PrimeTimers -Tuesday, December 3th. Christmas Coffee Break from 9:30 am—11:00 am. The menu for this month’s

lunch is tamales, quiche, fruit, Christmas goodies, coffee and juices

Prime Timer’s Coffee Break is every Tuesday from 9:30 to 11 am.

Shepherds will meet not meet in December. Our Christmas luncheon this year will be at Ambrosia Tea Room on

Monday, 16 December at 11:00 am. The menu will be a sandwich platter, choice of soup, iced tea, and a small dessert.

Price per person is $14.00 (includes food, tax, and gratuity). A donation of $100 will be given to the Salado Family Relief from

the dessert funds. Deadline for RSVP is Friday, December 6th. Call 254-773-1443 to RSVP.

Stephen Ministers will meet Thursday, December 12th for our Christmas soup supper at 6:00 pm.

Groups Meeting This Month

Finance will meet not meet in December. Next meeting will be January 29, 2014.

Trustees will meet Monday, December 23 at 7:00 pm in the library.

Connections December 2013

Volume 3 Number 12

Salado United

Methodist Church To continue the journey of seeking, serving, and

sharing God’s love.

650 Royal St.

PO Box 771

Salado, TX 76571

254-947-5482

Website: www.saladoumc.org

Facebook.com/saladoumc

Twitter @SaladoUMC

Sunday Morning

9:00 am Worship (Traditional)

10:00 am Sunday School

11:15 am Worship (Contemporary)

Wednesday Evening

5:15 pm Fellowship Meal

6:00 pm Adult Study

6:00-7:00 pm Children’s Programs

6:00-7:30 pm Jr & Sr High Youth Programs

6:00 pm Handbells

7:00-8:30 pm Choir

Christmas Services and Events

Christmas Cantata- Dec 15, 9:00 am “A Journey through Christmas” Children’s Musical Performances Dec 11, 6:00 pm Dinner Theater Dec 15, 5:00 pm (reception to follow) Christmas Eve Services - Dec 24 5:00pm in Main Sanctuary 6:30pm & 8:00pm in Chapel “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

Monday Morning Bible Study meets every Monday Morning in Room 117. If you are interesting in participating,

please contact Melonie Stringer at 947-0657 for more information.

Staff meets every Wednesday at 10:00 am in the Library.

Monday Club will meet on December 2 at 2:00 pm in the YAC. Programs and refreshments as well as Christian fellow-ship are open to all women in the community.

Choir and Handbells Schedule

Handbells: September 11 at 6:00 pm in Portable 3

Choir: Wednesdays from 7-8:30 pm in Chapel.

Weekly Meetings

United Methodist Women will meet on Monday, 16 December at 5:45 pm in Room 117.

Men’s Emmaus Group meets at Johnny’s every Wednesday at 7:00 am.

Women’s Emmaus Group meets at The Patio every Thursday at 7:30 am.

Greeters

Dec 1: 9:00: Terry & Juli Bergstrom; 11:15: Mark & Diana Brooks

Dec 8: 9:00: Jerry & Elaine Herrick; 11:15: Bridges Family

Dec 15: 9:00: Jim & Judy Hodgin; 11:15: Gilmore Family

Dec 22: 9:00: Delbert & Roma Mattheus; 11:15: Fariss Family

Dec 29: 9:00: Milton & Bobbie Carroll; 11:15: Womack Family

Ushers

Dec 1: 9:00: Dave & Ann Gardner, Jim & Sherry Sewell;

11:15: Ebeling Family

Dec 8: 9:00: Jack & Weeta Evans, Herb & Janice Taylor; 11:15: Dale &

Charlotte Douglass

Dec 15: 9:00: Mark Brooks, Milton Carroll; 11:15: Jay & Linda Crowley

Dec 22: 9:00: Ken Horak, Brianna Lane, Lyn Alley Joyce Barker;

11:15: Steve & Shirley Meler

Dec 29: 9:00: John & Nancy Konzen, Tommy & Robin Hale;

11:15: Womack Family

DecemberDecember

Salado UMC College Age Bible Study meets every Tuesday at 7:00 pm in the YAC.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY SUNDAY SCHOOL—Sunday Mornings

from10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

PreK-Grade 4

December Themes:

1– A Child is Born

8– A Message to Mary

15– A Message to Joseph

22– Good News

29– Simeon and Anna

Grades 5-6

December Theme:

Best Friends Forever- John 15:13

M&M Kids

Schedule: Wednesdays from 6:00-7:00 p.m.

All children who have completed grades K-6 are welcome each week!

**Dec 1: Sunday fellowship after church with food and Christmas projects Dec 4: Mission Project **Stay until 7:30** **Dec 5: Salado Christmas Parade Dec 11: No M&M Kids– Christmas Musical Dec 18: Christmas Caroling and Party Dec 25: No M&M Kids Jan 1: No M&M Kids– we will resume on Jan 8

Upcoming Announcements & Events

MUSIC NOTES

Music is such an integral part of Advent. There are many opportunities to enjoy Christmas music this season and I hope you will be able to partake in some of these experiences: SUMC Chancel Choir’s Christmas Cantata: Sunday, Dec. 15th at the 9:00 am service only. Salado High School Winter Concert: December 12th, 7:00 pm at Salado Intermediate School Cafetorium. Salado Community Chorus Concert: December 5th, 7:00 pm at First Baptist Church. Children’s Christmas Musical: December 11 at 6:00 pm and December 15 at 5:00 pm in the Sanctuary. Salado High School Band Winter Concert: December 16, 6:30 pm at the SHS Cafetorium. Salado JH/IS Band Winter Concert: December 17th, 6:30 pm SIS Cafetorium. Hope you can make it to at least one of these concerts or another one not listed here to enhance your Christmas season this year!

