The November 2015 Newsletter for First UMC Family and Friends

First United Methodist Messenger Rockingham, NC

A Message from Rev. Mike Sykes

Definitely a Different Kind of Christmas

Ready or not, November is here! Years ago November’s focus was on Thanksgiving Day. Families began to shop for the big family Thanks-

giving meal. Plans were made to prepare the house for family gatherings. Children returned home for the Thanksgiving holidays. We still

may do all these things to prepare for Thanksgiving but there is added pressure now to begin Christmas shopping early.

Did you notice that Christmas trees, lights, and decorations were on display the first of October? Christmas shopping is being encouraged

very early which, in itself, is not bad. Early shopping solves the stressful last minute drive to finish the gift-giving season. Like me, many

will wait until the last minute to finish the Christmas rush. However, most of us have noticed that Christmas has turned into an economic

event. Many times we buy things for others out of guilt to fulfill the expected expectations of Christmas giving. Often we give and receive

things that only fill our already stretched storage spaces. There is a better way this year.

Christmas is Not Your Birthday is a book written by Michael Slaughter pastor of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church. Slaughter is

known for aggressively encouraging his church to lead the way in faithful discipleship and he does that in this book.

Slaughter does not hold back. He says,

"Christmas has been hijacked and exploited. We have professed

allegiance to Jesus but celebrate his birth with an orgy of materialism."

Slaughter is known to be straight forward and we can tell by this brief quote that he is serious about his quest to redirect Christmas

traditions. It is powerful language and probably makes us want to stop reading at this point. I think if we were to look deep down inside, we

would all say that we struggle with the lure of the world during this time of the year. I know I do. So what should we do about it? I think,

and he argues, that the only way to deal with this new way of thinking about Christmas is to give away. Give away to those who are really

hurting and in need. It means to bring Christmas to those who have no water or those who have no food. Maybe what we should do this

Christmas is to give away as much, if not more, than we spend on our family. Slaughter says,

"Can you imagine the birthday celebration if every Christian in every church practiced the commitment of giving an equal amount

of what they spend on themselves to a specific mission for Jesus somewhere in the world . . . More of him and less of us. More for

him and less for us".

This may be a very scary thought and it may seem a little crazy to suggest that Christmas can be different in many ways. While it may seem

crazy, I believe it is theologically sound to share gifts with the least, the last and the lost. It would definitely be a different kind of Christmas.

See you Sunday,

Mike

November Merry Making

It is the most wonderful time of the year! Join us on Thursday, November 12 as our Merry Makers travel to the Palace Theatre at Myrtle Beach, SC for Christmas Wonderland- The Holiday Show. This wonderful Christmas Celebration features glittering costumes, gorgeous Christmas songs and the highest kicking chorus girls this side of

the North Pole! Be amazed as the world’s largest floating ice pond is lowered to the Palace Theatre stage direct from Santa’s Workshop. Marvel at the beauty and grace as 2 championship ice skaters perform a spectacular routine before your very eyes! We will travel with Kirk Tours on their nice mini-buses which will carry a total of 28 people- so make your reservation

now. Plan to meet at the church at 8:30 a.m. We will eat lunch at the beach before the 2:00 p.m. performance and return home at approximately 6:30 p.m. The cost of the trip is $30.00 which includes your ticket and tip for the bus drivers. You will need to bring money for a nice lunch.

Please call the church office at 910-895-4027 to make your reservation. Feel free to bring a friend.

We send our love and prayers to: Barbara Goodman on the death of her mother, Annie Spillars Barbara Thomas on the death of her sister, Bebe Bowman

In memory of……

Alice Thomas Keith and Leone McLester Randy and Margaret Leak

Ann Covington Keith and Leone McLester

Annie Laurie Short G. R. and Mary Ellen Kindley Keith and Leone McLester

Annie Spillars (Barbara Goodman’s mother) Martha Hamer Jean Way Keith and Leone McLester Steve and Shelia Webb Myers and Earline Waddell Bill and Ann Poe

