Please pray for our team that is working in Guatemala this week. They are painting a lot of doors, installing 8 toilets, and replacing the overhang around one whole building at the camp.
LeAnn Eyerman, who is a missionary that we support in Taiwan, asked if we wondered what the situation really is like in Taiwan? China’s threats continue, but since there is not much that the average citizen can do to alter the situation, they proceed with regular life. The current sad state of spiritual affairs in Taiwan is that there are still over 90% of the people who don’t know Jesus Christ. LeAnn asks that we: 1) pray for more people in Taiwan to live passionately as disciples of Christ, 2) that she clearly receives from the Lord her role for outreach and discipleship multiplication, and 3) that we pray for peoples around East Asia to long for God’s Kingdom to come and welcome His message into their hearts.
Larry and Angie Overholt asked if our church would help sponsor school children in Honduras for the next school year which begins in Feb. We are going to sponsor 6 children (K – 12) at $150 a piece to pay for their school uniforms, books, and supplies for the year. Larry and Angie will be in Honduras Nov. 28 – Dec. 10. They will be working with three engineers, and two volunteers, to install the solar project on the mission property where the nursing school and the Shalom Church is. They will also have an eye brigade with 8 people who will be fitting people with glasses. On December 3, they will be privileged to attend the 4th graduation of the nursing school. Overholts are asking for our prayers as they travel and work with the teams coming and for the team members.
We donated $100 to hospice and $100 for more toiletries for the bags being packed for the Urban Mission on Dec. 2.
Bright Side Youth Ranch (Devin and Tia Tharp) had an incredible session season from March to November. They worked with 62 youth in 486 sessions. Many of the youth come from heartbreaking circumstances. The Bright Side mentors help them work through their pain and emotions in a healthy way and point them toward Jesus. Bright Side is growing and needs a second barn with additional pastures, which will enable the ranch to increase the number of sessions, take on more horses, and have additional space for conversations between a mentor and a participant. A generous Bright Side Champion has offered a matching gift of $50,000 (before Jan. 2023) to make this dream a reality. The mission fund will be sending a gift to be matched. We send Christmas gifts to all of our missionaries at the end of the year. More on that in the next newsletter.
Ken and Kathy Keyes need all of our prayers. As has been in the bulletin, Ken has brain cancer with different kinds of cancer. The main type is Glioblastoma which is an aggressive type of cancer. The doctors will be treating Ken’s cancer with chemotherapy and a low dose of radiation at the same time. He began treatments Nov. 28. The radiation will be 5 mornings a week at the hospital for 6 weeks. The chemo is a HUGE pill that he will swallow every night and then try to get to sleep before any possible nausea sets in. They ask that we pray for all to go smoothly. You can read more about this special missionary couple on the CaringBridge site listed in the bulletin.
Operation Christmas Child box collection Sunday on Nov. 20 saw 34 boxes being prayed for by Pastor Kimberly. Thank you to everyone who packed a box.
33 Christmas tags were divided among the Bridge and Yellow Brick Church. All gifts were returned on time this year! Thanks, everyone!
Join us for Cookies with Santa! Santa Claus is coming to town! Join us to have cookies with Santa THIS Friday, December 9 from 5:30-7:30pm at The Yellow Brick Church (253 S. Lisbon St.)
The event is FREE to attend! We are collecting donations for the CARE team: specifically personal hygiene items, fuel cards, and local gift cards for restaurants.
Bring your children and they can take photos with Santa, receive fun goodie bags, eat cookies and drink milk! https://www.carrolltonfirstumc.org/cookieswithsanta
Christmas at Carrollton First UMC
Sunday, December 18 Join us for a Candlelight Service on the Square in downtown Carrollton at 6:00pm
Saturday, December 24 5:00pm Christmas Eve service at The Bridge (Carroll County Fairgrounds)
7:00pm Christmas Eve service at The Yellow Brick Church (253 S. Lisbon St.)
Sunday, December 25 9:00am at The Yellow Brick Church (253 S. Lisbon)
10:30am pre-recorded fully online service available on YouTube, Facebook, and our website at www.carrolltonfirstumc.org/live-streams
Advent Festival: 65 Bags Packed for The Urban Mission!
We had a wonderful time at our second annual Advent Festival this past Friday, December 2. We enjoyed seeing members of our congregation as well as several of our "Yellow Brick Kidz" and "Bridge Kidz" dressed up as part of the skit. Together we enjoyed a meal and packed 65 bags for the Urban Mission. What a fun evening it was!
Please Pray for Our Mission Team to Guatemala!
Our mission team arrived in Guatemala on Sunday. Please pray for their safety and work. They are working on several projects throughout this week. Please pray for safe travels home at the end of the week!
New Church Emails
All Carrollton First UMC office staff has been switched to a new email domain (@carrolltonfirstumc). Please update your contacts accordingly. The new domain makes more sense for us since it encompasses both locations. We apologize for the inconvenience!
