St. Paul’s Newsletter

December 2003

 

 

Miracle on Colfax Street!

 

Christmas is more than Santa Claus, cookies baking, the glow of the Christmas tree, or your favorite carol. In these days of uncertainly, many of us yearn for the innocence, peace, and purity found in a traditional Christmas. The good news is the wonder of Christmas isn’t just a warm childhood memory. Join us at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church for our Advent and Christmas sermon series, “Miracle on Colfax Street” and capture the true meaning of Christmas. Come and see the wonder of Christmas through God’s gift of Jesus Christ!

(Sermon titles based on famous quotations from the movie

“Miracle on 34th Street”)

 

Sunday, November 30

“You’ve Got Them Mixed Up!”

 

Sunday, December 7

“Christmas Isn’t Just a Day, It’s a Frame of Mind!”

 

Sunday, December 14

“Some People Wish for Things They Couldn’t Possibly Use”

 

Sunday, December 21

“Don’t Overlook Those Lovely Intangibles”

 

Christmas Eve – December 24th @ 7:00 p.m.

Carols and Candlelight

 

Wednesday, December 24

“Faith is Believing in Things When Common Sense Tells You Not To”

 

Join us for a time of worship to experience of the true meaning of Christmas!

 

My Dear Congregation,

Grace and peace to all! I hope that all is well with everyone as we get ready to give God thanks for all of the blessings he bestows upon on us in our journey through life.

This year, I am especially grateful to God for all of his gifts that he gives to me so abundantly in my life. While it has been an adjustment and a learning experience pastoring two congregations, I am doubly blessed by the opportunity to be in relationship with all of the wonderful folks that grace each congregation. And so this year, I give God thanks for wonderful worship experiences, fun and good-hearted church folks, and the love and grace I been given through your reflection of God’s love to me. Although there are times when serving two congregations can be an exercise in learning to delegate and let go of some things, the blessings far out weigh any negatives.

            I hope that you are able to see God’s blessings in your life this year as you gather to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends. Psalm 9:1-2 says: “ I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of his wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High!”

There are some days in my life when I would just as soon not be grateful! You know those kind of days - maybe it is a day when I have many things to do that I don’t really want to do. Or maybe it is a day when I don’t feel very well. Or maybe it is a day when I’m especially tired. But - “The most important component of happiness, by far – there isn’t a close second – is gratitude.” said Dennis Prager to television interviewer Larry King. “Nothing instills gratitude as much as religion and prayer done correctly. Prayer is a major vehicle to gratitude. Not request prayer, grateful prayer: Thank you God.”  Studies show that those of us who concentrate on the positives in our lives experience more happiness, better physical and emotional health, and better relationships with the people in our lives. “O God, give me the strength to be grateful, even when I’m not sure I want to be!”

How grateful are you today? When you pray, are you able to give God thanks for all of the blessings that he brings, even if you are in the midst of pain and suffering? Sometimes it is hard to turn those negative thoughts around into positive. But the Bible and the world tell us that it is worth the effort. Find something to be grateful for and hang on to it, even when you would rather not!

 

                                                                        Blessings to All!

                                                                       

                                                                                    Pastor Kathy

 

 

MICHIANA PRAYER WEB
Our District Superintendent is starting a Michiana Prayer Web.  Each week, we are asked to keep in prayer one church in the district and its pastor(s).  Please remember to lift up these churches and its pastor(s) in your prayers.

Here is the prayer schedule for the month of December:

 

                                    Church                                   Pastor(s)

           

December 7th:              Granger Community              Mark Beeson

 

December 14th:          Granger Good Shepherd        Rob Neel

 

December 21st:           Granger New Salem                David Hughes

 

December 28th:          Howe & Pretty Prairie             Dewey Miller Jr. / Mary McGawn

 

 

Christmas Eve

Candlelight Service

 

Wednesday, Dec. 24th

 7:00 p.m.

 

Come join us for a time of worship and singing of carols as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

 

Weekly Giving Report…….

