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Dec. 2 0 15

CONNECT Fi rst United Methodist Church of Tucson

Connecting with All People and Growing in Jesus Christ

We are an affirming congregation, embracing all persons regardless of age, ethnic origin or sexual orientation, and welcome all into full

participation and membership.

Peace, peace! The prophets cry,

the children sing, the mothers sigh.

Peace, peace! The angles say

the shepherds rise and run that way.

And to our hearts this message rings

as fragile and rare as angel wings,

for what is peace unto the world

if from our hearts hatred is not hurled?

Peace, peace declares my heart,

God of Peace, teach me to do my part.

The heart wrenching news of the last few months is heavy with my

soul this morning. Advent is a season of waiting but my own spirit cries

out, “how long, Oh God?” A wise teacher once said that, “to be human is

to experience heartbreak, and it is only through the breaking of the heart

that God’s message of love can enter in.” As I think of the millions of

people displaced by war, the families torn apart by violence, the needless

loss of life violence reeks upon the world each day, my heart is broken

open. Like the prophets of our sacred stories I long for God to topple

the mighty and remember the weak, I pray for Justice to rain down like

water, I yearn for a time when people make peace and remember

war no more.

Peace, Peace, Peace!

Rev. Beth Rambikur | 915 E. 4th Street | Tucson, AZ 85719 | 520.622.6481

2

(cont’d from Page 1)

Dec. 2 Soul Cafe at Dottie’s

House

Dec. 2 Trustee Meeting

Dec. 5 Steampunk Society Tea

Dec. 9 Reconciling Team

Dec. 11 Meet’n Eat Lunch

Dec. 12 FUMC Christmas Party

Dec. 13 Christmas Cookie Sale

Cookie Sale

Dec. 15 Women In Mission Pot

Luck Lunch at Cindy

Rinehart’s House

Dec. 15 TIHAN Holiday Party

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Service

Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Church Office Closed

December 25 - January 1, 2016

What does it mean to give the gift of peace to the world this

Christmas? Each year we read and hear the words “prince of peace”

but what would it mean to allow peace to rule over our hearts and

minds and bend our souls towards actions of peace making and

keeping? This Advent season our community will be exploring what

it means to “let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me.”

Our sermon series will be titled “Prophets of Peace” and will be

accompanied by the, “Prophets of Peace; from words to action” bi-

ble study. Our Christmas Eve services at 6:00 and 7:30 will be cele-

brations of God’s gift of peace through the birth of Christ in our

lives, and will be a call to action to bring, make, and keep peace in

the coming year.

Peace is not a passive waiting for the world to turn. Peace

calls us to engage the heartbreak of the world through the faith that

God’s work within us and within the lives of all people will trans-

form the world into a place of celebration, feasting, sharing, giving

and receiving. This Advent I invite all of us to journey together to

discover what it means to be a prophet of peace to this heartbroken

world. And so it is with deep excitement and faith in God that I say,

“Peace be with you this Advent season.” See you in church.

Upcoming Events

11

2 Matthew Stoker

3 Irene Hutcherson

3 Nan Rollings

5 Bruce Billings

5 Clark Haney

5 Elizabeth Stewart

6 Leland Lolika

8 Arthur Tomlinson

9 Adam Lange

10 Denny Ramsey

13 Rick Antosh

13 Keegan Medcoff

17 Kenneth Dunlap

19 Jim Rollings

20 David Stoker

23 Deanne Kelly

26 Bonnie Steel

28 Bob Morse

December Birthdays

21 Don & Nan Rollings

27 Bob & Beth Walkup

28 Gary & Dottie Poczulp

December Anniversaries

10

Women on a

Spiritual Quest

The WSQ meets Mondays,

at 5:30 pm in the

Church Library for study

and service.

Call Anita Lange at

325-9196 or

Eunice Santos at

623-4118

for more information.

All women of the church

are invited.

12 - Step

Support Groups

Each week at First Church we

host meetings of 12-step

groups. If you need support

from any of these, please feel

free to come to a meeting.

Alcoholics Anonymous ~

(aka Campus Nooners)

Monday - Friday 12:00 pm

in the Carillon Room.

