The Point Monthly (December 2015) by The Woodlands Methodist Church

ISSUE 6 | DECEMBER 2015 EDITION

THE WOODLANDS UMC

MONTHLY THIS MONTH’S

NEWS:

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD PAGE 4 SHARING THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS I want to offer warmest greetings to you as we celebrate the season of Advent together. I can’t think of a better place to be than with my church family as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas. The traditional Advent journey is one of searching and anticipation, a season of wondering and waiting for a Messiah. This observance is especially meaningful to me this year, at a time when so much about our world seems filled with darkness, danger and uncertainty. How I pray for all people who find themselves in moments of despair and ask God to show them comfort and hope. Scripture tell us there is a light that shines in the darkness and darkness has not overcome it. That light is Jesus Christ. May we all find ways to reflect the light of Jesus this Christmas and throughout the year. It might be as simple

as picking up a few extra groceries for the food bank or visiting a serviceman or woman who just returned from overseas. Or perhaps it’s your year to sign-up to serve on a mission trip. Just remember the true wonder of Christmas is found when we share the love of Christ with others. This season is the perfect time to invite friends and family to visit with us in worship and at a variety of Advent-related events. Bring your family and invite some friends to one of our 13 Christmas services, which run Sunday, December 20 through Christmas Eve. We offer a variety of worship experiences to choose from, some of which will be live streamed online. You will find a list of services highlighted in this newsletter and online at thewoodlandsumc.org/christmas I hope your holidays are filled with peace, joy and meaningful moments. Your Pastor,

Ed Robb

A COMPLETE LIST OF CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

NEWS OF A CHILD:

CHURCH NEWS

Reflections on Advent and the church planting process from Woodforest Pastor Brent Parker

Read about recent Foundation gifts, births, deaths, and new members

THE POINT MONTHLY

Is published once a month by The Woodlands UMC. Dr. Ed Robb Senior Pastor Mike Sims Editor/Creative Director Scott Brinkmeyer Publication Design/Art Director Michelle “Micki” Mensio Project Manager Contributing Writers Dr. Ed Robb, Nathan Nix, Brent Parker Copy Editor Nathan Nix

EXPERIENCE THE WARMTH AND WONDER OF CHRISTMAS WITH US

Bring your family and invite some friends to one of our 13 Christmas services, which run Sunday, December 20 through Christmas Eve. We offer a variety of worship experiences to choose from. There’s something wonderful for everyone this Christmas at The Woodlands United Methodist Church. Learn more at thewoodlandsumc.org/christmas

Worship Services TRADITIONAL WORSHIP

Sunday, December 20 6:00 p.m. | Christmas Without Them – Robb Chapel For those who have experienced a loss during the past year. Thursday, December 24 1:00 p.m. | Special Needs Worship – Wesley Hall Designed for families caring for a special needs individual. 3:00 p.m. | Children’s Celebration* – Main Sanctuary A fun service for kids and their families. 5:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | 11:00 p.m. |

Communion and Candlelight – Main Sanctuary Communion and Candlelight – Main Sanctuary Communion and Candlelight* – Main Sanctuary Communion and Candlelight – Main Sanctuary

HARVEST | CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP

Thursday, December 24 5:00 p.m. | Communion and Candlelight* – Harvest Worship Center 7:00 p.m. | Communion and Candlelight – Harvest Worship Center 9:00 p.m. | Communion and Candlelight – Harvest Worship Center 2

LOFT | MODERN WORSHIP

Wednesday, December 23 7:00 p.m. | Candlelight – The Loft Thursday, December 24 5:00 p.m. | Candlelight – The Loft 7:00 p.m. | Candlelight* – The Loft *These services will also be streamed live online at thewoodlandsumc.org/worship

A JOURNEY OF WONDER By Brent Parker

It was just another cool spring day at the Princeton Seminary Institute for Youth Ministry, one filled with learning sessions and worship services designed to inspire those of us gathered to dream bigger about what God might be calling us to in our ministries back home. The schedule for the day had moved into our evening dinner conversations, when I received the phone call. I answered to find my wife on the other end. After allowing me the chance to share a very abbreviated summary of my day, she broke in with, “I took a test today.” I wasn’t aware that she had been studying for a test, and so I playfully asked, “Did you pass?” “Baby,” she said, “I think we are pregnant!” And with that, we started a journey that resulted in the birth of our third son, Kingston. I now find myself, just weeks before the official launch of The Church at Woodforest, in a very similar place. God has planted a seed into the hearts and minds of The Woodlands United Methodist Church to extend our reach into the Woodforest community, and to express the very Good News that Christ has come to be near to us.

