Southport UMC Newsletter

"Here We Come A-Caroling" The Christmas Eve services are going to be ushered in with  Christmas Carols. If you are interested in singing on Christmas eve, please join me in a couple of rehearsals and let’s sing to the coming King. Rehearsals are Wednesdays in December beginning at 6:00 PM. The music will be light and uncomplicated so,  please consider joining in even if you have never song in a choir. Contact me if you have any questions at: john@sumc.org "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"

Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (it is more than just the 9 weeks) What if you knew where all of your money was going each month? What if you were debt-free, investing and making wise spending decisions? With Dave Ramsey’s class Financial Peace University, you CAN take control of your money and start planning for your future.    It does not matter if you are age 20 or 70, this class is for you.   Southport United Methodist Church will be offering the FPU class on Monday evenings from 6:45pm to 8:30pm starting on January 21st and ending on March 18th.   There are now two membership options for people new to FPU.   Annual membership of $109 and a monthly membership $9.99/month PLUS a one-time activation fee of $69.    The membership includes the following: Access to online video lessons Subscription to EveryDollar Plus, the premium budgeting tool Debt snowball tool and other resources Member workbook for all nine lessons plus the e-book “The Complete Guide to Mon

Student Ministry leaders, Jerry Kidwell and Joe Howell, are excited to kick off the new Southport United Methodist Youth Fellowship (UMYF) with a lock-in New Year’s Eve!   Weekly UMYF times begin the next Sunday evening, January 6, 2019, at 5:30 to 7:00. Fellowship time will include games, snacks and Christian fellowship. We will be doing some adventurous things, like going snow tubing the first of the year, having a spring retreat at Camp Indicoso, attending Winter Jam, and even more activities. The goal of this program is to support Christian relationships, making disciples into leaders who can disciple others. Youth should sign up on the sheet in the Gathering place for the lock-in. Adults wishing to be volunteer leaders and/or to provide snacks should see Jerry or Joe for details or with suggestions.  

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year You’re singing the song, aren’t you?    You saw that title and it leapt into your brain without any prompting.    We can’t help it.    It’s a catchy song.    I’m singing it as I type this.    The problem is I don’t remember all the words.    So I get bits, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year, with kids jinglebelling and everyone telling you'll be of good cheer, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. The hap-happiest season of all, something something something.”    Sorry, it fades out about there. And of course who would argue?   It IS the most wonderful time.   Along with Easter.   Right?   Just amazing that God would choose to be born in a manger.   The incomprehensible power become the most vulnerable being in the humblest of settings.   Wonderful.   And what else can we do but sing?   What else can we do but worship. That’s our theme this Advent season, worship.   “Come, Let Us Adore Him.”   We’re all about worship this Decem

Thanks to all who purchased nuts from UMW. We made a nice profit of around $500 to pass on to the Lucille Raines Residence to help with their $75,000 project to repair the facility. Both circles collected hygiene items for Flectcher Place’s Christmas Give-Away. Thanks to all who helped. United Methodist Women is open to all women for fellowship and participation in missions. Come join us for the Celebration of Christmas. Dates to Remember Church Women United Human Rights Celebration December 3, 2018 At Robin Run Retirement Community 5354 W. 62 St. 9:30 a.m.— 11:30 a.m. Speaker/Honoree John Dickerson, Past Executive Director for ARC (Association of Retarded Citizens) of Indiana Rebekah Circle Meeting— December 11—Pitch in Christmas lunch at 11:00 a.m. Leah Circle Meeting— December 17—Pitch –in Christmas snacks 6:30 p.m.– 8:00 p.m. bring a white elephant gift. Save the Date Activities February 9, 2019 — God Moments for a Love Yourself Spa Day—South

For the month of November, we delivered 243lbs. of food to the Hunger, Inc. Food Pantry located on Epler Ave. off Madison Ave. As we get ready for the December collection, there will be several food collections going on in the surrounding schools.   So, we will not be collecting food for December, but, we do encourage you to participate in the food collection at Meijer on Southport Road.   Most of the food purchased for the pantry comes from this store. Details for the 2018 Meijer Simply Give Campaign. The campaign began November 18 and goes through December 29. Please note the following difference on the double match day. ·   The double match is for one day, December 7. ·   On December 7, Meijer will double match every customer’s $10 Simply Give donation (up to a maximum donation of $10,000 per pantry). This means that for every $10 donation card purchased, Meijer will donated $20 to the program, resulting in a total of a $30 donation (up to the maximum of $10,000). Ev

Our UMW group has a book collection in the basement of the West Wing of the Church. Every year new books are purchased. One of the most recent books is Hospitable Planet by Stephen A. Jurovics. This book addresses the ideas of Faith, Action, and Climate Change working together for a better planet as God wanted us to have and care for. Part I of the book addresses the biblical teachings for the earth stewardship and how these principles can motivate people of faith to care for the planet. If you are interested in reading this book, just ask a UMW member to help you find the book.

