Week of December 28, 2025

Included in this issue (this week):

  • January Mission of the Month: Pastors' Discretionary Fund - Give
  • Pastor's Corner (January)
  • Sunday School/Anchor, Fusion, Kids' Word, Elevation on break Sun., December 28
  • DUMC Community Dinner, Wednesday, December 31, 6:00 pm
  • Church offices CLOSED - Thursday, January 1
  • Remember Your Baptism, Sunday, January 4, all 3 services
  • New studies: Pampered by Grace, (Sun., 1/4), NSGT (Mon. 1/5), Men's Group (Wed. 1/7)
  • 12 Hours of Prayer, Wednesday, January 7, 7:00 am - 7:00 pm
  • UMC Scholarships available Wednesday, January 7
  • Youth Snow Tubing Trip sign-up due Sunday, January 11
  • Blessing Bags (flyer, donation list), due Sunday, January 18
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (flyer, sign-up HERE), Monday, January 19, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
  • Outreach & Service Workshop (flyer, register HERE), Sat., Jan. 31, 9 - 11 am
  • Youth Hoagie Fundraiser (flyer, order HERE), Sunday, February 8, after each service
  • Carson Simpson Farm fire circle project update/Thank you!
  • Preschool News: January calendar
  • Preschool programs - registration will open in January
  • Female chaperone needed for Youth Winter Retreat
  • Children's Christmas Celebration Thank you!
  • Poinsettia pick up reminder
  • Baptism video from Sunday, December 21, 11:11 am service
  • Winter weather closing notification info below - Please take our Opt In/Out Survey

Current Worship Series

"Living the GOD-Sized Life"

9:00 am

Uplifting Worship

Wesley Class

Nursery

No Sunday School / Anchor

No Fusion


  10:10 am

Liturgical Worship*

Nursery

 

11:11 am

Word & Worship*

Nursery

No Kids' Word (1st & 3rd Sundays)


*Live broadcast

For links:

DoylestownUMC.com

December 28 – "Jesus: Promise, Presence, and Hope"

Matthew 2:13-23


January 4 – "Reaffirmation of Faith Sunday"


January 11– "Running To Win"


January 18 – "Growing Outside Your Comfort Zone"


January 25 – "Doing the Him-possible"

 

NURSERY CARE

 

Nursery care available for children 0-5 years old on Sundays from 8:50 am - 12:15 pm.

 

*Nursery staff and volunteers are “Safe Sanctuary” certified; this policy includes all required state and federal background checks.

 

WORSHIP STATISTICS & HAPPENINGS

Thank you to all who worship with us in person and online!



In-person attendance for December 21: 186

Online attendance: 497*



The in-person number includes children in Nursery, Fusion, Confirmation, Sunday School, Anchor, and Kids' Word (when in session).

*Online number represents the number of views (or households), not the number of individuals watching.

(Online totals are multiplied by 1.5 to get a more accurate sum.)

Baptism

 

The sacrament of Holy Baptism was celebrated at the 11:11 am service on Sunday, December 21, when Weston Brooks Coleman, son of Tyler and Alexandra (Vavala) Coleman, was baptized by Pastor Sunil.

 

Click here to view the video of the Baptism.

Poinsettia Pick Up Reminder

 

Poinsettias can be picked up Monday through Friday (except Thursday), 9:00 am - 2:30 pm or after 6:00 pm (if the building is open for evening activities). They are located in the cafe area. Please call to make sure someone is at the church before you pick up.

Remember Your Baptism Sunday

Sunday, January 4, all 3 Services


The first Sunday of January (and each January going forward), we will celebrate everyone's Baptism with a recommitment and reaffirmation. This service is part of the UMC's Book of Worship. Please email your Baptism pictures if available to be included in the service. Click here for an article noting what you might experience.

United Methodist Scholarships are available beginning

Wednesday, January 7

 

Are you aware that the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministry has low-interest loans and scholarships to help students further their education? There are more than 70 scholarships available that cover undergraduate and graduate-level studies. Applications are open Wednesday, January 7.