For those of us who have been living within the mystery of this eventual dream come true, we find ourselves curious, expectant, and hopeful about what God has in store for us. Much planning, dreaming, and praying has taken place over the past several months (and years), all acts of faith made in response to our sense that we are being invited into a new thing that God is doing in the world. And though we have only been given glimpses into this work of God, we are growing in excitement and expectation to experience it together. It seems especially appropriate to be moving along this journey of wonder during the Advent and Christmas season. In fact, the very essence of this time of year is planted deeply in the desire of those who have been transformed by Jesus to experience the coming of our Christ in a new and profound way, as if for the very first time. We recall the mother of our Lord, Mary, being told that she would carry and then give birth to the Savior of the world. And while she could have easily been scared to death at the thought of

this arrangement (who wouldn’t be?), she recalls all of the ways that God has intervened in human history to restore and redeem it, and then — confidently inviting God to do whatever He has planned — takes on the form of an obedient child. We will take our first steps of faith into the “birthing process” of our new worship community in Woodforest on Sunday, December 20 at 6:00 p.m. as we celebrate our Community Candlelight service, and then on Sunday, January 10 at 10:00 a.m. for our Launch Sunday. We would love to have your family join us for both of these opportunities to worship together. Services will take place at Jean Stewart Elementary, located in Woodforest at 680 Fish Creek Thoroughfare, Montgomery, TX 77316. If you have any questions about this event or our worship community, check us out at churchatwoodforest.org •

COVER STORY:

SHARING ADVENT WITH OUR CHILDREN By Nathan Nix

For years, one of the most fun and popular Christmas Eve services at The Woodlands UMC has been our Children’s Celebration, sometimes also informally referred to as our family service. Intentionally designed to present the Christmas story to children in a way they can understand and enjoy, this service gives the whole family a chance to throw Jesus a birthday party that remains worshipful while also being a blast — because that’s what parties are supposed to be, right? “The service is really unique,” says Jennifer Sims, The Woodlands UMC’s Director of Children’s Ministry. “It very intentionally delivers the Christmas story in a way that children can learn it and understand it and experience it. And it really is an experience. We try to make it interactive and for the whole family.” This year’s Children’s Celebration aims to enhance its already-great reputation by partnering with some of The Woodlands UMC’s other ministries. Dori Barber will bring her expertise to a drama component, and Mark Swayze, Director of Contemporary Music and Harvest worship leader, will lead a few songs. Another special guest is The Woodlands UMC’s Children’s Choir, which will join the service and sing alongside The Woodlands Methodist School’s choir. Linda Wilmoth, the church’s Executive Director of Child Development, has not only been involved with the service’s planning from its start years ago, but she also took her own children for years and now takes her eight grandchildren. “It’s one of my very favorite — I love to go to it,” she says. “The room’s never quiet. There’s always a buzz in it. This is intentionally scheduled at a time of the day when the kids are still in a better mood for going to church. We sing songs that the children know, and they start to learn what church feels like, but it keeps their attention because the story is at their level.” Jennifer emphasizes that though the Main Sanctuary will be packed — come early to get a good seat — this Children’s Celebration is more than just a one-off event for kids. “Advent is a season, and how we prepare for it and how we teach our children to prepare for it is so important,” she says. “We’ll start telling the story every Sunday morning in Sunday school beginning the first Sunday of Advent. The story is so great and builds, and then on Christmas Eve it all ties together in

a culmination of what we’ve been walking through with the kids and their families.” This year’s Advent season will teach the kids about The Wonder of Christmas, a theme being explored in all services across all campuses. “I love the theme,” Jennifer says. ”Kids are in wonder all the time, just taking it all in. For so many, though, Christmas is about the stuff you get and the anticipation of what’s under the tree and opening presents. So this year, we’re really trying to teach children about the anticipation of the birth of Christ. That’s a different kind of waiting — waiting for someone.” The Children’s Ministry hopes parents will continue these lessons at home with their children. Jennifer says parents will be supplied resources to help them do exactly that. “Each Sunday, every parent on our email list will get a take-home flyer and an email with a recap of what we learned that Sunday and some things they can do at home together as a family,” she says. “There’s something new to learn and new characters to introduce every week. Our prayer is that if there’s any season of the year where people actually bring their kids to Sunday school every week, it’s this one.” The involvement of parents is so important, and the Children’s Ministry is excited to be able to offer the whole family a chance to worship together on Christmas Eve in a service that is geared towards kids but is still a worship service parents will enjoy. “On Sunday mornings, it’s not uncommon for families to head in different directions,” Jennifer says. “Your kids go to Sunday school, you go to church, maybe another kid goes to youth group, and then you all meet up and go home. We believe great things happen in the lives of children who experience worship together with their families. So it’s awesome to be able to offer something where the whole family’s going to benefit and get an experience at every level.” •

