November 16, 2008
November 16th, 2008
TODAY IN CHURCH
Usher: Alice Metzloff, Bill Neal, Dick Christy Flowers: on the altar today are provided by Marilyn Koehler in memory of Don Koehler.
Lay Reader: Gene Febus
Coffee Hour: will be provided by Beth Hari & Ruth Gifford.
Worship Highlights: 8:15 & 10:30am
Matthew 25:14-30 (Judges 4:1-7)
“Well Done, Good and Faithful Servants”
by Pastor Neal Sadler
PRAYER CONCERNS
Dwayne McDowell Yvonne Root
Shelley Surrena Mary Ellen Conn
Shawn Mallory Marilyn Neidert
Mary Ruth Bowman Ellen Wagner
Steve Petty Gail Winterfield
Rich Scotto Sally Jaycox
Anna Kinder Emily Wilson
Ellen Herold Linda Helke
Alberta Taylor Betty Maatz
Bob Wagner Val Cervenak
MILITARY PRAYERS
Pfc. Mike Hansen Jed Caulfield
HM2 Patrick Donnelly Cory Flynn
Staff Sgt. Brian Hahne Pvt. Gary Sanborn
Brian Geschke Sgt Derek Haumesser
Pfc. Lee Eggeman Cpt. Kenny Flemming
237 Brigade, Co. G Chris Jodway
SYMPATHY
Our Christian sympathies go to Dick & Dorie Christy on the death of their grandson, Cass Christy.
WEEK AT A GLANCE
Sun 8:15 am Chapel Worship
9:00 am Gathering Service
9:00 am Choir Rehearsal
10:30 am Traditional Service
11:30 am Christmas Program Rehearsal
11:30 am World Friendship Board
2:00 pm JMM @ City Home
2:00 pm JMM @ Medina Meadows
5:00 pm Youth Group Thanksgiving Dinner @ Izaak Walton
Mon Gift Card Orders Due
1:00 pm Breadmakers
Tues 7:00 pm Bible Study Rm 4
7:00 pm Gathering Band
Wed 10:30 am Quilters
2:00 pm Bible Study @ Tollafield’s
6:30 pm Bell Choir Rehearsal
Thurs 1:00 pm Esther Circle
7:00 pm Christian Ed. Meeting
7:00 pm Cabinet Meeting
Fri 6:30 pm Scrapbooking
Sat 8:00 am Men’s Fellowship @ Marie’s
9:00 am Gathering Band
5:00 pm Candlelight Walk and CE Bake Sale
Sun 9:00 am Choir Rehearsal
9:30 am Unified Worship Service
10:30 am Christmas Program Rehearsal
5:00 pm Sr. High Youth Group
6:30 pm Confirmation Mentor Night
7:00 pm JMM @ WRMC
GOOD NEIGHBORS
The Good Neighbor volunteer for the week of Nov. 16 thru Nov. 22 is Laurie Morgan. If you can provide a meal for those recuperating from surgery, in crisis or celebrating a birth, please sign up by Fellowship Hall.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
CE & YOUTH EVENTS
*Nov 16- Christmas Program Rehearsal 11:30am
*Operation Christmas Child Shoe Boxes Due
*Youth Group Thanksgiving Meal 5-7pm
*Nov 22-CE Candlelight Walk Bake Sale 5-8pm
*Nov 23-Christmas Program Rehearsal 10:30am
Senior High Youth Group 5-7 pm
Confirmation 6:45
*SPECIAL ELEMENTARY YOUTH GROUP
MEETING 5-7pm.
*Nov 30-Christmas Program Rehearsal 11:30am
No Senior High Youth Group
*Dec 2 –Advent Family Fun Night 6-8pm.
*Dec 4- Christmas Program
Dress Rehearsal 6pm
*Dec 7- Children’s Christmas Pageant 10:30am.
*Dec12- Polar Express Movie Night 7pm
*Dec14- Senior High Youth Group
*Dec 21-Youth Group Christmas Parties
YOUTH GROUP
THANKSGIVING DINNER
The second annual youth group Thanksgiving Dinner will be held tonight Sunday, November 16th from 5-7 pm. We will be having dinner at the Izaak Walton League. You will drop off your youth and pick them up at Izaak Walton (7085 Friendsville Rd). Youth will be contacted with what dish to bring to share. If you need directions, please see Stacie Yates.
CE CANDLELIGHT WALK BAKE SALE
The CE Board will once again be hosting a bake sale on Saturday, Nov. 22 from 5-8 pm. Funds collected will be used for supplies and equipment for Christian Education programming. If you would like to donate a baked good for the bake sale, please sign up outside of fellowship hall. Thank you so much for your support.
CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
It’s that time of year again! Our first practice for the annual Children’s Christmas Program is today at 11:30am. There will be rehearsals following the 10:30 service today and November 30th and following the unified service on November 23rd. The program will be performed by our children and youth on Sunday, December 7 at the 10:30 service.
