Update on Commitments for 2018 We have received the following commitments: Operating Budget: $200,000 Mortgage: $23,000 Households responding: 75

If you have not turned in your commitment for 2018 please do so as soon as possible. You can make your commitment online at the church website: www.fumc-a2.org.

Today we are taking up a designated offering to support FUMC’s Sanctuary efforts. Dona-tions will go into the church’s “immigrant sanctuary” fund. The Immigrant Hospitality Team will utilize these funds to: 1) Support identified immigrant families in Washtenaw County struggling with detention, deportation, or family separation; and 2) Financially contribute to assist a host congregation during time of “sanctuary.” Please consider giving: your offering will support immigrant families with basic expenses such as elec-tric costs, groceries, and transportation while they are in sanctuary receiving legal support for their immigration case. When a family member or loved one is detained or deported, it places a financial and emotional strain on families. With your help, we can reduce the burden of this heartbreaking situation and help families come up with a long-term solution.

Please join us as we explore “Physics and Religion” this Sun., Dec. 10 at Conversations About Science and Relig-

ion. Our conversation will be led by Robert Savit, PhD, U-M Professor of Physics. We will meet at 11 am in Calkins Hall. Dr. Savit’s research empha-sis is Theoretical Physics and Complex Systems which provides tools for diverse applications. An introduction to the topic can be found in Chapter 4 “Physics” in Philip Clayton’s book “Religion and Science: The Basics.” Everyone is welcome!

Our Life in the Church Downtown & Green Wood for the week beginning Sunday, December 10, 2017

Bulletin announcements are due by noon on Wednesdays. Send via email to adele@fumc-a2.org or call the church office, 662-4536.

Mother's Too meets this Sun., Dec. 10 at 11 a.m. in Room 204 (opposite Calkins). Please note the room change for this month only. Questions? Con-tact Sarah Nooden at snooden@umich.edu.

All the Giving Tree Donations are due TOMORROW for the 2017 Holiday Giving Program Wish Tree —We are fulfilling Christmas wishes for children and their families at Alpha House and in the low income Bryant neighborhood. To help, select a Wish Tag from the tree outside the church office and purchase the gift requested. Return unwrapped presents, with the Wish Tag attached, to the tree no later than Mon., Dec. 11. Please include gift receipts if possible. If you select a tag requesting a gift card, you can additionally help FUMC Youth Missions by purchasing a gift card from the Youth Scrip table at Connections. The gift card with the Wish Tag can be left there, placed in the offering plate, or returned to the church office. All knitting and gift card donations are due Monday as well! Monetary donations will be combined to purchase more expensive items. Questions? Contact Beth Lip-ton 665-9033, or turboteach@aol.com.

In the display cases through January, enjoy crèches collected from around the world by Letitia Byrd. Can you

identify the countries of origin?

The Children’s Christmas Musical

Presented during 9:30 am worship

NEXT SUNDAY!

Live Laugh Love Stamp Camp 7th Annual Stamp Camp — Join us for a morning of fun and friendship and exploring your creative side to make cards for your family and friends on Sat., Jan. 27, 9:30am-12:30pm in Calkins Hall. No experience necessary! You will make six different birthday* cards from prepared kits (*other word options will be available). $30 fee includes all supplies as well as refreshments. Net income from this event will bene-fit the Urban Methodist Youth Camp program at Judson Collins, a cooperative ministry of several urban churches within the Metro Detroit, Pontiac, and Flint areas. Their purpose is to provide a safe, nurturing, and affordable outdoor camping experi-ence for urban youth. (Please make checks to FUMC with “Urban Youth Camp” on the memo line and give to Wendy.) Advance registration required. For more information or to register, please contact Wendy Everett at wendy@fumc-a2.org.

Connect the Dots — Would you be willing to give a ride to church to someone who can’t drive? Please let Amy Kennedy know (734-662-4536 or amy@fumc-a2.org).

Stop by the Youth Scrip table to pick up some gift cards. You’ll reduce the amount of time you spend shopping, standing in line, wrapping and shipping and you’ll increase the benefit to FUMC Youth missions. There is a large variety of scrip cards that make great gift-giving for teachers, coaches, co-workers, friends, and family. Please note: This is the last Sunday to place a special scrip order to receive it in time for gift-giving. With ques-tions about youth scrip, contact Barbara Hoffman (barbarakhoffman@att.net, or 248-310-6749).

