First
Connection
D E C E M B E R 2014
First
Connection D E C E M B E R 2014
Contents
Our Mission: To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Our Vision: Meet Friends. Meet God. Discover Life.
A Word from Rev. Donnie.......................................1 Letters to Editor.........................................................2 New Members...........................................................3 Jr. High Youth Retreat..............................................4 Advent Activities.......................................................6 Save the Date: upcoming happenings..................10 December H2O.......................................................11 All Things New........................................................14 Attendance...............................................................15 Birthdays..................................................................16 Kitchen Talk............................................................17
Our Journey:
Our Practices: On the Cover: Jr. High Youth Retreat in Woodworth, November 8, 2014 First Connection is a publication from: First United Methodist Church of Alexandria 2727 Jackson Street Alexandria, Louisiana 71301 (318) 443-5696 www.fumca.org We would love to hear from you! Please send us your Feedback, Questions, Comments, Story Contributions, Photos, News or Ideas. Senior Pastor: Rev. Donnie Wilkinson, revdonnie@ fumca.org Editor: Julie Bacon, jbacon@fumca.org Contributor: Bill Sumrall, bsumrall@fumca.org
Rev. Donnie
A Word From Rev. Donnie On the First and Second Advent of Christ
the shopping, and the frenetic activity of school plays and parties Advent is a special time in the life of our church. can combine The four Sundays leading up to Christmas are a time together and drain when we go all out decorating the sanctuary with us of energy and special items such as the beautiful Advent wreath that awareness. But it hangs above the altar. A good question would be to ask need not be so. why? Why do we make such a big deal about this time One easy way to of year? seek Him is to take The answer is in the name we give this season—advent. a few moments at the beginning or end of day and consciously connect Advent comes from the Latin word adventus and means with God. You might want to light an Advent wreath coming. Advent is a special time of year in which we as a family each evening and share the highs and lows celebrate the first coming of Christ—that is Christmas. for the day. You may want to simply sit still and quiet for five minutes and breathe with awareness. Whatever But there is another coming we must be aware of. The you do ask God to help you experience the presence of first advent, the birth of Jesus, was a one-time historical Christ. event two thousand years ago in Bethlehem.
My Advent prayer for you is that as you prepare to The Second Advent is an ongoing and personal celebrate the first advent of Christ, the birth of Jesus in experience of Christ living his life in and through us Bethlehem so long ago, you will experience the second, as we live by faith day by day. An ancient sage once the birth of Christ in your heart. said, “It matters not that Christ was born in Bethlehem so long ago if he is not born into your heart today.” Grace & Peace, I am convinced that Christ comes into any and every Rev. Donnie Wilkinson heart that truly seeks him. Senior Pastor In the run up to Christmas we can find ourselves swept up into all the busyness of the season. The planning,
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Letters to the Editor Thank you to all the volunteers involved with Ministry
Sunday. Thank you to the banner bearers, “stick makers” and people presenting their cardboard testimonies. You all helped make it a day long remembered at FUMCA. -The Millers
is $20. If you cannot afford the meal, are classes for kids starting at age 3, Missing Out. If you are not at church on don’t let that stop you from coming, children’s choir for up to fifth grade, Wednesday evenings for The Gathering, you are missing out! Where else can you feed your spirit with a quiet moment of prayer and reflection and partake of communion at 5:15p in Crowell Chapel, then take a short walk to the Fellowship Hall, where you can enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal (5:30p – 6ish). The meal is $6 for adults and $3 for children/ students. The most any family can pay
nobody is going to leave hungry.
From 6ish to 7:10p feed your spirit, heart and brain by listening to very interesting and thought provoking Bible study led by Rev Donnie. You might be surprised by what topics come up and how they apply to modern life. If you have kids or grandkids in tow, childcare is available and there
Thank you
and youth activities and worship for sixth grade and up. The Gathering follows the public school calendar, so when school is out, such as the Wednesday of Thanksgiving week, we don’t gather. But we start right back up the next week and would love to see you there. Bring a family member or friend. Don’t miss out. -Susan McConnell
Cheri Crouch for serving as our interum director for the Weekday Children’s Ministries (WCM). On Thursday, October 23, the WCM Board held a coffee and donuts “meet and greet” for parents to meet the leaders of Cheri Crouch (left) Interim Director of WCM and the WCM. Shelly Hall (right) Assistant Director of WCM. 2 December 2014 | CONNECTION
First Church welcomes our new members!
