Messenger December 2008

Our Church Staff

Pastor………………………………………… Rev. Dr. T. Glenn Bosley-Mitchell Music Director and Organist…………………… …………………….Judy Colvin Youth Director……………………………………………………...Matthew Heitz Children’s Ministry Director…………………………………………. Tana Bierce Director, Pre School………………………………………….…..Christine Messer Praise Team Director……………………………………………… Matthew Heitz Office Administrator………………………………………….………..Betty Jones Financial Secretary………………………………….………..…..Christine Messer Sunday Building & Office Coordinator………………………………Lamar Camp Hymn Organist……………………………………………….………..Jason Steere Nursery Attendant…………………………………………… …….Lynne Bobbitt

6111 Central Avenue Tampa, Florida 33604 813 236-5931 [email protected] Rev. Dr. T. Glenn Bosley-Mitchell

Church Office……….. 236-5931 Church Fax…………. 236-5932 Preschool Center….… 232-8231 [email protected]

Messenger

Deadline for submitting information for the Messenger is the 15th of each month. Seminole Heights United Methodist Church 6111 Central Avenue Tampa, FL 33604-6798

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The monthly news of Seminole Heights United Methodist Church

December 2008

December Birthdays and Anniversaries Birthdays: Dec. 2 Tonya Boss Dec. 4 Faith Gruber Kimberly Smith Dec. 6 Carole Blankenship Katie Kopotic Dec. 7 Kent Ward Dec. 8 Leterica Kickliter Dec. 10 Lisa Culberson Emery Jewell Evelyn Jewell Dec. 11 Alan Dobbs Stephen Jones Ray Yager

Dec. 13 Dec. 18 Dec. 21 Dec. 23 Dec. 24 Dec. 27 Dec. 28 Dec. 29 Dec. 30

Ken Brown Ellen Boon Matthew Heitz Christine Messer Edward Riddick Dorothy McClanahan Ryan Blanchard Doug Penn Grant Ward Ryan Blankenship

Anniversaries: December 13 Scott & Kristen Jones December 28 Charlie & Pat Fisher

MEMORIALS (Through November 16, 2008

Given in memory of Arthur Carr Gene and Beverly Copeland Cletus Ehrlacher Fern McDowell George and Joyce McConnell Given in memory of Don Wolfe: George and Joyce McConnell

From your pastor … Advent is coming! As our days grow shorter and our nights longer, we who are people of faith turn to symbols such as candles, evergreens and wreaths to proclaim our belief in the unquenchable light. In hopeful anticipation, we prepare for the coming of the Reign of God. Throughout the churches of our land, this time of preparation feels so spiritual, so solemn, so awe-inspiring. And then we leave the safety of our sanctuaries and venture forth into the culture that surrounds us: Clang, clang—the sounds of commercialized marketing brings that cacophony of sounds to our listening ears… So, what to do? Well this year, as one who has frequently struggled with the dichotomy of the season—“so, does the twelve days of Christmas begin on December 13 or when?”—attempting to blend the religious with the secular and having so many folks in our culture and world that have no real connection with the environment of a savior born in a barn, I thought I would venture out to where folks are today. Our Sunday worship services will feature songs and stories you might hear in all kinds of secular places: floating in the air or at the mall or at the office party or at the kitchen table. Each week, we will explore culture’s celebrations in the midst of our preparations for Christmas, as we likewise examine anew our faith of the coming of God to a world teetering on the precipice of self-imposed disaster. While our First Sunday of Advent finds us exploring our relationship to our neighbors 90 miles off the Florida Keys, it might also push us to exclaim, ”Christmas in the Air!” as we juxtapose “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” with “Come, thou long expected Jesus” as we launch off into our season of preparation for the coming Christ, with a traditional time of “Hanging of the Greens” under Donna Spear’s able leadership Sunday afternoon, November 30, at 5 pm Our Second Sunday of Advent lets us venture out to “Christmas at the Mall” as we sing “Toyland” and “Away in the Manger.” The Grinch might even help us understand the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We might be singing “Rockin around the Christmas Tree” with our “Christmas at the Office” on the Third Sunday of Advent, as we begin to wonder about just when it is that Emmanuel will come? Do you remember the wonder of being home with family and friends in “It’s a Wonderful Life”? Well we could find ourselves singing on the Fourth Sunday of Advent “I’ll be home for Christmas” hearing us wondering about no more room at the inn at that little town of Bethlehem as we gather around for “Christmas at the kitchen table.” Finally, on Christmas Eve, the evening before the real “First Day of Christmas” we will find ourselves surrounded by angels and shepherds and candlelight with our “Christmas at the Manger” Christmas Eve worship service at 6:00 p.m. Advent is Coming! With eyes wide open, ears attuned and hearts unguarded, we gather around the wreath in the comfort of sanctuary AND we risk going forth into this strange and different culture that God has placed us in, with all the world longing to receive the Word… Anticipating Advent Pastor Glenn

