St. James United Methodist ChurchConnec ionNovember 2016The Volume 40 - Issue 10

November 27, Advent 1“Long Lay the World”

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now . .

. The night is far gone, the day is near.(Romans 13:11-12)

December 4, Advent 2“Till He Appeared”

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea . . . “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare

the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Matthew 3:1, 3)

December 11, Advent 3“A Thrill of Hope”

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom.

(Isaiah 35:1)My soul magnifies the Lord, and my

spirit rejoices in God my Savior, For he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on, all

generations will call me blessed . . . (Luke 1:47-48)

December 18, Advent 4“For Yonder Breaks”

All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son; And they shall name him

Emmanuel, which means, God is with us.”(Matthew 1:22-23)

December 24, Christmas Eve“O, Night Divine!”

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood

before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them,

and they were terrified. (Luke 2:8-9)

January 1, First Sunday after Christmas (Epiphany on January 6)

“Led by the Light”Wise men from the East came to

Jerusalem, asking,“Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have

come to pay him homage.” (Matthew 2:1b-2)

Series Schedule

Surely one of the most familiar and majestic songs of Advent is “O, Holy Night.” Why not pause at the coming ellipsis, before reading on, to give yourselves an opportunity to hear it in your mind, perhaps even imagine yourself singing it. Ready? Go! . . .

. . . There, I doubled the ellipsis, just so you could better imagine how the “stars are brightly shining” on this, the “night of the dear Savior’s birth.”

“A Thrill of Hope,” one of the most familiar phrases of the song, will gather up the various themes of my 2016 Advent Sanctuary Sermon Series, a series following our lectionary in which I’ve titled each message with a phrase from “O, Holy Night!”

“Long Lay the World” will remind us of the darkness Jesus came to dispel. “Till He Ap-peared” will bring us to John the Baptist, the voice preparing the Way of the Lord. “A Thrill of Hope,” the midpoint of the series, will remember Mary’s Magnificat. “For Yonder Breaks” will bring us to the very brink of Christmas. “O Night, Divine” will be our Christmas Eve theme. And “Led by the Light” on January 1 will tell the story of the magi from the east coming to worship the child of Bethlehem.

I hope you’ll join us in the sanctuary for “A Thrill of Hope!”

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Advent at St. JamesThis Advent season is a great opportunity for you to invite others to join in these moments of worship, celebration,

reflection and prayer.

November 2016 Connection Page 3

Jingle Jam is a variety show with music, skits and laughter for the whole family. Not only is it a ton of fun, it is a great way to show families, even unchurched families, the Christmas story, and to help them learn that Jesus is the reason we can have Joy in our lives. Jingle Jam lets families know that whatever they are going through, they can think of Jesus as the bow on the greatest present ever given. This Christmas, we hope families—no matter what they are going through—are reminded to put a bow on it.

Join us on the Mountaintop, December 16th at 6:30 pm for more fun than should be legally allowed!

Help out a foster child or hospital patient this

Christmas!

The Methodist Family Health tree for children at the behavioral hospital and the Angel Tree for foster kids are now up in the Welcome Center. We have 90 children in foster care we would like to help this Christmas and 25 at the hospital. If you can help, please pick a card off the tree and return your gifts by Monday, December 11 to the Faith Works Mission area.

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Fall

carnival

The 2016 Fall Carnival was a great success with more than 500 attendees for the event! There were a

lot of new faces in the crowd who we hope to see again. Thanks to the Youth for putting on a great event!

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October 21-23 saw a great group of youth and adults head off for our annual Fall Retreat which took place at Camp Winnamocka in Arkadelphia. The Youth Leadership Team had a theme of “What Will You Grow” based on Ephesians 4:15. Through small groups, talks, and worship, the focus was Love, Grace, and Faith with the premise of “if your heart were a seed and planted, what would it grow?”

One worship time was self led through stations, where youth could go at their own pace and reflect on their relationship with Christ. These included:

• Writing their own Psalm• Making lists of 25 things they are thankful for• Spending time thinking about their growth and what they can become• Focusing on the things that have been weighing them down and how they can be

erased from their lifeFrom small group discussions, a high ropes course, kayaking, and hiking, youth were able

to grow in relationship with one another.The last night was topped with a time for the youth to share anything that was on their heart

and what they had come to recognize about God during the weekend. It was a tremendous and profound time together as various ages opened up in a great way. It was a moving time. The other highlight was our annual ‘hug circle’ where each youth gives a hug and receives a hug. It is an opportunity for the youth to seriously show signs of peace, forgiveness, and love between one another. It is an impactful time.

~ Brandon Bates, Director of Youth Ministries

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If you answered Upward Basketball, you’d be correct! Beginning in mid-December, St. James newly updated Christian Life Center will be host to over 350 families each week through the end of February. If that number seems larger than you’d expect, you’re right again! We added 120 additional families this year and could have added up to 100 more if we have an idea of the explosive need in the community. While the fellowship and athletic education that comes with young people belonging to a team is important, our basketball league is so much more than that. Visit the Commons on a Saturday morning during game day and see it full of families visiting over Brenda’s Mission Café coffee & Danish before or after their children’s games. The happy joyful buzz of parents taking a few minutes in an otherwise hectic parental schedule is only eclipsed by the sound of children and adults creating and strengthening friendships over a foosball or air hockey game. Be proud of yourself St. James! You’ve created a comfortable and inviting place to create relationships. An eclectic one at that. 40% of our participants are unchurched and 60% of our participants don’t attend any church regularly.

