Christmas at First United Methodist Church The Sanctuary is decorated with the bright reds of poinsettias and the green of garland and trees. The lights bring brilliance and warmth to the Sanctuary. The music is rich with the sound of familiar carols and choruses. The feeling is one of excitement and high energy. Christmas at First Church is amazing! As we move through the season of Advent, we build energy and excitement as we add decorations, sing more familiar carols, and read the familiar stories. We begin with the Service of Lessons and Carols, hear Handel’s Messiah, and enjoy the Children’s Christmas Concert. We offer Contemplative Worship on Wednesdays. We build towards Christmas Eve with its overflow crowds and joyful celebration! You need to be here! You need to allow the worship of the church to prepare you for the holy season of Christmas. Others need to be here as well. Who do you know that would benefit from our Advent and Christmas season? Please invite them to join us this month. Have you found yourself missing from your church? Come home this month! All are welcome in our church. This is a great time of year to invite people to encounter God through worship at your church. Once again, we will offer a wonderful opportunity to experience Christmas at First United Methodist Church. This year, our special Family Worship will be at 2:00 pm in the Sanctuary. This service is designed for families with children and people who do not want to drive after dark to come to a Christmas Eve service. Our other services will remain the same in time and format (See full schedule on the Calendar, page 5).
Sneaking up on You! By Kent Ingram, Senior Pastor
I hear it often: “Christmas just snuck up on me this year!” It feels like that, doesn’t it? It’s 75 degrees in early November and it feels like summer and then, all of a sudden we are counting down the shopping days until Christmas. At one level it really is absurd. How can Christmas “sneak up” on us? We know exactly when it will be. It’s the same date every year! It never moves, never changes, never varies. We should always be ready for Christmas, if we have a calendar!
“… The first Christmas came as a surprise! No one saw it coming! It just
But that’s not the point, really, is it? The issue is more emotional than chronological. It doesn’t “feel” like Christmas because we are not emotionally prepared. Our minds are somewhere else. We push off the preparations. We are too busy doing other stuff to “do” Christmas stuff. And then it is right on the horizon, and we need to feel “Christmassy” so the season feels right.
sort of snuck up on
Well maybe that panicked response isn’t too far from where we ought to feel. Rest assured, the first Christmas came as a surprise. No one saw it coming! It just sort of snuck up on shepherds and Herod and townspeople… The location of the birth came as a surprise. The mother and father of Jesus came as a surprise. The town of
shepherds and Herod and
Jesus’ family came as a surprise. Face it, God loves to surprise us. Maybe Christmas is supposed to feel like a surprise! We do our best here at First United Methodist Church to get you ready for Christmas. We patiently go through the season of Advent, rehearsing all of those stories intended to get us ready. We offer Lessons and Carols, a foreshadowing of Christmas, as we start the Advent season. Our choir performs Messiah. Our children lead a concert of Christmas music. We offer Advent lessons and Contemplative Worship. And on and on… We try hard to prepare for this day. But maybe it will always be a surprise. Maybe we can’t control or dictate how God will come to us on Christmas. Maybe real Christmas, true Christmas, will always sneak up on us and surprise us with God’s gift of grace. I hope it sneaks up on me this year. I hope it sneaks up on you as well. See you in worship, Kent
townspeople…”
First United Methodist Church 420 North Nevada Avenue. Colorado Springs, CO 80903 719-471-8522 • www.fumc-cs.org
Considering Membership at First UMC? If you are interested in membership at First United Methodist Church or have questions, please call 719-471-8522 ext. 270 for more information.
Sunday Worship Service Times 7:30 am Early Riser in the Chapel 8:00 am Traditional in the Sanctuary 9:30 am Contemporary in the Sanctuary 11:00 am Traditional in the Sanctuary Live broadcasts of the 11:00 am service on FOX, channel 21.2 (cable 7) and CW 57. Closed captioning available.