2019 is just around the corner. Please fill out a calendar form or email tara@sumc.org to reserve your room. We need to put all events, activities, on-going studies, and groups on the calendar. Each year we need to hear from everyone who needs a room whether its new or on-going. Thank You!

A Thought….Let’s Offer our Hospitality Teams Time Off Wouldn’t it be wonderful and thoughtful to offer a time off period for people who have served continuously, one or more Sundays a month and often year after year? Like a vacation to take a break, re-energize and realize how much they are appreciated for the faithful commitment they have made to serve. If our COFFEE FELLOWSHIP TEAMS (set up crew, mid-morning refresh crew and cleanup crew) were invited to take a month or more off, we would cancel our Long’s donut order and put away the coffee urns, cups and all of the additional things that make Sunday morning refreshments so enjoyable. I don’t know about you but I’m not great in remembering to bring my coffee or morning snacks. And what about the children and our guests?   We’re not looking very hospitable! How grateful we must be for our wonderful GREETERS who will soon be standing at or opening doors when the temperatures are going to be brutal. Yet they are there every wee

Now to December 29—Support Hunger Inc. through Meijer’s Simply Give Campaign December 2—Community Meal December 4, 11, 18— Advent Bible Study at 2:30 and 7:00 p.m. December 8—Jubilee Christmas December 24—Christmas Eve Services, 5:30, 8:00 and 11:00 p.m. Cookies and Hot Chocolate January 6—New Member Session after the community meal

Blood Drive Sundays Interfaith Hospitality Network Families (IHN)            2019 dates—February 3—17, September 29—October 13 Jubilee Ministry— Jubilee Christmas—December 8 Ronald McDonald House Second Saturday of the month at the Ronald McDonald House Third Sunday of the month at the RMH room in Riley Hospital God’s Will Breakfast Third Thursday of the month at Fletcher Place Community Center in the Fountain Square area Kairos Prison Ministry Teams of Men and Women serving weekends during the spring and fall at prison          facilities and through the year in small follow up groups Food Drive Ministry Monthly food collections (scheduled to coincide with Communion weekend) Creation Care Team Recycling and being good stewards of God’s creation!

Pastor Derek often references how our loved ones can sound like God speaking to us. For him it seems to be his wife a lot of the time. For me it is my children. Recently Sumner (my 8-year old), was pretending she was a super villain, She was plotting how she was going to take over the world, I started really listening when she said, “I’m going to make Santa bring me ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD…. (continues monologue)… evil laugh!” I, of course, started to worry that maybe this was the beginning of an underlying sentiment towards rampant materialism (overthinking, I know). So, I said, “You know there are more important things than money…” Lennox (my 3-year old which I didn’t even know was listening) chimed in with, “LIKE PIE”! Sumner then proudly proclaimed, “Uh huh! Pie!” So, my children avidly and unanimously agree that pie is more important than money. Out of all the things in the world Lennox could have picked as important she picked pie. We share pie. We slice it up

Those words have become a battle cry in our denomination.   A stress point, to say the least.   We’re drawing up divisions and caucuses, determining who is with us and who is against us, who is in and who is out.   I sometimes wonder if Jesus despairs over the church that bears His name.   I know I do sometimes.   And yet at the same time I rejoice that the church is looking toward the future.   Trying to find a way forward. In case you’re completely in the dark, “the way forward” is the official title of the process created as a result of the last General Conference to help us over the struggles over the issues of biblical authority and interpretation particularly around the area of human sexuality.   The impasse grew so great that we could no longer mediate between the different sides and opinions at war within the body of the church.   So, the Council of Bishops put together a task force of people, representing wildly diverse opinions and beliefs and practices and personalities,

We are invited by our United Methodist Bishop, Julius C. Trimble to take part in a conversation around The Way Forward.  This event, A Call to Prayer and Conversation will detail The Way Forward plans that will be brought before the special called General Conference in Feb 2019. We are encouraged to attend Sunday, November 18 with the session beginning at 2:00pm and ending by 4:00pm at Castleton UMC, 7101 Shadeland Avenue, Indianapolis . United Methodist congregations can face potentially difficult discussions about plans submitted by the Commission on a Way Forward. The more information we share and understanding we have of the process and the Three Plans set forth, the easier it may be to have discussion and conversations within our own church family. This is our opportunity to hear more, become better informed, and commit to prayer and understanding in a somewhat challenging time. THE THREE PLANS THE ONE CHURCH PLAN THE CONNECTIONAL CONFERENCE PLAN THE TRADITIONALI

