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Letter From the Pastor

Happy New Year, John Wesley United Methodist Church! A new day is upon us! 

I want to begin this new year by simply saying thank you. Advent and Christmas were genuinely beautiful in our church this year. Not perfect—just beautiful. I truly loved them, from the theme we chose, Angels Among Us, to our “Come to the Table” Monday breakfast. They all held a sacred beauty to me. What made them beautiful wasn’t just the work that went into them, though there was plenty of that. It was the fact that people showed up. That always matters because when we show up for one another, we are actually offering our love.

So, here is a little bit of love for you in the form of gratitude: if you led something, cooked something, sang, played, read, rehearsed, preached, made calls, set things up, cleaned up afterward, welcomed someone at the door, volunteered to be Mary and Joseph, or stayed a little longer with someone who needed company, you were part of what made this season what it was: beautifully sacred. 

There were moments in December when I stood back and thought, This is what church is meant to feel like. Don’t get me wrong! I was plenty busy, and so were many of you. There were long days, late nights, and more moving parts than I could count. But in the middle of all that, it felt good to be part of a community where we practice grace, in how we welcome one another, in how we work together, forgive each other, laugh together, and keep showing up for each other. That’s the kind of church I’m grateful to be part of, and it’s the kind of church I believe we’re becoming. 

So much of December happened so fast, but it was full of good, sacred and beautiful moments: we were blessed to hear from Dr. Bella Doumbia and her missionary work. We held the Ecumenical Blue Christmas service, the Advent Retreat, the Experience Christmas event, and the deeply meaningful Christmas Eve service. We also joined other religious communities through the BTEO Longest Night service. For all of it, thanks be to God! And although I am a bit saddened by those who passed away, I am also grateful for the lives of Eudine Reeves, Marilyn Mugno, and Alison Austin. They will continue to be a part of our story. We will miss them, but trust we will see them one day.  

Needless to say, December held some personal sacred moments for me as well. We celebrated my niece’s quinceañera (the fifteen-year-old, Spanish version of a sweet sixteen), I had a meaningful one-on-one conversation with my District Superintendent about my pastoral ministry, and because balance is important, I managed to injure my back while changing a light bulb and made an unexpected trip to the dentist to fix a crown. As it turns out, sometimes the mess shows up right alongside the sacred.

As we look into 2026, the work continues toward the Wesley House Thrift Shop’s grand opening in February. As we step into a new year, my hope for us is that we continue growing into a healthier church, one that is rooted in discipleship, grounded in prayer, and open to where the Spirit is leading us next. There might be some unexpected moments but my prayer is that we keep learning how to follow Jesus more faithfully, how to pray more honestly, and learn how to love one another and our neighbors more intentionally.

Before I finish, I want to say thank you to all of you for your love and for the generous gift you gave to me and to our staff. It means more than I can say. My hopes and prayers are that in 2026 God will give us the strength to become a more hopeful, faithful, compassionate, Spirit-led and justice-oriented community.

With gratitude and hope,

Pastor René

Happy New Year!

The Worship Ministry Team hopes you were blessed by our Advent series, “Angels Among Us,” and that you enjoyed both the Community Celebration on Christmas Eve and our traditional service. Our heartfelt thanks go to Betty Smith and Tracy Jaekel for bringing this year’s Advent theme to life.

January invites us into a season of new beginnings and the celebration of the Epiphany, officially observed on January 6th and known in some traditions as “Little Christmas.” This is the day many believe the wise men brought their gifts to the infant Jesus. We will celebrate the Epiphany together on January 4th, which is also Communion Sunday. We look forward to sharing this meaningful time with you.

Following worship on the 4th, we will “take down the greens.” It’s an all-hands-on-deck moment as we lovingly retire the trees and decorations for another year. Many hands make light work, and your help is truly appreciated.

As the new Worship Committee Chairperson for 2026, I look forward to serving under Betty’s guidance. We are always grateful for fresh ideas and new energy—so please consider this your official invitation to join the Worship Team and take part in shaping our services. I look forward to growing in faith with you in 2026!

