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December 2015
Grace Notes News from Grace United Methodist Church
Carbondale, Illinois 618-457-8785
Web site: www.carbondalegrace.org
E-mail: [email protected]
December 6 Second Sunday of Advent
Candle Lighting Family:
Morthland Family (Early Service)
Ludine & Holly Chamness (Late Worship)
Scripture : Isaiah 52: 7-10, Matthew 1:18-25
Sermon: “The Gift of Peace Through God’s Reign”
Special Program: “The Little Drummer Boy” by Grace Players
December 13 Third Sunday of Advent
Combined Worship at 10:30 a.m. in the Auditorium
Candle Lighting Family: Mowrer Family
Special Christmas Program: “The Gift of Joy Through Songs”
Choir, Praise Team, Bell Choir & Children will bring a joyful
program followed by an all church chili dinner.
December 20 Fourth Sunday of Advent
Candle Lighting Family: Park Family (Early Worship)
Joel Kirby and Jenny Choo (Late Worship)
Scripture: Jeremiah 31:15-17
Sermon: “The Gift of Hope in Darkness”
December 27
Combined Worship Service at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary
Scripture: 1 John 4:18-21
Sermon: “The Gift We Never Want to Return”
You are encouraged to invite family and friends to our worship
services and Sunday school.!!
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Dear Friends,
“My family is the best Christmas gift.” Someone
posted it on facebook. Several people agreed with her.
It’s a special season to exchange gifts with family, friends
and special people in our lives. Most of us have been
busy with buying, wrapping, packing and mailing Christ-
mas gifts. We might feel joy as we imagine the happiness
that our loved ones experience as they open the gifts that
we sent to them. We want to express our love and caring
spirit through our gifts. However what people really need and
what makes people happy is not those material things, but our
presence, the fellowship and friendship we share with them.
Let’s take time to visit other people, especially those who are
lonely. Parents, set aside your time to be with your children, to
make some simple Christmas crafts with them, or bake cookies
with them to deliver to the lonely people. The church provides
each family an Advent Book-Family Devotion and Activities.
Create fun memories with them. Most of our kids have already
had more material things than they need. Adding more things
don’t make people happy. What people need is genuine friend-
ship and fellowship with other people.
Here is the good news for everyone! God has prepared
the best gift for all of us---Jesus Christ who brings us peace, joy,
hope and love. God who has the riches of goodness, grace, mercy
and love is eager to give his best gift to us, Jesus Christ. Christ
comes to us. But he comes not to be added to our cluttered hearts
and busy lives. He is reborn in humble hearts which have a holy
space. The Advent Season invites us to set aside a special time
and to create a sacred place in our hearts and our lives for Christ
who is coming. A daily devotion book is provided for you and
your family. Special music worship services are prepared for you
and your family to be attentive to His presence and one another.
Come, join to worship the Lord. It is a perfect season to invite
your family and friends who have been drifted away from the
Lord and church. We need to remind ourselves the real reason for
this season---Jesus Christ. We might post on our facebook, “Jesus
Christ is the best Christmas gift for me and for everyone.” Let’s
offer God’s best gift, Jesus Christ to your family and friends as
well as strangers. I pray that you and your family may celebrate
a wonderful Christmas in Jesus Christ!
Shalom, In-Sook
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Circle of Friends Potluck Tuesday– December 8 - Noon
Bring a dish and join the fellowship.
Lights Fantastic Parade Help Needed
On December 5, 2015 Carbondale will host
it's 25th annual lights fantastic parade. Carbon-
dale Grace will be there in the parking lot near
PK's to hand out free stickers and hot choco-
late in cups with a message of God's love for
them.
Things to be done include placing stickers on the cups, hand-
ing out the hot chocolate, prep and clean up. We typically finish
about 1 hour after the parade is over. Anyone old enough to pass
a cup of hot chocolate or give out a sticker is old enough to help,
making this a wonderful opportunity for parents to bring their
children and get them involved in hands on ministry for Jesus
Christ.
If you could help with this ministry, please see Roger Smith,
559-8389.
Christmas Eve
Candlelight Service
Wednesday, December 24,
7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary
There will be special songs, scripture reading,
and communion. The offering will support
United Methodist Committee on Relief
(UMCOR) Disaster Relief Fund.
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The last mission meal for 2015 will take
place on December 20. We plan to take turkey
vegetable soup to the town square pavilion and
serve from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. We would
welcome your participation, to come and help
with set up and serving these people God
blesses through us or with break down and
clean up afterwards.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank God, and
those responsible for the donations of funds which have contin-
ued to make these meals possible. Looking to 2016, we are pray-
ing to be able to expand this ministry to include more adult
groups in addition to the youth. As we do this, we also are look-
ing for ways to make the project easier. We would like to add
about 4 or 5 folding picnic tables instead of having to move both
tables and chairs. If you might be able to help or would like to
donate to this ministry, please see Roger Smith.
Again thank you all for your support. Through your efforts,
we have provided over 500 meals to individuals and at least that
number more to the Good Samaritan Soup Kitchen.
Mt. 25:40 “And the King will answer and say to them
‘assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least
of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”
Leadership Workshop:
“Reaching New People”
Saturday, January 30, 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m.
At Marion Aldersgate UMC
Workshop Leader: Rev. Mike Crawford,
Illinois Great Rivers Conference
Coordinator of Congregational Development
All church council members, committee members, small group
leaders and worship leaders are invited to participate in this spe-
cial planning retreat. Please mark your calendar and keep pray-
ing for a fruitful retreat. Please call the church office by Decem-
ber 30 if you plan to attend.