The annual World Thank Offering meeting was held on October 9.   Through the generous giving by the women in attendance, we are able to offer support to mission work around the world. UMW is currently raising funds in support of the Lucille Raines Residence in downtown Indy. Through our sales of nuts and candies, the project to re-mortar the bricks on the Raines’ building will keep the Residence open for years to come so that people in recovery have a place to live. The cost is $75,000. To place your order and contribute to the project, please contact a UMW member or the church office. DATES TO REMEMBER NOVEMBER 6 – GET OUT AND VOTE! Rebekah Circle meets Tuesday, November 13 at 1:00 p.m. in the Gathering Place.   Bring a boxed cereal to donate to Fletcher Place Community Center in the Fountain Square area. Leah Circle meets Tuesday, November 20 at 6:30 p.m. for our “Sit and Sew” activity in the Gathering Place. We will be working on our African Pillowcase Dresses and

SUMC donated 172 pounds of food in October to the Hunger Inc. food pantry on Epler off of Madison Avenue. All food items were most welcome since the children were home for fall break. In November we will be collecting SOUPS, BOTH CANNED AND DRY PACKAGED . Since the usual donations are chicken noodle and tomato, let’s fill the shelves with other soup varieties. Children will be home over Thanksgiving break and the more options available, the better. Please bring your soup varieties on Thursday and Sunday, November 1 and 4. YOU are Faith in action!

Please continue to use china cups for your coffee or tea. You are helping to make a difference to our planet and for our children and grandchildren. Does “Being Green” mean you are like a frog or a pickle?.….No Does it mean that you are going to be sick in the car? .....No (from a book titled, “What Does It Mean To Be Green?”) BEING GREEN means you are: Turning off water while brushing your teeth Turning off lights when not needed Eating foods grown locally Walking instead of riding in a car Packing lunch in reusable containers Eating ice cream on a cone and not from a paper cup and a plastic spoon It means RECYCLING Be conscious of what we can recycle by reading the information on our trash containers before disposing of items.

November 1 and 4 – Support Hunger Inc. Food Pantry November 4 - Community Meal November 4 – Planned Giving Seminar, 12:15pm November 8/11, 15/18, 21/25, 29/December 2 – Support Jubilee Christmas Families (tag boards and ministry table in the Gathering Place) November 18 – Blood Drive, 9:00am to 1:00pm November 21 – Pre-weekend Worship, 6:30pm FAITH PROMISE SUPPORTED MINISTRIES Blood Drive Sunday - November 18 Interfaith Hospitality Network Families (IHN) 2019 dates – February 3 – 17, September 29 – October 13 Jubilee Ministry - Jubilee Christmas – December 8 Ronald McDonald House Second Saturday of the month at the Ronald McDonald House Third Sunday of the month at the RMH room in Riley Hospital God’s Will Breakfast Third Thursday of the month at Fletcher Place Community Center in the Fountain Square area Kairos Prison Ministry Men’s and Women’s Teams serving spring and fall Food Drive Ministry Monthly food collections (scheduled to c

“It’s less about the task and more about the way that serving draws us closer to Christ. BABY CUDDLER Cuddle or Snuggle and show Love to the Babies who are at church on Sundays.  This isn’t a job or task. It is a true Gift to both Baby and You. Hurry and contact the church office for more information or email Allyson@sumc.org JUBILEE CHRISTMAS A busy season and Jubilee Christmas is one way to make a difference in the lives of families from our community who struggle for many reasons. Because of your generosity several Homecroft Elementary families will experience a brighter holiday celebration. We provide toys and gifts and clothing needs for the children and youth. We add personal care items, food staples and gift cards for the family. This is all very well received and appreciated. Always our goal is to connect with the Jubilee families sharing Jesus’ love for all no matter what their situation may be. Here are some ways that you can participate in preparin

Last week I and a few others from the church went to a seminar about how to help the church be in a better place financially.   The speaker was Dr. J. Clif Christopher, and he did a great job.   He has written several books and made several good points.   I would encourage you to look him up. This seminar made me think of the article I wrote a couple of months ago. Do you remember the one that talked about how we should share gifts of financial resources where ever we feel led, not just to the church?   One of the points I took away from the seminar was that writing an article talking about giving without reluctance or compulsion   in celebration of God’s generosity to wherever you decide in your heart may have been   just plain dumb! You could have taken that article as me saying to give your money to the competition, and I was, if that is where your heart is.    The speaker pointed out there is over 1.5 million non-profit organizations in America and we are competing with e