Happy New Year!

Can you believe it????  The year is almost over!  Still trying to figure out where it went.

The Church Office will be closed Friday, Dec. 31st & Monday, Jan. 3rd.

The First United Methodist Church of Sweeny would like to wish you & yours a very Happy & SAFE New Years!

Contact the Church Office or Pastor to see where you can help!

Newsletters Online!!!

I hope this post finds you enjoying your Christmas Season! 

If you notice to the right of your screen, there is a new list that says Newsletters and has a date listed under it.  If you click on that date, it will allow you to see a downloadable copy of our newsletters.  When printing, please keep in mind that our newsletters are designed to be printed on legal (8.5x14) paper.  You can print it on 8.5x11, you just need to verify your print settings are to shrink to fit the paper.  You should see a link for "File" & "View" above the image of the newsletter, this will allow you to save or print.
Hope you enjoy the newest feature of our Churches site.  If you have any suggestions, comments or complaints, please contact Anna in the Church Office at  sweenyfumc@windstream.net

Christmas Message from Bishop Janice Riggle Huie

Lingering Over Christmas

Some seasons of the year are like ladders by which we climb to a purer air and a higher, broader view of life. Christmas is such a time.

Darkness is overcome by light. Cold is overtaken by warmth. Choirs sing like angels. The power that created all the galaxies, all the stars in their courses, becomes flesh and blood in a barn. A sweet, innocent creature is conceived by the extravagant love of God and is born as all infants are born — in the flesh and blood of humanity. The Incarnation can be accepted only with awe and wonder. Jesus was wholly divine and Jesus was wholly human. Like love, the incarnation cannot be explained — only rejoiced in.

In all the “busy-ness” of Christmas — the family gatherings, gift-giving, meal preparation, parties and more, the wonder, joy and awe of the Incarnation seems to disappear quickly. We drop back to our former levels of ordinariness, routine, chores, children, parents and jobs. Often we are left with only a haunting dream by which we remember the mystery and joy of Christmas Eve.

What if we could climb the ladder again and see the stars and hear the angels again? What would it be like to wonder again at the miraculous love of God? What would it be like if, at least for a time, we could linger over Christmas?

Luke offers us such a ladder for lingering. He leaves us with the word “ponder.” “Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Ponder is an interesting word. It may sound a little heavy to our ears — as though “ponder” is calling us to strain for some higher level of intellect. Dr. Eugene Peterson helps us here. He paraphrases, “Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself.”

What did Mary ponder? That the son of God was born in the rudeness of a barn? That Joseph protected and cared for her, even though he understood less than she. The strange visit by the shepherd who told them about the angels announcing that the birth of this child would bring peace to all people.

After the last gift is opened and all the Christmas decorations put away, what if we were to linger over the Incarnation as one carefully carries a precious memory? What if we were to ponder Christmas — to hold Christmas dear and deep within ourselves? What if we were to begin the new year, not only with new resolutions for a better life, but also deeper level of wondering about a love which changes the world?

Somehow in this Child, in the mature human being he grew to become, is the gloriously impossible mystery of God. There is the power to love beyond all understanding. There is the power to make us whole. There is the power to bring life out of death — even to you and me.

May Christ fill you with joy, awe and wonder as you linger over Christmas and ponder the birth of Jesus Christ.

Grace and peace,
Janice Riggle Huie

Christmas Festival Sign Ups

Our Annual Christmas Festival will be on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2010 from 4pm-6pm in the Family Life Center.  Entry fee is 1+ canned good per person.  We need volunteers to help with the booths as well as food/prizes.  Below is a list of the games & things needed still.  Please email or call the church office to sign up or get more information.  We also need volunteers to help setup for the festival at 2pm (you don't have to work a booth to help setup/clean up).  We appriciate any and all help.  Thanks for helping us provide this wonderful event for the children of the community.  
God Bless ~
Jessica Pate & Anna Turner

Christmas Festival 2010 Sign Up

Volunteers
(We will need at least 2 volunteers per booth, you are welcome to find extra people to work your booth part of the time so that you can enjoy the festivities as well. Please remember that all volunteers will need a background check as of 2010.)

Duck Pond (pick a duck out of the pond to see what prize is on it's underside):

Spinner (spin the wheel to see what prize you win):   Lucy Miller

Plunko (drop the disk from the top to see where it lands as it bounces down the board):  Jane Pate, Kristy Lavendar, Sue Ellen Netherley

Washer Toss:  Gayle Horn

Cake Walk: Glick Family

Bingo:

Cards:  Kay Brightwell

Entry Door:  Jeanette Nelson, Ruby Mickey


Supplies & Prizes for Games
(We are planning for 200 children & their parents, plus 20 or so volunteers)

Sandwich Size Ziploc Bags:  Anna Turner

Cupcakes (for cakewalk) {we need a lot, this is a very popular game}:  Pastor, Jane Pate

Cookies (for cakewalk)  {we need a lot, this is a very popular game}:  Brightwell Family, Ruby Mickey

Any Valentine or Easter or Patriotic Cards (blank, not filled out) {We will be making/signing cards for the troops}:


Dinner
Hobo Stew:

6 pounds of cooked Hamburger Meat (can choose any quantity, ie/ 1 pound, 2 pound, etc.):  2lbs each- Sue Walker, Kay Brightwell, Jeanette Nelson


Saltine Crackers:  Karen Bailey

Ritz Crackers:  Karen Bailey

Corn Bread (several pans/muffins):  Lucile Burttschell, Mary Kessler, Glick Family