            Sunday, Nov. 2nd:   $ 1498.00         Sunday, Nov. 16th:    $ 1138.00

          Sunday, Nov. 9th:    $  866.00         Sunday, Oct..26th:    $  619.00

 

Don’t forget!  Please mark your giving envelopes for the amount that you woud like to go toward the payment of our apportionments!  Let’s continue to step up to becoming a faithful, missional church of Jesus Christ!

 

Bishop Woodie W. White calls upon the 1,300 United Methodist Churches of Indiana to support the Indiana Area United Methodist Offering for Children also known as the Bishop's Christmas Offering. Bishop White asks congregations to receive the offering in December. This annual tradition of gift giving to children's ministries in Indiana, across the United States and around the world will benefit 33 projects and ministries worldwide. We will have giving envelopes available for the annual Christmas Eve service.

 

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Christmas Food Baskets!

Each year, St. Paul’s Church gives Christmas baskets for those folks in our neighborhood who might need some help to celebrate the holidays!  If you are interested in supporting this ministry, either by helping buy food, pack and deliver baskets or financially, please see Tom Cooper! Thank you for your willingness to help those who need our love and care with the simple basics of life!

 

Joint Staff Parish Meeting—December 2nd @ St. Paul’s Church 7pm

 

Next Ad. Council Meeting – December 15th, 2003 at 6:00 p.m.  in the St. Paul’s fellowship hall downstairs.   All Board members are asked to attend.

 

*Deadline for submitting information for the January Newsletter:  Dec. 18th

 

 

           Advent Devotional Booklets

 

Folks from both St. Paul’s and River Park Church wrote several wonderful Advent meditations which we have compiled into Advent Devotional booklets.  Don’t forget to pick one up in the Great Room to take home for reflection and meditation over the Advent Season.    To everyone who contributed their heartfelt devotions — thank you for adding to the blessing of this special season!    

 

 

Christian Education Department…

 

†  Nursery is available during each worship service. We can always use helpers in our nursery, Sunday School and Jr. Church.  Talk to Dee, if you’d like to help out.

 

 

†   Next Christian Ed. Meeting will be Thursday, Dec. 18th, at 6:45  pm.  

 

 

†   Sidewalk Sunday School resumes Saturday, December 6th, 11am—12 Noon, meeting each Saturday in December. We’ll take a break during January and resume again in February. 

 

 

 

 

Ho, ho, ho!

 

     Merrrrrrrrrrrry Christmas!

 

 

 

2004 Proposed Budget

 

Income

            Offerings                                                                                   $54,000

            Key Bank Trust Income                                                                 9,200                                                          

            Other Income (Studebaker Trust income)                                    16,000

            Communion/Food Pantry                                                               660

            Weddings                                                                                        500

            Misc. Income                                                                                   500

            River Park (1/2 Housing Expense)                                                 2,000                                  

                        Total Income                                                                $82,860

 

Expenses

            Pastor Net Pay                                                                          $   9,648

            Medical Insurance-Pastor                                                                2,712

            Pension-Pastor                                                                               1,500

            Medical-Church Share                                                                    3,420

            Pension-Church Share                                                                    2,553

            Books & Periodicals                                                                          225

            Travel Expenses                                                                                 238

            Continuing Education                                                                      207

            Utilities, Parsonage                                                                        3,500

                        Total Pastor Compensation                                           $24,033

 

Apportionments

            Conference                                                                               $  9,888

 

Missions and Advance Specials

            URC                                                                                        $      200

            Food Pantry                                                                                      660

 

Programs

            Christian Education                                                                  $  2,000

            Sidewalk Sunday School                                                                  500

            Vacation Bible School                                                                      500

            Worship                                                                                       1,000

            Evangelism                                                                                       500

 

Staff Compensation

            Custodial                                                                                 $  6,500

            Choir Director                                                                              1,750

            Organist                                                                                       2,300

            Secretary                                                                                       5,000

            FICA SP-FICA Church Share                                                        1,200

 

Operating Expenses

            Office Expenses                                                                         $  1,200

            Postage                                                                                            700

            Utilities-Church                                                                          16,800

            Insurance                                                                                    13,963

            Buildings, equipment & grounds Repairs & Maintenance              8,000

 

Total Expenses                                                                                      $96,694

Net Over/Under                                                                                   ($13,834)

 

Community Calendar

 

The Michiana/Calumet District Area Evangelism Convocation is coming up on January 24, 2004! 20 workshops will be offered to educate laity and clergy on the importance of evangelism in our churches. This is an event that you don't want to miss if you care about growing our congregation and reaching out to the world for Jesus Christ. Pastor Kathy will be leading one of the 20 workshops offered. Her workshop is called "Revitalizing the Dying Church. A Church isn't dead until it's buried." More information will be available soon.

