Making music on a Friday morning

Thanks to Liz Goddard for leading the UMW choir in rehearsal this morning with accompaniment by Hazel Smith.

Participating this morning were: Belinda Alkula, Judy Fraser, Carol Goffe, Carole Koval, Lisa Nicholls, Connie Rakiecki, Anna Storkson, and Julie Weindel.

Advent: What Does It Mean to Wait?

It has often been said that waiting has become more difficult for us, as a society, now that technology has cut time-frames in accessing and downloading information, in cooking our food, and in the time it takes to watch a whole season of a show. The logic goes like this: the shorter completion times create a shorter attention span, and this shorter attention span extends to all areas of our lives. Thus, where waiting might have been considered part of normal everyday life at one time, it is often met now with frustration, confusion, even despair.

Read more at this link.

United Methodism today: Wesley’s movement continues

A UMC.org Feature by Joe Iovino*

A spiritual movement started when, “Four young students … agreed to spend their evenings together” on their college campus (“Thoughts upon Methodism”), and spread across their nation. Nearly 300 years later, United Methodists are still on the move.

Read more at this link.

1 Corinthians 13 (A Christmas version)

Extra choir practice this week

The choir is working diligently to prepare for this coming Sunday's worship service. This year is the sixty-first Hanging of the Greens and will be a blessing for one and all!

Wesley hymn devotions for Advent and Christmas

Music is a wonderful part of the Christmas and Advent seasons. Charles Wesley, one of Methodism's founders, wrote several hymns for Advent and Christmas. Some we know and others are less familiar.

These devotions draw on the hymns of Charles Wesley to help us reflect upon the miracle of Christmas, when “the Word became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14, NRSV).

Read more at this link.

UMW board at work

The Stevensville United Methodist Women board met today to plan for the coming year's activities and ministries for the Unit. 

Big changes are coming to the Stevensville UMW in 2019: Come be part of the excitement that is today's UMW!!

Wednesday with Wesley

Hanging of the Greens is next week

The 61st annual celebration that is the Hanging of the Greens at Stevi UMC will be offered to the glory of God next Sunday during worship. 

Invite everyone you know to share in this wonderful way to enter into the Advent season and the buildup to Christmas Day!

Giving Tuesday & The UMC

Give to the Greatest Need

Support mission work with a gift to the overall work of Global Ministries.

Support programs for disaster recovery and more with a gift to the overall work of UMCOR.

Browse Projects - Search for particular Advance projects or discover new ones. Begin your search by exploring options at this link. These buttons will lead to new pages with additional search options.

Hold on there a minute!

This week @ Stevi UMC

Monday: 
1:00 pm, Drop-in Bible Study @ TLC
7:00 pm, Living Clean

Tuesday: Giving Tuesday
7:00 pm, Choir practice
 
Wednesday:
8:00 am, WIC
10:00 am, Luke-Acts Bible study

Thursday:
10:00 am, UMW board
7:00 pm, SPPRC

Friday:
10:00 am, Drop-in Bible Study @ the church
10:00 am, UMW choir practice

Sunday:
10:15 am, Praise singing
10:30 am, 61st Hanging of the Greens
10:45 am, Church school
11:30 am, Fellowship time

The fnal Sunday of the church year

We remember and give thanks

Dave leading the praise singing

Kendra shares with the children

In memory of Mary Lyon

Julie offers an anthem

The church year draws to a close this week as we observe Christ the King Sunday.

Special music was shared by Bill Lyon, "For Mary." The anthem was offered today by Julie Weindel who shared "He Lives." Pastor Charles' sermon, "The view from the Throne" was taken from Revelation 1:4b-7.

This morning we received the 19th annual Thank Offering, with our pledges going to designated special ministries in the Bitterroot Valley, in Montana, and around the world in 2019. 

Thanks this morning to: Lynda Fisher (Nursery), Dave Lockman (Praise music), Hazen & Katie Rose (Acolytes), Bev Schneider (Liturgist), Belinda Alkula (video), Hazel Smith (Organist), Julie Weindel (Anthem), Bill Lyon (Anthem), Kendra Ruff (Holy Moly), Dean Diers & Don Nelson (Offering counters), Arlene Halfhide & Mary Costello (Greeters), and Mary Costello & Cammie Edgar (Fellowship).

United Methodist Student Day

Across the country, the people of The United Methodist Church are serving the people God loves in Jesus’ name. We’re doing it at home, but so often we’d like to do more.

• We want to serve those in other places who are suffering.
• We want to offer spiritual words of hope and life.
• And we want to be well-equipped to do both!

But the reality for most of us is that our responsibilities—home, family, work—don’t allow us to engage with every need we’d like to meet.

Right now there are UMC young people—who might not have had the resources to attend a school of their choice, or, for some, any school at all—who’ve been sent by you into the world God loves because of your giving to United Methodist Student Day. When you give generously you are support these students as they prepare for a life that unites faith with knowledge.

Read more at this link.

