Glimpses of Grace

at

Grace United Methodist Church

December 2014 - January 2015

Volume 16 Issue 11

Grace UMC
2113 Old Monrovia Road
Huntsville, AL 35806
(256) 430-0003
www.graceumchsv.org

Claim Gods Invitation To the

Saviors
Birth

Sunday Services
Contemporary
Worship
9:00 am
Sunday School
10:05 am
Traditional Worship
11:00 am

Peace
Faith

Joy
Love

Hope

Life

Grace Staff
Senior Pastor
Bryan Sisson
Associate Pastor
Todd Noren-Hentz

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Nursery Coordinator
Kalyn Polatty

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Facilities Manager
Ben Allen

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Praise & Worship Leader

Doug Wright
Accompanist
Curtis Lindsay

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Music Director
Gianna Gimenez

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Office Administrator
Vicki Sheehy

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Director of Youth
Ministries
Adam McNeil

Pastors Ponderings
An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph,
son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child
conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you
are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All
this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the
prophet: Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall
name him Emmanuel, which means God is with us.
Matthew 1:20-23, NRSV

Jesus: that even in his naming of the Christ Child, God is

seeking to remind us of His love. God with us today and in
every moment
Friends, as we experience the weeks of Advent leading up to
the birth of Jesus my hope is that you will be a part of the
wonderful experiences planned for you here at Grace United
Methodist Church. There will be special services of worship
in which we will read and remember the Story in a beautiful
waythere will be opportunities for fellowship so that we
might celebrate and give thanks togetherthere will be times in
which well be able to serve and witness to our faith as we
care for others throughout the holiday season. And all of this
is important, for through each encounter we have opportunity
to experience the naming of Gods love becoming real for
each of us. My prayer is that in the middle of all of the
craziness that this time of year brings into our lives we take
the time to celebrate that naming, for God is reaching out in love
to each of us. God IS with usO come, o come, our
Emmanuel.

When we found out about the upcoming births of both our

daughters, Tracy and I spent a great deal of time thinking
through and praying over what we hoped to name our
children. After all, a name is pretty important. Its
representative and something (hopefully!) that they will have
for the rest of their life. And when it came to both Josie
Cochran and Martha Riley, we wanted to honor loved ones
who are special to each of us. Josie is Tracys
grandmothers name, and Cochran is my grandmothers
maiden nameMartha is my mothers name. For both,
we desired something of significance, names that reminded us
I look forward to sharing this season of Advent with all of
of those important in our lives. Through the naming of our
girls we wanted to offer reverence to those who had gone on you!
before us, to celebrate and give thanks for the love that they
have showered upon us. And today, when calling out their
See you in worship!
names Im reminded of those so dear. Its a way of having a
- Pastor Bryan
little piece of them near and close to us. The naming of a child,
Im convinced, is important
I think this is one of the reasons I am so moved by these
verses from Matthews Gospel writings. For centuries Gods
people had been looking for a Savior, One who was to come
to bring new hope and life. And when the angel of the Lord
comes to Joseph in a dream and shares the words of the
prophet foretelling the coming gift of a child, its a powerful
thing. And whats even more powerful is the name itself EMMANUEL. Scholars tell us that this name means
God is with us, a reminder that into the world God comes to
share life and light, that God through Jesus - is present to
offer each of us hope. And to be very honest, there are
moments and encounters when, personally speaking, I need
to be reminded of that hope in my day-to-day living. There
are experiences when I forget about the constant presence
of Gods love. And I believe this season is opportunity when
we all are able to take comfort in the fact that God is among
and with us every day. This is my prayer for each of us during
this Advent Season as we prepare for the coming birth of
2

Invited..
Advent Sermon Series
Come and join us for worship during the Advent season as
Pastor Bryan will be preaching a sermon series entitled
INVITED. During the Christmas season were invited to
be a part of so many events and gatherings, but God invites
us to take part in the ultimate gift: the birth of His son and
our Savior. What is it that we need to do to claim this invitation?
Plan on being a part in order to prepare for the birth of the
Christ Child.

Happenings At Grace
Madison Community Band
Christmas Concert

Everyone is invited to experience the

Madison Community Bands annual
Christmas concert in Graces Sanctuary on
Tuesday, December 2nd, from 7:00-8:00 pm. A small
reception will follow the concert. This is the Bands way of
thanking the church for letting them rehearse here, so please
come!