After thanksgiving, we will be disseminating the names of all the child participants registered this year through the Sunday bulletins. I hope that you would take that player’s name home with you and commit to praying for that child over the course of our basketball season. Because of your willingness to serve as a coach, referee or even as game day hospitality, coupled with our commitment to pray for all these players on top of the safe and warm friendly environment that you’ve gifted these families with, it won’t be long until we aren’t the only ones that know that St. James is a vibrant, growing church changing lives and reshaping futures for Jesus Christ.

I hope to see you in January!~ Sean Dunbar, Director of Children’s Ministry

What’s the fastest growing outreach program at St. James?

Annual Ministry Fund

financial footnote

September Giving Expenses

$208,793 $246,023

2016 Giving Expenses$2,087,630 $2,336,651

November 2016 Connection Page 7

Thank you to everyone who has returned their 2017 Estimate of Giving commitment cards. We appreciate your faithful commitment to God’s missions and ministries at work through St. James UMC.

If you have not yet been able to return your card yet, it’s not too late!

Cards can be found in both worship venues, at the Welcome Center desk or online (scan the QR code to for a direct link). For more information, please contact 217-6714 or giving@stjames-umc.org.

Thank you to everyone who has returned their 2017 Estimate of Giving commitment cards. We appreciate your faithful commitment to God’s missions and ministries at work

There were 48 vendors at our Shopping Spree this year. We had jewelry, children’s books, pottery, original photography, fused glass, appetizer and dinner mixes and much, much more! Proceeds from vendor registrations,the Bazaar and Bake Sale were more than $4500. If you were a vendor or a shopper, we thank you for helping our Missions Share Fund so we can continue to reach outside the walls of St. James and bless those who might need us.

On behalf of the Kids’ Life Board and Management Team, thank you SO much for participating in our 3rd Annual Chili Cookoff – we netted OVER $5000!!!! Special thanks to:

• Our amazing teams who shared their fabulous chili-making skills with us! • Our church members who attended and voted for their favorites! • Our kids and parents who made signs, numbered tasting cups, served chili, helped set

up and clean up! • Our auction donors (and buyers) – everyone loves to get a great deal while supporting

a worthwhile cause – OUR PLAYGROUND! • St. James staff members who helped us – it’s truly a team effort! ~ Leah Phelps, Assistant Director of Child Enrichment Ministries

CHILI COOKOFF!

PERIODICALS

11/23/16 Volume 40 - Issue 10 The Connection (USPS 015-584) is published monthly by

St. James United Methodist Church, 321 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, AR 72212-3199.

Editor: Debbie Kelly (501) 217-6700. Periodicals Postage is PAID at Little Rock, AR. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to The Connection,

321 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, AR 72212-3199.

Join Us...

321 Pleasant Valley DriveLittle Rock, AR 72212

(501) 217-6700 • www.StJamesLR.org

Saturday 5:30 Casual Worship (Cokesbury hymnal) in Sanctuary

Sunday 8:30 Traditional Worship (Communion) in Sanctuary 9:30 The Journey (Contemporary) in Worship Center10:55 Traditional Worship in Sanctuary10:55 Vertical Event (Contemporary) in Worship Center

Gifts for Publication through November 15, 2016

SERVICE OF LIGHT & HOPE - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1:30 P.M.

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PROGRAMSUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 5:00 P.M.

JINGLE JAM - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 6:30

CAROLS & CANDLES - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 6:30 P.M.

LUNCH BUNCH SENIORS CHRISTMAS SERVICE MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 12:00 NOON

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICESSATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00 & 11:00 P.M.

CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICES10:55 TRADITIONAL • 10:55 CONTEMPORARY

Advent Calendar

In Memory of:• MikiKeenebyNona&ReubinDumas.• MertenJabbenbyDonna&JohnWyrick,

CynthiaLemley,andArlene&MitchLagrone.• JuneScholtensbyNicciTiner.• GuyWatkinsbySusan&JohnMeador.• J.D.CockrumbyFannWoodward.• BevEberlebyDr.&Mrs.L.P.Fraiser.• FrancesJohnstonbyLeeAnnHogue.• MaryTrimbleMaierbyMarilyn&Edward

Fincher.• GregFortsonbyCathy&LeeSing.To the Endowment Fund:• InmemoryofHildieTerrybyDarleneSmith,

CatherineDonovan,MaryNilles,Blanche&JohnHodges,JerryKeyes,Carolyn&GalenWenger,WinifredRobinson,LindaNeyland,andJoycePeck.

• InmemoryofMertenJabbenbyCarol&ScottyFreebairn,CarolAnn&LarryMcAdams,andtheNewChallengesSundaySchoolClass.

• InmemoryofDonEppersonbyCathy&LeeSing.

To the Thompson Scholarship Fund:• InhonorofEvalynCottey’sBirthdayby

MarthaLynn&FelixThompson.• InmemoryofHildieTerry,Dr.GeorgeSamuel

JonesandBettyColeDrakebyMarthaLynn&FelixThompson.

To Caring Hands:• InhonorofSuzannePerrinebyNormaJean&

RobertLangford.• InmemoryofMertenJabbenbySandra

Haslett.To the 2017 Handbell Tour:• Inhonorof2017SeniorsbyLesley&Tony

Cooper.To the Mission Fund:• InmemoryofHildieTerrybyUMWFaith

Circle.To the Music Fund:• InmemoryofBettyDrakebyKathy&Doug

Strock.• InmemoryofMertenJabbenbyShelia&Bob

Stobaugh.To the Share Fund:• InmemoryofHildieTerrybyLesley&Tony

Cooper.To the Community of Hope:• InhonorofJimmieLouNealbyAliceAnn

Munson.To the Annual Fund:• InhonorofKimAndersonbyAnnRowell.To the Under the Bridge Ministry:• InmemoryofHildieTerryandMertenJabben

byRuthanneMurphy.