Wednesday Advent Activities:
6:30pm – Potluck dinner at the church
7:00-7:30pm – Family worship and activities
7:30-8:00pm – Youth fellowship Time

Christmas Eve Worship:
5:00pm

Christmas Day Worship:
10:15am – Happy Birthday, Jesus!  Carols and Cocoa in the Sanctuary
(no Sunday School)

New Year’s Day Worship:
10:15am – Worship
(no Sunday School)

Make a Difference in the Life of a Child

Our community is the recipient of a grant that will allow us to partner up to 10 children with School Buddies through the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters program.

Different from the mentoring relationships BB/BS typically offers, School Buddies commit to spending one hour a week with their child at school.  They will meet during normal school hours and will spend time reading, playing games, coloring and talking. 

If you feel lead to make a difference in a child’s life in this way, stop by City Hall and pick up an application. 

Contributions Year End Report
First of all, I want to thank all of you for your faithfulness this year as a congregation. For 2011, we planned on receiving $75,000 in offerings for the year and to supplement that income with $25,000 from the Harned Endowment Fund if necessary.

Even with difficult economic times facing us, we have currently given 88% of our total offerings for the year.  In order to meet our budget goals, we only need to receive $8,908 before December 31.  At that level, we will accomplish our goals and use the full $25,000 of the Harned monies.

I want to challenge you as a congregation to help us exceed our goal.  Every dollar over that $8,908 is money we invest in our future by saving the Harned Fund, rather than depleting it.  Pray about what you can give and what you feel led to give in order to support the amazing ministry of this church for future generations!

Building Fund Update
In October we called for some additional contributions to our building fund to help us pay for the new roof and gutters on the parsonage.  We had $2,055 in special contributions that month and along with interest income from the Harned Fund,we were able to pay for the entire project without a penny from our church General Fund.  THANK YOU! 

Now, however, our Building Fund is once again depleted.  This fund is to be used for large and unexpected maintenance and repair projects for the church and parsonage.  Please consider contributing regularly to this fund or making an end of the year donation.

December 11 – Budget Meeting
There will be a special meeting on December 11 after church in order to set our budget for 2012.  We will be especially looking at how we might put resources to work to support our new church vision. A committee of four people has volunteered to work on this project: Lew McMeen, Charlotte Brecht, Loy Walker, and Larry Yoder. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Emmanuel, God-with-Us, is on his way.  That is the promise that we remember and that we wait for with expectant hope each Advent season. 

But the verses of this hymn remind us that we are waiting for more than simply the presence of God. Each verse offers a name, a metaphor, and a deeper expression of who the Savior is, calling our attention to scriptures and prophecies that are waiting to be fulfilled.

While we were not quite in Advent yet, each Sunday in November referenced one of these verses. The Wisdom of God was seen in the parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids.  The Lord and master, Adonai, gave each of us, his servants, talents to invest.  And on Christ the King Sunday, we remembered the King of the Gentiles who binds all people together.

I invite you to pay attention each Sunday in Advent to hear the verses of this hymn come alive.  OnNovember 27th, we made reference to the Root of Jesse – the royal branch of the family tree that offers life and hope to us all.  Over the coming weeks we will explore what it means for Jesus to come as the Key of David that sets us free, the Dayspring who brings joy and light to our darkness, and finally Emmanuel who does not abandon us but hears our pleas and enters human history to save us.

Rejoice!  Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. 

Help do some moving and clean up at flood affected residences in Mills County on Friday and Saturday.

The United Methodist Church is supporting the Mills County efforts to help residences affected by the Western Flooding.  Local volunteers are invited to join volunteers from around the region. We are not the leads and will be taking direction from the Mills County Volunteer Coordination.  If you know of people who would like to help, please have them call the flood hotline to pre-register at 527-4231. The orientation for all volunteers will be held at Holy Rosary Catholic Church on both days at 8:30 a.m. All volunteers must attend this orientation. 

Freemont County is organizing their efforts now. 

Any questions you may have can be directed to: Vicki Wedemeyer, the SW District Disaster Coordinator at 712-249-6703 or email her at