Christmas Concert

Advent Devotion Booklet

A Service of Nine Lessons and Carols

The Cantata Choir, along with guest soloists Angelica Reidy
and Patrick Lamb, and cellist Erin Patterson, will present
A Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at both morning worship
services on Sunday, December 14. There will be
opportunities to hear and sing some favorite carols along with
some classic anthems. This promises to be a very special and
meaningful service, so invite a friend to join you!

Christmas Eve Worship

We are excited to share that Grace will be offering

two wonderful experiences of worship on
Christmas Eve! We will have a Contemporary
Service, led by our Praise Band, at 5:00 pm,
and we will have a Traditional Service, led by
our Chancel Choir, at 7:00 pm. In both
services we will experience Holy Communion and end our
time together with candlelight as we reclaim the hope
experienced through the birth of Christ Jesus into our lives.
Christmas Wee BZ Performance
Our church-wide offering at each service that evening has
All are invited to come and take part in the joy of the
been designated by the Grace Mission Team to support
Christmas season by experiencing the gift of Jesus birth
Manna House. So please mark your calendars and plan on
through the eyes and hearts of our children! Graces
coming to experience the birth of our Savior in a fresh way!
Christmas Wee BZ kids (2 Years-PreK) will be performing the
PLEASE NOTE: We will NOT be having Pre-Service Concerts this
Christmas Story for us and singing their love for Baby Jesus on
year.
Sunday, December , at 10:15 am in the Sanctuary. This is
during the Sunday School hour, so please make plans to come
and enjoy the fun. All are welcome!
Pick up your very own Grace Advent Devotional Booklet to
read and be inspired during the Advent season! They are in
different locations around the church, so please get yours
while theyre hot off the presses! Special thanks to all those
Grace church members who shared of themselves by writing a
devotional. Our prayer is that these writings might bring us all
closer together as a Church Family this holiday season.

Make Plans to Un-Deck the Halls

GraceFull Singers Musical & Potluck Dinner

All Grace friends and families are invited to come and enjoy
the GraceFull Singers' musical, "Dude, You Hear What I Hear?"
on Sunday, December 7, at 5:30 pm. A potluck will follow
the program. Please bring a dish large enough to serve your
family and several other people. A sign-up sheet is on the
bulletin board in the hallway by the kitchen to help us better
plan for a balanced meal. Come celebrate the season with
your Grace family!

Thanks to all those who came out to help with the Hanging
of the Greens, as well as those who participated in the Chili
Cook-off. It was a wonderful night of fellowship!
Once the Christmas season is over, we will need to take down
all the beautiful decorations in Gods house, just like in our
own homes. We will un-deck the halls on Sunday, January
4, at 4:00 pm. At least one team member from each Ministry
Team is requested to come help. It usually only takes about 12 hours. Please take the time to help out!

Dont Forget to Order Your Poinsettia!

The Missions Team is selling poinsettias for $15 each this
Advent season, with proceeds benefitting our Costa Rica
mission trip. Poinsettias may be purchased in honor/memory
of someone. Please use the order envelopes in the attendance
pads or at the hallway display to pay for and order your
poinsettias. Sales end on Sunday, December 7. The
poinsettias will be in the Sanctuary on December 14, 21, and
24. You may take your poinsettias home after the 7:00 pm
Christmas Eve service.

The Church Office will be Closed

Wednesday, December 24 ,
through Thursday, January 1,
for the Christmas and
New Year Holidays.

More Happenings At Grace

hinders us from the benefits of knowing God is bondage.
God intends for you to know and believe Him, glorify Him,
and experience His peace, and enjoy His presence. All ladies
We will continue our popular Wednesday Family
Nights, complete with dinner and Bible Studies, at are welcome to join us on Tuesday mornings at 9:30 am
the beginning of the New Year. We will begin on January 7 beginning on January 13 for this study led by Mary Graham.
Childcare is available on request.
and continue through February 11. We will have dinner
together on February 18, and afterwards we will have an Ash Men of Grace Wild Man-to-Wise Man Forum
Wednesday Service in the Sanctuary. The week of February 23 A non-denominational, mens forum is proposed to start
we will begin new LifeGroup meetings. Come and be a part of January 2015. Forum participants will raise questions such as:
the fellowship!
Whether masculine spirituality exists?, Why do men find it
so difficult to discuss spiritual matters? and, What does it
Meal Sponsors Needed
take to bridge a mans spiritual self to his outer self-expression
Please consider sponsoring one of the upcoming Wednesday
in thought, word and action? These questions and other
Family Night meals. The Food and Fellowship Team will
concerns to men will be examined against Lukes Parable of
assist you. Remember, your group will receive the donation
the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32) and against the context of
money, minus any needed reimbursements from the meal you
our individual lives. Phil Graham will act as facilitator to
sponsor. This is a way to add funds to your 2015 budget! A
initiate and guide forum discussions. This 8-week study is
signup sheet is available on the bulletin board outside the
planned for Thursdays at 6:15 pm. If you are interested,
Sanctuary. For more information, contact Nancy Jackson at
please contact Phil at grizzly_eagle@bellsouth.net.
(256) 830-0678 or Donna Evans at (256) 527-2414.

