Come!

Walk with Us
to Bethlehem
Walk, Walk, Walk. Mary and Joseph were going on a long trip to a place called Bethlehem. There were no cars or busses so Mary rode a donkey and Joseph walked all the way."

So begins my favorite c

i!" oo" C ristmas story by Caro! Woo"ar"# $ary an" %ose& ma"e a '()mi!e &i!grimage from Na*aret to Bet !e em + ere %es,s +as born# In t is season of A"vent t e c ,rc invites ,s to ma-e a s&irit,a! &i!grimage to get c!oser to %es,s C rist. o,r Savior#

It

in- of t e members of SWU$C. an" ot er brot ers an" sisters in C rist as com&anions t ro,g my +a!- of !ife# T e /&an0 in com&anions means brea" 1 com&anions are t e ones +e s are brea" +it # Over s,&&er. or coffee o,r. Bib!e st,"y or &rayer gro,&s +e s are t e stories of o,r !ives2 o,r o&es an" "reams. as +e!! as o,r "isa&&ointments an" griefs# T ere are many +ays t at +e can s,&&ort one anot er t ro,g o,r +a!-s of !ife# W en most of t e members of SWU$C 3oine" t e c ,rc +e &romise" to s,&&ort t e c ,rc +it o,r &rayers. &resence. gifts an" service# A"vent is a goo" time to ta-e stoc- an" as-. /4o+ +e are "oing +it t ose &romises50 Walking, walking with you, walking with you is my prayer.

WALK IN TRUST

Prayers Enc!ose" is a gift meant to

e!& yo,r &rayers move beyon" treating 6o" !i-e Santa 7on!y as-ing for + at yo, +ant8 to !istening an" gaining c!earer vision of 6o"9s ig est an" best for yo,r !ife# I enco,rage yo, to fin" some :,iet time eac "ay of A"vent to rea" t e a&&ointe" scri&t,re. ref!ect on t e s,mmary &rovi"e" an" as- 6o" some :,estions# /W at "o yo,

WALK IN OBEDIENCE

+ant me to ear from yo, to"ay. 6o"5 To + at ne+. or "ee&er +ays of !ife are yo, ca!!ing me. Lor"5 4o+ mig t I get better at +a!-ing in tr,st. obe"ience. !ove an" +itness5 4o+ are yo, ca!!ing me. %es,s. to +a!- +it t e &eo&!e aro,n" me5 W at are yo, + is&ering to me to"ay. 4o!y S&irit. so t at my !ife mig t gro+ more o!y5 <o, mig t +ant to -ee& a &a" of &a&er +it yo, to 3ot "o+n any ans+ers yo, get# As yo, &ray. &!ease remember t e &eo&!e an" ministry of o,r congregation. t e Unite" $et o"ist C ,rc an" t e c ,rc ,niversa!# Being, being with you, being with you is my prayer.

Presence I am a!+ays ins&ire" +

en o,r sanct,ary is fi!!e" +it many &eo&!e of a!! ages an" +a!-s of !ife# A"vent is a great time to rene+ o,r +a!- of fait +it C ristian frien"s +e aven9t seen in a + i!e# Some of o,r members ave gotten marrie" recent!y. starte" mi""!e sc oo!. or +e!come" a ne+ gran"c i!" into t eir !ives# Some are 3,st itting mi""!e age + i!e ot ers are getting rea"y to retire# W erever yo, are in !ife. I +e!come yo, to be &resent on S,n"ay mornings# C i!"ren start +ors i& +it ,s at =(>(( an" after t e King"om Ki"s time t ey !eave +it t eir teac ers for S,n"ay Sc oo!# N,rsery care is a!so &rovi"e"# T e services +i!! be foc,se" on t e t emes in t is !etter2 t e C ristmas Eve service +i!! start at '>((# S&ecia! m,sic +i!! be a feat,re of t e + o!e season. an" es&ecia!!y on %an,ary ? + en +e ce!ebrate E&i& any +it !essons an" caro!s# %oin ,s#