Bebe Bowman (Barbara Thomas’ sister) Ladies’ Bible Class Keith and Leone McLester Steve and Shelia Webb

Betty Horne (Jimmie Miller’s mother) G. R. and Mary Ellen Kindley Steve and Shelia Webb Randy and Margaret Leak Billy and Faye Herring Larry and Jan Clay

Betty Rohleder Bill and Rene Rohleder Keith and Leone McLester Kenneth and Carol Waters

Charlie Bankhead James and Linda Klesener John and Carol Dye Jerry and Connie Eteo Dwight and Terry Dennis Betty Lyles Perry and Carolyn Cumber Keith and Leone McLester Dianne Stafford Sam and Madeleine Till Bill and Rene Rohleder Billy and Bette McKinnon Jean Cain Jeff and Julia Joyner Susanne McInnis

Martha Hamer Helen Goodman G. R. and Mary Ellen Kindley Steve and Shelia Webb Randy and Margaret Leak Roy and Frances Shepard Tracy and Dixie Caulk Myers and Earline Waddell Billy and Faye Herring Cassandra Crump Jeff and Glenda Hughes

Clarence Beaver (Genevra Kelly’s brother) Nancy McInnis Keith and Leone McLester Ladies’ Bible Class Randy and Margaret Leak

Delores Foster Keith and Leone McLester

Donald and Nancy Smith Douglas and Robin Smith

Jack Catrer (Caroline Johnson’s son-in-law) Keith and Leone McLester

Janie Sauls Billy and Faye Herring G. R. and Mary Ellen Kindley Keith and Leone McLester

Jim Iseman G. R. and Mary Ellen Kindley Keith and Leone McLester

Keith Wiggins (Bebe Blackmon’s son-in-law) Keith and Leone McLester

Lee Matthews (Doris Denney’s sister) Keith and Leone McLester

Martha McDuffie Gibson Steve and Shelia Webb Roy and Frances Shepard Myers and Earline Waddell Billy and Faye Herring

Paul Capel (Tim Capel’s father) Keith and Leone McLester G. R. and Mary Ellen Kindley

Dr. Thurman Scott Keith and Leone McLester G. R. and Mary Ellen Kindley

Tommy Infinger (Wilma Yates’ son-in-law) Ladies’ Bible Class Keith and Leone McLester

Tony Belcher (Linda Boyette’s brother) Keith and Leone McLester

Tot Parsons Keith and Leone McLester

Verna Mattox (Doris Baxley’s sister) G. R. and Mary Ellen Kindley Keith and Leone McLester

In honor of…… George Crump III Douglas and Robin Smith

Ashby Scott

Claudette Brownley

Bruce Simmons

Peggy Covington

Denny Glennon

Jean Haltiwanger

Faye Poplin

Carl Anderson

Roy and Frances Shepard

Mary Ellen Kindley

Mabel Mossor

Billy Reynolds

Helen Goodman

All our homebound and shut in members

Our country

Our servicemen and women

Elizabeth Alexander

Morrison Prison Ministry

November Lectionary

Readings

Week of November 1

Ruth 1:1-18

Psalm 146 (UMH 858)

Hebrews 9:11-14

Mark 12:28-34

Week of November 8 Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17

Psalm 127

Hebrews 9:24-28

Mark 12:38-44

Week of November 15

1 Samuel 1:4-20

1 Samuel 2:1-10

Hebrews 10:11-14; 19-25

Mark 13:1-8

Week of November 22

2 Samuel 23:1-7

Psalm 132:1-12 (UMH 849)

Revelation 1:4b-8

John 18:33-37

Week of November 29

Jeremiah 33:14-16

Psalm 25:1-10 (UMH 756)

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Luke 21: 25-36

November

1st Claudette Brownley 8th Short Family 15th Chuck Wright 22nd Kathy Brand 29th Webb family

We still have a few dates open on the 2015 calendar.

Cost is $38 for altar flowers and $28 for flowers on the

organ. Please call the church office to let us know who you

are honoring.