Steve and Andrea Warren joined Sunday, October 9 with their three children: Vivian (10); Lillian (7); and Alex (6).
Cathleen Kelly (center) daughter of Patrick and Carol Kelly was baptized Sunday, November 16. She is pictured here with her big sisters Caitlin (5) and Camille (3).
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Jr. High Retreat
The weekend of November 8, 2014, eight of our
Thrive Youth attended the United Methodist state-wide Jr. High Retreat in Woodworth. Over 200 youth participated in the event which included worship, fellowship, prayer, youth talent show, pancake run and listening to Senior Pastor Matt Rawle from The Well speak on “Come hungrey, get filled.�
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First Kidz - Children’s Choir DEC 7 - Children Sing at 11a worship DEC 17 - CHRISTMAS PARTY (6:15p) & last choir night of 2014. JAN 7 - Wed. Choir practice resumes
First Kidz Christmas Musical December 10, 6:30p in the Fellowship Hall
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upcoming sermon series:
November 30 - December 24
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DECEMBER Events Nov. 22—BLESS THIS SCHOOL: Flower Bed Work @ Rugg, 8a-noon Nov. 23—Christmas Cheer Tree is up...take a tag off the tree! Nov. 23—Family Advent Wreath, create one during Sunday School hour, Fellowship Hall Dec. 6—Advent Quiet Day, 9a-1:30p, 50/50 classroom Dec. 7—Announcement Sunday Dec. 7—Christmas Cheer gifts due back at church wrapped & tagged Dec. 7—Live Nativity, 6-8p Dec. 10—Christmas Cheer sorting, 5p, gym Dec. 13—BLESS THIS SCHOOL: Tree Pruning @ Rugg, 8a-noon Dec. 13—Christmas Cheer delivery, 9a Dec. 14—Christmas Cantata “Were You There on That Christmas Night?” - 11a, Sanctuary Dec. 14—First Kidz Musical “The Christmas Cross” - 5:30p, Fellowship Hall Dec. 14—Psalm Sunday, 6p, Tamp & Grind Coffeehouse Dec. 17—Last Wednesday Night @ Gathering for 2014 Dec. 21—The Longest Night service… a service of healing and hope, 6p, Sanctuary Dec. 24—Candlelight Christmas Eve services, 4p & 6p, Sanctuary
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Christmas Cheer NOV 23
Cheer Tree is up
DEC 7
Gifts are due back to the church
DEC 10 DEC 13
Sorting in the gym, 5p Delivery, 9a
Our FUMCA family helps make Christmas brighter and blessed for families in our community. Starting the Sunday before Thanksgiving, there is the opportunity to select a child’s name or multiple children’s names from the Christmas Cheer tree located outside the main sanctuary and inside the Well. Purchase a gift for that child and return it wrapped & labeled to church by Sunday, December 7th. Then make plans to help sort gifts on Wednesday, December 10th and to deliver gifts on Sunday, December 14th. Our FUMCA family provides gifts and Christmas dinner groceries to 75 families from the Shepherd Center each year. Monetary donations are accepted to cover the cost of groceries (write “Christmas Cheer” in the memo section).
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Dec. 17
This is the last Gathering for 2014
Jan. 7
The Gathering resumes for 2015
Safe Sanctuary Training FOR WHO? We ask anyone that is involved with our children’s program or our youth program to attend this training. This includes volunteers for any and all youth and children programing such as Buddy Camp and VBS. WHEN? Saturday, January 17 from 10a-noon WHERE? At church
Christmas Cantata Sunday, December 14 at 11am
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H2O items needed for
December H20: Helping to Overcome Homelessness is a community mission project that provides instant, on-site services to the homeless or imminently homeless population. Food, clothing, housing options, haircuts and medical screenings are available at no charge. It takes place once a month in the Emmanuel Baptist Church parking lot in downtown Alexandria. More info online www.fumca.org/h2o
H2O is
ext
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gs s t a ke g b s s n rs n a bl epi sock love aps rme g it c wa sle kn nd ha
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Collection boxes are located by the Library/ Fellowship Hall Thank you for helping us December 2014 | CONNECTION
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Interpreter magazine offers United Methodists free access to valuable, actionable articles on the
topics of technology, spiritual growth, leadership development, congregational growth, ministry with the poor, and global health.
