Text Box: The Christmas Play, A Miracle on Main Street, will be performed by our youth and children on Sunday December 16 at 4:30 pm. This is a heartwarming story about a group of children determined to share the message of Jesus Christ in modern-day America.

Today, more and more communities are struggling with the word "Christmas." Where mangers once stood and carols were sung, Christ is continuing to be dropped in favor of "holiday" celebrations. This enlightening children's musical reaches directly to the heart of this matter, and from the voices of children comes the ultimate truth -- a Christmas without Jesus is like giving a present with no gift inside.

From best-selling children's creator Celeste Clydesdale and arranger David T. Clydesdale comes their latest children's Christmas musical, Miracle on Main Street, The Little Pageant That Wouldn't Give Up! An engaging script and upbeat blend of new songs with traditional carols chronicle the dilemma of a group of children who want to celebrate Christmas in public but face opposition from the politically correct local townsfolk. Despite the challenges, the children stand up for their beliefs and joyfully proclaim their faith.

Practices are held every Saturday 10:00-12:00 through Dec 8^th. All those interested in participating in the play, helping with costumes or scenery, or any other way you feel compelled to assist, may contact Elaine Layland at 946-0202 or 408-1076.

FLAVORING FOR SALE

The United Methodist Women stock a wide variety of Happy Home flavoring for $2.50 a bottle. If you wish to purchase flavoring, please call the church at 945-3029 and speak to Kay.

YOUTH DIRECTOR

We are looking for qualified candidates for the Youth Director's position. We will gladly consider people from within or outside the church. We prefer that applicants have some experience with Christian education, with an emphasis on youth. We need to have this position filled by the end of the year, if possible, so please get your resume or referral in as soon as possible. Stan Crews

FROM UPPER ROOM DAILY REFLECTIONS

Top 10 Reasons to Celebrate Advent by Beth A. Richardson

10. You get to start celebrating New Year's early.

9. Christmas Procrastinators Rule!

8. Go ahead, all the other Christians are doing it!

7. Offers an excellent alternative to decorating with red and green.

6. If you LOVE candles, you'll LOVE Advent!

5. Learn new words to impress your friends.

4. Learn new seasonal songs.

3. Because I wrote a cool Advent book called Child of the Light: Walking Through Advent and

Christmas

2. Gets you in touch with Jesus' story.

1. Great remedy for pre-Christmas stress.

Advent's primary message is to wait, listen, get in touch with God, and prepare our lives and hearts for Jesus' coming. For speeded up, stressed out people (that would be most of us), this is an intriguing invitation. Observe Advent -- and get more in touch with God.

You're invited to observe Advent this year. Light the first Advent Candle -- and lower your stress -- starting December 2, 2007.

BEACON BITS

Responding to Christ’s good news requires first our seeking and receiving it. In addition to doing this as often as we can with the community of faith in Sunday School and worship, we need our own private times of devotional reading, meditation and prayer.

The Upper Room was always on my family’s breakfast room table, and the day’s meditation was shared when two or more of us were there. The Upper Room remained my primary devotional reading through college and divinity school. I now read this daily devotion online at The Upper Room website where you will find links to other wonderful articles and books. One of my favorites is the Daily Reflections. This is where I read The Top Ten Reasons to Celebrate Advent. (See the excerpt from this in The Beacon.) Whether we read The Upper Room or another daily devotional online or in print, it can help us respond to Christ’s good news.

With prayers for an inspiring Advent and Christmas season, my family sends you our warmest greetings in Christ. We will send to Camp Tekoa and to Camp Elk Shoals a gift in honor of the Brookstown congregation. Merry Christmas!

Roland & Emilie Barnhardt

With the blessing of the Annual Conference, I plan to begin training for Interim Ministry in January and to move from my appointment to Brookstown at the end of June. Please know that I am still fully committed to serving as your pastor.

Roland Barnhardt

MISSIONS BITS AND PIECES

Senior Services

Two suggestions to Make the World a Better Place!

