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The Voice

Spirit of Hope UMC

December 2014 Edition

spiritofhopeumc.org

Advent at Spirit of Hope

Sunday, November 30 Advent Begins Advent is the four weeks before Christmas when we prepare for the gift of Jesus. This is a time for great

celebration and hope. Each Sunday, we will light a candle on the Advent Wreath to mark this time of waiting and anticipation. We will also have many special events during this season, and we hope you make these wonderful opportunities a part of your Advent.

Saturday, December 6

Santa’s Workshop (3:00-6:00 p.m.). Enjoy a delicious lunch while children have a photo and visit with Santa, holiday songs,

festive Christmas activities and a UMW sponsored bake sale This fundraiser will benefit Sunshine Valley Childcare.

Sunday, December 7 Carol Sing-along. Following worship today, stay for a traditional Christmas sing-along and fellowship.

Thursday, December 11 Service of Light and Hope (6:30 p.m.). This is a special opportunity for those who are feeling overwhelmed or saddened

during the holiday season to join in a quiet service of candlelight, words of hope, and to experience a bit of peace amidst all the activity.

Sunday, December 14

Family Worship of Lessons and Carols. “Lessons and Carols” is a wonderful, traditional offering of the Christmas

promise through music and readings during the 10:00 a.m. worship service.

Children’s Christmas Pageant “Catch the Christmas Spirit” (4:30 p.m.). Join us for this fun afternoon

as the PreK - 6th grade kids share the wonderful Christmas message of Jesus’ birth through song and story.

Wednesday, December 17 Service of Light and Hope (4:30 p.m.). This is a special opportunity for those who are feeling overwhelmed or saddened

during the holiday season to join in a quiet service of candlelight, words of hope, and to experience a bit of peace amidst all the activity.

Sunday, December 21

Coming Home For Christmas; Deliver Christmas Bags (11:00 a.m.) . Share a favorite Christmas hors

d’oeuvre or treat at our annual Coming Home for Christmas holiday buffet! This festive event will begin immediately after worship. Traditional Christmas bags for our homebound members will be ready for delivery in the afternoon.

Wednesday, December 24

Christmas Eve Family Service (4:00 p.m.). Celebrate the birth of Jesus with music and candlelight worship.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship (10:30 p.m.). Celebrate the birth of Jesus with music and candlelight worship.

Thursday, December 25 Christmas Day! Jesus is born! Let us give thanks.

Sunday, December 28

New Year’s Worship (10:00 a.m.). A time for New Year’s Celebration, Resolutions and Reflections.

(No 8:30 a.m. Chapel Service.)

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Pastor’s Message

Dear Friends,

You do yourselves proud! I don’t think that’s proper English, but it’s true.

From the Meadowbrook Elementary Outreach event to a Youth Ministries planning meeting, from the G.I.F.T. team’s stewardship efforts to the Reconciling Ministry’s 9th anniversary celebration, from the Faith Walk Sunday School rotation engagement by numerous adults and young persons to the music ministry’s rich program to the Children’s Chance book collection and loading, and on and on…you truly do do yourselves proud!

Those things just listed are simply a few of the evidence-events I’ve witnessed lately where you show up, step up, rise up, give up “time, talent, and treasure” to make sure good things happen, to see that children and youth, young families and older adults, GLBT persons and oth-ers who have been pushed to the social margins have a loving and hopeful way opened to and for them.

Now, that is not to say, to borrow Wesleyan language, that you have already “been made perfect in this life.” (And, if you’re wondering, Wesley’s concept of “going on to perfection” is much more gracious and gen-erous than that of the perfectionist on your block whose lawn and home are groomed and kept within a painfully neat inch of your life!) There are still hurts and needs, broken, lonely hearts in our very midst, to say nothing of the world beyond our walls. And there are new people showing up every Sunday and some weekdays who are hungry for a word of welcome, for you to break out of your circle and invite them in. It’s constant, which re-minds me….

