First

ConnectionDECEMBER 2014

On the Cover: Jr. High Youth Retreat in Woodworth,

November 8, 2014

First Connection is a publication from:First United Methodist Church of Alexandria

2727 Jackson StreetAlexandria, Louisiana 71301

(318) 443-5696www.fumca.org

We would love to hear from you! Please send us your Feedback, Questions, Comments,

Story Contributions, Photos, News or Ideas.

Senior Pastor: Rev. Donnie Wilkinson, revdonnie@fumca.org

Editor: Julie Bacon, jbacon@fumca.orgContributor: Bill Sumrall, bsumrall@fumca.org

A Word from Rev. Donnie.......................................1Letters to Editor.........................................................2New Members...........................................................3 Jr. High Youth Retreat..............................................4 Advent Activities.......................................................6Save the Date: upcoming happenings..................10December H2O.......................................................11All Things New........................................................14Attendance...............................................................15Birthdays..................................................................16Kitchen Talk............................................................17

First

ConnectionDECEMBER 2014

Contents

Our Mission:

Our Vision:

Our Journey:

Our Practices:

To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Meet Friends. Meet God. Discover Life.

On the First and Second Advent of Christ

Advent is a special time in the life of our church.

The four Sundays leading up to Christmas are a time when we go all out decorating the sanctuary with special items such as the beautiful Advent wreath that hangs above the altar. A good question would be to ask why? Why do we make such a big deal about this time of year?

The answer is in the name we give this season—advent.

Advent comes from the Latin word adventus and means coming. Advent is a special time of year in which we celebrate the first coming of Christ—that is Christmas.

But there is another coming we must be aware of. The first advent, the birth of Jesus, was a one-time historical event two thousand years ago in Bethlehem.

The Second Advent is an ongoing and personal experience of Christ living his life in and through us as we live by faith day by day. An ancient sage once said, “It matters not that Christ was born in Bethlehem so long ago if he is not born into your heart today.”

I am convinced that Christ comes into any and every heart that truly seeks him.

In the run up to Christmas we can find ourselves swept up into all the busyness of the season. The planning,

the shopping, and the frenetic activity of school plays and parties can combine together and drain us of energy and awareness. But it need not be so.

One easy way to seek Him is to take a few moments at the beginning or end of day and consciously connect with God. You might want to light an Advent wreath as a family each evening and share the highs and lows for the day. You may want to simply sit still and quiet for five minutes and breathe with awareness. Whatever you do ask God to help you experience the presence of Christ.

My Advent prayer for you is that as you prepare to celebrate the first advent of Christ, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem so long ago, you will experience the second, the birth of Christ in your heart.

Grace & Peace,

Rev. Donnie WilkinsonSenior Pastor

A Word From Rev. Donnie

Rev. Donnie

December 2014 | CONNECTION 1

2 December 2014 | CONNECTION

Thank you Cheri Crouch for serving as our interum director for the Weekday Children’s Ministries (WCM). On Thursday, October 23, the WCM Board held a coffee and donuts “meet and greet” for parents to meet the leaders of the WCM.

Cheri Crouch (left) Interim Director of WCM and Shelly Hall (right) Assistant Director of WCM.

Thank you to all the volunteers involved with Ministry Sunday. Thank you to the banner bearers, “stick makers” and people presenting their cardboard testimonies. You all helped make it a day long remembered at FUMCA. -The Millers

Missing Out. If you are not at church on Wednesday evenings for The Gather-ing, you are missing out! Where else can you feed your spirit with a qui-et moment of prayer and reflection and partake of communion at 5:15p in Crowell Chapel, then take a short walk to the Fellowship Hall, where you can enjoy a delicious and nutri-tious meal (5:30p – 6ish). The meal is $6 for adults and $3 for children/ stu-dents. The most any family can pay

is $20. If you cannot afford the meal, don’t let that stop you from coming, nobody is going to leave hungry. From 6ish to 7:10p feed your spirit, heart and brain by listening to very interesting and thought pro-voking Bible study led by Rev Don-nie. You might be surprised by what topics come up and how they apply to modern life. If you have kids or grandkids in tow, childcare is available and there

are classes for kids starting at age 3, children’s choir for up to fifth grade, and youth activities and worship for sixth grade and up. The Gathering follows the public school calendar, so when school is out, such as the Wednesday of Thanksgiving week, we don’t gather. But we start right back up the next week and would love to see you there. Bring a family member or friend. Don’t miss out. -Susan McConnell

Letters to the Editor

First Church welcomes our new members!