The Encounter is printed and published once a month by First United Methodist Church, 420 N. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Materials for inclusion are due three weeks before publication date and are subject to approval. Not all submissions are guaranteed to be included. Articles, comments, or suggestions are welcomed by emailing, annaliec@fumc-cs.org or calling, 719-471-8522, ext. 272.
Sunday School Classes are at 9:30 & 10:45 am
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Cover Photo: Christmas at First United Methodist Church!
WORDS FROM
LELAND REECE, LAY LEADER It seems like every year during the month of December, time speeds up. Between social events and getting ready for Christmas there is rarely a moment to relax. Many times, I must be reminded to slow down and enjoy the season. I am sure many of you experience the same thing. Here at First Church, we are very blessed with the many diverse opportunities that will help us enjoy the moment and celebrate the true miracle of Christ’s birth. I would encourage you to go to our website and see the dates and times of the special programs our church offers, such as Lessons and Carols, Messiah, Christmas at the Ranch, Wednesday Night Advent Dinners, and Contemplative Worship. I would also like to bring to your attention that there is still a very limited time to select a star in the Hospitality Center on Sunday that will help make Christmas special for a child. I hope you all have a meaningful and joyous Christmas. See you all at Sunday worship, Leland Reece
POINSETTIAS TO HONOR YOUR FAMILY! During Christmas, we offer the opportunity to purchase poinsettias in honor or in memory of loved ones. These festive holiday plants decorate our Chancel area in the Sanctuary, beginning December 6. Just in time for Messiah! This year, plants are $20 each for an 8” pot with 3 plants. Watch for more information about sales for Poinsettias in First News and the You Can Count on Me bulletin insert. Sales will start Sunday, November 29 and run through December 12. So that everyone may enjoy these traditional holiday plants on Christmas Eve, you may take your plant home only after the 11:00 pm service on Christmas Eve, or you may pick up your Poinsettia the following weekend when the church building reopens.
At First United Methodist Church, we are convinced that God has given us the resources to accomplish the work He has intended us to do. But we know that the challenges are great. A big part of the resources we count on every year is your pledge to the church. Your gift — every dime, every dollar, helps us be faithful to the calling God has given us. If we are to continue reaching out in God’s name, we need to grow in our giving. Giving the same each year means less ministry is done each year. Costs go up. Large and beautiful buildings are expensive. Security is always an issue downtown. The need is great. Consider how much you give on a weekly basis. Look at our giving as a percentage of your income. Together, we have all the resources we need to accomplish God’s work through us. Let us grow in our giving, so that God’s work might be done through us! If you have not yet made your pledge for 2016, please do so as soon as possible so that we can wrap up our Stewardship Campaign knowing that we will be making a big difference in 2016. Please remember to fill out your pledge card with a sense of gratitude. You can mail it to the church or fill it out online at www.fumc-cs.org/give (Pledge 2016). You may also call your pledge in to the Finance Office at 471-8522, ext. 216. Consider direct withdrawals from your bank as a way to make sure that our income stream is steady and regular. Remember that you can always give online! No matter how you give, your gift ensures that we will be Downtown for Good!
WINTER WEATHER REMINDER This is the season we like to remind our members and friends that First Church follows School District 11 delay and closure policies. On the occasions when a storm intensifies on a day we have already been open for business, and the schools have completed for the day; we may, for the safety of our members and staff, choose to close early. All closures and delays will be posted on the FUMC website as they occur. Please remember to check the rotator slide on the homepage of the website: www.fumc-cs.org for information on delays, early closures, and complete closures. We also provide our closures and delays to KKTV, local Channel 11, and www.kktv.com as early as we possibly can to help you know when it is necessary to change plans for your scheduled church activities.
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CROP WALK On Sunday, October 4, fourteen walkers from FUMC joined with about 150 other walkers of all ages from Colorado Springs churches for the 10th Annual CROP walk. They and others from the church worked to gain sponsorship, totaling close to $2,000, thanks to the generosity of fellow FUMC members. The Walk itself received nearly $9,000 in donations for the year, which put the cumulative total at over $100,000. Twenty-five percent of the funds raised will stay in town to support Family Promise (IHN). Please know how much we appreciate your kind support. Consider joining us next year!