Christ the King Sunday

 Ivan Rachov

The church year draws to a close with Christ the King Sunday. As we prepare for Advent (next week) we are reminded that all things in this life draw us closer to the culmination and the adoration of the King of kings.

 ~ ~ ~

 Splendor and honor and kingly power
are Yours by right, O Lord our God,
For You created everything that is,
and by Your will they were created and 

have their being;
And Yours by right, O Lamb that was slain,
for with Your blood You have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation,
a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to Him who sits upon the throne,
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor,
for ever and for evermore.

Book of Common Prayer, 1979 

(Revelation 4:11; 5:9-10, 13)

 (Painting -  Ivan Rachov, Lamb of God, Ceiling of the Apostolic Nuntiature 
(Vatican Embassy) in Sofia, Bulgaria)

Advent Photo-a-Day Challenge

We have a challenge for this holiday season: Pause.

We're giving occasion to pause in our Advent Photo-a-Day challenge. We'll send out one word a day. 

Take some time to pause, reflect, and post a picture in response to the word. Tag your post with #RethinkChurch!

http://www.rethinkchurch.org/articles/christmas/advent-phot
o-a-day-challenge-2018

Christmas Sharing Tree

The Sharing Tree tags are coming next week and will be found on the small Christmas tree across from the office.  Each tag gives the age, sex, needs, and sizes of a needy child who lives in Stevensville, Victor, or Florence.

Take 1 or more tags, put your name and phone number on the bottom receipt, tear off and place in the basket.  Most of the tags are for warm clothes, boots, or gloves for children 11-18.  You do not have to buy all items listed.  Go shopping, asking for gift receipts in case an item needs to be returned.  It is helpful,l but not necessary, to include a box and wrapping paper  Then place your gifts in a plastic trash bag with gift receipts, securing the tag to the outside, and deliver your bag(s) to the church before Dec. 11 where the gifts will be picked up by a Sharing Tree volunteer.  

Beth Perkins, Sharing Tree Coordinator, says about 400 bags will be distributed Dec. 18.  They try to include toiletry items for older children, and toys for the little ones. If you are unable to shop, you can mail a check to Sharing Tree, PO Box 747, Stevensville, MT  59870.  If you wish to volunteer, call Beth Perkins at 406-207-5748. God bless you for sharing your love with those less fortunate.

Submitted by Hazel Smith, Mission Education/Social Action Coordinator for UMW

Skip Black Friday this year

Advance hope, love and healing around the world on November 27!

United Methodists will come together to support vital ministry projects and missionaries around the world on #GivingTuesday as they generously #GiveUMC. 

Giving through The Advance empowers hundreds of dedicated project leaders and missionaries to share the love of Christ in meaningful, life-saving ways. As always, 100% of all giving will support the designated Advance ministry!

How will you #GiveUMC? Find a project you are passionate about and make a donation! 

A Morning Prayer of Thanksgiving

Loving God, Creator of all that has been, all that is, and all that is to come; You made us human and gave us hearts to love you and follow you.

We thank you for the many blessings you have given us over this past year. 

God, we thank you for all of the blessings you have given us throughout our lives:

Food to eat,
Clothes to wear,
Shelter from the storm,
People who love us unconditionally. 

We thank you for their love because we recognize 

that their love for us is a reflection of your love.
We acknowledge that there are times in our lives 

when we, ourselves, feel unloved and unlovable.
Give us the grace to love others, even when they 

are difficult.

We trust in your faithfulness to carry us over the rough places of life.
We trust in your love to walk with us through the difficulties of our days.
We trust in your promise of life everlasting and put all 

of our hope in you.

 

We thank you for Jesus.
We thank you that he died so that we might have eternal life.

Forgive us for our sins: 

The things you asked us to do and we failed to do 

As well as the things you told us not to do but we did anyway. 

We are sorry and we ask that you will strengthen us
So that we will always follow you.

We pray that your Holy Spirit will be felt by people who are in pain in mind, body or spirit.
help them to know that you are with them
and you are able to carry them through their trials.

Bless our church family.
Bless our community.
Bless our nation.
Bless our world. 

Enable us to live so that your will might be made manifest in the world around us. We ask all these things in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior who taught us to pray as he taught his disciples: 

(The Lord's Prayer)
 

---

The Rev. Dr. LaGretta Bjorn is the pastor of the United Methodist Church of Spring Valley in Spring Valley, New York, and is a clergy member of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

WOW!

The November edition of Worship on Wednesday (WOW) took place tonight in The Living Center's second floor meeting space. 

Thanks to Carole Koval, Bill Lyon, and Connie Rakiecki (from Sunrise) for sharing their musical gifts with us tonight.

Wesley on Wednesday

The New Room - Bristol

Advent / Christmas Devotionals

The print version of our Advent/Christmas devotional, The Names of Jesus, will be available next Sunday at the church. Beginning on December 2, daily entries will be posted to our blog and on our Facebook page.

