Sunday Service

Early: 8:25 a.m. Late: 10:55 p.m.

Sunday School 10:00 a.m.

Youth (Check schedule ) Sunday 6:00

Weds 6:00 p.m.

Notes from our Pastor

Rev. Randy Brown

931-728-4624

105 Church St. Manchester, TN 37355

First United Methodist Church December 23, 2015

Thank you to all who gave time and or money to fund and distribute the Angel Tree, White Christmas, and Teddy Bear tree projects. You are the hands and feet of Christ. Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to everyone who came by the Open House at the Parsonage on Satur-day. We truly enjoyed having you come by for a visit.

The word of the day this past Sunday was WOW.

WOW, the glory of God appeared in awesome ways during the Sunday morning worship services and Sunday School. Yogi took our youth class to MacArthur Manor and gave gifts to the residents there. Way to go guy's.

God continued to show up during the Children's play, there are lots of talented chil-dren in that group and lots of hard working adults as well working with them.

It was great to see the fellowship hall quickly transformed into a room where peo-ple young and old were eating, laughing, and talking together. It was truly our church family around the table at Christmas. It was also a very successful fundraiser for the youth ministry of this church. The WOW continued as the adult choir shared their Christmas Cantata. My personal thanks to everyone who had any part of mak-ing these events happen.

I am excited with anticipation that the WOW will continue on Christmas Eve as we have the Christmas Eve Communion and Candlelight service at 7:00 p.m. and come and go communion from 11:00 to 11:45 both in the Sanctuary this coming Thurs-day.

The WOW will continue next Sunday as special things are being planned for both worship services. You will not want to miss it. Bring a friend as well.

PSALMS 46 will be our theme verse for the day, begin now praying for the service next Sunday.

See you soon at the WOW PLACE, On the journey, Brother Randy

DEC.24th 7:00 pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Service and Come & Go Communion

11:00 pm to 11:45 pm

Christmas Events

Inside

Page 1: Service

times, Notes from

our pastor, Event

Calendar

Page 2: Notes from

Dana, Christmas

Event Boxes

Page 3: Youth and

Children’s Ministry

Happenings.

Page 4: Memorials,

Budget, Volunteer

Schedule

The Church

Office will be

closed

Christmas Eve

and

Christmas Day

A NOTE FROM DANA… There is a line in one of the songs that our sanctuary choir sang (so beau-

tifully, I might add) during the cantata this past Sunday evening that

goes like this: "soon the wise will come and bow, there is peace, here for

now." "HERE FOR NOW."

I think you will agree that our world has become a frightening place in

recent years. There are words in our vocabulary now that were not used

just a few years ago. Words like "active shooter" or "terrorism." Without

sounding TOO preachy here, I believe we are reaping what we have sown. When nations forget God, or

worse yet make war against God those nations will not stand. They will deteriorate morally and eventually

likely cease to exist. History testifies to this fact.

But into this moral mess comes a little baby, born to save people from their sin and rebellion against their

Creator. Jesus brings peace that is not simply the absence of conflict. He brings a peace that passes our

human understanding because it is peace of the heart which brings a quiet but certain confidence that, even

though everything in the world points to the contrary, GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL! Even in our some-

times crazy chaotic, seemingly disconnected and hurtful world "there is peace, here for now."

My prayer for you this Christmas is that you experience the Peace of Christ that transcends the hate and

indifference of this world.

Merry Christmas! Grace and Peace. Dana

Listen to Our Church Service:

WMSR 107.9 FM and 1320 AM

11:00 a.m. LIVE Worship 10:00 a.m. Sunday School

Due to the Christmas holidays

there will be no choirs meeting for

the next two weeks. Choirs will

resume the week of January 4.

2016!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

December 24, 2015: Christmas Eve service at 7 p.m. Come and go

communion from 11:00-11:45 p.m.

Did you know that the Jewish Feasts reflect God’s Redemption Plan? Dr. Sam Nadler, a Messianic Jew, has written an informative book, Messiah in the Feasts of Israel, that explains the Feasts and reveals how Jesus is the fulfillment of them all. The study explains our Jewish roots and the symbolism of the Old Testament. If your class or small group would like to view the 6-session DVD, Feasts of the Bible, contact Karla Childs (723-4192). A participant guide also is available.

Mary & Martha Class

Ladies, you are invited to the Mary & Martha Class for a 6-week inductive study, How to Make Choices You Won’t Regret. This no-homework study explores the role of Scripture and the Holy Spirit in the process of decision making. God of-fers the help we need so that today’s choices do not turn into tomorrow’s regrets. Join us at 10 o'clock beginning Jan. 3 in room 216.

GLOBAL MINISTRIES

THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Is pleased to recognize

Manchester First United Methodist Church

For its covenant support of

The Global Ministries

missionary community

Declare God’s glory among the nations,

God’s marvelous works among all the peoples.