UNITED METHODIST STUDENT DAY November 29, 2015 “Get wisdom – it’s worth more than money; choose insight over income every time.” ~ Proverbs 16:16
A new session of Faith Academy and Wednesday Night Dinners will begin January 13, 2016. This session will run for four weeks, from January 13 to February 3. We’ll skip February 10 for Ash Wednesday and begin our Lenten Session on February 17. Registration for classes is not needed. Remember to join us for Wednesdays Night Dinner. Dinner is served from 5:00 - 6:15 pm and classes follow at 6:30 pm. Information for this session of Faith Academy Classes will be published in the January issue of the Encounter.
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Every year, hundreds of students receive scholarships and loans funded by United Methodist Student Day through your generous contributions. United Methodist scholarships and the U.M. Student Loan Fund are administered by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GHEM). Your gifts to United Methodist Student Day help students continue their education and their faith journey, as they strive to make a difference in the world and discern what God has planned for them. Remember, $1 per member per Special Sunday offering makes a big difference! Students in our annual conference – and perhaps our congregation – benefit from this offering. Please celebrate and give generously – without your gifts, many students may be turned away!
ALTAR FLOWER DONATIONS A special way to honor a person or an important event! The flowers that we enjoy each Sunday are donated by individuals who wish to celebrate the memory or honor of loved ones, or to recognize anniversaries, birthdays, etc. Two bouquets of flowers are displayed in the Sanctuary every Sunday. You have the option of donating one bouquet for $40.00 or both bouquets for $80.00 on any given Sunday. The Sunday bulletin includes the name(s) of those you choose to remember or honor with these flowers. After worship, you can choose to take the flowers home, or have them delivered to a homebound FUMC member by a ‘Flowers of Love’ volunteer. To donate flowers, please contact Jana Brink at 471-8522, or at janab@fumc-cs.org.
Thurs & Fri,
Nov 26 & 27
CHURCH IS CLOSED — Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday,
November 29
Service of Lessons and Carols — Sanctuary
Sunday,
November 29
Poinsettia Sales Begin
Sunday,
November 29
First Stars Last Sunday — Hospitality Center (See details on page 11)
5:00 pm
Thursday,
December 3
NOAH Breakfast — IHOP (Constitution and Powers)
9:00 am
Saturday,
December 5
Christmas Treasures — Kingdom City
9:00 am
Sunday,
December 6
Coffee and Cookies Youth Singers Fundraiser — Hospitality Center
Sunday,
December 6
MESSIAH — Sanctuary
3:00 pm
Tuesday,
December 8
Love Lights a Candle: Service of Remembrance — Chapel
6:30 pm
Fri or Sat,
Dec 11 or 12
Christmas at the Ranch Dinner (See details on page 9)
Sunday,
December 20
Rides 4 Rubbish (R4R) Love Feast
Thursday,
December 24
Family Service — Sanctuary
5:00 pm
2:00 pm
Special service of Christmas stories led by Janita McGregor, Director of Children’s Ministries
Thursday,
December 24
Candlelight Service — Sanctuary
5:00 pm
A stirring message of hope and traditional Christmas hymns and anthems led by the Chancel Choir and instrumentalists of FUMC. Sermon by Rev. Kent Ingram
Thursday,
December 24
Candlelight Service — Sanctuary
7:00 pm
A stirring message of hope and traditional Christmas hymns and anthems led by the Chancel Choir and instrumentalists of FUMC. Sermon by Rev. Kent Ingram
Thursday,
December 24
Candlelight Service — Sanctuary
9:00 pm
A stirring message of hope with Christmas hymns and anthems led by the Crossroad Praise Team. Communion will be served. Sermon by Rev. Kent Ingram
Thursday,
December 24
Candlelight Service — Sanctuary
11:00 pm
Service with communion and sermon by Rev. Tiffany Keith
Friday,
December 25
CHURCH IS CLOSED — Merry Christmas!
