade party. I often think that
church should be like visiting a friend’s house uninvited. You know what I mean…you walk in
the door and there are clothes on the floor and toys scattered throughout and they look at you
a little embarrassed wishing they had cleaned but the feeling disappears immediately and they
just claim this is how we live. You know it, and you smile admitting your house is the same
way and then you have a great time together never pretending to be something else that you
are not. Life is just a little chaotic. I don’t have it all together but I love you just as you are.
Jesus loves you just as you are. But as a group we are not called to stay in the same dysfunction and brokenness that first brought us together. Jesus wants to heal us and make us whole.
The Christmas Story:
If you have ever not been a Christian or ever stopped to take a sincere look at the Christian,
you should be honest enough to admit that the story is at best strange. While it is the most
logical of all the religions of the world, it still requires faith in a God who is relational and relationships are never without challenges.
So the basic jest of the story is that humans have rejected God’s authority and therefore
rejected God. The Bible calls that sin.
(Continued)
November/December, 2014
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The Christmas Story, (Cont’d.):
Because God is perfect and holy, God cannot overlook sin or dismiss it and pretend it never
happened. The problem is that sin is always between us and God. Sin and Holy cannot mix.
Sort of like Country music and joyful feelings. (Here is where we are reminded that God never
sends anyone to Hell, but we also don’t have an abusive divine lover who forces us to be in
relationship with Him).
God chooses to become human and rescue us.
So how does he do this? He should put on a cape and fly in. Or maybe ride a white horse
with guns blazing, or immediately force upon us world peace and change the tax system. I
like all those ideas, but that is not how God worked, or often still works. Why? Because God
has a heart for Ragamuffins. He chose to come as a baby and be born in a manger. Maybe
Jesus was a Ragamuffin.
The fullness of His Majesty is in the midst of the mundane. How often does this happen in our
life? There in a feeding trough for animals, in the midst of the sheep manure and sweat lays
the baby Jesus. The full Divinity of God entered the world subtly, unnoticed by the world.
There helpless, completely dependent upon his human mother and father for survival, God has
arrived, the heavenly invading the worldly not as a conqueror or super-being, but covertly as a
child.
Be honest -- the story is awesome but it sidesteps our logic ideal of what a Rescuing God
would do. No heroic music and no futuristic weapons.
So this baby grows up showing us who God is (because He is God) and after teaching us how
to live, He dies for us.
More than a little absurd, seriously God saves us by dying for us.
Like the captain of the rescue boat arriving and shouting at the survivors in the water, “I’m
here to save you, but first I will sink my boat and die.”
But this is the message of Christianity and the Gospel (“Good News”) for all. That Jesus came
and he died, was raised from the dead and is the Savior of the World.
I just think it is important to remember how the story sounds if you hadn’t grown up in
church. It helps me be patient with those who struggle believing. It’s also a reminder for me
that our story takes faith and facts and converges at the place Ragamuffins wrestle with God’s
eternal truth. It’s a reminder of how all other religions have taken bits of truth and sprinkled
(Continued)
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The Christmas Story, (Cont’d.):
enough into their belief system that it makes it difficult to discern what is the actual myth and
the real story. It’s also a reminder to me that there have been many Christians in the past
who have not done a good job of owning the challenges and struggles of our story.
A Church of Ragamuffins:
If you struggle with your faith, which most of us do but we just don’t admit it, you are in good
company. We are in a society that teaches two contradictory truths to the Christian story:
1. Culture teaches us to work harder and earn everything. Here we discover how little
we have to do to deserve and receive the love. Just believe.
2.
Culture teaches us that we sit on our butt and someone else will pay for it and it’s
given to us. This makes our faith a welfare system and requires little to no change.
God longs to transform us.
Ragamuffin Christians believe that God loves us more than we can ever imagine.
difficult to grasp because we don’t feel deserving of God’s love.
This is
Ragamuffins insist on embracing our humanness and not fearing or denying all of our real or
imagined shortcomings.
Ragamuffins know God is pursuing us through our darkness and in spite of ourselves, not just
now but all our lives.
A Ragamuffin church is not for the super Christians who ride in shooting their way past Satan;
not for the Alleluia Christians who live only on the mountaintops never feeling the pain and
hurt of real life; not for the zealots who have never questioned the Bible nor been dumbstruck
by the ‘amusingness’ of the message revealed in Scripture; nor are we a church for those who
know more than they should and are inclined to prove their intellectual superiority over the
rest of us.
A Ragamuffin church works to reflect the very character of our Savior.
Ragamuffin churches at times feel beat-up, burnt out, bewildered, and have bruised knees
from moments of weak spiritual strength and stamina. A gathering of smart people who never
divorce their intellect from their faith but are wise enough to admit what is unknown. Facing
the unknown, Ragamuffins take the leap of faith in awe of the mystery of the Creator and
trust He will catch us.
Ragamuffins attend churches that are committed to those not part of their gatherings;
churches that recognize the absurdity of the Christmas story, of the whole
(Continued)
November/December, 2014
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A Church of Ragamuffins, (Cont’d.):
