Christmas Blessings

from the Staff of First United Methodist Church

Contributions post-marked by December

31 still count as 2012 giving.

First Up: 8:15 am Great HallClassic Worship: 9:00 am SanctuaryClassic Worship: 10:15 am SanctuaryThe Open Door: 11:15 am Buskirk-Chumley

Theater

First Up: 8:15 am Great HallClassic Worship: 9:00 am SanctuaryClassic Worship: 10:15 am SanctuaryThe Open Door: 11:15 am Buskirk-Chumley

Theater

Special Advent & Christmas Opportunities

31 Jan. 1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 27

Sunday Mon. Tues. Wed. Thur. Fri. Sat.

See back for service information.

First Up: 8:15 am Great HallClassic Worship: 9:00 am SanctuaryClassic Worship: 10:15 am SanctuaryThe Open Door: 11:15 am Buskirk-Chumley

Theater

First Up: 8:15 am Great HallClassic Worship: 9:00 am SanctuaryClassic Worship: 10:15 am SanctuaryThe Open Door: 11:15 am Buskirk-Chumley

Theater

4 pm - Great Hall5:30 pm -Pageant7 pm - Buskirk- Chumley Theater8:30 pm - Sanctuary10 pm - Sanctuary

28

PageantDress

Rehearsal5:30-7:30 pm

Pageant Rehearsal

10-11:30 am

Christmas Eve Worship Services

29

30

Memorial Service for the

Homeless10 amChapel

December 2012

First Sunday in Advent

Third Sunday in Advent

Fourth Sunday in Advent

Second Sunday in Advent

Final Sunday for Hat & Mitten Tree Donations

26

Poinsettia Orders Due

You can still make a gift to the Local Emergency Assistance

Fund

Nursing Home Ministry Tree Gifts Due

“Sylvia and Friends” in Support of Shalom Community Center - 2 pm - Sanctuary

Don’t forget to bring

something for the Hat & Mitten

Tree!

Youth Christmas Dinner &

Celebration4:30-7 pmGreat Hall

Celebrating Relationships

6:30 pmThurston

Parlor

Church Office Closed

Church Office Closed

Church Office Closed

Church Office Closed

Symphonic Bells of

BloomingtonConcert7:30 pm

Sanctuary

FEAST5:30-7 pmGreat Hall

10:15 am - Sunday School Birthday for Jesus Celebration

Worship Services: 8:15 am: First Up - Great Hall

10:15 am: Classic Worship - Sanctuary

11:15 am: The Open Door - Buskirk-Chumley Theater

Child care available 10 am -12:30 pm

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Local Emergency Assistance - 2012

Your name: _______________________________________________________________________________

Phone: ____________________________________________

(Optional) In memory or in honor of : ______________________________________________________________ Circle One

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

$ ______________ enclosed. (Make check out to FUMC with “LEA” on the memo line.)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Poinsettia - 2012

Your name: _______________________________________________________________________________

Phone: ____________________________________________

(Optional) In memory or in honor of : ______________________________________________________________ Circle One

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________ x $10 = $_________________ enclosed. (Make check out to FUMC with “Poinsettia” on the memo line.)

I intend to take my poinsettia home.

Please give my poinsettia to someone who needs a bit of Christmas cheer!

Order a Poinsettia

“A beautiful tradition at First Church made

possible by you.”

If you wish to sponsor one or more live poinsettias for decorating the Church and Buskirk-Chumley Theater for the Advent/Christmas season, please use the coupon below. Cost: $10.

Orders must be received by Monday, December 3. Please place the form below in the offering plate or return it to the church office.

LOCAL EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE(A special gift in lieu of Poinsettias during

Advent.)

Remember or honor those you love or simply make a special gift for local emergency needs. Suggested donation: $10. Please place your gift in the offering plate, or return it to the church office.

2012

CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP SERVICES

4:00 p.m. The Early Evening Service - Great HallThis service of lessons, hymns, and communion is an intimate celebrationof Christmas.

5:30 p.m. Christmas Pageant - SanctuaryThe sanctuary will be filled with the excitement of children sharing the Christmas message through story and song. The children’s choirs will sing and the Christ Ringers will play. (Child care available.)

7:00 p.m. Community Christmas - Buskirk-Chumley TheaterThis celebration is designed for people of all ages and should be an especially friendly time for those with little or no church experience. The Common Ground Band will play. (Child care available.)

8:30 p.m. Classic Worship - SanctuaryThe Christmas story will be retold through a classic worship service of hymns, anthems, readings, and light. The Chancel Choir will sing and the Reunion Bells will ring.

10:00 p.m. Classic Worship - SanctuaryThis classic candlelight service includes Lessons and Carols. The Chancel Choir will sing.

ADVENTAdvent — means “coming’ —

Christ is coming and we are called to get ready!

Shopping and baking and decorating have all become part of our preparations for Christmas. How do we prepare our hearts? How do we reorient our lives with Christ at the center? What gifts do we get ready to lay at the feet of the Christ child? Here are some ideas:

Make a family-blessing jar. Place an empty jar on your dining table. Each day during • Advent, state one blessing for which you are thankful. Write the blessing on a slip of paper and put it in the jar. On Christmas Day, pour out the blessings. Read together and give thanks to God for the blessings you have enjoyed during Advent.

For each week of Advent, focus on one of the people or groups of people in the story of • the birth of Jesus. Recall and share the stories from the Bible about:

Week one: the Prophets (Isaiah 9:2-7; 40:1-11; 61:104, 8-11) Week two: Mary (Luke 1:26-56; Luke 2:19) Week three: Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25; 2:13-23; Luke 2:4-5) Week four: Shepherds (Luke 2:8-20)

These and other resources for home Advent observance can be found on the website of The United Methodist General Board of Discipleship. The address is www.gbod.org. On the home page look under “From the Planning Calendar” and click Advent.