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January 2015 COMING
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December 7 Announcement Sunday We will celebrate the successful completion of the campaign and thank God for speaking to each member of our congregation.
Lord, what do you
want to do through
me?
First United Methodist Church has begun a capital campaign to raise funds to restore and renew the gift of our church building. This is our church, and this is our time to partner with God to restore and renew this beautiful place of prayer and spiritual growth so that a new generation can experience the transforming power of God’s love.
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lp e H e
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Attendance October 19, 2014 October 26, 2014 November 2, 2014 November 9, 2014
Church
Sunday School
260 256 319 259
116 112 127 113
W O O D W O R T H , N O V E M B E R
2014
L O U I S I A N A 8 , 2 0 1 4
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b
m e c
e D1
i B
Michael Guillory Richard Lohrey
3 4
Nicole Sanders
Richard Nunnally Gladys Rine Ruth Whitaker
5
Teri Dungan Karen Hyde Alison Johnson Natalie Johnson Carol Land
Brian Slipman
10
Natalie Jarrell Rusty Potter
11
Cheri Crouch Ame Hensel Mike Kearney Jackson St. Romain
12
DeAnna Brister Chuck LaCroix
13
Camille LaCroix Brian Gorum
14
Dee Brister Quin Gassiott Dorothy Savoy
7
15
8 9
16 17
Benjamin Cooper Wesley Gassiott Spencer Sanders Amber Jurgensen Michael Miller
Mike Wood Rebecca Blankenbaker Charles Walton Kelly Stevens Jerry Treadway
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s y
a d
h rt
Kim Ask-Carlson Louise Spence Carol White
2
r e
18
Johnny Dollar Kathy Littlepage Patricia White
19
Anna Eyer Rylee Harpe Colleen Pitman Jennifer Wright
20
Christi Carlisle Chris Devero Katie Goins Randy Hageman Tatum Jarrell Clark Woolf
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24 25 27 28
Christina Thiels Carol Graham Janai Martin Averill Brewer Marie Durham Joe Land Nick Marrazzo Philip O’Quin Traci Stradford
29
Henry Blount Robert Broadwell Jerry Redman Chad Scroggs
Elizabeth Garvin Brian Kiesewetter Sheri Shephard Ian Stanford
30
Christi Christensen Catherine Stead
31
22 23
Jeremy Bacon Richard Rand Vickie Smith
David Poe Carolyn Fletcher Kyle Debevec Mim Kiesewetter Ruben Roy Kerstain Stanley
Kitchen Talk BY Wayne McConnell
Nativity”. These are “gifts” that we give to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Thank you to everyone who gave eason’s Greetings, everyone! Thanksgiving has sacrificially to the Capital Campaign, this will allow our come and gone. The leftovers are a tasty memory church to continue the local missions that we take part and we continue to prepare to celebrate the birth in at this time of the year, such as Christmas Cheer, our of the Christ child once again. This is a season of giving Live Nativity, Laundry Love, Pub Theology, Friends in and gratitude; the most valuable gift you can give others Faith, Bless this School, Psalm Sunday, The Gathering is the gift of your time, talents, and service. and the Open Table Program. Thanks to all who give.
S
Open Table The Methodist Church has a policy of an open communion table, as it should be, and we should carry that concept forward (an open table) and break bread with those that are hungry, both physically and spiritually.
The Gathering The Gathering will follow the school calendar; the last “Gathering” of 2014 will be December 17 and will resume January 7, 2015. Let me give a shout of thanks to Dallas Curry for his invaluable assistance in the kitchen on Wednesday afternoons and evenings.
Contribute Please contribute to the food drives that are abundant at this time of the year, thank you to all who helped with our “open table” Thanksgiving meal, and thanks to those who are planning to give of their time in the “Live
Remember love God with your whole heart, love all, serve all, break bread with someone you don’t usually and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
UMCmarket First United Methodist Church of Alexandria is spreading the warmth of Christ’s love this season. By remembering to shop through UMCmarket, your funds can help our local mission field. With winter on its way, you can shop for all your cold weather needs and donate at the same time. It’s easy to make a difference!
log onto www.umcmarket.org “First Alexandria”
(this is what you need to type in to find our church)
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All Things New
Celebration Sunday
November 2, 2014