LET’S KEEP THE POUND CAKE TRADITION GOING! Meals on Wheels of Tampa has notified us that again this year they would like to include small pound cakes or Little Debbie snack cakes (or other brands) to give to their recipients at Christmas. The pound cakes are baked in small one pound size aluminum loaf pans, gift wrapped and brought to the church so that we can deliver them to Meals on Wheels on Friday, December 5. Pre-packaged snack cakes can be brought in anytime and left in the red basket in Allen Hall. If you would like a copy of a good pound cake recipe that makes 6-8 small cakes, just call the church office. The pound cake tradition was started by ladies from our church many years ago, and most of those ladies have gone on to their heavenly home. Let’s honor their memory by keeping the pound cake tradition going! Remember, we need the pound cakes or snack cakes at the church in time for delivery on Friday morning, December 5.

December Flowers Dec. 21 - Given by the Camp family in loving memory of Christopher.

Please note the following scheduling change--On Sunday, December 28 we will have one service at 11:00 a.m.

Please mark your calendars For Sunday, December 21st at 4:00 p.m. We will be celebrating with the choir “And Glory Shown Around”--our Christmas Cantata. The handbells will also be ringing that afternoon. Please come and support our choir and handbell choir and be uplifted by this beautiful music. There will be new songs to enjoy as well as a time to sing along with your favorite traditional carols.

From Tana in the Children’s Corner Dear Church Family (this means everyone): You are invited for a family Christmas caroling event. On December 14th we will take vans from the church and visit a few of our shut-ins and then return to church for pizza, a Christmas story or movie for the kids and Jesus’ birthday cake. If you think you can’t sing, come anyway! It will uplift those we visit, and I believe it will uplift you, too. The time will be announced in Sunday bulletins or you may call the church office. Looking forward to Christmas! Tana

We invite you to our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on Wednesday, December 24th at 6:00 p.m. Why not invite your family, friends, and neighbors to join you for this very special service.

Food and Toys needed for Metropolitan Ministries We thank you for your support of Metropolitan Ministries’ holiday food drive for Thanksgiving. Now we need to continue that support through Christmas. In addition to the same types of non-perishable food items that you brought in for Thanksgiving, they also are in great need of toys and gift cards for Christmas. Do not wrap the toys, and leave them in the baskets located at the entry doors. The food barrel and food baskets will remain in place around the church. Please take gift cards to the church office or place in the collection plate. Your donations can help make the Christmas season brighter for disadvantaged neighbors in our community. Here’s a suggestion---now that hurricane season is drawing to a close, you might want to look over the canned goods and other non perishables you had stored up in case of a hurricane and bring those items in for Metropolitan Ministries.

Here’s a big THANK YOU to all who made the Wilmington Celebration Choir feel welcome in our church. It took a great deal of volunteer manpower to make this event a success. There are too many to mention individually, but THANKS to all who helped organize, publicize, bake, cook, clean up, provide housing and provide transportation. This event could not have happened without you. The Choir was blessed by their visit and have asked if they can come back next year for a repeat performance! --Diane Chadwick

Our December Support People Are: Liturgists: Dec. 7 - Damon Swart; Dec. 14 - Aaron Cole; Dec. 21 - Charlie Fisher; Dec. 28 - Jill Kinney Ushers: Milt Bedingfield (capt), Jim Hughlett, Ronnie Mason, David

