Fairfax
United Methodist Church 305 N. Broadway P.O. Box 318 Fairfax, MO. 64446
Office Hours: 8:00 am—12:00 pm Mon—Thurs
Office: 660-686-3314
Fax: 660-686-9505
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.fairfaxumc.net
Sunday Worship:
Sunday School - 9:30 am
Worship - 10:30 am
Channel 61 Broadcast - Tues. 4:00 pm
Wednesdays:
Promise Keepers - 6:00 am
Pastor Roger Cary
Pastor’s Hours: 8:00 am—12:00 pm Mon—Thurs Fri: by appt
Study: 660-686-3314
Cell: 660-623-0427
Email: [email protected]
Mailing Address: Pastor Roger Cary PO Box 308 Fairfax, MO 64446
FAIRFAX MESSENGERFAIRFAX MESSENGER
DECEMBER 2015
December has arrived! It is a time of both joy and lamentation in our lives. Many of us lament the loss of the warmer weather even as we recognize the necessity for the ground to rest so that new life can spring forth. Many will also be filled with joy as this is the season that has at its center the celebration of Christ’s birth. For those of us who profess a faith n Jesus it Is also a time of expectancy.
Yes, friends, we have entered the season of our Christian year called “Advent”. On November 29th our liturgical calendar once again began a new year, a new cycle. Each year this cycle begins with the expectancy of the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. The dictionary defines the word “advent” as, “a coming into place, view, or being; arrival.” i Some of the synonyms associated with the word “advent” are, “onset, beginning, commencement, [and] start.” ii
I am reminded over and over again that this is just the beginning of the good news that is to be proclaimed forever. It is the time that leads us to Christ’s Mass (Christmas). We have not yet arrived at the stable to see the child; we are though expecting the announcement of his birth and his return. Yes, advent is also about the resurrection, and about the final return when Jesus will take his place as king over all nations, ruling the earth here just as he does in heaven now.
Oh, I know that people often love to sing of Jesus’ birth at this time of year, but I want to challenge you today to recognize that this expectancy is limited to one aspect of the life of Jesus, it is expanded to recognize Jesus as “Christ the King”, who reigns over all of creation. Central to that understanding is the Jesus commands those who follow him to “go”. As followers of Christ we have accepted this command just as the shepherds did on that dark night so long ago. We have been infused. Impregnated with the Holy Spirit, just as Mary was. We have heard the words given to Joseph and to us, “Joseph son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child she carries was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” (Matt. 1:20b)
I would suggest that in taking on this command to “go” we take on a bride who is Christ. And like Jesus we are sent into exile, we are pushed into the wilderness where our dependence must be solely on God for life’s basic provisions, food, drink, and shelter from the storms.
- Rev. Roger Cary
Pastor’s
Corner
Continued on page 2
Operation
Christmas Child
Thanks to everyone helping out and giving from their heart…we had 71 shoeboxes and $517 in monetary donations for Operation Christmas Child! What a great thing—we’re sending the Good News and Great Joy of Jesus Christ to 71 children who might not have ever heard of His love for them!!
“…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
Our theme for the coming year is the same as our Advent study, “Sent”. Just as Christ was “sent” into this world not to condemn it but to save it, we are sent into the world to be the image of Christ to all we encounter. We need not fear what will happen to us because through it all we can proclaim “Emmanuel, God with us.” I invite you to join us as we “Journey into Unkown” throughout this coming year. We will step out in faith even as Abraham stepped out. We will enter the wilderness for forty days of reflection and prayer. We will encounter and learn from others who resisted and then answered the call to “go”, even when they had no clue where they were headed. Remember though, you can’t have an adventure without “advent”.
Peace and blessings be with you on this journey. Amen.
i http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/advent. Accessed November 24, 2015.
i i Ibid.
Continued from page 1
Clothing Store Needs Children’s Clothing
Do you have gently used children’s clothing that you no longer need? If so, please consider donating it to InterServ’s Free Clothing Store. The store is open for donations and for shopping on Monday, Thursday, and Friday mornings from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Also accepted are men’s and women’s clothing, and small household items. Please make sure items are clean and in good condition before donating. InterServ’s FREE Clothing Store is located at the corner of King Hill and Cherokee Avenues in St. Joseph.
Fairfax Fairfax Fairfax --- OVER / UNDER THANKSGIVING BANQUETOVER / UNDER THANKSGIVING BANQUETOVER / UNDER THANKSGIVING BANQUET Saturday, November 21st, in the church basement, a great group of people gathered to enjoy food and fellowship. Persons of any age in Fairfax were invited to our Thanksgiving Banquet. The local Girl Scouts provided the beautiful table decorations. Between the guests, deliveries, and cooks/servers 60 people enjoyed the meal and fellowship.
Thank you to all who provided food, and those who helped prepare, serve, deliver, and clean-up after the meal. We especially thank the guests, for you are the reason for the gathering!