In Peace,

Dianne

Dear Church Family,

With grateful hearts, we want to sincerely thank you for your generous donations toward the Staff Appreciation Campaign.

Your kindness and generosity have been a tremendous blessing to each of us. The support you showed—through your giving, encouragement, and prayers—made us feel deeply valued and appreciated. It was incredibly meaningful to be reminded that we are supported by such a loving and thoughtful congregation.

We are truly thankful to serve a church family that reflects Christ’s love so clearly through generosity and care for one another. Thank you for investing in us and for being such a blessing. We are deeply grateful.


With sincere appreciation,

The Church Staff

Spiritual Growth ~ Jenn Linton

The Social Justice Team needs to put out the following request for donations, on an ongoing basis: The Social Justice Team needs donations of name-brand canned fruit (e.g. pears, peaches, pineapple, mandarins or cherries) to use during the new Monday morning brunch ministry. The request for name brands is to ensure consistent quality. Please label your donation "Bonnie Valade" and drop it off in the church kitchen any time the church is open. These items will be needed on an ongoing basis, through April. 

Our team for the “Come to the Table” breakfast for our unhoused neighbors needs people to help in the kitchen with light prep, coffee, setting up chairs, and offering a warm welcome. No heavy lifting.  If you can help any Monday, or want to learn more, please see Bonnie V. or Jennifer L or sign up on the website or APP. Your presence really does make a difference.

Thanks! 

Jenn Linton

Men's Breakfast ~ Matt O'Connor

Coffee Hour Fellowship

Join us after worship for Coffee Hour—a wonderful time to connect, catch up, and enjoy fellowship together. We’re thankful for all the volunteers and teams who make this time possible,

and a special thank-you to the Staff-Parish Relations Team, who will be hosting Coffee Hour throughout January.

We invite everyone to participate by helping host or bringing items to share, and we encourage the whole congregation to stay after the service and enjoy coffee, conversation, and community. We’d love to see you there!

As the new year begins, we’re reminded that stewardship isn’t limited to pledges—it’s something we practice all year long. Whenever you serve, volunteer, or offer your gifts to support our ministries, you are practicing true stewardship. In that sense, our church is already filled with faithful stewards! Expect to hear more from us as we explore this together in the coming months.



Our team would benefit from a few more creative minds and compassionate hearts. If you feel called to join us or simply want to learn more, please visit the Connection Desk. We meet nearly every month, and your presence would be a blessing.

In Christ’s service and love,

Dianne

Outreach and Missions ~ Donna Fish

Each month our team discusses the many ways we can support missionary work locally and internationally. We update our Bulletin Board in the Fellowship Hall to show various missions including Thank You Letters. Posted are new updates from two Missionaries our team and church support, Allison Deyo and Dr. Bella.

We are looking for a gently used suitcase to help transport donated goods to Africa with Dr. Bella in the New Year. If you have a suitcase you no longer need and would be willing to donate, please let us know. Thank you for your support!

All are welcomed to our meetings on the third Wednesday of each month at 2:00 pm in the Fitzgerald room.

If interested or willing to join our team please contact any member of our Team:

Marge Dean, Penny Dean, Kate Finemore, Tracy Jackel, Nancy Peterson, Marie Syverson, Anne Tupper, Bonnie Valade, and Donna Fish, Chairperson

Changing our World for January is Falmouth Service Center. The donations will be used to purchase diapers which are desperately needed by families using the food center.

Thank you for all your contributions to all our Changing Our World programs. Please review the bulletin board and learn how your Mission Dollars are spent.

As always, the box for food donations is in the Fellowship Hall near our Bulletin Board. 

Please donate food for the Falmouth Service Center on Gifford Street by placing your donations in the box. 

The food most needed for November is posted on the box.



New Sermon Series starting January 11th!

Celebration of Your Life:

A Project to Get to Know You Better

Our Unique Stories Matter

As a Connection Church, we believe that every individual carries a unique and invaluable story. By sharing these stories, we strengthen our connections and grow together as a community. Understanding your journey and what makes you who you are, is important to us.

Sharing Your Story

We want to know: What would you like us to know about you? In what ways has your faith shaped and influenced your life? Pastor Rene values these insights deeply, as they help him provide the pastoral care that each member needs and deserves.