Our All-Church Conference will be held Tue., Dec. 12 at 7pm downtown. The Annual Church conference is our chance to gather and elect our lay leader-ship for the following year, consider our hopes and goals for 2018 and more.

Join your church family for Advent Vesper Services at 6:30pm on Wednesdays, Dec. 13 and 20. We will gather in the Chapel downtown for a half hour service of candle lighting, song, scripture, meditation, and read-ings. Recenter and focus on the journey toward light and love born in the Christ Child.

Need to take a breath during Advent? Our own Elaine Shaw has developed Advent Yoga sequences to help you slow down and make space for all those things we crave when we light the Advent candles: hope, joy, love, peace. Sample one of Elaine’s yoga sequences on the Centering Through Faith webpage: http://tinyurl.com/centeringfaithpractice

Our Life in the Church

Enjoy terrific fair-trade coffee!

The beans we sell benefit international growers, a Michigan roasting company, and those in need in our community! Fair trade organic coffee beans are available for purchase between Sunday services or through the downtown church office during business hours. Proceeds are forwarded on to local mission projects. $6k in proceeds have been forwarded to local missions! Thank you!

Access News Parking Lot Improvements at the west entrance: With the new striping of lines this

summer there are now four handicap parking spaces and wide access aisles for each space. Recently added were curb cuts and smoothing of sidewalk surfaces.

Advent Vesper

Services

This year we will again celebrate loved ones by contributing toward the cost of Christmas Poinsettias that decorate our sanctuaries.

As in past years, funds generated above and beyond the cost of the plants will be used for our Emergency Relief Fund which helps distressed families and individuals with hunger, transportation, shelter, and other personal issues.

The cost for each donation is $15.00. Please make your check payable to FUMC with “Altar Poinsettias” in the memo line.

The deadline is Monday, December 11 to include your names in the bulletin insert.

One donation ($15):

□ In Memory of □ In Honor of

____________________________________ (PLEASE PRINT NAME CLEARLY!)

Second donation (additional $15):

□ In Memory of □ In Honor of

____________________________________ (PLEASE PRINT NAME CLEARLY!)

Given by: _____________________________ (PLEASE PRINT NAME CLEARLY!)

Phone: _______________________________

Please return this form to the church office with your payment. Thank you!

This month, please visit

The United Methodist Women Christmas Sale

Featuring Bags, Beans, & Baked Goods Craft items also offered

Through December 17 between services in the Social Hall at

Connections

This Christmas sale continues the UMW support of local, domestic, and

international missions.

For 20 years, the women of this church supported the United Methodist Women’s mission work by baking cookies for the annual Cookie Walk at Christmas time. We are not holding a cookie event this year but we still have the commitment to support our mission work at home and around the world. You can help us by attending our holiday sales at Connections or making a check out to UMW and either put it in the offering plate or send it to: Betsy Kincaid, 235 Katherine Way, Dexter, MI, 48130. Thank you!

Music & Liturgical Arts Ministry

Here’s your chance! Now is the perfect time to consider joining the music program at First United Methodist Church! Consider joining our weekly choir and handbell rehearsals for children, youth, and adults. If you are not able to commit to a regular weekly schedule, perhaps you would consider taking part in an ensemble for a special music event — please contact Ann Marie Koukios with any and all interest (annmarie@fumc-a2.org).

Drop-in Weekly Gatherings The groups below welcome visitors at any time.

Join one or more groups to enjoy fellowship while seeking to know God, love others, and serve the world.

For more information on a group listed, contact the church office or consult the website or brochure.

SUNDAYS: Global Issues (11am Chapel) This group meets to discuss timely and meaningful topics, Sept.- May. This class uses the “Great Decisions” text from the Foreign Policy Association (fpa.org). All are welcome to join us.

MONDAYS: Monday Yoga (11:30am Chapel) Amy Unsworth leads a one-hour beginning yoga class — bring a yoga mat, water bottle, and $10 per visit.

