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NORTH FERRISBURGH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

We had a wonderful Church Conference Dec 11th, with our District Superintendent Brigid Farrell. She was so happy to hear about all of our goals met. She commended us for all the good ministry, and said that our work with our summer Youth Mission trip through UMARMY is inspiring to many other churches.

She also said that we are among the top Vermont churches in terms of consistently attracting new members every year. We are attracting many new families and celebrating many baptisms. We are blessed!

Because we are a warm church; because many

are consistently inviting friends; because we are non-judgmental and everyone is welcome; because we have lots of service; because we have everyone working to meet our goals and we see our lives and other’s lives changing for the better, therefore we are a vital, faithful church.

None of our many blessings are possible without everyone pulling together. Thanks so much, and congrats to all!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,Kim

Sharing Christ’s warm transforming love with our community, our state, our nation, and our world

A Message from Pastor Kim

This last Sunday (Dec 14th) we welcomed new members, had a confirmation and two baptisms. See news items.

Events LinkCraft Group: Thurs. Dec. 18th 6:30pm Upper room to put together Christmas gifts for shut-ins. See Laurie Curler or Shirley Parfitt for info.Christmas Pageant: On Sun Dec 21st the children’s pageant will open worship. Participants need to be at church by 9am!Christmas Eve: Wed, Dec 24th services - 5pm Family oriented; 7:30pm TraditionalIntergenerational Event Planning Team: Meeting Jan 4th at 4pm Upper room.Youth event day: Monday, Jan 19th (school day off) at Petra Cliffs. Meet at church at 12:15. Adults who can go let Pastor Kim know! Jan/Feb Men’s Breakfast: Sat Jan 31st at 7:30-8:30am in Fellowship HallWed AM Bible study 10-11:30am: The parables and prayers of Jesus. All welcome.AA Women only group: Meets every Sunday 6-7pm. Upper Room.

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The Christmas Pageant will be presented at the opening of worship Sunday Dec. 21st. Participants need to be at church by 9am!NEW: Sunday Dec 14th we welcomed Larry and Carole Stoneking, Kris Nelson and Amy Tewksbury as new members, confirmed Munro McLaren and welcomed her as a full member, and baptized Amy and Nora Tewksbury. NEW: Pastor Kim on vacation: Dec 26-Jan. 15th: Pastor Will Burhans and Pastor Susan Cooke Kittridge of Charlotte Congregational are on call if there is a pastoral emergency. Please call them at their church: 425-3176 or Pastor Burhan’s cell phone: 598-6035NEW DATES: Teen Age Girls (7th-12th grade) Book Study: Book: “Live Large, Be Different, Shine Bright: 12 Contagious Qualities for Healthy Relationships.” Classes: Dec. 21st and in 2015 : Jan 11th and 25th, Feb 8th and 22nd, March 8th and 22nd. Talk to Nancy McIntyre.Christmas Giving Opportunities: We strive to remember that Christmas is not our birthday, but Jesus’ birthday. We encourage everyone to spend 33 to 100% of what they spend on themselves for those Jesus came to save—the least and the lost. Here are some options:• Christmas Offering: Every year we take a

Christmas offering that benefits our UM Mission through our Mission Shares. We will send out a letter with a special envelope, and also put the entire Christmas Eve offering towards these needs.

• Gifts for local children and teens in need: The Mobil Station collection and church members provided Christmas gifts for 18 teens and 45 children under 12. That’s 63 gifts! This is fantastic! Bring to church this week or by Sun, Dec. 21.

• Donate your Postage: Put up a Christmas card for your church family on Fellowship Hall bulletin boards and donate the postage.

Intergenerational Event: Christmas Caroling: On Dec 14th, 16 people of all ages sang at the local senior housing building, a nursing home in

Vergennes, and for our retired pastor Dick Dunn who is 91! Sign up Now for UMARMY (United Methodist Action-Reach out Mission by Youth): We have more youth than ever—11 for this summer week long mission trip within driving distance. We need more adults if more youth want to attend. Speak to Pastor Kim if you can go.