 
 

CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION THANK YOU

 

Thank you for joining us for our Children's Christmas Celebration! The children put on an amazing performance of the Nativity story. We are so happy and thankful that our friend Santa could stop by. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to make our celebration a success!


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

Carson Simpson Farm Fire Circle Project Update and Thank you!


Have you ever signed up for something and then realized you were in way over your head? The missions committee decided to use the Peach Festival money to build a fire circle for Carson Simpson Farm, the Methodist Camp in Hatboro…and do the work ourselves. The more I learned about what was needed, the more I realized we didn’t have enough money or skills.


DUMC member Rick Wood of Lynnwood Services LLC stepped in to save the day! Not only did Rick design the project, but he recruited Phil McCusker of Quality Landscape to do the work at a reduced cost. They also got the paver materials donated by Cambridge Pavers. Rick connected with the camp director and managed the project. As you can see, the result is awesome.


We will be building some benches for the fire circle over the winter. Rick gave me a design, so I think we can handle that.


Thank You, Rick!

Randy Hume

Missions Committee

 

FEATURE ARTICLES

 

Pastor's Corner:

LIVE THE GOD-SIZED LIFE


2026 has arrived! And with it, hopes, expectations, uncertainty, nervousness, and—for some—fear. Many of us have not fully recovered from 2025; parts of it remain unresolved. So how do we move forward with our mixed bags of victories, unresolved, messed-up pasts, and uncertain, even scary futures?

 

Read more....

January Mission of the Month:

PASTORS' DISCRETIONARY FUND

The January Mission of the Month is the Pastors' Discretionary Fund (PDF). This allows our ministers to easily help people with various needs without individual approvals and red tape. This assistance can range from a small grocery store gift card to a hotel room for a night or help paying a utility bill during a difficult season. Currently, Pastor Paul is the primary steward of this money. Pastor Paul said there was an increase in requests while the government was shut down and SNAP payments were stopped. Please give generously to replenish this fund and provide for future needs.


Randy Hume

Mission Committee

 
 

SERVE & ENGAGE

 

DUMC Community Dinner

Wednesday, December 31, 6:00 pm

 (last Wednesday of every month)

 

Sign up here for December's meal details. There is also a sign-up sheet in the lobby. If you would like to participate with a monetary donation, you can do so with cash, check (please note "Community Dinner" on the memo line), SUBSPLASH, or VENMO.


 Please contact Cindy Biehl with any questions.

Code Blue Shelter Volunteer Training

Coalition to Shelter & Support the Homeless (CSSH)

 

Become a Code Blue Shelter volunteer this winter. Help transport and shelter adults in Central Bucks on cold winter nights. TRAINING IS REQUIRED and available online, or in person on Saturday, 1/10/26; SIGN-UP HERE. Additional Information can be found on the FLYER (also located in the Lobby). Questions? Email Rhelda Richards.

Next Caring for Friends meal assembly:

Wednesday, January 21 at 12:45 pm

in the DUMC kitchen. CLICK HERE for more details. Instructional guide for preparing meals at home.

*Click on the image below to sign up.

Save the Date!


We are excited to invite everyone in our church community to our Outreach and Service Workshop on Saturday, January 31 from 9:00 – 11:00 am.


This workshop is an opportunity to learn more about the ways our church serves the community and how you can be part of that work. We will introduce our Outreach Umbrella framework, designed to help connect, support, and strengthen all of our outreach and service efforts.


We will also review the 2026 outreach calendar and invite conversation around how we can improve communication, collaboration, and engagement across our ministries.


Whether you are already involved in outreach or are simply curious about how to get connected, we would love for you to join us.

*Click on the images below to join or volunteer.

 
 

*Visit DoylestownUMC.com for more ways to get involved at DUMC

 

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

 
 

Kid's Ministries 25/26 Calendar

Sign up to volunteer

Wendy Arnott, Director

WArnott@DoylestownUMC.com

(215) 348-5224

 

*Click images below to sign up

Youth Ministries 25/26 Calendar

Sign up to teach Fusion / volunteer

Lenae Baldwin, Youth Director LBaldwin@DoylestownUMC.com

(267) 245-7871

 

FEMALE CHAPERONE NEEDED FOR YOUTH WINTER RETREAT

Friday, January 23 - Sunday, January 25

 

Please contact Lenae if you can help out.

