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Christie, the Exceptional
Leader Behind Our Ministry
As Senior Pastor of John Wesley United Methodist Church, I am grateful every day for the extraordinary people God has placed in our church. Among them, Christie, our dedicated Church Manager, stands out as an exceptional gift to our congregation and to our mission.
Christie is, without exaggeration, the brain behind so much of what makes our ministry move. Her organizational brilliance, steady leadership, keen insight allows our programs, worship services, outreach efforts, and administrative functions to flow with grace and excellence. When something happens smoothly in this church, it is almost certain Christie has quietly worked behind the scenes to make it possible.
Her commitment is more than professional; it is deeply spiritual. Christie approaches her work with a spirit of faithfulness that inspires all of us. She brings not only skill but heart, prayer, and a genuine love for this church and its people. She is dedicated, consistent, and unwavering in her desire to see this congregation flourish.
I have seen firsthand the countless hours she invests, the difficult decisions she helps navigate, and the thoughtful solutions she offers. She has the rare ability to anticipate needs before anyone speaks to them, and to meet those needs with humility and grace. Her work strengthens our ministries, supports our leaders, and fosters a healthier, more vibrant church environment.
Christie embodies what it means to serve with integrity. She is dependable, wise, compassionate, and fiercely committed to ensuring that our mission moves forward. As Senior Pastor, I cannot imagine leading this congregation without her partnership, counsel, and tireless devotion.
On behalf of the entire church, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Christie. She is exceptional, faithful, and a true blessing to John Wesley UMC. We thank God for her life, her leadership, and her ministry among us.
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A Prayer Minister will be available at the
back corner of Dunlap Hall, for at least
15 minutes after the benediction.
Masks will be worn when requested.
Prayer Minister this week is Dave Conaway
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“So, God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God, he created
them; male and female he created them.
Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply.
Fill the earth and govern it.”
-Genesis 1:27-28a (NLT)
I hope you read last week’s column, because it is the first of several that I may write about family in the weeks ahead. For those of you who did read it, you may recall Alex Haley’s quote about family being “a link to our past, and a bridge to our future.” Through Ancestry.Com’s DNA testing, I have found links to my family’s past, discovering several new living relatives that I previously did not know about.
I also said that “family” was not a human idea, it was God’s idea; from the very beginning it was God’s idea. We know from the Genesis record that when He was finished creating, “God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” He told them, be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. In other words, “Grow your family.”
Sadly, we know that Adam and Eve’s disobedience, brought chaos into the perfect world that God had created. As you continue to move thru the book of Genesis, you see that humanity moves so far away from goodness toward evil, that God destroys mankind with a great flood.
Only Noah, his wife, his sons, and their wives were spared. They received the same instructions that God first gave in Eden; Then God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth.” For thousands of years, that is what we have been doing. We have multiplied over and over until man’s family is almost 8 billion strong.
But there is another family that we are supposed to be multiplying, and that is God’s family. We are supposed to be fruitful, as in “bearing fruit.” Remember, it was the attractiveness of the fruit on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that tempted both Adam and Eve, bringing sin into the world.
In the same manner, it is good fruit that we are to bear, fruit that is attractive to others, fruit that will lead them to Christ. And every time that happens, God’s family grows. The same instruction given to Adam and Eve, to Noah and his family, falls upon us, “to be fruitful and multiple”, so that we are growing God’s family, we are growing the Kingdom.
As we begin this season of Advent, I encourage all of us to ask, “Lord, what can I do to connect with others in your family? How can I help grow your Kingdom? Remember that God wants us all of us to all have the same DNA through the blood of Christ. In Heaven there will be no aunts, uncles, 1st, 2nd, or 2x removed cousins because we will all be God’s children and brothers and sisters of Christ.
Blessings,
Dave
| | John Wesley Church is excited that Santa is visiting our church on Saturday, December 13. So we need to “Put on the Ritz” for his Candy Cane Christmas arrival. If you want to be put on Santa’s “Good List” you can WOW him by helping make his arrival amazing. Sign-up’s are being taken now in Dunlap Hall. Trust us, it’s not a good thing being on his Naughty List. | | |
MTE Time
Do you like to Meet up with friends? Are you interested in Talking and getting to know others better? And last, do you like to Eat good food? If you answered, “yes” to any of these questions, then MTEs (Meet, Talk, and Eat) are for you.