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24 Children’s Celebration 3:00 P.M. | Main Sanctuary Streamed online at thewoodlandsumc.org/worship

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FOUNDATION GIFTS

SEPTEMBER 19 – NOVEMBER 19, 2015 In Memory of Wayne Armbrust, Father of Joyce Woodley Butch and Diane Parker

In Honor of JoAnn Johnson’s 80th birthday Barry and Nancy Wertz

In Memory of Larry Arnold, Husband of Lynda Arnold Lynda Arnold

In Memory of Marilyn and Leslie Kemp, Parents of Missy Herndon and Jessica Kemp Wayne and Missy Herndon David Park and Jessica Kemp

In Memory of Tommy Ault, Husband of Norma Ault Norma Ault In Memory of Thomas “Tony” Baldwin, Husband of Sheryl Baldwin Ken and Joanne Noack In Memory of Christie Locke Christopher, wife of Al Christopher Linda Lantier Elba Lawson Janice and James Mach Linda Sharpe In Memory of Ann deSteiguer, Sister of Kay Meador Ken and Joyce Nesmith Clarence Thompson In Memory of Luc DeVeau, Son of David and Melissa DeVeau Deborah DeVeau In Memory of Bill Downham, Husband of Jeanette Downham Ken and Joyce Nesmith Clarence Thompson In Memory of Thelma Farr, Mother of Emil Farr George and Sally Holtin In Memory of Thomas Felton, Father of Bibbi Anderson Randy and Amy Jones

In Memory of Marie Knowles, Mother of Chuck Abernathy Steve and Becky Hamrick In Honor of Tom Martin’s 75th Birthday William E. Dark In Memory of Bernard Matyshak, Father of Micki Mensio Evelyn Schilling In Memory of Robert May, Father of Staci Brady Evelyn Schilling

In Memory of Meredith Max Sharpe Linda Sharpe In Memory of Donna Shaw The Perspectives Sunday School Class In Memory of Bill Stanford, Husband of Debbie Stanford Waylan and Karen West In Memory of Sarah Hill Swan, Mother of Bob Swan Kim and Sally Bacon Peter and Elaine Poulsen In Memory of George and Bess Taylor, Parents of Gaye Craig Bill and Gaye Craig In Memory of Rhodes Wright, Son of John Wright Margaret Roberts Foundation Unrestricted Amazon Smile Foundation

In Memory of Sean McGowan, Son of Bobby and Sally McGowan Bobby and Sally McGowan In Memory of John Morgan, Husband of Dee Morgan Butch and Diane Parker In Memory of John “Jack” Morton Dale and Marilyn Clinton George and Sally Holtin Isaac Kreutzer Joe and Fanelle Laughlin Dave and Dee Megee Ken and Joyce Nesmith Margaret Roberts Clarence Thompson Helen Thornton

In Memory of Ann Webb Galatas, Wife of Roger Galatas Kim and Sally Bacon Robert and Barbara Collie Greg and Jane Jordan Michael and Vicki Richmond Waylan and Karen West

In Memory of Bob Reynolds, Husband of Margie Reynolds Margaret Whittenburg

In Memory of Ray Green, Father of Kathy Wilson Earl and Pat Johnson

In Memory of Jack Schilling, Husband of Evelyn Schilling Evelyn Schilling

In Honor of George and Sally Holtin Dave and Dee Megee

In Memory of Cynthia Schosser The Perspectives Sunday School Class

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In Memory of Burt Robbins, Husband of Linda Robbins Linda Robbins

NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

N. HOUSTON, TX PERMIT #280

2200 Lake Woodlands Drive The Woodlands, TX 77380

SELECTED UPCOMING EVENTS

For details and event registrations, visit thewoodlandsumc.org/register (see inside for Christmas Eve service times and Advent-related events)

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