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First United Methodist Church2901 Caledonia StreetMarianna, FL 32448

FIRST  UNITED  METHODIST  CHURCHDECEMBER  1,  2013

The  5th  Page

Four Sundays of Lighting the Advent Wreath

Christmas Cantata Sunday December 15TH 6:00PM

Lessons & Carols Sunday December 22nd 9:00am

Christmas Eve Services (check times)

First Sunday of Christmas, December 29th 9:00am

THE VIGILFar too often the rush to Christmas is a sprint…Come on,you can do it…perfectly… and finish on the 25th. From Black Friday shopping in lines; to the sprint to 29 shopping days to Christmas; to the last minute gifts that need to be purchased. We run on fumes…and wonder why it leaves us hollow.

I have several Advent Devotional books that help break the cycle for me, of the rush to Christmas. They give focus and draw me to those places where my heart needs to be touched with light and grace…those needed ingredients if there is going to be meaningful joy. This year, I will reclaim an old favorite, Wendy Wright’s book, The Vigil.

She writes these words of introduction…Our entire lives are a vigil, a keeping watch, for the fulfillment of our hope. But it is especially in this season, the season of coming, that we rise up on tiptoes to dance. We open our throats to sing and to proclaim this vigil that we keep.

I urge you now, before we are overrun with the urgency of the season, to take time to find your escape from the rush. Perhaps we make a pledge to not simply survive the season, but to feed our deep spiritual need to find real meaning in a season that is truly God’s gift to us. Seek out a source of Advent/Christmas devotional reading now, and give your soul space for a meaningful vigil.

Faithfully Yours

FROM THE PASTOR. . . . . . . . . . . Prayer Wall List . . . . . . . . . .

ANDERSON, KEN ! !ARGO, LORI! ! !BEARD, JAN ! ! !BEARD, RICHARD!BELL, BILLYBELL, ELIZABETH! !BIGGERS, ABBYBIGGERS, JOHNBRISOLARA, DENNIS!BROWN, CHARLIEBROWN, PEGGYBURKE, BO ! !BURKE, BOBBURKE, JODY! !BURKE, LORICALVERT, BOB !!CALVERT, SANDY!COCHRAN, KARENCOLE, BARBARA!COOK, LARRYCRAWFORD, CALCRAWFORD, INEZCRAWFORD, JEFFCRAWFORD, KATHRINEDAVIS, KARENDAVIS, NIKI! !DAVIS, RUTH! !DONOFRO, KATHYDONOFRO, PAUL JR.DUFFEE, BETTY!DUELL, JUDY! !DUELL, RON ! !ELWELL, DEBBIE!EVANS, KATHLEEN !EVANS, MIKE! !FOLDS, DENISEFOLDS, KRISTIFOSSUM, AMIEFOSSUM, SCOTT!FOSSUM, ZIP! !HARKINS, JIM ! !HARKINS, TOOLLIEHARRIS, EBBYHARRIS, JEAN !HARRISON, CHRESHULL!HARRISON, MARIANNE !

HARRISON, JUDY HENSON, DONHOFF, BOBHOLLEY, NELLHOLM, DONHOLM, JOANNHOPKINS, BILL (HOP)! !HOPKINS, OMEGA (MEG)HOUSTON, MERLEHOWELL, JANHOWELL, RANDY!HUGHES, BILLYHUGHES, BOBBYHUGHES, EMMAHUGHES, SONNYJACOBS, DIANE! !KLAPPAS, CHERRY!KLAPPAS, TONY!KLEINHANS, BILL!KOHN, AARON!!KOHN, ANNIE! !KUNDE, SUSAN ! !KUNDE, VAN! !LARGE, ANNEKE!LARGE, LYNNLAWERENCE, RICHARDLORD, CHARLENE!LOWERY, JOHNLOWERY, TINA!!MARTIN, MARY FRANCESMARTIN, ROBERTMARTIN, TERRI MASON, BARBARA!MASON, JACK! !MAYO, JAMESMAYO, KATHRYNMCCREA, DONNAMICHAELS, JANEMILLER, JAMESMILLER, JILL! !MILTON, CYNDI! !MONEYHAM, JANET!MOORE, BETTYEMOORE, RICKY! !

