First United Methodist Church ~ 301 Church Street ~ Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482 Phone: 903.885.2185 ~ Fax: 903.885.4540 ~ www.ssfumc.org
December 2013
Church Staff
Rev. Pete Adrian Senior Pastor
Rev. Debbie Riggsby Associate Pastor
Carol Allen Director of Worship Arts
Jason Dietze Youth Director
Adrienne Lilley Children’s Director
Jill Dietze Nursery Director
Paul Glover Business Administrator
Jennifer Philo Media Services
Nancy Kirkpatrick Administrative Assistant
Mike Dodd Handbell Director
Ken Hanushek Pianist
Deanna Spraggins Organist
Sam Gilbreath Building Maint. Supervisor
Billy Elam Custodian
Virginia Massey Weekend Custodian
Marianne Shuler After School Program Director
Brenda Rollison After School Program
Cassie Webb Nursery Attendant
“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the
same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body,
and each member belongs to all the others.
Romans 12:4-5
Christmas Eve
Candlelight Communion Tuesday, December 24th
5:00 pm, 7:00 pm and 11:00 pm
PETE’S PLACE
CHURCH CONFERENCE-DEC. 8TH Please make plans to join us for the 2013 Church Conference on Sunday, December 8th, at 3:00 pm. We will gather in Fellowship Hall. All members of the church are invited and encouraged to attend. In addition to approving the 2014 budget and leadership roster it is also a time to reflect and be thankful for the work done in 2013 and look forward to the opportunities in 2014.
UNITY SUNDAY ON DEC. 29 The Sunday after Christmas is the 5th Sunday of the month so we’ll have just one service at 10:45 am. It’s our last chance to sing our favorite Christmas carols, so come and join us for a carol sing-a-long and message of hope from Debbie Riggsby. There will be no noon meal for Unity Sunday.
It is that time of year again. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years. Wow--celebration after celebration leading up to and including the birth of the Christ child. Every year I look forward to this time of year for a number of reasons-food, family, fun and Jesus, God incarnate who came to earth because he loves you and he wants the best for you. That’s something to be thankful for.
But this year I want to write about something else. Something that I am truly thankful for and had little or nothing to do with. I’m just the recipient of a really good thing. I want to thank the staff of this church for being the staff of this church. They do an incredible job of running everything here. They show up everyday, they perform their duties, they come in early and work late, some days I have to chase them out of here, they work on their days off, come in when they are on vacation, they help each other, they do much more than what I expect. They even help with your individual projects some of which have little to do with their primary responsibilities. They do it all with a smile (most of the time). They keep me headed down the right path and focused on the right things (most of the time). They all love this church and the people in it. WE ARE A TEAM!
So to the staff of the First United Methodist Church of Sulphur Springs- - -Thank You! You are the best! Happy Thanksgiving and if I don’t get an article out next month-Merry Christ-mas.
Grace and Peace, Pete
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Current & Pressing Prayer Requests Kathy Crowson Ron Spellman Regina Meadows Jill Barclay Phoebe Carmody Rhonda Tate Robert Fox Tommy & Carolyn Rawson George Dorner Jayne Stone Dorothy White Marty Rose Ruth Ann Crowson Molly Millsap Beverly Morgan Jordan Stiff Cambra Funderburk
Oleta Bearden Donna Jackson Wanda Collins Clydene Fielden Bo & Pennye West Bill Bradford Grace Horton Suzanne Bauers Roxanne Pelton
Health Concerns Coy May Moore Micah Reed R.B. & Judy Narramore Andy Underwager Virginia Campbell Richard & Marge Clement Henry Preuss Louis McGrede Jack Dickerson Morris Abercrombie
John Wisniewski Donald Tiegiser
Homebound Ruth Milam Louise Fox Jackie Blount Maxine Bell Annie Lou Dickerson Modene Huggins Rosemary Bailey Lillian Kinsala Cindy Elder Pat Eagle Ann Westbrook
Sympathy T.C. Hamilton and family on the passing of his mom Vesta Jane Hamilton.
Welcome Home Benjamin Walker united with our congregation on Novem-ber 17th. Benjamin came with transfer of membership from Evergreen, Colorado.
