11-24-2009 Newsletter

Thank you for your very generous support of this year's Angel Tree! There are only a few "angels" left on the tree. Imagine the smile you will put on your child's face as they open your present this Christmas. Without you, they would not have a Christmas at all! Don't forget to return your UNWRAPPED gift (with the ornament attached to it) NO LATER than THIS Sunday, Nov. 29th.

Please Pray For One Another Concerns: (11-01) Scott Davis, Susan Scarborough (11-08) Terrie Bradley, Wayne Morris, Linda Moody, Elaine Bergman (11-15) Bill Castillo, the Bates and Clayton families, Bob Whitley, Al Liebman and family, Larry Bolton, Selma Danklefs, Henry Wittneben, Debra Radowick’s father, Maddie (a second grader in Mandy Growns’ classroom at Campbell Elementary who has a brain tumor) (11-22) Robert Hill, Beau and June McGuire, Roger Clark

First United Methodist Church

Christopher Bailey Jason Berdou Scott Cayton Jason Johnson Jeremiah Judkin Rachel Miller Dannielle Pope Needler Cash Radowick

Sanctuary: 1127 Third Street Mailing address: 1106 Fourth Street Rosenberg, Texas 77471

Sunday, Dec. 6, at 10:00 a.m., the Believers Sunday School Class will present a Christmas play called “The Magi, A Journey of Faith.” Please come to the Fellowship Hall for dessert and coffee during the Sunday School hour! You’ll laugh a little and gaze in wonder at the profound message unfolding onstage. Admission is free. Brought to you by Miss Teri (Mathis) and the Believers Sunday School Class: Allyson, Brody, Chelsea, Dylan, Emma, Hayden, Katrina, Lauren, Justine, Logan, Matthew, Meg, Olivia, Owen.

Phone: 281-342-3333 or 281-232-3246 Fax: 281-342-3333

Dessert Theater on Dec. 6

Web site: www.fumcrosenberg.net

The Children's Choirs will be singing at the City of Rosenberg's Annual Gazebo Lighting on Wednesday, December 2nd at 6:30pm. Come hear the children sing, see a special visitor from the North Pole, and enjoy refreshments. The Gazebo is located at City Hall on Fourth Street in Rosenberg.

www.fumcrosenberg.net

Check us out in color!

Rosenberg Gazebo Lighting

First United Methodist Church Rosenberg, Texas November 24, 2009  Volume 24, Issue 45

Ramblings: Thanks, God! Thanksgiving is almost upon us. The traditional day of overeating, watching football, and getting ready for the shopping on Black Friday, is just a day or two away. It is a day made great in our nation’s history by the stories of Pilgrims and Indians (Native Americans for the more politically correct among us) getting together to give thanks to God. It is a day we should be using to offer thanks for our many blessings, but instead we are most thankful for the jumbo sized bucket of TUMS we picked up at SAMS to get ready for the day. Have you ever thought about the situation those folks were in when they sat down to give thanks? They were facing a terrible winter. Remember, they were up on the east coast. If the east coast was such a pleasant winter destination, then explain why so many rich northerners have homes down here for the winter. During their first winter nearly half of their people died. Sickness and cold knocked them off and nearly doomed the entire group. They had barely made it through that winter alive and had been able to scratch a living from the land during the summer months. But now they were facing the prospects of another winter. They had to be afraid of what was coming. There had to be a sense of impending doom as the days got shorter and the wind blew colder. But it was in this setting that they gathered to give thanks to God. They surely gave thanks for God pulling them through the harsh winter. They gave thanks for God giving them the help of the Native Americans who helped them prepare for the upcoming winter all summer long. They thanked God for all he had done, but they also thanked him for what he was going to do. They believed that he was going to get them through the next winter and so they thanked him in advance.

That is simply amazing. They had the faith to know that God had promised never to abandon them. He had promised to see them through everything life threw at them. They didn’t understand it very well, but they still thanked him for his love and presence in their lives. They thanked him for helping them persevere through the hard times to come. Do we do that? Do we have the faith to thank God in the face of our problems? As we face the raging rivers of life, do we give God thanks for his assurance or do we wait to thank him only after he comes through? On a slightly different note I noticed something in the calendar today. From Thanksgiving to the end of the Christmas season (January 6— Epiphany) there are forty days. Forty days has always been important in the history of God’s people (think flood, think Jesus’ temptation after baptism). In light of this “discovery” I would like to make a suggestion. I think we should make these forty days between Thanksgiving and Epiphany forty days of thanks. The challenge is to find something to be thankful for each day during this time and share it with others. Here is how I am going to do this (your method may be different). I am going to post my forty days of thanks daily thanksgiving in three places: twitter, facebook, and email. If you want to receive my posts you can follow me on twitter (twitter.com/jrb1), friend me on facebook (facebook.com/revblack) or send me an email saying you want to be part of the thanksgiving group ([email protected]). Let me know how you are going to share your thanksgiving so I can keep up with you. Together we’ll make Thanksgiving more than just a day of stuffing. IGS, John