Rogers A note from Tom Moore and your Stewardship Committee: As the end of 2008 draws near, I would like to inform everyone of an opportunity to continue our support for Seminole Heights UMC and our Christ-centered missions. On Sundays, Dec. 7 and Dec. 14 one of your “pew buddies” will be speaking briefly before the congregation about the joy they find in giving back to God through our church. This is the start of our 2008 Stewardship Campaign. Please take some time to inventory your church blessings as you go about your day and you see one of our preschoolers and their family, or you bring that bag of old clothes in for the Clothes Closet, or you are on your way to the Wednesday night supper or a Bible study class. I encourage you to think about the joys we share as a congregation as we serve the Lord together each day and the wonderful things our congregation continues to do in the community. Stewardship letters with a pledge card were recently handed out or mailed out. Please pray about your commitment for 2009 and make a pledge that’s right for you. You may return your pledge card anytime, but pledge Sunday will be December 14. The Stewardship Committee plans to present the results of our stewardship pledges on December 21.

If you would like to place a poinsettia plant in the sanctuary for our December 14th, 21st and Christmas Eve services in honor or memory of a loved one or friend, please sign the information sheet below and place in the collection plate or mail in to the church office. The price per plant is $6.00 (which must accompany your order), and you may take your plant home after the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service or earlier if you won’t be attending that service. Please return this portion with your payment

Christmas Poinsettia Given by __________________________________________________________ In honor of ________________________________________________________ In memory of ______________________________________________________ Number of plants _____

Amount enclosed ___________

I will take my plant home _______

Please deliver to a shut in _______

December 2008 Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Thursday

2

3

4

9:00a-Prayer group

Life Line Screening, A/H, by reservation

9:00a-School concert for faculty & children

10:00-Game day in A/H

Friday 5

6:15-Preschool meeting 7:30p-NA meeting

3:00p-Youth room open 6:00-Family life dinner 6:45p-Pioneer Club 6:45-Youth

6:30-School concert, sanctuary 6:15-Spirit Ringers rehearsal 7:30-Cantata & Chancel Choir rehearsal

5:30p-Praise Team set up & rehearsal 8:15p-NA meeting

9

10

11

12

6:30-Trustee meeting 6:55-Men’s Bible Study Fellowship Int’l

7

8

9:30a-Casual worship 9:30a- Sunday School 10:30a-Coffee fellowship 11:00a-Traditional worship

9:00a-Prayer group

4:00p-OSHNA holiday dinner 7:00p-NA meeting

6:55p-Men’s BSF, Int’l

7:00p-Finance Committee 7:30p-NA meeting

14

15

16

9:30a-Casual worship 9:30a-Sunday school 10:30a-Coffee fellowship 11:00a-Traditional worship -Family caroling & Birthday Party for Jesus 7:00p-NA meeting

9:00a-Prayer group .

21 9:30a-Casual worship

22

9:30a-Sunday school 10:30a-Coffee fellowship 11:00a-Traditional worship

9:00a-Prayer group

Saturday 6

13

3:00p-Youth room open

6:55p-Men’s BSF, Int’l

6:00p-Family life dinner 6:45p-Youth 6:45p-Pioneer Club

17

6:15p-Spirit Ringers rehearsal 7:30p-Cantata rehearsal in sanctuary

18

5:30p-Praise Team set up & rehearsal 8:15p-NA meeting

19

11:00a-Mental Health Care div. mtg, A/H

6:30-Boy Scouts dinner, A/H 7:30p-NA meeting in chapel

23

3:00p-Youth room open 6:00p-Family life dinner 6:45p-Youth 6:45p-Pioneer Club

24

6:15p-Spirit Ringers rehearsal 7:00p-Orchid Society mtg, A/H 7:30p-Cantata rehearsal in sanctuary

5:30p-Praise Team set up & rehearsal

25

26 Church Office Closed

5:00p-Music Dept party, A/H 7:00p-NA meeting

7:30p-NA meeting

6:00pChristmas Eve Candlelight Worship

28

29

9:30a-Sunday school 11:00a-Combined worship

30

31

9:00a-Prayer group

C h u r c h

7:30p-NA meeting

Of f i c e

C l o s e d

20 10:00a-Cantata dress rehearsal

8:15p-NA meeting

Merry Christmas!

4:00p-Cantata

7:00p-NA meeting

Wednesday

1

27