gospel story, from birth to the cross to the resurrection and life everlasting and are appealing
to us; communities that don’t put signs up that remind the world how evil we are but give us
hope.
Ragamuffin churches exists in a state of messiness and chaos because we believe
in a God that delights in using His broken children (who are in recovery and restoration) to share His message of crazy love and grace.
Who is your church designed to attract?
Blessings,
Aaron D. Chivington
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MEAL IN A BAG!
Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks to God for our many blessings
and to share with others less fortunate. There are two great opportunities coming up to share our “bounty” with others:
 “Meal in a bag” grocery bags will be available with a list of items
attached to fill the bags with for a Thanksgiving meal. Please return the bags by SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16th so that we can get
them to the FISH food pantry and pray over the “bounty” and for
those who receive it.
 “Bring a TURKEY to church Sunday”. We mean a real turkey but
even if your neighbor is a “turkey” invite them to church also!
Please bring a frozen turkey on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16th also
so that we can get them delivered to the FISH food pantry in time
for Thanksgiving. Thank you!
Nut Sale & MEXICO
MISSION TRIP Meeting
Our Mexico Mission Team will be selling a variety of
delicious nuts in the Narthex (lobby) starting Sunday,
November 2nd between services. These nuts are excellent to snack on, cook with, give as gifts, etc.! All
proceeds go directly to our Mexico Mission trip in
April, 2015!
Also, there will be a meeting for anyone and everyone that might be interested in going on our Mexico
Mission Trip. The meeting will be Sunday, November
2 at 12:30 pm. If you miss this meeting and are interested in more information, please contact Lisa Jones
at 878-5042. Spots are filling up fast!
l In
Mea g
A Ba
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2014
Feed The Team
First of all, thank you to all who helped feed
the band and also the football team and
cheerleaders. Your help is really appreciated.
We will be feeding the basketball team on
February 5th. More information on that
dinner , as well as a volunteer sign-up sheet,
will be made available in January.
Thank you again for helping us with our connection with these athletes at the high
school!
Hanging of the Greens
Since Advent starts on November 30th, this year, the Hanging of the Greens
(Christmas decorating) here at church will be on Sunday, November 23rd. We will
hang decorations at 10:30 am and again at 12:30 pm.
If you or your group would like to decorate a specific area, please notify Lori in the
office at 937-878-5042.
November/December, 2014
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THE COOKIE WALK IS BACK ON!
The 2014 Cookie Walk will be
Saturday, December 6 from 9:00 — 11:30 am
In the narthex (lobby) and parlor.
This year's Cookie & Candy Walk will be on Saturday, December 6th from 9:00 am — 11:30 pm (or until
the cookies are gone!). Have you been thinking what
kind of cookies or candy you’ll be making? It’ll be here
before you know it! The setup and cookie drop-off day
At the Cookie Walk, you can purchase boxes that you
can fill for $5, $10, or $15. These monies will support
our Mexico Mission trip in April, 2015. Enjoy your holiday treat at home or give them away as
gifts for family, friends, office workers, etc.
Attention All Bakers! We are looking for lots of bakers to help make this Cookie Walk a
success. Please contact us to let us know that you will be contributing cookies and what kind/
how many.
Please contact Lisa Jones or Lori in the office at
937-878-5042 with questions.
The Preschool/
Daycare Cookie Dough
Fundraiser:
Cookie Dough Sale! The Preschool/Daycare is
having their annual cookie dough fundraiser! The
proceeds from this sale will be used for a new
ground surface for the playground. Please stop
by and see Mary Gale after services on November 2nd to place your order. She will be in the
Narthex. There are approximately three dozen
per container. For order forms or questions, please
contact Mary Gale at 878-4461.
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Youth Happenings:
Envelope Fundraiser – A big THANK YOU to everyone that helped with our envelope
fundraiser. Your support goes beyond the monetary donations. We in the Youth
Ministry know that it is a huge blessing to be a part of a church family that is
encouraging to our teens. You make it possible for us to share Jesus with students
that are traversing the most challenging years of their lives. You are awesome! If you
haven’t turned in your envelope please do so as soon as you can. Or, if you didn’t
get a chance to get in on the envelope fun and would still like to participate in
supporting the ministry, please contact Chris Mustard at (419)788-3348 or via e-mail
at: [email protected].
Junior High Retreat – By the time you get a chance to read this we will have returned
from our Junior High Retreat. We went to Marmon Valley Farms where we
experienced a cool (okay it was cold) atmosphere on a Christian Farm. We went for
a ride on horseback, played with the bunny rabbits, tunneled through the hay,
learned how to barn dance, had some amazing food, and created some lasting
memories as we took some time to see what place God has in our lives. It was
wonderful! Ask a Junior High student to tell you about their experience.
Christianity 101
This is a 6 month “Bible 101” experience for our 8th through 12th grade students. For
those of you that know the term, this would be our Confirmation class. We get to
know the roots of our faith, the United Methodist Church, and most importantly how
God wants to relate to us through Jesus. Class meets weekly and participants are
asked for high commitment, meaning that we are expecting those that sign up to be
regular attenders. We will be meeting on Sunday mornings at 9:30am in the Choir
room starting November 9th.
IMPORTANT PARENT AND TEEN NOTE: THERE WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING
AFTER THE SECOND SERVICE ON NOVEMBER 2. PIZZA WILL BE PROVIDED AND THE