Opportunities To Serve Wednesday, Nov. 25: No scheduled activities Thursday, Nov. 26: Happy Thanksgiving! Church office closed Friday, Nov. 27: No scheduled activities Church office closed Saturday, Nov. 28: Anahuac Work Day Sunday, Nov. 29: 1st Sunday of Advent ANGEL TREE GIFTS ARE DUE TODAY! 8:30 a.m. - Blended Worship Service 9:40 a.m. - Sunday School for all ages 10:50 a.m. - Traditional Worship Service 2:00 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal 4:00 p.m. - Annual Church Conference 5:00-7:00 p.m. - Youth at First (grades 6-12) 6:00 p.m. - Growth Group at the Johnson’s Monday, Nov. 30: 9:00 a.m. - MOMS 10:30 a.m. - Prime Chimers 7:00 p.m. - Boy Scouts Tuesday, Dec. 1: 10:00 a.m. - Growth Group meeting 5:30 p.m. - Young Families 7:00 p.m. - Women’s Prayer Group Wednesday, Dec. 2: 5:00 p.m. - Children’s Choirs, then the Gazebo Lighting 6:15 p.m. - Handbells 7:30 p.m. - Sanctuary Choir rehearsal

FUMC Rosenberg was able to provide 6,440 hot dogs thanks to your generosity. (Everyone was quite impressed and we are now known as the "Hot Dog Church!" We estimate that prayer was accepted and provided to 2,250 of our 2,500 guests! Unfortunately the day had to end early due to the rain, but it was a great day anyway! 181 response cards were completed for people who needed further assistance. 35 recommitments/salvations 31 people seeking a church home 117 seeking assistance for job, health, finances, food, substance abuse 34 Employment needs 30 Health needs 24 Financial needs

Hey, Youth!

13 Family concerns 6 Dental needs 2 Childcare assistance 1 Elderly care assistance 1 Substance abuse 1 GED assistance 18 Churches are following up on these needs. We were assigned 8 names so our work is not over; we are now in the process of connecting with these people and seeking to provide spiritual growth, Christian love and a hand up!

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Christmas is just a few weeks away and we once again have the opportunity to show our staff how very much we appreciate all that they do for us throughout the year. We are collecting the love offering earlier so that we can distribute it before Christmas, so we ask that you prayerfully consider your gift and bring it before Dec.13. Thank you for your part in this gift of love and thanks to our hardworking staff. ~~ SPRC

Staff Christmas Love Offering

FUMC Women’s Celebration invites you to our

O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. 1 Chronicles 16:8

FIRST CHURCH STAFF

"God, all things come from You. There is nothing that happens in our lives without Your knowing. We take it all for granted. The sun comes up in the morning. The ocean rolls into the shore. The stars shine. The leaves change color. Thank you, God for these gifts. Thank you for the people who love us in spite of ourselves, thank you for for your son who was nailed to the cross. Thank you for the independence and perseverance of our forefathers who say beyond their own existences and created this nation. Amen" *Prayer of Thanksgiving from "The Book of Uncommon Prayer" by Seven L. Case. Be Brave In His Love, Becca @ Youth Sunday: We prepare for Advent!

 The Children's Birthday Party for Jesus is Saturday, December 5th from 3:30-5:00. This is a FREE community wide event. Kids can enjoy games, crafts, prizes, candy, storytime, facepainting, refreshments, and more!! Volunteers are needed to work a booth from 3-5. Please contact Elizabeth if you are available to help: [email protected] A children's Advent Craft Day will be held Sunday, December 13th from 1:00-4:00 in the Fellowship Hall. Kids will have the opportunity to enjoy 10 Christmas crafts such as homemade ornaments, cookie decorating, scrapbooking, painting, snacks and much more! Pre-registration is required and only 40 slots are left. Cost is only $5 per child to participate in the afternoon of crafts. Adults must stay with children during the event - you don't want to miss all the fun! Registration forms available in the Education Building or Elizabeth can email one to you. Don't wait or all the slots will be taken.

Christmas Gala

Come and Go Kitchen Shower

Featuring Christian comedian Karen Mayer-Cunningham

Benefiting Anahuac Comeback Sunday, December 6, 2-3:30 PM Fellowship Hall Sponsored by Thursday Night Growth Group

6:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 8 JOHN R. BLACK………………………………………….…...Pastor ADRIANE GRAY…………………………….....Nursery Coordinator DEBRA RADOWICK……………..…....…. Administrative Assistant KRIS WOLDY……………..………….…..………..…Music Director JOSE LUNA ……………………….……..………...Church Custodian GAYNELL PSENCIK………………….…..…….Financial Secretary JESSICA MYERS………………….…………………..…….Organist BECCA HYDE………………….…………………..…Youth Director

Thanksgiving week! Sweet! You get out of school for a few days...and if that's not something to be thankful for I don't know what is! But honestly, it's just a really awesome idea to take time out to just be thankful and be with family. So often we get caught up in the million and one things we have to do and we forget to stop and be grateful for all the things we have been given! I am so grateful for all of you and the chance to be a part of this amazing First UMC family! We all need to be reminded to step back and just say thank you. So instead of my usual rant I'm going to just leave you with my favorite prayer of Thanksgiving and wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

First UMC Fellowship Hall $5 per person Olive Garden catered meal and dessert will be served Call today to reserve your ticket! 281.342.3333 Nursery available upon request

Please come for punch and treats and learn more about the Fall Project to get four houses ready for Christmas. Go to Target.com, Click Registry-Lists, Click Lists, enter Margaret Lawley, TX and see lists for each family: Matthew Smith Point, Mark Smith Point, Luke Smith Point and John Smith Point. Gift cards and gifts selected at other places are welcome.