This year’s annual bazaar and auction will be held on November 7^th starting at 9:00 a.m.

Featured this year at the auction will be a king size appliquéd and quilted “Peacocks” quilt as well as numerous other items.  Also for sale will be Virginia Draper’s new book entitled “Postscript”.

With hard candy, quilted items, hands knitted and crochet items, soup and sandwiches, wood crafted items, and Christmas ornaments you will not want to miss

There is always good fellowship at the bazaar so come and enjoy you lunch with us or you can purchase them to take home or both!!!!

 

The Community Thanksgiving Service will be held on November 25 at 7:30 p.m.  This year it is at Garfield and will be filled with music as choirs and individuals from different churches lift up their voice in praise and thanks.

As we give thanks and praise to God for the bounty and blessing, we hear the word of the psalmists as they cry out, "How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom You made them all (Psalm 104:24)." The whole community comes together to set our hearts and minds on the gifts of God's grace and mercy as we worship together.

Please plan to attend!

 

 It is back!  Join us December 28, 29, 30, and 31^st here at Garfield for our second annual Winter Break Camp.

There are two hour options. Families who need full time care can choose the Extended Hour option from 8 am to 5 pm. Those who are looking for a mid-day break can choose the 10 am to 2 pm option. Lunch is served for all children.

We are asking for a $8 per day donation for children coming part-time and a $10 per day donation for children coming full time. Scholarships are available. Please return the registration form by December 20^th to Garfield or see Pastor Katie for details (pastorkatiebishop@yahoo.com or 301-846-4098).

EVERYONE CAN HELP – We are looking for donations of the following items: juice, snacks, paper towel and toilet paper tubes, and art supplies.  We are also looking for volunteers. Your time, no matter how much, can make a difference in the lives of these children. Please see Pastor Katie for details.

 

CHRISTMAS IS COMING:

Advent Devotionals - Please plan to pick up an Advent Devotional to read through the season of Advent. These devotions are short, and this year focus on the music of the Christmas season. It is a wonderful way to prepare our hearts for Christmas.

Advent Candle Lighting – If you would like to light the advent candles, do a special reading, or share a special piece of music this advent season, please let Pastor Katie know.

Children’s Program      On November 1^st we will meet after worship to discuss the children’s Christmas worship service and pass out parts to be played. 

Please try to attend the meeting and let your interest be known to pastor Katie, Andrew Brown, Samantha Bear or Jeannette Kuhn

Salvation Army Stockings – If you would like to stuff a stocking, please see Pastor Katie. They are due December 6^th.

Christmas Collections – November 15 begins our special Christmas collections.  We collect items for Reeders and Fahney Keeny Skilled Care Homes and fruit basket money for the shut ins in our community.  Look for special donation boxes in the narthex.  Also, if you wish to place a poinsettia in the church in memory or honor of a loved one, please see the sign up sheet at church

 

Soup And Study- Join us Wednesdays at noon as we share in fellowship and study. December 2^nd will begin an Advent Study.

Bible Study for the Church Family – Thursday Nights – Dinner is at 6:30 and Bible Study is at 7. Classes for children, youth, parents and adults are available.

THERE WILL BE NO BIBLE STUDY two weeks this month – No Bible Study on November 4^th or 5^th, nor November 25^th or 26^th.

Children in elementary school are invited to come to King’s Club on the third Sunday of the month from 5 to 6:30 pm. We will share in games, and Bible Study and share in dinner before the group is over.

The next meeting is scheduled for November 15^th. See Pastor Katie for details.

On November 22^nd Garfield will hold a worship service at the Reeder’s Home in Boonsboro.  The service will begin at 4:00 pm.

This is a is a time when we get to share with the residents of the home who so enjoy the Word being brought to them.

If you can assist in the service, please let Jeannette Kuhn or Pastor Katie know how you can help.  You will be as blessed as the residents by this experience.

 

November is the month of Thanksgiving, but it often also includes the beginning of a new church year. This year, November 29 is the first Sunday of Advent. The season of Advent is about Jesus, the Word, “coming.” It’s about anticipating and preparing for Christ’s arrival.