1. SENIOR STOCKING DRIVE

Hygiene/Health:

Desitin creamy moisture barrier ointment (large tube)
Disposable under-pads (bed pads, blue pads, Chux
Adult diapers (Briefs: Size XL; Full panty pull-ups, Sizes S, M, L.

Bar soap, any brand Anti-bacterial liquid soap
Moisture lotion/cream (Vaseline Intensive Care, Eucerin, Cetaphil)
Sterile gloves Pillboxes
Adult wipes/baby wipes/towlettes

Household Helps

Dishwashing liquid (Dawn, Joy, Palmolive, etc.)
Kitchen towels Paper towels
Toilet paper Laundry detergent

Food

Boost or Ensure (plain, vanilla and chocolate) nutritional supplements (NOT “plus” or “fiber”)
Small canned hams
Peanut butter crackers Cheese crackers
Fruit cups Jell-o cups
Sugar-free pudding cups

Other

Socks/slippers Stamps
Flashlights/nightlights Nail clippers
Brushers/combs Batteries
Stationery Glove/scarves

All Categories

Gift Cards in any amount (grocery store, pharmacy, department store, gas station)

If you can provide some of these items, bring them to the church office by Sunday, December 2nd.

2. Hold an Edible Evening Event

Have fun and raise funds for Meals-on-Wheels. Call 725-0907 for a host kit and information on how to proceed. Or visit their website, www.edibleevenings.org

Crisis Control Ministry

The Southbound Model Railroaders have one of the largest HO model railroad layouts on the East Coast in Winston-Salem! Enjoy this amazing display at their annual Open House on Dec. 1 from 11 AM -4 PM or Sunday, Dec. 2 from noon-4 PM at 120 Park Ridge Circle located off Country Club Road near South Fork Elementary School. Admission is by donation with proceeds going to Crisis Control Ministry.

For more details, visit www.sbmrr.org

2007 Holiday Honor Cards are available For a minimum donation of $5, they will hand address and mail a beautiful honor card to each person on your list. Order forms are available at 724-7875 or their online address is www.crisiscontrol.org.

Operation Santa Claus 2007

The Mental Health Association is asking for gifts to be taken to John Umstead State Hospital. Your donations are greatly appreciated.

The Association will also deliver goody bags and will host parties on the behavioral heath units of our local hospitals to provide cheer and good will.

Women and Men: Shirts, sweaters, pants or sweat-suit; undergarments, toiletries, something fun (Walkman radio, watch, games, hairdryer or electric razor, etc.) and a non-perishable food gift (box of chocolates, can of popcorn, etc.)

Drop-offs may be made at the MHA office at 1509 S. Hawthorne Road, W-S 27103 anytime before Wed. Dec. 5^th. (768-3880).

Kay Lasley

TRUSTEE NOTES

It has become increasingly obvious that the members of the church and those who use the Fellowship Hall and classrooms are ignoring the requirements of the Fire Marshall and our Insurance Company that all doors should be closed and latched when the room(s) is/are unoccupied. Fire Doors cannot perform their designed duty when left open.

Outside lights are continuously being left on when the last person or groups leaves the building.

EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS OR EVERY LITTLE BIT HURTS!

Bill Lanier

GENESIS and OPEN HANDS SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES

When we discovered that God had led both of our classes, completely independently, to plan a series of lessons based on the ministry and writings of the apostle John, we felt it would be appropriate to join forces and pursue this study together. John Jameson is doing a wonderful job leading us.

This would be a great time to get involved in the adult education efforts of the church if you are not currently participating. We believe that we never lose the capacity to learn and grow in the faith, but we can choose to discontinue our effort. Please come and join us from 9:45 to 10:40 every Sunday morning in the Fellowship Hall.