Psalm 96:3

Thomas Kemper

General Secretary

General Board of Global Ministries

I feel like it is Thanksgiving instead of Christmas, because I am so thankful! I am thankful for adults who pour love and attention into our children. Our children's department wouldn't be near as effective without our volunteers! Thanks so much to Julie Giffin, Mike Giffin, Pat

Jones and Jackie Connelly. They are the true backbone of our program and I'm so thankful for them. I am also thankful for our parents who bring their children to Sunday School, choir and our SNL Program. You could be doing a multitude of other things with your time. I am so thankful that you choose to enlighten your children with the teachings of Jesus. Another thing that I am thankful for is our wonderful congrega-tion. The folks who support our church programs with their time, wisdom, money and abilities. We are all so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful church!

But the thing that I am most thankful for is the birth of our Savior. He came to earth with a gift for us all...the gift of salvation through his precious blood. And that makes each and every day like our own per-sonal Thanksgiving. I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Cindy

Lamb, Director of Children’s Ministries

As I sit here and reflect over this past weekend, I realize that I really do have the best job in the

world. Not only do I have the best job in the world I have a job that I truly love. As I reflect over

the weekend I realized how blessed and thankful I am. To the people of Manchester FUMC who

sponsored 112 angels from around our community and church, I simply say thank you. Thank

you to the people who helped me move the Angel Tree gifts from my office to the fellowship hall

and put them in order. I so could not have done it without you. Ami Shedd and Belinda Holman

Ferrell and Judy Brooks!!!! Pam Brooks thank you for allowing us to bless and help the head

start kids and families. Lois Shanks Thormaehlen and everyone who helped you with

White Christmas food boxes, I just want to say thank you for that ministry and outreach. Thank

you so much to everyone who came to the parsonage open house on Saturday. Thank you for sup-

porting your senior pastor and his family. Thank you to Susan Wakeman, Nona Jarratt, Jim

and Debra Thorington, Belinda Holman Ferrell, Ami Shedd, for your help before, during and af-

ter the open house. Yesterday, in his sermon the preacher asked "when is the last time you let go

and let God surprise you?" I could not remember or answer that question yesterday but this

morning I can honestly say God surprised me yesterday and last night. Yesterday, during Sun-

day school the youth Sunday school class went and spread a little Christmas cheer at McArthur

Manor. Thank you Mark Susan Holt Yother for providing that opportunity for our youth kids. It

was fun and exciting to see the faces of the residents and of my kids light up. Then to top off the

surprising day and afternoon, the baked potato bar fundraiser was awesome and very successful

thank you so much to everyone who came and again supported this youth pastor and her youth

kids. Thank you to the following people, Belinda Holman Ferrell, Reesa Marie Brown, Holly

Jones, Melissa Leedy, Jonathan Shedd Joyce Porter Shedd, Ami Shedd, Mark Yother, Susan

Yother, Allison Riddle Beachboard, Rachel Reed Brown, Dowe Jones, Nona Jarratt, Judy Brooks,

Stacy Slabaugh, Valorie Root Marshall, Randy Brown, Jared & Steph Hershman and of course

all of the youth kids who showed up to work as our church supported the youth ministry. Again

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

Wishing you a happy and Merry Christmas Week!

In the GRIP of HIS grace, Randa

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I Will Support My Church With My Service

Acolytes: December 27: 8:45 am: Natalie Fibelkorn 11:00 Daniel Hawkins

January 3: 8:45pm: Megan Fibelkorn 11:00pm: Elijah McCoy

Altar Guild: December 27: Brenda Bryan & Brenda Clark

January 3-10: Marie Kimble & Karla Childs

Building Checkers: Wk of Dec.27: Ed Turner

Wk of January 3: Brett Henley

Counters: December: Richard Dix January: Roy Hendrix/Lois Thormaehlen

Coffee Time: December 27: Brenda Fibelkorn

Greeters: December 27: 8:25 am: Butch & Tina Niederhauser 11:00 am: Dowe & Holly Jones

Welcome Center: Dec. 27: 8:25 a.m.: Bobby & Topsy Layne 11:00 am: Richard & Phyllis Dix

Kitchen Monitor: December: Lois Thormaehlen

Sound Tech: December 27: 8:25 am: Matt Duran11:00 am: TBA January 3: 8:25 am: Matt Duran 11:00 am: Mike Cassady

I Will Support My Church With My Presence

Attendance: Dec. 20

Sunday School 87 8:25 75 10:55 147 Hispanic Service - Total: 222

I Will Support My Church With gifts

Dec.20

Sunday School 95.00 Missions 385.00 Good Sam 550.00 Coffee Time 28.00 Youth Fund 10.00 Radio Bible Class 60.00 White Christmas 1,491.00 Angel Tree 200.00 Required Weekly 9,400.00 Budget Contribution 7,206.40 Year-to-date 458,494.80 Needed to date 479,400.00 (+/-) Difference (-20,905.20)

Gifts given in memory of Johnny Locke by Mark & Susan Yother to the General Fund

Gifts given in memory of Sibbie Johnson by

Richard & Phyllis Dix, Jack & Nancy Daniel to the White Christmas Fund and Jim & Debra Thorington

to the General Fund.

Gifts given in memory of Lori Prince (John Richardson’s sister) by Mark & Susan Yother

to the General Fund

Gifts given in memory of Dewey & Opal Powell by Donna & Coolidge Holt and Mark & Susan Yother

the General Fund

Our Deepest Sympathies to Kay Greenwood and Family for the passing of her beloved

husband Joe Greenwood on Dec. 21.