ATTENTION ELEMENTARY
YOUTH GROUP FAMILIES!!!!
The elementary youth group has chosen Operation Christmas Child as their mission for this holiday season. Due to this they will be having a special night of youth group on Sunday, November 23 to assemble shoe boxes and get them organized to ship out. We will meet at regular youth group time from 5-7 pm and will have dinner with the Sr. High Youth group. If you have any questions, please contact Stacie Yates.
Gift Card Fundraiser
Purchase gift cards as gifts or order gift cards to use for your Christmas gift purchasing. If you know that you will be shopping at Kohl’s, Walmart, Kmart, Penney’s or any other retailer check the scrip retailer list first and order gift cards to help the youth raise funds for future mission trips.
The next order date is Monday, November 17th by 10:00 am. Gift cards will be available for pickup after Wednesday, the 19th. Look for the Yellow Retailer List on the table near Fellowship Hall or visit www.glscrip.com and click on the Retailer List on the left side to view or print your own list. Complete a Green Order Form, also available on the table near fellowship hall and return to Kelly or Stacie with payment.
December dates are Monday, December 1st and Monday, December 15th.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
It’s that time of year again. The CE Board, Sunday school classes and Elementary Youth Group are once again sponsoring the Operation Christmas Child project. You take a shoe box and fill it with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, candy and an assortment of other gifts. The boxes are then given to hurting children world wide. We have empty shoe boxes for you. All you have to do is fill them and get them back to the church by Sunday, November 16. If you have any questions, please contact Stacie Yates (330)723-7344. Help us take God’s love to hurting children around the world.
WELCOME!
Please take a moment to introduce yourself and say hello to Mariah Marlin-Warfield, our new Youth and Family Life Pastor, and her husband Chris. Remember to wear your name tags as they try to put names with faces.
ESTHER CIRCLE
Esther Circle is sponsoring a Frozen FoodS and Paper Goods drive this month, for the Battered Women’s Shelter of Medina. Needs are; butter, meats and paper goods of all types. Drop-off boxes will be in the Fellowship Hallway through Sunday, November 23rd. Frozen food donations can be left in the church freezer marked “BWSM”. Monetary donations can be made to UCC WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP-memo BWSM, and dropped in the Sunday offering plates or in Kelly’s mailbox.
BOOK DISCUSSION
Are you a woman who enjoys a good book? Are you interested in getting to know some of the other amazing women of our church? Please join members of the CE Board for a book club that will meet the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00pm. The first meeting will be Tues. Dec 9 at Cool Beans. We will be getting into the holiday spirit by discussing The Christmas Blessing by Donna VanLiere. To RSVP or if you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Manhoff at 723-1883 or at mommi23@hotmail.com .
“MISSIONS ‘09”
You are cordially invited and encouraged to attend the “Missions’09” meeting to help narrow down a destination for an adult mission trip for the summer of ’09. The first meeting was well attended, but there’s still a spot for you! The meeting will be held in the East Room tonight Sunday, Nov. 16th at 4:00pm.
SCRAPBOOKING
The Scrapbooking group will be meeting on Friday, November 20th starting at 6:30 pm. Join Kelly and Stacie for an uninterrupted evening of working on your photo albums.
TIME AND TALENT
STEWARDSHIP SURVEY
Keep your eyes on your mailbox for the TIME AND TALENT GIFT GIVING mailing. We want to help keep everyone aware of the needs and opportunities for service in and through our church. Just follow the simple instructions when it arrives to indicate where and how you can participate. Then bring your TIME AND TALENT GIVING form to the unified worship service on Thanksgiving Sunday, November 23rd. Join the excitement of an Alive, Giving and Growing church!
SUNDAY SCHOOL
There will be Sunday school on November 23 for 3 year olds thru 5th grade. Middle School & Senior High youth will stay in church for the Unified Service.
UNIFIED SERVICE
Four times a year our congregation joins together to worship at one unified service.
Next Sunday, November 23rd, we will unite to worship God centering on Thanksgiving at 9:30 in the sanctuary. Unified services allow us to share and appreciate the numerous talents we utilize in worshipping and serving. The service will prepare us for the coming holiday and remind us to bring our thanks and our giving to God. You all will be an active participant by bringing your Time and Talent Gift Forms forward as an act of dedication and gratitude to God.
“My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.” Colossian 2:6 (The Message)
Charitable-IRA Donations
are BACK…
Charitable Donation for 2008
and/or to Prepay your 2009 Pledge
The $700 billion Emergency Economic Stabilization Act enacted by Congress in early October allows individuals age 70½ or older to make a charitable donation up to $100,000 from their IRA without paying federal income tax on the distribution. This current provision is effective for tax years 2008 and 2009 only. For the 2008 tax year you must act by December 31st. If anyone is interested in making this type of charitable contribution, request a distribution form from your IRA plan administrator, call Kelly in the church office for the church’s Federal Tax ID number and request that the transfer be sent directly to United Church of Christ, Congregational 217 E. Liberty Street Medina, Ohio 44256.