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Sunday, November 11, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 516 Kellogg Avenue

Quinta Essentia – Brazilian Recorder Quartet

Numerous recorders, in shapes and sizes you’ve never imagined, will bring us a fascinating program of music that is “quintessentially” different. The program will include a wonderful variety of moods and rhythms composed in the last 100 years by Brazilian composers, both familiar and new to us, including Heitor Villa-Lobos, Daniel Wolff, and Radames Gnattali.

Annual Community Supper Honoring Veterans And Their Families

November 14th from 5:00-7:30 in the Memorial Union Great Hall

As part of our mission to support military students, the Veterans Center would like to invite members of the community to a dinner in honor of those who serve and sacrifice. The event is open to the public and aims to bring together students, faculty, staff, administrators, and community members in honor of the service and sacrifice of Veterans and family members. RSVP for our Community Supper Honoring Veterans and their Families. Register here: https://iastate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/V_cA4pShjlxJ0nCQt

ATTENTION ALL!

There will be a Church Conference Thursday, November 1st, 5:30pm for a proposed change to the Foundation by laws. The proposed change is as follows: From Article VI, "Receipts of Gifts and Investment of Funds," Section 1

Current: "All undesignated gifts of less than $5,000 shall be transferred to the account of the Memorials and Gifts Committee for management and expenditure by that committee."

Proposed: "All undesignated gifts of less than $5,000 shall be transferred to the church's general fund."

NOTES FROM PASTOR KERRIN

A number of years ago, a colleague and I stopped for a quick bite at a small fast food restaurant after a spiritually inspiring event. We had spent the afternoon with a large crowd of fellow United Methodists. We worshipped. We prayed. We shared ministry hopes and dreams. The preacher for the event had been inspiring, reminding us all how important it was for Christians to live beyond Sunday morning piety. Amen! Yes indeed! It had been a great afternoon!

As we sat down to enjoy our meal, a young family sat down at the table next to us. The parents looked travel-weary. Mom sat down, juggling a bottle and a baby. Dad herded three small girls to the undersized table. He then pulled over another chair from a neighboring empty table so that everyone in the family could sit and eat. As we watched, my colleague and I shared memories of traveling with our young families, and we smiled knowingly at the parents.

Four adults sporting United Methodist name tags from the same conference we had attended came into the restaurant. They claimed the only available table left in the small eating area. One of the four realized there were only three chairs at the table, and that the young family next to them was using five chairs. To our utter amazement, this United Methodist sister turned to the young mother and informed her that her family had one of “their” chairs, and she wanted it back. Never mind that it meant someone else would be without a chair. The chair belonged to her table! And so the young family graciously juggled children, drinks, and hot dogs to accommodate the woman’s demand.

I was both stunned and ashamed in the same moment. In less than 30 minutes, the ministry and witness that was celebrated in worship was forgotten in practice. I found myself muttering, “Well, the least she could do was take off her name tag so no one would know she was a United Methodist!” My colleague responded with his own disappointment in the whole scene: “No wonder the world believes Christianity is irrelevant!”

This self-righteous attitude is not a new problem. The Apostle Paul instructed the Colossians: “Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:5-6). Paul understood that if our daily living does not match what we profess on Sundays, we lose the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. If our faith is not real for us, how can we expect others to accept it as real for themselves? Do we at least attempt to live with integrity? How do we treat other people? The world watches to see if following Jesus truly makes a difference in our lives, or if Christianity is just another slick sales promotion that totally fails to deliver.

Yes, I realize each of us has a “bad witness” day from time to time. Thankfully, the Lord gives us many brothers and sisters to help

Sermon Series in October-November. "The World's Most Dangerous Prayer"

October 27-28th "Our Father Who Art in Heaven" (All Saints Sunday) Main Scripture: 1 Peter 1:17-23

November 4th : "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done on Earth" (Communion Sunday) Main Scripture:Matthew 13:31-33, 44-46 November 11th: "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread" Main Scripture: Mark 6:34-42 November 18th: "Forgive Us as We Forgive" Main Scripture: Matthew 18:23-35 November 25th: "For Thine is the Kingdom" (Christ the King Sunday) Main Scripture: John 12:27-33

stand in the gap. This day, it was my colleague’s turn to do so. He offered his chair to the struggling family, much to the chagrin of the demanding United Methodist woman. I do not know if this young family was Christian or not; I can only pray they were forgiving of our sister’s entitled, self-centered behavior.

“Conduct yourself wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.” Paul’s words to the Colossians continue to challenge me to be more aware of how I “conduct myself toward outsiders,” especially in the ordinary places of my everyday living. What we do in our daily walk with Christ really does make a difference!