November

10th Benson and Ann Crotts 13th David and Mary Ivey Medlin

November

1st Shelby Matheson

6th Cameron Ray

7th Mason Bailey

8th Courtney Deane

13th Barbara Thomas

17th Henry Chance

18th Steve Webb

19th Jerry Thomas

22nd Jean Cain

To add your name and birthday or anniversary to our list call the church office or email Cornelia at corneliamckenzie@gmail.com.

Ushers: Benson Crotts Team

Heat/AC Hilton and Jim Haines

Crucifer Nov.1 Jessie Matheson Nov. 8 Shelby Matheson Nov.15 Kevin Aiken Nov. 22 Cameron Ray Nov. 29 Cole Deane Acolytes Nov.1 Meredith Gerald/Rebecca Clay Nov. 8 Lilly Matheson/Abigail Miller Nov.15 Shelby Diggs/Jason Thomas Graham Nov. 22 Olivia Meacham/Claire High Nov. 29 Kalei Grant/Abigail Miller TV Ministry Randall Mace Nursery: Nov.1 Kim Adams Nov. 8 Krista Edwards Nov.15 Meredith Gerald Nov. 22 Paige Bailey Nov. 29 Kim LeBerth Greeters: Nov.1 Jerry and Connie Eteo Cassandra Crump Nov. 8 David and Mary Jane Bankhead Sharon Nichols Nov.15 Joe and Priscilla Kindley Martha Scarborough Nov. 22 Bill and Carole Frye Susan Eason Nov. 29 Teddy Moseley, Gaynelle Moon Fellowship: Nov.1 Benson Crotts Nov. 8 John Thomas Nov.15 UMM Nov. 22 Jeff Hughes Nov. 29 Glenn Alexander

Hedge Prayer First Sunday Discovery Young Adult Class Second Sunday The Bible Class Third Sunday Cross Currents Class Fourth Sunday Ladies Bible Class Fifth Sunday: Susanne McInnis Hermitage Ministry First Monday East Rockingham UMC Second Monday Third Monday Robert Cain and Joyce Smith Fourth Monday Randy & Margaret Leak, Audrey Ewing

Servers for November

Happy Thanksgiving from The FUMC Staff

Office will close at noon on Wednesday,

November 25

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

9:30 SS Fellowship

10:00 Sunday School

10:55 Worship

2

5:30 Handbell

Practice

Stephen Ministry

6:00

SPRC 6:30

3

10:00 Tuesday

Morning Bible Study

Circle 5 11:00 in

The Bible Class

Circle 9 1:00

Fellowship Hall

4

3:30 Wonderful

Wednesday

7:00 Choir

Practice

5 6 7

8

9:30 SS Fellowship

10:00 Sunday School

10:55 Worship

9

5:30 Handbell

Practice

Trustees 6:30

10

10:00 Tuesday

Morning Bible Study

11

7:00 Choir

Practice

12 13

Pilgrimage

Weekend

14

15

8:30 UMM

9:30 SS Fellowship

10:00 Sunday School

10:55 Worship

16

5:30 Handbell

Practice

17

10:00 Tuesday

Morning Bible Study

Church Council

6:30

18

3:30 Wonderful

Wednesday

7:00 Choir

Practice

19 20 21

Thanksgiving meal

at East Rockingham

UMC

11-2

22

9:30 SS Fellowship

10:00 Sunday School

10:55 Worship

Community

Thanksgiving at

First Presbyterian

6:00 pm

23

5:30 Handbell

Practice

24

10:00 Tuesday

Morning Bible Study

25

Office Closes

at noon

26 27 28

29

9:30 SS Fellowship

10:00 Sunday School

10:55 Worship

Zoe Sunday

30

5:30 Handbell

Practice

Would you like to do Mission Work this month? Saturday, November 21 from 10:30am-2:00pm at East Rockingham United Methodist Church

We are joining East Rockingham United Methodist Church on November 21 with serving over 500 Thanksgiving meals to people in our community. We need lots of volunteers to help with driving to deliver meals, be greeters, and servers from 10:30am-2:00pm. If you can help, please call the church office at 895-4027.

