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Welcome to our weekly update, which is planned to arrive weekly on Tuesdays. If anyone you know would like to receive the update, please direct them to http://grayumc.org/news.
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Starting January 5th
our Sunday morning schedule will be:
Sunday School @ 9am
Connection time @10am in the Family Life Center
Worship @ 10:30am in the Main Sanctuary
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Weekly Update for Week of
December 29th – January 4th
New Year – New Worship
Our New Sunday School – Connection – Worship Times
Beginning this month Gray United Methodist Church will come together in one worship service starting Sunday, Jan 5th.
The new schedule will be:
9:00 am- Sunday School for all Ages
10:00 am- Connection Time in the Family Life Center
10:30 am- Worship in the Sanctuary
I hope everyone will make a special effort to be in church this Sunday. Every new year brings us a time of new beginnings and for Gray United Methodist Church, this is particularly true this year. See you Sunday!
Pastor Dennis
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Dear Church Members and Friends,
Just a reminder: In appreciation of Amy Holmes’ and Judy Ellis’ tenure at Gray, the church will conduct a love offering over the next few weeks to give to Amy and Judy. You may contribute by placing your designated monetary gift in the offering plate, by bringing your gift to the church office or by seeing one of the SPR members by January 19th. Please join me in thanking Amy and Judy for their service to Gray United Methodist Church and wishing them the best in the future.
Sincerely,
Debra Sexton
Interim Chair
Staff Parish Relations |
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What to expect
during our Worship time on
Sunday January 5th.
We are exited for you to experience worship with us this Sunday. Many have asked what it will be like, so here is some of what you may expect. We also hope everyone will be in the Family Life Center for the Connection time. This is 10-10:30 am. Do not feel rushed to get to worship "on time." If you are having a great conversation with your church family, take the time and finish it, then come to worship together.
This Sunday we will share communion as a church family. Therefore, the service will have three sections.
Praise and Prayer
The worship guide for this week is Emilee Little, and she will guide us through the service.
The first section of worship will focus on praise and prayer. We will praise God through different types of music, and pray as a body for his presence to fill us as we worship. During the music, please sit or stand as you feel led. Sometimes you may feel the need to sit and soak in the presence of God. Other-times you may want to stand, raise your hands and loose yourself in worship. There is no right or wrong way. We ask that you only do what you feel, and not worry what you think you should do. This section is less formal, so feel free to find the way you worship most freely.
Prayer is vital to the life of the church, and we are expanding the role of prayer in worship. We ask that you bring your prayer cards to the altar at anytime during this opening section. While at the altar, members of our prayer team are available to pray with you, or you may take time to pray at the altar on your own. After the time of Praise and Prayer, members of the prayer team will collect the cards from the altar. They will send the concerns that are shareable to you by email, so that you may pray over the concerns of your church family during the week. If a concern is an urgent need, they will let our worship guides know so that we may pray over them immediately during the service.
Offering will be taken up during the third song this Sunday.
Scripture and Message
The scripture and message will be brought by our pastors.
Communion
We will be receiving communion in two ways this Sunday. After the blessing of the elements, you will come to take communion as you feel led. Feel free to take a moment to thing about the message you have received, or what communion means to you. As you are ready, come to the front for communion.
You may go to the altar rail, and kneel or stand with open hands ready to be served, and you will be served communion, or you may choose to visit the tables set up along the sides of the sanctuary, where you can serve yourself by taking a piece of bread and a cup. These side tables are for individuals, couples, families, or friends to share communion together.
Most of this will feel perfectly familiar, and some may be just a bit different. Whether familiar or not, we hope it is worship.
Want to get a jump on the music for Sunday? Click here.
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Worship Guide
January 05, 2020
Worship through Praise and Prayer
“Be anxious for nothing...let your requests be made
known to God”. -Philippians 4:6
You are invited to bring your prayer concerns to the altar. You may leave your card at the altar, or ask a member of the prayer team to pray with or for you at anytime during “Worship through Praise and Prayer”.
Tithes and Offerings will be taken
during the third song.
Worship through Scripture and Message
Today’s Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12
Today’s Message: “Three Men and a Baby”
Rev. Dr. Dennis Flaugher
Celebration of Holy Communion
Everyone is welcome to receive communion. Whether you are a member of our church, a member of another church or have never been to a church, you may participate, for this is Christ’s table and ALL are welcome.