On a recent Sunday I was in the narthex between ser-vices (you do know, don’t you, that there is an 8:30 a.m. service with communion in the chapel every Sunday that lasts about 45 minutes?) taking things in, watching the activity, listening to the conversation, observing people looking at and buying the Fair Trade coffee, chocolate and tea that have been added to the Sunday morning array of offerings, and it came to me almost audibly: “This feels like home…this place, these people feel like home!” It was the sweetest little epiphany!

Now, that could’ve simply been a function of the five months I have been hanging out with y’all, but I don’t think so. I think it’s directly related to and because of you.

Your hospitality and warmth have opened a way for me to be able to call Spirit of Hope my home! That’s huge. Thank you!!

I’ve learned that the last Sunday in Advent is called “Coming Home for Christmas” Sunday in this church. That is a wonderful invitation. And it emphasizes an Advent-Christmas theme, that of welcome, receptivity, hospitality. As we prepare to, in some way, receive the Christmas offering anew, perhaps we can all do for those who show up in our midst with that same longing for home and welcome the very thing you have done for me.

Let Spirit of Hope be alive with a spirit of hospitality, es-pecially in this season of anticipation. After all, who is it that we seek to see and welcome in every person we meet, even as we let that same one be met in us?

Shalom, Jeff

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Share the Christmas Spirit Share the Tradition—Do you or your family have a favorite Christmas memory, tradition, recipe, prayer or poem that you would like to share? In 1993, the Spirit of Hope family was asked the same question and many people responded. The answers were collect-ed and compiled into a heart-warming booklet called “Share the Tradition.” It was distributed at our annual Coming Home for Christmas event. Our church family has grown and changed. There are new stories. Several people have requested that we continue this tradition again this year. If you would like to be a part of the 2014 edition of “Share the Tradition”, please e-mail your Christmas memory, tradition, recipe, prayer or poem to Joan Boger at joanwboger@gmail.com or drop off at the church office no later than Wednesday, December 10.

Coming Home for Christmas Sunday, December 21 Share a favorite Christmas hors d’oeuvre or treat at our annual Coming Home for Christmas holiday buffet! This festive event will begin immediately after 10:00 a.m. worship.

Homebound Christmas Bags Once again we will be preparing Christmas bags for delivery to our homebound members on Sunday, December 21. This is a won-derful way to spread the Christmas spirit with one of our members who is physically unable to attend worship services. There are several ways you can be involved in this wonderful outreach minis-try.

Sunday, December 14, from 9-10:00 a.m. Fireside Room—Have fun designing a Christmas card.

Sunday, December 14, in the Upper Lobby area before and after worship, sign your name to card inserts.

Make a small sweet bread loaf and bring to church on or before Sunday, December 12.

Personally deliver a Christmas bag to one of our homebound members.

Sign up on the poster in the lobby or e-mail Joan Boger at joanwboger@gmail.com

Santa’s Workshop Saturday, December 6, 3-6 p.m.

Spirit of Hope UMC

ONLY $7 includes: Pizza, salad, dessert and beverage;

photos and a visit with Santa!

Also: Fun holiday songs, festive Christmas hands-on activities including gingerbread houses, a building project with Home Depot and UMW bake sale! Designed especially for families with pre-school through young elementary kids. No pre-registration neces-sary. A great event to invite your friends and neighbors!

Fundraiser benefits Sunshine Valley Childcare.

You are cordially invited to the

Children’s Christmas Dinner Theater

Featuring

Spirit of Hope Sunday School Kids

As they proudly present:

“Catch the Christmas

Spirit” Sunday, December 14

4:30 p.m. Pageant

5:15 p.m. Catered Ham Dinner

Join us for this fun afternoon as the PreK - 6th grade kids share the wonderful Christmas message of Jesus’ birth through song and story. The program begins at 4:30 p.m. followed by a delicious catered ham dinner with all the fixings. Free will donation for dinner (suggested cost $5/child & $7/adult). Please RSVP your reservation by Wednesday, December 10.