It is again time for the Nationwide Toys for Tots Campaign. The Marines of Detachment 1252 are

looking forward to providing toys for Christmas to the underprivileged children ages 1 through 12 in

our community. We are looking for another banner year and ask for your continued support and

prayers.

A Toys for Tots collection box will remain in the Fellowship Hall for new, unwrapped toy donations

starting Nov. 1 until the campaign ends on Dec. 20. Also a tax deductible monetary donation may be

made payable to the Toys for Tots Campaign and placed in the Sundays offering plate. For additional

information regarding this campaign, please contact Bill Rohleder at 910/997-2298.

We are so blessed to have a loving church family— your kindness and

sympathy, the prayers, cards and phone calls —we are so grateful. We

are thankful for the comfort when times are hard to bear. Keep us in your

prayers. God Bless.

The Spillars Family and the Goodman Family

Vic and Barbara

Dear Church Family,

Thank you so much for the money from the church scholarship fund. It

really has helped out a lot! I am very excited for my new adventures at

UNCG. Keep me in your prayers!

Thanks again,

Love, Kristen

We are collecting all sizes of clean gently

used coats for children and youth in our

community! Winter is here and there are peo-

ple in our community who could use a nice

warm coat. They will be going to children and

youth in our community that are in desperate

need of coats. Please only donate clean gently

used coats. You can bring all sizes of coats to

the church office where there will be a drop-

off box. If you have any questions, please

contact Sheila Gilmore.

Youth Calendar for November November 1 Pilgrimage Meeting for Parents, Youth, and Chaperones

5:00-7:30 MYF and Youth Choir 6:00 Youth Supper – Kacey Matheson November 8 5:00-7:30 MYF and Youth Choir 6:00 Youth Supper – Misty, Tammy, and

Mary Anna November 13-15 Pilgrimage 2015 November 13-4:00 Leave church parking

lot for Fayetteville, NC November 15-4:00 Return to church All money is due November 1. November 17 6:30 Church Council Meeting in Fellowship

Hall November 21 10:30-2:00 Help with East Rockingham

Methodist Church to deliver Thanksgiving meals to shut-ins in our community

We need DRIVERS! See Mary to sign up to help

November 22 5:00 Bring dinner money-we will go eat

before the Service 7:00 Thanksgiving Community Service at

First Presbyterian (everyone is invited) November 26 We are very thankful for you-Happy

Thanksgiving! November 29 No Youth - Zoe Sunday

WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

Wonderful Wednesday will meet from

3:30-5:00 on November 4 and 18.

Fall Carnival & Trunk A Treat

Thank you to all the youth and adults

who helped at the Fall Carnival and

Trunk A Treat, and to everyone who do-

nated candy. We had a great night with

lots of fun with family and friends.

PARENTS DAY OUT!

Saturday, December 5

10:00am-6:00pm

Do you need a “Parents Day Out”?

If yes, then call the church office at 895-4027 by

November 30th to register your child!

The youth are doing a “Parents Day Out” as a fund-

raiser. Cost is $15 per child and $10 each sibling

from 10:00am-6:00pm on Saturday, December 5th.

Bring your children to us for the day-while you have

a day for YOU! The day will be full of excitement

with crafts, story time, music, and more with lunch

and snacks provided. Please call Mary Griffith with

any questions or to register your children.

Parents listed below are Important DATES to

put on your calendar:

November 22-24th are the dates to decorate the sanctuary for Christmas! Watch the bulletin for more details. This is a wonderful family tradition to prepare our sanctuary for Christmas-everyone is invited to help! December 5th is Parents Day Out Fundraiser. We will need volunteers!

December 24 Luminaries

UMW will hold its final meet-ing of 2015 on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 2 pm in Room 101. Circle 9 is the Hostess Circle. We look forward to seeing all UMW members at this meeting and invite anyone who is not a part of a UMW circle to join us!

Plans are to hear from Rev. Allison Farrah about our church’s mission trip to Haiti this past July.

