Advent: Week Three
This Week's Theme: JOY
During Advent, we often hear various beings giving the announcement of Jesus' coming. We've heard from passages that show us what it means when Jesus shows up, and this week, we shift that annunciation to an angel announcing Jesus' birth. This angel actually has a name - Gabriel. And this angel tells this news to exactly one person - a young woman named Mary.
Have you ever received news that should have brought joy but also created a whole host of questions? How will that happen? When? Those questions aren't exactly a heavenly host singing in angelic harmony. It's almost like they mix together the joyful announcement with equal parts elation and fear while adding a dash of bitter anger for good measure.
Maybe you can relate. Maybe everyone telling you to be of good cheer is a message that evokes equal parts joy and dread (with exhaustion), or there are times you might not feel exactly what one is "supposed" to feel in Advent. This Sunday invites us to bring all of that as we embrace the hope of Advent together.
Join us as we celebrate the season of Advent and insist on hope!
Advent Giving Tree for PADS
Help children give a Christmas present to their parents. You can sign up to give gifts that children currently housed at the Interim Housing Center for PADS can then give to their parents. Each room has a specific request for items such as gift cards (Kohls, Target, Walmart, etc.) or individual gifts. Could you help these housing insecure folks give gifts this Christmas?
The gifts are needed by THIS SUNDAY.
Blue Christmas Service
Wednesday, Dec. 17th
Maple Street Chapel
Join us for a service of contemplation and reflection during this holiday season. We'll light candles, sit in silence, and reflect. If you have felt a loss this year or experience grief during the holidays, this service is especially meant for you. Join us at Maple Street Chapel at 7pm.
Christmas Cantata - December 21st
Join us on Sunday, December 21st as our choir leads us in our Christmas Cantata. The chancel choir has been working hard for the past three months to bring this musical telling of the story of Christmas. There will be readings and a variety of songs and solos.
Join us for one of the best events of the year!
Christmas Eve at First UMC
Our Christmas Eve services will be at 4:30pm and 11pm on Wednesday, December 24th. The 4:30 service will be more interactive, using volunteers to help us tell the Christmas story. The 11pm service will be our traditional service of lessons and carols. Both services will feature communion, with the earlier service incorporating Christmas carols as a part of the communion liturgy. We'll also end with our candle lighting, Silent Night, and Joy To the World. Join us!
Share your Christmas Card!
Bring in a Christmas card and pin it to our Christmas card bulletin board! Have a photo card or a card you normally send out? Share it with us so that we can all rejoice together!
Food, Fellowship, & Fun
January 10th
Everyone is invited to attend our first Food, Fellowship, & Fun night on Saturday January 10, 2026 from 5-8 p.m. in the chapel sponsored by UWIF
This a chance for us all to connect and play some board or card games, have some pizza, and just enjoy being together. Pizza & beverage will be provided. If you have a favorite game to play, bring it with you. If you plan on attending, please use the sign up sheet in the sanctuary, so we can have the right amount of pizza. There will be a goodwill offering to defray the cost of the pizza.
This promises to be a good time for everyone - kids make sure you bring your parent(s). Questions? Please contact Linda Dumas or Nancy Smith (office@firstumclombard.org).
This a chance for us all to connect and play some board or card games, have some pizza, and just enjoy being together. Pizza & beverage will be provided. If you have a favorite game to play, bring it with you. If you plan on attending, please use the sign up sheet in the sanctuary, so we can have the right amount of pizza. There will be a goodwill offering to defray the cost of the pizza.
This promises to be a good time for everyone - kids make sure you bring your parent(s). Questions? Please contact Linda Dumas or Nancy Smith (office@firstumclombard.org).
CULTURE SHIFT TRAINING
January 31st
Join us as Jim Ozier leads a training about the kind of internal culture that helps a church grow.
Jim teaches that culture, not programs, budgets, or buildings, determines whether a church thrives or merely survives.
When culture shifts, everything shifts: worship, generosity, mission, and morale.
This one-day workshop is focused on helping pastors and lay leaders assess, shift, and shape their church culture toward vitality and growth. Anyone can join!
Contact the office to register! Office@firstumclombard.org
Interested in knowing what's happening in our United Methodist District? Click the photo for the latest newsletter, including a Christmas video greeting from District Superintendent Rev. Wendy Hardin Hermann
Global Sewing Ministry
Sleeping Mats
Please continue to bring in your plastic bags for our Global Sewing Ministry. We are continuing to weave sleeping mats for those who may have no other place to sleep. Help us give this gift to those locally and throughout the world.
