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WELCOME TO ALDERSGATE We’re delighted to have you with us today! Our desire is that you sense the love of Jesus during your time here and that you discover how much God values you. If we can serve you in any way, please feel free to call on us. New to Aldersgate. . . If you are visiting today, please do not feel you must give an offering … you are our welcomed guest! Please fill out a CONNECTion Card and return it via the offering plate or at our Welcome Center. Stop at our Welcome Center for a gift and information on Al- dersgate Church. Join us for a time of refreshment and fellowship in our Family Life Center following the 8 am and 9:30 am services. We are glad you are with us today to worship! WHAT’S HAPPENING AT ALDERSGATE Year End Financials The year end is fast approaching. Please have all 2019 expenses submitted to the office by January 3, 2020. All 2019 donations must be received by the office or postmarked no later than December 31. Giving statements will be mailed by January 31. Please note with respect to Gifts in Kind: Per IRS rules, any donation that provides a gift or service to an individual cannot be claimed as a charitable donation. God’s Helping Hands (GHH) Home Repair Ministry GHH Ministry is preparing to go out into our community and assist homeowners in 2020. The scheduled work weekends are: February 7, 8, 9; April 17, 18, 19; June 12, 13, 14; and October 2, 3, 4. Check your calendars and please join GHH in the coming year. Don’t be intimidated if you feel as if you “don’t have construction/carpentry skills.” There is something for everyone AND you will be able to learn new skills. We always need people to make lunches for the volunteers and homeowners or join us to get to know the homeowners. In order for the GHH ministry to be effective in making home repairs for homeowners, a collaborative effort is needed. Your generous heart, talents and help are needed. This ministry cannot consist of only a few people but needs to be a ministry for the community by the community. If you are interested in assisting with God’s call, please contact Glenn Shick at 717-574-9588; [email protected] and/or John Shankweiler at 717-649-0801; [email protected]. Making a CONNECTion. . . Please use the CONNECTion Card to provide or change your contact information and/or to request information about any aspect of church life at Aldersgate. Just drop it in the offering plate, leave it at the Welcome Center, or bring it to the church office. TODAY Illuminate Service at 6:30 pm Aldersgate is hosting “Finding Joy in the Darkness,” a quiet and peaceful Christmas service for those who are seeking to prepare for the Christmas worship in a meaningful and quiet way or for folks who are seeking an alternative to the regular Christmas Eve Service. For many, Christmas is a time of remembering and feeling the loss of times gone by and fearing the difficult times ahead. This service will connect you to the real reason we come to the manger. Come and be centered and inspired to find a deep joy in the darkness - a Christmas from God’s perspective. Christmas Eve Ushers Are you moved to help serve God's people during Christmas Eve services this year? We are looking for 6 ushers for the 4:30 and 7:30 pm services. Please contact Pam Caserta at [email protected]. God bless all of you. Why the Jesse Tree? Matthew records the genealogy of Jesus, which gives proof that Jesus is the son of David, who was the son of Jesse, who was the son of Abraham. The entire genealogy goes back to Adam and Eve. So the symbols placed on the Jesse Tree can represent Bible stories going back to the beginning of scripture. The Jesse Tree located in the gathering space may have ornaments that are symbols of your child’s favorite Bible stories. Check out the symbols on our Jesse Tree. Can you identify the Bible story that each represents? Dogs for God This ministry consists of a group of caring individuals called to spread the joy, happiness and the name of Christ using the assistance of their bonded relationships with their dogs to reach the elderly, homebound, hospitalized, etc. For more information, contact Pam Caserta at [email protected]. The next dates for those serving in this ministry are Monday, December 30, 7:00 pm; and Tuesday, December 31, 6:30 pm at Sarah Todd Home (this may change due to it being New Year’s Eve). Prepare for Membership scheduled for Sundays in January If you are interested in more deeply committing to the mission and vision of Aldersgate by becoming a member, we invite you to our new upcoming Prepare Class! During this four-week class