Greetings: 

Todd JordanAs we make our way toward the Advent Season in a few weeks, worship during the month of November will look at God's promise to Israel as spoken by the prophet Isaiah.  He foretold that those who walk in darkness have seen "a great light," indicating that the time would come when the promise would be fulfilled.  But what exactly did the promise entail?  How would it come about?  And for whom exactly was it given?  Join me this Sunday as we begin our worship series, The Promise, and explore Isaiah 56:1-8 to discover for whom the promise is given.
  


Dr. Todd Jordan
Senior Pastor
Quick Links
In This Issue
Announcements
Children's Ministries
Hanging of the Greens
Strawbridge Music and Fine Arts
Woship Wednesday
Advent Study
Youth Ministries
Christmas Giving Tree
Young Adults
Women's Christmas Tea
Adult Class Information
Let's Deck the Halls
50+ Travelers

Happy Birthday
 

Brad Ioerger
11/5
Joshua Reynolds
11/6
Cheryl Burnett
11/6
Brayden Moseley
11/6
Mallory Sitzman
11/6
Richard Schwabenlander
11/7
Gary Burger
11/8
Jody Dowd
11/9
Megan Duncan
11/9
Michael Timko
11/9
Vivian Garcia
11/10
Marguerite Armistead
11/10
Jack Armistead
11/10
David Lewis
11/10
John Kollehner
11/11
Skylar Jordan
11/11
Erin Mosel
11/11
Donna Bridger
11/12
Wayne Garrison
11/12

 

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Children's Ministries
    
 _______________________ _________________________
Sunday School
10:05 a.m.-11:05 a.m.
All Kindergarten-4th graders will meet in the SAC
at 10:05 a.m. and then go to their age
 appropriate rooms.
_______________________________
Children's Chapel
After the children's conversation  at 11:15 a.m. worship, children 4 years-Kindergarten, may attend Children's Chapel in Room 105.
____________________________________
Kids 1st
1st in Faith, 1st in Fun, 1st Sunday of each month. 
 Kids 1st is for children in third and fourth grade. 
They meet the first Sunday of each
 month for fun activities from
5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. 
Snack supper is available for $3.00. 
 Join us! 
 Friends are always welcome.
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
56 Ministries at SUMC
 
Sundays:
Sunday School: 10:05-11:05am 
  5th and 6th graders will meet in Room 200 for confirmation!  This will be their Sunday School for
Fall and Spring.
_______________________________________ 
Mission 56
 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
5th and 6th Graders join us for a Sunday Night Bible Study and Hangout.  We will have Bible Study, games, and
 snack supper ($3.00)!
Meet us in Room 200!
______________________________________
Mid High Power Hour
 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Meet in the Strawbridge Activity Center (SAC)
6-8th Graders
 We will take your children to school!
(Permission form must be on file prior to leaving SUMC campus)
 
 
Questions regarding Children's Ministries contact Pastor Emily at emily.bankston@strawbridge-umc.org
 
Strawbridge Music & Fine Arts Ministry
 

SING WITH THE CHANCEL CHOIR
THIS CHRISTMAS!
Christmas Cantata Rehearsal will take place Wednesdays
 7:00 p.m.-7:40 p.m. in the Choir room.
 
Orchestra-7th-Adult (by audition)
Sunday-3:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m.
Choir Room
Additional woodwinds and brass
players are needed to join the 14+
member orchestra. 
   
 For more information contact
Pastor Laurie Purcell at
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 


 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Let's Deck the Halls!
 
Advent is almost upon us and we have lots to do to get ready for the birth of Jesus! One of the ways we prepare is to decorate our beautiful church facility. This season we are asking that each Sunday school class, small group, and ministry team consider decorating a tree. Your tree can be any size since we have room for free standing trees and tabletop trees. Your group will be responsible for set up, decorations, and take down. The time frame for setting up your tree is any time between Sunday, November 29 and Saturday, December 12. We have a few trees available at the church if your group doesn't have one to use. While participation is strictly voluntary, please consider how beautiful our church will look with so many trees representing all the many aspects of our ministry! Please contact Katie Marvin at katiesmarvin@gmail.com with any questions.
 
 

 
Announcements 
TAX INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Please remember that all 2015 contributions must be dated prior to year-end and delivered to the church office or postmarked by 12/31/2015 to receive credit for the tax year 2015. To ensure your church contributions are tax deductible, do not file your 2015 income tax return until you have received a written acknowledgement of your contributions from the church. Some of your contributions may not be tax-deductible if you file your tax return before receiving a written acknowledgement of your contributions from the church.
 
Year-end contribution statements for 2015 will be mailed by 1/31/2016.
 
CANNED & NON-PERISHABLE FOOD DRIVE
Please bring canned & non-perishable items to church on Sunday, November 22nd. Bring them to the Sanctuary and place them on the rails. These items will be donated to area food banks. 

THE COFFEE CORNER 
Visitors and New Members meet by the church office at 10:05 a.m.-11:05 a.m., Sundays for coffee and fellowship!
 
XYZ GROUP
Join us at 4:30 p.m., on Saturday, November 21st at Hoffbrau in Porter.  Contact the church office to sign up at 281-360-4500.
 
 
SAVE THE DATE -Financial Peace will be offered here at SUMC in January. More information will be coming soon!
  
FEED MY LAMBS
Join this wonderful group of folks who meet at White Oak Apartments' Rec. Room at 10:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m. in Porter the 3rd Thursday of each month to fix meals for the residents. If you would like to be a part of this dynamic group contact Diane McCabe at dianemccabe222@gmail.com
 
COLLEGE-MILITARY CARE PACKAGES
Meet in Room 209 at 7:00 p.m. on November 9th to prepare packages. Donations of pre-packaged items are needed at least one week in advance of meeting.  To send a package please email your address to Sheela Allen at skallen123@kingwoodcable.net by October 30th. Please leave donations on the table in Activity Corridor.
 