Gifts Yo, may

WALK IN LO;E

ave notice" t e offering enve!o&e enc!ose" +it t is !etter# Ty&ica!!y t e money given at C ristmas as gone to t e genera! b,"get# B,t t is year +e are co!!ecting money to contrib,te to t e fami!ies in t e @ i!i&&ians + o are 3,st no+ on!y beginning t eir !ong roa" to recovering after t e recent ty& oon# T e Unite" $et o"ist C ,rc is a!rea"y res&on"ing t ro,g U$COR an" =((A of t e money "onate" to t e @ i!i&&ians t ro,g U$COR +i!! go to t e &eo&!e t ere# O,r reg,!ar gifts an" tit es to SWU$C to contrib,te to t e /over ea"0 of o&erating U$COR# I enco,rage yo, to 3oin me in sen"ing bac- bet+een B?( an" B=.((( for t e @ i!i&&ians t is C ristmas# If every o,se o!" receiving t is !etter "i" so +e +o,!" raise bet+een BC.((()B=DD.((( to give to &eo&!e in critica! nee"# No+ t at9s ,sing o,r gifts to serve t e +or!"E Sharing, sharing with you, sharing with you is my prayer.

Service
ere are many +ays to serve 6o" an" neig bor t ro,g o,r c ,rc . an" ne+ ones are "eve!o&e" a!! t e time# %eff Se"g+ic- "re+ t is !ove!y art s&ecifica!!y for o,r congregation t is season# <o, too can b!ess t e c ,rc an" t ose +e serve +it yo,r 6o" given ta!ents an" t e activities yo, !ove to "o# %oin t e c oir for t e season2 sign ,& to ma-e somet ing s&ecia! for coffee o,r. or be a !it,rgist# Ba-e t e comm,nion brea". visit one of o,r omebo,n" members. or ma-e a mea! to s are +it someone in nee"# 4e!& ,s ,se &o+er WALK IN WITNESS &oint or -ee& o,r Faceboo- &age ,& to "ate# $aybe yo, +ant to s are a ta!ent +e "on9t -no+ abo,t yet# EG&!ore t e yearning of yo,r so,! to ma-e a "ifference# I enco,rage yo, to s are yo,r "reams an" &assion +it me so +e can fin" a +ay to t,rn t em into ministry# Bo!"!y offer yo,rse!f to 6o" an" see + at fr,it +i!! gro+# rowing, growing with you, growing with you is my prayer.

Witness In Se&tember +e too- in fo,r &eo&!e by &rofession of fait

an" to t eir members i& vo+s +as a""e" a fift +ay to be +a!- +it t e c ,rc . +itness# Witness is + at t e s e& er"s "i" after t ey sa+ t e baby# T ey ran ome g!orifying an" &raising 6o" an" s&rea"ing t e +or" t at t ey a" enco,ntere" t e !iving C rist# Witness can mean te!!ing yo,r neig bor or co+or-er o+ t e grace of 6o" as ma"e a "ifference in yo,r !ife# Witness can mean cas,a!!y saying. /I fee! so ,&!ifte" an" c!ose to 6o" + en I +ors i& at SWU$C# Wo,!" yo, !i-e to 3oin me S,n"ay50 Witness can mean being bo!" eno,g to te!! &eo&!e yo, -no+ are str,gg!ing t ro,g !ife t at %es,s !oves t em an" +i!! strengt en t em# Witness is s aring t e goo" ne+s t at even as +e +a!- to+ar" Bet !e em. %es,s C rist. Emman,e!. 6o" +it ,s as come to meet ,s. +a!- +it ,s an" !ea" ,s ome# @raying for 6o"9s ric est b!essings for yo,. @astor Sara

South Walpole United Methodist Church

1886 Washington St. P.O. o! 1"" South Walpole# Massachusetts $%$&1 swumc.com ' ()$8* 668+%),$