Yours for the Journey, Pastor Kerrin

EDUCATION NEWS Nicole Smith, Christian Education Director

Children’s Sunday School for November

During the month of November, the children will be hard at work with their Christmas Program for this year. Mark your calendars now for December 9 at 10:00am for the Children’s Christmas Program. The children and parents are also in charge of hosting coffee hour the first three Sundays of the month. The children (except for the grade that is hosting coffee hour for the week) will meet in the sanctuary at the start of Sunday school each Sunday in November to work on the opening and closing songs for the program. Then during lesson time, preschool classes will go to their rooms for their lessons and the older children will take part in their rotation lesson about The Lord’s Prayer. The rotations will be Art, Drama, and Music. The children taking part in the music rotation will be the ones hosting coffee hour that week. Following their hosting duties, parents will stay and clean up while the children will work on their class’s special song for the Christmas program. The following is the schedule: Coffee Hour Hosts for November: November 4: Fourth and Fifth grade students, guardian angels, and parents November 11: Second & Third grade students, guardian angels, and parents November 18: Kindergarten & First grade students, guardian angels, and parents On Sunday, November 25, all of the children will gather to practice their songs for the first 20 minutes of Sunday school and then spend the remaining time between music and art time for Advent. The preschool and nursery classes will go to their classrooms after the first 20 minutes to have their own class time. Christmas program FULL rehearsal will take place Sunday, December 2

during the entire Sunday school hour in the sanctuary. There will be

some activities for the children to do to keep their hands and minds

busy while they are not singing. We invite as many parents as possible

to help out with rehearsal so you know how the flow of the program will

go and where your child needs to be at certain times. We can use all

the help we can get

Wednesday Night Kids’ Club

For the month of November, we will focus on giving - giving in a variety of ways and how kids can give and make contributions. On November 7, we will take some time to make some soups to donate to a soup fundraiser held in the community to benefit a family who has been facing the struggles of the father battling cancer for many years. We would love to be able to have the kids assigned certain tasks at home in which

EDUCATION NEWS Nicole Smith, Christian Education Director

they can earn a little money to give towards the cost of groceries for a Thanksgiving dinner. If we can do this, we will then go to Fareway on November 14 and purchase the groceries. We plan to work with Good Neighbor and the Story County Emergency Aid organizations to find a family for which we can purchase these items.

Kids’ Club will NOT meet on November 22 for the Thanksgiving Break. We will meet November 29 for a fun lesson all about our thankfulness and love.

Wednesday Night Meal Ministry

Sign up to help with the fellowship time on Wednesday evenings! We need individuals, classes, groups to sign up to make a meal for a Wednesday night gathering. This meal is for children, youth, and adults who take part in the variety of Spiritual Formation Opportunities that we have at Ames First on Wednesday nights. The sign up is on the wall next to the Welcome Center. You can also contact Nicole Smith, Megan Jurgens, or Aileen Sullivan to sign up.

Confirmation Corner

On November 2-3, Ames First Confirmation Youth will host their confirmation camp friends from Grinnell UMC and Sharon UMC (Cedar Rapids) at a lock in. The confirmands will have a bible study, communion worship service, and take part in service projects with Food at First/Free Market. Please hold the confirmands in your prayers as they continue on their faith journey and our friends from out of town as they travel to be with us for the lock-in.

Coffee Hour Hosting- November 25. Confirmands, Parents, and Mentors will be hosting coffee hour on Sunday, November 25. Please be there no later than 9am to get things set up.

Faith Visit - The tradition of Faith Visits continues with our 2018-2019 confirmation class. November 30 will have the confirmation youth, families, and mentors travelling to Des Moines to attend the Shabbat service at the Temple B’Nai Jeshurun. They will learn about the Jewish faith from a congregant and take part in the service. Upcoming Faith Visits will be in January, February, and March.

EDUCATION NEWS Nicole Smith, Christian Education Director

YOUTH NEWS Brooke Kruger, Director of Youth Ministries

Sunday School Both the middle school and the high school classes will separately continue with their 1 Timothy 4.12 series. This series explores how a new school year can be a very exciting time but also a rather scary time. Part of what can make it a scary time for many youth is the feeling that they don’t quite measure up. There will always be someone taller, faster, or smarter than they are. Sometimes youth can feel like the outsider looking in and can wonder how and why God would ever want to use them. But God has a way of taking those the world might discard and using them in a big way. This series looks at examples of outcasts and outsiders to see how God wants to use them and us.

Wednesday Night Youth The middle school group will continue an active series of lessons and discussion on faith for the first two Wednesdays of the month, while the high school will be visiting a nursing home to play games with residents as part of their local mission work. Middle school youth will finish the last Wednesday of the month with a yoga session to find God’s calming presence in their lives. High school youth will finish the month with a youth – led lesson. Reminder to all – there will be no group on November 21st!

