Love & Fellowship: 2011

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Weekly Announcements

DEVOTIONAL:

Galatians 3:1-14: You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard?

In a commercial, Santa asks his smart phone to locate for him an e-mail about who's been naughty and who's been nice. That thought--that we receive gifts only if we earn them--predominates as Christmas approaches.

But gifts cease being gifts if they must be earned; they then become transactions. Yet the belief that we must be good to go to heaven persists. Many people of the Christian tradition speak of grace, then insist that we must be good, moral persons in order to earn the favor of God.

Such a belief certainly is not limited to our own time. Paul wrote to the "foolish Galatians," who had come to believe that they had "received the Spirit by doing the works of the law." He told them that relying on their own behavior to earn God's favor negates the sacrifice of the Cross.

Of course, our behavior matters to God; people loved by God are called to respond by loving others. And we participate in the eternal, and "go to heaven," here and now, when we do choose to love. But do we earn our own salvation by being nice instead of being naughty? Absolutely not, you foolish Galatians!

That's not God you're thinking of; it's Santa Claus.

Psalm 80; 2 Samuel 7:18-29; Luke 1:57-66

SOCIAL

January LAF Luncheon
Join us for lunch on Sunday, January 8th following class in the Fellowship Hall. We will reserve several tables for LAF and look forward to catching up with you in the new year. This is an excellent opportunity to extend a personal invite to our recent visitors.

February Small Group DinnersSave the date for Small Group Dinners on February 18th. Please let us know if you are interested in hosting by emailing Natalia (nkelly@lungrx.com) or Elizabeth (ebwerdesheim@gmail.com). In January, we will start passing around a sign-up sheet in class.

2012 LAF Land Cruise
We are repeating our LAF adults-only trip this spring. The 2012 expedition is scheduled for April 12-15 in Negril, Jamaica at Riu Negril (http://www.riu.com/en/Paises/jamaica/negril/clubhotel-riu-negril/index.jsp). We have a package through Delta Vacations which includes roundtrip direct flights to Montego Bay, transfers to and from the hotel, all food and beverages for $2,031.84 per couple. And, if that, along with a $20 spa credit is not enough to convince you, think about all the fun you'll have hanging out with the Hodges, Wades, Chiocks, Dickeys, McWhorters and Borowskys! For more information or to make your reservation now, contact Kim McWhorter.

OUTREACH

Thank you to everyone for donating gifts to Jashayla, Kayla and Jamesha. We got all of the gifts on their lists, and I wish I'd taken a picture of everything together - it was SO much! Their grandmother came on Friday and picked up everything, and was overwhelmed with gratitude. Friday was a big day for the girls, they had a court hearing for their grandmother to gain custody. So not only will they open gifts on Christmas morning and see every single toy they wished for, they'll be together with their family. It will be a very special Christmas!

TREASURER

Please turn in dues!! If you submit them through the church, please be sure to reference "Love and Fellowship" on the memo line so the funds get routed to our account.

Blessings,

Malia, David, Susan, and Wes

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Weekly Announcements

DEVOTIONAL

The God particle

Revelation 4:9-5:5: Then the righteous will answer [the Son of Man], "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?...And the king will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me."

The Higgs boson, the subatomic "God particle," is postulated by scientists as the key in a grand theory that explains why objects in our world have mass. One story says the search for the particle is narrowing, that "they're running out of places where the Higgs could be hiding."

Most human beings, I suspect, wish for the clear identification of a "God particle," a revelation that shows unmistakably the presence of God. If we are to center our lives on the presence and will of God, it would be nice to have indisputable proof, but we don't get hard, physical evidence.

Instead, we have in our faith an incarnational dimension. God came to earth to be with us in human flesh. The primary revelation of God's presence came in the human flesh of Jesus, who taught us how to love in life and in death.

The key question when we go before the Son of Man will not be, "Did you do everything right?" but "Did you love?" God taught us, through Jesus, to see the divine in ourselves, in our friends and neighbors, in the "least of these."

God taught us that when we love, we identify the true God particle.

Psalm 50; Zechariah 4:1-14; Matthew 25:1-13

PROGRAMS

This week David and I will wrap up our session on Advent.

