Church Events

Dec. 1 - Greeting card

ministry - 9:30 a.m.

Dec. 11 - Men's breakfast - 9

a.m.

Dec. 11 - Caroling - 11:30

a.m.

Dec. 13 - SHS Madrigals

performance - 7 p.m.

Dec. 18 - Children's

Christmas program - 10 a.m.

Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve -

OFFICE CLOSED

Mondays - Disciple Bible

study - 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Wednesdays - Choir

rehearsal - 6 p.m.

Wednesdays - Handbell

choir rehearsal - 6:30 p.m.

Saturdays - Men's Bible

study - 8 a.m.

Sundays - Confirmation for

Adults - 6:30 p.m.

Love has no rules

Torten's Christmas Secret, by

Maurice Dolbier, is a great story of

an elf at the North Pole who is not

happy that bad children receive a

lump of coal at Christmas. So in

spite of that rule, he begins

smuggling leftover bits of toys in

order to make toys for those

children that would not otherwise

“deserve” one. He plans to borrow a

reserve reindeer for the task of

delivering them on Christmas Eve.

When all the reserves are used by

Santa due to bad weather, Torten

works with his companion and

friend – a polar bear named Drufus.

A word of thanks Thank you so very much to everyone who participated in offering such a

generous gift for Pastor Appreciation Month. I feel incredibly blessed to serve

this marvelous congregation and am so humbled by your overwhelming love

and support. I am sincerely grateful for the work we are doing together to

make a difference in the world, and I am so thankful for the opportunity

to serve as your pastor. Love, Pastor Wesley

Torten encourages his Drufus to

learn how to fly, by lifting one foot

off the ground, then two, then

three… With a few more tries,

Drufus is flying and off they go with

their small sleigh of toys for the

naughty children of the world. But

at one of the homes, Torten and

Santa bump onto each other. It is

there that he finds out that Santa had

gifts for the bad children after all.

Had he simply had a conversation

with Santa early on, he would have

discovered that most of his elaborate

plan was unnecessary. He would

have also found out how he could

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | CEDER WOODS DECEMBER 2025 – VOLUME 6

The Chimes

"God comes to us – even when we have made a mess of everything;

even when we have turned away."

Cont'd on Page 3

Upcoming worship services Nov. 27-Dec. 25:

“Christmas According to…”

Each of the four Gospels

tell the story of Christmas: the

way in which God comes to

us in the person of Jesus the

Christ. The way they tell that

story, is different for each

one. During the season of

Advent and into Christmas,

we will be examining the

story of Jesus’ birth from

each of the Gospels, and

considering the history of the

authors who were inspired to

share these details. Come

celebrate the joy of God’s

Incarnation during this

beautiful season of love,

hope, peace, and joy.

Nov. 27: "Christmas

According to Mark"

based on Mark 1:1

Dec. 4: "Christmas

according to Matthew"

based on Matthew 1:18

-25

Dec. 11: "Christmas

According to Luke,

Part 1" based on Luke

1:26-38

Dec. 18: "Christmas

According to Luke,

Part 2" based on Luke

2:1-20

Dec. 24: "Christmas

According to John"

based on John 1:1-4

Christmas Eve services at 7

and 11 p.m.

Dec. 25: "The Christ

Mass" based on

Matthew 2:1-12

Christmas Day services at

8 and 10 a.m.

Jan. 1, 2017: Wesleyan

Covenant Renewal

Centered around John

Wesley's Historical

Covenant Prayer, this

beautiful service is an

invitation to a fresh

beginning and to consider

the joy of serving God in

the new year.

Spotlight on: Prayer Shawl Ministry

A prayer shawl ministry

began in 1998. Two ladies

combined their love of

needlework and their hope to

reach out in love to those

who needed comfort.

The Wesley UMC ministry

began in 2008, when Pastor

Nancy Dvorachek and Betty

Andreas invited ladies to

learn about the project.

Prayer shawls have been used

for centuries as a symbol of

God's love. One can wrap

oneself in a prayer shawl and

feel the comfort, peace, and

hugs of the person who made

it, as well as the supporting

church family.

The shawls are knitted,

crocheted, woven, or quilted

and are done so with thoughts

and prayers.

Wesley's prayer shawl

ministry meets the last

Wednesday of the month,

from March through

October, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.

in the fireside room. Anyone

is welcome to join.

If you would like a prayer

shawl and do not yet have

one from the church, please

call the office.

Make a joyful noise! Wesley UMC

is getting in the

holiday spirit!

First, we will

go caroling

after worship

services

Sunday, Dec.

11. We will

visit members

and friends who are homebound or who are in a nursing

home. Everyone--all ages and all singing abilities--is

invited to make a joyful noise; choir members will lead the

groups in song.

Carolers are invited to lunch after the festivities at

Angelo's in Sterling.

Then, the Sterling High School madrigal singers and

chamber singers will bless our church with a performance

at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13.

Everyone is welcome to stay afterward for refreshments

and fellowship.

And finally, our children's Christmas program will be

presented during the 10 a.m. service Sunday, Dec. 18.

The children are practicing during Sunday school the

next couple of weeks and will have a final rehearsal at 9

a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17. All children are asked to attend the

final rehearsal.

Proverbs 22:17

“A merry heart does good like medicine”

Merry Christmas!