After the table has been blessed, you may come forward as you feel led and go to the table of your choice.
* you may go to the altar rail and kneel or stand with open hands ready to be served by a pastor, or
* you may choose to visit the tables set up along the sides of the sanctuary, where you can serve yourself by taking a piece of bread and a cup. These tables are for individuals, couples, families, or friends to share communion together.
Please feel welcome to come to Christ’s table, as it is a special time of love and comfort.
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Children
Children’s Sunday Evening activities will resume
Sunday, January 5 @ 5pm
Planning Meeting
January 8th @ 6:30 in the room behind the kitchen. The Childrens team will be meeting to plan the next six months. Everyone is welcome to come help plan.
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Pastor Dennis'
Bible Study
Tuesday Morning Bible Study with Pastor Dennis is “12 Faith Journeys of the Minor Prophets”. Classes meet at 10:00 am on Tuesdays in the Gathering room behind the church kitchen. (Door G will be unlocked.) Class will resume from our holiday break on January 7, 2020.
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Thank you Apple Butter Gang!
Congratulations to the Apple Butter Gang! They brought in $13,550 this year in 2019 and since 1995, the Apple Butter Gang has brought in $279,611 for building debt reduction. The gang is now retired and will not continue making Apple Butter in the years ahead, but our thanksgiving to all who helped in the process. Their hard work has helped reduce our building indebtedness by over a quarter of a million dollars.
Thank you, Apple Butter Gang! Well done!
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The Apple Butter Gang still has some supplies which are no longer needed. If you would be interested in any of the following, please contact Don Hall at 341-3160.
plastic buckets, 5 gal. --- $1 each
jars, qts. & 1/2 pts. --- $1 per box
fans, window-size --- $5 each
apple peelers, new --- $20 each
apple peelers, used --- free
milk crates --- free
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Our food pantry is open from 10 am to noon Mondays and Fridays. If you can volunteer to help distribute food and talk with our neighbors, we would love to have your help! To volunteer please contact Pastor Bryan at pastorbryan@grayumc.org
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The Food Pantry Volunteer Schedule for January is:
Monday, January 6th – John/Joanna Baker
Friday, January 10th – Laura Weaver/Becky Olterman
Monday, January 13th – Alex Beverly/Wendy Brock
Friday, January 17th – Bob/Sandra Denney
Monday, January 20th – Connie Ripley/Connie Helton
Friday, January 24th – Dennis Zollinger/Jean Holt
Monday, January 27th – Randy/Cathy Humphries
Friday, January 31st – Bryan Orchard
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Financial Peace
Financial Peace University (FPU) is a nine-lesson course designed to help you build a budget, dump debt, give generously, and leave money stress behind. Each lesson, taught by Dave Ramsey and his team of financial experts, is based on biblical wisdom and common sense. In your FPU small group, you’ll be motivated and encouraged by others just like you.
Imagine the impact the people of God could have if all were debt-free! Marriages and families would be strengthened. People would be freed up to be outrageously generous. This kind of hope will ignite change in our entire community.
Classes will meet Sundays from 4:00-6:00 at Gray UMC, from January 5 through March 8. Nursery care and children’s activities will be provided. Older kids are welcome (and encouraged!) to attend with parents. And remember, if you’ve taken FPU in the past, you are always welcome to attend for a refresher or to offer encouragement to others.
Questions? Contact Tracy Cassell at 423-276-0492 or tscassell@gmail.com for more info. Class signup link: fpu.com/1105725
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New Bible Study in January.
Amy Blumberg will lead a Bible Study in the spring. “ Reckless Love: Jesus' Call to Love Our Neighbor” by Tom Berlin.
This has been rescheduled til the spring.
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The United Methodist Women have RADA cutlery and other items for you to purchase. There is a poster and a catalog in the ramp area that will have descriptions and information about all their items.
If you have any questions, please ask Sandra Denney, Debbie Russell, Sue Hall, Jill Flaugher or Lynice Broyles or email dawn@grayumc.org.
Our hope is that we can help make some improvements to the projector so the sanctuary screen can be easier to read.
Want to see the catalogue click here.
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Upcoming Events
New Sunday Morning Schedule Begins January 05
9:00 – 10:00: Sunday School Classes
10:00 – 10:30: Connection Time
10:30 – 11:30: Worship Service
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