TUESDAYS: Brown Bag Bible Study of Adam Hamilton’s “Faithful” (12:00pm Chapel) A one-hour midday drop-in Bible study offered through December 19. Bring your lunch!

TUESDAYS: Paint Studio (3:30pm Asbury) A group of watercolor artists meets weekly to work on personal and group projects. People working in water-based media are welcome!

THURSDAYS: Thursday Yoga (11:30am Chapel) Sharon Holcomb leads a one-hour beginning yoga class — bring a yoga mat, water bottle, and $10 per visit.

FRIDAYS: Alcoholics Anonymous (9:30-10:30am Social Hall)

FRIDAYS: Debtors Anonymous (11:30am-12:30pm Aldersgate)

FRIDAYS: L.O.V.E. Thy Neighbor Bag Lunch preparation (6:30-8:30pm Kitchen) Prepare bag lunches for distribution to our community homeless.

SATURDAYS: Men Of Faith (8:00am Asbury) Gathering of men interested in exploring faith expression.

SATURDAYS: Alcoholics Anonymous (10:00-11:00am Social Hall)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10 ADVENT 2

Mothers Too (11:00a) Room 204 Adult Ed: Science & Religion Conversation (11:00a) Calkins Luke Randall recital (6:00p) Green Wood

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11

Uncommon Threads (12:30p) Green Wood Parent Council (6:30p) Room 204 Trustees (7:00p) Chapel MALAF (7:00p) Room 212

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12 UMW Mission Team (5:30p) Calkins SPRC meeting with Mark Spaw (6:30p) Asbury All Church Conference (7:00p) Social Hall

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13

Access Team (5:30p) Asbury Advent Vesper Service (6:30p) Chapel

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14

FUMCN Maintenance (6:00p) Classrooms

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15 FiSH Fri Service Evening (6:00p) Social Hall

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16

Youth Christmas Drama rehearsal (10:00a) Sanctuary Children’s Christmas musical rehearsal (12:30p) Sanctuary

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17 ADVENT 3

Youth Christmas Drama Fundraiser (4:00p) Sanctuary

Notable meetings on our calendar

Meetings unique to the days ahead are listed below. Scan qr code at right for our full calendar.

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Dec. 20 — Advent Vesper Service at 6:30pm

Dec. 24 — One Sunday morning service at 9:30am

Christmas Eve Worship Services:

- Green Wood: 5:00pm

- Downtown: 5:00, 7:30, and 11:00pm

Dec. 25/26 — Church buildings/offices closed

Dec. 31 — One Sunday morning service at 9:30 AM

Jan. 1 — Church buildings/offices closed

Jan. 5 — Green Wood Coffee House: Carla Cooke

Jan. 7 — One Sunday morning service at 9:30 am

Jan. 8/9 — Lenten Project Information meetings

Jan. 9 — Brown Bag Study of Luke begins

Jan. 15 — Church buildings/offices closed for MLK Jr. Day

Jan. 16 — Children/Youth Volunteer training @ GW 7:00 pm

Jan. 19 — FiSH Fri Service Evening

Green Wood Coffee House: David Vaughn

Jan. 21 — Ann Arbor Camerata Concert downtown

New Member class

Green Wood Coffee House Series Join us for exceptional music, coffee, and dessert in an intimate setting at one of our Green Wood Coffee Houses.

All concerts begin at 8pm. Doors open at 7:30pm. Seating is first come, first served. Refreshments available.

Reservations are highly recommended! (1) Online reservations/purchases may be made through the webpage (www.greenwoodcoffeehouse.org), (2) Conventional reservation method is to call Green Wood (665-8558) and leave a message with your name, no. of tickets, and performance date; then write a check to “FUMC” for the total, with “GW Coffee House” in the memo and send to: GREEN WOOD - 1001 GREEN RD., ANN ARBOR, MI 48105. We’ll see you at the door at 7:30 p.m. on performance night. Either way you make your reservation, tickets aren’t mailed.

January 5 - Carla Cooke ($15)

January 19 - David Vaughn ($15)

February 9 - Robbie Fulks ($20)

February 16 - Juggernaut Jug Band ($15)