Steve and Andrea Warren joined Sunday, October 9 with their three children: Vivian (10); Lillian (7); and Alex (6).

Cathleen Kelly (center) daughter of Patrick and Carol Kelly was baptized Sunday, November 16. She is pictured here with her big sisters Caitlin (5) and Camille (3).

December 2014 | CONNECTION 3

4 December 2014 | CONNECTION

December 2014 | CONNECTION 5

Jr. High Retreat

The weekend of November 8, 2014, eight of our Thrive Youth attended the United Methodist state-wide Jr. High Retreat in Woodworth. Over 200 youth participated in the event which included worship, fellowship, prayer, youth talent show, pancake run and listening to Senior Pastor Matt Rawle from The Well speak on “Come hungrey, get filled.”

First Kidz Christmas MusicalDecember 10, 6:30p in the Fellowship Hall

6 December 2014 | CONNECTION

DEC 7 - Children Sing at 11a worship

DEC 17 - CHRISTMAS PARTY (6:15p) & last choir night of 2014.

JAN 7 - Wed. Choir practice resumes

First Kidz - Children’s Choir

upcoming sermon series:

November 30 - December 24

December 2014 | CONNECTION 7

Nov. 22—BLESS THIS SCHOOL: Flower Bed Work @ Rugg, 8a-noonNov. 23—Christmas Cheer Tree is up...take a tag off the tree!Nov. 23—Family Advent Wreath, create one during Sunday School hour, Fellowship HallDec. 6—Advent Quiet Day, 9a-1:30p, 50/50 classroomDec. 7—Announcement SundayDec. 7—Christmas Cheer gifts due back at church wrapped & taggedDec. 7—Live Nativity, 6-8pDec. 10—Christmas Cheer sorting, 5p, gymDec. 13—BLESS THIS SCHOOL: Tree Pruning @ Rugg, 8a-noonDec. 13—Christmas Cheer delivery, 9aDec. 14—Christmas Cantata “Were You There on That Christmas Night?” - 11a, SanctuaryDec. 14—First Kidz Musical “The Christmas Cross” - 5:30p, Fellowship HallDec. 14—Psalm Sunday, 6p, Tamp & Grind CoffeehouseDec. 17—Last Wednesday Night @ Gathering for 2014Dec. 21—The Longest Night service… a service of healing and hope, 6p, SanctuaryDec. 24—Candlelight Christmas Eve services, 4p & 6p, Sanctuary

DECEMBER Events

8 December 2014 | CONNECTION

December 2014 | CONNECTION 9

Christmas

Cheer

Our FUMCA family helps make Christmas brighter and blessed for families in our

community. Starting the Sunday before Thanksgiving, there is the opportunity to select a

child’s name or multiple children’s names from the Christmas Cheer tree located outside the main sanctuary

and inside the Well. Purchase a gift for that child and return it wrapped & labeled to church by Sunday, December

7th. Then make plans to help sort gifts on Wednesday, December 10th and to deliver gifts on Sunday, December 14th.

Our FUMCA family provides gifts and Christmas dinner groceries to 75 families from the Shepherd Center each year. Monetary

donations are accepted to cover the cost of groceries (write “Christmas Cheer” in the memo section).

NOV 23 Cheer Tree is up

DEC 7 Gifts are due back to the church

DEC 10 Sorting in the gym, 5p

DEC 13 Delivery, 9a

10 December 2014 | CONNECTION

Safe Sanctuary TrainingFOR WHO? We ask anyone that is involved with our children’s program or our youth program to attend this training. This includes volunteers for any and all youth and children programing such as Buddy Camp and VBS.

WHEN? Saturday, January 17 from 10a-noon

WHERE? At church

Christmas CantataSunday, December 14 at 11am

Dec. 17 This is the last Gathering for 2014

Jan. 7 The Gathering resumes for 2015

H2O items needed

Decemberfor

socks

H20: Helping to Overcome Homelessness is a community mission project that provides instant, on-site services to the homeless or imminently homeless population. Food, clothing, housing options, haircuts and medical screenings are available at no charge. It takes place once a month in the Emmanuel Baptist Church parking lot in downtown Alexandria. More info online www.fumca.org/h2o

Next H2O is

Dec. 18

December 2014 | CONNECTION 11

Collection boxes are located by the Library/ Fellowship HallThank you for helping us

blankets

sleeping bags

gloves

knit caps

hand warmers

12 December 2014 | CONNECTION

Interpreter magazine offers United Methodists free access to valuable, actionable articles on the topics of technology, spiritual growth, leadership development, congregational growth, ministry with the poor, and global health.

