This Week

@FUMC Allen

December 21 2014

On Sunday, December 21, the Chancel Choir, DARING youth choir, and orchestra present HANDEL'S MESSIAH at the 8:15am and 9:30am worship hours. Featured soloists include Chris Mathews, Caryn Fecht, Kim Mathews, and Cathy McPherson.

At 11:00am, our RESONATE Praise Team gifts us in worship with UNSPEAKABLE JOY: A Service of Lessons & Carols.

Join on the fourth Sunday of Advent for this special gift from our music ministry.

"We Are FUMC Allen"

Our New Welcome Video

Christmas Eve at FUMC Allen

FUMC Allen offers four Christmas Eve worship opportunities to celebrate the birth of Christ on December 24 in the sanctuary.

At 4:00pm, our Children's Ministry and Music Ministry present a Family Friendly Candlelight Worship service featuring the musical, We Three Spies, performed by Project Praise and a 20-piece live band.

At 6:00pm, we offer a Traditional Worship service featuring the music of the Chancel choir and orchestra.

Our praise team, Resonate, leads the Contemporary Worship at 8:00pm.

Carillon Handbells present a Sounds of the Season Holiday Handbell concert at 10:30pm followed by our Christmas Vigil at 11:00pm.

Each of the services includes candlelight; the 6:00pm, 8:00pm, and 11:00pm services include the sharing of Holy Communion.

Help us adorn our altar with poinsettias and food donations on Christmas Eve. Order POINSETTIAS OR A GIFT OF FOOD in honor or memory of a loved one. Complete order details on the envelope found in your bulletin this Sunday, place payment in envelope, and drop into the offering plate before December 21. Or you can contact Teresa Gray.

This Week

Sun Dec 21/2014-Sat Dec 27/2014

Sun Dec 21

DARING Youth Choir CHRISTMAS CAROLING 4:00pm-5:00pm

Youth Ministry TACKY CHRISTMAS SWEATER PARTY 5:00pm-7:30pm Whirlyball in Plano.

Wed Dec 24

CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP 4:00pm, 6:00pm, 8:00pm and 11:00pm

HolidayOfficeHours Holiday Office Hours

The church office closes at 12:00pm on Wednesday, December 24.

We will remain closed on Thursday, December 25, and Friday, December 26 for the Christmas holiday.

College Scholarships

FUMC offers scholarship opportunities for full-time college students and graduating high school seniors.

Scholarship applications and recommendation forms (for current college students only) are now available online at fumcallen.org/collegescholarships.

Applications and recommendation forms are due April 13.

Contact Brock Fairchild.

Next Week & Beyond

Sun Dec 28/2014-Mon Jan 19/2014

Sun Dec 28

TWO WORSHIP SERVICES at 9:30am and 11:00am. The 8:15am service and The Way will not meet. Sunday school classes will not meet, but nursery will be open during services for children ages 4 and under.

Wed Dec 31

The New Year's Eve WATCH NIGHT SERVICE at 7:00pm in the Upper Room Chapel is an opportunity to bid farewell to 2014 and begin the New Year on solid footing. Join us for Holy Communion and share John Wesley's Covenant Prayer. Contact Rev. June Franck.

Giving Report

Last week, we received $37,482 in the offering. By year-end 2014, we need to receive $126,885 to complete our 2014 ministry funding and operating budget of $1,822,399.

If you have questions about your pledge balance, want to set up online contributions, or need information about stock transfers, contact Jackie Campbell.

Thank you for your generosity
and faithfulness.

Stewardship Report

As of December 16, we have received 268 estimate of giving cards totaling $1,254,599 in pledges. This total represents $208,209.00 in new and increased pledges. The average household commitment is $4,681. Because every pledge is important and appreciated, please find a Stepping N2 the Future Estimate of Giving card in the pew backs and return yours in the offering plate or the baskets in the back of the sanctuary.

Together, by God's grace, we can do all things through Christ!

Created by God

Online registration is now open for Created By God, a human sexuality course taught from a Christian perspective for 5th and 6th graders. On January 14, we'll start our next session with a parents only meeting at 6:30pm to discuss the curriculum, view materials, and answer questions. The first session for the children is 4:00pm-6:00pm on January 16. On January 19, the children meet from 10:00am with parents returning at 5:00pm for the final session. For more information, contact Mary Freeman, MaryF@fumcallen.org.

Walk to Emmaus

Remember your Walk to Emmaus?

The Dallas Emmaus Community needs our support for the upcoming 2015 walks.

If you have ever been on a walk, please send your name, walk number, location and date to Ruth Swingle.

Engaging Online Update

Having trouble accessing your online giving or registering for an event?

Due to increased security requirements, Engaging Online, our membership database system, will no longer function if you are using an outdated operating system or web browser.

If you are still using Windows XP or other outdated operating system, you should upgrade to Windows 7 or later.
If you are using Internet Explorer 8 or other outdated web browser, you should upgrade to a newer version.

If you are still having trouble accessing your Engaging Online account, please contact our Membership Secretary Elizabeth Fairchild.

Contact Information

Alison Thomas

Director of Communications

First United Methodist Church of Allen

972.727.8261

In This Issue

Christmas Eve

Poinsettias

This Week

Holiday Office Hours

College Scholarships

Next Week & Beyond

Giving

Stewardship

Created By God

Walk to Emmaus

Engaging Online

Click here to read our latest issue.

Featuring stories about our summer

at FUMC Allen.

Or pick up your copy at the church.

This Sunday's Sermon

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Fourth Sunday of Advent

The Light of Christmas

Handel's Messiah

8:15am & 9:30am

Unspeakable Joy:

A Service of Lesson & Carols

11:00am

This month's COMMUNION OFFERING benefits the General Missions Fund of FUMC Allen, supporting the work of Change the World Weekend, Habitat For Humanity, Project Transformation, and new missions opportunities that arise during the year.

This Week at The Way

Sunday, December 21, 2014

The Christmas Journey

The Journey

Rev. Maxie Moore, preaching

The Way, our traditional teaching worship service that meets at 11:00am in the Fellowship Hall, concludes its year on December 21 and will resume on January 11 with a new series called The Heart of the Matter.

Contact Rev. Brian McPherson.

Sacred Artistry

Interested in art but never got the chance to learn? Maybe you're an old pro looking to combine your art and faith? Master painter Michael Maskow is offering a six-week course in Sacred Artistry oil painting beginning January 27 at FUMC Allen.

Run For God

Join the 5K Challenge, a practical guide to running, and a 12-week training plan aimed at completing a 5K while maintaining a Christian focus.

Words from The Word

Beloved, I wish above all things that you should prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. 3 John 2

A faithful man shall abound with blessings. Proverbs 28:20

For God, who gives seed to the farmer to plant, and later on, good crops to harvest and eat, will give you more seed to plant and will make it grow so that you can give away more and more fruit from your harvest. Yes, God will give you much so that you can give away much. 2 Corinthians 9:10, 11

As Christians, we are called to go OUT into the world to do the work of Christ. At FUMC Allen, we track the hours our members IMPACT the community working as volunteers for various service organizations, such as Allen Community Outreach, schools, sport teams, scouts, and more.

Our 2014 year-to-date total is 6,640 hours.

Report your service hours on the registration form found in this bulletin, and keep up the great work.

Do you have a prayer request?

Communications
The deadline for the Jan 4 Sunday worship bulletin is 5:00pm,
Friday, December 26.

Email items to spark@fumcallen.org.

Click HERE to read the Dec 21 worship bulletin.

Click HERE to read the Dec 14 worship bulletin.

Click HERE to read the Dec 7 worship bulletin.