The voice First United Methodist Church

November 2018

Greetings in the name of Christ,

On Saturday, October 27th, the annual Church/Charge Conference for First UMC was held at the

Lighthouse UMC in Lorain. This is the official annual business meeting that every United Methodist

Church must hold and is moderated by the District Superintendent (Rev. Doug Lewis). The meeting was

held with five or six other churches in the Firelands District. In attendance from First were Jean Shan-

non, Brent Anderson, Bonnie Bliss, Brian Bliss and myself.

At this assembly we approved a budget of $189,032 for 2019, an increase of $5,400 (3%) from last

years budget of $184,032. My compensation package and all staff salaries remain the same as last year.

See Brian Bliss or Michele Andrews if you would like a copy of the budget.

The charge conference is also a time when our membership roles are officially audited and updated.

This past year twenty members were removed from the membership role because of death, transfer to an-

other church, or a request from the member. In addition, the names of 75 members were read for the first

time. These are inactive members that we do not have contact information for or who have not re-

sponded to our efforts to communicate with them. If they remain inactive for three years without re-

questing to remain a member, then their name is removed from our roles. Seventy five is a large number

of inactive members, but the updating of the roles has not been done for many years. This is an indicator

that we have much work to do in reaching out to the wider community as we seek to make new disciples

for Christ.

A slate of new church officers was also voted upon and approved. There were very few changes from

last year. This demonstrates our need to reach out to other members to serve in leadership positions. A

copy of the 2019 church leaders is available from the office.

Finally, Bonnie Bliss was elected to be our lay representative at the 2019 East Ohio Annual Confer-

ence and Brian Bliss was nominated to be a Firelands District Lay Member-at-Large for the 2020 Annual

Conference. Bonnie Bliss was also nominated to be a Lay Delegate at the 2020 General Conference (the

world wide United Methodist conference held every four years).

I thank all those members of First UMC that took the time to attend this important meeting. I also am

thankful for all the leaders in the church who work hard for the good of the church. May God bless all

our efforts in the coming year.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor David

Organ-ized thought

We will be celebrating All-Saints Sunday soon. Please make sure the office is aware of the

passing of any saints from our church this year. Before we know it we move into Advent,

and that climaxes in Christmas. I am vowing to stay healthy throughout!

Yes, the busy seasons are upon us. So, I make it even more complicated by giving a music

recital. I assure you it will have lots of variety and not be boring. For starters, when did you

last hear a bassoon sonata? The three movements of a string quartet (we omit movements 2

and 4 for length). The first two pieces are world premieres. The three songs from Robin

Hood! a musical I wrote in 1985 are fun and lighthearted.

The second half includes a nod to Shakespeare – Four Sonnets, and The Barefoot Boy by

John Greenleaf Whittier. Come so you can learn why there is a Baltimore Oriole on the

poster.

The recital is November 17, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, at 3 p.m. A reception follows

the recital so I will have a chance to talk with friends coming from out of town and you will

have a chance for some punch and cookies. Tom Turkey will oversee the goings on.

Alan Montgomery

Hanging of the Greens

Sunday, November 25th @

4:00pm

Soup Supper following

If you can make soup or bread

please let Bonnie know.

All are welcome to help prepare

our church for the

Christmas Season.

United Methodist Women - Jean Shannon

Christmas is coming and gift cards are a great gift option. There are two more chances to pur-

chase cards, November 4th with delivery November 11th and December 2nd with delivery De-

cember 9th. Remember gift cards are not just for gifts. You can use them for your grocery shop-

ping or dining out. Order forms are in the welcome center or see Jean Shannon.

Speaking of Christmas… The Everything Christmas Sale will be Saturday, November 10th

9:00-3:00pm. Set up will begin Thursday, November 8th after bible study about 10:30am. If

you have items you wish to donate please bring those to church. If you or someone you know just

wants a little something different for decorating there are lots of great items at awesome prices.

Money raised goes to help the UMW mission projects.

The annual Thanksgiving Pot Luck Dinner is Monday, November 12th at 6:00pm at Edie

Binkley’s home. Please bring a dish to share, your own place setting and a donation to “World

Thank Offering.” This annual offering is sent to the District UMW Office for mission needs

worldwide.