 

This year's DISTRICT TRAINING WORKSHOPS are scheduled for Jan. 10, 2004 at Mishawaka 1st UMC
Worship begins at 9:00 a.m. with 2 workshop opportunities (1 hour each) to follow:

Developing a Lively Youth Group -- Jared Jennette (Clay UMC)
Mission Resources -- Evelyn Taylor (Conference Mission Interpreter)
Education --  Jane Bunn (former CAT rep and education person at Churubusco UMC)
Staff-Parish Relations  -- Robert Dexter, D.S. of Michiana District
Trustees -- Brian Beeks (former Conference Trustee)
Finance and Stewardship/Stewardship and Finance -- Brent Williams (This will cover responsibilities of Finance Committee in 1st session and emphasize stewardship in the 2nd session)
Worship, Evangelism and Music -- David Michael (Huntertown UMC)
Leading Leaders (the important difference between effectively leading in business and leading volunteers) -- Karen Thomson (Administrator, Trinity UMC; Chr. of Elkhart United Way, Incoming Chr. of Loveway Board)
Being the Effective Church Lay Leader  -- Jack Dwiggins (One of the best known lay leaders of our Conference)
For more information, please contact the district office.The information form and form to sign up for Lay Speakers School is now posted on the web at: http://www.crossandflame.org/laity/signup.html

 We are asking that folks please REGISTER for CLASSES before Dec. 23 if possible.


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South Bend's Broadway Christian Parish holds its annual Jubilee X-mas Store (which provides low-income families both gifts and food for X-mas day) needs donations of money or gift items. Please bring or send donations or $$ to their church office by DECEMBER 19th.

 

Young Adult Author to lead YOUNG ADULT ministries RETREAT in North Indiana. Young Adults, ages 18 to 35, are encouraged to attend a spiritual retreat sponsored by the North Indiana Conference Council of Young Adult Ministries. The retreat will be held Jan. 2-3 at the Swan Lake Resort near Plymouth, Ind. The cost of the retreat is $40 which includes your room, meals, snacks, hot tub, indoor swimming pool, exercise room, etc.  It will be a great time for all young adults to gather together.  Cost is $40 per person and includes three meals, lodging, sessions with Jan True on the book, Who Moved My Cheese? plus access to the resort's amenities for fellowship after sessions. For more information about the retreat and an application to attend, call Jason Gross at 1-877-YG-ADULT (1-877-942-3858), and return it by Dec. 10.

 

 

Prayer Concerns
Erma Campbell, Tom Cooper, Jeffrey Eastman, Charlene Fox, Dick Hollis, Iris Hile, Stanley and Dorothy Hojnacki, Josh & Jenny Johnson, Michael Johnson, Aaron Lopez, Sadie Mager, Lee Ann Rapelli, Charles and Miriam Shields, Kendall, and Dephany Stewart, Michele Young, and Morris Zink.
 

 

 

Ministers:  All members of St. Paul’s

Pastor:  Kathy Miller

Secretary: Julie Gilleand

Choir Director:  Mary Jo Beemer

Organist:  Joe Lightner

Facility Maintenance:  Roger and Sheila Ward

 

Average Weekly Worship Attendance

Figures for November

 

Weekly Worship Attendance for:             

                                                            2003            2002              

First Week in November                55                   41       

Second Week in November            49                   38         

Third Week in November              49                   47

Fourth Week in November           52                   45

                                                                +                                    

November Total (so far)  =      205             171

Invite a Friend to St. Paul’s

and help us grow!

 

Merry

Christmas

 

 

St. Paul’s Memorial United Methodist Church

 

1001 West Colfax Avenue

South Bend, IN  46616

 

Phone: (574) 234-6940