*Click images below to sign up

 

BIBLE STUDIES & SMALL GROUPS

 

Paul Georgulis, Assistant Pastor

PGeorgulis@DoylestownUMC.com

(267) 245-7874

 

Pampered by Grace

Women's Bible Study

Sundays, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Room 22

 

"Deborah (The First Woman Judge)" -or- "Proverbs"

(Begins Sunday, January 4)

 

You can always invite friends to our Bible study, and as usual, we will have yummy treats!! All women and newcomers welcome!

 

*Email Laurie Lewis to register or for more information.

 

Pampered by Grace schedule for 2026:


·   1/4/26 - 2/22: "Deborah (The First Woman Judge)" -or- "Proverbs"

·   3/1 - 4/19: "The Chosen"

·  4/26 - 5/31: "I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet"

NSGT (Nameless Small Group of Troublemakers)

Mondays, 6:00 - 7:30 pm, Room 22

 

"Christianity and World Religions"

by Adam Hamilton

(Begins Monday, January 5)

 

Our next study is a new one about major religions and runs for 6 - 12 weeks, beginning in the new year. If you would like to join, please contact Greg Westerbeck. We’d love to have you.

Wednesday Night Men's Group

Wednesdays, 7:30 - 8:30 pm, Room 2

 

“Celebration of Discipline”

by Richard J. Foster

(Begins Wednesday, January 7)

 

We will be diving deeper and practicing traditional Christian disciplines. Richard Foster’s book "Celebration of Discipline" groups the disciplines into three sections: inward, such as prayer and study; outward including simplicity and service; and corporate disciplines like confession and worship. This study will run for at least 13 weeks. Newcomers always welcome! Email Ken Kugel or Randy Hume for more information.

 

CARE AND SUPPORT

 

Becky Van Dine, Caring Ministries

(215) 813-7436

 

Monday nights

7:00 - 9:00 pm, Room 2

*Ongoing


Thursday nights

7:00 - 9:00 pm, Room 2

*Returns Spring 2026


PRAYER CORNER

Praying for our Congregation,

Community, and World


Praise & Thanks: Birth of Scarlett Jean Meisner, Clark home from Kuwait, return of college students, decorations, feeling the nearness of God, families being together, Baptism of Westin Coleman, Children's Christmas Celebration


Health & Healing: Carol, McQuillan family, Cindy, Ron, Jim, Darryl, Jeannine, Bridget, Cathy, Joe, Paula, Brenda, Millie, Lauren, David, Matt, Joe, Lance, Ann, mental illness, Mike, Donna, Bill, Mark, June, Cheryl, Mildred, Albert, Lisa, Chris, shut-ins, Linda, Wendy, Takara & Cody, sobriety, Kathy & Elizabeth, Jim, Andre, Ambre, Barb


Guidance: Christopher, all who are alone, physical safety & peace, us to invite family & friends to worship, help my marriage, Julie, George, Tina & Fred, Marion, daughter looking for a job, Michael, Megan, Matt, Ben, draw closer to God, Charlene, dental hygenist's husband, Andrew, reconciliation of our sons, Julie & Amy, Carolyn, famine around the world, those serving abroad, Olivia, our worship teams, safe travel, peace during Christmas


Hospice: Cliff, Bob, Deb, Jackie


Grief: Family & Friends of Doris Carr, Aunt Deb, Frankie Pacitti, Carl Schaeffer, Jode Perez, Jean & Nick


"But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high." — Psalm 3:3


*These prayer requests reflect the prayer cards submitted and not the opinions of the prayer team.


~Laurie Lewis and the Congregational Care Team

Our Next 12 Hours of Prayer:

Wednesday, January 7

7:00 am to 7:00 pm

 

Take a few minutes from the hectic pace of life to slow down...breathe...and be part of our next 12 Hours of Prayer event. Join with your DUMC sisters and brothers to form a continuous 12-hour chain of prayer. Take an intentional 10 minutes to praise and thank our amazing God...and bring the needs of our community, our church, and yourself before God's throne.

