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Messenger - December 1, 2023

We illuminate our community with God’s grace as we lovingly accept, listen to, and serve all in the Spirit of Jesus.

PASTOR'S BLOG

Chrismon is NOT a typo

One of the many favorite advent decorations in our church is the Chrismon Tree. That's right - it is a Chrismon Tree, not a Christmas Tree. What is the difference you might ask? I recently discovered a delightful guide to our Chrismon written from 1975, when our Chrismon tree was dedicated.

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UPCOMING WORSHIP SERVICES

SUNDAY SERVICES TAKE PLACE IN-PERSON & ONLINE AT 9:00 AM

Worship Service airs live on our Website , YouTube  and  Facebook at 9 am.

Go to the Worship Page on our Website to find more information about future services.

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT, DECEMBER 3, 2023

 When Everything is Wrong - Isaiah 64:1-4, 7-9


 Despite its reputation as a time of joy, the Christmas season (and the Advent season leading up to it) is for many a time of turmoil. How do we work through the stress, envy, and disappointment that so often accompany our celebrations? And what can we learn from the story of the Grinch and the people of Whoville?   

Click for this Sunday's Bulletin

EVENTS AND SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Submit information each week for the Messenger and Bulletin Announcements by WEDNESDAY AT 12 pm for inclusion in these communications. Please click here for the COMMUNICATIONS submission form -- all requests for communicating an event should be made here, including getting items on the calendar and reserving rooms for your eventThis form can also be found on the sign-ups page on our website. If you cannot use the submission form please send them to communications@genevaumc.org. Information sent to this email goes to Carolyn, Lorie and Kimberley. 

Join us for a fun-filled, family-friendly event called The Whoville Fest, which kicks off our advent season focusing on the classic Dr. Seuss tale. The event, taking place from 2-4 pm on Saturday, December 2, will feature interactive games, crafts, grinch-themed treats, a Photo Booth, a live Grinch in costume, and much, much more! At 3 pm we will offer a public screening of the 1966 original cartoon “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” featuring the voice acting of Boris Karloff.

Start the season off with our “Take a Walk through Bethlehem” Advent Service and Tea,

Monday, December 4, at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m


 Pastor Becky’s message will offer ways to make your Advent more meaningful, hopeful, and intentional.  Special music will be featured in the services and during the delicious Tea that follows both.  Invite your friends!  A free-will offering will be collected for Suicide Prevention Services.

Meet friends and build fellowship during this Advent season. Please sign up to volunteer to help with either of the Advent Teas on Monday, December 4, 2023We especially need help at the 7 pm tea. We are looking for food contributions for a tea such as skewered fruit, savory bites and mini-sandwiches, etc. We also need volunteers to help run both on the day. Set up help, servers, and clean up needed. Artistic? Centerpieces are needed for tables where guests may linger and visit. Many hands make the work go faster.


Sign up sheets are posted in Fellowship Hall.

Thank you, Colleen Fasbender and Jenean Larsen

BAKE EXTRA THIS YEAR AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE CANTATA BAKE SALE!


We would love to share in all the goodies made by members of the congregation this holiday season-- so if you could plan on making a little more…. thank you!


Please deliver the baked items in the kitchen on Saturday, December 16 from 9 am till Noon or Sunday, December 17 before 8:30 am. If you could please label the items for the bake sale and identify the delicious treat!


REMEMBER: we will only be able to take only cash donations (no electronic.)

All sales are free will donations to benefit the mission partners of Haiti: Kids Alive and Rebuilding Haiti Now.


Any questions please email Sherry Seidel at sherryseidel@att.net

WOMEN'S MINISTRY

2023 FALL RUMMAGE/BAKE SALE WRAP UP


There is so much to be thankful for this holiday season, and we couldn’t let another day go by without thanking everyone for their tremendous support of the Fall Rummage and Bake Sale! In one short week we were able to raise over $14,440!!! Rummage sales brought in an amazing $12,590 and the Bake Sale made a whopping $1,850! None of this would have been possible without YOU – our church family who faithfully come out twice a year to support this incredible fundraiser. Whether you donated items, helped set up, sorted and priced, fed the workers, picked up larger pieces of furniture, baked, sold, bagged or cleaned up afterwards, your part is so important to the success of these sales. So, from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!