Monday,
December 28
CHURCH IS CLOSED
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CLAUDE!
SUNDAY SCHOOL (9:30AM) During the month of December, we will be discovering the best story ever told — the story of Jesus’s birth! We hope you will join us!
CHILDREN’S WORSHIP (11:00 AM) In December, during Children’s Worship time, we will get ready for our journey to Bethlehem. Children’s worship is a unique multi-age, hands-on learning environment which allows children to experience God’s word in many different ways.
ADVENT IN KINGDOM CITY “Will you read me a story?” When my children were little, they could not wait for a story to be shared at bedtime each night. Each week, during Advent and Christmas, we will be discovering part of the most amazing story ever told — the Story of Jesus! On Christmas Eve, we will be blessed at our family service by three intergenerational story tellers who will share memories of what the Christmas story means to them. Come to worship with us during Advent, where we hope to share that sense of excitement and wonder, as we prepare our hearts and wait. “I love to tell the story.” Will you share YOUR story this Christmas in Kingdom City?
ADVENT OFFERING: THE ABC SCHOOL OF BANGLADESH We are blessed to continue an ongoing relationship between our children and the children of the ABC School, founded by our very own Dr. David Fussell, to educate, provide food and medical care for the street children of Bangladesh. This year, our Children’s mission project will be to collect money for the ABC School. The children will be given Advent offering boxes on the first Sunday of Advent (November 29). Please collect coins and have your child bring them back no later than January 1, 2016. Adults can help as well by giving a gift! Remember that the annual cost of providing school uniforms, books, teachers and supplies plus medical care and food for an entire family only costs $250 per child.
Please join us for the birthday celebration in honor of our favorite missionary partner, Claude, on Sunday, January 3 at the 9:30 am Sunday School hour. As part of Claude’s birthday celebration, we will learn about the importance of camels on Epiphany.
N.A.P. — A PLACE FOR MOTHER'S TO CONNECT Join us for a time with Nurturing, Accepting, and Praying (N.A.P.) moms for an open discussion, devotion, and decoupage! A little bit of everything for all moms. This group meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm, in the Parents Place in Kingdom City. All moms, step-moms, or mother figures are welcome to join this group. Contact Kimberly Walker (walker.kimberly@gmail.com) or Stacy McLeod(sdmackin@juno.com) for more information.
WALL OF HEROES PHOTOS If you or a family member(s) is a member of the military or a public servant, we would like a picture, preferably in uniform, with or without family. We would like to place it on our Wall of Heroes in Kingdom City for the children to pray over and remember those who serve! You may drop off your picture in an envelope with the person’s name, rank/title, and branch included at the Welcome Desk, or email it to Janita (janitam@fumc-cs.org).
SAVE THE DATE! ABC BANGLADESHI DINNER Saturday, January 9, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm in Kingdom City!
CHRISTMAS EVE FAMILY SERVICE December 24
2:00 pm
Sanctuary
You are invited to worship with us at our Family Christmas Eve Service in the Sanctuary at 2:00 pm. Come hear the stories of Christmas from the very young, the younger adult and the older adult. This is a wonderful way to begin your Christmas Eve with a special service for all ages to attend.
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DECEMBER FOLLOWING A STAR Wednesday, December 2 Some stars are literally stars, some stars are people we admire, the star of Christmas leads us to the Christ child. As we begin our Advent journey toward Christmas, we consider what it means to follow the star. Come for the food, fun and taste of the season. Lead Leaders: Derrick and Ellora
THE SONGS OF CHRISTMAS Wednesday, December 9 After dinner and some total group fun, we’ll sing a few Christmas carols and then hear one particularly special song and how it invites us into a closer relationship with God during this season. Lead Leaders: Derrick and Ellora
POTLUCK AND ICE SKATING NIGHT December 16, 6:30 - 9:00 pm (NOTE the extended time)
EPIC (EVERYTHING’S POSSIBLE IN CHRIST) Led by Iana McCubbin and Debi Spencer 9:30 am, Room 52 This youth Sunday School class is fun and engaging, focused on bringing teens’ faith and relationship with Christ alive through the use of movies, music, and other multimedia. Each class is structured to include games, a large group lesson and small group discussions. Join us!
