Advent Prayer- Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar (from 2018)
Gracious God,
We are ready —
to receive you;
when you come,
in whatever way you come.
We are ready —
to be your angels, your messengers, your bearers of glad tidings.
We are ready, God, to be —
your light, where there is darkness,
your way, where there is no clear path,
your hope, where the future is uncertain,
your peace, where there is conflict,
your truth, where there is injustice.
Come, Lord Jesus, come —
be among us
as God,
made flesh,
in the power
of the Holy Spirit, AMEN
Are you ready? Advent is a season of readiness when we both invite God to be present in ways that will transform ourselves and our world and when we readily join in with God in this great work. So, are you ready? May we be ready at all times to be the light of Christ shining in the darkness; to be the way that provides clear directions to those who are seeking; to be beacons of hope to those who are feeling hopeless; to be peace, truth, and justice in our world.
Ready and waiting,
Pastor Rich
WORSHIP AHEAD
12/15 The third Sunday of Advent
Lighting the third Advent candle (Gloria and Alan MacDougall at 8:15 and Caitlin MacDonald and Debbie Jagodzinski at 10:30am)
Choir singing
Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11
Theme: Everlasting Joy- The readings on the third Sunday of Advent always speak of joy, gladness, and rejoicing and this is no exception. The prophet speaks of the great joy, not just of the returning exiles, but of the very terrain through which they travel. Joy is so much a part of the Advent and Christmas stories and hopefully we each can reflect that "everlasting" joy as well.
OPPORTUNITY OF THE WEEK
Each week we will try to highlight a particular opportunity for you to serve in and through the Main Street UMC.
On Sunday we will be celebrating "Gifts for the King" and in some ways our service through this program is easiest of all since it mostly involves giving money rather than our time and effort. This year you are invited to purchase "gift cards, balls, games, warm hats, scarves, and gloves, bowling passes, medium gym bags, or other items you think teems at the Nashua Children's Home would enjoy." Please bring your items to be placed under the tree in the sanctuary during the 10:30am worship service.
CONSECRATION SUNDAY REMINDER
Sunday, October 20, we celebrated Consecration Sunday and presented our pledges of support to God for the year 2020. As of last Monday, 72 pledges had been received in support of the General Fund in the amount of $228,653 and another 23 pledges were received towards the Heart of Nashua Campaign to pay down our debt in the amount of $27,560. If you have not as yet submitted your pledge card please do so as soon as possible by mailing it to the church office to the attention of Bill Francis, our Financial Secretary or by including it in the offering plate any Sunday. Your commitment and support are greatly appreciated.
ADVENT TAIZE SERVICE PLANNED
Are you looking for a bit of peace and quiet in the midst of the hectic Christmas season? If so, we have just what you need! Sunday at 5:00pm we will hold an Advent Taizé Service featuring calming music, time for quiet reflection, meaningful prayers and readings, and all in a candle lit setting. Come find your quiet center in the midst of this Christmas Season. This service will be held in the second floor lobby. This year we will have live music led by Irene Harris and other church musicians.
CHRISTMAS SERVICE SCHEDULE
You are invited to experience the joy of the Christmas Season at each of the following services:
Sunday, December 22nd
8:15am Communion Service
10:30am Service featuring the music of the Choir
Tuesday, December 24th
7:00pm Family Service with candle lighting
10:00pm Communion Service with candle lighting
Sunday, December 29th
No 8:15am Service and no Sunday School classes
10:30am Service of Lessons and Carols
F Troop Annual Christmas Brunch
Saturday, December 14
11:00 AM Church Vestry
Please join the F Troop, our over 40 fellowship group as we celebrate the Christmas season together with a festive brunch. We will also prepare the candles for the Christmas Eve services, a task we have done for many years now. A sign up is posted on the bulletin board under the clock in the vestry, or you can email Mavis Pyle (pylefamily@comcast.net) to see what is needed. Come spend some time with your church family during this Advent season. We hope to see you there!
RECEPTIONIST POSITION
The receptionist at the Main Street United Methodist Church will greet people as they arrive for various activities; direct people to where they need to go; answer the phone; attend to various office related tasks, and perform other tasks that may be identified on an occasional basis. The ideal person will be pleasant, accepting of all people, willing to address needs as they arise and work independently. The position is part-time for approximately 20 hours per week and includes vacation time but no other benefits. The hours are expected to be 9am – 1pm, Monday-Friday, but some flexibility can be provided. The starting date for the position is expected to be March 1, 2020. This position is available for both church members and non-church members.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT POSITION
The Administrative Assistant for the Main Street United Methodist Church will assist the pastor with all office-related responsibilities including preparation of weekly bulletin, weekly e-mail blast, monthly paper newsletter; occasional bulk mailings; and other tasks that may be identified on an occasional basis. The position will be responsible for seeing that all office equipment is maintained as required. The ideal person must be able to work with the Microsoft Office Suite and be comfortable learning new programs that the church depends upon, such as Power Church Plus. The position is part-time for approximately 20 hours per week and includes vacation time but no other benefits. Hours are flexible based on the needs of the church and the availability of the person who fills the position. The starting date for the position is expected to be February 1, 2020. This position is available for non-church members only.
Gift Card Fundraiser
Beginning now and throughout the Holiday Season, MSUMC will be participating in a gift card fundraiser with a company called Scrip. Scrip is fundraising while you shop.
Here's how it works: Our members can buy gift cards, e-gift cards or mobile gift cards through the program. You'll pay the full face value, but earn an immediate rebate percentage amount for MSUMC that's typically between 2% and 16% depending on the retailer. Then, use that gift card on your normal purchases or give it as a gift. So, for instance, you could buy bagels and coffee from Panera Bread with Scrip and earn 8%. You're not spending any extra time or money— it's just earning for our church!
Sign-up by visiting https://shop.shopwithscrip.com/ and clicking on the REGISTER button. The MSUMC Enrollment Code needed to sign up is 7EF7366757686
There is also a mobile app called MyScripWallet that is available for both Apple and Android Devices that can be used to participate on a mobile device.
NEW THIS YEAR is also the ability to pay for online orders using a credit card so you do not have to be limited to writing a check or linking your checking account info to make a purchase!
During the month of November, a paper order form with a limited amount of gift card choices will also be available in the vestry for those who would rather participate that way.
Questions? Contact our Scrips program coordinator (Laura Graudons) at LauraG1973@comcast.net or 595-2412.
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