MEETING WILL LAST APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES. An RSVP is NOT required to attend,
but if you are planning to be there,
please let us know so that we can
get a good guess of numbers.
~ Continued on next page ~
November/December, 2014
Page 12
FROM THE YOUTH PASTOR, (Continued):
Small Groups
We believe that it is an important part of the Christian life to gather with other
believers and work out living life in faith together. These groups will meet weekly to
encourage each other and discuss how to use the scriptures to improve their lives.
Small groups are open to all junior high and high school students. Come and try out
the one that meets for your age/gender. We meet at 7pm on Thursday nights at 3
different locations: High school students meet at the YMCA (you do not need to be a
member of the YMCA to participate, the Junior High Gals meet at the Mustard’s
house, and Junior High Guys meet at the Bush’s house. Contacts for more information on your small group: High School – Chris Mustard (419)788-3348, Junior High Guys
– Stephen Bush (317)698-2871, Junior High Gals – Holly Mustard (419)788-3031.
Blessings,
Chris Mustard
Youth Pastor
Youth Ministry Scoop:
We have youth brochures available at the Guest Services counter in the Narthex
(lobby) that have our complete 2014/15 schedule. We also have these schedules
on display in the Youth Display Board in the kitchen hallway so that you can be up
-to-date on all things youth. We post information/upates on Youth info on:
* the church website: www.fairbornumc.org
* on our Facebook page: Fairborn UMC Youth
* and on Twitter: @FairbornYouth
If you have any questions on anything youth related, call the church office at
937.878.5042!
Have a Happy and Blessed
Thanksgiving!
From your family at
Fairborn United
Methodist Church
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Did you know we are Online? We have entered the digital world and taken it by
storm. Okay, maybe not by storm, but recently we have become very active on social
media. You can find us on a daily basis posting, tweeting, and uploading. We do this
to remain connected throughout the week. We know that those online, which is
around 75% of people, connect to a social network at least 5 times per day if not
more. What that means is we have an opportunity to connect with you each and
every day, whether you are at home, work, or in the middle of the ocean. This daily
connection also means you have the opportunity to connect with us and share who
we are and what we do with others. Pretty awesome isn't it? Social media is more than
just a fad. It has become an integral part of who we are and because of that, social
media has become an integral piece of our life as a church. We invite you to join us
online. We invite you to share with others what happens at Fairborn UMC so they too
can experience Jesus and the amazing adventure God has in store for them. So keep
tweeting, posting, and taking pictures and join us as we do the same.
To connect with us, check us out on:
Facebook - Fairborn UMC
Twitter - @FairbornUMC
Instagram - @FairbornUMC
YouTube - Fairborn UMC
Website - www.fairbornumc.org
What is Financial Peace University (FPU)?
Financial Peace University (FPU) is a nine-week class on money taught by America's most trusted
financial guru, Dave Ramsey. Dave and his team will walk you through the basics of budgeting,
dumping debt, planning for the future, and much more!
We will be offering an FPU class here starting in January (date tbd).
Watch for fliers and information about this amazing class!
Call the church office at 878-5042 for information or questions!
November/December, 2014
Page 14
Join Our Women’s Bible Study! On Thursday,
November 6th, we will be starting the Lisa Harper
Bible study on Malachi. This eight week class will
be on Thursday evenings starting at 5:30 pm in the
Choir Room. All are invited to join us! The member
book can be purchased at Amazon.com or Lifeway at the following link:
http://www.lifeway.com/Product/malachi-a-lovethat-never-lets-go-member-book-p005474743.
“Even on your worst day, God won’t leave you.
Know God’s unchanging love, in a new way,
through the Book of Malachi.” ~ Lifeway Christian
Resources
TOY DRIVE
Join us for a Toy Drive on Friday, December 5th from 4:00
— 6:00 pm! We’ll be giving out gently used toys here in our
church Gym. We will have books, stuffed animals, toys,
games, etc. If you’d like to donate gently used toys,
please drop them off at church before December 5th.
We will need helpers that day (December 5th) from 2:00—
4:00 pm to help get the toys set up. We will also need
people from 4:00—6:00 pm to help giving the toys away. There are sign-up
sheets for this on the Welcome Counter in the Narthex.
Call the office at 878-5042 if you have questions, or send an e-mail to:
[email protected].
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LaComedia Trip!
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET! –- “This touching musical version of the classic holiday film proves that miracles
do happen and is sure to fill both the young and the
young at heart with the Christmas spirit!”
We will be taking a group trip to LaComedia Dinner
Theater on Sunday, December 14th. We can meet here
at church around 5:00 and carpool. Look for the sign-up
sheet in the Narthex (lobby) and sign up. If we can get
at least 20 people to go, we can get group pricing. If
you have any questions, or suggestions for future trips,
please contact Rob Ryan at 937-878-5042 or via e-mail
at [email protected].
Following is the schedule for Christmas Eve worship
services here at Fairborn UMC. To accommodate those
that have to travel or work on Christmas Eve and won’t
be here for our Christmas Eve services, we are again
having an earlier service this year. It will be held on
December 23rd (Tuesday) at 7:00 pm! Feel free to join
us!
December 23rd — 7:00 pm
December 24th — 4:30 pm Family Service
December 24th — 8:00 pm Candlelight Service
Bring your family and friends to celebrate the birth of
our Lord, Jesus Christ! IF you have any questions, please
call the church office at 937-878-5042.
November/December, 2014
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Upcoming Events!!