Stan Crews

RESERVATIONS FOR ELK SHOALS

Don’t forget to get your reservation information to Troy or Teresa Apperson for Elk Shoals, 2008 by Jan. 6. Two trips have been arranged. The dates are Aug. 8, 9, 10 or Sept. 12, 13. Reservation forms are located outside the church office.

Teresa

ELK SHOALS METHODIST CAMP GROUND

This past summer construction began on The Village....a grouping of 4 cabins and a kitchen/dining complex built COMPLETELY to the Federal ADA guidelines, so that handicapped individuals can comfortably and safely enjoy the MANY pleasures of Camp Elk Shoals. This activity is occurring on a parcel of land located on the road that leads up to the Stafford Lodge, just a short ways above the Camp Director's residence.

The Mission House, which has been the summer base house for Carolina Cross Connection, has been closed.

Elk Shoals wants our help to raise needed funds by:

Searching the internet.

Thanks to a new partnership with “Goodsearch.com”, raising money to help support Elk Shoals programs is literally a mouse-click away. Log onto www.Goodsearch.com, a new search engine powered by Yahoo and type Elk Shoals into the “I Support” box and click verify. Then Elk Shoals will receive a donation each time you search the web. You can even download a search toolbar from Goodsearch.com.

Magazine sales and subscriptions

Give subscriptions as gifts. There is an on-line store for magazine sales. Go to http://www.magfundraising.com/Elk_Shoals to make purchases.

Items are available for purchase for Christmas and gift shopping needs:

Elk Shoals Bread of Angels, a 2005 Stephen Shoemaker print, a limited, signed and numbered edition, $85 plus shipping.

Elk Shoals Serene Tranquility, a William Vance Nichols print, limited edition, $50 plus shipping.

A limited edition handmade pewter ornament made especially for Elk Shoals by Jim Teachey of Village Pewter-Winston Salem, $40 plus shipping.

Cloisonné Pin with the Elk Shoals Logo, $10.

Call the camp office at 336-877-4607 to make arrangements for purchase and shipping or email them at elkshoals@skybest.com

Corpening Endowment Fund for Camp Elk Shoals

Donations to this Endowment may be mailed to Camp Elk Shoals, 349-B Methodist Camp Road, West Jefferson, NC 28694.

Wishful Thinking

This year Elk Shoals is launching a different type of fundraiser to outfit the new complex. Wishful Thinking has created an internet site specifically for non-profit camps. On the Website, Elk Shoals has registered a wish list of kitchen equipment needed for the new Village complex. You are asked to go online to www.WishfulThinking.biz, view their Wish list and donate as many of the items on the list as you like. The Wishful Thinking website is very simple to use, and it is an entirely secure site. Simply click on Welcome Donors and you will be guided through the process of donating to our camp. Donations through this site are tax deductible.

Because of your generous gifts many young people’s lives will be forever changed in a very positive way. Camp, of course, isn’t just about challenges and hard work. It is definitely about fun: side-splitting fun, life-long friendships, beautiful memories that never fade but make us better, more tolerant, more open. Thank you for donating to our camp. We, at Camp Elk Shoals, will always be grateful to you for caring about Elk Shoals and the many campers who come through our gates.

Teresa Apperson

LAY LEADER LINKS

Grace and Peace to all from our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen!

Christmas! What a glorious word. A word made from two words that belong together. Christ, the living Son of God, our Savior and mas or mass, a celebration. Celebrating Jesus Christ with thanksgiving, passion and zeal is the party we all want to be invited to and we are. Continuous praise and worship for all He has done in our lives should be paramount. We know the real reason for the season! Amen!

For many people, Christmas or any other happy times are not a part of their lives. There are no joyous seasons; just long seasons of hardship. For whatever reason, the light in their worlds have gone out. The silence of loneliness and the darkness of hopelessness prevail!