SCREWTAPE LETTERS Led by Bruce Phillips, 11:00 am, Room 52 Every Christian deals with temptation all their lives. Even Christ’s first act after his baptism was to go into the wilderness and deal with temptation, as the devil tried to lead him astray. C. S. Lewis wondered how the devil goes about tempting Christians today, so he wrote his satirical book, The Screwtape Letters – a collection of letters from an administrative demon instructing an apprentice demon on how to tempt Christians. Filled with keen insights and humor, this reversed look at the Christian faith will be the focus of an 11:00 am Youth Sunday School class. We will read and discuss how we are tempted and challenged by the world around us, and how we can use our faith and our church fellowship to keep us strong.
Bring a dish to share and a pair of crazy socks (crazy as in fun) to donate to Urban Peak teen shelter. We will eat in The Zone and then head over to the outdoor ice rink in Acacia Park until 9:00 pm. There is no charge for this event, as it is a Christmas gift from FUMC for all of our youth and friends. Todd will deliver all of our crazy socks to Urban Peak when he next cooks breakfast for them. This is a great night to invite a friend!
LOVE FEAST FOR OUR R4R NEIGHBORS Sunday, December 20, 2:30 - 5:00 pm, Fellowship Hall Our Youth Ministry serves a special feast — a Love Feast — for our FUMC Rides4Rubbish friends twice a year. This is our special Christmas Love Feast. We need volunteers to bring alreadyprepared food (main dishes, side dishes, desserts, breads) and help us with decorating, serving and cleaning up. We will set up at 2:30 pm, serve and celebrate the meal at 3:30 pm, and be cleaned up and finished by 5:00 pm. Please register to volunteer by emailing Todd at todds@fumc-cs.org by Wednesday, December 16, letting him know what you will be bringing. Note: Rides4Rubbish is a FUMC initiative which partners FUMC folks with clients from the Marian House to clean up downtown trails and streets in exchange for bus passes. R4R has been going strong for many years now. It’s such a wonderful and sincere expression of sharing God’s love with our neighbors downtown.
JANUARY THE GIFT OF THE FUTURE January 6, 2016 This night, after dinner and total group fun and singing, we’ll consider the topic of the future and how to keep our eyes on God, as we move forward with hope. One step at a time, everyone!
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COFFEE AND COOKIES, A GREAT COMBINATION! By popular demand, FUMC’s Youth Singers are bringing back Christmas coffee and cookies! We are partnering with Serrano’s Coffee, a local Colorado Springs company which is supporting our Youth Singers’ fundraising efforts by offering a special holiday coffee blend. We will be pre-selling coffee on the following Sundays: December 6 and December 13. Coffee will be sold in the Hospitality Center at a cost of $13.00 for a 12 oz. package. All coffee orders will be delivered to the church and will be available for pick-up on Sunday, December 20. In conjunction with the pick-up of the coffee orders, the Youth Singers will be hosting a holiday “cookie exchange,” featuring a wide variety of delicious homemade holiday cookies. For ONLY $5.00, you can “mix and match,” picking any 12 cookies of your choice from the selections available. Cookies will be sold on a “first come, first served” basis and will include decorative holiday packaging – perfect for seasonal gift-giving! Join us as we celebrate this joyous season, and thank you for your generous support of our Youth Singers!