MORTON, MARY JO !NELSON, CHERYLNELSON, EDNORVILLE, AMY !PARAMORE, CORRIEPARAMORE, DONNA!PARAMORE, EARLPERKINS, BIRDIE!POWELL-YOSHIKAWA C.POWELL, DANIELPOWELL, DOUGPOWELL, SHANNONRAHAL, ANN! !RAINES, CARLARAINES, LARRYROBERTS, JIM!!ROBERTS, JOHN !ROBERTS, KATHERINEROBERTS, POLLYSANDIFER, TRINKASCHACK, BILLSCHACK, LINDA! ! !SCHOULTHEIS, DAISIE!SCHWENCKE, MARYSHUEY, ANITASLOAN, DAVID!! !SLOAN, KATHYSPENCE, LIBBY! ! !STOUTAMIRE, KENNETH THOMAS, NELL! ! !THOMPSON, SUZY! !TOMAN, JOETOMAN,JOYCE! ! !VICKERY, KAYREN! !VICKERY, MARK! !WATTS, JIM! ! !WATTS, NANCY! ! !WENDT, FRANKWESTER, BECKYWHIDDEN, EDITH! !WISE, GREG! ! !WISE, JEAN! ! !WISE, MARSHA! ! !

December Food DonationItems to bring this month:

Canned Fruit and VegtablesDonations go to Chipola Family Ministries.

Dates to RememberFrom the Finance Committee . . . . . .

Wed. Night Live Cooking Teams

December 4 Open Door Sunday School Class

December 11 Ron Martin White Christmas family dinner

…end of the year contributions for tax deductions will be accepted

until December 31 (we will be in the office that day)

...We complete ½ of the fiscal year at the end of the calendar year.

Please review your giving totals with your commitments.

…$25,000 is the amount needed to bring Conference

Mission Giving to 100%...we are committed to completing this goal.

From John M. Hamilton, CPA on October 17, 2013…I have performed the procedures…which were agreed upon by the church solely to assist the FUMC of Marianna in making an independent evaluation of financial reports, records, and internal controls of the church. The audit shows a clean bill of health and some suggestions to strengthen our financial practices and procedures. The Finance Committee shares this with you so you will know

the transparency.

Mens Breakfast Cook Schedule

4-Dec T. Klappas - Willie Earl Paramore

11-Dec Randy Howell - Ricky Moore

18-Dec Travis Marsh, Ken Stoutamire, Jack Porterfield, Bill Kleinhans

25-Dec No Meeting

Angel Tree GiftsThe Angel tree gifts are due back in the Church Office no later than December the 16th.

Church Life......Disciple Class Schedule

Disciple1

Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study, is one of the greatest Bible Study and group experiences ever known. Millions of people have walked from Genesis through Revelation and grown from the 34 week experience of reading God’s word and watching their faith increase greatly.

Disciple 3

Remember Who You Are, is a 32 week study covering the works of the prophets and the letters of Paul. With the use of maps and other resources this study (for those who have completed Disciple 1) will occupy the spot on Monday evenings (6-8pm) previously set for Disciple 1. Even if you have taken it before, there are new discoveries awaiting those who are willing to travel with Paul and hear, once again, the words of the Old Testament Prophets.

It has been a privilege to serve as your lay leader this past year. Thank you for your support and service to the church and its mission to make disciples for Christ.

Cherry Klappas

A LETTER FROM YOUR LAY LEADER..........

From The Desk of Patty Andreu...........

I would like to thank everyone who volunteered their time and service to the office while I was out... Although it was tough to leave a sweet precious baby girl to come back, I am very happy to be back to work, with this church family.

Patty Andreu

Surge - Student Ministries

Luminaries are on sale. Luminaries are on sale as a fundraiser for the youth

group. The last day to purchase Luminaries is Wednesday December 11th. Contact Wade or the church office to purchase Luminaries. The Luminaries will be put out before the Christmas Cantata on Sunday December 15th.