In January and February, the Knowles and McWhorters are going to lead a series about Concepts of Heaven, largely based on Lisa Miller's "Heaven: Our Enduring Fascination with the Afterlife." I thought I'd send along the title so that those of you who are interested can read the book (it is on Amazon - print or Kindle version) and follow along during the series. (Totally optional - the facilitators will condense and discern the salient points for you).

Print: http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Our-Enduring-Fascination-Afterlife/dp/B004F9OUXU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323660814&sr=8-1 ($10.40/hardback)
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Enduring-Fascination-Afterlife-ebook/dp/B003B02ONM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1323660814&sr=8-4 ($9.99)

Additionally, we will spend part of February and March exploring different denominations of Christianity. Please let Kim know if there are denominations that you would especially like covered, any that you would like to lead, or know of a good speaker to lead.

SOCIAL

Christmas Party
A special thank you to the Hodges for opening their home and hosting a wonderful party. FUN was had by all!

January LAF Luncheon
Please plan to join us for lunch on Sunday, January 8th following class in the Fellowship Hall. We will reserve several tables for LAF and look forward to catching up with you in the new year. This is an excellent opportunity to extend a personal invite to our recent visitors.

2012 LAF Land Cruise
We are repeating our LAF adults-only trip this spring. The 2012 expedition is scheduled for April 12-15 in Negril, Jamaica at Riu Negril (http://www.riu.com/en/Paises/jamaica/negril/clubhotel-riu-negril/index.jsp). We have a package through Delta Vacations which includes roundtrip direct flights to Montego Bay, transfers to and from the hotel, all food and beverages for $2,031.84 per couple. And, if that, along with a $20 spa credit is not enough to convince you, think about all the fun you'll have hanging out with the Hodges, Wades, Chiocks, Dickeys, McWhorters and Borowskys! For more information or to make your reservation now, contact Kim.

TREASURER

We received pledges for $2,400 to use as class funds for 2012, and dues checks are slowly starting to come in. While we hope to collect most of the dues before the end of the year, we understand if this doesn't fit everyone's needs. The Borowsky's won't be present in class during much of December, but you can put a check made out to PRUMC (with Love and Fellowship Dues in the memo line) in the offering plate or give them to the Metzners or Easoms. If you give your check to the church directly, please let Lauren know so she can make sure we receive proper funds.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Merry Christmas!!

Malia, David, Susan & Wes

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Announcements

DEVOTIONAL

False balances

Amos 8:1-14: [The Lord said,] "Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, saying, 'When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will...practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals...'"

Store ads tell me that I can now buy, at a discounted price, pieces which it calls "collectibles." I understand that people love certain types of things and end up collecting them. But I do not appreciate a retailer's telling me that I should want things because they are "collectible."

God spoke to Amos of such convoluted values, of those who profess to be seekers of God, but who routinely "trample on the needy and bring to ruin the poor." God railed against people who honor the sabbath superficially but can't wait to get back to their priority of "practicing deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals."

I believe that, more than anything else, God asks us to be authentic, to pursue God deeply with our hearts, even amid our mistakes and failings. A religious practice or tradition that remains on the surface and permits us to "buy the poor for silver" does not honor God. We are to seek God for the love of God, not so that we look good to those around us.

In other words, God is not just another "collectible."

Psalm 38; Revelation 1:17-2:7; Matthew 23:1-12

PROGRAMS

Make plans to join us Sunday for a wonderful opportunity of service and fellowship! We will have a class brunch and outreach project during the Sunday School hour. We'll work on sending Christmas cards to church shut-ins and continue our Christmas celebrating with brunch and Christmas tunes! You won't want to miss this! The Spencers, Hodges, and McWhorters will be bringing in snacks that day. Thank you!

SOCIAL

The Annual LAF Christmas Party is THIS Saturday at the home of Kevin and Jo Hodges. Join us as we celebrate the Christmas season with dear friends, great food, and plenty of merriment!

There will be a champagne bar with festive mixers and the class is proving the traditional Chick-fil-A nugget tray. We kindly ask that you bring an appetizer, dessert, or beer/wine to share.

Please respond to the Evite so we can have a final headcount. If you didn't receive the Evite, please email Elizabeth atebwerdesheim@gmail.com.