2013 Salado Stroll Christmas Parade!

All children are invited to walk with the M&M Kids’ float at the Christmas Parade on Thursday, December 5. Meet at the church at 4:20 pm or at the lineup at Royal Street and Center Circle no later than 4:50 pm. We will have snacks for the kids while we wait. More details, including what to bring or wear, and pick up information will be coming soon.

The Night Shift Before Christmas

2013 Christmas Musical

Rehearsals Dec. 1st and 8th

4:00-5:30 pm

Performances:

December 11– Dinner Theater 6:00 pm

December 15– 5:00 pm, reception following

OUTREACH AND MISSIONS

Christmas Poinsettias Each year, we decorate our church with lovely Christmas poinsettias. We will have the poinsettias displayed December 15th-22nd. Your poinsettia may be given in honor or memory of a loved family member or friend. The cost is $10, and order forms are available in the atrium or from the Church Office. All orders must be received by Wednesday, December 11th. Poinsettias may be picked up after the last service on Sunday, December 22nd.

Methodist Children’s Home Offering—December is Methodist Home Month. The Church would like to offer you an opportunity to give to the Methodist Home the money you would spend sending Christmas cards. In return, we will send a Christmas letter to all members of Salado UMC with all the contributors’ names on it. Donations must be in the Church office by Sunday, December 15th for your name to appear on the card. If you give directly to the Methodist Home, you will need to call the church office by December 13th to let Tammye know so that we can include your name on the church letter.

Annual Staff Christmas Gifts—Your Staff Parish Relations Committee reminds you that we are receiving donations for our church staff. This is an opportunity to show appreciation through a Christmas bonus. Donations should be in by Wednesday, December 18th.

Engage- Your pledges and contributions are a critical part of how we make a difference in our church, our community, and in our world. Stewardship cards are still being accepted. You can complete and return to the church office or place in the box in the foyer of sanctuary. Interested in giving electronically—informational brochures are available in the foyer.

Christmas Nativity!

December 15th, during the 5:00 performance of the Christmas Musical

Open to all children Toddlers-Kindergarten– Contact Kristen for details

Peleus Montie Parker, , from Hong Kong

was baptized on 28 October 2013 by Pastor Lara.

ENGAGE!ENGAGE!ENGAGE!

ERT-Tornado season is just a couple of months away. Disasters don’t occur at convenient times and on our schedule! Would you like to be part of a United Methodist trained disaster response team? UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) and UMVIM (Volunteers in Mission) will be holding a one day ERT (Early Response Team) training session at Georgetown UMC on January 18th. More details to come. In the meantime contact Rolly (254-534-4223; rcorrea@saladoumc.org) or George (254 935-9627; temeg@embarqmail.com) if you have questions.

Bud and Glenda Croom

joined Salado United

Methodist Church on 3

November 2013.

Salado Food Bank- Thank you for your terrific support and donations! The work day is the 3rd Wednesday of every month from 1:00-3:00 pm at First Baptist Church. The work day has been adjusted for the holidays and is scheduled this month for December 18th. If you are interested in helping with the distribution of food on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays, contact Pat Scarborough at 512-635-4924.

The Choir is presenting their annual Christmas Cantata this year on Sunday, December 15th at the 9:00 service only. We have entitled this year’s collection of songs, “A Journey through Christmas” as the music takes you chronologically through advent and Christmas. The Choir sounds great and the instruments will be there to add an even more joyful sound.

Julia Lee Delano, daughter of Wesley and Keri Delano, was

baptized on 24 November 2013.

Thanksgiving basket during the Great Days of Sharing:

Thank you Salado UMC for a great turn out Wednesday Nov. 20th. Seventy-nine thanksgiving boxes for families here in Salado. The total poundage delivered to the Salado Food Bank was over 800lbs. Again, thanks for a Job well done. A special thanks is extended to Sherry Sewell and Linda Crowley for organizing the event and all the volunteers, young and old, that made it a fun time and great mission experi-ence for our local community outreach.

IH-35 Thanksgiving Day Meal Project:

A special thanks to Don and Lucy Sheffield for their coordination of the IH-35 Thanksgiving Meal. It was great to see new faces from our congregation helping out at the Southbound rest stop. To those of you who gave up your Thanksgiving day to serve others, your actions speak volumes to your commitment to serve. The overwhelming response of Salado United Methodist Church volunteers to cook, setup, serve, teardown, and to donate items and money made this 3rd annual event a huge success for our outreach to our IH-35 motorists.

The Advance- Advancing hope in Christ’s name. Tuesday, December 3, 2013 is UMC Giving Tuesday. Your gift to mission that is made online through Advance on UMC #GivingTuesday will be matched dollar for dollar by Global Ministries. To participate you will have to make an online dona-tion to your Advance project and/or missionary. Log on to

www.umcmission.org/give and select a ministry, mission, or project that you would like to give to, then select “give now” and fill out the forms with information requested and submit.

The Belize Team of Lara Whitley, Jon Kendall, Joe Mikeska, Jay Crowley, and Rolly Correa is back from Dangriga, Belize. All have many stories to tell of how their lives were affected by working hand in hand with the locals. The work was hard, the smiles were big and new friends were made for future trips. Thanks for all the prayers, support and donated items for our Belizean friends. Plans are in the works for the next team to go to Belize in the Spring of 2014. Rolly is currently working on the next mission trip to Kenya, Africa in June 2014. If interested let Rolly know. More details are forthcoming.