Suzanne Southard
Banquet Chairman
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! We have met our amount needed to fund 2015-2016...and plus some towards 2016-2017!
Thanks again for your generous giving towards seeing that our kids don’t go hungry on the weekends!!
Poinsettias
Poinsettias for the Advent season, in memory of loved ones, may be purchased again this year for $18 ea, just let Charla know or call the church office 686-3314. (and after Christ-mas you may take your plant home)
Women’s Evening Edition
Seven women met for the last WEE meeting of 2015 on Wednesday Evening, November 11. Pam Davis led the devotions using Jeremiah 17:9 as a reference. October minutes were read and approved. Sandy Burke reported a balance of $5,407.05 The Ham Dinner brought in $1,130. The auction contributed $1,900 to the treasury. 15% of this amount ($454.50) is designated to the parsonage fund. Appreciation was spoken for Chance Clement and Jim Davis for helping to make the event a success and for the active bidding on the baskets by the guests. Pam reported that the amount of food was adequate for the crowd with over 100 served.
WEE was given a $223 check from the UMM for their help with the Fairfax Fair rides.
Group 4 is in charge of the Juda House meal December 6th. Janice Ray has been notified.
Suzanne Davis reported on plans for the Community Thanksgiving Dinner Nov. 21.
The group voted to purchase the book Jeremiah: Daring to Hope in an Unstable World for study in 2016.
Year end donations of the following amounts were approved: Tarkio Food Pantry $150, Atchison County Salvation Army $150, UMCOR $300 and the Fairfax UMC $300.
$26 was collected for CARE.
WEE will not be meeting in December. The devotion and refreshment sign up will be at the January 13th meeting. Officers will take care of refreshments and the devotion in January.
The FRB committee reminds everyone that there is still time to donate to the Foods Re-source Bank. The Fairfax FRB Growing Pro-ject has been helping farmers in Nicaragua and Armenia practice sustainable agricul-ture. Not only are hungry people fed but families are given hope as they are able to feed themselves as well as produce enough to sell enabling children to attend school, receive medical help etc. 100% of your gifts will go directly to these projects. Donations may be given to Jon Graves or Bob Sefrit.
Atchison County
Singles group
Sun., Dec. 6th, 12:15 pm at Brooke's house. Please bring an appetizer/snack. Need directions? Call the Tarkio church office 736-4602.
Dishes
Please stop and look at the dishes in the room off the kitchen to see if you’ve left anything at the church. You might not realize you did! All dishes not picked up, will be donated in January.
Christmas Eve
Candlelight
Service
Thursday,
December 24th
at Fairfax UMC
Time: 5:00 pm
‘Seenagers’
Seenagers will be having a potluck at the Collingham’s on Sat., December 12 at 6:00 PM. Main dish will be provided.
We will be having a $5.00 to $10.00 gift exchange. Each person is asked to bring a wrapped gift. It can be new or a recycled gift that had never been used.
Reservations are important this time. Please call or email me if you plan to come and to get directions.
Mardee [email protected] 660-736-5750.
The Preacher and the Farmer
A very zealous soul-winning young preacher recently came upon a farmer working in his field. Being concerned about the farmer's soul the preacher asked the man, "Are you laboring in the vineyard of the Lord my good man?"
Not even looking at the preacher and continuing his work the farmer replied, "Naw, these are soybeans."
"You don't understand," said the preacher. "Are you a Christian?"
With the same amount of interest as his previous answer the farmer said, "Nope my name is Jones. You must be lookin for Henry Christian. He lives a mile south of here."
The young determined preacher tried again asking the farmer, "Are you lost?"
"Naw! I've lived here all my life," answered the farmer.
"Are you prepared for the resurrection?" the frustrated preacher asked.
This caught the farmer's attention and he asked, "When's it gonna be?"
Thinking he had accomplished something the young preacher replied, "It could be today, tomorrow, or the next day."
Taking a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiping his brow, the farmer remarked, "Well, don't mention it to my wife. She don't get out much and she'll wanna go all three days."
Juda House
a meal will be served at Juda House in St. Joseph on Sun, December 6th.
Janice Ray is the contact person if you would like to help serve or provide food.
What a great time of the year to be able to reach out to those who don’t have a houseful of family to spend time with...we can show God’s love through our actions!
