Sunday Worship
8:15 and 10:35 am
Sunday School 9:15 am (all ages)
Nursery at 9:00 am
Co-Pastors Karla Sheffy and Ron Harris
We are followers of Jesus, working together to Connect with others, Love God through worship, Grow in our faith, and Serve others. Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
We hope this newsletter will help you find your place to Connect-Love-Grow-Serve!
If you know someone who may enjoy our information please forward this to them and encourage them to contact us to subscribe and keep Connected with First United Methodist Church!
YOUTH BAKE SALE
The Youth will be hosting a Bake Sale on December 8 from 9:00 am to noon. Please stop by for some goodies for yourself or grab some for gifts. You won't want to miss this!
There will be two services on December 29, 8:15 and 10:35 am. However, there will NOT be Sunday School for the children or youth that day. The Adult classes may decide on their own.
“While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called “the Baptizer,” was preaching in the desert country of Judea. His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings:
“Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”
Pastoral Scripture: Matthew 3:1-15 (CEB)
Lay Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-10 CEB
“Joy to the World,” a beloved Christmas classic, turns 300 this year. The song of “Joy” invites us to sing a song with all of creation, heaven, and nature. During the month of December, we will encounter a “Joy” that is more than just another word for “Happiness.” Join us as we discover the depth of a joy that at times may seem elusive, but is always hopeful, loving, unabashed, and incarnate in the gift of Jesus Christ.
Join us at First United Methodist Church
Children’s Christmas Program December 8 at 10:35 am only
Blue Christmas Service December 18, 6:00 pm Chapel
Christmas Eve Worship 4:00 pm Family Friendly Worship
7:00 pm Traditional Candlelight Worship
Worship with us
Sunday, 8:15 am and 10:35 am
Sunday School 9:15 am
Nursery available
We are beginning a planning process to identify the needs and desires of our congregation. As a church, we are taking an online survey called Readiness 360 sponsored through the Great Plains Conference. The Readiness 360 will help us identify and assess our spiritual intensity, dynamic relationships, missional alignment, and cultural openness. We will report back our findings and discover the next steps together. Your participation will help in this process. Please take 20 minutes and go to https://app.readiness360.org/surveyadmin/login and type in our congregation’s survey code: 0710732371. For questions call the church office at 620-342-6186 or visit with one of the pastors.
Please join us on December 8 at the 10:35 Worship Service for the program "JOY" during the Children's Message. The children are excited to share their message of Joy in our world!
Stain Glass Fundraiser
Have you ever sat in the sanctuary on a Sunday morning and marveled at the sunlight coming through the stained glass windows. Those beautiful windows have been a witness of divine beauty for over 50 years. Those same windows are in need of some special love and care to help them illuminate our worship services for many years to come.
The Trustees have been working to provide love and care for the stained glass windows in the sanctuary and chapel through a fundraising project. This project will install an exterior protective covering on all the windows. The restoration of the Chapel Altar window, which is compromised, will also be included. These measures will both protect the windows from weather and provide an extra measure of energy efficiency for our church building. The total cost of this project is $50,000. At present we have raised $28,000. We invite you to help finish this project with your financial gift. As we approach a celebration of great JOY in this coming season of Christmas, please consider sharing a gift with our church to make our stained glass shine brightly into the future.
If you want more details or have questions, contact the church office.
Blue Christmas Worship Service Wednesday, December 18 at 6:00 pm in the Chapel!
The holidays can be a difficult time for those who are dealing with a loss of some kind. The Blue Christmas service allows us to acknowledge our loss and not gloss over the emotions and thoughts we have. Whatever we are grieving--loss of a loved one, loss of a job, loss of love and relationship, loss of health, loss of a dream, loss of any kind, the Blue Christmas allows time for worship in the presence of God who comforts us with deep compassion and love. God's joy abiding with us even when we don't necessarily feel it.
Your donations are always appreciated at Camp Chippewa. You may go to www.campchippewa.org to learn more!
ADVENT FOOD BOX
You are encouraged to take an Advent Food Box home and bring it back filled with food for our Food Pantry. You can use the calendar provided in the box to add to it each day or all at once. There are also stickers families can use to mark off each day.
Christmas Serenade Concert Our own Jubilee Ringers will be taking part in this Christmas concert held at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on Friday evening, December 6th, at 7:00 pm. It really put everyone in the Christmas spirit last year when the group participated! All in the congregation are invited to come and see a variety of musical talent showcased!
Friends Together Preschool
We participated in the season of Thanksgiving by bringing non-perishable food items for the church food pantry. We were able to visit the pantry and help put the food on the shelf. It makes us feel good to help others who may need to come to get food.
Outside the preschool classroom is a Christmas tree with tags hanging on it. If you wish to give a gift to the preschool for Christmas, please take a tag and bring that item back to place under the tree. The items listed on the tags are supplies and items that will be used by all of the preschool children. Thank you for giving as you are able!
We will be celebrating the birth of our Savior with parties and a program in each class. If you are interested in seeing the preschool children (Choir of Angels) sing songs to celebrate, you are welcome to come to the Chapel and enjoy it on Thursday, December 19 at 11:15 and Friday, December 20 at 11:15. The program will be a short time of singing and rejoicing in the reason for the season!
Inspired for Life Conference, Church of the Resurrection, Feb. 7 - 8
Our local UMW unit has earmarked $1000 to help with registration, lodging, and meal costs of our members who may want to attend this wonderful women’s conference in Leawood, KS.
