Merry Christmas
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Christmas Carol Service
Sunday, December 30 - 9:30 AM
Followed by Christmas Brunch- 10:30 AM
Epiphany Sunday
January 6 - 9:30 AM
Worship Service w/Communion
New Wednesday Bible Study
Starts on January 16 - 11:30 AM
Pastor Office Hours
Tuesday's & Wednesday's
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Pastor Denise can be contacted at pastor@debowsumc.org
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Newsletter Logistics
In response to several recent questions concerning the newsletter, below are some answers and general information.
- The church newsletter is distributed via the MailChimp subscription based email service.
- People can subscribe using the sign-up form on the church website home page to have the newsletter sent directly to their email.
- The bi-weekly newsletter is published every other Wednesday.
- Archived newsletters can be view on the church website.
- Newsletters can be viewed on a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
- If you click on a link in the newsletter, more information will appear in a separate browser window.
- When viewing the newsletter email on a smartphone, please remember to click the "Read More" button at the bottom to continue reading the entire newsletter.
- Feedback is always welcome and appreciated. You can provide feedback simply by replying to the newsletter email.
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Upcoming Events
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Friday, December 28
Band Practice - 6:00pm
Sunday, December 30
Christmas Carol Service - 9:30 AM
Christmas Brunch - 10:30 AM
[Cookies, Hot Chocolate etc.]
Tuesday, January 1
Happy New Year!
Friday, January 4
Band Practice - 6:00pm
Sunday, January 6
Epiphany Sunday
Worship w/Communion - 9:30 AM
Monday, January 14
Food Pantry Open - 6:00pm
Wednesday, January 16
New Wednesday Bible Study
11:30 AM - See article
Please remember to check the online church calendar
for the most up-to-date scheduling information.
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Epiphany, is an even more ancient Christian celebration than Christmas, which originally focused on the nativity, God’s incarnation (God made flesh) in the birth of Jesus Christ and Christ’s baptism. Today, it commemorates the visiting of the Christ Child by the Magi (Wise Men) with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Epiphany Day is always on January 6, and marks the end of the Christmas season or Christmastide. In the Western churches, Epiphany Day has marked the observance of the arrival of the wise men. In the earliest Christian traditions, maintained by the Eastern churches, the day began a period that celebrated the incarnation and baptism of Christ.
DeBows will observe Epiphany on Epiphany Sunday, January 6th during our 9:30 AM worship service. Communion will be celebrated at this service. The primary passage of Scripture concerning the visit of the Wise Men (“Magi”) is Matthew 2:1-12 and is the passage that inspired the hymn “We Three Kings”.
Click here to read complete article.
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Please keep the following people in your prayers . . .
Anthony & Ann (Prayers for his healing); Anthony’s Niece (Lupus and seizures); Rudy Iannacone (general health & treatment of skin cancer); Guy Raymond (relief from back pain); Chris Bitondo (God’s help); PTL - Jamie Gray (in recovery); Betty Barrentine (good health); Ginny (Linda’s Friend, breast cancer); Jim Armstrong; Family of Barry Odell (at his passing); Paul Bartek; Family of Jackie Zimmerman (at time of loss); Harold (Donna’s son); Barbara (Dottie’s sister, breast cancer); Jim West; Frances Hartley (Gall bladder removed, healing and God’s presence); Susan Casado (continued recovery from surgery); Family of John (Co-worker of Christine – passing of baby); Stephen Smith (continued prayers for good health); Janet Kittstein (Sue’s step-mother – back in rehab over Christmas season); Martha Shewell (broken hip recovery); PTL - Steven Gray (Guy’s son – successful surgery and continued healing); Bruce (in hospital); The Tree of Life Synagogue (mass shooting in Pittsburgh); Terry Brown (recovering from injuries at the Glory’s Deli accident); Joanne (Anita’s friend – back surgery); Victims of the California Borderline Bar & Grill shooting; Victims of California wildfires; PTL – Wayne & Peggy’s daughter is expecting a baby; Johnny (Christine’s grandson-in hospital with stomach issues); Bob (request of Santillo’s - prayers for peace at this time - advanced cancer); Pastor Ernie Williams (continued recovery from heart attack); Linda (Theresa Slover’s sister-in-law, in rehab. For help and peace. Prayers for her brother who is moving); Peter (request from Linda - for God’s help and peace); PTL – Birth of Anita’s great-granddaughter; Lee Stevison & Family (during time of transition and move to Florida); Laura Baker (wife of Guy Raymond's brother-in-law - she is in the hospital in North Carolina with an infection and now her intestines have stopped working); PTL - Michelle Ann Wells (on the birth of her baby after being on bed rest); PTL - Maureen (Mo) - Bree’s Fiancé's sister (Baby Alex born! Prayers for good health); PTL – very successful Toys for Tots Drive at Guy’s work place; John (request by Dottie – Pancreatic cancer, not responding to treatment); John (Susan Casado’s brother – God’s comfort and peace at cousin’s passing)
Please help us keep this prayer list up-to-date.