God comes to us in many and various ways. He speaks to us through the prophets and saints. He comes and speaks to us when we are listening. He comes in the beauty and mysteries of nature. Most of all, God comes in the person of Christ, speaking to his listeners face to face.

Pastor Edmund Steimle put it this way: “The Christian story is a story of God coming into the middle of life, of our lives, opening the dialogue with us.”

That’s what Advent is really all about: God visiting the earth in person to speak with anyone and everyone who is ready to do so.

 

A Word From Our Pastor

Pausing to Give Thanks

Oh the Lord’s been good to me, and so I thank the Lord!

For giving me, the things I need, the sun, the rain, and the apple seed!

The Lord’s been good to me!

The Johnny Apple Seed Prayer

 

Surrounded by families enjoying their dinner, I witnessed something amazing. Already eating our dinner, I could not help but notice a large family sitting across from us at the restaurant. They had just received their meal and apparently it was the youngest daughter’s turn to pick the prayer.  Having chosen the “Johnny Apple Seed Prayer,” the whole family began to sing, “OOOOHHHHHH, the Lord’s been good to me.” And as they did, not one of them held back, “And so I thank the Lord!” Now the kids were closing their eyes belting out their prayer, “For giving me, the things I need, the sun, the rain, the apple seed!” And finally the mother lifted her hands up in prayer, “Oh, the Lord’s been good to me, Amen!” As the prayer song ended they opened their eyes to see a whole restaurant staring at them. From wait staff, to some kitchen staff who came out to see what was up, to every person enjoying their meal, we were all staring. No one uttered a word, until  my little Eden chorused, “AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!”

Amen, friends! We are blessed. Even in the midst of the economy, even as we struggle with the loss of jobs and homes, even as our health fails, even as we wonder what plan and purpose might be next, we are blessed. For just as God provides for the lilies of the field and sparrows, so God provides for us.  And we should be taking a moment to pause and be thankful. We should be taking moments to lift our voices in praise to the Lord of all creation.

In his book Folk Psalms of Faith, Ray Stedman tells of an experience H.A. Ironside had in a crowded restaurant. Just as Ironside was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited his to have a seat. Then, as was his custom, Ironside bowed his head in prayer. When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, "Do you have a headache?" Ironside replied, "No, I don't." The other man asked, "Well, is there something wrong with your food?" Ironside replied, "No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat." 

The man said, "Oh, you're one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don't have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!"

 Ironside said, "Yes, you're just like my dog. That's what he does too!"

Friends, this thanksgiving, let us take time to realize how GOOD our God has been to us, to be thankful. Let us take time to pray in song and word a moment of thanks. 

May you and your families be blessed and know that I am thankful for each of you!

 

A guest at the table

For, after all, put it as we may to ourselves, we are all of us from birth to death guests at a table which we did not spread. The sun, the earth, love, friends, our very breath are parts of the banquet. Shall we think of the day as a chance to come nearer to our Host, and to find out something of him who has fed us so long?

—Rebecca Harding Davis

 

---submitted by Andrew Brown

Even though there is snow on the ground as I write this I am looking forward to what the rest of fall has to offer. As you know this month we have the opportunity to give thanks for what we have received in the past year, and we are thankful for the love he has shown us.  Psalm 107:1 reminds us, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." 

While I was preparing for October’s Jr. King’s Kids devotional, I was reminded that no matter what we do God still loves us.  He showed us his love after Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree of life.  How easy it could have been for God to destroy Adam and Eve and start all over again.  He showed us his love when he sent his son to die on the cross for our sins, so that we would now have a second chance.  Also He shows us His love through our friends, our family, our freedoms, and even a white blanket of snow on a cold fall morning.  Like the snow we too will be gone from this earth but God’s love will endure.

I am thankful for all the wonderful young people who come to Jr. King’s Kids and King’s Kids each month.  God shows his love through the energy and passion that they have for the group and church.  Jr. King’s Kids is for grades 5-8 and King’s Kids is for grades 9-12 but we are very flexible and have no problem if any younger children want to join us. 

The whole month of October the youth helped build, paint, and light the Mummer’s day Parade float.  We are looking forward to riding it in the parade and performing Superstar from the award winning musical, “Jesus Christ Superstar.”  We would love to have everyone come out and cheer for us in Hagerstown on October 31.