Gamblers Anonymous ~

Saturday morning 9:30 am

in the Carillon Room

Narcotics Anonymous ~

Monday night—7:00 pm

in the Underground

It’s Meet ‘n Eat

Time Again!

'Tis the season to gather with

friends. The Meet 'n Eat

group will be doing just that

on Friday, December 11, at

11:30 a.m. at Mimi's res-

taurant on Oracle and

Wetmore. Newcomers, old

timers, friends, neighbors.

relatives, anyone who would

like to enjoy a good meal

with others from the church,

all are invited to come and

join in.

There is no business, no re-

ports, no responsibility, just

food, fun, and fellowship.

Please contact Glen or

Shirley Murray at

297-4796 or

gsmurray56@comcast.net

by Wednesday, December 9,

if you can be there.

3

Perhaps no church celebrates Christ-

mas with as much simple elegance as the

Moravians. The historic Moravian

Church, began in the province of Moravia,

now part of the Czech Republic

The Moravians were a pietistic and

frugal little group, but over the years, they

developed lovely and meaningful Christ-

mas symbols, practices, and even songs.

The glowing Moravian star is the most well--known of these sym-

bols. First designed as a geometry assignment at a Moravian school for

boys, the 26 points of the star are seen as a light to all parts of world. A

huge star is hung at Moravian churches signaling the beginning of ad-

vent.

The Christmas love feast, celebrated on Christmas Eve, emphasiz-

es the loving community of the church. Big, soft, sweet buns are

served with sweet coffee and hot chocolate for the children. The serv-

ers wear traditional costumes: long skirts, white caps and aprons for the

women, vests for the men. The feast remembers the time in the Mora-

vians’ history when there was dissension in the church community

At the end of the Christmas Eve service, each

Moravian holds a small beeswax candle as a sweet-

voiced young girl sings the traditional “Morning

Star, Behold Thy Light.” (The church women have a

party earlier in the holiday season to decorate the

candles and share Christmas cookies. Those cookies

probably include some of the traditional paper-thin

molasses cookies.)

We were members of a Moravian church when

we lived in rural Alaska. We have fond memories of Yup’ik Eskimos

and non-natives holding aloft our sweet-smelling candles, singing tradi-

tional songs, then dispersing into the cold night.

Historic Moravia Church Celebrates Christmas

with Special Symbols

by Teddy Wintersteen

4

Poinsettias make the sanctuary beautiful, and we have the opportunity to help decorate and support two ministries: Our Family Services

(formerly New Beginnings for Women and Children) and the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund.

Our Family Services provides a range of services that help Tucson families in every stage of life. Their profits from the poinsettia sales (plants are $15.00 each) support this vital ministry.

The Pastor’s Discretionary Fund has many requests year-round. Contri-butions help maintain this special fund to serve those in need.

Simply make a donation in any amount. Names of those honored or remembered will be printed in the bulletin.

The deadline for ordering is Monday, December 7 Checks may be made payable to First UMC and

attached to this form.

If you would like to donate to the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund without purchasing a poinsettia plant, please fill in your name and phone num-ber and only the bottom portion of the form. You may also split your do-nation between the two.

Name: _________________________________________

Phone: ________________________________________

Amount Enclosed $_________________ No. of Plants ______

($15.00 each; 50% is tax deductible)

In Memory of

In Honor of

Donation to Pastor’s Discretionary Fund Only:

Amount Enclosed $___________________________

9

Shhh – Santa is coming to our Spirit of Christmas party on

December 12th! We anticipate having 60-65 kids from our

congregation, our outreach ministries, and the Korean

Fellowship. We are seeking donations for the gift bags –

all donations must be new.

Colored Pencils/Washable Markers

Pencil box

Small child friendly craft sets

Small Lego sets

Toy cars

Toy animal sets

Toy princess stuff

Hair ties

Toy jewelry

Packaged child friendly toiletry set

Packaged children’s socks

Bouncy balls

Small flashlight

Small child friendly puzzles

All donations need to be into the church office no later than

December the 9th so that we have time to put the gift bags

together. Thank you all and Merry Christmas!