We will form small groups of six to eight people who will meet for lunch or dinner three or four times in 2026 for food and fellowship. MTE groups are for couples and singles. Each group will decide whether they want to host the group in their homes or arrange to meet at a local restaurant.
Sign-up to be included in a group will begin in December. Once groups are formed, each group will schedule their first meal in January, February, or March. Going forward, groups will schedule their remaining meals in April, May, or June; July, August, or September; and October, November, or December.
Questions—contact Kim Hutchison
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November Collection for SOUL Pantry
Fruit Juice
Who doesn’t like a little fruit juice with their breakfast – tasty and healthy. Lately, the pantry has been totally out of this. Orange, apple, cranberry, grape… Please help us restock our juice section and add a little pleasure (and good health) for our clients.
Thank you for the many ways you support SOUL (Serving Others Unto the Lord.)
Who doesn’t like a little fruit juice with their breakfast – tasty and healthy. Lately, the pantry has been totally out of this. Orange, apple, cranberry, grape… Please help us restock our juice section and add a little pleasure (and good health) for our clients.
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Our family would like to thank all of the John Wesley UMC members who helped with my husband, Bob Traylor’s, funeral and lunch. He would have been so proud of all of the work that went in to it. It was lovely and so meaningful. We appreciate all of you very much.
Blessings,
Darlene, Jim, Dave, Fabiana,
Desmond and David
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PR Connect at John Wesley Church invites you a fellowship dinner, wonderful music (featuring our Lilly and Bella Duhaime), and ballet on December 6. Meet-up dinner: 5:15pm, Richard’s Pizza @ 495 Nilles Road, Fairfield. Order and pay on your own. “The Nutcracker Live!” 7pm, Fairfield HS, 8800 Holden Drive, Fairfield. No reservation required for dinner or the performance (open seating, donation asked for admission).
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Upcoming Duhaime Girls Concerts
Show Our Girls Some Love & Support!
On Dec. 7th, both girls have CSYO concerts back-to-back. Bella's at 2pm, Lilly's at 7pm, both will be held at Music Hall. Pick one. :) Here is the link with info on each group and what they'll be performing, tickets are $10/adult - https://www.cincinnatisymphony.org/education-and-community/youth-programs/cincinnati-symphony-youth-orchestras/csyo-concerts/
Also, on Dec 6th, the Butler Philharmonic Youth Orchestra will be collaborating once again with the West Chester Academy Ballet program presenting a mini-Nutcracker show/concert. This will be held at the Fairfield HS Performing Arts Center at 7pm. This concert is free, but they do take donations at the door to try and offset some of the cost of renting the PAC.
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“Almost Heaven” Adorns the Choir Hallway!
The Pictures in Christ (PIX) Camera Club recently visited and photographed God’s creations in “Almost Heaven” West Virginia. The New River Gorge, Glady Creek Grist Mill, natural rock formations known as Beartown, waterfalls and mountain scenery all made for a road trip appreciating God’s handiwork. Check out the picture display in the hallway off the narthex leading to Wesley Hall
To learn more about PIX, contact Andy Shreve, anshreve@gmail.com for details.
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Sharing Our Blessings - December
Found House
For over 30 years, Found House IHN has provided a number of services to families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, mostly using overnight stays in churches. For folks in temporary housing, they operate a day center to provide child care and further assistance to the families. While they still use overnight stays in churches, they opened an exciting new program in 2023. With the support of many community organizations, churches, grants, etc. they opened Melrose Place, an apartment building which provides housing for 26 families, pets included.
In addition to basic housing needs, they have a number of programs targeted to special needs. One example is the Child Enrichment program to combat the negative effects of homelessness on children. To learn more about all their wonderful programs, check out their website: https://www.foundhouse.org
Three ways to SHARE OUR BLESSINGS:
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The first Sunday of the month put your offering in one of the baskets on the front pews when you go up to receive Communion.
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Any time during December, bring a check with Sharing/Found House on the memo line or cash in an envelope marked the same way and put it in the offering plate.
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You can also send a check to the church marked Sharing/Found House
As we appreciate our homes, especially during the holiday season, we can feel good about helping provide this basic need for others.
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Angel Wishes for SOUL
BE AN “ANGEL” FOR SOMEONE AT CHRISTMAS TIME
Now in its 14th year, the Angel Wishes program will be assisting 34 families, including 142 people. These are clients of Tri-County S.O.U.L. Ministries who have applied for and been accepted into our Caring Center. These families have a strong Christian faith and are working to become more self-sufficient. At Christmas time, we try to provide something that will make a positive impact on their life. We are asking you to make a cash donation to "Angel Wishes" so we can help these families with something significant. These are not your typical Christmas gifts; the wishes granted are very practical and necessary. With the current inflation, that may be more true than usual.