As always the youth do not stop working.  November 7^th the Youth group will be selling T-shirts, calendars, and pens at the church Bazaar, the proceeds will help support the groups’ various activities and mission projects.  November 1^st-22^nd we will be collecting shoe boxes, wrapping paper and money for Operation Christmas Child.  We also need items for children ages 2-14 to fill the boxes, which include; Small toys, stuffed animals, school supplies, hygiene products, soaps (that are not liquids), tooth paste, brushes, hard candies, gum, sunglasses, small flash lights, hair clips/ties, underwear, socks, and t-shirts, ect.  After church on the 22^nd, we will be packing the boxes.  There will be a drop off box in the foyer for these items. 

Looking ahead, the Jr. King’s Kids and King’s Kids Youth groups will be helping with the Christmas Program in December.  Also the third Sunday in December will be the youth groups’ annual Christmas Party.  We have also planned a Trip to Hershey Park for December 29^th.

Please, continue to pray for our youth group and that it may continue to grow and help others in our community and around the world! If you know any young people that want to participate in any of our group gatherings and activities please contact Pastor Katie or me, so we can talk to them.

Would you like to volunteer with any of our upcoming events?  I would never turn down an extra pair of hands; feel free to contact me: A.Brown.87@live.com, or (301)606-5458.  You can find The Youth Group on Facebook.com, search for GUMC Youth and check out our Videos at Youtube.com/TheGUMCYouth.

 

This year's Slime Time Party was a huge success. After lunch we enjoyed decorating pumpkins, wrapping up like mummies, and even stuffing scarecrows. It was wonderful! Thank you to all who helped make it such a success!

 

 

Income	2008	2009
Month	6679	6748
YTD	83949	93614
Expenses	2008	2009
Month	10016	15050
YTD	94778	100064
Sunday School/Missions	2008	2009
Sunday school	209	153
YTD	1966	1751
Missions	250	645
YTD	6087	4641
Attendance	2008	2009
Worship	330	283
YTD	3527	3145
Sunday School	96	79
YTD	927	698

 

Psalm 121 focuses on the assurance of God’s help at all times. The final two verses (7-8) begin:

“The Lord will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

The Lord will keep

your going out and your coming in ….” [NRSV]

Choose the correct ending of the psalm:

A. today and every day.

B. as long as you live a good life.

C. if you ask God to do so.

D. from this time on and forevermore.

 

Veterans Day, which is November 11 each year, is a holiday to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism and willingness to serve and sacrifice for our nation’s common good.

Christians follow the Prince of Peace, so war is a dilemma that often challenges people of faith. Some Christians are pacifists, while others believe in a “just war.” Many believe that the goals of freedom, justice, equality and democracy are worth the cost required.

Whatever individual Christians decide about any given conflict, most Christians believe that men and women who strive to make this world free of tyrants are to be respected. As Winston Churchill said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

Thank you to all the men and women who served or are now serving our country.

 

Many denominations celebrate November 1 each year as All Saints’ Day. It is a day when we recall those who have died in the faith throughout history.

Obviously there would be no Christianity without faithful disciples of Christ who have held fast to their faith in good times and in bad. There have been countless martyrs who have died witnessing to the love of God and the saving grace of Christ. And sad to say, in some parts of the world, Christians are still persecuted and even slain for their beliefs.

Take time to think of our Christian heritage, and remember with thanksgiving those who have held fast to their faith no matter what

 

O God of all, Who hears the prayers of every generation,

Accept the thankfulness we feel for those who built our nation,

For frontier path with oxen cart, for circuit rider station,

For simple joy, for vision, for hope and inspiration.

We praise You for those saints of old who listened to Your call,

Who weathered storm and sacrifice to serve both great and small.

They left a legacy of love; a church that needs no wall —

But takes your Gospel through the world and shares the Faith with all.

Walk city street and foreign shore with us, Your Church, today.

Lift us to new horizons; show us Your Will, Your Way.

Be in our thoughts, our hopes, our dreams, in all we do and say.

Grant us Your benediction now, O Lord, our God, we pray. Amen.

Peggy Ferrell