 

Sign up now to tap into the power of prayer. See what God wants to do in, through, and among you!

 

THE PRESCHOOL AT DUMC

 
 

WINTER WEATHER IS HERE!

 

Winter weather is upon us....

 

Before you venture out when the weather is bad, please:

 

Check our church website at DoylestownUMC.com

or

Call the Worship Service Hotline

(267-245-7870)

*Opt in for text updates on SubSplash and sign up for our App to get up to date information.

 

We will have the closings or service changes on both. A determination will be made by 6:00 pm on Saturday evening for Sunday morning services.

 

During weekdays, we will generally follow the lead of Central Bucks School District regarding cancellations. Any additional evening closures will be decided by 4:00 pm.


We urge everyone to prioritize personal safety and carefully consider current weather conditions when deciding whether to attend a scheduled church activity.


*Please take our short survey so we can update our records and get you up-to-date information. This information is confidential.

 

COMING UP / SAVE THE DATE....

 

-Kids' Club, Returns in January 2026

-12 Hours of Prayer, Wednesday, January 7, 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

-Gentle Christian Yoga, Thursday, January 8, 6:00 pm

-Dinner with the Pastor (info, register), Wednesday, January 14, 6:30 pm

-Men's Breakfast, Saturday, January 17, 8:00 am

-Blessing Bags (flyer, donation list), due Sunday, January 18

-Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (flyer, sign-up HERE), Monday, January 19, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

-Caring for Friends, Wednesday, January 21, 12:45 pm (TBC)

-Youth Winter Retreat, Friday, January 23 - Sunday, January 25

-Book Group, *No December meeting; returns Sunday, January 25, 3:00 pm

-Outreach & Service Workshop (flyer, register HERE), Sat., Jan. 31, 9:00 - 11:00 am

-Comedy Night at DUMC, Saturday, January 31, 7:00 pm

-Youth Hoagie Fundraiser (flyer, order HERE), Sunday, February 8, after each service

-Blood Drives:

  • Tuesday, February 10, 3:00 - 8:00 pm
  • Tuesday, April 21, 3:00 - 8:00 pm
  • Tuesday, July 21, 3:00 - 8:00 pm

-Parents' Night Out (flyer, register HERE), Friday, February 13, 5:00 - 8:30 pm

-All-Church Bible Study, Sunday, April 12 - Friday, May 15

-2026 Youth Mission Trip, Sunday, June 21 - Saturday, June 27

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT....

"A La Nanita Nana"

Youth Choir (Arr. Schram)

"2025 DUMC Children's Christmas Celebration"

"Glory (Let There Be Peace)"

Power of Grace

*Doylestown United Methodist Church CCLI # 7127647*

Click HERE to watch

Sunday's Worship Services:


9:00 am Uplifting Worship

10:10 am Liturgical Worship

11:11 am Word and Worship

Offering

CONNECT WITH US

GIVE

Stay Connected:

Facebook  YouTube

WORSHIP

Doylestown United Methodist Church

320 East Swamp Road

Doylestown, PA 18901

Main number:

(215) 348-5224

Worship Service Hotline:

(267) 245-7870

Sunil Balasundaram, Senior Pastor

Paul Georgulis, Assistant Pastor

Laurie Lewis, Lay Leader/Min. of Visitation

Lenae Baldwin, Youth Director

Wendy Arnott, Dir. of Children's Ministries

John Bechtel, Business Administrator

Cindy Betancourt, Receptionist

Noel de la Pena, Office Manager

Brianna Beall, Wedding Coordinator

Kristian Frikke-Schmidt, 9:00 am Worship Leader

Bethany Pocceschi, 11:11 am Worship Leader

Diana Durbin, Director of Adult Bells

Stephanie Hume, Director of Music

Grace Silva, Organist

Trevor Foster, AVL Technical Coordinator

Scott Shead, Live Streaming Technician

Mark Charles, Evening Building Specialist

Mike O'Neill, Daytime Sexton

Ken Buckner, Wknd Bldg Spec (not shown)

Staff schedule: Church year

Summer

Schedule facilities: Cindy Betancourt

Submissions for Connections:

Noel de la Pena

(due Mondays by 12:00 pm)