Gathering Women of SOH Christmas Potluck Wednesday, December 10, 10:45 a.m. in the Upper Lobby. Our semi-annual woman’s potluck is a wonderful opportunity for women of Spirit of Hope to spend time together, during the busy holiday season. Come, relax, bring food to share and enjoy the fellowship. Sunshine Valley children will put on their Christmas program for us. This is always delightful and entertaining. UMW will meet in the café following the entertainment. We will review how our funds were dispersed to numerous missions and our bal-ance remaining. Hostesses are Marilyn Gresser and Jan Plager. Sponsored by United Methodist Women.

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Welcome to Spirit of Hope UMC’s Kids, Youth, Teachers and Family L.I.F.E. (Living In Faith Everyday) Program! We have many

new and exciting ways for kids, youth, adults and whole families to worship, play and serve together! We look forward to you, your

family, friends and neighbors joining us at many of our regular and special events.

Kids L.I.F.E. Sunday mornings

10:00—10:30 a.m. Faith Walk Large Group

10:30—11:10 a.m. Faith Walk Sunday Classes for PreK-6th Grade

PreK 3 & 4 years - PreK wing classrooms - behind the Nursery area

Kindergarten-Grade 4 - Classrooms - Fellowship Hall area

5th-6th grade - Connect Class - Youth Room—3rd floor

Parents are invited to enjoy fellowship refreshments before picking up their children in their classrooms at 11:10 a.m. PreK - 4th

grade children must be picked up by a parent.

Nursery for children infant–2 years available during worship service

Faith Walk Sunday School: Our Rotation Unit in December is “The Gift of Jesus”. Through storytelling, art, science and

cooking, movie and games, our PreK-4th grade kids learn how Jesus was God’s gift to all of us.

This model of FaithWalk needs two types of leaders:

1. Class leaders - stay with a group of children for the entire program year. This could be 2-4 people sharing leadership on a

rotating basis.

2. Workshop leaders - sign up to teach a workshop for a 3-4 week time period. This allows for leaders of all ages and stages to

connect with kids using their own special gifts and talents.

Take a look at the FaithWalk sign-up board in the upper lobby for information on upcoming units January-May. Contact Deb

Johnson or Kari Bieber if you need more information or are interested in serving as a class leader or workshop leader for upcoming

units. Spirits are lifted and blessings abound when you spend time sharing your FaithWalk with children.

FaithWalk Sunday School Christmas Program Rehearsals: Sunday, December 7 10:00-10:30 a.m. Fellowship Hall

Sunday, December 14 10:00-11:10 a.m. Fellowship Hall

Sunday, December 14 is the Spirit of Hope “Lessons and Carols” worship service. The Mini-Spirits and Holy-Spirits children’s

choirs are participating in this worship service and encouraged to be in the worship service for its entirety. All PreK children and

older kids not in choirs are welcome to attend FaithWalk in the Fellowship Hall for a short lesson and music rehearsal for the

afternoon program.

Sunday, December 21 Regular Sunday morning classes for PreK—6th grade

Sunday, December 28 NO FAITHWALK SUNDAY SCHOOL

Sunday, January 4 Sunday School classes resume—join us for an Epiphany party!!

Milestone Ministry Program Parents and kids come together to celebrate learning about “faith firsts.” A full description of our milestone program can be found in

the Milestone Ministry brochure. There are no December milestone events. Coming in January our milestone events include:

1st Grade “Touch the Water– Celebrating Baptism” Sunday, January 11 - 11:15-12:45 p.m.

All 1st graders together with their parents are invited to come together to celebrate learning about the sacrament of baptism. We

begin with a light lunch followed by a short lesson and fun hands-on activities including a yummy treat! Families eat lunch together.

Child care provided for siblings of the 1st grader during the lesson. Please RSVP to Deb Johnson so we are sure to have enough

materials and food for all. We also welcome any 2nd-4th graders along with parents who may have missed this milestone event in

previous years.

