A Weekly Newsletter
of First United Methodist Church of Madison
News and Upcoming Events for members and friends
TONIGHT AT 5, Christmas Eve
  • We gather virtually to hear prophecy and retell the familiar story of the birth of Jesus in word and music through a traditional Lessons and Carols Service. In addition to our Quadrilateral Quartet, many members of the congregation are sharing musical gifts during an extended prelude. We will post the virtual worship on our website and on Facebook at 5:00 pm on Christmas Eve, and the service can be viewed at any time after that. We will conclude by singing Silent Night and sharing the Light of Christ. We invite you to join us in song and by lighting a candle to dispel the darkness. Hymns on Christmas eve will be: #250, #216, #234, #246, #238, and #239.
 
  • Christmas Eve service for families with younger children Beginning at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, December 24, we will meet via Zoom with video carols, and we will create a Nativity with stickers while we read the Christmas story. Families are welcome to read a special story or share a special tradition or memory. We will end our time together with battery operated candles, singing Silent Night to a video. Please email Laurie if you would like to join this special service, and she will send the Zoom invitation to you. If you will need a candle, please let Laurie know and she will get one to you. All are welcome.
This Sunday, December 27
  • It is the Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s, sometime called a Low Sunday. It is also FAMILY SUNDAY! And: this Sunday we have two guests who will help Rev. Paul Melrose bring the morning message: Ernie and Bert! The theme is giving and receiving. What did Ernie and Bert give to each other; there was a miracle. A great story to come after we have celebrated God’s great gift for us, the Birth of Jesus. Doug Maynard will remind us again of God’s great gift as he reads the familiar Christmas story from Luke. Question Mark will meet Ernie and Bert for the first time: Question Mark has a few questions for them. Rev. Dr. Melrose’s Sermon is “It is blessed to give AND to receive." Children, bring your parents and sit around and listen to Ernie and Bert’s Story.

  • We continue our post-Christmas tradition of hearing a Low Brass Ensemble. Our Euphoniums and Tubas will play the prelude and postlude. Hymns for the Sunday after Christmas will be led by our Quadrilateral Quartet. We'll sing Away In a Manger #217, Silent Night #239, and Go, Tell It on the Mountain #251. Jack Innes will sing the John Jacob Niles arrangement of I Wonder As I Wander.

  • You can join us for virtual worship on Sunday or any time after that by visiting the links below.
For Children and Youth
Children's Sunday School
Laurie's videos are shared to our website and Facebook every Monday, and we are featuring a Children's Moment each week during the video worship. Laurie is also sending zoom invitations for weekly Sunday School classes. If you would like to join Zoom Sunday School, contact Laurie here.

Youth and Young Adults
There are Youth and Young Adult Zoom discussion opportunities! All are welcome! Contact Megan with any questions. The FUMC young adults are gathering on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pmContact Megan for more information.
Christian Formation
Sharing our Journeys: The Sharing Our Journeys class meets every Sunday morning at 10:00 am via zoom. We have a great time of sharing and learning from each other.

This Sunday, December 27, we continue our Advent Study on Incarnation. The discussion will be led by Pastor Maribel.

If you have not been attending and would like to do so, please email Rich Oliver or contact Rich by phone, at 573.999.0759.

Exploring the Edges of Theology: Join us this Sunday at 11:15 to begin our discussion of Days of Awe and Wonder, by Marcus Borg. Email Ann Hamon or Joan Maynard for a zoom invitation.
Emergency Contact Information
Pastor Mark Fowler is away on bereavement leave, following the death of his father. Mark will be back on January 14. The First Church staff are taking a well-deserved break from December 28 - 31. In the meantime, for pastoral emergencies, please contact Rev. Maribel Celiz or Rev. Paul Melrose on the following schedule:

  • December 22 - January 1, contact Maribel; email or call 608.289.6308.
  • January 2 - 8, contact Paul; email or call 608.515.5892.
  • January 9 - 14, contact Maribel; email or call 608.289.6308.
We are not finished - We are just beginning
As we prepare for the end-of-the-year and the beginning of the New Year, we reflect on how blessed we are at First Church. We are grateful for you and your generosity.
 
Would you like to donate or update your gift of investment securities? This can be executed by the Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation free of charge.  
 
You will find the security transfer form that you can give to your investment management company.
 