FIRST COMPANY AUDITIONS Auditions for First Company’s next show, The Boxcar Children (Based on the book by Gertrude Chandler Warner), will be Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 7:00 pm or Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 7:00 pm. Please prepare a 60-90 second monologue or poem. No appointment is necessary. We will be casting boys ages 10 - 16, girls ages 10 - 14, and adults ages 20+. The auditions will take place in the First United Methodist Church Theatre. For additional information, please contact us at firstcompanytheatre@gmail.com Show performances will be Friday, April 8 at 7:00 pm; Saturday, April 9 at 7:00 pm; Sunday, April 10 at 2:30 pm; Thursday, April 14 at 10:00 am; Friday, April 15 at 7:00 pm; Saturday, April 16 at 7:00 pm; Sunday, April 17 at 2:30 pm.
NEBRASKA WESLEYAN IN CONCERT AT FUMC Once again, we will thrill to the sounds of the Nebraska Wesleyan Concert Choir as they will be with us on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 7:00 pm as a part of their annual tour. Nebraska Wesleyan University is one of our United Methodist related universities. They have appeared at least twice before in our Sanctuary presenting their wonderful concerts. We are in need of housing for 50 college men and women for one night. We are also providing a pot luck meal prior to the concert. If you are able to help us house these young men and women, please sign up in the You Can Count on Me bulletin insert, or call the Music Office at 471-8522, ext. 221.
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ADVENT READERS We still have worship services during Advent for which people have not requested to be the reader. The Advent Sundays are November 29, December 6, 13, 20. If you would like for your family, friends or yourself to be an Advent candle lighter and liturgy reader at one of the four worship services on those dates, please email Rev. Jerry Hurst at jerryh@fumc-cs.org. Include the date and service time that you would like. The form is available on the You Can Count On Me bulletin insert.
ADVENT DINNERS AND CONTEMPLATIVE WORSHIP This year during Advent, for each Wednesday Night Dinners, a different nation (England, Nicaragua, and Germany) will be the theme for the meal and the speaker of the evening. This event will be from 5:00 to 6:00 pm. After the speaker for the evening is finished, members of our staff will lead us in a short Contemplative Worship time with an Advent theme. December 2, will be based on Christmas foods from England, with Bruce Phillips speaking on Christmas traditions of that country. On December 9, the country and food will be Nicaragua, with Rev. Chuck Stephens speaking. December 16, will feature Rev. Patty Walker speaking on the traditions of a German Christmas, with food from Germany being served. The whole evening will take place in the Fellowship Hall so that you can sit back, enjoy your meal, the speaker, and end your evening with worship. We hope you will join us for each of these Wednesday night Advent celebrations. There will be no Wednesday Night Dinners or Faith Academy on December 23, 30, or January 6. We will resume our regular schedule on Wednesday night, January 13.
NOAH BREAKFAST Join us Thursday, December 3 for our monthly NOAH Breakfast. We will meet at the IHOP restaurant on Constitution and Powers at 9:00 am. We have the party room reserved. This is a great time of fellowship and breakfast. You do not need a reservation. Just meet us at the restaurant to join the fun!
CHURCH CONFERENCE Our end-of-year Church Conference is Monday, December 7. We will meet in Room 133 South. All are welcome to attend. The 2016 budget will be presented, end-of-the -year reports will be made, and a video presentation of 2015 events will be shown.
CHRISTMAS AT THE RANCH Join us Friday, December 11, 6:00 - 9:00 pm or Saturday, December 12, 5:00 - 8:00 pm for a spirited evening of dinner and entertainment to celebrate the Christmas season at the Ranch. A special dinner will be prepared by our returning chefs, Lynn Strong and Lori Lohrmeyer. Entertainment will be provided by our one and only First Company, led by Marty Fennewald. Join us and experience the Ranch in its holiday winter glory. A few tickets for this event may still be available. Please contact Chris Thornton to check for ticket availability and reservations at christ@fumc-cs.org or 687-2148. Tickets: $20/adult and $15/child per night (Check or cash only).
