Southport UMC Newsletter

Dear Friends, It doesn’t seem possible, but we have just started the final month of this year.   Soon 2014 will be history, and we will embark on the adventure of what will be the year 2015.   However, before we start celebrating the beginning of the New Year, we have the birth of Jesus to commemorate. In Luke chapter 2 we read these words: “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.   He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.   While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.   She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” I particularly like the way the Gospel of John talks about the coming of Jesus into the world.   “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word w

In February and March of 2015, we will have an all-church study that will be used in all of the Journey Groups that occur during that time period.   We will start signing up for Journey Groups in January. This all-church study will be called The God Who Speaks .  It will be seven weeks in duration, starting the week of 2/1/15 and will coincide with the sermon series called The God Who Speaks.  The topics to be covered are the following: How does God reveal Himself? How do we respond to God's revelation? What happens when we disregard God's word? What can we learn from Christ's response to the word of God? Why is it important to trust the word of God? Why should we submit to the word of God? We need to learn to listen and understand God's word. I am personally anxiously looking forward to studying more about God and how He reveals Himself to us.   I hope you are as well! Please pray about joining a Journey Group and be ready to sign up

We recently had an occasion to hear about our Faith Promise ministries and to pledge in   support of them through extra mile giving in 2015. We are very grateful to all who made this financial commitment and to those who have supported Faith Promise in 2014. If you missed the opportunity to pledge to Faith Promise and would like to share your Promise, please contact the church office and a commitment card will be made available to you. However, completing a pledge card never limits your giving to Faith Promise. At any time you may give by cash, check or online.  Faith Promise is your way of financially supporting the church’s community and   outreach ministries and a response to God’s call to share in Christ’s mission of serving others. Your Faith Promise is in addition to your regular tithes and offerings and an amount you give in faith knowing God will provide it.  Contributing financially is one very important way of supporting the church’s outreach    ministries. A

Jubilee Christmas is quickly approaching on Saturday, December 13, from 10 a.m. to noon. God has blessed us with 25 families from five Perry Township Schools with lots of children who will experience some of the joys of the holidays through difficult times. Our relationships with the families will continue through 2015 as we invite families to be part of Vacation Bible School, worship, Children’s Church and Student Ministries, Community Fall Festival and other outreach events.  There are a few odds and ends to tie up as we prepare for Jubilee day. If you are available to help with set up, a fairly big task, on Friday, December 12, please call the church office for times and needs.  If you would like to be part of Jubilee day, additional helping hands are welcome. There is always a need to assist with wrapping. Some of our families have six and seven children for gift wrapping. When the gifts are wrapped and carried to the cars, the refreshments have been eaten, food b

There is still time to join the Choir for the Christmas Season.  Rehearsals are Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. The Choir will sing Christmas Eve beginning at 10:30 p.m. for a Christmas Music Celebration, and for the 11:00 p.m. candlelight service.

The bake sale at the Southport Fall Street Fair was very successful with $431 raised.  This profit is being split between supporting funeral dinners and donating towards a new boiler at the Lucille Raines Residence. Billie Hunteman was the speaker at the World Thank Offering presentation in October.  She spoke about KAIROS prison ministry.  This is a ministry our UMW assisted financially with the blessings from last spring’s street fair bake sale. Leah Circle meeting in November focused on assembling toiletry kits for the Lebanon Children’s Home. Upcoming Important Dates: Tues., Dec. 2, 630 p.m.—Rebekah Circle pitch-in at the church Mon., Dec. 15 1 p.m.—Anna Circle meeting at Rosegate—Elizabeth will speak about her recent trip to Russia Tues., Dec. 16 6 p.m.—Leah Circle at Pam’s house Thurs., March 12 —UMW Day at the Legislature If interested in any of these activities, contact the church office 784-9508.