Fourth Sunday in Advent – Trust
George Low and Family
One thing we have learned on our Advent journey is that it is better not to go alone. We live in a do-it-yourself culture that celebrates the individual. But faith is not something that we can do on our own. We need companions on the journey; we need others to support us and strengthen us and encourage us. We put our journey in the hands of many people around us; and although it is a risk, we are better for it. We learn to trust that someone has our back, as we make this journey of faith. Matthew reminds us that when God chose to come to earth the first time, God chose to trust in people to help make it happen. God trusted in Mary, and God trusted in Joseph. In turn, we trust in God to be faithful to the promise and to sustain us through many others as we continue our journey of faith. We light the candles of peace, hope, joy, and trust, as our circle is complete.
Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that God may teach us the ways of peace, hope, joy, and trust.
Third Sunday in Advent – Joy
Garry and Terri Knapp
Sometimes on our journey, our feet get heavy, our shoulders feel burdened, and our hearts seem slow. Sometimes in the preparation, the busyness overwhelms us, and we get lost in the doing and the planning and the running. And what we lose is a sense of why. Why do we do all of this? Why is this journey necessary? And the answer is simple: for the joy of it. We forget the joy when we get caught up in the to-do lists. We forget the joy when we worry more about how things look than connecting with others. Matthew tells us that when John asked if Jesus was the one to come, Jesus responded by saying look around you. Our call in this Advent journey is to look around us to see the one who comes already at work among us and to celebrate that presence with joy. We light the candles of peace and hope and joy to light our way as we journey.
Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that God may teach us the ways of peaceand hope and joy.
Second Sunday in Advent – Hope
Paul and Sue Stanifer
Every journey faces the unknown. And anxiety can sometimes overwhelm us. There is too much to do; our lists are long; our calendars are filled up; we worry that something will go wrong, or we won’t end up in the right place or take the right route. Getting lost is a real possibility on a journey. And yet.We claim hope for the journey, because we follow the one who will travel with us and sustain us on the way. Isaiah says that there is one who is to come who will be the fulfillment of all our hope. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on this one, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. We place our hope in this one.
We light the candles of peace and of hope to give us strength for the journey.
Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that God may teach us the ways of peace and hope.
First Sunday in Advent – Peace
Mary and Ken Vergowven
Today we light the first candle of Advent. We light this candle to burn as a sign of peace among all people. (A purple candle is lit.) Our advent journey begins with rules of the road. We are on the way to where God would have us be, and we are not there yet. But how shall we go? We shall go together, as one body, living and trusting in one another. We shall go as this community of faith, working side by side and leaning into the grace of God every step of the way. We shall go in peace. Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that God may teach us the ways of peace.
Christmas Gifts For Our Families
Hello Friends,
Below is a link to our Sign up Genius Page for the Christmas 2024 gifts for our families from The Salvation Army.
All gifts for the families need to be at the church no later than 9:30 AM Sunday December 22, 2024.
Please note, CHRISTMAS PRESENTS ARE TO BE LEFT UNWRAPPED this year.
As always, thank you for your generosity and support of this Outreach ministry.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D45A8AD2AAAFEC70-53402959-christmas
Tyner Chorale Performs
Mark your calendar for Friday, December 20, 2024 at 7:30pm!
The Tyner Chorale will perform a concert of Lessons and Carols at First Presbyterian Church.
This concert is free and open to the public. See you there!
Praise Ringers Perform!
St. Paul’s was honored to enjoy the Praise Ringers' music during the Sunday, December 15, 2024, service. The group performed multiple times throughout the service. The Praise Ringers are under the direction of Catherine Brodie.
Praise Ringers have been a performing group at St. Paul’s Worship for many years. The group meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:15 to 7:15. They perform approximately every two months during the school year and take a break during the summer months.
We welcome anyone who would like to join our group!
In The News…
Eve Circle recently held their Christmas Gathering and luncheon, and it was a delightful event! During their time together, one attendee shared a heartwarming memory of a visit with Santa, which sparked a flurry of Christmas stories from others in the group. They also enjoyed a spirited gift exchange, where members took turns either selecting a gift from the table or playfully "stealing" a gift that someone else had already picked.
The gifts were generously donated to the Presbyterian Church Bed Ministry, including sheets, blankets, books, and stuffed animals. It was heartening to see how much was collected for this worthy cause! Plus, Eve Circle will keep the decorative boxes and bags the items came in so they can refill them next year. This gathering truly kicked off the holiday season in a festive spirit while also making a difference for children in need.
