News from Kingswood United Methodist Church

Kingswood Connected

December 1, 2011

Annual Charge Conference Meeting Tonight 7 PM

Our annual Church/Charge Conference will take place this Thursday evening, December 1, at 7pm in the sanctuary. Rev. Chris Winkler of the Roselle United Methodist Church will preside, bringing us a message from the larger church. And we will receive reports and recommendations from various administrative committees, clergy and ministry teams. We'll also worship together ... praying, singing, sharing communion. The theme this year is "Together We Serve, United By Love."

This "annual meeting" of the church community is a long tradition in the United Methodist Church and constitutes the major link between local congregations and the conference and denomination. Any member of the the church can vote, and any regular participant in our worship and ministry life is invited to attend and participate.

Holiday Services

Sunday, December 18

Christmas Program & Spaghetti Dinner

Saturday, December 24 -Christmas Eve

Carols, Candles & Communion

Family worship at 5pm

Traditional service at 10pm

Sunday, December 25 -Christmas morning Worship service 10:30am ONLY

Sunday January 1 - New Year's morning

Worship service 10:30am ONLY Homecoming

Annual Christmas Gift to Parents of Children

This is the last Sunday to sign-up your child/children for this great gift to parents of children at Kingswood Church. This is for children age 2 through 6th grade, at no charge. This very popular event is just around the corner on Friday, December 9 from 6:00-9:30pm. Children will have dinner and a fun night of games, crafts and a movie plus a whole lot more.

Kingswood Krafters Card Sale

The Krafters will have their holiday and all occasion cards on sale Sunday, December 4. The handmade cards are only $1.00 each! A package of 5 or 10 make wonderful holiday gifts. Do your shopping early. See us in the Fireside room between services.

Christmas Program and Spaghetti Dinner

Sunday December 18

Sign-up sheet are available in the Fireside Room during coffee fellowship. Sign-up sheets for the spaghetti dinner along with the children to participate in the re-enactment of the live nativity, plus adult volunteers to help with the children at the craft tables and with costume changing are needed. Questions contact Barb Symonds @ 847-666-4091.

Advent season is about to Advent!?

Adult Education Options During Advent

9am Adult Sunday School: There will be a 9am adult Sunday school offering during Advent led by Joe Cannella. Come ready to learn, share, and discern where God is leading you during this advent season. The study will be held on 3 Sundays during December: 12/4, 12/11, and 12/18. All adults are welcome to attend!

Thursday Morning Bible Study @ 10am:

God is in the Manger: Thursday Morning Bible Study in Advent

The Thursday Morning Bible Study during Advent will be using Dietrich Bonhoeffer's God is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas. The book contains daily reflections/readings and each week's class will have a different theme. December 1: Waiting, Dec 8: Mystery, Dec 15: Redemption, Dec 22: Incarnation. This will be an opportunity to explore Advent and the life & theology of Bonhoeffer at the same time!

Luke Pepper will be ordering the books for the class. Each participant is asked to chip in $10 for the books if able. For questions or to express interest you may email Luke at lpepper@kingswoodumc.com. The books will be available starting Sunday November 27th.

Youth Ski Trip

The Youth Ski Trip is scheduled for February 10 - 12, 2012 at Alpine Valley and Wesley Woods. There is a $25 deposit due on December 11, if you are planning to go. Anyone interested in attending should email Luke Pepper at lpepper@kingswoodumc.com

Decorate the Mitten Tree!

The Mitten Tree is up in the Fireside Room. Please help decorate the tree with your donated new hats, gloves, mittens and scarves. The items will be given to guests at the Kingswood PADS site and to children at area schools.

What's Happening with the Youth?

Upcoming Events!

Senior High Chili Dinner, Cooking for PADS, and Games

When: Sunday December 4th from 6-8:30pm

What: We will cook dinner to be used at PADS as well as cook dinner for ourselves! We will also play games in the activities center. Both meat and vegetarian chili will be available.

Christmas in Chicago:

When: Saturday December 17th

What: Confirmation and Senior High Youth are invited to take the train into the city to enjoy what Chicago at Christmastime has to offer! We will take a private tour of the Chicago Temple, peruse the German Christmas Market, Windows at Macy's (artist formerly known as Marshall Fields), and possibly ice skate at Millennium Park-weather and time permitting. Chaperones needed.

Youth will need permission forms signed in order to attend. More info and times to come!

Interested in more info on youth events? Contact Luke Pepper at lpepper@kingswoodumc.com

UBY Senior Luncheon

A reminder to all who made reservations for the Senior Luncheon and program at the Orchard E.F.C. - the luncheon is Saturday, December 10 at noon. All seating is reserved and we are all sitting together, it may be a little crowded, but we will manage.