Please have your check sent to: First United Methodist Church - PO Box 7578, Madison WI 53707
 
Thank you! - Kelly Walling, Financial Systems Coordinator
Town Hall Meetings with Pastor Maribel, January 6 and 7 at 6pm, to discuss Children's, Youth, Young Adult, and Young Families ministries
Covid-19 has prevented us from meeting in person, so I have set aside two virtual town hall gatherings to virtually meet you, to begin to have a conversation about our children’s ministry, youth, young adults, and young family gatherings. We want to give you an opportunity to share your ideas, ask questions, share new ways on how we can continue to grow at First Church.
 
Questions to reflect upon:
How can I/we begin to plan for safety gatherings?
What can I/we do to work towards a vibrant children’s, youth, young adult, young family ministry?
What are some of my /our ideas? Hopes for these ministries?
Bring your own question!
 
Our Zoom meetings are on January 6 and 7, at 6:00pm both nights. You only need to attend on the date that works best for you. Click here for the January 6 Zoom link. OR Click here for the January 7 Zoom link.
Hope's Home Ministries Serving in Community
We operated our Mobile Emergency Food Pantry on Saturday, December 19.

Our operations always begin with a team huddle forming a large circle outside the sanctuary where we connect and share a blessing and prayer.

Guests choose from our “shopping list” consisting of 51 items. Volunteers create customized food packages for households rather than distributing pre-packed boxes which leads to food waste.

We are so grateful for these volunteers!

Paul DeLong, Drive-up Greeter & Registrar; Sonja Foldvari, Walk-up Greeter and Registrar; Carolyn Betz, Lead Assembly; Abby DeLong, Cold Foods Assembler; Megan Zuba, Blessing & Prayer, Shopping Buddy; Maggie Wilson, Shopping Buddy; Ben Gessert, Runner; Max Varner, Care Calls; Dale Metcalf, Receiving & Stocking; Margot Fisher, Hope’s Home Ministries Chair; Rev. Dr. Mel Vance and Rev. Linda Vance, Printed Devotions.

Deliveries going out on Christmas Eve include a christmas meal, homemade desserts, a christmas gift box filled with special items, gas cards for individuals with vehicles living out of their then "car camping", and a very special message from 2nd graders of Franklin Elementary along with a a Christmas message from the Vances and prayer, survival gear, and Love!!! Read more about the Franklin Elementary and NAMI partnership here.
Emergency Food Delivery and Opportunities to Help
We continue to deliver Emergency Food Bags, Clean-up Kits, and Survival Gear to individuals experiencing homelessness. Many choose not to enter the shelter system during the pandemic often with underlying health conditions, and/or couples do not choose to split up to sleep in a shelter, fearing risk of infection, and separation from their spouse/ partner.

Remote Outreach and Harm Reduction are the connection with our Emergency Food Deliveries. We build trust integral in building bridges to care, services and housing. This week, Karen helped three couples get into temporary housing: all couples and with underlying health conditions. Shannon and Carlos (pictured) live out of their car choosing not to split up, and Shannon has multiple underlying health conditions.



We are grateful for the support of donations making it possible for us to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Would you like to help? We invite you to contribute these greatest need items:
  • Fruit cups
  • Individually wrapped beef sticks
  • Toilet Paper (if possible, box of bulk)
  • Ravioli (pop-top cans)

To make a financial donation, mail a check to First United Methodist Church, PO Box 7578, Madison, WI 53707, or contribute online and select Hope’s Home Ministries as your gift designation. Please email or call Karen Andro at 608.338.0320 to coordinate receiving items for the food pantry.
A Christmas Carol, recorded at First Church
Children’s Theater of Madison (CTM) is giving the community a gift this year: the annual holiday production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL is reimagined for our times, and delivered directly to your home. This virtual offering will feature a 95-member cast of professional actors, talented youth, community members and civic leaders; including our own Rev. Dr. Mark Fowler. Brian Cowing, member of our congregation, is the creative director. Musical segments were recorded here at First Church (before Emergency Act 10). Viewing is free and streaming December 18 – 31. The performance lasts 35 minutes and is told in a storytelling style, appropriate for all ages. The video is available at this link December 18-31.
Old Befana Returns, January 3, 2021
Old Befana has a new broom! Since none of us can gather for performances this season - neither our musical cast nor the audiences who love the show - our 35th year will be, of necessity, very intimate.

We invite you to join us this year via Zoom, on January 3 at 11:15! We’ll present it as we did that long ago Yuletide night, with composer Ken Lonnquist and forever-troupe-member Joanne Schilling offering an intimate musical-storytelling experience from home. Ken and Jo will sing and narrate with guitar, bells, chimes and percussion. There will be a Q&A following the performance.
 