2nd Grade Milestone: “Taste the Bread - Celebrating Holy Communion” Sunday, January 25 - 11:15-12:45 p.m.

All 2nd graders together with their parents are invited to come together for a light lunch, hands-on activities, and a short lesson learn-

ing about the sacrament of Holy Communion. Families eat lunch together. Child care provided for siblings during the lesson.

Please RSVP to Deb so we are sure to have enough materials and food for all. We also welcome 3rd-4th graders and parents who

may have missed this milestone event in previous years.

Children and Family Ministries December 2014

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Deb Johnson

Children, Youth and Family Minister

763-545-0239 (office); 612-418-3107 (cell)

djohnson@spiritofhopeumc.org

Zone 345 Hey all 3rd, 4th, 5th grade kids! You have a fun fellowship group designed just for you! Mark you calendar for our next event:

WHAT: Pizza lunch and a movie

WHEN: Sunday, February 1

WHERE: Spirit of Hope UMC

All kids and chaperones gather after worship at 11:15 a.m. in the Fireside Room for a pizza lunch followed by a fun afternoon at the

movies! Cost: $5 for lunch. RSVP to Deb Johnson if you can participate. Always - FRIENDS ARE WELCOME!

Youth L.I.F.E. (Living In Faith Everyday) Calling all 6th-12 graders! Youth Group meets every Wednesday night from 6:15—8:15 p.m. The regular schedule is:

6:15-7:15 p.m.—Youth Fellowship (6th-12th grades)

7:15-8:15 p.m.—Age level classes

6th Grade - W.I.L.D. 1s (Willing Involved Loving Disciples)

7th Grade - ReForm Pre-Confirmation Class

8th Grade - Confirmation Class

Youth Calendar Notes:

Regular PreConfirmation and Confirmation classes on Wednesday December 3 & 10.

Youth Christmas fun Wednesday, December 17 6:15-8:00 pm—no Confirmation class

No classes held Wednesday, December 24 & 31.

Youth group and Confirmation classes resume Wednesday, January 7

How can you connect with the youth in our church?

1. Volunteer to lead opening devotion, games and activities from 6:00—7:00 p.m. on Wednesday

2. Volunteer to lead an age level class.

3. Volunteer to be a mentor for an 8th grade Confirmation student.

4. Volunteer as a Confirmation small group leader.

For more information or to volunteer, please contact Deb Johnson.

FaithWalk Sunday School Children’s Christmas Dinner Theater

Featuring our Sunday Class kids in

“Catch the Christmas Spirit”

Sunday, December 14

4:30-6:30 p.m.

Join us for this fun afternoon as the PreK - 6th grade kids share the wonderful Christmas message of Jesus’ birth through

song and story. The program begins at 4:30 p.m. followed by a delicious catered ham dinner with all the fixings. Free will

donation for dinner (suggested cost $5/child & $7/adult). Please RSVP your reservation by Wednesday, December 10.

Youth Ministries December 2014

Family Ministries December 2014

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Special Christmas Offering This season, our special Christmas offering will benefit Project AgGrad, PRISM and Brooklyn Avenues. The following pro-vides more information about these organizations.

Project Ag-Grad. Minnesota Annual Conference initiat-ed Project Ag-Grad in response to a 1983 Council of Bishops' letter asking for programs to meet the increasing demands of world hunger. The Project seeks to address root causes of world hunger in developing countries by providing financial sup-port for students from those countries who desire to pursue advanced degrees in agriculture at the University of Minnesota. Your gift helps pay for the cost of a research assistantship.

PRISM (People Responding in Social Ministry). PRISM pro-vides food, clothing, school supplies, holiday gifts, and more to low-income families in our area. PRISM has taken on the work that our Good Neighbor Fund formerly performed (i.e. gasoline and food vouchers, assisting with rent). PRISM is able to do this in a more holistic fashion with more services than we were able to provide.