How We Will Celebrate Your Life

To begin this meaningful work, Tracy Jaekel, Certified Lay Minister, will engage with our congregation in two ways:

• Tracy will personally interview individuals who may have difficulty attending group classes, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to share their story.

• In January, Tracy will facilitate a four-week class titled “Let’s Create a CELEBRATION OF YOUR LIFE,” guiding participants through the process of reflecting on and celebrating their personal journeys

We have a Spotify Account!!

Listen to past sermons and scripture readings

Anytime, Anywhere!

Click here to view our podcast!

Wednesday Prayer Group 

On Wednesdays at 11am, there is a prayer group to pray for those who would like to have prayers for themselves or others. If you are interested in joining as a prayer group member or have prayer requests, contact the pastor or the church office.

Trustees   

The John Wesley UMC and the trustees committee would like to thank Henry Brown big time for serving as a wonderful chairperson interim for the 2025 year! 

Card Ministry 

 For JWUMC to join in on celebrating you, there is a calendar on the hospitality bulletin board in the fellowship hall on which you can put your birthday (if you haven’t already been receiving cards or are new to JWUMC). This is what is used to update the birthday card list. Thank you very much! If you know of someone who’s ill, has lost a loved one, or could use a “thinking of you” card, etc., contact Karen Camp at 5087371636 or nerakpmac13@gmail.com. This is but one way we can share God‘s love for each other.

Library

Take a stroll to the library which is located in the Lyman Lounge (just down the hallway outside the sanctuary). Here’s your chance to leave a review (Post-it note) which could help someone in choosing their next book to borrow, pass on, or return!  Look at all your literary choices on the left bookcase!

Praise our Lord! Here’s just a smidgeon of what I have noticed that has been going on at John Wesley United Methodist Church! 

Thanks to those of you that were able to get here for our snowy Sunday morning service. I tried to help shovel, but I could only do a flake at a time.  I’d like to give a shout out to those people that helped keep the church clean while John was on vacation. John does such a great job.

The church looks so beautiful with all the festive Christmas decorations celebrating our Lord’s birth! Hanging of the greens is always so much fun, but taking it all down isn’t quite the same amount of fun. Lol! Therefore, I would love to thank all those people that will put away our Christmas decorations until next year. The poinsettias were lovely. I enjoy them even until Epiphany. 

Many thanks to the pastor, choir, bell choir, musicians, guest musicians, readers, media team, ushers, greeters, Christmas Eve family service 4-6 coordinator and workers, altar guild, worship team, bulletin folder, candle assembly volunteers, coffee hour team, welcome team, and anyone else who helped make the Christmas advent services and Christmas Eve services so special.

I sure enjoyed watching everybody passing the peace during the advent services! It was fun scurrying around everybody’s feet as they went to greet others with God’s peace.

I join the trustees to thank you for your patience as the sinks in the ladies room are being repaired. (It’s like a flashback to Covid where we used hand sanitizer so much.) Best of all, they are now back in working order – just before the Christmas rush!

I so enjoyed our cultural worker’s presentation on November 30 to better understand it! Praise the Lord!



Keep your eyes open for the progress on the Wesley House Thrift Shop. There are lots of decisions being made and repairs being made to the building. I am looking forward to the scraps of material that might get donated to the recycling bin that will enhance my nest.

Every first Monday of the month at 1 PM, you can find crafters working in the Fitzgerald room. Would you like to join and lend your talents? I could use a teeny tiny scarf.

A big shout out to those of you that donated items for Dr. B.’s cross-cultural work!! She felt extremely blessed! The days are getting longer! Have a fabulous & blessed winter!

In celebrating Christ’s birth year round, 

Your JWUMC mouse  

Birthday Wishes for January: 

Let us celebrate life among our church family.

~ 1st Loretta Croft ~ 4th Eileen Burt ~ 12th Joy Stosz and Denis Macdonald ~ 15th Denise Sievert



It's a great thing to have a birthday, a gift from God. Please give your birthday information by recording it on the calendar in the Church Office or emailing the church office.