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CROWLEY FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
MISSION CENTRAL CHRONICLE
LOVING GOD <> LOVING OTHERS <> SERVING THE WORLD
A RED-LETTER YEAR, IT’S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS!
Dear Church Family and Friends,
The season of Advent has arrived . . . and it’s time to get ready to celebrate the birth and receive the gift of the Christ Child like we never have before! Getting ready for anything important always takes a lot of ded-icated, focused effort. That’s why the Advent season is 4 weeks long. It takes time to get ready. That’s our focus. That’s our goal . . . BEING READY!
The season of Advent is also a time for many wonder-ful activities and opportunities that help to bring us closer to Christ, and closer to each other. Please carefully review the following Advent season events, and check our church website, www.crowleyumc.com, for more information and updates. Dec. 3 UMMen’s Craft Show from 9AM – 3PM
Dec. 4 Turn in Building Campaign pledge cards &
Confirmation Sunday
Dec. 8 Crowley Chamber of Commerce
Chriistmas Luncheon
Dec. 8 Golden Eagles, meet at the church no lat
er than 6:30 pm to ride the church bus to see the performance of the Littlest Wise man presented by the Dorothy Shaw Bell Choir in FW Dec. 9 Cub Scout Christmas Party
Dec. 11 Choir Christmas Cantata at the 10:45AM
service
Dec. 11 Friendship Sunday school class outing~ meet at the church to ride the bus at 1:30 pm for the matinee performance of “Christmas at Birchman”, we will be going to dinner afterwards (Dutch Treat). RSVP Bill Haynie at 817-326-5196
Dec. 15 Crowley United Methodist Preschool
Christmas program
Dec. 15 Golden Eagles, 10:30 am gathering for an ornament exchange done in a Chinese
Christmas fashion. Bring a side dish
to go with ham for a festive lunch! All
are welcome!
Dec. 18 Spirit Moves in worship & Parsonage
Open House & Children’s Christmas
party
Dec. 19 UMMen’s Staff Appreciation Dinner
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Candlelight services
at 6 & 11PM
Dec. 25 Christmas Morning worship service at
10AM (no Sunday School hour)
Our special Advent Study continues on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM and on Tuesday evenings at 7PM. Please come to one or all of the remain-ing sessions.
Our Advent prayer stations are ready for your use. They are located in the Sanctuary, Prayer Room and in the Welcome Center. Please visit one or all of these prayer stations every time you are here at our Mission Central Campus in December.
And . . . don’t forget our special Advent Mission projects . . . collecting teddy bears and stuffed animals in the Sanctuary, our “sock drive” for our Mission Tree in the Welcome Center, and the Spirit Moves “stocking stuffer” drive. All of the items collected will be received by the Presbyterian Night Shelter ministry in Fort Worth.
We are doing a good thing this Advent Season! I look forward to see you all!
Pastor Rick ><>
DECEMBER 2016
SACRED PATHS….
SACRED PATHS….
As we enter this season of waiting and expectation may
we remember with grace those among us whose holiday is
reshaped by grief. While this has been a year of great for-
ward, momentum, it has also been a year marked for
many by great loss. It is for you that I share this bless-
ing….
Keep Awake.
—Matthew 24.42
As Advent has approached once again, I have had vigils
on my mind. Three years ago, as Advent began, we were
nearing the end of the vigil we had kept for my husband
following his fateful surgery. Gary died on the second day
of Advent, forever altering the way I enter into this season
of expectation.
When we have had an experience of waiting that ended in
devastation instead of joy, when we have kept a vigil that
drew us into grief instead of celebration, it can be difficult
to know just how to navigate the call that lies at the heart
of Advent: to wait, to watch, to awaken.
This year, as Advent begins and I wonder about what it
means to wait, I cannot shake the sense that there is a
vigil being kept for me: that I am being waited for, that I am
being watched over, that there is one who lingers at the
edge of my awareness, breathing with me and blessing
me as I move through these days.