Mark your Calendars for Our Upcoming

Wednesday Family Nights

Winter Adult Study Opportunities

Revival by Adam Hamilton

Rev. Bryan Sisson will be leading this six-week journey

following the life of John Wesley. Wesleys story is our story.
It defines our faith, and it challenges us to rediscover our
spiritual passion. This class will be offered 6:00 pm after the
Wednesday Night meal, and on Thursdays at 12:00 pm.
Come and be a part and learn what makes us Methodists
distinct.

The Creative Life

Church-Wide Goal-Setting Retreat on

January 10

Our new ministry teams have been formed

and, with that, a new year of goals and
dreams needs to be set for our church. On
Saturday, January 10, from 9:00 am to
12:00 pm, anyone on a Ministry Team for this coming year is
requested to attend this important day of goal-setting and
planning. To start the day, we will meet as a whole for
worship. Then, we will split into our different teams to set
goals. Finally, we will reconvene as a group and share our
plans. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend. If you
are unable to attend, please contact your Team Leader prior to
the date. If you are a leader and cannot attend, please
designate and someone in your group to provide leadership
during the process. There will be childcare.

In this 6-week class offered on Wednesday evenings during

Wednesday Family Nights, well explore how creativity can
add depth and meaning to our lives. An often ignored
attribute of God is that of creativity. The creative impulse in
its infinite varieties is a gift given by God to each one of us.
We each have our own vessels for creativity in faith and life,
which well explore in this class. Well read select chapters and
articles weekly (optional), watch videos, discuss, and
Confirmation Classes to Begin Soon
participate in activities. After taking this class, we hope youll
All
6th Graders (along with youth who have
have a renewed passion for being creative and some new tools
never
been through Confirmation) are invited to
to help you unleash your creativity. This class will be led by
come and be a part of this very special spiritual
Rev. Todd. Noren-Hentz
journey! There will be a Parents Informational Meeting on
Breaking Free by Beth Moore
Sunday, February 1, at 4:00 pm. Confirmation will be every
Through the 11 weeks of Breaking Free, Beth Moore looks at
Sunday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 pm (we will then eat with
the Book of Isaiah through the lives of the kings who ruled
the youth at 7:00) beginning February 8 and going through
during the prophets ministry. These kings exemplify many of April 19 (we will take a few Sundays off for Discovery
the obstacles to freedom with which we must deal. Using
Weekend, Spring Break, and Easter). If you have question
Scripture to help identify spiritual strongholds in your life, no before the meeting please contact Pastor Bryan. Confirmation
matter how big or small, Beth explains that anything that
Sunday will be April 26.
4

Family Life Ministry News

Men of Grace
Each week at 11:30 am various men from Grace UMC and
their friends gather for lunch at a local restaurant to talk about
life, faith, and our church. We rotate to a different day of the
week each month. In December, we will meet on

Wednesdays, and in January we will meet on Thursdays.

To receive information about upcoming lunch gatherings,
you may sign up for our email list at: http://
graceumchsv.org/mailman/listinfo/mog_graceumchsv.org,
join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/
groups/Men.Of.Grace.Lunch.Fellowships, or talk to Buddy
McMullin at (256) 683-4164 or buddymcmullin@gmail.com.

Pick-up Basketball
We have Pick-up Basketball every Wednesday
evening at 7:30 pm in the gym. Interested in staying
informed about Pick-up Basketball? Ask Pastor Todd
to put you on the email list! We also have a
Facebook and Twitter for basketball if youd like
to keep up that way.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraceUMCBB
Twitter: @GraceUMCBB

Grace Family Fun Fly

Sunday, December 7, from 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Come fly with us or watch the flying in the gym any time
during this event. This is our last scheduled Grace Family
Fun Fly. For more information, contact Jim Marconnet at
(256) 772-3946 or jmarconnet@gmail.com.

2015 Flower Sign-Up Poster

Anyone interested in providing a flower arrangement for
Sunday worship during 2015 is invited to sign up on the
poster which will be located on the hallway bulletin board
beginning in December. In order to ensure that there are
slots available for all who wish to provide flowers, we ask
that each household not sign up for more than two slots
to begin with.

