The witnessThe witnessThe witnessThe witness A PUBLICATION OF TOMS BROOK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH– DECEMBER 2016

Toms Brook UMC

Advent & Christmas Schedule

*****

Sunday, December 11

Lebanon-St. Stephens Community Choir

presents its 34th Annual Christmas Concert at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 18

Children’s Christmas Program at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, December 24

Family Christmas Eve Service at 6:00 p.m.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 10:00 p.m.

Christmas Day, December 25

Traditional Worship Service at 8:30 a.m.

Modern Service at 11:00 a.m.

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Greetings my friends in the Name of the Lord!

It is a great joy to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus

Christ, the Son of God. Jesus came to this earth and was born as one

of us, lived His life, taught us how to live this life as a child of God and then gave His life

as a sacrifice for our sins. After Jesus was raised from the dead, He ascended to heaven

from which He will return one day to raise us from the dead and begin His reign upon the

earth for 1,000 years. Then, after all God’s enemies have been defeated, He will make a

new heaven and new earth where we will live forever in peace and harmony with our Savior

and each other.

All this is possible through the birth of a little baby some 2,000 years ago. Knowing

the above is true, gives the Christmas season a significance that is not seen in the temporal

giving of gifts and the commercialization commonly seen in our society. Instead, the signifi-

cance is seen in the coming of eternal life. (1 John 1:2) “And now we testify and proclaim to

you that He is the one who is eternal life.” The true Christmas story is quite dear to the

hearts of those who played parts in the play or enjoy seeing kids dress in costume. But

what I enjoy is seeing God’s love portrayed in a vulnerable little baby of parents not yet

married. God’s love is for all people; it is His will that all be saved. Those who accept Jesus

as Savior will indeed be saved from the penalty of their sins which is eternal separation

from God and instead will receive eternal life and live with Jesus in the new creation forev-

er. The little baby of the Christmas story is now the Savior of the world, and He is eternal

life.

Let us pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thank You for sending

Jesus from heaven to be born as one of us. Thank You for making Him the Savior of the

world and our Savior. Help us to share what our Savior has done for us so that others may

know Him too. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

The peace of God be with you,

Pastor Stan

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Hearts & Hands Christmas PartyHearts & Hands Christmas PartyHearts & Hands Christmas PartyHearts & Hands Christmas Party

Hearts and Hands will meet on Tuesday, December 20, at 7 p.m. for their

annual Christmas Party. Each person is asked to bring a $10 gi$ to exchange

and a snack to share.

UM MenUM MenUM MenUM Men

The United Methodist Men will meet on Tuesday, December 20, at 7 p.m. in the parlor.

The LebanonThe LebanonThe LebanonThe Lebanon----St. Stephen’s Community Choir’s St. Stephen’s Community Choir’s St. Stephen’s Community Choir’s St. Stephen’s Community Choir’s

34343434th th th th Annual Christmas ConcertAnnual Christmas ConcertAnnual Christmas ConcertAnnual Christmas Concert

The Lebanon-St. Stephen’s Community Choir will present their 34th Annual Christmas Con-

cert here at Toms Brook United Methodist Church on Sunday, December 11, at 7:00 p.m.

You are invited to come out and hear “Just Another Christmas”, “Lo, How A Rose E’er Bloom-

ing” as well as toe-tappers such as: “Look Who Just Checked In” and “Angel Band.”

Refreshments will be served a$er the concert and a free-will offer-

ing will be received. Come, let us prepare your hearts for the com-

ing of our Lord this Christmas season!

Hearts & Hands are asking for dona<ons of finger foods and cookies

for the <me of fellowship and refreshments following the concert.

Children’s Christmas ProgramChildren’s Christmas ProgramChildren’s Christmas ProgramChildren’s Christmas Program

The children will take part in a program en<tled, “The Story of Mary”

on Sunday, December 18, at 7 p.m. There will be familiar Christmas

Carols sung, a narra<ve of the story, along with the children’s recita-

<ons. Refreshments of punch and cookies will be served a$er the

program. Everyone is invited to a?end.

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God Among Us

The claim that Chris<anity makes for Christmas is that at a par<cular <me and place

God came to be with us himself. When Quirinius was governor of Syria, in a town called Beth-

lehem, a child was born who, beyond the power of anyone to account for, was the high and

lo$y One made low and helpless. The One who inhabits eternity comes to dwell in <me. The

One whom none can look upon and live is delivered in a stable under the so$, indifferent gaze

of ca?le. The Father of all mercies puts himself at our mercy.

—Frederick Buechner

+ Christian Symbols +

Cornerstone

The cornerstone is a symbol for Christ. It has Old Testament roots

in Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 28:16). In the New Testament, Christ is

called the cornerstone in Ephesians 2:20. The IHC and XP on the stone’s

sides are abbrevia<ons for “Jesus” and “Christ” in Greek. —Taken from The Newsleer Newsleer

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December Mission OpportunitiesDecember Mission OpportunitiesDecember Mission OpportunitiesDecember Mission Opportunities

Food Collections and Outreach ReportsFood Collections and Outreach ReportsFood Collections and Outreach ReportsFood Collections and Outreach Reports

The Giving Tree

All are invited to trim the tree at the back of the sanctuary with mi?ens, gloves, scarves, and

hats for area children again this December. Items collected will go to A Small Hand and the

Shenandoah Co. Pregnancy Center a$er Christmas.

Alternate Gi�ing – Sunday December 3-17 Don’t know what to buy for those family members and friends who have everything? TBUMC

will be offering some very special gi$ing op<ons. Gi$ cards will be available with dona<ons to:

Shenandoah Alliance for Shelter,

Response Shelter, and

Shenandoah County Pregnancy Center

See Linda Baker, Kathy Church, or Ellen Kern between December 3-17 to make a dona<on and

obtain a gi$ card to present.

