Multiple tornadoes have ravaged areas of the southeast and mid-west states, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Arkansas, and more. First responders are already on the job of rescue and recovery. Significant assistance will be needed following initial recovery efforts.

The following is a message from the Kentucky Annual Conference Disaster Response Coordinator Jim Morse: “We all will be getting questions - “What can I do to help?” The best quick answer: Pray”.

If you wish to contribute, contribute money locally, to the Kentucky Conference, Kentucky Annual Conference UMC or to UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Do not send clothing.

Join UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) in supporting the recovery efforts in these stricken states. Please give to United States Disaster Response and Recovery through Advance #901670 on line using this link: UMCOR Response

The link to Church of the Palms’ VANCO online giving is here. Go to “Missions Contributions”; to “Missions-UMCOR”, fill in donation amount and enter Advance 901670 in the blank box. 

Make personal checks payable to ADVANCE GCFA. Write “December Tornados” and the Advance code number (901670) on the memo line of the check. Send your check to:

Advance GCFA

Advance # 901670

P.O. Box 9068 

New York, NY 10087-9068.

By giving through The Advance, 100% of your donation reaches your chosen mission project or ministry. These make tax-deductible contributions will go directly to disaster response efforts.

Stephen Ministry, one-to-one Christian care giving, is resuming at Church of the Palms, after a long suspension due to COVID-19.

Previously trained Stephen Ministers, interested in serving, should see Stephen Leaders Al Couper, Carole Bethel, or Pastor Pete regarding the re-application process.

Those interested in applying for the 50 hours of initial training starting January 5 at Church of the Cross, should request an application from the Church Office or Pastor Pete and return it by December 28 to be considered. Training will be every Wednesday from 1-3 until April. (Pastor Pete will be teaching at least two of the sessions.)

Church of the Palms' Stephen Ministry will resume with re-orientation using the the new Stephen Ministry material on January 26.

I know many of you are curious as to where I am with completing my Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah.

Well, I have turned in my badge and keys so my patient visits have been concluded. I've also turned in my final, some 28 pages long! While I have not yet received my formal certificate indicating that I have successfully completed the requirements, I am confident that CPE is done! I have received a preliminary comment from my supervisor that "I actually believe Pete would benefit from more CPE." I still pondering that. However, CPE was a profound experience in so many ways. I hope I have the opportunity, soon, to share more of the details and lessons with you.

Does this mean I am ready to be ordained? No. I still have several "requirements' left. The next one is to undergo a full psychological assessment, including testing and a session with a psychiatrist. This has to be completed by January 7. So I am working to complete assessment forms (remember the forms where you have to fill in the little dots?)

I also need to take a class in African-American History. I attempting to get admitted to USCB in order to take the class there. Admission has not been nearly as easy as I thought, but I am hopeful I can get registered for the class that starts January 18. There are more requirements but these are the two next ones (along with monthly residency attendance in Columbia) to be completed.

Many more questions have been asked regarding Portia. So here is what I know. Portia has completed all the required class work and required UMC courses at Fuller Seminary, and also Claremont School of Theology, both in California. In order to be awarded a Master of Divinity, she must still complete a quarter of contextual education, eg. working in a church setting. It was hoped that her work with Church of the Palms or the four churches and one university she was working with while in California would suffice -- but it did not. Fuller has granted Portia the option of completing this internship requirement by participating 3-5 hours a week for 2 quarters in an online synchronized theology study group. The advantage of this virtual requirement is that it may be completed physically from anywhere with internet access.

Portia also deferred submitting her paperwork to the South Carolina Annual Conference. This means that Portia will not be commissioned a Probationary Elder in June of 2022, as we had been hoping. Portia can, however, apply in June of next year for commissioning in 2023 if she so chooses. She still remains a local-pastor, eligible for an appointment in South Carolina. I don't know any of her current plans beyond what I have shared here. I do ask that you continue to keep her in your prayers as she continues to discern God's call and claim on her life.

We were all devastated when Sandy Biggs, our Church Secretary, informed us that her son, Preston, 30, died on December 11, in Roanoke, VA. Preston and his daughter are pictured here.

Sandy, her husband Robert, and their daughter, Spencer, and her husband Krieg, and Sandy's parents were all by Preston's side when he died in the ICU unit of the hospital.

Sandy is taking some personal time and we trust you will keep her and her family in your prayers at this most difficult time.

Services will be planned at the beginning of the year. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Preston's name to Roanoke Foundation for Recovery at Roanokefoundationforrecovery.com.

Cards may be sent to Sandy and her family at:

Sandy and Robert Biggs

1 Sullivans Lane

Hilton Head Island, SC 29926

Stephen Ministries in the Lowcountry are coordinating opportunities intended to provide a time of reflection, comfort, and peace for those who aren’t finding this Christmas to be that joyous.