FAMILY PROMISE
Our next Family Promise rotation is December 6th-13th. Sign up will begin November 8th in the Activity Corridor.  This is a wonderful opportunity for individuals or families to help feed or just connect with those families in the Family Promise program.  If you have any questions please contact Charlie Burnett at caburnett1@comcast.net
 
ONLINE SHOPPING-www.umcmarket.org
Lots of online retailers will give a percentage of your purchase to Strawbridge UMC through the UMCmarket! All you need to do is visit www.umcmarket.org and register. Specify the church, "Kingwood Strawbridge".  Then when you're ready to buy, just log into your UMCmarket account and shop at any of the partner retailers and, PRESTO, a percentage of the sale is given to the church. We need $100 in the account before we get a check, so the more the site is used the more the church benefits.
 
Shopping has never been so easy and you don't have to leave home, fight the crowds or find that perfect parking spot!
 
Sign up today at www.umcmarket.org.




Host Ukraine 
 
Here is an example of how one of our member families grew by stepping out of their comfort zone. What a great opportunity this is to share, live and grow and to be compelled by the love of Christ to make a difference in a world in need one child at a time!
 
Dear Strawbridge,

Our family hosted an orphan from Ukraine for the summer.  We showed him love of a family and had fun showing him Texas.  Little did I understand what God was doing in my life and my family's life.  Showing God's love to another helped our family to grow in so many ways, and God is teaching our family about love for each other and others. HE has grown my heart to serve the orphans in Ukraine, which  has led me to volunteer with Host Ukraine (hostukraine.org).  I will be traveling to the Ukraine on January 11th and returning on the 22nd.  While there I will be using my background as a school nurse to assist the team in assessing medical needs.

I would like to ask for prayers for the orphans and our team as we travel and share God's love with those in the Ukraine.

Sheela Allen

Strawbridge would like to help Sheela in her efforts by gathering the following donated items for the orphanage in Ukraine.  Please drop your items in the box located in the Activity Corridor and labeled Ukraine Orphans.
 
1) boys/girls underwear (all sizes)
2) socks
3) toothpaste
4) gum
5) coloring books
6) crayons
7) pens
8) pencils
9) bar soap
10) soccer balls
11) bubbles
12) printer paper
 

 
 
 

 281-360-4500
 
 
DINNER
 (5:00 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. Strawbridge Activity Center) 
Adults and Youth $6.00
Children (10 and under) $3.00
(2 years and under free)
$20.00 max per family
Sign up in Activity Corridor on Sundays.
1st Time Visitors Eat Free!
 
WORSHIP WITH COMMUNION
 (6:30 p.m.-Sanctuary) 
  
ADULTS
 Bible Study
7:00 p.m.-Great Hall-Room 114 
 
YOUTH
  Bible Study
7th & 8th Grades 
6:30 p.m.-Rooms 201/203
  Senior High D-Teams
6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
9th Graders-Room 207
10th-12th Guys-SAC
10th-12th Girls-(offsite)
 
CHILDREN
 Bible Study
(Preschool-Rooms 105/107, K-4th Grades-Room 113, 5th-6th Grades-Room 200)
Choir
(1st-6th Grades)
(5:30 p.m.-Room 151) 
 
Questions or for more information contact
the church office at 281-360-4500.
 
 
Youth Ministries
 
                           Strawbridge Youth are now on Remind 101.
  Text "@sumcupdate" then call 81010.
 
Sunday Mornings 
Breakfast & Discussion
10:05 a.m. in Rooms 201/203
 
  
Wednesday Nights
7th & 8th Grade Bible Study
6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Rooms 201/203
 
High School D-Teams
6:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.
9th Graders-Room 207
10th-12th-Guys-SAC
10th-12th-Girls (offsite) 
 
Weekday Worship
8:15 p.m.-9:45 p.m.
Senior High Room 201 
 
Contact Jon Ashley at
for questions or location information.
 
 
  
 
The Confirmation Study of Greg Ogden's book Discipleship Essentials will be covered in both Sunday School and Community Group.
 
Sunday School 
 (Room 209)  10:05 a.m.-11:10 a.m.
 
Community Group
  Tuesdays 7:30 p.m.- 9:30 p.m.
 
Sharing a meal, creating community and all are welcome!
 
Contact Michelle Ashley at
Adult Class Information
New Adult Study-"Secrets of a Teenage Brain"
beginning November 1st join us in the Choir room on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. - 11:05 a.m.   We know that parents of pre-teen and teens face challenging issues every day.  Join us as we talk about strategies and solutions regarding social media, communication, respect, bullying and other topics related to guiding this age group.
Questions contact Pastor Beth Chenault at beth.chenault@strawbridge-umc.org.
  
 Men's Bible Study Class:   Join us in Room 212 at 10:05 a.m., to study the bible and have fellowship with each other in a classroom setting. Contact Jerry Raymond at jerryraymond@comcast.net for further information.
 
Parents of Young Children:
Join in the Room 112 (Library) at 10:05 a.m.
Contact Cheryl Burnett with any questions at
 
  
The Seekers Class:
All are welcome to join us on Sunday mornings in Room 151 at 10:05 a.m.  Questions?  Please contact John Paradysz at johnparadysz@gmail.com 

New Directions Class:
We are studying "The Case for Christianity Answer Book" by Lee Strobel. This book provides simple. understandable answers to questions you've probably asked or heard about Christianity. Lee Strobel , a former atheist, uses his investigative journalism skills to dig deep into science, history and the Bible to find the truth. He offers what he has learned in an approachable question and answer format. Come join us in room 207, from 10:05 a.m.-11:05 a.m.