Parents Night Out

PNO is for infants and children up to 5th Grade and is
conducted on select Friday evenings. PNO is a drop-in type
program and is open for participating parents and children
between 5:00 and 10:00 pm. PNO relies upon adult
volunteers, paid nursery staff, and youth helpers. We hope you
will invite your friends, neighbors, and co-workers to be a part
of this program.
The next PNO is Friday, December 5, from 5:00 - 10:00 pm
and costs $10 per child, with a $20 family maximum. Children
5 and under are asked to be picked up by 9:00 pm. You can
register online at www.graceumchsv.org/pno.

Offerings from The Vine Pastoral Counseling Center:

Service of Worship and Healing
December 9
12:00 - 12:45 pm at the Gideon Blackburn House of 1st
Presbyterian Church
Marriage Ministry
God has created marriage to bring much satisfaction and pleasure.
The relationship is intended to bring healing and fulfillment to
both people. It is intended as a basic building block of the Body
of Christ where the fruits of the Spirit are manifest and multiplied.
Unfortunately, we live in a country with a divorce rate of 70%.
The marriage relationship can also be the greatest source of pain
and destruction. Because the marital covenant is so important,
The Vine offers our Marriage Ministry.
Premarital Counseling: 4-6 sessions using Prepare and Enrich
Marriage Intervention: 8 sessions in an educational format with a
workbook to learn skills in the most threatening areas to marital
satisfaction.
Marriage Checkup: 2 sessions to determine the health of your
marriage, identify areas of conflict and consider how the spiritual
dimension of the relationship brings fulfillment.
As a supporting member church, all are free to Grace UMC
members (except for testing and workbook materials) for as long
as initial funding lasts. Sessions are $50 each afterwards. For
more info, call The Vine at (256) 270-7399 or go to vinepcc.com.

Missions
Missions That We Regularly Support
with Donations:
Huntsville Assistance Program Food donations
Blount Hospitality House Personal-sized toiletry items
Redbird Community Soup barcodes from Campbells
Labels for Education
Ronald McDonald House Pop tabs from soda cans

Costa Rica Mission Trip Update

So far, there are 11 people signed up for our mission trip to
Costa Rica. That means there is plenty of room for more to
join us in serving the people of San Isidro. For more
information, please contact Brian Mitchell at (256) 527-4583
or missions@graceumchsv.org. Well be having monthly
team building meetings beginning in January to get us
prepared for the trip, so stay tuned for more information.

New Futures Homeless Shelter Monetary donations

Volunteer Your Time with

These Important Ministries:
Salvation Army Soup Kitchen Make sandwiches at Grace at

8:30 am on Mondays, December 8 & 22

and January 12 & 27
Contact: Imogene Johns, (256) 837-0324
Meals-on-Wheels Meet at the Huntsville Senior Center on
Drake at 10:15 am on Friday, December 19
and January 16 to serve meals to the
homebound.
Contact: Donna Evans, (256) 420-6401
Wheelchair Ramp Installation Meet at the church at

8:30 am on Saturday, December 13 and

January 10.
Contact: Chuck Evans, (256) 527-2413

Upcoming Food Pantry Changes

Beginning in January of 2015, due to our increasing
involvement, we're going to focus our support on Manna
House. Manna House is an organization that ministers to the
needs of the homeless of Huntsville. Grace has been
increasing our support of Manna House through Outdoor
Church and food and clothing donations over the past few
years. So that our actions can have the most impact, any
canned food, pet food, or clothing donations made in 2015
will go directly to Manna House. Please contact Brian
Mitchell if you have any questions or would like to help out.

Do Something Amazing! Please Give Blood!

There will be a LifeSouth Blood Drive at Grace on
Wednesday, December 3, from 4:00 - 8:00 pm. Please
consider making a difference in someones life
by being a blood donor this holiday season!