Befana’s message - that peace, goodwill and a better world may be found within the hearts of all of us - has never been more needed. We’re delighted to bring the story to all who cherish it as part of their own annual holiday tradition. The pandemic won’t keep Old Befana from flying your way on her Zoom-Broom!
Joys and Concerns
Please hold the following in prayer this week: Jim Reynolds, Shirley Blank, Dan Woolpert, Roy Prestage, Gary Jordan; all members and friends of our congregation who are suffering from the COVID virus or any of its lingering effects, and remembering those incarcerated who also suffer.

We offer our condolences and prayers to the family of John Kruse who died recently. He was a friend and frequent worshipper and choir member at First Church for many years.
Racial Inclusiveness and Justice Group
We are excited to join First Baptist Church of Madison, WI in hosting Dr. Christy Clark-Pujara of UW Madison for a virtual talk on January 10, 2021 at 2:00 pm, Central. The topic of her talk will be on the history of race-based slavery in America and the complicity of its core institutions - including the church. There will be time for questions following the talk. You can find information about First Baptist Church-Madison, WI’s Racial Justice work at this link, and more information about the talk, including Dr. Clark-Pujara’s bio and information about co-sponsors, at this link.

To register, please click here or email racialjustice@firstbaptistmadison.org.
Update from Hawthorne School
December has been a month of reaching out to the families at Hawthorne Elementary. It's been heartwarming to see how many people donated to the Holiday Helpers program. In fact, 13 FUMC households donated $2000 in gifts to help many families have a warmer, happier Christmas in the midst of a challenging year. The school is so grateful for the generosity of their Adopt-a-School partner. 

We are waiting to hear how tutoring at the school will look in 2021. Until then, you will receive notice of opportunities to help in other ways as they present themselves. If you have ideas of ways to help, don't hesitate to contact Kathy Carpenter.
Come to the Manger, an Advent Giving Opportunity
The United Methodist Women are once again collecting gifts for Northcott Neighborhood House. This important mission remains a vital place in North Milwaukee, serving women and children, offering youth programs and very importantly a job training site for men so they can support their families.

Because of Covid, they are not distributing clothing this year. They are asking for monetary gifts, checks written to Northcott marked Christmas or they are distributing gift cards for stores like Target, Walmart, Kohls, or Walgreens to give to needy families. Please consider donating online by clicking here, or writing a check to Northcott Neighborhood House, marked Christmas, or purchase gift cards for the stores mentioned and mail to:

Northcott Neighborhood House
2460 N 6th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53212
Recycling Program
TERRACYCLE UPDATETerracycle recycling is back at church! This pilot program is called the T.T.T. Terracycle Drive-up & Drop-off, from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. every TuesdayFind more details here.
Faith Talks, a United Methodist Women Podcast
United Methodist Women have a wonderful podcast called Faith Talks. You can find the podcast here; click the link to register. You will receive an email a few days before the talk with a zoom link to log on and listen.

Past episodes are available on their website. If you’d like to join our local Talk Back zoom the following Friday morning at 10:00 am, email Josie Gobel for a zoom link to join us on Friday morning after Talk Back.
Pandemic Mail Disrupted
Regular delivery of USPS mail to First Church has suffered due to the pandemic. As a result, our new Post Office Box is the most reliable way to send any mail to FUMC. We welcome your continued communications to the church, but please address them as follows:
 
First United Methodist Church
PO Box 7578
Madison, WI 53707
Scam Alert - Updates
We have learned that some members and friends of FUMC are once again receiving fraudulent emails from Kelly Walling or Rev. Mark Fowler, asking for help and contributions. These emails appear to come from church staff, but they are from a FALSE Gmail account. 

DO NOT RESPOND to these emails. DO NOT CLICK in the emails - they are a SCAM and are not from First Church or Pastor Fowler. When you receive emails from us, they will be from our Constant Contact mail service (as this one is) or from an address ending in FUMC.ORG.

The staff of First Church would never contact a member via email to solicit donations or funding of any kind. If you are unsure about any email message, please contact the Welcome Center at 608.256.9061 or email at info@fumc.org.

Thank you for not responding to this spam attempt, and be careful what you click.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
203 Wisconsin Avenue, Madison, WI 53703

MAILING ADDRESS:
PO Box 7578
Madison WI 53707
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