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Grace UMC Mission Statement
"Love God, love people, make disciples of Jesus Christ."
The Story of Fasa
Fasa is a medical missionary in Indonesia. As a
young lad he lived on the island of Nias. He had a
strong desire to learn, and when an opportunity came
up, he walked 7 miles to the coast and traveled 90 miles
by boat to Sumatra . He swept streets with very little
pay and usually slept where he worked. He learned
about Wesley Methodist Church in Medan and of
classes in English being offered. Later, he worked at a hospi-
tal. Because of severe typhoid fever, he was evicted and brought
to Wesley Church. After recovering, he was given a job at the
church and stayed in a small room there.
Grace and Ed Werner were sent to Wesley Church (in Indone-
sia) by the UMC as missionaries. They met Fasa and saw a very
special young man with great promise. A miracle began. The
Werner’s helped Fasa with pre-entrance exams given at the Meth-
odist Medical School, and promised to raise the needed money to
send him to medical school. The Werner’s and their family paid
his tuition. As they returned to the states, they told everyone
about God's mission at Wesley and especially about this young
Christian man in medical school. This is how GUMC became
involved with Fasa. He received his degree in January, 2001. He
and his wife operate from a small clinic on the island.
Over the years Grace Church has continued to support Fasa in
the needs of his clinic and family. Once a year we send a bank
wire to Fasa with the collected funds.
Fasa—Medical Missionary
On December 16, we will be wiring money
to Dr. Fasa for his use as a medical missionary.
If you want to add to this fund, please put your
check in the offering by December 13. Be sure to write “Fasa”
on the memo line.
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Your Christmas contribution
will be sent to the United Meth-
odist Committee on Relief
(UMCOR) Disaster Relief Fund.
UMCOR has responded to natural disasters in the US and in-
ternationally, providing supplies and care in the immediate after-
math of a disaster and it has supported long-term rebuilding ef-
forts to people within the United Sates as well as internationally
for 75 years. From floods in South Carolina and Texas, fires in
the west and earthquakes in Nepal, UMCOR has been there this
past year.
We do not know when or where a disaster will occur again.
The weather forecasters have predicted El Nino will bring an-
other year of extreme weather events and who knows about
earthquakes. Your contribution to Disaster Relief will enable
UMCOR staff to provide help when a disaster does occur. 100%
of the money collected will go to assist those affected by disas-
ters, not administrative costs.
Financial Peace University
This life-changing class will be taught by
Dave Ramsey and the FPU teaching team on
video and will be coordinated by Monty
Smith at Grace United Methodist Church. It
will help you achieve your financial goals by
showing you how to eliminate debt, save for
the future, and give like never before. You will be challenged
and motivated to make a plan for your money and change your
family tree forever.
* 9 week program
* Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m.
* begins February 1
* child care is available
* cost is $93 per family
* need based financial assistance available for those who
qualify
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Coffee and Cards Saturday, December 19, 9:00 a.m.
at Grace UMC, Room 11
Short devotional, drink coffee, and write note
cards to new visitors and existing members on behalf of GUMC.
Please have articles for the January 2016 Grace Notes
to the church office by December 21.
Congratulations to Mary Ann Ruph on the
birth of great granddaughter, Shelbi JoAnn
Bost. Shelbi was born November 6 weigh-
ing 6 lb. 5 oz. and was 19 inches long. Her
parents are Caitlyn and A.J. Bost.
Holy Communion:
Some Questions and Answers Should I receive Communion if I feel unworthy?
Two thousand years ago Jesus ate with sinners
and those whom others scorned. He still does.
None of us is worthy, except by God’s grace. Thank God we
don’t have to earn worth in God’s eyes by our goodness or our
faith. Your sacred worth, and ours, is God’s free gift. No matter
what you have done or what your present condition, if you want
Christ in your life you are welcome at his table. Communion pro-
vides the opportunity for you to confess your sins, to receive for-
giveness, and to indicate your intention to lead a new life.
Our heartfelt sympathy is given to Lena
and Orville Hake. Lena’s sister Wilma Stew-
art passed away November 27.
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December Birthdays (by date)
1 - Cheryl Smith
5 - Michael Adams
7 - Raetta Blessing
8 - Laura Morthland
8 - Steve Shappard
11 - Alicia Joens
11 - Elsbeth Sanders
13 - Philip Pease
15 - Gary Hall
22 - Grace Park
24 - Kevin Dettmar
27 - Martha Searcy
27 - Emma Williams
28 - Iris Vana
29 - Anna Schurz
30 - Gary Chamness
31 - Dwight Sanders
Early January Birthdays
1/2 Kathy Manigold
1/2 Chris Smith
1/3 Holly Chamness
1/4 Kevin Frailey
1/7 T. J. Montgomery
Grace United Methodist Church
9:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship
10:10 a.m. Sunday School
11:15 a.m. Traditional Worship
December Anniversaries
Dec. 16 Brian & Kathy Manigold
Dec. 23 Roy & Marianne Abrahamson (55 yrs.)
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Lenten Study
Theme: “Just Walk Across the Room”
Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. –11:30 a.m.
5 weeks, February 18– March 16
1. The Single Greatest Gift
2. Living in 3D
3. The Power of the Story
4. Grander Vision Living
5. Celebration & Commitment
Sign-up sheets will be out in January
Hanging of the Greens
UMW Christmas Yard Sale