Christmas Parade Fundraiser. On Friday night December 6th the youth will

be selling pulled pork sandwiches as a fundraiser. We will be set up in the Post Office parking lot during the Christmas parade. I need all the youth to help and I could really use several adult volunteers. Contact Wade with questions.

YOUTH PROGRESSIVE DINNER SUNDAY DECEMBER 8TH. We will leave the church at 4:30pm to go to 4 different homes to eat a 4 course meal. It is important that you be on time as we will leave sharply at 4:30pm.

YOUTH LIVE NATIVITY SUNDAY DECEMBER 22ND 5:30PM-7:30PM. I need

all the youth to help as we will do a live nativity as witness to our community.

FRIDAY DECEMBER 27TH 7PM-7AM. Come as we will have food, fun, and fellowship!

Just a simple reminder.

Regular youth times on Sunday nights unless otherwise indicated are 5:30pm-7:30pm. Also, Wednesday night Bible study is 6pm-7pm. Wednesday night dinners start at 5pm and you must let me know by Monday if you plan to eat.

Thanks, Wade

Wade Hudson, Youth Director

December Birthdays

December 01

Joey Myhill

Linda Schack

December 04

David Carrel

Jennifer Sweeney

Kaitlin Kent

December 05

Catie Powell

Jo-Jo Taylor

December 06

Daniel Hopkins

Karen Arunakul

December 07

Aric Brisolara

Chuck Hudson

December 09

Max Lein

Robb Hoff

December 10

Dax Moreno

December 11

Jim Heisner

Judy Harrison

Kaycie Riley

Kelsie Riley

December 12

Bette Moore

Mike Evans

December 13

Isaiah Henning

December 15

April Harrison

McGill Duffee

December 16

Mary Beth Harkins

December 17

Evan Harrison

December 18

Jack Eaton

Lindsay Jordan

Nancy Getz

December 19

Bob Calvert

Cody McNeal

Dan Cole

Julie Kent

Reece Kunde

December 20

Sean Gaffaney

December 21

Glen Barber

December 23

James Miller

Niki Davis

Wayne Holloway

December 24

Brady Donaldson

December 25

Betty Duffee

Donald Holm

Inez Crawford

Jeremy Dellow

December 26

Anthony Williams

Steven Mantecon

December 27

Cassie Lentzsch

Jake Syfrett

James Melvin

Jill Miller

December 28

John Mitchell

Logan Mckinnie

December 29

Emily Quinn

Garrett Roper

December 30

Katherine Crawford

Nora Mayo

December 31

Brayden Mason

Jon-Alan Borges

June Mays

The White Christmas Offering

The White Christmas offering collected on behalf of the United Methodist Children's Home is a heart-felt tradition dating back to the 1930s.

During this special season Methodist Congregations across both the North Alabama and A l a b a m a W e s t F l o r i d a Conferences gather generous offerings in support of UMCH's transformational ministries.

Thank You for supporting the United Methodist Children's Home. Your gifts provide the

majority of the contributions that keep our programs operating year after year. Your gifts change lives every day.. (from the UMCH homepage).

Our Children’s MinistryFUMC White Chirstmas Offering......

News from Children’s Minisrty

Janie and I are enjoying our role as presenters during the Moments With the Children segment of the Worship Service. The connection with our church children is extremely rewarding. Our hope is that this time is equally beneficial to them, and will serve as a catalyst for our other programs.

Appreciation to the parents in our Young Adult Sunday School Class who are providing leadership during Children’s Church. They are doing an outstanding job with the curriculum and deserve a word of gratitude for stepping up and assuming this important responsibility.

We are seeing an increase in attendance in our Sunday School classes. Nancy Watts and Tammie Newsome are teaching our elementary group, and Marsha Wise has graciously accepted the role of teaching our three and four year old angles. Still, we need more teachers! It is my hope that we can fill class of K-2 students and begin a class for our Middle School age group by January. Search your heart. If you feel a desire to help in one of these two areas, please contact me. The Childrens Ministry needs your help if we are to grow. I believe we can. I believe we will. I believe we must.....

Becky Grimsley