Dear Members and Friends of Waterville United Methodist Church,
Jerry and Melva picked up the 38 poinsettia plants Thursday morning and have placed them around the base of the altar. (If you ordered a white plant, we were able to secure the additional few plants.) Thank you to all who have purchased plants and to Tom Stain & Sons for the lovely flowers. The sanctuary is stunning! I have placed a photo of the flowers on our Facebook page.
There is still time to invite a neighbor, friend or family member who might want to experience worship with us on Saturday, December 24 at either 7:00 p.m. or the later service which will begin with a Christmas Concert by Olga and 11:15 p.m. and worship at 11:35 p.m. There will not be any nursery available at either service, but remember that we do have the Cry Room in the back of the balcony and a television that shows the service in the downstairs Fireside Room. Janet and Stephanie have also been busy working on activity sheets to be passed out for the children at the early service. Emma Grace Box, granddaughter of Cindy and Doug Box will be baptized at the 7:00 p.m. service. There will not be any communion at the late service this year.
Our December Mission Focus will be IMPACT WITH HOPE (formerly ISOH/IMPACT) is a community based organization with a clear picture of God’s desire for us to help children, their families & communities in desperate need wherever we find them (1 Peter 4:10). They mend broken bodies, bones and spirits by serving the needs of others.
For over 50 years, IMPACT WITH HOPE has reached out across the globe and touched the lives of the poor, sick, and suffering. They are an effective means of reaching hurting people in countries around the world with food, medicine, and other assistance. Their medical teams bring hope by providing medical care to children and their families locally, nationally and internationally. They also supply mission hospitals with supplies and equipment that are desperately needed.
Their disaster and relief aid programs provide desperately needed assistance to victims of natural disaster, war, disease, and famine. They offer food, water, and a network to provide temporary shelter for children and their families in need. Their Bucket Brigade, Kids Against Hunger and Keeping Kids Warm & Kozy ministries reach out to provide the basic essentials for children and their families in crisis. By meeting the critical needs of families in crisis they create hope, and give children and their families a chance to rebuild their lives.
Through Seeds of Hope, IMPACT WITH HOPE and their international partners work with children, families and entire communities to provide micro-enterprises, job training skills, community feeding programs, and educational opportunities for children. These programs reach out and touch the lives in impoverished villages and neighborhoods help individuals break the cycle of poverty and give them hope for a better tomorrow. Mission envelopes are available in the pew racks.
The Prayer Group will not be meeting on Christmas Morning or on New Year’s Day at 9:00 a.m. They will resume on Sunday, January 8, 2017.
Worship Service for Sunday, December 25:
Call to Worship
Songs of Worship - Angels From the Realms of Glory, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, and O Come, All Ye Faithful
Children’s Moment- the children will return to their seats as there is no Sunday School today
Sanctuary Choir Anthem - Good Christian Men Rejoice
Olga’s selections:
Prelude: Angels We Have Heard on High
Offertory: What Child Is This?
Postlude: He Is Born
Scripture- John 1: 1-5
Sermon - In the Beginning Was the Word
Hymn - Joy to the World
Choral Benediction - Our Christmas Prayer for You
Liturgist - Tom Quinn
Tehya Collinsworth has requested a Prayer Quilt for Nancy A. Stafford this Sunday. Nancy was recently moved to a Memory Unit in Bowling Green. Please take a few minutes on Sunday morning to tie a knot and say a prayer.
Terry Myers and Penny Greenlese have been your Fellowship Hosts for December. There will not be any Fellowship Time on Christmas Morning.
Just a reminder to please pick up your 2017 offering envelopes when you are at church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. They are located on the shelf outside of the church office.
If you receive your statement of giving at the end of the year by email, they will be sent out on Saturday, January 7. If you receive a hard copy, they will be available for you to pick up on the shelf outside the church office on Sunday, January 8.
The Upper Room, a daily devotional book for January and February 2017, is available at both entrances to the sanctuary this Sunday. The cost of each book is $1.00 and may be placed in the offering plate.
The Friendly Center serves Toledo’s inner city children and is a ministry of The United Methodist Church. During the cold winter months, they have extra need for NEW hats, gloves/mittens and socks. If you would like to support this ministry, there will be a basket in the Fireside room for collecting these items. The final day to donate will be January 15. Our Women’s Ministry will deliver them to the Friendly Center.
A new eight-week small group study will begin on January 8. It is called Unstuck – Moving from the Mundane to the Meaningful. Are you stuck in a rut? It’s easy for Christians to find themselves caught up in the life of cluttered schedules, rhythms, and routines dictated by our culture. Many feel stuck in the routine of life—their jobs, relationships, and daily circumstances. They know it’s not the life they dreamed of. And they feel stuck in a life yearning for deeper meaning. The Unstuck Bible study has been designed to help guide you out of the ruts and pitfalls that so often ensnare us all. You will be inspired and equipped through the powerful biblical teaching of Mark Batterson, Francis Chan, Lisa Harper and Rich Stearns. Each of these teachers will draw from the lessons of the award-winning short film Journey to Jamaa—a true story about two kids who are forced to search for hope in a broken world. The dynamic combination of the film, profound biblical teaching and powerful real-life stories from everyday people will help you and your group get unstuck and back on the path to a life of purpose that God intends for you! Classes will meet on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. in the Fireside Room and then again on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the same location. Charlene Hansen will be leading the Sunday morning class and Pastor Mike will be leading the Tuesday evening class.
As the year draws to a close, new opportunities for 2017 are just around the corner. New sign-up sheets are posted on the bulletin board in the hallway for Greeters and Fellowship Hosts. Janet is finished with the 2017 Altar Flower calendar. There is also a new Prayer Partner list on the Prayer Table in the sanctuary. Where is God calling you to serve?
The church office will be closed on Monday, December 26.
Randall Reihing visited the WUMC new church building site on Waterville-Monclova on Wednesday afternoon while work was in progress on the 200 foot driveway extension to allow secure passage for the dump trucks that will bring the needed fill dirt. The picture he took from his vehicle is below:
Starting the 200 ft driveway extension