Passing of Tom Bishop

It is with sadness that we report the news this morning 
of the death of Tom Bishop.

A memorial service will be held on December 29, 
11:00 am at the Stevensville UMC.

This week @ Stevi UMC

Monday: Newsletter articles due
7:00 pm, Living Clean

Tuesday:
7:00 pm, Choir practice
 
Wednesday:
8:00 am, WIC
10:00 am, Luke-Acts Bible study
6:00 pm, WOW at The Living Center

Thursday: THANKSGIVING DAY

Friday:
10:00 am, Drop-in Bible Study @ Doris T. 

Sunday:
10:15 am, Praise singing
10:30 am, Worship
10:45 am, Church school
11:30 am, Fellowship time
11:45 am, Chime practice

The scripture lessons for Christ the King Sunday

Christ Pantocrator - Cathedral of Cefalù,Italy

The church year comes to a close this week with Christ the King Sunday. The lessons this week come to us from John 18:33-37 and Revelation 1:4b-8.

Celebration Sunday!

Donna Lewis and Dave Lockman leading a song

"Goliath"

Cale Fisher as "Goliath" & Ollie as "David"

It's the Celebration Potluck!

John Soper samples the potluck fare

This morning the choir shared "Goliath" with the children. Pastor Charles' sermon, "Our heart's desire," was taken from Mark 12:38-42.

This morning was also the day we received the annual Commitment Sunday offering, our pledges toward the work of the Stevi UMC in 2019.

Following worship we gathered in the fellowship hall for the annual Celebration Sunday potluck!
 
Thanks this morning to: Amanda Hermes (Nursery), Dave Lockman (Praise music), Hazen & Katie Rose (Acolyte)s, Dean Diers (Liturgist), Belinda Alkula (power point/video), Hazel Smith (Organist), Brenda Bolton (Choir), Sara Malo (Holy Moly), Don Nelson & Kathy Wood (Offering counters), Arlene Halfhide & Ed Sperry (Greeters/Ushers), and Celebration Sunday Potluck.

Christmas is coming!

 

A sign-up sheet for poinsettias is now available on the church library table.

Celebrate with us!

We're celebrating our commitment to the ministries being offered through Stevi UMC next Sunday! 

During worship we'll be receiving the pledge cards during a special offering. Afterwards, we will share a fabulous potluck meal together!!!

Farewell to Bill Schneider

The community gathered this evening to say goodbye to Bill Schneider.

Thanks to Hazel Smith for providing the musical accompaniment. Thanks also to the many contributors to the UMW reception that was shared following the service.

Wednesday with Wesley

Wildfires in California

As thousands flee wildfires in California, UMCOR is in close conversation with the disaster response coordinators of the California-Pacific and California-Nevada Conferences of The United Methodist Church. 

UMCOR is already actively engaged in California in response to previous wildfires and we anticipate supporting both conferences as they identify and respond to the needs of the populations affected by the current wildfires.

We pray for the safety of the firefighters and first responders as well as those evacuating their homes. UMCOR stands ready to support the response of the conferences with relief kits, Early Response Teams, and funding.

Support the work of UMCOR's Current Disaster Response at this link.

It's coming

Scripture lessons for November 18

The scripture lessons for next Sunday come to us from Joel 2:21-27 and Mark 13:1-8.

This week @ Stevi UMC

Monday:
7:00 pm, Living Clean

Tuesday:
7:00 pm, Choir practice
 
Wednesday:
8:00 am, WIC
10:00 am, Luke-Acts Bible study
12:30 pm, Stewardship/Finance
6:30 pm, Worship team

Thursday:
1:00 pm, Senior Moments, too
3:00 pm, Shepherding
5:00 pm, Bill Schneider memorial service

Friday:
10:00 am, Drop-in Bible Study @ Doris T. 

Sunday:
10:15 am, Praise singing
10:30 am, Worship
10:45 am, Church school
11:30 am, Celebration Sunday Potluck
11:45 am, Chime practice

Sunday morning @ Stevi UMC

It was a wonderful morning at Stevi UMC as Kendra Ruff presented four of our children were presented with their own Bibles: Ollie, Orion, Hazen, & Katie Rose (Ava and Tiegen will receive theirs later).

This morning the choir shared "For the Beauty of the Earth" as their offering to God. Pastor Charles' sermon, "Going all in," was taken from Mark 12:38-42.
 
Thanks this morning to: Lynda Fisher (Nursery), Paul Ludington (Praise music), Hazen & Katie Rose (Acolyte)s, John Fisher (Liturgist), Belinda Alkula (power point), Sara Malo (video), Julie Ludington (Pianist), Brenda Bolton (Choir), Kendra Ruff (Holy Moly), Ruth Cleveland & Don Nelson (Offering counters), Arlene Halfhide & Ed Sperry (Greeters/Ushers), and Cathy Hackett and Mary Hackett (Fellowship).

Passing of Bill Schneider

It is with sadness this morning that we report the death of Bill Schneider.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday at 5:00 pm.