TREASURER

We received pledges for $2,400 to use as class funds for 2012, and dues checks are slowly starting to come in. While we hope to collect most of the dues before the end of the year, we understand if this doesn't fit everyone's needs. The Borowsky's won't be present in class during much of December, but you can put a check made out to PRUMC (with Love and Fellowship Dues in the memo line) in the offering plate or give them to the Metzners or Easoms. If you give your check to the church directly, please let Lauren know so she can make sure we receive proper funds.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Blessings,

Malia, David, Susan, Wes

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Announcements

DEVOTIONAL:

Confused about the relationship between Advent and Christmas? Fear not! Here's a short and cute video explaining the meaning of Advent. There will be a quiz in class on Sunday. Enjoy!

MEMBERSHIP:

The class donated $25 to Valley United Methodist Church, in Hunstville, AL, in memory of Elise Thomason's grandmother, Katie Woodward, and $25 to PRUMC's Christmas Kindness program in memory of Kimberly Fess's grandfather, Papa Champ.

CURRICULUM:

Join us this Sunday as we continue our Advent series, "Advent Through the Eyes of those Who Waited." Our next two lessons will focus on Mary, the mother of Jesus. We will spend some time discussing the annunciation of the birth of Jesus and how it compares to a similar annunciation Elisabeth received about the birth of John the Baptist. If you've missed part of our series, we've had an opportunity to view the Prophets (in the Book of Isaiah) and also view John the Baptist (in the Gospels.) We hope you can join us as we continue this discussion on Advent and the perspective of "waiting."

We will not have class on Christmas Day or New Year's Day. Please take some time on these special days to attend service and enjoy time with your families.

OUTREACH:

Thank you to everyone who has generously donated items for the three sisters our class is sponsoring this year from the UMCH! As a class, we've almost collected everything on their Christmas wish lists. There are just a few missing items:

Jahshayla, Age 1--Tickle Me Elmo

Jamesha, Age 8 "I like to sing and dance!"--CD Karaoke, Clothing Size 14-16

Please send an email to ksspencer@gmail.com and let outreach know how you would be willing to help out these children. (They will try to accommodate all requests, but if someone has already claimed the gift you would like to give, please be flexible:)

We will be collecting the UNWRAPPED gifts at Sunday School, at the LAF Christmas party or let someone on Outreach know, and we can arrange to pick it up if you can’t seem to make it happen! To make sure that the gifts are there on Christmas morning, we need to have them NO LATER than Wednesday, December 14.

Thank you for your generosity!

SOCIAL:

We are currently planning the 2012 social calendar and would love your feedback Let us know if you would like to host an event or have an idea for the upcoming year. Please email Elizabeth(ebwerdesheim@gmail.com) or Natalia (nataliakelly06@hotmail.com).

Christmas Party
Please make plans for the Annual LAF Christmas Party on Saturday, December 10th at the home of Kevin and Jo Hodges. The Hodges are providing additional cheer this year with a Champagne Bar! The class will provide the traditional Chick-fil-A nugget tray and we ask that you bring an appetizer, dessert, or beer/wine to share. Email Elizabeth (ebwerdesheim@gmail.com) if you didn't receive the Evite.

2012 LAF Land Cruise
We are repeating our LAF adults-only trip this spring. The 2012 expedition is scheduled for April 12-15 in Negril, Jamaica at Riu Negril (http://www.riu.com/en/Paises/jamaica/negril/clubhotel-riu-negril/index.jsp). We have a package through Delta Vacations which includes roundtrip direct flights to Montego Bay, transfers to and from the hotel, all food and beverages for $2,031.84 per couple. And, if that, along with a $20 spa credit is not enough to convince you, think about all the fun you'll have hanging out with the Hodges, Wades, Chiocks, Dickeys, McWhorters and Borowskys! For more information or to make your reservation now, contact Kim.

TREASURER:

NAMETAGS:

If you are newer to the class and would like a nametag please email Lauren Borowsky (laurenmccoy@hotmail.com ). The nametags are $5 each - check to Lauren payable to PRUMC (or cash).

BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES:

Rob Colvin--Dec 19th

Rebecca Dickey--Dec 14th

John Register--Dec 7th

The Dickeys--Dec 29th

The Rameys--Dec 31st

Blessings,

Malia, David, Susan, and Wes

Sunday, November 27, 2011

LAF Weekly Announcments - Late

In God's Grace,

Susan, Wes, Maila & David

I apologize for not getting announcements out earlier. We were out of town for the holiday and I did not have an internet connection that I was planning to have.

CHURCH NEWS YOU CAN USE:

PRUMC Families - Save the Date for the Advent Workshop - Sunday, Nov. 27, 4:00 –6:00pm Fellowship Hall
Join us for crafts galore as we kick-off the Adven tSeason. Come for fellowship, decorating fun and Pero’s pizza! Bring children’s hats, gloves and scarves for Christmas Kindness. Register at www.prumc.org<http://www.prumc.org/ by Friday, November 18. Contact Noel McCullough at 404-240-8221.
We need volunteers to help with set-up, man the crafttables, registration and take down.
Please email noelm@prumc.org to volunteer.

MEMBERSHIP:

CURRICULUM:

We will not have class on Sunday, November 27th, Christmas Day or New Year's Day. Please take some time on these special days to attend service and enjoy time with your families.

OUTREACH:

From Outreach - Be an LAF Santa for the UMCH
On behalf of the United Methodist Children's Home, we have the honor to sponsor three sisters this year, Jamesha (8), Kayla (4) and Jahshayla (1) this year for Christmas. You all may remember that we sponsored three boys from UMCH last year, and you all outdid yourselves in how quickly and generously you responded.

I know that our class is more than capable of making Christmas special for these sweet girls. Please send an email to ksspencer@gmail.com and let outreach know how you would be willing to help out these children. (They will try to accommodate all requests, but if someone has already claimed the gift you would like to give, please be flexible:)
Jamesha, Age 8, "I like to sing and dance!"1. Loopz Game

2. Furreal Friend Go Go Pup

3. Little Mommy doll (African-American. an extra set of clothes too?)

4. CD karaoke machine

5. Clothing size 14-16

Kayla, Age 4, "I like to dance and sing"1. Dora Kitchen
2. doll house (if it comes with dolls, African-American)
3. bike (and helmet)

4. ball
5. clothing size 6x, shoes size 1 - (Amy R. has already volunteered to buy her a play outfit and dressy outfit – thanks!)
6. Age-appropriate education toy
Jahshayla, Age 11. Tickle Me Elmo

2. riding toy
3. fisher price baby toys
4. balls
5. baby doll (African-American)
6. clothing size 18 mo,
7. diaper size 4 (should we get them size 5 and 6?)

We will be collecting the UNWRAPPED gifts at Sunday School, at the LAF Christmas party or let some on Outreach know, and we can arrange to pick it up if you can’t seem to make it happen! To make sure that the gifts are there on Christmas morning, we need to have them NO LATER than Wednesday, December 14.

Thank you for your generosity!

SOCIAL:

Christmas Party
Please make plans for the Annual LAF Christmas Party on Saturday, December 10th at the home of Kevin and Jo Hodges. The Hodges are providing additional cheer this year with a Champagne Bar! The class will provide the traditional Chick-fil-A nugget tray and we ask that you bring an appetizer, dessert, or beer/wine to share. Email Elizabeth (ebwerdesheim@gmail.com) if you didn't receive the Evite.

2012 LAF Land Cruise
We are repeating our LAF adults-only trip this spring. The 2012 expedition is scheduled for April 12-15 in Negril, Jamaica at Riu Negril (http://www.riu.com/en/Paises/jamaica/negril/clubhotel-riu-negril/index.jsp). We have a package through Delta Vacations which includes roundtrip direct flights to Montego Bay, transfers to and from the hotel, all food and beverages for $2,031.84 per couple. And, if that, along with a $20 spa credit is not enough to convince you, think about all the fun you'll have hanging out with the Hodges, Wades, Chiocks, Dickeys, McWhorters and Borowskys! For more information or to make your reservation now, contact Kim.

TREASURER:

NAMETAGS:

If you are newer to the class and would like a nametag please email Lauren Borowsky (laurenmccoy@hotmail.com ). The nametags are $5 each - check to Lauren payable to PRUMC (or cash).

