ALDERSGATE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
 MIDLAND, MICHIGAN

NEWS ARCHIVES - SEP-DEC 2005

I am the vine,
     you are the branches.
        If a man remains in me
            and I in him,
               he will bear much fruit.
John 15:5(NRSV)

poinsettia A special thanks to all who have made Christmas more meaningful this year. Thanks to all who contributed to the Christmas Eve services. Thanks also to those who have had a part in decorating the church for the season. Thanks to all who purchased poinsettias to help decorate our sanctuary during the Christmas season. Thanks to all who contributed to the Christmas Card Fund to help needy with heating bills. Thanks to the children (and adults) who donated hats and mittens for the mitten tree so that the needy could have some more warmth. Thanks to all the chancel choir members and the actors who made A Christmas Dream a memorable event on December 11. A special thanks to Phil Rice for doing the writing, to Charlene Rice for directing the music, to Mary Ann Wise for the narration, and to Jan Young for directing the acting. Thanks also to the Youth Chime Choir and to the High School Bell Choir for their special music. Thanks to all who helped with the Aldersgate Sharing Tree. We brought in well over 200 gifts as Christmas presents for the needy.
_

The Young Adult Fellowship Group - FaCeS (Families, Couples, and Singles) met December 17 for an Experimental Christmas Party. Participants brought food they had NEVER made before. _

The United Methodist Women Christmas program was December 14. Alice Morgan presented a reading on What Men Live By. _

The UMYF had a Red Hat Christmas Party on December 11. Thanks to all the adults who helped. _

A big thanks to all who have given support to improvements in the wood-working shop at the school in Rio Colorado Bolivia. Over $2,500 has been collected to help provide a cement floor in the shop and to help purchase a table saw, electric motor, planner, mortiser, and other tools. _

This year's stewardship theme is Branch Out ... into Faith, Service and Stewardship. Commitments of time, talents, and resources to the work of our church were made at the November 6 service. If you were unable to attend, please mail your commitments to the church office. _

Our Missionary Extra Mile Program this year asked for special gifts to support the mission ministries of Chris Henna in Semipalatinsk, Kazahkstan; Dan and Kelly Harman at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Camp, Cedar, Michigan; and the Rio Colorado Tech School in Boliva. The asking was from October 9 to 23 but gifts will still be accepted. Giving forms are available in the office. _

The Annual Church Conference was held November 22 with District Superintendent Louise R. Ott presiding. Reports from the Pastor and others were given. Official business included approval of the Pastor's salary and election of church officers. Click here for minutes in PDF format.
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Again this year, Aldersgate was one of the sponsors of the Community Thanksgiving Food Baskets program. The program provides thanksgiving meals for some of our county's neediest families. Our church was a busy place on November 20-22 as the goods were collected, sorted, and distributed. With the help of many other churches, over 1000 bags of groceries, 4000 pounds of potatoes, 250 turkeys and other necessities were collected, sorted, and distributed at Aldersgate to more than 400 needy families. Thanks to Dean and Elaine Tobey for coordinating this effort. Thanks to all who contributed time and money to the program. _

The Missions Committee thanks all who have given money and hands-on work in support of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Missions Committee has given $2000 on behalf of Aldersgate to UMCOR for immediate relief efforts and is pursuing specific opportunities to giving other aid. help Neil Hawkins. _

The Friendship Christ Care Group had a Guess Who's Coming to Dinner party on October 28. _

On October 23, our Missions Ministry hosted members of Calvary and Jefferson United Methodist Churches of Saginaw for a service of inspiration and a potluck dinner. Choirs from all three churches sang. The Rev. Maurice Horn, joint minister of the 2 Saginaw churches, gave the message. _

We celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism on October 23 for:
            Alexander Duane Liakos

The Young Adult Fellowship Group - FaCeS (Families, Couples, and Singles) met on October 22 for a hay ride and a bonfire at Berry Creek Farm. _

Thanks to Duane Townley, Detroit Conference Volunteers in Missions chair, his wife Terry, and Duane Brooks for telling about their recent VIM trip to Boliva at our service and special program on October 16. Thanks for all who helped prepare the Bolivian dinner afterwards. _

We celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism on October 9 for:
            Jorja Jean Palmer

Thanks to all who helped with the rummage sale on October 6 and 7. The sale netted $1538 which be distributed to local charities. Unsold items were donated to the Flint Salvation Army. _

The annual Crop Walk was Sunday, October 2. Five of our adults and six youth walked. Others helped in the organization and the running of the event. We raised $1812 of which 25% will be given to local agencies. Contributions can still be made at the Crop Walk website. Click here to view pictures of the walk. _

Congratulations to Bob Bond, former member and son of Murl Bond, who was ordained into the ministry on September 24 at First Congregational Church in Battle Creek. _

We are pleased to welcome Carole Spencer to the position of Director of Christian Education. Carole is a retired elementary teacher from the Carrollton school system in Saginaw County. She has also been an adjunct professor at Saginaw Valley State University. She and her husband, Sheldon, attend Sanford United Methodist Church. _

We celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism on September 18 for:
            Alexa Grace Fu-Zheng Stacy

On Sunday, September 18, the Missions Committee sponsored an Offering of Letters in conjunction with Bread for the World. Members of the congregation wrote letters to Michigan members of Congress urging them to support proposed legislation to reduce hunger. _

The UMW, meeting on September 14 was on the Lunch Box Learners program. Volunteer Outreach Director Janet Fergin was the speaker. _

The 55 and the 3F's, meeting on September 12 was an overview of the the new Medicare prescription drug program. Stacy McKinnon of Senior Services was the speaker. At the October 10 meeting, Kathy Ellison, Director of Curriculum of the Midland Public Schools, gave an update on issues concerning the schools. At the November 7 meeting, Midland County Sheriff, Jerry Nielsen was the speaker. At the December meeting, Ralph Czerepinski gave a program on mushrooms. _

Welcome to those who have joined the church this year:
            Andrew, Brenda, & Mike Oliver             Char McCoy             Eric & Nancy Barnard             Mike & Jan Warren             Mike & Heidi Trebilcock             Todd & Jill Nyman             Kris, Rod, & Bob Babcock
            Amy & Dean Liakos             Jan Baumgras             Jamie Hoy             Kendall & Jennifer Root
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[News from May-Aug 2005] [News from Jan-Apr 2005]
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[News from Sep-Dec 2003] [News from May-Aug 2003] [News from Jan-Apr 2003]
[News from Sep-Dec 2002] [News from May-Aug 2002] [News from Jan-Apr 2002]
[News from Sep-Dec 2001] [News from May-Aug 2001] [News from Jan-Apr 2001]
[News from Sep-Dec 2000] [News from May-Aug 2000] [News from Jan-Apr 2000]
[News from Sep-Dec 1999] [News from May-Aug 1999] [News from Jan-Apr 1999]
[News from Sep-Dec 1998] [News from May-Aug 1998] [News from Jan-Apr 1998]
[News from Sep-Dec 1997] [News from May-Aug 1997] [News from Jan-Apr 1997]
[News from 1996]

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