you will explore four main questions: What do we believe?, How do we reach out into our community?, How do we live into our beliefs?, and What is our next step? At the end of this four week class, there will be a Baptism Class offered if you are interested in being baptized or having your child baptized. After completing Prepare, if you choose, you will be ready for membership! To register, contact the church office at 717-737-7923 x100 or at [email protected]. Class is scheduled on Sundays, January 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 6 pm-7:30 pm . Mark Your Calendars What’s Up Wednesday (WUW) meal, ReCharge and studies will resume January 8, 2020. Watch for new studies to be advertised soon! There is a Solution Group (AA) Aldersgate Church hosts Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm in room 206/208. AA is a fellowship of men and women who share with each other so they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. If you would like additional information, call Carl at 717-512-3529. Offering Envelopes Are Here! Stop by the tables outside the sanctuary to pick up your 2020 Giving Envelopes. If you have any questions, please contact the church office at [email protected] /717-737-7923 x100 Women’s Retreat February 7-9, 2020: Experience JOY like Jesus Intended! Retreats are important to allow you to pull back, slow down, breathe, get inspired, detox, find your people, laugh, listen and establish a routine or practice. Pastor Jan Hughes is the program presenter at the Silver Spring Retreat Center in Mechanicsburg. Price: $40 commuters and $65 staying on site. Onsite sleeping accommodations are limited to 20 people so they will be first come - first served. Onsite guests will need to bring their own bed linens and towels. Registration forms are available at the Connection Desk. December 22, 2019 We serve a God who has revealed himself in the ordinary and routine especially at Christmas. In what ways do you see the Lord revealing himself in the ordinary through our Lord’s birth? When have you experienced the Lord’s presence in the midst of your ordinary and routine life? How did that happen for you? One of the spiritual dangers we face that Jesus warned us about is that we can become so fixated on the ordinary and the routine things of this life that we can miss the extraordinary and the sublime of God’s kingdom. Can you think of anyone in the Bible who was so focused on the ordinary and the routine that they missed the extraordinary and transcendent presence of God? How might you seek the extraordinary and the sublime presence of God more consistently in your ordinary and routine daily life? What part, if any, of the pastor’s message this morning did God use to speak to you? REVOLUTION YOUTH! Revolution Youth Nights Revolution Youth Nights resume January 5. Join us again or for the first time from 6-8 pm in the youth room for an evening of worship, devotion, games, and time to hang out together. Revolution Youth Communications To receive Remind text alerts: from your phone, text @youthald to 81010 Follow us on Facebook by searching for: Youth @ Aldersgate Mechanicsburg Follow us on Instagram by searching for: @youth.director Email Jamie Barkley & Wendy Strite at [email protected] SUNDAY SCHOOL Aldersgate is on Facebook! Please like and share the Aldersgate Facebook page at @aldersgatemechanicsburg • Birth - 2.5 Year Olds: Nursery • 2.5 - 4 Year Olds: Room 102 • 4 Year Old/Pre-K: Room 104 • MS/HS Youth: Youth Room • Adults: Rooms 101 & 203 • Kindergarten: Room 207 • First Grade: Room 210 • Second Grade: Room 205 • Third Grade: Room 201 • 4th/5th Grade: Rooms 206/208 We are joyful this Christmas season to be blessed by the presence and gifts of our pastors, Jan Hughes( Lead Pastor) and Tom Willard (part time Congregational Care). At this Joyous time of year, we would like to show our appreciation to our pastors for their many gifts and talents that they share with their Aldersgate family all year long. If you would like to contribute to our 2019 Pastoral love offering, please provide your contributions to the church office or in the offering plate TODAY. Please make checks payable to Aldersgate UMC and denote these funds for the “Pastoral Love Offering." We will make a presentation during Sunday service on December 29th. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Judy Vandercoy at [email protected]. Through Advent follow as the Sanctuary backdrop star rises through a journey of hope, love, joy and peace and crowns on Christmas Day to celebrate Christ's birth. Life Talk Notes
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