November 1: Hour of Prayer Over Fairborn at the High School.

November 2: The following meetings are after the second service
(around 12:15—12:30 pm):
* Mexico Meeting about the Mission Trip
* WSU/AFIT Students Lunch
* Parent Informational Meeting for Christianity 101 class

November 8: Royalheirs (Southern Gospel) Concert at FUMC, 6:30 pm

November 9: Christianity 101 class begins — 9:30 am in the Choir Room

November 10: Education Enhancement Meeting, 7:00 pm

November 12: Skating Party at Skyborn Skateland from 6:00—8:00 pm.
Free admission and open to all ages.

November 13: Sonset Café — there is a sign-up sheet on the counter in
the Narthex close to that date.

November 16: Meal in a Bags and Frozen Turkeys due to church.

November 19: Chick-fil-A Fundraiser (You need to take a flier there)

November 22: Children and Youth groups packing the Operation Christmas Child (OCC) boxes. Donation lists and bin are in the Narthex
(lobby) on the coffee counter.

November 23: Hanging of the Greens at both 10:30 am and 12:30 pm.
Please plan on helping us decorate our beautiful church for Christmas!

November 27: Give thanks on this Thanksgiving Day!
(Continued)
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Upcoming Events, Continued:

November 30: Baptism Service at 6:00 pm with a carry-in dinner
beforehand at 5:30 pm. ALL are welcome! ALSO, Advent
begins.

December 5: Toy Drive at our church in the Gym from 4:00 —
6:00 pm. We need lots of help this day, both with taking toys
from church to the bank parking lot and helping give the toys
out.

December 6: Cookie Walk from 9:00 am — 11:30 pm.