HOTLINES:
Boys Town National Hotline ---- 1-800-448-3000 24/7...365 days a year...teens/parents/families
Child Abuse and Neglect -------- 1-800-392-3738
Elderly Abuse and Neglect ------ 1-800-392-0210
Gambling Addiction --------------- 1-888-BETSOFF ------------------------------------- (1-888-238-7633)
Mental Health Crisis Line ------- 1-800-392-0280
Missouri School Violence -------- 1-866-748-7047
Poison Control --------------------- 1-800-392-9111
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence --------------------------------------- 1-800-548-2480
Suicide Prevention Lifeline ----- 1-800-273-TALK ------------------------------------- (1-800-273-8255)
Tha
nk Y
ou
Tha
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ou
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nk Y
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December Birthdays
Linda Ford 12/01 Ronnie Martin 12/01 Connie Minter 12/02 Terry Hopkins 12/04 Jeffery Bruns 12/04 Richard Bradfield 12/05 Karen Rogers 12/07 Rhonda Ball 12/08 Lelan Hall 12/10 Tailor Hecker 12/10 George M. Whittington 12/11 Ruth Monk 12/12 H.A. Sly 12/12 Cheryl Brown 12/13 Randy Bungenstock 12/16 Spencer Gibson 12/17 Joshua Smith 12/18 Darla Harbin 12/18 Tacy Mitchell 12/20 Madalyn Walker 12/21 Howard Hall 12/22 Gregg Smith 12/25 Chris Bradfield 12/29
December
Anniversaries
John & Tabitha Wintz 12/05 Darrell & Lois Wiley 12/07 Tenn & Darla Harbin 12/18 Jon & Beth Graves 12/22 Jim & Mary Brown 12/29 Bill & Nancy Van Gundy 12/30
If you or your loved ones are not on the list, contact the church office:
[email protected] or 686-3314 with your info and we will get
our records updated.
Women’s
Evening Edition NO meeting in December.
A big thank you to those
who donated, prepared and
delivered food to our home
the evening of October 4th.
The food was delicious nad
we certainly appreciated you
thinking of us. –Sincerely,
K.R. & Mary Anne Pennel
United Methodist
Men:
Wed., December 2nd at 6:00 pm. A Thank you goes out to the United Methodist Men, for purchasing a new coffee maker for the kitchen!!
Our thanks to all who planned, prepared and delivered our pre-Thanksgiving bountiful dinner to our home on Saturday, Nov. 21. It was a nice and very good meal, and we offer our blessings to each of you for doing it.
-Nancy & Bill VanGundy
2015
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Serving our church
in December:
Acolyte: the children
Ushers: Ronnie Martin and Jim Ball
Communion Steward: Phil & Charla Graves
Altar Flowers: Scott Ray in memory of Karen Ray
Liturgist: Phil Graves
Bulletins: Dec. 6 - Jim Ball Family in memory of loved ones
Dec. 13 -
Dec. 20 -
Dec. 24 -
Dec. 27 -
Web Site Sponsor: Jean Schooler
Stewardship 2015:
Receipts as of November 25, 2015:
Plate Sunday Offerings: First 1,623.00 Attendance: 48 Second 1,581.00 30 Third 1,644.95 42 Fourth 4,646.00 45 Fifth - - Total Offerings: 9,494.95
Received Received Special Offerings: in Month To Date Altar Flowers 0.00 280.00 Back Pack Buddies 675.00 1,363.00 Building Use 0.00 150.00 Bulletins 50.00 445.00 Church Camp/Mission 0.00 1460.00 Festival of Sharing 0.00 24.00 Food Pantry 0.00 100.00 Human Relations Day 0.00 146.00 Loose Change 0.00 696.51 Misc. Income 0.00 900.00 Native American Ministries 0.00 130.00 One Great Hour of Sharing 0.00 501.00 Peace with Justice 0.00 20.00 Roof(s) 20.00 220.00 Sunday School 48.00 710.75 UM Student Day 0.00 0.00 Web Site 50.00 200.00 World Communion 0.00 45.00
BUDGETED ‘General’ Account only: Received to Date Total Income: 97,684.93 Needed to Date Total Income: 124,973.00
facebook You can find a link on our church website at: www.fairfaxumc.net.
We do evening visits once a week or no less than twice a month. If you feel led to help or have more questions, please contact Lois 660-736-4965 or 660-623-0040.
Cornerstone:
Nov. 16, 1916
100 years
Nov. 16, 2016!
We’d like to get a team together to work on a celebration, or multiple events, for our
100 years in this location!!
We still need more people to get together and brainstorm. Call the church office,
or Danny K., if you can help out.
To Fairfax United Methodist Church:
United Theological Seminary announces that
Roger Bruce Cary is a candidate for the degree of
Master of Divinity at the Commencement Exercises
on Friday afternoon, December eighteenth
Two thousand fifteen at one-thirty
Christian Life Center 3489 Little York Rd., Dayton, Ohio 45414
Address Service Requested
Fairfax United Methodist Church 305 N. Broadway P.O. Box 318 Fairfax, MO 64446
DECEMBER 2015
FAIRFAX MESSENGER FAIRFAX MESSENGER Children’s Children’s Children’s Christmas ProgramChristmas ProgramChristmas Program
Our children invite you to share in their joy, and excitement for Christmas, here at Fairfax UMC.
Sunday, December 20th Sunday, December 20th Sunday, December 20th at 5:30 pm at 5:30 pm at 5:30 pm
We will have fellowship following their program. Please bring a finger food if you are able and hot dogs will be provided.
**The children will practice each Sunday prior to the performance, during 9:30 am Sunday School. Bring a friend!!