Here are a few "Angel Wishes" that have been granted in the past:
Duke bill Dental work Water bill
Car repairs Car loan payment Rent
Doctor bills Tires
For instructions, find the “Wooden Angel” in
Dunlap Hall and take a reminder note and Angel Wishes envelope.
Any amount is welcome and helpful. Checks can be made payable to John Wesley with "Angel Wishes" in the memo line. If you choose to contribute, please get your donation to the church by Sunday, 12/14. You can mail it or put it in the offering plate. While we don't give Christmas gifts to all of our S.O.U.L. clients, we provide food, cleaning and personal care items to all our clients all year long. Your generosity makes all of this possible!!
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Mitten Tree
One Christmas tradition that has been at
John Wesley since I can remember is the Mitten Tree. We will have the tree up in the narthex again this year following Hanging of the Greens. Please bring mittens, hats, and socks to hang on the tree. We will have clothespins in a basket under the tree. We will also have a basket for extra items that may not fit on the tree. We are collecting children and adult sizes. We have always had a good response in previous years, and I am sure that will happen again.
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Christmas Cookie Sale!
UWF will be selling cookies in Dunlap Hall on December 14 and if there are any extras, December 21. Cookies will be 6 for $5, small loaf of bread for $5 and large loaf of bread $10. This year’s proceeds will support Nathan’s Toy Box and Wesley Education Center.
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Room Use and Calendar Update
If you have any questions about meetings, scheduling, or room use, please always direct them to me, christie@jwumc.com or call me at 513-825-0733.
| | Keep in mind that all of our classrooms and meeting spaces are used by a variety of people throughout the week. No one group "owns" a certain room or meeting space so we all need to remember be kind and gracious as we work together to go about the business of being the hands and feet of Jesus. | |
Reoccurring Monthly Meetings
Boy Scouts - Every Monday @ 7:00 PM - Youth Rooms
Missions - First Monday @ 1:30 PM - Rm. 8
C3* - First Monday @ 7:00 PM - Rm. 9
Creative Needles - Every Tuesday @ 9:30 AM - Rms. 11/12
Finance - First Tuesday @ 7:00 PM - Rm. 9
UWF - First Wednesday @ 10:00 AM - Rm. 9
Handbells Practice - Every Wednesday @ 6:30 PM - Rm 7
Choir Practice - Every Wednesday @ 7:30 PM - Sanctuary
JW Men’s Group - First Saturday @ 8:00 AM - Rm. 9
Wednesday Wizards Fix-It Group - Every Wednesday @10:00 AM
Stephen Ministry - 2nd and 3rd Sundays @ 6:30 PM Rms. 11/12
Staff/Parish Team - Second Tuesday @ 7:00 PM - Rm. 8
Church Council - Third Tuesday @ 7:30 PM - Rm. 8
Hospitality* - Fourth Tuesday @ 7:00 PM - Rm. 8
Pickleball - Thursdays @ 4:00 PM & Saturdays @ 10:00 AM - Gym
ELC Board - Second Monday @ 7:00 PM - Rm.9
*Meetings Vary - Check with Teams Leaders or Church Office
Thank you,
Christie Riggsby, Office Manager
"Be A Rainbow In Someone's Cloud"
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Transportation Team
We now have a group of volunteers who are willing to take our members to doctor appointments or medical procedures. If you need a ride to a medical appointment, Christie has the list of the volunteers. She would be glad to email the list to you or put a paper copy in your hanging file folder. Please try to arrange the transportation several days ahead of your appointment.
If you would be willing to be on this team, please let Christie know; and she will add you to the list of volunteers. We hope the Transportation Team will be able to assist our members who need assistance in getting to medical appointments.
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The 9:00 Sunday school class has converted half of Wesley Hall into two pickleball courts.
We have three times reserved weekly for those of you who would like to join us. We're set up for Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00-6:00 and Saturdays from 10:00 to noon. You need to enter by the back Wesley Hall door, and ring the doorbell if you do not have a key.
Contact Lu Anne Gerard if you have questions.
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If you have any questions about the Prayer Chain,
please contact the church office at info@jwumc.com
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