Please contact Cindy Kienholz if you are interested in going. Registration begins November 29.
For more information about the conference, click here.
THANKFUL
We are thankful for all those who have served or are currently serving as Stephen Ministers in our congregation and for the care receivers who have accepted their support and Christian friendship. We are thankful for all those who think about the Stephen Ministry and suggest it to friends or family members who are going through a difficult time. We are also thankful for those of you who support this ministry with your faithful prayers for our Stephen Ministers and their care receivers.
To learn more about how you can be a part of the Stephen Ministry, contact one of us. Our hope is to train another class of Stephen Ministers after the first of the year.
Regina Falcetto: 342-4548 Robbie Hill: 342-3046
Thought for the Day
That old saying about opportunity only knocking once is as archaic as the flat-earth theory and as patently untrue. Opportunity knocks all the time - and it rings your doorbell, calls you up. and sends you e-mails.
VICTORIA MORAN
Ways to Serve.....
OUR FOOD PANTRY NEEDS YOU
Our focus for December is SOUP AND CRACKERS!!
Everything is appreciated! Could you please consider adding these to your weekly grocery shopping??? There is such a huge need in our community and every bit helps.
Between May and September of this year, we served, on average 155 families per month in the Pantry. The need is so great!
We also need help on Thursday and Friday mornings to distribute food to those in need. Our pantry is open from 9:00 - noon each Thursday and Friday morning. You may sign up in the Narthex anytime.
Please check the dates on food that you bring. We greatly appreciate your donation, but we can not give away expired food to anyone.
Thank you to all, you are appreciated!!!
YOUTH NEWS!
CROSSROADS YOUTH will be in Kansas City this Sunday worshipping at St James UMC, shopping, ice skating and enjoying the plaza lights.
eMERGE will meet on Wednesday, December 4, 11, and 18 this month. Christmas caroling is December 18. Hope you can join us!
Guatemala Mission Trip
There has been some interest expressed in taking a team to Guatemala in early June of 2020 (the first or second week). If you might be interested in this opportunity, please contact Barb Muench at 342-6186 or at barbm@fumchurch.org.
FYI-Pottery Update
If you went to the Arts Council with our group and made a piece of pottery, they are finished. Please stop by the Arts Council to pick up your item.
FYI - I will need your information for the December 19th Connection by Noon on Wednesday, December 18.
Thank you, Kathy.
Print your own Worship Guide from our website on Fridays. Click the picture for the website.
Be sure to click on the link to open the entire Connection. You don't want to miss anything!!!
We hope you enjoy our live streaming on KVOE each Sunday.
Did you know that our service is then archived on KVOE?
If you would like to join in, please CLICK HERE to watch it live or from the KVOE Archives.
Events for the week of
December 7 - December 19
December 5: Children's Chimes 5:00 pm
December 5: Jubilee Ringers 5:30 pm
December 5: ESU Campus Ministry 8:15 pm December 6: Korean Worship 6:45 pm December 7: Korean Worship 12:30 pm
December 8: Youth to KC Plaza
December 8: Youth Bake Sale
December 8: Sunday School Christmas Party 8:30 am
December 8: Children's Christmas Program 10:35 only December 8: Korean Worship 2:00 pm
December 9: Staff Meeting 1:30 pm
December 9: Rolling Ringers 5:30 pm
December 9: UMW Dinner Crew 5:30 pm
December 9: Finance Board 5:30 pm
December 10: Stephen Ministry 4:45 pm
December 10: Praise Band Rehearsal 5:15 pm
December 11: e-Merge 6:00 pm
December 12: Lectionary Bible Study 12:00 pm
December 12: Sewing Club 1:00 pm
December 12: Children's Chimes 5:00 pm
December 12: Jubilee Ringers 5:30 pm
December 12: ESU Campus Ministry 8:15 pm December 13: Korean Worship 6:45 pm
December 14: Korean Worship 12:30 pm December 15: Korean Worship 2:00 pm
December 15: Crossroads 6:30 pm
December 16: Staff Meeting 1:30 pm
December 16: Rolling Ringers 5:30 pm
December 17: Praise Band Rehearsal 5:15 pm
December 18: UMW Executive Meeting 9:30 am
December 18: Enneagram 1:00 pm
December 18: Memorials Committee 1:30 pm December 18: e-Merge 6:00 pm
December 18: Blue Christmas 6:00 pm
December 19: Preschool Program 11:15 am
December 19: Lectionary Bible Study noon
December 19: Children's Chimes 5:00 pm
December 19: Jubilee Ringers 5:30 pm
December 19: ESU Campus Ministry 8:15 pm
We are beginning a planning process to identify the needs and desires of our congregation. As a church, we are taking an online survey called Readiness 360 sponsored through the Great Plains Conference. The Readiness 360 will help us identify and assess our spiritual intensity, dynamic relationships, missional alignment, and cultural openness. We will report back our findings and discover the next steps together. Your participation will help in this process. Please take 20 minutes and go to 
You are encouraged to take an Advent Food Box home and bring it back filled with food for our Food Pantry. You can use the calendar provided in the box to add to it each day or all at once. There are also stickers families can use to mark off each day.
Our own Jubilee Ringers will be taking part in this Christmas concert held at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on Friday evening, December 6th, at 7:00 pm. It really put everyone in the Christmas spirit last year when the group participated! All in the congregation are invited to come and see a variety of musical talent showcased!