PRESENTS FOR THE RANCH The Ranch is looking to replace or restock several items in its inventory and needs the help of the congregation. We are in need of the following items: board games, playing cards, Bocce Ball set, ping pong sets, metal dirt/bow rakes, vacuum cleaners, dust mops, storage bins, handheld can openers (big & small), electric handheld mixer, aluminum foil, Saran Wrap, parchment paper, paper plates, plastic ware, paper cups for coffee (no Styrofoam please), coffee, metal measuring cups, metal measuring spoons, Ziploc bags (all sizes). Please contact Chris Thornton at christ@fumc-cs.org, or at 687-2148, if you would like to donate any of these items to the Ranch.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES To learn about all our volunteer opportunities, please visit us online at www.fumc-cs.org. Scroll down to the bottom of the Home Page and look for the VOLUNTEER box (on the right-hand side of the screen). Click on the ministry of your choice to learn more and to sign-up online.
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LOVE LIGHTS A CANDLE: A SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE December 8 at 6:30 pm in the Chapel. Refreshments following. Does the advent season feel difficult because you are grieving the death of a loved one? You are invited to a special evening of reflection, music, candle lighting, and communion to come together in grief, remember loved ones, and find light in a holiday season that may be feeling very dark. This is a time for remembering, sharing our hurting places with God, and preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ. This gathering will provide a space for those who are grieving or facing any kind of pain in the midst of this season of celebration and seeking the presence of Christ, our Light, who goes with us in the darkness. You are invited to bring a photo or an object of remembrance of your loved one. Childcare will be provided. For more information contact Rev. Patty Walker at pattyw@fumc-cs.org or 471-8522, ext. 204.
RESTING IN GOD: CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER John Wesley wrote: “Whether you like it or not, read and pray daily. It is for your life; there is no other way; else you would be a trifler all your days. Do justice to your soul, give it time and means to grow.” Do not starve yourself any longer! You are invited to join a contemplative prayer group that meets in the FUMC Prayer Room on Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 10:30 am. This time provides for a period of Centering Prayer (a silent form of Christian meditation), followed by Lectio Divina (meditative reading of scripture). Familiarity with these spiritual practices are not necessary, as an introduction can be provided at any time to newcomers. This is a drop-in prayer group, meaning that you can come as your schedule allows. For more information, contact Rev. Patty Walker, at pattyw@fumc-cs.org or 471-8522, ext. 204. There is also a Centering Prayer group, called Holy Listening, that meets on Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm in the Campbell Reading Room. For more information about that group, contact Dan and Lori Lohrmeyer at 630-1809.
DO YOU KNIT OR CROCHET? THE PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY NEEDS YOU! The prayer shawl ministry prayerfully knits and crochets shawls that are given to church members who are grieving, hospitalized, or hurting for a variety of reasons. The blessed prayer shawls are tangible reminders of God’s love and our church’s care. The Prayer Shawl ministry meets to create the shawls on the first and third Mondays of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the prayer room. If you have a questions or are interested in joining, please contact Edie Davenport at 238-0056 or ediesd@msn.com.
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AN INTRODUCTION TO CENTERING PRAYER WORKSHOP January 9, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm If you have been feeling drawn to a prayer of inner silence and communion with God, this workshop will be a great opportunity to explore that further. The workshop will teach you a form of contemplation called Centering Prayer. In Psalm 46, we receive the invitation: "Be still and know that I am God." In our fast-paced, frenetic world, it is sometimes a challenge to "be still." Centering Prayer allows us to open to the presence and action of God within. This workshop is open to those new to Centering Prayer and to those who regularly practice Centering Prayer. The day will include periods of silence and Centering Prayer, discussion, and teachings on the conceptual background of Centering Prayer. This workshop is co-sponsored by FUMC and Contemplative Outreach. The cost is $20 per person. Scholarships are available. For more information or to register, please contact Rev. Patty Walker at pattyw@fumc-cs.org or 471-8522, ext. 204. Please register by December 31.