Eve Circle is a gathering of approximately twenty-five individuals. They convene once a month on the first Monday at 1:00 PM in Fellowship Hall. Each month, they rotate the responsibility of presenting lessons, centered around a theme established for the year. One of the most rewarding aspects of every meeting is the chance and anticipation that each participant will vocalize something they are thankful for, recognizing that sharing gratitude is a beneficial habit that fosters personal development. The gatherings blend fellowship, education, encouragement, and humor.
Everyone is invited to join, and, of course, a highlight is that there is food to enjoy!
Click on the thumbnail image for a closer look at the event!
God Works Meal Activity!
Victoria Loy organized a grouip of 12 volunteers from St. Paul’s and the Civil Air patrol to prepare and serve a recent Tuesday God Works meal.
Over 100 meals were provided with the remaining food going to Philadelphia House next, door to St. Paul's.
Thank you to everyone who planned, cooked, and served!
Thank you for blessing the community with your efforts!
Thank you to everyone who planned, brought cookies, attended, and Sung During the Christmas Hymn Sing on December 15! It was great!
Mitten Tree
Help our children by bringing in donations of hats, gloves, scarves, and mittens to decorate the Mitten Tree in Fellowship Hall this season. We will be giving the donations to various schools and to the Salvation Army this winter. Donations can be brought in until January 5th. Thank you!
Care Craft Group
The Care Craft Group is a wonderful initiative that brings together people with a passion for crafting and charity. Their bi-weekly gatherings are not just about creating beautiful crafts, but also about fostering a sense of community and kinship. By gifting their handmade items, they spread joy and warmth throughout the community. It's a heartwarming example of how shared interests and generosity can enrich the lives of many. If you're looking to contribute to your community, this group is a delightful opportunity to do both. Projects created to date include: laminated bookmarks, letters included with care packages to those away at school, and paper flowers, Thanksgiving leaves.
Even if you don’t feel you are “crafty”, join us to visit, have coffee/tea and simply enjoy the time together.
Team Fiddle - Reunion Concert
Fiddle, Folk, Celtic, Jazz
Sunday December 29, 2024
3:00 PM
Robin Bloomberg - Director
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
For more information, see events.
Mark your 2025 calendar!
Join us on January 24, 2025 for Brain League Trivia Night. Assemble your friends into a team to compete!
The trivia contest will begin at 7:00 PM. You can expect 5 rounds of questions for the event, which lasts two hours. Your host for the night is Jeff La Roux.
Submit your own questions for the audience round, by the Wednesday prior to Trivia Night by email to: jefflaroux@att.net
For more information on upcoming Brain League Trivia Nights and other upcominig activities, VISIT the Events link.
Come to the Beatitudes Shop for your card needs and help the youth with their projects at the same time.
Mark Your Calendar! COMING January 31, 2025…
Prepare your collection, bake your famous cookies, polish your stand-up routine, and get ready to showcase what makes you unique! On Friday, January 31 2025, join us at St. Paul's to celebrate God's incredible love and creativity. Often, we lack opportunities to share our passions, and like a box of chocolates, we don't know what lies within. Do you enjoy crochet, genealogy, knitting, painting, fly fishing, stamp collecting, drawing, floral arrangements, photography, writing, baking, or cooking? Do you have stories to tell? The list is endless, and we hope there will be many surprises.
In the Fellowship Hall, please locate the Box of Chocolates sample board, which contains photo examples, display ideas, sign-up sheets, and additional information.
WESFEST Resources:
Watch the recording, view the bulletin, see the pictures!
Click here for the Wesleyan Hymn Festival Page.
CalendAr
Services, Activities, and Events
Sundays:
9:30 AM Worship Service (Streamed Live on Facebook)
10:45 AM Social Gathering after worship service. Join Us!
10:45 AM Sunday School Adults (Oct. thru May)
1st Sunday of the month: Communion Served during Worship Service
Tuesdays:
9:00 AM Walking in the Gym: There is a group of walkers that meet on Tuesday mornings in the gym to walk from about 9am to 10am. Feel free to come anytime during the hour to join in
11:00 AM AA Meeting
6:00 PM GodWorks! Take out meals open to the community, hosted by various groups
Wednesdays:
9:00 AM Staff Meeting
11:00 AM AA Meeting
12:00 PM Kiwanis Monroe Meeting
6:15 PM - 7:15 PM Praise Ringers (hand bell) Rehearsal (Sept. - May)
7:30 PM Chancel Choir Rehearsal (Sept.-May)
Upcoming Events:
click on an event link for more information
Online Giving
Do you want to give your regular offering or a donation to St. Paul’s UMC through PayPal’s secure site? Simply click the donate button to be sent through a special link set up for us through the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church.