We are truly blessed to be a part of this giving, supportive community of faith, and we praise God for this bounty. We are able to have these sales twice a year, as a service to our community, and then are able to give most of it away to the missions we support. So, the joy continues as we meet on December 10, 2023 at 10:15 am to disperse of this Fall’s proceeds. This is a Women’s Ministry Meeting, but all are welcome to attend and help us celebrate! Thank you again!


(If you have a suggestion for a charity organization to receive some of these monies, there is a form in

the church office that will need to be completed by December 5 and returned to either the office or Jenean Larsen.


If you have questions, please contact Jenean via email, jenean_larsen@yahoo.com or phone/text at 847-707-6598. )

ADULT BIBLE STUDY

NOVEMBER 26-DECEMBER 17

“WHY THIS JUBILEE? ADVENT REFLECTIONS ON SONGS

OF THE SEASON,” BY JAMES HOWELL

LED BY PASTOR BECKY NICOL


Music is an important part of our Advent and Christmas traditions and celebrations. Join us in a study of reflections on well-known carols and Christmas songs, like O Little Town of Bethlehem, Silent Night, Away in a Manger, The Christmas Song, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and more! We’ll explore the meaning of phrases from these songs and relate them to our daily lives.

 

Join us for Adult Sunday School classes at 10:30 am Sundays through December 17 in the Parlor. Invite someone to attend with you! This series will be available via Zoom -- click the link below.


Books are recommended as there are daily reflections in the book. The book is available used through Abe Books, Cokesbury, Amazon, and others. 


Email Jim McConnell or Pastor Becky Nicol for more information.

Link to Zoom Meeting

IN OUR CHURCH

Hello UMCG family,


  Many of you know that I’ve relocated to Chicago and have been going back-and-forth to finish up my commitment with the nursery (which has been a blast!) and my wing and a prayer wellness Mondays.  I won’t be back for the advent service as I had planned. Vaughn is getting released from rehab this weekend, so I need to be around for that. He is getting stronger with his walking every day.

  I can’t thank you enough for your generosity of spirit these last 18 years. Pastor Rob was right in his sermon when he said we couldn’t do this without you. I have enjoyed all the creative projects, prayerful times, and service opportunities.

  Thank you for welcoming my gift of dance and embodied worship. You will remain in my thoughts and prayers. My new address is 1216 W. Norwood Chicago 60660. I am walking distance to the lake and the beautiful Loyola campus. 



   Jane Siarny

Church in Society is collecting gift cards to benefit persons served by: The Salvation Army, Kane County CASA, and the two homeless shelters we support – Lazarus House and Hesed House


Gift cards (especially for teens) are always appreciated and needed by the organizations listed above that provide services to those in need in our community. A box is located in Fellowship Hall on Sundays through December 17 or in the church office during the the next few weeks.


Suggested amounts are $15-$25 per gift card. Suggestions for cards are gas cards, Aldi, Target, Walmart, fast food restaurants or movie theaters.



Thank you for sharing the gift and hope of Christmas!


The Committee on Church in Society

CREATION CARE

Christmas lights on our tree and decorating our home definitely add to the feeling of Christmas. When you need to replace lights choose LED. They use up to 95% less energy than conventional bulbs and stay lit when one bulb goes out. Turning your lights off before going to bed will also save energy and when the lights are not working and need to be replaced, remember to recycle them with the Kane County Recycling program. During the months of December and January the Creation Care team will once again be collecting unusable Christmas light strings. 


A box for collection is located in the Donation Station room.

IN OUR COMMUNITY

Kane Senior Council (KSC) is looking for volunteers to help deliver meals to seniors in the Geneva area. KSC is a proud member of Meals on Wheels America, delivering nutritious, ready-to-eat meals to homebound seniors in Kane County Mondays-Fridays. In 2022, KSC delivered more than 4,000 meals to seniors in Geneva.


As this number of seniors in need of our services continues to grow, so does our need for volunteers. Volunteers in Geneva pick up meals from our site located at UMCG. Anyone interested in volunteering can visit our website at kaneseniorcouncil.org/get-involved/

NEWS FROM THE UMC COMMUNITY


Prairie Central eNews is here.

The NIC weekly eNews is here.

Download the NIC Reporter here.

ACCESS THE UMCG DOCUMENT CENTER

UMCG has a hidden page on the website for our church family to access called the Document Center. This includes our committee roster, communications submission forms and in the future, our committee agendas, reports and minutes.
211 Hamilton Street
Geneva, IL 60134
Phone: (630) 232-7120
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