The Wesley Crier Facebook: Wesley UMC Dover E-Mail: [email protected] Webpage: Twitter : @Doverwesleyumc
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The Wesley Crier Facebook: Wesley UMC Dover E-mail: [email protected] Webpage: www.wesleyumc-dover.com Twitter : @doverwesleyumc I can remember being a child visiting my grandparents OUR VISION for Thanksgiving. My grandma was an excellent cook. I remem- ber sitting at the dining room table with all of the good dishes, Historic Wesley Church in down- the homemade apple sauce, the sweet potato casserole, turkey, town Dover, Delaware is an open and welcoming congregation, stuffing, mashed potatoes and all the trimmings. I also remem- which makes disciples of Jesus ber sitting on the most comfortable sofa ever made (it’s still in Christ by proclaiming God’s love the family) and the television advertising for “Black Friday” through sales. I remember my family talking about how early the Christ- ✞A variety of Worship Services mas shopping was beginning- all the way back to Thanksgiving. which speaks to both heart and Now we consider Thanksgiving to be perhaps the mid- mind, point of the holiday shopping season! As I reflect upon what ✞Bible study, fellowship, and nur- this season has become, I think it is important for us to think ture which lead to meaningful and about how we celebrate Christmas as a community of faith. We disciplined Christian living, all know that Christmas has become the biggest commercialized holiday in our country. I wonder if the Magi might have left the ✞Christian outreach ministries which serve those near and far, gifts at home, if they could have known what the gift-giving tra- dition would eventually become: buying and giving material ✞Combined activities which in- possessions crowds out the celebration of God being born into volve other area churches and faith communities. our very midst. So before we get deep into the “Holiday Season,” I en- Wesley Church welcomes all courage you to sit and reflect upon how you will be intentional individuals and seeks to minister to the spiritual and physical needs about celebrating Jesus’ birth. Will you come to the Advent Din- th and concerns, as God reveals them ner on December 8 ? Will you create an Advent wreath with to us. your family, and light the candles in your home together? Will ✞Members and neighbors of all you read the Christmas story with your family and/or friends? ages and stages in life, The homeless, hungry, and hurt- Will you make your family, church family, and neighbors a pri- ing, ority in your December calendar, and spend time visiting to- ✞Employees of the various levels gether? Will you worship on both Christmas? of government, including the mili- tary, Will you live as Jesus did and pay special attention to the ✞People in the nearby education “overlooked” as Matthew 25 says we should? Ideas include 1) and business communities. giving donations in the name of a loved one rather than ex- changing a material gift; 2) giving fairly traded products (they Wesley Church’s prominent steeple is a sign of our commit- guarantee a living wage); 3) buying gifts for the Angel tree to ment to our vision and is a beacon help provide Christmas presents for a family in need; of faith, hope, and love in this state capital. Continued on page 3 The Wesley Crier December 2013 Page 1 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: SCHEDULE Family Worship Service 6:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary Pastor Amy’s Column 1 Christmas Eve 2 Schedule Candlelight with Choirs 8:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary Giving Tuesday 2 Pastor Amy’s Column 3 continued Candlelight with Choirs Advent Study 3 and Communion Thank You 3 10:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary Christmas Greetings 3 For additional information Finance Committee 4 please contact the church United Methodist Men 4 office (678-9626). Clothing Closet 4 Unless otherwise noted- Childcare available United Methodist 5 Women Missions in Motion 6 Christian Education 7 Christian Ed. continued 8 What is #GivingTuesday™? #GivingTuesday™ (#GT) is a Children’s Christmas 8 movement to create a national day of giving to kick off the giv- Play ing season, added to the calendar on the Tuesday following SPRC Update 9 Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The second an- Ramp for Cohens 9 nual GivingTuesday is on December 3, 2013. In the same way that retail stores take part in Black Friday, we want the giving Family Life Activities 10 community to come together for #GivingTuesday. Silent Retreat 11 Stewardship Thank you 12 Did #GivingTuesday make a difference last year? In 2012, we had more than 2,500 recognized #GivingTuesday™ partners Love to Stay Invite 13 from all 50 states of the United States. The collective efforts of Meal and Assistance 13 partners, donors