Rev. Tim Bracken

From the pastor December 10, 2014

Our Staff:

● Pastor……………….,,,,,,,……..,,.Rev. Tim Bracken

● Minister to Sr. Adults,…,,,,,……..,,,Rev. Pat Hogan

● Administrative Assistant………..……....Molly Near

● Financial Secretary………………….....Mae Wilkins

● Director of Children’s Ministry………......Jill Ingram

● Director of Youth Ministry..……….....Hope Tellifero

● Chancel Choir Director…………..…..Dr. Jim Burns

● Pianist…………………………..……...Tausha Plate

● Organist……………………..………….Terry Barger

● Maintenance Director…..……………...Chris Offrey

● Maintenance……………………...……...Jeff Smith

● Director of CDC…………………….….Cathy Smith

● Director of PDO……………………...Rachel David

● Assist, Director of CDC/PDO…………Karon Steve

Something New! In Isaiah 43:18-20 God tells us to forget those things which are past (Paul tells us the same thing) and to look and see the new things He is going to do. As we are in the season of Advent we are looking for the Christ child to come into the world. We look forward with anticipa-tion for His breaking into our time and lives in redeeming and powerful ways. That is the anticipation and expecta-tion of Advent - Jesus com-ing in a new way. I believe that redemption is far more profound and pervasive than we allow in our lives, our church and our world. I believe that Jesus came to do way more in and through us than we could

“imagine or think.” We “do church” thinking that we have experienced all there is of Jesus or we only turn to Jesus when we are in trouble. I think that both of those ditches cheapens the cross and grieves the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants to do a new thing in us and at First UMC. Will we look and see? Maybe the bigger question is 'are we actually willing for Him to break into our lives and allow Him to do something new in our lives and in First Church'? I am confident that Jesus is going to build on the great foundation of First Church to take us further in mission and ministry than we can imag-ine. I want to live with that expectation and anticipation of lives changed

O Come, O Come Emman-uel and do something new in me and First Church! Who's with me?

Staff Christmas Gifts The Staff Parish Relations Committee is asking for your help by giving a monetary gift for our church staff. All monies will be collected and

divided among the staff. You may give through Decem-ber 21

st. Thank you in ad-

vance for supporting our church staff.

Need Something in

the Newsletter?

The church newsletter is printed every

two weeks. Any information wished to

be entered is to be submitted no later than noon the Tuesday before it is

printed and mailed/emailed.

Newsletter request forms are located in

the church office. Information turned in

after this time will not be included until

the next newsletter is printed..

Turn in information for the next news-

letter by noon January 6, 2015

First United Methodist Church Cleveland, TN

FACTS FROM FIRST

and Communion at 6:00 PM

December 3, 10, and 17

Noon Eucharist at 12:00 PM

Compline at 8:00 PM

Breakfast with santa

Thursday, December 18th

at 7:30 PM You won’t want to miss this night

of beautiful music!

Saturday, December 13th

9:00—10:30 AM Bring the whole family for breakfast! Mr. and

Mrs. Claus will be here for pictures and gift re-

quests! Each person attending is asked to bring

a canned food item for donation to The Caring

Place. If you would like to come and help set up/

decorate on Thursday, December 11th from

9:00 AM to 2:00 PM your help would be appreciated!

Metropolitan Bells

Down Home Christmas

Coat drive First Church is a drop off point

for The Caring Place

Community Coat Drive. We will be collecting new and gently

used coats for all ages from now through December

31st. Coats may be brought to the church and placed

in the marked box located in the Narthex.

December 21 at 6:00 PM This is one of our favorite Christmas activities,

as we get to hear church members and friends

of all ages perform various selections. If you

have a song, poem, drama, reading, dance,

or instrumental piece you would like to

share with us, this is your invitation!

You may either email Jim Burns at

jim@clevelandumc.com or call the church office.

One presentation per person, please. The program

will be kept to roughly an hour.

Christmas Caroling Wednesday, December 17

5:30 PM Everyone is invited to join us in spreading

Christmas cheer! We will meet at the church

at 5:30 PM. After singing, the Murphy

Memorial SS Class will have hot beverages and sweets!

Gift of Education

Youth Christmas party

Christmas Eve Goody Bags

Gift Extravaganza

Our girls in India need your help this holiday season to

pay for the remainder of this school year. Please consider

a year-end gift to the Mary Diana Samuel Home. Checks

may be made to First UMC and marked “MDS Education.”

All donations are tax deductible.

Bring a wrapped gift ($5.00 or less)

THIS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14 at 5:00 PM.

Wear your best “Ugly Christmas Sweater”

or Christmas themed costume!

The BEST one will win a prize!

Youth Lock-In

Wednesday Nights Friendship Circle

You will have the opportunity to pick up a small goody

bag after the Christmas Eve service to deliver to someone

who WORKS on Christmas Eve. This is a great way to

share some cheer and love with those that may work at

the hospital, fire station or convenient store. Start think-

ing NOW of who you would like to share some home-

cooked items as well as a small devotional and infor-

mation about our church. On Sunday, December 14 you

may sign up for the different ways you could make this

happen. There will be more information announced

Sunday during church. If you have questions , see Kellie!

The Friendship Circle will meet January 8 at 6:30 PM at

the home of Mabel Greene 942 Wedgewood Drive.

Youth are to meet at the church this Saturday, Dec. 13 at

9:00 AM to help Santa and his elves at Breakfast with San-

ta. After breakfast we’ll share Christ’s love and a warm

meal at the Family Kitchen (11:00-2:30), then we’re off

to Hamilton Place Mall for Christmas shopping and lunch

in the food court (bring money for both of these).

