MEMORIAL UMC’s MISSION…

We are CALLED by Christ to
GROW in faith,
BUILD relationships, and
SERVE all people.

THIS WEEK 

SUNDAY DECEMBER 8
Second Sunday of Advent
Spare Change Collection by the Children
8:30  Nursery Care
8:50  Contemporary Worship (Jarrett)
10   Children’s Sun. Sch. (Main)
10   Youth Sun. Sch. (CEC)
10   R.L. Pope Class:  Allen Brown
10   Chancel Choir Reh. for Cantata
11   Worship Service (Sanctuary) – Cantata: A Festival of Lessons & Carols, by Hal Hopson
1:15  Star of Bethlehem Setup
5-7  Youth: Christmas Caroling!
No Youth Choir

MONDAY DECEMBER 9
3:30-8  Arts Alive Lessons & Classes

TUESDAY DECEMBER 10
7:30  Men’s Prayer Breakfast (Sunrise)
4-6    Arts Alive Lessons & Classes
No Yoga
6:30  Staff-Parish Relations
Committee Meeting (Parlor)
6:30  Contemp. Worship Music Reh.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 11
No Fellowship Supper or Program
7:15  Chancel Choir Rehearsal

THURSDAY DECEMBER 12
10:30  Chicks with Sticks

FRIDAY DECEMBER 13

SATURDAY DECEMBER 14
6-9    Star of Bethlehem Nativity

SUNDAY DECEMBER 15
Third Sunday of Advent
8:30  Nursery Care
8:50  Contemporary Worship: Lessons and Carols (Sanctuary)
10     Children’s Sun. Sch. (Main)
10     Youth Sun. Sch. (CEC)
10     RL Pope Class: Richard Herman
10:30  Chancel Choir Reh.
11     Worship Service (Sanctuary)
5-8   Star of Bethlehem Nativity

PRAYER CONCERNS

If you or a loved one would like to be added to the prayer list, please contact Lorna McCullough at 336-259-5814. If you put a name on the list, please keep in touch to let us know how that person is doing, as names are removed after three weeks. During the coming week, please pray for:

The United Methodist Church
All Military Personnel
Our UM Missionaries
Tracy Brinkley
Chris Eddinger
Harold Vannoy
Tim Priska
Dean Austin
Margie Collins
Joe Bales
Tyler Oldaker
Robert Miller
Bill Sharpe
Dallas Hutchens
Justin Riley

We extend our prayers and sympathy to Dusty and Stacey Taylor and family on the death of Dusty’s father, Wayne Taylor, on November 22, 2019.
We extend our prayers and sympathy to Gerald Davis and family on the death of Gerald’s mother, Gladys Davis, on November 28, 2019.

UPCOMING EVENTS

SPARE CHANGE COLLECTION – THIS SUNDAY!

DECEMBER 8
8:50 A.M. & 11:00 A.M. WORSHIP SERVICES

Please be sure to bring your spare change to church with you on December 8th. The children will be collecting change for a special offering for Cooperative Community Ministry (CCM) of Thomasville. They will collect during both worship services, and they would love to fill up their buckets with change for their mission.

CHRISTMAS CANTATA: A FESTIVAL OF LESSONS & CAROLS

SUNDAY DECEMBER 8
11:00 AM
SANCTUARY

A Festival of Lessons and Carols, by Hal Hopson, will be shared by the Chancel Choir and guest instrumentalists during this Sunday’s 11:00 a.m. worship service. The work contains a variety of carols—some familiar, some unfamiliar—arranged in Hopson’s trademark majestic style, as well as an original setting of a medieval text. The traditional nine lessons have been updated by Mr. Hopson to reflect more contemporary linguistic considerations. 

While the musicians and clergy and lay readers will lead the way, the cantata is intended to be a participatory worship experience, and the congregation will sing along on five of the nine carols. Children are warmly invited to stay in the sanctuary for this special Advent service, and we will not have Children’s Church during the 11:00 a.m. service. 

CONTEMPORARY LESSONS & CAROLS  

SUNDAY DECEMBER 15
8:50 AM
SANCTUARY

A contemporary Lessons and Carols Service will be shared during the 8:50 AM worship service on December 15, in the Sanctuary. Children’s Church will not be held. We hope all children will enjoy this special Advent service.

 

STAR OF BETHLEHEM

SETUP:
SUNDAY DECEMBER 8
1:15 PM (PLEASE CLEAR CARS FROM PARKING LOTS.)

DRIVE-THROUGH NATIVITY:
SATURDAY DEC. 14, 6-9 PM
SUNDAY DEC. 15, 5-8 PM

Have you noticed? The city of Bethlehem will soon come to life in our parking lot. Before you know it December 14 and 15 will be here and the drive-thru nativity story will be presented once again. Village people are needed to make Bethlehem a bustling city. Saturday night will be from 6:00 – 9:00 pm and Sunday will be from 5:00 – 8:00 pm in two, 45-minute shifts with refreshments in between.  This is a great way for entire families to participate together. You will enjoy the food and fellowship provided for cast members and workers, and most of all, the fun of being in the village and a part of this production. If you have previously participated or are new to this event, please call or email Tim Lyons and let him know of your desire to be in the cast this year. You may reach him by email at tlyons00@gmail.com or 336-259-6920 by phone. Volunteer today! Be a part of this free gift to our community.