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES:

PJ Wade - 11/2

Natalia Kelly - 11/6

Malia Metzner - 11/7

Jen Linneman - 11/12

Collins Easom - 11/12

Kathryn Spencer - 11/16

Amy Register - 11/21

The Spencers - 11/5

The Blackwoods - 11/23

Thursday, November 17, 2011

LAF Weekly Announcements - 11/17/11

DEVOTIONAL:

Colossians 3:23: ²³ Whatever you do, do your work ^[a]heartily, as for the Lord ^[b]rather than for men,

In order to work “as for the Lord rather than for men,” you must begin with employment that honors Him. Just because you have a chance to make money at a job doesn’t mean you should necessarily take it.

God does not approve of all businesses. He certainly would not bless anything that exploits or deceives people.
You may say, “Well, this is the only job I could get.” But compromising your faith is never the way to support your family. A clear conscience and vibrant Christian life is far more important than the money you could earn from unethical pursuits. Furthermore, if God doesn’t want you doing a certain job, He’ll give you a better place to work.
Once you find appropriate employment, be sure to treat other people the way God does—with love and respect, whatever their position is. When I was in college, maids cleaned our rooms. I remember some of my roommates saying harsh things about the “hired help.” I thought to myself, If that were my mother, how would I want somebody to treat her? I began to regard the maid as if she were my mom—someone who cared about cleaning my room. How do you want people to treat your children? How do you want them to treat your husband or your wife? How do you want to be treated?
The Bible tells us to work as unto the Lord (Col. 3:23). We can’t do that unless we’re at a job that pleases Him and aligns with His ways. Once we find ourselves serving Him in our job, we must never forget to treat others with love and respect, regardless of our position—or theirs.

CHURCH NEWS YOU CAN USE:

CURRICULUM:

On 11/20 we will begin class at 10:15am to allow anyone to attend the building vote at 10am who is interested.

Join us this Sunday as we begin a 4-week series on Advent called “Advent Through the Eyes of Those Who Waited.” As we all begin our preparations for Christmas, this is a right time to focus our studies together on preparing for the Messiah. Each week in our study we will profile several biblical characters and their perspective of waiting for the Messiah, from the prophets to John the Baptist to Mary. Thanks to the Hodges and the Metzners who will co-lead this study.

We will not have class on Sunday, November 27th, Christmas Day or New Year's Day. Please take some time on these special days to attend service and enjoy time with your families.

OUTREACH:

2. Furreal Friend Go Go Pup

3. Little Mommy doll (African-American. an extra set of clothes too?)

4. CD karaoke machine

5. Clothing size 14-16

Kayla, Age 4, "I like to dance and sing"1. Dora Kitchen
2. doll house (if it comes with dolls, African-American)
3. bike (and helmet)

4. ball
5. clothing size 6x, shoes size 1 - (Amy R. has already volunteered to buy her a play outfit and dressy outfit – thanks!)
6. Age-appropriate education toy
Jahshayla, Age 11. Tickle Me Elmo

SOCIAL:

Thanksgiving Lunch
Join us this Sunday, November 20th, for the Harvest Luncheon in the Fellowship Hall following class. We plan to reserve a few tables for the LAFers. Look forward to sharing the holiday meal with you!

NAMETAGS:

If you are newer to the class and would like a nametag please email Lauren Borowsky (laurenmccoy@hotmail.com ). The nametags are $5 each - check to Lauren payable to PRUMC (or cash).

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES:

PJ Wade - 11/2

Natalia Kelly - 11/6

Malia Metzner - 11/7

Jen Linneman - 11/12

Collins Easom - 11/12

Kathryn Spencer - 11/16

Amy Register - 11/21

The Spencers - 11/5

The Blackwoods - 11/23

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Weekly Announcements

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Weekly Announcements

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Announcements

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Announcements

Sunday, November 27, 2011

LAF Weekly Announcments - Late

Thursday, November 17, 2011

LAF Weekly Announcements - 11/17/11

Colossians 3:23: 23 Whatever you do, do your work [a]heartily, as for the Lord [b]rather than for men,

Colossians 3:23: ²³ Whatever you do, do your work ^[a]heartily, as for the Lord ^[b]rather than for men,