To add or remove names from this list, contact pastor@debowsumc.org.
All prayer requests go directly to the pastor.
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Thanks to our Music Director, Grayce Armstrong for arranging a very inspiring Christmas Cantata, which was presented on Sunday, December 16. Many weeks of work went into preparing for this event. The congregation was blessed by the efforts of all the people who participated by singing, playing an instrument, or reading.
Anyone interested in participated in the DeBows music ministry going forward can email Grayce at music@debowsumc.org. The choir rehearses at 10:45 each Sunday morning. The band practices on Friday nights at 6:00 PM.
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As the year draws to a close, we reflect back on 2018. It was a year of transition at DeBows as we said farewell to Pastor Wren and welcomed Pastor Denise to our community of faith. We now build on the work done and prepare for 2019 and all the potential it has to offer for our church.
This is also an appropriate time to say "Thanks" to everyone active in the administration of the church; Pastor Denise, Music Director, Grayce, Choir/Praise Band, Food Pantry Coordinator, Deb, Trustees, Church Council, and all committee chairs and members. These are the people who manage the logistics of being a church and facilitate the various ministries of DeBows UMC. We are very appreciative of their time and dedication.
We also are very grateful to the members and friends of our congregation for their faithful support and fellowship and wish everyone a safe and healthy New Year; a New Year filled with all the Love & Peace we receive at Christmas.
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A new bible study series will begin on Wednesday, January 16. Pastor Denise will lead a study based on Lee Strobel's book, "The Case for Christ". Please see Pastor Denise or Anita to obtain the book. The Wednesday Bible Study meets every Wednesday from 11:30am - 1:00pm. The Sanctuary is open prior to the study at 11:15am for optional prayer time. Everyone is welcome to attend. If you are not already engaged in the Wednesday bible study, attending would make a wonderful New Year's resolution!
Below is the proposed schedule for the study. People will come to the study having read these chapters prior to the discussion.
The Case for Christ
1/16: Intro & Chapter 1
1/23: Chapter 2
1/30: Chapter 3
2/6: Chapter 4
2/13: Chapter 5
2/20: Chapter 6
2/27: Chapter 7
3/6: Chapter 8
3/13: Chapter 9
3/20: Chapter 10
3/27: Chapter 11
4/3: Chapter 12
4/10: Chapter 13
4/17: Chapter 14 & Conclusion
Easter is April 21 - We will take a break before starting another study.
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Event Cancelation Alerts
As winter approaches and the possibility of snow and unsafe travel conditions increases, please remember that alerts will be posted on the church website and calendar for events impacted by bad weather. A special email distribution will also be sent out to notify people of any event cancelations etc.
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Grocery Shopping Cards
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Every week during Fellowship Time, you have the opportunity to purchase grocery store shopping cards for either Shoprite or Stop & Shop. This is a convenient way to pay for the food you buy at the grocery store and at the same time support the ministries of DeBows UMC. The church makes 5% of all shopping cards sold. You may see Sue Hayward or Marilyn Allerton to purchase the shopping cards on any Sunday.
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Thank you for supporting the church during our Yankee Candle fundraiser. To date, we have raised $164. For those who would still like to order items, there is an opportunity to order online until 1/9/2019. DeBows will still receive 40% of the total order amount and additional items are available online. Use the information below to place your orders. Items ordered will be shipped directly to your home address.
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2nd & 4th Monday Each Month
The next Food Pantry distribution is
Monday, January 14
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Our Food Pantry made additional food items available during December to help share the Spirit of Christmas. Special thanks to Deb Cregle and all the food pantry volunteers for making this happen.
The Food Pantry is open the 2nd & 4th Monday each month from 6:00-8:00pm. If you would like to volunteer time to support this ministry, please see the sign-up sheet outside of Fellowship Hall. You may contact Deb for more information. The Food Pantry will be open again on Monday, January 14.
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Recyclable Greeting Cards for St. Jude’s
This mission supports St. Jude’s entrepreneurial teen-run job training program, which teaches teen’s critical employment skills so they are prepared to be productive, wage-earning citizens in the community when they leave St. Jude. Only the front of the card is used, so any donated cards must not have writing on the back of the front picture. Please note: they do not accept Hallmark, Disney or American Greeting Cards. Please keep this outreach activity in mind as you decide what to do with greeting cards you receive over the Christmas season. You may place any cards you have in the collection box outside of Fellowship Hall.
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Feedback Welcome
As always, your feed back to our bi-weekly newsletter is welcome and appreciated. You may reply to this newsletter to provide your input, or use the "Contact Us" page on the church website. For the most up-to-date information concerning church activities, event schedules, general church information, or to view recent newsletters, you may visit the church website anytime at debowsumc.org.
The next newsletter will be published on
Wednesday, January 9
Content deadline is January 7
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Rev. Denise Tiedemann, Pastor
pastor@debowsumc.org or
732-928-4475
Church Office Hours
Tues & Wed 10 AM - 1 PM
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