December 2014 | CONNECTION 13

January 2015C O M I N G

First United Methodist Church has begun a capital campaign to raise funds to restore and renew the gift of our church building. This is our church, and this is our time to partner with God to restore and renew this beautiful place of prayer and spiritual growth so that a new generation can experience the transforming power of God’s love.

Lord, what do youwant to do through

me?

14 December 2014 | CONNECTION

December 7 Announcement Sunday

We will celebrate the successful completion of the campaign and thank God

for speaking to each member of our congregation.

December 2014 | CONNECTION 15

2014W O O D W O R T H , L O U I S I A N A

N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 4

October 19, 2014October 26, 2014November 2, 2014November 9, 2014

AttendanceChurch

260256319259

Sunday School

116112127113

Come Help!

Decem

ber

Birthd

ays1Kim Ask-Carlson Louise SpenceCarol White

2Michael GuilloryRichard Lohrey

3Nicole Sanders

4Richard Nunnally Gladys RineRuth Whitaker

5Teri Dungan Karen HydeAlison JohnsonNatalie JohnsonCarol Land

7Benjamin CooperWesley Gassiott

8Spencer Sanders

9Amber Jurgensen Michael Miller

Brian Slipman

10Natalie JarrellRusty Potter

11Cheri CrouchAme Hensel Mike KearneyJackson St. Romain

12DeAnna BristerChuck LaCroix

13Camille LaCroixBrian Gorum

14Dee BristerQuin GassiottDorothy Savoy

15Mike WoodRebecca Blankenbaker

16Charles Walton

17Kelly StevensJerry Treadway

18Johnny Dollar Kathy LittlepagePatricia White

19Anna EyerRylee Harpe Colleen PitmanJennifer Wright

20Christi CarlisleChris DeveroKatie GoinsRandy HagemanTatum JarrellClark Woolf

21Elizabeth GarvinBrian Kiesewetter Sheri ShephardIan Stanford

22Christi ChristensenCatherine Stead

23Jeremy BaconRichard Rand Vickie Smith

24Christina Thiels

25Carol Graham

27Janai Martin

28Averill Brewer Marie DurhamJoe LandNick Marrazzo Philip O’Quin Traci Stradford

29Henry BlountRobert BroadwellJerry RedmanChad Scroggs

30David PoeCarolyn FletcherKyle Debevec

31 Mim Kiesewetter Ruben RoyKerstain Stanley

16 December 2014 | CONNECTION

Birthd

ays Kitchen Talk

December 2014 | CONNECTION 17

BY Wayne McConnell

Season’s Greetings, everyone! Thanksgiving has come and gone. The leftovers are a tasty memory and we continue to prepare to celebrate the birth

of the Christ child once again. This is a season of giving and gratitude; the most valuable gift you can give others is the gift of your time, talents, and service.

Open TableThe Methodist Church has a policy of an open communion table, as it should be, and we should carry that concept forward (an open table) and break bread with those that are hungry, both physically and spiritually.

ContributePlease contribute to the food drives that are abundant at this time of the year, thank you to all who helped with our “open table” Thanksgiving meal, and thanks to those who are planning to give of their time in the “Live

Nativity”. These are “gifts” that we give to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Thank you to everyone who gave sacrificially to the Capital Campaign, this will allow our church to continue the local missions that we take part in at this time of the year, such as Christmas Cheer, our Live Nativity, Laundry Love, Pub Theology, Friends in Faith, Bless this School, Psalm Sunday, The Gathering and the Open Table Program. Thanks to all who give.

The GatheringThe Gathering will follow the school calendar; the last “Gathering” of 2014 will be December 17 and will resume January 7, 2015. Let me give a shout of thanks to Dallas Curry for his invaluable assistance in the kitchen on Wednesday afternoons and evenings.

Remember love God with your whole heart, love all, serve all, break bread with someone you don’t usually and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

First United Methodist Church of Alexandria is spreading the warmth of Christ’s love this season. By remembering to shop through UMCmarket, your funds can help our local mission field. With winter on its way, you can shop for all your cold weather needs and donate at the same time. It’s easy to make a difference! 

log onto www.umcmarket.org

“First Alexandria”(this is what you need to type in to find our church)

UMCmarket

All Things NewCelebration Sunday

November 2, 2014