PRAYER CONCERNS
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS Dec 1
Julie Barrows Faye Day
Patsy Johnson Dec 3
Carson Fenton Dawn Looney
Dec 4 Wanda Jenkins
Dec 5 Jarred Cowley
Judy Gillis Dec 6
Laura Sandlin
Dec 7 John Feldt
Verdon Graves Sandy Stidham Jace Thompson
Dec 8 Bill Lockhart
Dec 10 Mason Rawson
Dec 11 Haley Moore Patty Osborn
Jerry Voss Dec 12
Amy DeVries
Dec 13 Blaine Allen
Juliana Bronson Zachary Johnson Whitney Morgan
Dec 14 Carol Cowley
Mike Davis Charles Dawson
Dec 15 Annie Lou Dickerson
Dec 16 Dalton Clover Macy Williams
Dec 18 Rebecka Maddux
Dec 19 Max Bradford
Kimberlea Gillem Dec 20
Steven Gilreath Lisa Johnson
Debbie Stinson Dec 21
Joann Johnson David Larkin
Savoy Tutt Dec 22
Justin Ervin Dec 23 Morris Abercrombie
Angie Blount
Eddie Jo Edge Wava Lee Honea Holly Thompson
Dec 24 Peggy Dietze
Dec 25 Will Horton
Mandy Kennedy Bobby Price
Dec 26 Jan Chapman
Dec 27 Ryder Caddell
Mary Cash Sailor Jones
Barbara McKenzie
Dec 28 Sid McClure David Zahn
Emily Johnson Dec 29
Larry Crowson Tammy Dougan
Taylor Harden Grant Mohesky
Dec 30 Durann Ardis Coy Johnson
Janet Hamner Dec 31
Jonah Foster
NOTHY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING DAY The Not Over The Hill Yet Christmas shopping adventure is scheduled for Tuesday, December 10. We will leave the church park-ing lot at 8:30 am to head to the Stonebriar Centre Mall in Frisco for a little Christmas shopping and return home mid-afternoon. Cost for the trip is $5 (to cover gas). Bring your “naughty or nice” list, shopping money and good walking shoes.
Please contact the church office by Monday, December 19, to reserve your spot on the van.
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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 Empty Stocking in GYM until Dec. 15th
2 9:30 am Staff Meeting 6:00 pm Boy Scouts
3 9 am Respite Care 1 pm Prayer Group
4 6:45 am Son Rise Fellow-
ship 9:30 am Women’s Bible S. 10:30 am Pete’s Bible S. 12 pm Dinner Bell 6 pm UMYF 6 pm M&M 6 pm Adult Bible Study 6 pm Pete’s Bible S. 6:30 Disciple I
2 12 pm Rotary
6 8 am Casa Cookie
Walk FLC 7:30 pm Joy to The
World
7 6 am Boy Scouts Pancake Breakfast
FH 1 pm Shower
Parlor
7:30 pm Joy To The World
Choral Society
8 2:00 pm Joy To The World Choral Society 3:00 pm Church Conference
9 9:30 am Staff Meeting 5:30 pm Stephen Ministry 6 pm Boy Scouts 6 pm NETCS party
10 9 am Respite Care 1 pm Prayer Group 5:15 pm Trustee’s 6:00 pm Hopkins County Welfare Christmas Party
11 6:45 am Son Rise Fellow-ship 9:30 am Women’s Bible S. 10:30 am Pete’s Bible S. 12 pm Dinner Bell 6 pm UMYF 6 pm Children’s Musical 6 pm Adult Bible Study 6:30 pm Disciple I 6 pm Choir Rehearsal
12 12 pm Rotary
13
14
15
8:30 am Cantata 10:45 am Cantata 2 pm Distribution for
Empty Stocking
5 pm Youth Party
16 9:30 am Staff Meeting
6 pm Boy Scouts 10:45 am Young at Heart
17
9 am Respite Care 1pm Prayer Group 5:15 pm Finance Meeting
18
6:45 am Son Rise Fellow-ship 9:30 am Women’s Bible S. 10:30 am Pete’s Bible S. 12 pm Dinner Bell 6 pm Stephen Ministry 6 pm UMYF 6 pm M&M 6 pm Adult Bible Study 6:30 pm Disciple I 6 pm Choir Rehearsal
19
12 pm Rotary
20
21
22
23
9:30 am Staff Meeting
24
Candle Light Services
Christmas Eve
5:00 pm 7:00pm 11:00 pm
25
Office Closed
26 Office Closed
27
28
29
Unity Sunday 10: 45 Service only
No luncheon
30
31
New Years Eve
december 20 1 3
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…. Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts. Slow down, take time to count your blessings. Hug a child, visit someone in the nursing home, tell your children, your spouse or just a friend how much you love them. We have so much to be thankful for. The staff at FUMC wishes each of you a wonderful Merry Christmas! Peace and love to each of you!
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Light of the World
Get in the Christmas spirit with the children of FUMC as they bring you "Light of the World"! This program is a simple telling of the Christmas story, featuring beautiful music, narration, solos, and instruments. Come cele-brate Jesus, the Light of the World on Wednesday, Dec 11th, at 6:00 in Fellowship Hall.
M&M The final Wednesday night M&M for the semester is Dec. 4th, the week before the program. However, our K-5th M&M singers will have their Points Party and final mission on Dec.18th at 6:00! The children have worked hard all semes-ter and are well on their way to earning the points needed to have their party! More details to come.