Scripture tells us that after four hundred God-silent years, the silence and darkness was broken by an angel named Gabriel (Luke 1:11 & 19). Gabriel announced to Zechariah and Elizabeth that they were going to have a son and name him John (The Lord is gracious) (Luke 1:13). Their son is the one who “will make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17). God had answered their prayer. Their son would be a “joy and delight” to them and “many will rejoice because of his birth” (Luke 1:14). Six months later, Gabriel appeared to a virgin named Mary and promised she would give birth to a son and call him “Jesus” (The Lord saves). “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” and “His kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:26-38). The “light of the world” and eternal hope will rule over darkness (John 8:12).

You and I have the opportunity to be angels of mercy and good news. We can be the God-sent answer to many despondent and silent prayers. We are the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-31). We can bring the light of Christ and the real reason for the season to many hurting people. We can be the Christmas party that they were never invited to. We have the resources. We are the resource. Through us, with Jesus in our hearts, we can shatter the silence of loneliness and illumine the darkness of hopelessness! This is the good news of Jesus Christ and cause for Christ-celebration!!

It is my prayer for all to celebrate this Christmas season with as many family members and friends as possible. But please remember those less fortunate and make an effort to help in any way possible. What a blessing it will be to others and you. In the words of our Youth Director, Denise – “Go out and serve!!!!!!”

Luke 2:11-13 “Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.””

What a Christmas, a Christ-celebration that must have been.

Merry Christmas!

Grace and Peace,

Wayne Biddix

Servant

BIBLE TRIVIA

Bible Trivia is a new addition to the newsletter. It is intended to help us grow and have some fun. It is not intended to intimidate! Please do this at your leisure. The only rules are I want everyone to participate (please!) not only in answering the questions but in gathering of the monthly questions and answers. I would like future Q & A to come from you (individually, S.S. class, Youth or group, etc.). Just e-mail or write them down and put them in my box. The answers will be given in the next month’s newsletter.

Thanks! I look forward to upcoming Q & A and ideas.

Grace and Peace and Merry Christmas,

Wayne Biddix

(waynebiddix@triad.rr.com)

BIBLE TRIVIA

What is the name of the God-sent angel to Zechariah and Mary?
How many Magi where there and approx. when did they visit baby Jesus?
What did the shepherds do after “seeing this thing?”
What book of the Bible has the most details of Christ’s birth?
What was Zechariah’s profession?
How many days after Jesus’ birth was He circumcised and named?
Where was Jesus born? Why?
What happened to Elizabeth when she heard Mary’s greeting?
What was Joseph’s profession? Who issued the decree that a census be taken of the entire

Roman world? What was the importance?

I hope that you enjoy reading and reflecting on the Christmas story in Matthew and Luke.

Wayne Biddix

TEN WORDS THAT DON’T EXIST, BUT SHOULD…..

AQUADEXTROUS (ak wa deks’ trus) adj. possessing the ability to turn the bathroom faucet on and off with your toes.

CARPERPETUATION (kar’pur pet u a shun) n. The act, when vacuuming, of running over a string or a piece of lint at least a dozen times, reaching over and picking it up, examining it, then putting it back down to give the vacuum one more chance.

DISCONFECT (dis kon fekt’) v. To sterilize the piece of candy you dropped on the floor by blowing on it, assuming this will somehow “remove” all the germs.

ELBONICS (el bon’ iks) n. The actions of two people maneuvering for one armrest in a movie theater (airplane).

FRUST frust) n. The small line of debris that refuses to be swept onto the dust pan and keeps backing a person across the room until he finally decides to give it up and sweep it under the rug.

LACTOMANGULATION (lak’ to’ man guy lay’ shun) n. Manhandling the “open here” spout on a milk container so badly that one has to resort to the “illegal” side.

PEPPIER (pehp ee ay’) n. The waiter at a fancy restaurant whose sole purpose seems to be walking around asking diners if they want ground pepper.

PHONESIA (fo nee’ zhuh) n. The affliction of dialing a phone number and forgetting whom you were calling just as they answer.

December 1 8-10:30 AM December 2 11 AM

December 16 4:30 PM