Once again the Youth will be lining the sidewalks with Luminaries on Christmas Eve. Cost is $2.00

each or 3 for $5.00. If you would like to place luminaries in honor or memory of a loved one just fill

out this form and drop it and your check in the offering plate or contact Mary Griffith. DEADLINE

IS DECEMBER 13TH. Mail to FUMC, PO Box 637 Rockingham, NC 28380

#_______ in honor of ____________________________________________

#_______in memory of ___________________________________________

Given by:______________________________________________________

Poinsettias will be placed in the sanctuary on Sunday, Dec. 13 & 20. If you would like to place a

poinsettia please fill out the form and drop it and your check in the offering plate. DEADLINE IS

DECEMBER 1st. Cost is $15.00. Mail to FUMC, PO Box 637 Rockingham, NC 28380

#_______ in honor of ____________________________________________

#_______in memory of ___________________________________________

Given by:________________________________________________________

2015 Ski Retreat at Winterplace

December 30-January 2

Let me know if want to go on the Ski

Retreat by Sunday, November 1-we have got to

reserve the house!!!!

December 30-January 2 (Wednesday-Saturday)

Glade Springs Resort

3 nights lodging (7 miles away-with amenities of pool,

bowling ($2), arcade, movie theater, and gym)

2 day ski rental

2 day lift ticket (8am-10)

Free Group lessons

This package is $200 per person based on max occupancy

(22 per unit)

The cost is $275 per person but with funds from the

church and the youth fundraisers we are able to help

everyone with the cost of the trip. The cost will be $200

per person for lodging, few meals, and 2 day skiing/

tubing. We will ask parents to help with food closer to

the time of trip. We will eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner

at the house.

Love God, Love Others, and Love the World We have another opportunity to Love the World through Habitat for Humanity home build. Gwen Britt leads a group to serve lunch to fifteen volunteers on the first Wednesday of each month. Opportunities to do hands on building are available on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Check out their website at www.sandhillshabitat.org.

Sunday, November 22 First Presbyterian Church

6:00 Rev. Mike Sykes will bring

the message

First United Methodist Church

P. O. Box 637 Rockingham, NC 28380

Web Site www.fumcrockingham.org

Address service requested

Non-Profit

Organization

US Postage

PAID

Permit No. 23

Rockingham, NC

First United Methodist Messenger November 2015

Church Office Hours:

Monday –Thursday

8:30 am—5:00 pm

Our phone: 910-895-4027

Our fax: 910-895-4028

Extensions:

Secretary: 100

Financial: 101

Music: 102

Youth: 103

Assistant Pastor: 104

Pastor: 105

Resident Bishop

Hope Morgan Ward

Gateway District

Superintendent

Rev. Kenneth Locklear

Our Staff

Senior Pastor

Mike Sykes mikesykes@carolina.rr.com

Assistant Pastor/Adult Ministries

Allison Coltrane Farrah

allisoncoltrane@carolina.rr.com

Organist Helen Alexander

helenwalexander@gmail.com

Sexton

Al Floyd

Financial Secretary

Cornelia McKenzie

corneliamckenzie@gmail.com

Director of Christian Education

Mary Griffith marygriffith@carolina.rr.com

Music Co-Directors

Statha Osborne stathaosborne@hotmail.com

Chuck Wright

jcwright992@gmail.com

Secretary

Beth G. McQueen fumcrocksecretary@gmail.com

Caring for Our Children

Tabatha Miller

Love God

love others

love the world

Pennies for Zoe is Sunday,

November 29

HELP WANTED!

The Soup Kitchen needs your help! For many years

now Susanne McInnis has lead a team to serve at

the soup kitchen to feed up to 70 people for lunch.

An opening has come up for a church to take the

Fourth Wednesday each month to continue this pro-

gram. The soup kitchen feeds up to 70 people a

day, 5 days a week at lunch. That’s 350 meals per

week, or 18,200 meals per year. We are searching

for groups to volunteer to rotate the fourth Wednes-

day each month to help feed those in need. If your

circle, youth group, Sunday school class or any

other group would be interested please contact the

church office at 895-4027.