and advocates helped fuel a marked increase in Ministry charitable giving on GivingTuesday. DonorPerfect recorded Birthday Calendar 14 a 46% increase in online donations and the average gift increased 25%. Anniversaries 14 Church Calendar 15 Who can participate? Everyone! #GivingTuesday is an initia- tive to start the giving season and we encourage everyone to be involved with it. Families and individuals are encouraged to be generous in whatever ways matter to them, whether that means volunteering at a local charity or donating to a favorite cause. The Wesley Crier December 2013 Page 2 Continued from page 1 4) buying from local store owners rather than corporate chains like Walmart; 5) make Christ- mas presents for other people- they are much more memorable. Think carefully about how you will resist the commercial world’s attempts to draw you away from God and into shopping and materialism. If the house is not decorated, the presents are not bought, the cookies are not baked, and the Christmas parties at work are not attended, God is still God and Jesus is born. Hallelujah! I hope that our Christmas season will be filled with the joy that comes from relationships- with God in Jesus Christ, and with each other. For that is what Christmas is really about. Striving to be faithful, Pastor Amy P.S. There are online fair trade retailers that are a great source for gift giving: Coffee, tea, and chocolate from Equal Exchange Interfaith Program: http://equalexchange.com, Fair Trade Clothing, Toys, Housewares, etc.: http://www.serrv.org, and www.tenthousandvillages.com. Advent Study During the Advent Season A Different Kind of Christmas by Mike Slaughter will be offered at various times. This five-week study helps participants see the traps and discontentment of consumerism and the call of God to live generously to fulfill God’s mission in the world. Ray Yarnall will be leading a class starting Sunday November 24th at 9:45 a.m. in the Parlor. Pastor Amy will be leading the Advent Lunch Study on Wednesdays, December 4th, 11th, and 18th at 12:15 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Join us in Grace Fellowship Hall, bring a bag lunch. Dave Evans will be leading a class starting Sunday December 8th at 8:45 a.m. in the Parlor. Thank You Wesley College Student Nursing Association would like to thank everyone for your support during Wesley’s Annual Spaghetti dinner, whether you purchased tickets, helped prepare the food, setting up, working during the dinner, assist- ing in cleaning up and those who visited us in the Parlor to have their blood pressure checked, thank you. We enjoyed participating in this Annual Event. The Staff and Office Volunteers Wish everyone A Very Merry Christmas! And a Blessed New Year in 2014! The Wesley Crier December 2013 Page 3 Finance Committee By: Richard Satter The General Fund has an annual budget of $576,735. Through the month of October, total revenue received is $493,324. This is compared to $467,548 received through October 2012. Through October, we are 5/6 through the church year. We have received 85.54% of our need. A few special line items on the budget through October are envelope pledges received of $295,553 or 79.95% of budget, and envelope Gifts- Unpledged of $89,802 or 161.12% of budget. We have not needed to take any of the $22,000 special draw from the General Endowment Fund that was approved by Church Council in the May meeting. The congregation is reminded that we have two special offerings in November and December. The Thanksgiving offering is budgeted for $1,200 and the Christmas offering is budgeted for $8,500. As you read this edition of the Crier, we will have already had Celebration Sunday of our fall Stewardship Campaign. We would like to remind you that it is still not too late to turn in a pledge card and have your pledge be part of our calculation of the 2014 church budget. We thank you for your tithes, gifts, and support. On the expense side, total expenses through October were $473,902. As an unexpected blessing to Wesley, our income has exceeded our expenses by $19,421 which is only due in part by a one-time check received as a Gift-Unpledged. United Methodist Men By: Ralph Deats, President The Wesley United Methodist Men, in conjunction with the Wesley College Student Nursing Association, would like to thank all of the church who helped and attended to make the Annual Spaghetti Dinner a success. This includes all of the volunteers who helped in the dining room and kitchen, dishwashers, plus the Boy Scouts. We served a total of 273 meals. Wesley College SNA members purchased 42 tickets for the Dover Inter -Faith Housing Mission as a community outreach project. We met on November 11th to cut greenery and on November 18th to assemble the Advent Wreath to be hung on the front of the church above the entrance doors, prior to the end of November.