CONTEMPLATIVE JOURNEY SEMESTER PROGRAM Are you hungering to go deeper in your intimacy with God? Contemplative practices facilitate and strengthen our relationship with God. The Contemplative Journey Program, offered through Contemplative Outreach, an ecumenical international organization whose purpose is to renew the contemplative dimension of life, is an opportunity to explore contemplative prayer and to go deeper in your faith journey. The Contemplative Journey Program uses the wisdom and writings of Fr. Thomas Keating to explain the theology, psychology, and spirituality of centering prayer and contemplation. This program will be presented in an 11-week session, and two Saturday workshops, which includes facilitated discussions, videos produced by Contemplative Outreach, LTD, readings and reflections and personal Soul Friending. Classes will be held at First United Methodist Church on Thursdays, from 9:30 to 12:00 pm, starting January 13 through April 19. The two Saturday workshops are open to everyone, regardless of whether they are in the Contemplative Journey Program. The opening Saturday workshop (An Intro to Centering Prayer) is Saturday, January 9, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. The second Saturday workshop (An Intro to Lectio Divina – A Method of Praying the Scriptures) is Saturday, March 5, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm. Cost for the Contemplative Journey Program is $140 (which includes the two Saturday workshops). Scholarships are available. If you attend a Saturday workshop only, the cost of each day is $20. For more information or to register contact Rev. Patty Walker at pattyw@fumc-cs.org or 471-8522, ext. 204. Please register by December 31.
ESM FOOD COLLECTION SUNDAY The generosity of everyone during the children’s food sunday challenge in November was overwhelming. On the first sunday alone our church provided ESM with over 855 items including blankets, coats and gloves. This ministry is in need of several more volunteers both to count items on Mondays following the first Sunday food collection. Help is also needed in transporting the items to ESM, after they are counted. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Rev. Chuck Stephens at 719-471-8522, ext. 208 or at chucks@fumc-cs.org. The holidays are now upon us, and we can make the gift of Christ’s love real for many people this Christmas. While our regular and generous support continues at ESM, we are asked to dig a little deeper and provide those items expressly needed for Christmas meal baskets. Potatoes, gravy, canned fruits and vegetables, stuffing and boxed cookies will go a long way to brighten the lives of those who may be without this year.
FIRST STARS This Christmas, Be a Special Shining “Star” for Local Children First Stars is a local Christmas program sponsored by First United Methodist Church. Children are selected by their elementary school counselors, based on financial need. For each child selected and their siblings, suggestions for a toy and clothing gift are provided by parents or guardians. A star (label) is created with their information. You still have the opportunity to select a star(s) in the Hospitality Center from 8:00 am until 12:00 pm on November 29. We will be collecting gifts in the Hospitality Center on Sundays, November 29 and December 6. For more information, please contact Val Stevenson at 481-9698. Please prayerfully consider helping to make the holidays brighter for these children! “It is more blessed to give than to receive” ~ Act 20:35
This congregation continues to a blessing to the ministry. May the rewards of discipleship continue to return blessings to you.
RIDES 4 RUBISH (R4R) LOVE FEAST Sunday, December 20, the Youth Ministry will again host a Love Feast for the R4R mission clients. This has become a semiannual event. The Christmas Love Feast is particularly special. Many of the people with whom we serve have not had a home for many Christmas seasons. This is our opportunity to give back to them the gift of love which God gave us that first Christmas morning. The love feast is a Christian fellowship meal recalling the meals Jesus shared with disciples during his ministry. Its origins are from the early church. The modern history of the love feast began with the Moravians in Germany sharing food, prayer, sacred conversation and hymns in 1727. John Wesley shared in the love feast as he traveled by ship to Savannah, Georgia, ten years later. It quickly became a regular part of Methodist social meetings and is now included in the United Methodist Book of Worship. We look forward to sharing this time together with our friends from R4R. It is a tradition to provide them with some small gifts as a token of God’s gift to us. Would you or your small group consider providing 25 small gifts, such as neck scarves, gloves, socks, or a gift bag filled with non-perishable food, hygiene products such as toothbrushes, tooth paste, combs, etc.? For more information please contact Rev. Chuck Stephens at 719-471-8522, ext. 208 or chucks@fumc-cs.org. First United Methodist Church • The Encounter I 11
10 I The Encounter • First United Methodist Church