Lend-a-Hand Report—In October, the church had 14 calls or visits and spent $325 for area

outreach to 3 people/families.

Bread of Life Food Pantry distributed 5,636 pounds of food in November to 90 families,

which consisted of 302 people.

Compassion Cupboard—The donations for November were: 8 (14 1/2 oz.) fruit cocktail, and 4

-(14 1/2 oz.) green beans.

Operation Christmas Child Collection—We collected 1,574 boxes overall from our area.

Toms Brook UMC gave 64 boxes. Toms Brook UMC has been a collection center for Operation

Christmas Child since 2011.

Inside Greeters: Leo & Gloria Ryman

Jenn Wieber & Audrey Wieber

Acolyte: Natalee Peterson

_____________

Ushers: Robert Neff, Mary Fay,

Leo Ryman, Gloria Ryman

Fred Frenzel

Visual Creation:

Run Visuals:

J.J. Funkhouser

Brian Funkhouser

Debbie Buckley

Cassidy Richardson

Sound Board : Doug Midkiff Linda Hudgins

Communion: Diana Bauserman—Set-up

Dr. Stan Thompson,

Bobby Funkhouser—Servers

Tina Davis—Set-up

Dr. Stan Thompson,

Rotating—Servers

Traditional Worship-8:30 a.m.

Lay Ministry for DecemberLay Ministry for DecemberLay Ministry for DecemberLay Ministry for December Page 6

Note: This list will be posted on the church bulle(n board for your convenience. Please find a subs(tute if

you are unable to be present on a Sunday when you are scheduled to serve. Devo(on leaders should con-

tact the coordinator at the number provided.

S.S. Devotional Leaders/Pianists:

Coordinator: Diana Bauserman: 465-8199

December 4—Sandee Stickley/Marcy Bauserman

December 11—Diana Bauserman/Marcy Bauserman

December 18—Cindy Hunter/Marcy Bauserman

December 25—Christmas/Marcy Bauserman

Modern Worship-11:00 a.m.

Spiritual Care

Christians who live only for themselves need to re-evaluate their thinking. Christian philos-opher Jacques Maritain said it’s wrong for Christians to aim for piety and holiness while ignoring people who suffer. “The care of another — even material, bodily care — is spiritual in essence,” he wrote. “Bread for myself is a material question; bread for my neighbor is a spiritual one.” —Taken from The Newsletter Newsletter

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December 4 “The God of the Shamed” Luke 1:26-38

December 11 “Joseph” Matthew 1:18-25

December 18 “The Magnificat” Luke 1:39-56

December 25 “The Savior Is Born, Christ the Lord” Luke 2:1-20

December

Birthdays

1 Benton Berghuis

1 Chuck Eagle

3 Wes Burgess

4 Arthur Keller

6 Sully Eagle

8 Connor Peyton

Morefield

9 Jimmy Peterson

11 Grace Healey

11 Jenny Holler

14 Leslie Funkhouser

14 Amanda Kronk

14 Gloria Kronk

15 Alyssa Thorpe

17 Terry Himelright

17 Katherine Haun

18 Donna Huntsberger

19 Kay Cornell

19 Ben King

21 Eddie Lambert

21 Marlyn Hoffman

23 Bob Lively

23 Joshua Seidel

24 Donna Miller

26 Judy Menges

28 Tony Himelright

28 Mark Griffey

30 Allison Sowers

30 Adam Crabill

Anniversaries

1 Mike & Phyllis Fleming

9 Daryl & Tina Mumaw

17 Tom & Connie Cockrell

18 Robert & Kelly Storey

22 Bob & Marcy

Bauserman

26 Paul & Jennifer Wieber

Birthdays & AnniversariesBirthdays & AnniversariesBirthdays & AnniversariesBirthdays & Anniversaries

Church Cancellations:

Church Cancellation Protocol will be used by

Pastor Stan when there needs to be a cancel-

lation of a church function. Cancellations will

be placed on these sites.

WHSV-TV,

Website: http://www.whsv.com/closings ,

WSVG RADIO-790 AM, or our

TBUMC website: http://

www.tomsbrookumc.net/

You may now listen to Pastor Stan

Thompson’s sermons on our web-

site. Just go to:

http://www.tomsbrookumc.net/

and click on the latest media link.

TOMS BROOK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

P.O. Box 99 Toms Brook, VA 22660

Toms Brook UMC

3263 N. Main St.,

P.O. Box 99,

Toms Brook, VA 22660

Office Phone: 540-436-9312

Email: tbumc@shentel.net

Web: tomsbrookumc.net

Minister:

Dr. Stan Thompson

Cell: 540-230-1897

Email: stantherock@hotmail.com

***

~ Sunday Worship Schedule ~

Tradi(onal Worship: 8:30 a.m.

Life Applica(on Classes: 9:45 a.m.

(Sunday School)

Modern Worship: 11:00 a.m.

~Monday thru Friday~

Morning Prayer Service: 7 a.m.

(except on holidays)

POSTMASTER: RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

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Christmas is Coming Soon!

A gift idea (under $6) that you may want to consider

is our very own history book called, The Toms Brook Unit-

ed Methodist Church History. You may pick up a copy from

the church office (436-9312), church library, or call Gloria

Ryman (432-3652). The price is $5, and copies are availa-

ble in the library any time and there will be a container for

your money. Make your check out to: Toms Brook UMC

and write “history book” in the memo line.