The office will be closed the day

after Christmas, Monday, Dec. 26. Regular business

will resume Tuesday, Dec. 27.

God is love work with Santa instead of against him to

accomplish the same goal.

"I always thought there was a rule," he tells

Santa.

"There is!" Santa calls out, as he flies off to

finish his Christmas Eve run. "There is a rule!

But love has never lived by rules since the world

began!"

This is the essence of God’s grace. Of course

there are rules – God always wants the best for

us. But God is love, and that love spills over for

all us of – those of us who realize that we need

it the most and those of us that think we need it

the least. In this season of Advent, we prepare

for the coming of God Incarnate: Jesus the

Christ. And God comes to us – even when we

have made a mess of everything; even when we

have turned away. That is the true beauty and

miracle of Christmas.

Blessings,

Pastor Wesley

150th Anniversary Wesley UMC will celebrate its

150th anniversary Oct. 11, 2017.

A celebration is in the works,

and the planning committee will

meet at 10 a.m. on the second

Thursday of the month. Anyone

interested in joining the

committee or any forthcoming

subcommittees should contact

Renee Duncan at 815-535-3058

or plan on attending the next

meeting at 10 a.m. Jan. 12.

We will have information in

The Chimes each month in

preparation for the event. Stay

tuned!

Mission Corner Wesley has always been a mission-minded church.

The purpose of this space is to keep the congregation

informed of our various mission efforts.

We currently are receiving:

Donations of bedding, small appliances, and other

household items to support Trinity UMC and the

VA Clinic/Valor Program, as they work to find

homes for local veterans. A list of needed items is

on the table in the fellowship hall.

Shampoo for the Trinity Pantry, Rock Falls UMC

Personal Care Pantry, and the FISH Food Pantry.

Travel-sized toiletries for the Trinity and FISH

pantries.

Items may be placed in the baskets and boxes on the

missions table outside the sanctuary.

Also, loose coins this month will support the Loaves

& Fishes breakfast program.

Thank you for your generosity!

Christmas offering Our Christmas Eve offering and Christmas envelopes

will be split between the Loaves & Fishes breakfast

program and the UMCOR Disaster Relief Fund.

Please consider giving generously to support these

local and global missions.

The Sunday School children also will be collecting

items for Loaves & Fishes, and the congregation is

invited to help them fill the mission tree.

Needed items include: Styrofoam plates (large and

small), bowls and cups; paper towels and napkins;

pancake syrup, coffee, and powdered creamer.

Cont'd from Page 1

Servers for December - 8 a.m. Greeters Ushers Liturgist

Dec. 4 Katie Wetzell and daughters Toby & Debbie Hodges Seth Faber

Dec. 11 Toby & Debbie Hodges Jan Glover

Dec. 18 Nancy Pitsch, Janne Severson Nancy Pitsch

Dec. 25 Lynn Majewski, Renee Duncan, Andy Pitsch Nancy Pitsch

Juanita Nerstheimer

Servers for December - 10 a.m. Greeters Ushers Liturgist

Dec. 4 Renee Duncan, Lynn Majewski Bob Allen, Jeff Cedro, Kris Noble

Dave Fredericks, Joe Gatz

Dec. 11 Rory & Rita Smith Alice Vetter

Dec. 18 Steve & Mary Downes Carolyn Heuck

Dec. 25 Andy & Nancy Pitsch Aaron Marken

Coffee

Hosts Dec. 4 Gatz family

Dec. 11 Greenfield

family

Dec. 18 Gene & Sue

Klock

Dec. 25 Andy & Nancy

Pitsch

Acolytes 8 a.m. Jack Graves

10 a.m. James Morris,

Elliot Noble

Birthdays Dec. 2 - Derek Fitzanko,

Coralee Jacobs

Dec. 3 - Chuck Wiker

Dec. 4 - Emily Schwingle

Dec. 8 - Sue Morris

Dec. 13 - Bill Adams, Julie

VanAusdal

Dec. 15 - Nick Ceruzzi, Luke

Stutzman

Dec. 16 - Jonathan Abele

Dec. 19 - Elliot Noble

Dec. 22 - Cindy Melton, Sally

Unterzuber

Dec. 27 - Sierra Sotelo

Dec. 30 - Mallory Osborn

Dec. 31 - Maddux Osborn

Anniversaries Dec. 11 - Rich and Sue Morris

Dec. 12 - Roger and Nancy

Wait

Dec. 16 - Darrin and Amy

Driscoll

Dec. 28 - Lowell and Coralee

Jacobs

Dec. 31 - Rick and Karen

Palmer

Wesley United Methodist Church

2200 16th Ave.

Sterling, IL 61081

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Wesley United Methodist Church

Phone: (815) 625-1968

Website: www.sterlingwesley.org

Email: office@sterlingwesley.org

wesley@sterlingwesley.org

Open Heart, Open Minds, Open Doors

You are invited to join us for worship Sundays

at 8 and 10 a.m. with Sunday School

and fellowship at 9 a.m.

Flying south for the winter?

Please let the office know your departure date and

any address changes, so you continue to receive

mail from the church.

Save the Date!

The annual leadership training for all those serving

on a committee or in other positions of leadership

within the church is Saturday, Jan. 14.

The event is from 9 a.m. to noon.