December 7: FUMC and Preschool children singing at our 11:00
am service!

December 12/13: Children’s Lock-In from 7:00 pm — 8:00 am.

December 23: Christmas Eve-Eve service at 7:00 pm.

December 24: Christmas Eve services at 4:30 pm (Family service)
and 8:00 pm (Candlelight/Traditional service).

December 25: Have a blessed and Merry Christmas!

December 31: Have a safe, blessed, and Happy New Year!
November/December, 2014
NOVEMBER:
Juanita Morgan
Barb Mercer
Christopher Benner
Nancy Sturtz
Marsha Adams
Mason Landon
Robert Gheen
Tommy Malone
Linda Hutson
Jim Cox
Gail VanderKolk
Paul Moyer
Zoe Shade
David Roushey
Joel Martin
Sarah Reed
Lori Ryan
Larry Collins
Tom Pyatt
Mark Umbdenstock
Page 18
DECEMBER:
11/01
11/01
11/07
11/09
11/11
11/11
11/12
11/12
11/14
11/15
11/16
11/17
11/19
11/20
11/20
11/22
11/23
11/24
11/27
11/30
Jamie Cox
Holly Mustard
Katie Wright
Martha Carey
Samantha Dalton
Kathleen Baker
Sally Heys
Charlotte Brady
Emilie Spears
Larry Hutson
Heather Davis-Schroeder
James Cox
Becky Chambers
Connor DeWine
Joanne Scheihing
Karen Ashcraft
Shirley Christopher
Jennifer Scheihing
Jacque Davis
David Player
Emily Redd
Katie Delamatta
Genet Stewart
Charlotte Hitchcock
12/02
12/02
12/02
12/03
12/03
12/03
12/05
12/07
12/07
12/08
12/09
12/10
12/13
12/13
12/18
12/19
12/21
12/23
12/24
12/25
12/27
12/28
12/30
12/31
Page 19
The Messenger
~ November ~
MORNING
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18)
19)
20)
21)
22)
23)
24)
25)
26)
27)
28)
29)
30)
Jer 31-32
Jer 33-35
Jer 36-37
Jer 38-39
Jer 40-42
Jer 43-45
Jer 46-48
Jer 49-50
Jer 51-52
Lam 1-2
Lam 3-5
Ezek 1-3
Ezek 4-6
Ezek 7-9
Ezek 10-12
Ezek 13-15
Ezek 16
Ezek 17-19
Ezek 20-21
Ezek 22-23
Ezek 24-26
Ezek 27-28
Ezek 29-31
Ezek 32-33
Ezek 34-35
Ezek 36-37
Ezek 38-39
Ezek 40
Ezek 41-42
Ezek 43-44
EVENING
Titus 2
Titus 3
Philem
Heb 1
Heb 2
Heb 3
Heb 4
Heb 5
Heb 6
Heb 7
Heb 8
Heb 9
Heb 10:1-23
Heb 10:24-39
Heb 11: 1-19
Heb 11:20-40
Heb 12
Heb 13
Jas 1
Jas 2
Jas 3
Jas 4
Jas 5
1 Pet 1
1 Pet 2
1 Pet 3
1 Pet 4
1 Pet 5
2 Pet 1
2 Pet 2
~ December ~
MORNING
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18)
19)
20)
21)
22)
23)
24)
25)
26)
27)
28)
29)
30)
31)
Ezek 45-46
Ezek 47-48
Dan 1-2
Dan 3-4
Dan 5-6
Dan 7-8
Dan 9-10
Dan 11-12
Hos 1-4
Hos 5-8
Hos 9-11
Hos 12-14
Joel 1-3
Amos 1-3
Amos 4-6
Amos 7-9
Obad.
Jonah
Mic 1-3
Mic 4-5
Mic 6-7
Nah
Hab
Zeph.
Hag.
Zech. 1-3
Zech 4-6
Zech 7-9
Zech 10-12
Zech 13-14
Mal.
EVENING
11 Peter 3
1 John 1
1 John 2
1 John 3
1 John 4
1 John 5
II John
III John
Jude
Rev 1
Rev 2
Rev 3
Rev 4
Rev 5
Rev 6
Rev 7
Rev 8
Rev 9
Rev 10
Rev 11
Rev 12
Rev 13
Rev 14
Rev 15
Rev 16
Rev 17
Rev 18
Rev 19
Rev 20
Rev 21
Rev 22
November/December, 2014
Page 20
Our Missions team is taking steps to help Fairborn UMC become a global, mission-minded
church. To accomplish this goal, we are putting together a team of people who have a
passion to help others. We will be focusing on missions in three areas:



Locally: Here in Fairborn (the Family Closet, the SnakPak ministry)
Near us and Nationally: (Henderson Settlement, Kentucky)
Internationally: (Our sister church in Monterrey, Mexico and
Rwanda, supporting Ben and Susie Thomas).
\
Our SnakPak Ministry feeds a portion of the children in the Fairborn
Primary school that may not have food to eat on the weekends. We pack 180 bags every
Wednesday at 6:00 pm. Anyone that wants to help us pack these bags, please be in the
Gym at 6:00 pm every Wednesday, unless notified that we aren’t packing specific weeks.
We are in need of food (and monetary) donations (the food list is on the Guest Services
table in the lobby/Narthex). Please place food donations in the bin in the music room hallway.
The Fairborn FISH food pantry has been serving a lot of people and are in need of food
(or monetary) donations. Please put any food donations in the bin in the music
room hallway. FISH is also in need of volunteers to help answer the phones. If you are
interested, please call Lori in the church office at 878-5042.
Our Mexico Missions Ministry is for our sister church in Monterrey, Mexico, Our
Refuge of Peace. We take an annual mission trip to Monterrey to help them build their
church. It’s a very rewarding experience. We will be going there for our next mission trip
from April 22—27, 2015. Anyone interested or if you have questions, please call the
church office at 878-5042.
NOTE: There will be a meeting for anyone and everyone that is interested in
going on our next mission trip to Mexico in April. This meeting will be Sunday,
November 2nd at 12:30 pm. Call Lisa Jones at 878-5042 if you have questions.
Page 21
The Messenger
Sonset Café provides a warm meal and welcome place, available to anyone in our community. For additional information, see the article on page 22 of this newsletter. Questions may
be directed to Beryl Binkard Collins, 878-0659.
The Family Closet is our free clothing store! The
clothing store hours are Wednesday
evenings from 5:30 — 7:30 pm and Saturday mornings from 9:00 — 11:00 am. People are
welcome to shop during these times.
If you have any clothing to donate, we ask that you separate it by men/
women/children and if you could also separate by season, that’d be
great. Clothing donations are to be taken down to the clothing store in
the basement (Wesley Hall). If, however, you are unable or if the Preschool children are in the room, leave the donations in the lobby area.
We are always looking for help sorting the clothing, putting them on
hangars, etc. Contact either Becky Chambers or Lori Ryan in the
church office at 878-5042.
Christmas Poinsettia Orders
Once again this year, we will be decorating with poinsettias at
Christmastime. If you are interested in purchasing one of them
(they will be available after Christmas), please provide your name,
phone number and how many you will be purchasing (at $10.00
per poinsettia) to the church office. Also let us know who the
poinsettia is in memory or in honor of. Be sure to let us know if
you want to keep your flower after Christmas or if you want it
delivered to a shut-in.
ALSO, if anyone would like to come in and take care of the poinsettias
once they are delivered to church until Christmas, please let us know.
Please call Lori in the office at 878-5042 if you’d
volunteer to care for these beautiful plants!
November/December, 2014
Page 22
BAPTISM SERVICE
We are having a Baptism Service on Sunday, November 30th.
We begin this very special evening with a carry-in dinner at
5:30 pm and then the service begins at 6:00 pm. This is such a
blessed service and all are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Also, anyone needing Baptised, contact the church office at
878-5042 or via e-mail to: [email protected].
SONSET CAFÉ
Thanks to all who helped with the Sonset Café meals. In September we served 100 guests!
Those served were most appreciative of this meal. Our next date to serve at Sonset Café is
November 13, 2014. There are sign-up sheets on the coffee counter in the Narthex. Sonset
Café provides a warm meal and welcome place, available to anyone in our community. Several
churches and one community group take turns providing and serving this meal. The meal is
served at St Mark’s Lutheran Church on Thursday evenings starting at 6:00 pm. Volunteers
who serve should arrive at 5:00 pm at St. Mark’s. The meal and clean-up is done by around
7:00 pm. We sometimes need help at Fairborn UMC to help prepare the meal. Anyone is
welcome to help with this meal. Questions may be directed to Beryl Binkard Collins, 878-0659.
Do you prefer to pay your weekly offering
with a check or cash, or do you wish there
were another option available to you? In an
effort to simplify giving options for everyone, we have Online Giving available on
our church website,
www.fairbornumc.org! Online Giving is
beneficial to you as well as to the church,