We will return to the church by 5:00 PM.

Join us to ring in the New Year with a

bonfire, fireworks, late-night games, snacks, and more!

Meet at the church at 10:00 PM and dress warm!

Parents: you can pick your kids up next year at 7:00 AM!

December 10 is the last night for children’s choirs! All

Wednesday night activities will resume on January 14, 2015!

New Year, New You—yoga! Starting in January, Hope Tellifero will be teaching yoga at

the church on Tuesday nights from 5:15-6:15 PM.

This will be an all-levels flow class (good for beginners or

experienced). Bring your own mat and a bottle of water.

The cost is $3.00 per class.

“I will be loyal to the United Methodist Church and do all in

my power to strengthen its ministry by my prayers, my presence,

my gifts, my service, and my witness.”

Our Prayers Doris Burns

Kaye Coultry

Bill and Carol Creech

Austin and Mary Glen

Davis

Lois Ellis

Karen Fisher

Gil Frederick

Toye Gibson

Mike Goodman

Renee Henderson

Clint Hutto

Rusty Johnson

Megan Jones

Nancy Lane

Elaine Larson

Ruth Lee

Dalton Markcloud

Our country, our leaders,

and our troops

Family of Audrey Mitchell

Family of Charlotte Heron

Family of Robbie Gobble

Joanna Duncan & Family

Jordan Dempsey

Betty McLain

Tilley Philips

Helen Leach

Gary Farner

Jenny Chatam

Andy Lowe

Corky Whitlock

Michael & Jennifer Barber

Long Term Prayers

Don Alley

Debbie Ambert

Maxine Baker

Sunday School Worship

11/30/14 75 215

12/07/14 69 318

Our Presence

Our Gifts Budget Receipts 11/30/14 7,178.20

Receipts to date: 622,821.29

Expenditures to date: 567,980.40

Receipts/Expenditures + or [-] 54,840.89

Budget to date: 700,894.10

Budget Receipts 12/07/14 17,169.77

Receipts to date: 639,991.06

Expenditures to date: 577,022.01

Receipts/Expenditures + or [-] 62,969.05

Budget to date: 704,195.08

N O T I F Y T H E C H U R C H O F F I C E T O A D D O R R E M O V E N A M E S F R O M

T H E P R A Y E R L I S T .

HAPPENING THIS WEEK

Larry and Barb Miller

Gail Ownby

Una Poe

Melissa Rhodes

Bradley Sink

Stuart Switzer

Janice Tate

Judy Watts

Joan Wheeler

Sunday, December 14

7:30 AM Sanctuary Open for Prayer

8:30 AM Early Worship

9:30 AM Sunday School

10:45 AM Morning Worship

12:00 PM Pot-Luck Lunch

5:00 PM First Youth Christmas Party

Monday, December 15

6:00 PM Scouts

6:30 PM PDO Christmas Program

Tuesday, December 16

6:30 PM CDC Christmas Program

Wednesday, December 17

12:00 PM Eucharist

5:30 PM Christmas Caroling

8:00 PM Compline

Thursday, December 18 7:30 PM Metropolitan Bells

Friday, December 19

Saturday, December 20

6:00 PM Blue Christmas Service

Monday—Friday

7:30 AM CDC

9:00 AM PDO

Our service

Prayer Team: Andrea Byerly

Ushers: Jerry Clevenger, Head; Ernest Adams, Kirk Gobble, Bob George,

Mark Johnson, Jim Rufener.

Sonshine Kids: NO Sonshine Kids

JAM: No JAM

Altar Flowers will be in honor of Don and Dorothy Ritzhaupt’s 71st Wedding

Anniversary, given by Shannon Ritzhaupt

UPCOMING EVENTS: ● December 21—Down Home

Christmas, No Youth

● December 24—Christmas Eve

Candlelight and Communion

Service

● December 24-26—Church

Offices Closed

● December 27—Elizabeth

Samuel Wedding

● December 28—No Youth

● December 31—Youth Lock-In

● January 1-2—Church Offices

Closed

● January 14—Wednesday

Night Activities Start Back

● January 16-18—Resurrection

2015

● January 25-February 1—

Family Promise Week

Open hearts, open minds, open doors...the people of the United Methodist Church.

Non-Profit Org.

U. S. Postage

PAID

Cleveland, TN

Permit No. 321

Return Service Requested

3425 Ocoee Street North

Cleveland, TN 37312

423-476-4504 Fax 423-476-4505

www.clevleandumc.com

FIRST UNITED

METHODIST CHURCH

Child Development Center

Phone 423-478-1426

To the Mary Diana Samuel Home To the Bus Fund In honor of Gladys Blankenship: In honor of Pat Hogan:

Secret Prayer Pal The Gad-A-Bouts

To the General Fund In memory of Jim Dodd: In memory of Harold Thomas Phillips, Sr.:

Pat Dodd Mike and Cathy Goodman

To Holston Home for Children In honor of my grandchildren, JJ and Little Bit:

Mary Chism

To Christmas Shopping In memory of Harold Thomas Phillips, Sr.:

Bob and Nancy Boyd

To the India Mission Trip To the Family Kitchen In memory of Anne Cooke: In memory of Peggy Knox:

Lynda Lippard Cock Lynn Gobble

Gifts to the Church

When you are sending your Christmas cards this Christmas, remember our

service men and women who have been wounded serving our country. Cards may be sent to:

Recovering American Soldier

c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center

6900 Georgia Avenue

Washington DC 20307-5001

Ms. Pearl Rhinebeck would like to wish her church family a very Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year!