Wesley’s Newsletter

December 2015

Dear Wesley Family,

The celebration of Jesus coming to this world is a perfect occasion to express to all of you how much you mean to us. Another year is coming to an end and a new one is at the door. What a privileged time to thank God for all of the opportunities that He has given us to worship, pray, and to serve him together. By our caring for one another, supporting each other through difficult times, and by celebrating our successes, it makes us a family with a strong bond.

May this Christmas season be a special one, filled with the true meaning of Christmas, overflowing with love and gratitude for all that is good in our lives.

May God be with you today and always.

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Roger & Flor Zavala

December 2015

Issue 60

From the Pastor’s Pen

Carta de Pastor

Diciembre 2015

Querida familia de Wesley,

La celebración de la venida de Jesús a este mundo es una ocasión perfecta para expresar a cada uno y cada una de ustedes lo mucho que significan para nosotros. Un año más se acerca a su fin y uno nuevo que está a las puertas. Este es un tiempo privilegiado en que podemos dar gracias a Dios por todas las oportunidades que Él nos dio para adorar, orar y servirle juntos.

El cuidarnos los unos a los otros, el apoyarnos los unos a los otros a través de tiempos difíciles, así como celebrar nuestras victorias, nos ha ido convirtiendo en una familia unida con fuertes lazos.

Estamos especialmente agradecidos de tener al Señor en nuestras vidas y seguir su Palabra.

Que esta Navidad sea muy especial para todos y todas, llena del verdadero significado de la Navidad, y sobre todo, llena de amor y gratitud por todas las cosas buenas que Dios ha puesto en nuestras vidas.

Que Dios esté con ustedes hoy y siempre.

¡Feliz Navidad!

Pastor Roger y Flor Zavala

Jeff Behmke, Jim McCusker, Shirley Fletcher,

Jane Lawson, and Irmgard Tausanovich

Members shut-in at this time:

Millie Brown, Charlen Anderson, Jean Breslich,

Carol Schweikle, and Sharon Hauptly.

Long Distances:

Dorothy Yeoman, Ruth Lowe, Sara & Tom Tyne,

and Marian Meadows.

UPCOMING

Service Leaders Communion Servers

December

13th—Chuck Keysor

20th — Julie Ball

24th — Jackie Laude

27th— Open

January January

3rd — Julie Ball 3rd — Bill Nelson

10th —Sue Laude Connie Nelson

17th — Randy Riotto Flor Zavala

24th — Chuck Keysor

31st — Open

The volunteer “sign up” sheet to be a

Reader or Communion Server is in the DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS “Happy Birthday……. to You!” 4 Jean Wendt 6 Bill Zagalak 7 Karen Snyder 8 Marian Meadows 17 Anna Laude 18 Benjamin Barry

“His Eye is on

the Sparrow,

and He Watches

Over Me!”

EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS

Upcoming January 14th and

February 11th Events

United Methodist Women’s Meetings

Special meeting hosting Epworth on January

14th. We will begin with a Potluck at 12:00 p.m.

On February 11th we will be meeting AT

Epworth with a dessert meeting.

REMINDER

Mission U

(School of Mission)

It is coming up January 15 –17 in

Dixon, Illinois. Register by January

2nd. Please see Nancy

Gardner before Christmas

if interested.

“Thank you!” to all those who leave Campbell soup

labels in the kitchen basket.

They are now being

collected for the Lessie Bates Davis

Neighborhood House.

————

We are also collecting prescription

bottles with no labels for Malawi…

must be see-through (yellow, green,

etc.) no opaque white. Currently the

clinic there dispenses pills wrapped in

paper, so they would appreciate the

pill containers.

Worry Less—Live More

Women’s Retreat Coming up!

Saturday, March 5, 9:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m.

Speaker: Jan Rubietta

Steeple People pot-luck is on Friday, December

11th, at church, starting at 11:30. Meat, beverage

and table service will be provided. Please bring a

dish to pass, and an empty stomach to fill!

Pastor Roger and Flor will be

going home to Nicaragua for

the Christmas holiday to be

with their aging parents.

They are leaving on Sunday,

Dec. 20th, right after Church

and will be back in the pulpit

on Sunday, January 3rd.

GOLDEN BELL CHOIR

Interested in playing the bells?

Practices are being held on

Saturdays at 3:00 for anyone

interested!

.

JOINT SERVICE WITH FEY Y ESPERANZA The Fey y Esperanza Children’s Choir performing with Nereyda SanchezTio directing.

They are singing, “Someone Special” during our Sunday Morning Joint Service.

Good food and fellowship after the joint Sunday Morning Service!

Neryeda on the cello and Donna on the organ. Wonderful musicians which grace Wesely UMC. Thank you!

We are enjoying our breakfast at Vashti’s Circle at 7:00 in the morning!

Mary Deem is getting ready to blow out her birthday candle!

Eating a “little lunch” at the Olive Garden with Steeple People.

CHURCH CONFERENCE MEETING - December 6, 2015 Twenty-Four Members Present:

Pastor Roger Zavala, Sue Laude, Julie Ball, Nancy Gardner, Gary Bowen, Gary Newton, Glen Peterson, Mary Peterson, Jose A. Loza-no, Omaira Mora, Arturo Rodriguez, Flor Castro-Zavala, Beverly Newton, Trudy Wise, Robert Wise, Nereyda SanchezTio, Jan Barry, Randy Riotto, Jean Bowen, Mary Summers, Frank Summers, Donna Bach, Trinka Waters, and Dan Gardner.

Also Present: the Rev. Darneather Murph-Heath, Elgin District Superintendent

Business:

Lay Leadership – Nomination slate for 2016 was unanimously approved as presented.

SPRC – Clergy’s compensation for 2016 was unanimously approved as presented.

It was unanimously approved, with 22 votes, to continue to support Omaira Mora and Arturo Rodriguez in their process to become Local Pastors.

Finance – the financial report and budget for 2016 were unanimously approved as presented.

Names were presented to be removed from the rolls: Norman Holtz and Jack Hotsenpiller.

December 2015 Sun 9:30 am:

Sunday Service

11:00 am:

Sunday School

10:45 - 11:30 am:

Violin/Guitar

groups

11:30 am:

Fe y Esperanza

(Spanish) Service Children’s Choir

Mon

Tue Bible Study

in the Sunday

School Room

at 6:30 p.m.

Wed Vashti’s Circle

at Paul’s

Restaurant at

7:00 a.m.

Swedish Class

at 7:00 p.m.

Thu

Fey y

Esperanza Cell

Groups in

homes 6:30 pm

Fri Fey y

Esperanza

Prayer Group

in Chapel at

7:00 p.m.

Sat

Hope

Rehearsal in

Choir Room

at 4:00 pm

1

2 UMW at 1:00.

Cookies!

3 4 Jean Wendt’s

Birthday

5

6 The 2nd Sunday

of Advent

CHARGE

CONFERENCE

4:00 p.m.

Bill Zagalak’s

Birthday

7 Karen

Snyder’s

Birthday

8 Marian

Meadow’s

Birthday

9 10 Soup Kettle

Volunteer Day

11 Steeple People

Lunch

12

13

The 3rd Sunday

of Advent

14

15 16 Ruth’s Circle

12:30 lunch

17 Anna Laude’s

Birthday

18 Benjamin

Barry’s

Birthday

19

20 The 4th Sunday

of Advent

21 22 23

24 Christmas

Eve Service

7:00 pm

25 CHRISTMAS

26

27 28

29 30 31