LOVE FEAST CANDLELIGHT ADVENT SERVICE

SUNDAY DECEMBER 22
7:00 PM  
SANCTUARY

Our annual Love Feast service will be held December 22 at 7:00 PM.  This is a special Advent worship service in which we sing Christmas carols, listen to readings from the nativity passage, and partake of the tea and rolls included with an authentic Moravian Love Feast.  We will end with a special rendition of “Joy to the World” as candlelight floods the sanctuary and the spirit of Christmas is sure to flood your heart! It is a beautiful and solemn moment during a very busy and often hectic season. All are invited. Bring a friend and join us for this special Advent tradition!

CHRISTMAS EVE COMMUNION SERVICE

TUESDAY DECEMBER 24
5:30 PM WORSHIP SERVICE, WITH COMMUNION OFFERED UNTIL 7:30 PM
SANCTUARY

The Christmas Eve Communion Service will begin at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief service with special readings and the blessing of the Communion elements. Following the service, Communion will be offered for anyone to receive in a “come-and-go” format until 7:30 p.m. This means that, even if your Christmas Eve plans prevent you from being at the church at 5:30, you are invited to drop in and receive Holy Communion at any time between 5:30 and 7:30! Bring your family and make this a new Christmas Eve tradition! We hope to see you and celebrate this beautiful sacrament on the Eve of Christ’s birth.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT FELLOWSHIP

The next Wednesday Night Supper & Program is January 8th. Mark your calendar!

Supper at 5:30 and Program at 6:10 PM. RSVP by Noon on MONDAY.

UPCOMING EVENTS
THROUGH CHRISTMAS 2019

Dec. 16  UMW Morning Circle
Dec. 22  Love Feast Candlelight Advent Service (7PM Sunday)
Dec. 24  Christmas Eve Communion (5:30 Service, Communion offered until 7:30 PM)

IF YOU HAVE A CHURCH EVENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ADDED TO OUR CALENDAR, PLEASE CONTACT SUSAN FRYE.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

11th YEAR OF ALTERNATIVE GIVING

NOW THROUGH DECEMBER 18th

Each year we provide the opportunity to give honorary donations in lieu of tangible gifts. Our alternative giving season is now underway! Look for the order form in Sunday’s  bulletin, or download one at this link: http://bit.ly/AlternativeGiving. Alternative Giving will run Dec. 1-18.

This year’s designated recipient organizations are:

  • Cooperative Community Ministry (CCM)
  • Crossnore School and Children’s Home Winston-Salem Campus
  • Davidson Medical Ministries
  • Dragonfly House
  • Lexington Housing Community Development Corporation (LHCDC)
  • Meals on Wheels Thomasville
  • PDI or Project Divine Interruption Scholarship Fund
  • Rise Against Hunger – Meal Packing Event
  • Salvation Army Davidson County “Pathway of Hope”
  • UMCOR

LUMINARIAS! 

ON SALE THROUGH DECEMBER 15th

Honor or remember a loved one this Christmas by dedicating a luminaria that will light the path to the Love Feast Advent Service Dec. 22. You may purchase your Luminaria at the sales tables following the Sunday morning worship and Wednesday evening programs. Sales end Sunday, Dec. 15. Contact Rodney Denton for information. Cost is 1 for $2 or 3 for $5.  Sales support the Youth Ministry. 

COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY MINISTRY (CCM)

Thank you for continuing to keep CCM on your shopping list. Current needs for pantry and hygiene items are listed below. CCM also really needs plastic grocery bags.

Pantry Items:

  • Pasta Noodles
  • Pasta Sauce
  • Breakfast items
  • Rice
  • Large cans of soup
  • Canned fruit

 

Hygiene Items:

  • soap
  • deodorant
  • toothpaste
  • shampoo
  • toothbrushes

POINSETTIAS AND WREATHS FOR SALE

White poinsettias ($12) and door wreaths ($32) can now be ordered through the church financial secretary’s office by completing the form below. ALL REQUESTS MUST BE IN WRITING. Checks are to be made payable to Memorial UMC. We have 18 wreaths available. Please place your orders as soon as possible. The cut-off date for orders is Sunday December 15. (REMINDER: Please leave your poinsettia for the Love Feast Service, which will be held December 22 at 7 pm. You may pick them up at the end of the Love Feast Service.) Please look for order form in Sunday’s bulletin or ask the office for one.

MESSENGER NEWSLETTER 

THE MESSENGER Newsletter for Advent and Christmas was emailed Nov. 25 and is available at http://bit.ly/Messenger2019Advent. If you are not receiving emails from the church, please email Susan at sfrye@mumctville.org.

MEMORIAL UMC ORNAMENTS

$10 EACH
CONTACT SUSAN AT 336-472-7718 or sfrye@mumctville.org

We still have a few ornaments for sale. This is just the perfect gift for the Christmas Tree! Contact Susan at the Church Office if you would like to purchase one for yourself or as a gift.  Cash or check (note “Ornament” on memo line). All proceeds from the sale of ornaments go to the church’s budget.