SANTA NEEDS YOUR HELP!

8

CROP REPORT

Once again, First UMC

was the place to be for

the annual CROP hunger

relief walk. We sent out

seven walkers, plus a few of our attending students who walked with

the Wesley Foundation. We raised nearly $2500. Thanks to all our

walkers and those who contributed. Many churches participated and

25% of the monies raised stay in our community, shared by the Com-

munity Food Bank of Southern Arizona and Casa Maria Kitchen. The

rest is used by Church World Service to aid those in other countries.

November 29

Scripture 1 Isaiah 9:6-7a

Matthew 2:7-18

Message:

Peace and fractured pieces

December 6th

Communion Sunday

Scripture 1 Jeremiah 8:15

and Jeremiah 28:8-9

Matthew 1:18-25

Message:

Peace and hard decisions

December 13th

Scripture 1 Ezekiel 37:26-28

Luke 1:57-79

Message:

Peace – for the kingdom

of God is among you

December 20th

children might be singing

Mary Did You Know

Scripture 1 Isaiah 32:16-18

Luke 2:8-20

Message:

Bringing peace to all

the wrong places

ADVENT ADULT BIBLE CLASSES

Prophets of Peace; from Words to Action will be our Advent

Bible study. There is no cost for the materials and we invite you to

join us for our first class on November 29 but if you cannot make it,

join us on any Sunday for this exploration of peace in the Bible,

and its meaning for us as Christians.

5

Sunday, Dec. 13 - Arizona Room (after church)

Annual Cookie Bake Sale

It’s time to get your sweet on! Don’t miss Women in Mission’s

first Cookie Sale on Sunday, December 13, immediately following the

worship service. This year’s sale will feature a variety of cookies,

breads, cappuccino mixes, and more! For each purchase, you will be

entered in a raffle for an item which will make a very nice Christmas

gift for one lucky fan. So save the date, and an extra belt hole.

For more information contact April DuBoce at 520.336.2614 or

pnkcld13@gmail.com.

First UMC & Korean UMF

Saturday, Dec. 12, 3:00-7:00 PM

Bring Your Favorite Dessert

present

F o o d , F u n , F e l l o w s h i p

The

Visit from

Santa

6

Jodie Crockett

Judy Gray

Irene Hutcherson

Herb Langen

Bea Humphrey

Betty Zimmerman

-Myers

Harmon Myers

Carroll Rinehart

Grace Roland

Edna Rosen-

berger

Mimi Shay

Jean Snider

Loyce Wescott

Marilyn Wright

Ruth Ann Wright

6:00 pm Family Service and

Children’s Pageant

6:45 pm Carols and Hot Chocolate

7:30 pm Traditional Candlelight, Carols,

and Communion Service

Bring the family, the neighbors and co-workers to our Christmas Eve

services on December 24th. At 6:00 pm we will have our family service

and full participation Christmas Pageant, children under the age of 18

are invited to come and help us retell the Christmas story as shepherds,

wise guys, and angels. At 6:45 we will be having Carols, Cookies, and

Coco festival in the Fellowship Hall, and 7:30 will be our Candles and

Communion Christmas service. We hope to see you on Christmas Eve.

7

CHANCEL BELLS

practice

Thursday nights, 6:00-7:00 pm

in the Sanctuary

CHANCEL CHOIR

practice

Thursday nights, 7:00-8:30 pm

in the Sanctuary

Call the church office (622-6481) or talk to Sara Tobe,

Director of Music, with any questions.

Dear Reader,

It’s that time again. If you have something

you'd like to share for the newsletter, please

bring it by the office or email to:

office@firstchurchtucson.org

Due to the Christmas holidays, the cut-off date for

accepting articles and photographs for the January 2016

newsletter is Thursday, December 11. Anything submitted

after that date may not be included.

Women in Mission Meeting—December 15

Cindy Rinehart will welcome the Women in Mission on Tuesday,

December 15 at her home. Meeting will begin at 11:00 a.m. She

will bring everyone up to date on the cookie sale results and dis-

cuss future plans and projects, including ways to be of service to

our community. A Potluck lunch will follow the meeting.