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Happy Birthday
James Perales 12/4
Jake Spence 12/6
Sarah
Vannauker 12/6
Meredith
Ehrhardt 12/6
Ashley
Browning 12/6
Theresa Bruns 12/7
Chuck Essick 12/7
Bailey
Blakemore 12/7
Carter Green 12/7
Theresa Cayton 12/8
Steve McKenzie 12/8
Gene Stephan 12/8
Monica Brown 12/9
Darlene Elston 12/9
Mallory
Michael 12/9
LeeAnne Kortus 12/9
Henry Jones 12/9
Dick White 12/10
Chris Boothe 12/10
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Join Our List
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| Strawbridge Music & Fine Arts Ministry | |
DECEMBER 13TH
Brunch
Strawbridge Activity Center
10:05-11:05 a.m.
For more information contact
Pastor Laurie Purcell at
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| Children's Ministries |
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NO SUNDAY SCHOOL ON
DECEMBER 13TH OR 27TH!
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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.
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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.
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Kids 1st
Kids 1st- is Sunday, December 6th, from
5-7pm. We will be watching a Christmas movie while enjoying hot cocoa, cookies, and popcorn. Wear comfy clothes and bring blankets, pillows, and friends! A $3 snack supper will be available.
Friends are always welcome.
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56 Ministr ies 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.
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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!
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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)
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| FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY | |
Financial Peace University is coming to Strawbridge in the New Year
This isn't your typical "money class". Financial Peace University is practical, entertaining and fun! More than 1.5 million families and individuals have taken FPU. The average family completing the course pays off $5,300 of debt and saves $2,700 in just 90 days. That's an $8,000 change in position! Whether you're struggling to make ends meet or you're a millionaire, FPU has something for you.
The Strawbridge class will run from January 17 to March 20, 2016
Sundays in the Great Hall 5:00 pm to 6:45 pm
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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.
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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
Some save the date opportunities for Young Adults:
12/8 Family Promise
12/15 Young Adult Christmas Party
1/5 First Community Group of 2016! We will reflect on how the group is going and talk about our vision for the New Year.
Sharing a meal, creating community and all are welcome!
Contact Michelle Ashley at
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| Announcements |
FAMILY PROMISE
Strawbridge will host two to three families from Family Promise during the week of December 6, 2015. Sign up for volunteer opportunities will be available on each Sunday in the hallway prior to the start of Sunday School classes and end on December 6 or perhaps one week earlier if all slots are full. Special thanks to those that have helped in the past and those that have already signed up for this rotation.
We would also like to encourage donations of gift cards from Walmart or Target in any denomination for use to purchase Christmas gifts for Family Promise families. Please give these to Charlie Burnett at the sign up Kiosk or drop them by the Church Office prior to noon on December 14th. Be sure to clearly mark any envelopes left at the Church Office "Family Promise".
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.
2ND SUNDAY SINGOUT-will be the 3rd Sunday-December 20th. Come Caroling at Brookdale
Kingwood, 2405 Kingwood Drive, from 3:30-4:00 p.m. Questions contact Pastor Laurie at
laurie.purcell@strawbridge-umc.org
ACTS OF RANDOM KINDNESS Please take a bag off of the table in the Narthex to give to someone who is in need. If you would like to help there is a list by the table with items to donate. You may also make a monetary donation and drop it in the box on the same table. Our brochure also has ideas for other forms of Acts of Random Kindness that we can all do every day!
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!
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!
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| Adult Class Information | |
New Adult Study-"Secrets of a Teenage Brain"
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: Men of Strawbridge-All Ages. If you are not currently in a Sunday morning class, check us out!
In depth Bible study, hosting Men's Breakfast events, cooking for various church events, involved in church outreach programs and organizing the church Classic Car expo. We meet upstairs in Room 212 at 10:05 a.m. 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.
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| 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
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Our Holiday Blood Drive will be held on Sunday, December 6th from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the donor coach in the parking lot. This is a busy season for all of us and this drive is one of the most important of the year. We still have many open appointment slots, starting at 9:30 a.m. The schedule is mostly empty during and after the 2nd service. Will you give a life-giving gift to someone this season? Just go to the donor coach and they will be happy to help you make your life giving donation. Please contact Skip Richardson 281-360-1164 for questions.
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| 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
December 6th
12:30-5:30 p.m.
Free Ice Skating at Discovery Green
December 13th
Christmas Party & Sock
Exchange
5-7 p.m. at SUMC
December 20th
Houston Food Bank
Departing 7:40 a.m.-Returning 1:30 p.m.
December 24th
Setup for Luminaries
12-2 p.m. at SUMC
REFUGE 2016
January 8-10
Cost: $65
CAMP CULLEN 2016
February 19-21
Cost: $110
Registration is open on both events!
Contact Jon Ashley at
for questions or location information.
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In the final verse of We Three Kings, we sing "Glorious now behold him arise; King and God and sacrifice..." We know the sacrifice of the three kings: gold, frankincense and myrrh. And we know the sacrifice Jesus will make for us on the cross. But what are we called to sacrifice? If Jesus' birth is God's unconditional gift to us, why and for whom exactly are we sacrificing? And what will all this have to do with our story of Della and Jim? Join me 