Brooklyn Avenues. Brooklyn Avenues is a 12 bed short-term housing project due to open it’s doors in December in Brooklyn Park. It will provide safe, stable shelter and transi-tional housing with intensive support services for homeless youth ages 16—21 from the northwest suburbs. Youth will be referred by school counselors, police, street and school out-reach workers and other nonprofit and public partners, including faith-based organizations.

PRISM Holiday Food Needs: Boxed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cooking oil, sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, flour, canned green beans, canned cream soups, Jello, pudding, canned pie filling.

You may also make a donation to PRISM by making your check payable to Spirit of Hope and clearly marking “PRISM” on your offering envelope or on the memo line of your check. Thank you!

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at Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church.

Many thanks... Eleven youth and parents raked leaves for two long-time church members in October. It was great to work together and make a difference in our community. Thanks to everyone for their hard work!

Creative Spirits Once again members of Creative Spirits will be donating hand made hats, mittens and gloves made by members for the Division of Indian Works and PRISM. We also would like to invite all church members to assist with donations of new “store bought” or even hand made hats, mittens or gloves which will be distributed to these worthy charities. A large box will be available for these donations towards the end of November. God bless and many thanks for your help in keeping our fellow Minnesotans warm!

Our Knit 1 Pray 2 Prayer Shall ministry connected with Creative Spirits has received a wonderful monetary donation from UMW for yarn purchases. We would like to put it out there for anyone in our congregation who would like to knot a prayer shawl and might need help with the yarn purchase. It’s been estimated that most shawls use about 3 skeins of yarn, therefore we would like to reimburse or facilitate that yarn purchase. Please let us know. Call the office or Merry Anne Rosengren. And a big thank you to UMW for their

wonderful gift!

Liturgists Needed for Sunday Worship Are you interested in helping to lead worship on Sunday? We are looking for those willing to serve as liturgists (to lead/read the Call to Worship, Opening Prayer, and Scripture). Sign up on the bulle-tin board in the upper lobby for a date that works for you. Training and support provided.

Women’s Breakfast Meets the first Saturday of every month at the Old Country Buffet in Crystal. All women are invited! Come enjoy breakfast and fellow-ship on Saturday, December 6, at 8:30 a.m.

Adult Bible Study Adult Bible Study will not meet Tuesday, December, 23, 30 or January 6. We will resume again on Tuesday, January 13. Hope to see you there.

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Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church

7600 Harold Avenue Golden Valley, MN 55427

763-545-0239 FAX 763-546-3109

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID

Twin Cities, MN

Permit No. 2806

“Change Service Requested”

The Voice is a monthly publication of

Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church.

Jeff Hansen, Pastor

Deb Johnson, Children, Youth and Family Minister

Peggy Bocklund, Finance Administrator

Janine Hall, Administrative Assistant

Sharon Seiter, Administrative Assistant

Shannon Siler, Nursery Attendant

Jerry Rubino, Minister of Music

Paul David Stanko, Instrumental Music Coordinator

Jane Samsal, Children’s Music Coordinator

Melissa O’Neill, Soprano

Susan Hofflander, Mezzo Soprano

Max Wojtanowicz, Tenor

Tom Witry, Bass

Sunshine Valley Childcare (763) 545-6906 Sharon Gebell and Diane Maney, Co-directors

“Change Service Requested”

Coming Events...

November 30 1st Sunday in Advent/Advent Fest

December 10 UMW Christmas Gathering

December 14 Lessons and Carols Children’s Christmas Pageant

December 17 Service of Light and Hope

December 21 Coming Home for Christmas

December 24 Christmas Eve Family Service Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

December 25 Christmas Day Blessings (offices closed)

December 28 New Year’s Worship (no Chapel Service or Sunday School)

January 1 New Year’s Day (offices closed)

For more information, see articles or calendar within this newsletter or current bulletins.

Statement of Call: We are called by God to be a radically inclusive, caring com-

munity of faith – offering personal and social transformation through Jesus Christ.

Reconciling Statement: We are a reconciling congregation welcoming people of

all sexual orientations.