Want to know how the loom works? Watch a video by clicking here.
Anyone who would like to volunteer a little time to weave, please let Sandy Adamec know!
Join us for Prayer Group Thursdays at 9am
All are welcome to attend our prayer group dedicated to praying for our congregation, community and world needs will meet every Thursday morning at 9am in the church chapel at FUMC.
Women's Bible Study Thursdays 1pm by Zoom
Join the Women's Bible Study as they meet via zoom at 1pm every Thursday. Please email the office for zoom link at office@firstumclombard.org.
Scam Notice
Did you receive an email or text asking you to give gift cards? It's a scam!
We've received reports of a scam imitating other church members and emailing something like, "I have an urgent request."
There is often a story involving gift cards or gift certificates for cancer patients. Please do not respond to these requests.
These scams appear to be targeting United Methodist churches throughout the area. We have received several reports from other congregations receiving the same texts and emails. Again, please do not respond.
One of the best ways to make sure the email sent to you is not a scam is to check the "from" person. Even if you recognize the name, see the actual email. For instance, someone impersonating the pastor might have "Pastor Michael" as the from person, but the email has something like youllbelovely or 12f3waf at gmail.com (I've seen variations of those names). Those are not actually from whoever they are pretending to be.
Practice constant vigilance, and we'll all be safer for it!
Week at a Glance
Sunday, December 14th
8:30am Advent Study for Adult Sunday School
10:00am Worship/children’s church
11:00am Coffee &
Acolytes: Eddie & Piper
Liturgist: Denise
Slides: Becky E.
Sound: Steve
Coffee&: Men’s Fellowship
Ushers: Bob & Ron
Monday, Dec. 15th
9:00am Global Sewing Ministry (FUMC)
Tuesday, December 16th
6:30pm Trustees
Wednesday, December 17th
6:00pm Advent Study (First UCC – across the street)
6:00pm Christmas Party for outside group (Chapel & Parlor)
7:00pm Blue Christmas Service (Maple Street Chapel)
Thursday, Dec. 18th
9:00am Prayer Time
1:00pm Women’s Bible Study (Zoom)
6:15pm Choir
7:15pm Bell Choir
Sunday, December 21st – Cantata Sunday
8:30am Advent Study for Adult Sunday School
10:00am Worship & Cantata
11:00am Coffee &
Acolytes: Sam & Abby
Liturgist: Carol B.
Slides: Martha
Sound: Eric
Coffee&: UWIF
Ushers: Carol & Phyllis
Sign Up to be a Liturgist
A liturgist stands up front and leads us all as we say our call to worship, opening prayer, and sometimes reads the scripture. They help us all do "the work of the people" on Sunday.
Sign up form is located at the back of the sanctuary or you can sign up by clicking on the button below.
Coffee & Sign Up
Coffee& is a special time after worship. Help us by preparing coffee and bringing a tasty treat to share. Our Men's Fellowship handles the Second Sunday of each month, and our United Women in Faith take care of the third Sunday. Could you help us by volunteering to bring something the other Sundays of the month? Sign up form is located at the back of the sanctuary or you can sign up by clicking on the button below.
Online Suggestion Box for Trustees
Is something broken? Can we fix clean an area? Send us a suggestion!
email: Trustees@firstumclombard.org
Become an Acolyte
Acolytes bring in the light of Christ each Sunday morning, reminding us that Christ's light is always with us. Children are accompanied by an adult to help them as they perform this essential part of worship. To sign up your child or loved one, click this link to email Pam Lohman.
Pray for those who are healing: Susan; Doug S.; Bob F.; Cindy S.; Monica D.; Brenda; Jim; Bob & Faye S.; Jerry; Dave; Diane; Hans E.; Joy E.; Sandy and Jerry A.; L.G. Bryant; Gary & Kathy B.; John & Diane; Carol W.; Holly and Lou L.; Annette F.; Carole K.
Pray for those in mourning: The family & friends of Joanna Barfuss; the family of Kate Hernandez; the family of Ellen Bryant Voigt; the family of Janae Latrice; the family of Billy (Diana Flint’s brother); the family of Claudia Haimann, Eric’s mother. For the family of Peg Martin (friends of Sandy & Shirley Wright)
Please note that for most requests, we only use first names and last initials in our enews prayer requests in order to respect each person's privacy. Where a request is public information (such as obituaries), full names may be used.