Bluffton UMC is offering a Blue Christmas Service of Reflection on the longest night of the year, Tuesday, December 21, at 6:30 p.m. (A “Surviving the Holidays” Program will be offered at 4:30 p.m.) Again, this service provides time to reflect with Stephen Ministers from other congregations, including Church of the Palms. Bluffton UMC is located at 101 Calhoun Street, Bluffton, SC, 843-757-3351.

Perhaps you, or someone you know, is aware “this Christmas will be a hard one” either because of the death of a loved one, loss or broken relationship, or because of painful memories of Christmases past. Many individuals experience pain and sadness as the holidays approach. These services are available to encourage people to move toward hope. All are welcome.

Church of the Palms will offer two Christmas Eve services, at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The 4 p.m. service will be a more casual, contemporary style of worship including guitar music led by Lauren McLeod.

The 7 p.m. service will be a classic-style service with special music by Dr. Janet Elshazly and Anna Marie Kuether.

Both services will include Holy Communion (open to everyone) and the lighting of candles at the conclusion of the service. Come experience the holy hush of Christmas Eve as we celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world.

At noon on Christmas Day, December 25, we will join in a casual potluck dinner. We will combine what we can to form a community meal. The best part will be the opportunity to celebrate Christmas day with one another!

Use SignUpGenius to let us know if you are coming so that we can make sure enough tables are set up. See Pastor Pete with any questions.

The season of Christmas is not over on Christmas Eve, it is just starting.

Given Christmas Eve is on Friday, and Christmas Day in on Saturday, Church of the Palms will gather for worship in one combined service on Sunday, December 26, at 10 a.m.

We'll have some of the sweets remaining from the Christmas Day potluck (see above) so that we might have a little extra time before the 10 a.m. service for extended fellowship.

It is that time again! Time to sign up for the first quarter of the new year for Forks and Fellowship. It is a wonderful way to get to know the members of your church family a little better while having a relaxing meal together.

Please sign up before the 15th of December so we can get the information out to you before the beginning of 2022. To get started, click here for SignUpGenius. Everyone must sign up each year to be a part of this group. You are not automatically included in the new year.

Some of you have done this before, but as a refresher and for those who have not joined us for this, we are a group of people who get together once a month for a wonderful dining experience. We go in groups of 6 to 8 once a month, to area restaurants to get to know each other a little better and explore local dining. It can be for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. The host couple of the group can make that choice, it can be the same each month or it can change each time.

The lead couple (host couple) will organize the first month and contact all in their assigned group then coordinate the date that works for all. Next, they will make reservations at the restaurant of their choice and contact those in their group of the time and place you are meeting. The next month the number 2 couple makes these arrangements and the third month couple number 3 does it. If for some reason one of the couples cannot make it, still go as two couples. Just have fun and get to know each other a little better.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dee Lehr at dee@palmsumc.org (843-757-6775) or Sandi Goodwin at ssgoodwin@earthlink.net (843-707-1291).

Church of the Palms' singles group, The J-Walkers, meets regularly for dine-arounds, social events, and service projects.

If you are single and attend Church of the Palms please contact Stanlee Way 309-337-5998, Stuart Bendelow 843-705-2818 or Sylvia Kaufman 571-278-4973 for more information.

Wow! Last Sunday was a wonderful day! If you did not attend in person this year’s Christmas cantata you missed out. (See the link above)  

I am so proud of our cantata choir. I make the distinction between that choir and our chancel choir because the two groups share singers but not all are in both groups.  

One of our musicians ask me a question the other day that I couldn’t answer. (Big surprise, right?) Where did the cantata come from? I began to try to formulate an answer but realized I wasn’t sure. So, I have done what any seasoned teacher does, I researched.

The word “cantata” is Italian meaning “to sing”. In the early 17th century, the term was formed simultaneously with “opera” and “oratorio”. All three indicated forms of music to be sung.

But the question is really “where did the Church cantata come from?”

The church cantata borrows from the Italian style. Bach was the most prolific composer of the church cantata its early history. He was composing one cantata every week for 8 years. He wrote both secular and sacred cantatas. Bach wrote during the Baroque style, so we have quite a few years between his compositions and are Church Cantata of today.

Fast forward to the 20th century and the separation between the chamber cantata (secular) and the church cantata becomes very wide. The chamber cantata still has a form that reflects to the early styles. The church cantata now can be suitable for “high church” or a mix of musical genres but all tell their story through narration, lyrics and music without costume or scenery.

Contemporary churches commonly expect two cantatas per year during the Christmas and Easter seasons.

Oh no! I’m sorry. I can’t continue this trip through music history. I must get busy finding our next musical project. Spring, here we come!

Musically Yours in Christ,

Anna Marie Kuether