Advent asks us to keep vigil for the Christ who comes to
us anew in this season. It invites us to keep our face
turned toward the horizon in hope. But Advent asks us
also to open our hearts to the Christ who keeps vigil for us,
the Christ who stands not on some distant horizon but,
instead, is already with us, waiting for us to open our eyes
to his presence that stays with us always.
As Advent begins, may you be blessed in your vigil: the
one you keep, the one being kept for you. In that vigil, may
you find your deepest welcome and know yourself at
home. Peace.
Blessing the House of the Heart
If you could see
how this blessing
shimmers inside you,
shimmers inside you,
you would never wonder
whether there will be
light enough,
time enough,
room enough for you.
If you could see
the way this blessing
has inscribed itself
on every wall
of your heart,
writing its shining line
across every doorway,
tracing the edge
of every window
and table
and hall—
if you could see this,
you would never question
where home is
or whether it has
a welcome for you.
This blessing wishes
to give you
a glimpse.
It will not tell you
it has been waiting.
It will not tell you
it has been keeping watch.
It would not
want you to know
just how long
it has been holding
this quiet vigil
for you.
It simply wants you
to see what it sees,
wants you to know
what it knows—
how this blessing
already blazes in you,
illuminating every corner
of your broken
and beautiful heart. —Jan Richardson
The Annual Crowley United Methodist Preschool Book Fair will be held December 5-8 (Monday-Thursday) and December 11(Sunday morning). The Book Fair will have a variety of books available for purchase. Books are awesome Christmas gifts for people of all ages. Come browse and shop for Christmas!
The Spirit is Moving
December 3 Spirit Moves will be making
sandwiches for the Presbyterian Night Shelter from
8:00 ~ 10:00 AM. At 4:00 PM we will leave via the
church BUS for Waxahachie to see “Bethlehem Re-
visited”.
December 17 we will be delivering stocking stuffers
and blankets to the shelter at 9:00 AM, that night we
will have a sleepover in the Youth Room!
Our Christmas performance of “The
Christmas Story” is on December 18
at the 10:45 Worship service.
Thank you for all your generosity and
support!
Spirit Moves
AN INVITATION FROM THE FRIENDSHIP SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS
December 11 you will find us leaving the church parking lot at 1:30 PM to attend the 3:00 PM matinee of
Christmas at Birchman!
There is no cost to attend the play however, a love offering will be collected. After the performance we will be going to
dinner, Dutch Treat. Please RSVP to Bill Haynie at
817-326-5196 if you plan to attend.
ALL ABOUT FLOWERS!
Thank you to everyone who provided flowers for the sanctuary for this year. It adds such beauty for all worshipers as well as your personal enjoyment. As we look forward to a new year, let’s review how to or-der flowers:
There will be a new flower calendar in the narthex where you can sign up, however, please also notify Jeanette Burns (817-980-4936) or the office as well when you sign up. The basic arrangements are $45.00 which includes using the church’s vases, or special arrangements may be designed to your needs and upward price range. You may return the vases by placing them in the chancel
area for Jeanette or to the office. In order for your arrangement to be in the Sunday bulletin, notification must be received by Wednesday prior to Sunday. Our church receives a wonderful price and product from the local Kroger florist, and she works very hard for us. Jeanette orders and picks up the arrangements and will ask for your design preferences for each occasion and order. Thank you, and enjoy!
YOU’RE INVITED!
December 8 Golden Eagles is meeting at the church no
later than 6:30 PM to ride the bus to see “The Littlest
Wiseman” presented by the Dorothy Shaw Bell Choir at the Ft. Worth community Arts
Center. Jenna will be chauffeuring us on the bus. No one has to drive at night! Thank you
Jenna!
December 15~ Christmas Party, All are Welcome! We’re exchanging Christmas deco-
rations during a Chinese gift exchange. Bring a side to go with ham for a festive lunch.
See you in the Welcome Center!