as shown below:
1. With Online Giving, you will simplify
your life by giving automatically on the
schedule and date you decide.
2. No writing a check, remembering to
bring it to church, or sending it to church if
you forgot it on Sunday.
3. You will be helping the church by
making recordkeeping more consistent.
4. It allows you to give even when you
are out of town!
5. You can print out a receipt for your
giving.
From our website (scroll down on the
main page to the “Donate” section at the
bottom). It will then step you through
either making a onetime gift or a
recurring gift. Also, we have a kiosk on
the wall. This is another way of giving
your contribution automatically. Just
swipe, enter your information, and go! Of
course you can still continue to contribute with check or cash in the offering on
Sunday if you choose. If you have any
questions, either call Lori in the church
office
at
878-5042
or
send
an
e-mail: [email protected].
Page 23
The Messenger
The Royalheirs Concert!
Get Your Concert Tickets Now! We are super excited to be hosting a
wonderful concert -- The Royalheirs (Southern Gospel) singing group on
Saturday, November 8th at 6:30 pm here at Fairborn UMC in our Sanctuary!
Tickets are $5.00 and we are selling them up until the date of the event.
Contact Lori in the church office for tickets or we’ll be selling them on
Sundays (November 2 and 8) between services.
If you want to check them out now, visit their website at: www.royalheirs.net.
November/December, 2014
Page 24
Children’s Ministry:
I want to start out this article with a story that will help highlight just how important your support of the
Children’s Ministry is. For the last year or so, we have had a neighborhood child coming to Sunday morning
and many of the events that we host. She was one of the kids that received a new Bible because she had never
owned one before. She brings it every Sunday, without fail. A few weeks ago, we were talking about creation
and how God made us and knows us better than anyone and loves us more than anyone. This 3rd grader raises
her hand and says, “So, God is kinda like a father.” I told her that that’s exactly what God was- our heavenly
daddy. She then said something that broke my heart. “That’s good then because my dad is in jail.” I paused
for a beat, praying to God that He would give me the right words to say to this little girl whose world was so
different than a lot of our children. I finally told her that our Father will never be in jail, He will always love us,
and He will always be with us no matter what. I thanked God that I had the opportunity to show this little girl
who her real Father was and that He was so much better than anything in this world. I pray that her realization
forms a building block for her faith for the rest of her life.
This is just one of the stories I get to experience every Sunday in children’s worship. These children are
learning about God and for me to be able to see that “eureka” moment- when they understand who God is- is
one of the greatest blessings I have received. I am honored that I have been entrusted with a part of the
spiritual training for the kids who come through our program.
Now for some announcements!
All during November, the children and youth will be collecting donations and supplies for Operation Christmas
Child, a nation-wide charity that has delivered shoeboxes full of gifts to over 113 million children around the
world. Every shoebox is an opportunity to share the love of Jesus with a hurting child.
We will have a collection box in the lobby area of the church where you can put items that we will use to fill as
many shoeboxes as we can. You can donate small toys, school supplies, clothes, and hygiene items (no candy
or perishables). We are also accepting monetary donations to help with purchasing supplies and covering the
cost of shipping ($7 per box).
Everyone is invited to join the children and youth on November 22 at 11:00am for the Operation Christmas
Child Packing Party where we will be stuffing boxes, writing Christmas cards, and praying for the children who
will be receiving the boxes.
This is a wonderful opportunity to get into the Christmas spirit by focusing on what Christmas should be aboutspreading the love of Jesus to the ends of the earth.
Upcoming Events in Upside:
November 12: 3rd Annual Skate Party, 6:00-8:00pm, Skyborn Skateland- FREE!
November 22: Operation Christmas Child Packing Party, 11:00am-12:00pm
December 12-13: Kids’ Overnight/Lock-In, 7:00pm-8:00am, K-5th graders
December 23: Christmas Eve Eve Family Service, 7:00pm
December 24: Christmas Eve Family Service, 4:30pm
If you would like to help or if you have any questions, contact me at the church at 937-878-5042, or via e-mail :
[email protected], or call Lori in the office at the above phone number of via e-mail at
[email protected].
Melody VanderKolk
FUMC Children’s Ministry (UPside) Leader