ORNAMENT PARTY Our annual Ornament Party will take place right after the Christmas program on Dec. 11th, in the Family Life Center. Parents are invited to join their children in making ornaments and enjoying Christmas cookies and hot coco. Some of the ornaments make at this event become treasures hung on Christmas trees year after year.
WE WASHCLOTHS The Mission Possible Kids need your help! They are collect-ing baby washcloths and small travel sized baby soap/wash. These items will be packaged in a small gift set and donated to the Heart of Hope. Please bring washcloths and soaps to church by Sunday, Dec. 15th , and place in the basket near Fellowship Hall. Thank you for supporting our MPKids!
presented by
North East Texas Choral Society December 6th 7:30 pm @ Lake Fork Baptist Church
December 7th 7:30 pm @ Hopkins County Civic Center December 8th 2:00 pm @ Hopkins County Civic Center
Tickets are available in the church office $10 in Advance/$12 at Door (Kids under 12 $5)
WALK TO EMMAUS Here are the upcoming walks for 2014: Women’s Walk 14-122 Feb. 20-23, 2014 Lone Star Men’s Walk 14-123 April 24-27, 2014 Lone Star Go to netemmaus.org for more info and registration forms.
HOLIDAY AT THE ARBORETUM The UMW are planning at trip to the Dallas Arboretum to view the Christmas décor and flowers on Thursday, Decem-ber 19th at 8:30 am. All who would like to attend are invit-ed to join them. The cost is $20 per person (covers admis-sion & transportation) plus the cost of lunch. Reservations must be made by December 12th.
SAVE YOUR CARDS If you have unused Christmas cards this year please consider donating them to be sent to service men & women next year. You may bring any cards you would like to donate to the church office and we will get them to the proper location.
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DEBBIE’S DARING DISCIPLINING ADVENTURE
FUMC Is Heading to Mexico on a Mission! Info Meeting – Dec 10 at 6 pm in Good News Room Come and here more about our March 8-14 expedition to Manos Juntas Mission in Rio Bravo, Mexico (15 min. from McAllen) on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 6 pm. In Mexico we may be building a house or other construction work as well as en-gaging with people in other projects. To check out a presenta-tion and video, visit http://lakewoodumc.wordpress.com/manos-juntas-ministry-in-mexico/. We’ll need a variety of talents and skills for our team. Lodging and meals will be in the dorm. Cost for each team member is $300. Registration fee is $50 and two payments of $125 are due Jan. 1 and Jan. 31. If you want to support the mission but are not able to go with us, please join us in praying for the mission trip and by donating for the construction project and activities. We hope to raise $5000 for this engaging mission in Mexico. For more info about the trip, call team leader Leslie Benton at 903-343-7970. For a registration form to be on the team, call Debbie Riggsby at 903-885-2185 (church), or 903-243-3333 (cell), or email at [email protected].
WHOLENESS AND HEALING SERVICE DECEMBER 18TH In a season when we remember the birth of Christ, we seem to ponder and feel the hurts and losses in our lives. Our Stephen Ministry program is offering a Wholeness and Healing service on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 6 pm in the Messengers Room/Chapel. Come and join us for prayer, anointing for healing, and a word of hope. If you have a friend or family member who is suffering or struggling, invite them to come with you.
UMCOR Mission Trip April 20-25, 2014 Help prepare cleaning supply buckets, hygiene kits, and school supplies for international disasters. Meals and lodging at the UMCOR Depot and gas for the bus is about $280. Dinner meals with group at restaurants is on your own. For more info, call Perry Altenbaumer at 903-885-9168 or email [email protected].