OCTOBER WEEKLY
WORSHIP
STATS
Date Attendance Offering
10/30/16 101 5647
11/6/16 177 16709
11/13/16 134 15280
11/20/16 95 6325
11/27/16 114 7212
Please remember our midweek day of prayer on
Wednesday. We meet in the prayer room at 7 AM,
12 PM, & 6 PM. True you can pray anywhere, but
there is something special about praying with a
group of your brothers and sisters in Christ. If you
can’t join us, text me at 817-909-5691 to give us
your requests, or to let us know you are with us.
~ George Horton
The youth are looking forward to the Advent season as we enter into a time of study and reflection prepar-ing our hearts for Jesus’ birth.
Mid-winter registration is open. If you are interested in attending Mid-winter please
December 4~ 4 PM, Mandatory Costa Rica Mission trip December 7~ House of Hope Share the Love stuffing of stockings December 17~ Youth Christmas Party December 21, 25, 28~ NO YOUTH
Costa Rica Mission Trip
Our church will be going on an intergenerational mission trip to Costa Rica! Save the date~ June 18th,
2017. This mission trip is open to all ages, if you are interested and want to know how we will be in
mission while there please contact Jenna Reinke at jenna@crowleyumc.com. We are expecting 20 to 30
folks to join us on this life changing trip as we partner with Strong Missions to help with local building
projects, as well as provide a program for the school children! This will be a time of missional service,
growth, and love shared as we open ourselves to who God has called us to be in the world as disciples of
Jesus Christ!
YOUTH HAPPENINGS!
UNITED METHODIST WOMEN’S CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER
December 4, 4:30 PM~ Planning meeting, Corner Gathering Room
December 6, 5:30 PM, UCC ACT III Christmas Party. Bethlehem United Community Center.
Carpool from Linda Hutchings home at 4:30 PM.
December 7, 9:00 AM, Prepare for the Crowley Chamber Luncheon on Thursday the 8th.
December 8, 9:00 AM, Serve Crowley Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Come at 9 Am to help.
Lunch is served at 12:00 PM. Or come at 1 PM to help clean up.
December 14, 9:30 AM, Cookies for the Troops, we will be making 50 dozen cookies!
December 17, 11:30 AM, UMW President’s Luncheon, Linda Hutching’s home, 10913 Deer
Creek Dr. in Garden Acres. All are welcome.
December 19, Deliver cookies to Arlington Heights UMC
December 24, 6:00 PM & 11:00 PM, Hospitality Hostesses for Christmas Eve Services. Cookies
are also needed.
Please contact Linda Hutchings at 817-293-3393 for information on any of these events.
WELCOME NEW
MEMBERS!
Kate and Branden Cory joined our
congregation on November 17,
2016!
Welcome to Crowley FUMC, we’re
glad you’re here!
THANK YOU CROWLEY FUMC
For your love and support~
The Richardson family
For your donations made to Crowley
House of Hope!~ Billy Hutchings
To Apportionments
In memory of Marlene Richardson M & M Bill Haynie
To the Budget
In honor of James & Betty Garner’s 60th Anniversary Gladys & Debbie Celey
In honor of Tommy Richardson Elizabeth Williams
In memory of Maedelle Lasater M & M Joe Lasater
In memory of Marlene Richardson Gladys & Debbie Celey
M & M Billy Hutchings
M & M Rick Mixon
Elizabeth Williams
To the Building Principal Fund
In memory of Karen Johnigan Louise Mixon
M & M Weyland Rapp
In memory of Marlene Richardson M & M Charles Atkinson
Rev. Mary Gean Cope
M & M Joe Corthay
Delinda Driver
M & M Steve Fox
M & M James Garner
M & M Weyland Rapp
Tommy Richardson
To the Choir Fund
In memory of Marlene Richardson Pat Reister
Memorials and Honorariums
CROWLEY FIRST UNITED METHODIST
509 W Peach St
Crowley, Texas 76036
817-297-4530 www.crowleyumc.com
Loving God <> Loving Others <> Serving the World
Office Hours
Monday through Thursday
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Office closed Fridays
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