All women are welcome!! RSVP to Edie 440-774-8905

We recently met and planned our 2019 Mission Budget. We propose to donate almost $9000.00 to

missions involving women, children and families. Yearly we send our money locally, nationally

and worldwide to help make a difference.

UMW is open to any woman that wishes to belong and participate in the global mission of the

church. If you are interested please give your name and contact information to Jean Shannon or

leave it in the church office.

Missions - Sue Brady

The Caring Tree will be in the Narthex, December 2nd - 16th when the gifts will be taken to

OCS. Now is the time to pick up some hats, gloves, undies and socks to “decorate” the tree.

Advent will be here before we know it. Keep your eye out for the Advent Devotionals, in the

narthex. These are provided by The Society of Saint Andrew. We support the Society with

adult Sunday School collection and the collection from the large jug in the narthex.

November Birthdays

Max Anderson 11/01

Maddie Hicks 11/02

Barbara Wurster 11/05

Rachel Aufdenkampe 11/07

Betty Baxter 11/09

Eliot Call 11/10

Amaris Madding 11/17

Emerson Freas 11/20

Karen Anderson 11/23

Holly Handman-Lopez 11/27

November Anniversaries

Chris & Meghan Foisy 11/03

Adam & Heidi Freas 11/06

Michele & Erik Andrews 11/19

It’s one thing to be grateful.

It’s another to give thanks.

Gratitude is what you feel.

Thanksgiving is what you do. Tim Keller

Parsonage Open House

Sunday, November 4th

Immediately following worship

RSVP to church office

440-775-1178

All are welcome!

Recital of Music composed by

Alan Montgomery Saturday, November 17th 3:00pm

Oberlin First United Methodist Pieces will include…

Sonata for Bassoon and Piano *

String Quartet #1 *

Three Songs for Robin Hood!

Four Shakespeare Sonnets

The Barefoot Boy *World premiere

Thank you to - Drew Pattinson, Tim LeFebvre, CMS Quartet, Max Cook,

Amanda Michalak, Matthew Payne, Jason Arevalo, Nathanael Leavitt, Maureen

Sheehan, John Sanderson

November

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

Bible Study 9:15a

2

3

OC Taiko 1:30-3:30p

4

10:30a worship

Choir 9:30a

Parsonage Open House following

worship

OC Taiko 7-9p

5

Girl Scouts 6:30p

OC Taiko 8-10p

6

Trumpet 3:00-5:30p

Membership 5:15p

Boy Scouts 7p

AA 8p

7

OC Taiko 8-10p

Taiko 7-8:30p

8

Bible Study 9:15a

9

UMW Exec Bd 1:30p

Adult Game Night 6p

CMS 7:00p

10

Everything Christ-

mas Sale 9-3pm

11 10:30a Worship

Choir 9:30a

CMS 2:00p

NOYO 3-6p

OC Taiko 7-9p

12

UMW Thanksgiving

Dinner 6:00p

OC Taiko 8-10p

13

Trumpet 3:00-5:30p

Ad Council 7p

Boy Scouts 7p

AA 8p

14

OC Taiko 8-10p

15

Bible Study 9:15a

Finance 7:00pm

16

17

Men’s Breakfast

8:30a

Alan Recital 3p

18

10:30a Worship

Choir 9:30a

NOYO 3-6p

OC Taiko 7-9p

19

Girl Scouts 6:30p

OC Taiko 8-10p

20

Trumpet 3:00-5:30p

Boy Scouts 7p

AA 8p

21

OC Taiko 8-10p

Taiko 7-8:30p

22

23

24

OC Taiko 1:30—3:30p

25 10:30a Worship

Choir 9:30a

Hanging of the

Greens 4:00p

OC Taiko 7-9p

26

OC Taiko 8-10p

27

Trumpet 3:00-5:30p

Trustees 7:00p

AA 8p

VOICE Deadline

28

OC Taiko 8-10p

29

Bible Study 9:15a

30

First United Methodist Church 45 South Professor Street Oberlin, Ohio 44074-1587 440.775.1178 www.oberlinfirstumc.org

FIRST CLASS

First United Methodist Church of Oberlin Adult Sunday School at 9:30 am

Worship and Sunday School for Children at 10:30 am Pastor David Cann