Many Thanks to: Cathy Rietz. Andrea Wolak, Jamie Steadman, Annie Svitavsky, Jeff Jeskie, Veroncia DeVos, Nancy McIntyre and Lou McLaren and the eleven teens who did the hat sorting and Christmas shopping for teens in need. Shirley Parfitt and Linda Field for organizing the Christmas gifts for kids in need. Diane Shortsleeve, Robin Curler and Mary Lou Payne for organizing the caroling. Worship Com. hard at work on making our sanctuary beautiful and our worship meaningful. Safe Sanctuary team: Ed Wilkens and Tom Drumheller doing our annual check off on safety. All who were elected to serve our church in 2015 at our Church Conference Dec. 11th.Local Service: Response to Thanksgiving meals: “Our families were so very grateful and appreciative of the thought (and amount of food!) that went into each donated Thanksgiving dinner from your church. I hope you know how much your church’s support means to the families of Addison County. Many things would not be possible without your generosity! Thank you so much.” – Carlie Lessard, our local family services social worker.

NEWS ITEMS

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The true joy and peace of Christmas comes no matter our circumstances. We will look at favorite Christmas carols as we both enjoy the gift of Christmas music and the deeper gift of God’s love which they celebrate in the birth of Jesus.

Dec 21st: “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and the Children’s PageantWed, Dec 24th Christmas Eve: “Silent Night” 5pm Family service: shorter more active service for families with children – 45 min 7:30pm Traditional service: hour long serviceDec 28th: Favorite Carols Celebration

PREACHING FOR ADVENT: BORN TO SET YOUR PEOPLE FREE!

Rejoice: Nancy Hinsdale is doing well and has a few more cancer treatments.Nancy Wood’s sister in law with new baby and Gullain-Barre syndrome is beginning to be able to speak.We are proud of the following young people in our joint youth group with Vergennes UMC on the Vergennes HS honor roll: Hannah Hatch, Ally Atkins, Nora Hatch, Sydney Tarte, Sophie Hatch, Nathan DeVos, Erich Reitz. Matt Becker –high honor roll for Middlebury HS. Hannah Hatch was also student of the week recently in the Addison Independent.

Lift up: Ken Theobald needing gall bladder surgery. Karen Taylor’s Alaska daughter facing more spine surgery. Jane Werner recovering from knee surgery. Michael, son in law of the Werners, with health challenges. Nancy Gomez’s cousin, and Nancy Wood’s sister in law battling cancer.Sophie Fellows, local nine year old fighting brain cancer. All with elderly relatives facing challenges. Our shut ins.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Thanks to the generosity and faithful giving of many we:Installed our new Bea Dike’s kitchen and it is totally paid for and debt free – the Church bonds have all been redeemed.Paid our United Methodist Mission Shares in full for 2014 Added $1,000 to our “reserve cash flow fund” such that it now has a little over $7,000 for a rainy day. We hope to eventually have a month’s expenses ($13,000) in this reserve fund.Trustees received a special gift of $10,000, so they are in great shape for 2015 projects.Met our 2014 budget so that we expanded our mission and ministry in many vital ways including mission trips, more local service, added small groups, new members and had FUN growing in discipleship!Had the best Stewardship campaign yet with 11 new pledges and 24 current pledgers increasing their gifts for our 2015 budget. We hope to add a part time youth worker this summer!

2014 FINANCIAL SUMMARY

NFUMC NEWSLETTER! DECEMBER 16, 2014

Important InformationReflections on the youth event Dec 7th shopping for children in need:“Wow that was fun, thanks for asking me to be involved.”

Jeff Jeskie, new member“I told my daughter to go for it for the child we picked, it was so meaningful for her to shop for this child in need. I think this was one of our favorite parts of Christmas this year.”

Mom of a grade schooler

North Ferrisburgh United Methodist Church

P.O. Box 7

North Ferrisburgh, VT 05473

This SundayDec 21st

Next Sunday Dec 28th

Coffee Hour: Diane Shortsleeve

Liturgist Genevieve Potter Carl Haller

Greeters: Diane Shortsleeve Mary Jane Jenkins

Nursery: Karina Tarte Karina Tarte

If you can volunteer for an open spot email Christine Steadman cas_5476@yahoo.com or call the church office at 425 2770. Contact her if you would like to be placed on the email prayer list where we send out prayer requests as they occur.