Youth Council – The youth council will meet again on the second Wednesday of the month (14

th) at 5:15pm in the

conference room. We’ll be reviewing our Chili Fundraiser success and looking toward future goals in mission work and activities.

Adult Christian Education Opportunities

Adult Sunday School Classes

Coffee Talk: Current study “Renovate” will continue through most of November. Then the group will focus on Advent at 9:45a.m. in the Conference Room.

Faith and Reason: Current study is called “The Porch Sessions” and has theologian and Old Testament professor Walter Bruggeman having conversations about Faith and Community bringing in the words from Elisha. The group meets at 9:45a.m. in room E110

Wesley’s Holy Club: This group will continue their time focusing on grace. They will then begin to look at various advent studies. The group meets in the small conference room located in the office suite.

Adult Wednesday Study Groups Wonderful Wednesday Women Wonderful Wednesday Women will continue to study the upcoming sermon series and scriptures for the week during the month of November. The study will be over The Lord’s Prayer. During December the group will look into an Advent study in preparation for Christmas. The group meets at 10:00a.m. in the Conference Room.

Wednesday Night Adults This group will get started on an Advent study during the month of November. All are welcome to join the group at any time. For those looking for a mid-week break form the stresses of life, we strongly encourage you to check out our Wednesday Night Adult group. It’s a fun group with lots of great discussion, laughter, fellowship, and support for one another. Mike Evans leads the group in the Conference Room from 6:30-7:30 while children and youth groups meet.

EDUCATION NEWS Nicole Smith, Christian Education Director

Actors Only!

There will be many practices coming up for our “Actors” only for the Children’s Christmas program. This does NOT include all of the children-only those with assigned acting parts. Those practices will be : Oct 27 from 2:30-4p.m. Nov 3 from 2:30-4p.m. Nov 10 from 10-11:30a.m. Nov 17 from 10-11:30a.m. Dec 1 from 2:30-4p.m. Dec 8 from 4-5p.m. Full Dress Rehearsal with all of the children will be Dec 2 during Sunday school hour with the program on Dec 9 during the Sunday school hour. Upcoming Dates!!

December 2: Full Rehearsal for Children’s Christmas Program December 9: Children’s Christmas Program at 10:00a.m. December 12: Christmas Caroling December 16: A Birthday Party for Jesus (Sunday school hour) December 19: Christmas PJ Party at 6:00p.m. December 23: One service at 8:30a.m. and no Sunday school December 30: One service at 8:30a.m. and no Sunday school December 31: Noon Year’s Eve Party, 10:30 a.m.

LIST OF CHORES FOR THE DAY OF THE THANKSGIVING DINNER

Make coffee (allow time for it brew) and get some hot water ready

for hot tea; ready the ice water (CEMT) Volunteers are to be sure to introduce themselves to one another.

(W&M be sure to encourage this) Greet people as they bring salads and desserts and care for their

contribution by either getting it ready to set out on serving tables or refrigerating it until serving time and then taking it out. (Member Care Committee)

Greet the Hy-Vee crew (to be here shortly after 11 am) and see that their food is kept hot until serving time. Take any invoices for the food to the office (Missions Committee and W&M Committee)

Start serving by 11:30 a.m. or “when a sizable crowd has gathered and all is ready” –be sure to keep enough food back for those who will come after 11 am service. All together

“Run” or “manage” the dinner. All working together in harmony Handle the leftovers and see that at the end of the whole event that

the hall and kitchen is clean. Food at First people will be arriving at First Christian 3 p.m. or so to prepare for their evening meal. (UMW deal with leftover and UMM and Youth deal with clean-up)

Take any money collected from the free-will offerings to the office --- Stewardship

Trash goes out to the church dumpster. Do not use the library dumpster. UMM

Assign someone to take dish rags and towels home to launder and return to the church on Monday. UMW

Church custodian will tear down tables and put chairs away; howev-er, it is beneficial to us if church volunteers (like UMM and Youth and Scouts) will take down the tables and chairs in those are-as that are not normally set-up with such equipment and that the hall is put back to somewhat “normal” use.

Assignments: Set up on Sunday, November 18 after the 8:30 a.m. worship (or you

can come in on Saturday late afternoon) --- put out placemats and napkins, salt & pepper shakers, have extra plates and silverware ready for use on Sunday for those who forget to bring their own, put out table signs for serving tables, put out free-will offering basket, just kind of get “things in order.” --- All Committee Chairs will have gotten the placemats and napkins and have the signs ready and he may even have gotten some of the tables set---if YOU wish to have centerpieces then that is up to you but keep it all simple.