Go directly to the church for the luncheon. The church is located on Douglas just east of Arlington Heights Road. Turn on Thomas, then on Douglas. Your name tags with the table assignments are located on a table inside the church. See you there! Questions: call Connie at 847-537-9114.

Annual Cookie Walk

Back by popular demand, the Annual Cookie Walk will be held in the activity center on Sunday December the 11th between services. We will be in need of all sorts of Christmas cookies so we are asking all those bakers men, women, and even some of our talented youth to pitch in and donate a large batch (6 dozen preferably) of their favorite Christmas cookies. We have always had a great turnout for this event and we hope that this year will be no exception.

Volunteers will be needed to package and arrange cookies on the Saturday December 10th from 9:30 A.M. to about Noon. We will also need volunteers to handle cookies on Sunday, collect the money and of course help with the cleanup.

If cookies could be delivered to the big kitchen by Saturday morning that would be helpful but we will be glad to take them on Sunday morning. Questions, please email jaybeth76@yahoo.com.

Work Camp 2012 is in the Works!

The Interest Meeting for the 2012 Youth Work Camp will be Sunday January 22 at 11:45am.

Those interested should attend and bring their summer calendars with them so we can finalize a date. The trip is open to graduating 8th graders through graduating high school seniors. The work camp will either be scheduled for the last week in July or first week in August. We are asking that at least one parent or guardian attend the meeting as well.

For more information you can contact either Sheri Brubeck at sheribrubeck@comcast.net or Luke Pepper at lpepper@kingswoodumc.com

"YOU MADE MY DAY!"
"THANKS FOR THE BOX OF GOODIES!"

"THIS WAS JUST WHAT I NEEDED!"

These are just a few of the comments sent from the care package recipients. Many, many thanks to our generous bakers, helpers, donators and sponsors! We sent a record 33 Care Packages on Nov. 6th to our college aged young adults. The jam packed boxes contained homemade treats including fudge, delicious homemade cookies, caramel corn, and brownies plus gum, hot chocolate, granola bars, personal care items and basic school supplies. Watch for their thank you notes on the kiosk outside the activity center.

Help Needed!

Urgently Needed.... two people to help with cleaning the kitchens in our church. The time spent is minimal but this is a very important duty to maintain clean kitchens for our many activities. Two people work together as a team and cleaning time is once weekly for a month at a time. It rotates so your "clean team" only has the monthly shift two times per year! Questions call Jo Stone 847-541-8919.

Website Improvements

Over the next couple weeks our website will be changing. The "old" website will be replaced by a temporary site while our new site is under construction. John Gates is heading the team of Debbi Dickinson, Margaret Gramley, Elizabeth Hicks, Jay Jayapalan and Charlene Vanderhulst to make the improvements. Please contact the church, visit our Facebook page, or use email if you need information. Thank you for your patience during construction!

Save the date!!!!!

Rev. Gramley and Rabbi Lisa Bellows are planning to lead an Interfaith trip to Israel in June, 2012. This journey will continue the relationship the two congregations - Beth Am and Kingswood - have been building over the past several years. This 12 day trip will leave on our about June 10.

In This Issue

Annual Charge Conference

Holiday Services

Christmas Gift to Parents

Krafters Card Sale

Christmas Program

Adult Classes in Advent

Youth Ski Trip

Mitten Tree

Youth Activities

UBY Holiday Luncheon

Cookie Walk

Work Camp 2012

Thanks for Kare Packages

Kitchen Cleaners Needed

Website Improvements

This Sunday in Worship

2nd Sunday of Advent

Scripture:

Mark 1:1-8

Isaiah 40:1-11

Message:

Advent 2:

Preparation & Promise

Ministry of Music:

Chancel Choir (10:30)

Allelus

Prayers, Joys & Concerns

Continued prayers for Norma Smith.

We offer sympathy to the family of Louise Bates (Kathy DeRosa's mother). She passed away on November 16. Services were this week.

We offer sympathy to the family of Robert "Skip" Klatt (close friend of Tim & Susan Kenski-Sroka) who died on Monday, Nov. 21

Pam Johnson, who is home after surgery earlier this week.

Rita Chandler (Bill's Grandmother) has been moved to assisted living.

John Huffaker, son of Paula and Greg Huffaker (Paula was formerly director of Children's Choirs and Bell Choir at Kingswood), is home!!!! He continues in rehab there and is making good progress.

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