MEMORIALS & HONORARIUMS In memory of Matthew Kramer By: T.C. & Sally Hamilton In memory of David Rowell By: T.C. & Sally Hamilton In memory of Bob Morrison By: T.C. & Sally Hamilton In memory of Mildred Cross By: Ron & Ann Wyatt In memory of Dr. Omer & Nell Kirkpatrick By: Ruth Palmer, Jason & Monique Palmer In honor of Vic Casad By: T.C. & Sally Hamilton In honor of Mickey & Barbara McKenzie By: T.C. & Sally Hamilton In memory of Charles & Billiefae Sellers By: T.C. & Sally Hamilton, Alec & Carol, Jack & Tanya, Stephen & Kandice Bridges, Amy Smith In honor of Tom Sellers By: Jimmy & Candy Jones In honor of John Sellers By: Jimmy & Candy Jones In memory of Charles Sellers By: Paul & Cerita Glover, Bernie & Fran Beers, Bob & Ann Gideon, Billie Grace Reynolds, Windol & Sharon Cook, Joe & Lucy McCorkle, Buel Berry, Joe Perkins, Frank Rettman, Charlotte Henderson, Jean Ross, Kathlyn Cannon, Steve & Kim Mix, Ashcroft/Holland/Clark, Pat Bryant and Family, Annie Lou Dickerson, Lee Levine, Ron & Ann Wy-att, Coy & Patsy Johnson, Keith & Rebecca Allison, Lloyd & Joann Johnson, Billy & Nell Crowson, Tim & Carol Gee, Huel & Juanita Hammond, Ruth Palmer, Jason & Monique Palmer, Essie Pearson, Betty Chapman, Wilma Brice, Carla Brice, James Cross, Mike & Deb-bie Stump, Mike & Mary Edwards, Cindy Herren Sweat, Judy Tipping, City National Bank, Johnny & Kathy Lennon, David & Jo Beth Brewer, Jackie Brice, Charles & Lou Ellen Cromer, Jerry & Kati Voss, George & Barbara Law, Betty Gideon, Ace & Janet Hamner, Wanda Lair, T.C. & Sally Hamilton, James & Kathleen Sassman, Jim & Amy McLeroy, Bob & Nancy Kirkpatrick, Hank & Sarah Smith, Glenn & Margaret Irvin, Joe & Nancy Moore, Mr. & Mrs. Barry Street, James & Virginia Worsham, Bob & Peggy Weaver, Linda Bennett, Jimmy & Candy Jones
USHERS NEEDED FOR CHRISTMAS EVE We are in need of ushers for the 5pm and 7pm services on Christ-mas Eve. If you are able to usher please contact Lee Levine at 214-460-5926.
True Love Waits We had a very moving closing ceremony for our True Love Waits class this past week. What a great bunch of strong, committed, young men and women who truly love the Lord! Thanks to Ginger Brooks for all her love and care and time she shares with our kiddos . . . and oh, yeah, I guess thanks to Jeb too for helping out with the “tunage” and stuff, you rock man!:)
SnS Breaking for Holidays Sunday Night Studies will be breaking for the month of Decem-ber...enjoy those Sunday nights with your family during this special time of the year.
Christmas Awakening! We will have our annual Christmas Awak-ening, alongside our fellow youth groups throughout the city and even the county on Wednesday, Dec. 4th, 6:30 – 8:00 at Shannon Oaks Church. We were unable to use Heritage Park this year, but at least it will be a bit warmer . . . and indoors. But don’t fret, it will still be filled with the Christmas spirit through and through. The band Kindlin will be leading our worship! It promises to be a great night of worship-ping the real reason for the season. Par-ents are to drop off and pick up at Shannon Oaks.
Youth Christmas “Mystery” Party We will have our Youth Christmas Party on Sunday, Dec. 15th at 5:00. In lieu of bringing a gift, we are asking each child to bring $5-$10 for a special donation we will be sharing that night.
Holiday in the Park The youth will be going to Six Flags Holiday in the Park on Thurs-day, Jan. 2nd. Tickets are $30. Leaving church parking lot at 9:00 a.m., home around 9:00 p.m. You must sign up by: Wednesday, Dec 11th!!
Who’ s Getting
Older This Month:
7th Jase Thompson
13th Violet Altenbaumer
16th Dalton Clover
17th Rendall VanBenthem
18th Rebecca Maddux
20th Shelby Aulsbrook
27th Ryder Caddell
28th Emily Johnson
29th Taylor Harden
December Calendar Wed 4th: Christmas Awakening 6:30-8:00 No Meal. Drop off and pick up at Shan-non Oaks Church Wed 11th: Children’s Christmas Program 6:00-
8:00 Come support the kids and all their hard work, we will hang afterwards.
Sun 15th: Youth Christmas Party 5:00-7:30 Bring $5-$10, Meet at the Church
Dec 18th: Christmas Movie Night 6:00-8:00
Join us in the youth room if you ‘re not
needing to study for finals Tues 24th: Christmas Eve Service 5:00,7:00 or 11:00 Thurs, Jan 2nd: HOLIDAY IN THE PARK
First
United
Methodist
Church
301 Church Street
Sulphur Springs, Texas
75482
903.885.2185
www.ssfumc.org
Office Hours
Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm
Non Profit Organization
Permit #168
Sulphur Springs
Texas 75482
Date Sensitive—Please deliver by December 2, 2013
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS If you would like to place a poinsettia in the Church this Christmas in honor or memory of a loved one, please fill out the information below and place it in the offering plate on Sun-day or bring it to the church office. Orders need to be placed by
Sunday, December 8th.
In Honor of: ______________________________________________
In Memory of: ______________________________________________
Given by: ______________________________________________
# of Poinsettias: ________ x $10 = _________
Please include payment (marked “poinsettia”) with your order.