UMW and Worship Committee ---- once this work is done then please check with others to see if they need help such as Mis-sions may or may not need help serving the turkey. Potatoes & gravy, and dressing…and CEMT may or may not need help with beverages.

We need a team to keep making coffee, keep having water hot for tea drinkers, and keep having ice water for those who prefer that, and to keep pouring milk to those who wish that as a choice. J CEMT Committee, with any assistance from Nicole, also help from Bruce Wight & Stewardship Committee as needed. Note CEMT serves coffee hour in November along with Confir-mation class and their families & mentors.

We need a team to greet people and take their food to place on the tables and to oversee those dishes/tables (salads & des-serts). Membership Care Committee

We need a team to greet the “Hy-Vee” crew and to oversee the hot dishes, have folks there to help serve, and then help care the leftovers. Missions and Welcome & Marketing Committee

Clean-up team. (clean the areas after serving is over, handle any dishes/silverware that needs washing, take trash out, wash any dirty rags/towels, take any of the money to the office) UMM and YOUTH and Scouts.

Further “notes”: Some one or two persons may be needed to direct the

traffic flow of the fellowship hall. (W & M folks) Some may need to be aware to clean and restock both

serving tables and the dining room tables (Youth and Scouts)

Some help may be needed by our dining guests to get their plates to the dining room tables. (Maybe some youth could help!)

Stewardship Corner - Together, We Do More! -

A big THANK YOU to all those who responded during our Stewardship Consecration Weekend on October 20th and 21st by returning your 2019 Commitment Card! If you have not yet returned your estimate of giving, please prayerfully consider how you will commit your presence, gifts, service, and witness to our congregation, community and beyond during the coming year. You can bring your card to church, leave it at the Church office, or mail it back. If you did not receive or cannot locate the card that you should have received in the mail, please contact the church office (515-232-2750 or office@fumcames.org).

This year’s commitment card had a line for Additional Gifts including Utilities, Missions, and Original Building Upkeep. The Original Building Upkeep item pertains to an upcoming Trustees project to repair defective bricks, damaged mortar joints and movement cracks on the exterior of the original 1908 building. More information on this project will be forthcoming.

You have the opportunity to submit your financial gifts to the church by either using an electronic money transfer (ACH) from a bank account or E-giving via our First United Methodist Church online church community, Realm. If you have not logged onto Realm, we encourage you to do so. For more information about ACH contact Reid Cummer or for E-giving via Realm contact Eric Abrams.

We have much to celebrate at First United Methodist. Through the support of many working together we have a wide array of ministries to help us become disciples by knowing and growing closer to God. By participating in one of our small groups, e.g., LIFE group, UMW circle, Sunday School, UMM, choir, etc., our spiritual lives are expanded.

I also offer my sincere appreciation to everyone who assisted with this year’s Stewardship Campaign including: Kirsten Baxter, who developed the videos for our worship Stewardship Moments; all those who provided photos including Chad Copley, Jane Edwards, Susan Fraser, Ellen Johnsen, Carol Miller and Dale VanderSchaaf; assistance with the mailing from Deb Benefield, Reid Cummer, Jo Spotts, and Connie Wight; a special thank you to Pastor Kerrin and Bob Blattert for signing all those letters; and to the entire Finance Committee for their input and support in developing this year’s Stewardship program. Bruce Wight Stewardship Team Leader

TECHNOLOGY GOT YOU STUMPED…

Why does my smartphone act so dumb? Why does my learning remote need a tutor? Why is my computer possessed by the devil?

When you have these kinds of questions, you need FAITH:

Friendly Accessible Informed Technology Helpers

Whether it's troubleshooting or some basic instruction, we'll do our best to resolve your technology irritations. (And while we can't perform repairs, we can offer advice on whether a more serious procedure might be necessary.)

This FREE service is coordinated by Mike Evans. You can find (this kind of) FAITH via email or phone. (Text messages work too!) amesfirstumcfaith@gmail.com (515) 446-8637

MICA - Mid Iowa Community Action Food Bank.

With the goal that no one should go hungry, the food bank in Ames is the location for food to be distributed In Story County and surrounding areas.

Donations of non-perishable food items can be placed in the grocery cart in the lobby at FUMC. The Mission Team will take the items to the MICA distribution center.

Have you been able to help? If everyone brought just one item a week we would have a wonderful car load every week. Items like canned meat or fish, canned fruit or vegetables, cereal, pasta, canned juice, etc. are all welcome.

When grocery shopping, why not pick up an item for the MICA food basket? Just a little will mean a lot. Thanks for sharing.

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Don’t Forget… Turn Your Clocks Back

One Hour On Saturday Night, November 3rd,

Before You Go To Bed!