Meals to Grow - Backpack Food Program

Our community has a great number of children who
dont get enough to eat at home. During the school
year, the free lunch program helps provide for these
children during the week, but the weekend can seem
very long when you are hungry. The Meals to Grow program
(www.mealstogrow.org) was started to address this problem.
Every Friday, bags of food are placed inside the backpacks of
children at high risk of hunger during the weekend.
Currently, Grace UMC is generously serving children next
door at Providence Elementary School and students at
Montview Elementary School. Its humbling to see the
gratitude of the children, teachers, principals, and staff at each
of the schools.
If you are called to serve in this ministry, there are many ways
to help. We always need food, monetary donations, and
prayer. We need help packing bags, too. Contact Rachael
Benton at engineermom@gmail.com for more details.
We pack on the 3rd Monday of every month at 6:00 pm. The
next few packing dates are scheduled for Monday,
December 15 and Monday, January 19.
The following items are needed for each bag:

1 Pop-top can of soup with meat (such as Progresso,

Chunky, etc.)
1 Pop-top canned meal (such as Chef Boyardee Ravioli,
etc.)
1 Fruit cup or pop-top can of fruit
2 Packages of peanut butter crackers or cheese crackers
2 Individual sized boxes of cereal or 2 cereal bars (or
breakfast product)
4 Healthy snacks (such as granola bars, Cheez-Its,
packages of crackers, fruit snacks, Rice Krispie Treats,
raisins, Sun Chips, etc.
1 Shelf-stable milk in juice-box size (such as Yoohoo! Or
Hersheys, etc.)

Join the Fun at Grace

Literary Ladies
All women of the church are invited to join
the Literary Ladies in their monthly discussion
of a book. They meet the third Monday of each month at
10:00 am. Nursery care can be made available if needed. For
more information, contact Callie Vincent at (256) 539-9870 or
caldon@knology.net.
Our upcoming books are:

December 15:

February 16: Killing Kennedy: The End of Camalot by Bill

ORiley
Narration of the events leading up to the
assignation of President Kennedy as well
as the events aftermath

No Book - Christmas Luncheon

January 19: The Traitors Wife by Allison Pataki

The woman behind Benedict Arnold and
the plan to betray America

March 16: The All Girls Filling Stations Last Reunion by

Fannie Flag

GraceFull Players/GraceFull Players Dancers

The GraceFull Players/Dancers will not be meeting in
December or January. Enjoy the holidays, and we will see you
again in February! For more information about our group,
contact either Shannon Rosenthal at serosenthal@knology.net
or (256) 895-0253, or Susan Allen at (256) 895-9191 or
SRAtapping@bellsouth.net.

Scrapbook/Craft Night
The Scrapping/Crafters will meet at the church on Friday,
December 12, from 5:00 - 11:00 pm. We would love to see
you there. Its always a good time of food and fellowship. You
can come for the entire time or for only part of the time.
Please join us and bring a snack and beverage to share. Feel free
to bring a friend or two or three, and enjoy this time together.
For more information, contact Susan Brown at (256) 722-3898
or scrappingsusan@gmail.com.

Take Pride in Your Church Day

Please mark your calendars for a day to help clean up and
clean out the church at 8:30 am on Saturday, February 7.
Each Ministry Team will be leading groups to clean specific
areas of the church. Many hands make light work, so please
come to help! It is anticipated to take about 2 hours, but the
more help we have, the less time it will take. More details to
come in the February newsletter.

Fun Timers Upcoming Meeting

On Monday, December 8, join us for our Christmas Party
Luncheon from 11:00 am-2:00 pm at the Hidden Creek
Subdivision Clubhouse. Bring a dish to share. Meat, paper
products, and utensils will be provided. Also bring a donation
for HEALS, the organization we are helping this year.
In January we will going to the Huntsville Museum of Art to
view the Grandma Moses exhibit. The trip is scheduled for
January 12, so save the date! More details will be available in
the near future.

Grace United Methodist Women

Friendship Circle News

The Grace United Methodist Women will have their
December meeting on Thursday, December 18, at 12:00
pm. All are invited to bring a sack lunch and join us! A
dessert will be furnished.
Our January meeting will be held on Thursday, January 22 at
12:00 pm. Pack a sack lunch and join us!
For further information, contact Betty Lawson at
(256) 837-2824.

For Your Information

Directory Updates
2015 Lay Leadership Leaders
Special thanks to all of our church Ministry Team Leaders who
have agreed to serve in 2015 in special ways. For a complete list
of all those who have agreed to serve this year please check out
the new list of leaders on the bulletin board across form the
Kitchen. Our 2015 Leaders are as follows:
Food and Fellowship Ministry Team Co-Leaders Nancy Jackson and Donna Evans

Please make note of the changes and additions

below and mark them in your directories.
Steve & Charli Goetz
New address is:
149 Equestrian Lane
Madison, AL 35758
Carl Ivey
New email address is:
nursecarl1@yahoo.com

Adult Ministry Team Leader Lisa Phillipart

Children's Ministry Team Leader Shelley Lenahan
Youth Ministry Team Leader Karen Weir
Congregational Care Ministry Team Co-Leader
Brandy Olander and Mandy Mitchell
Missions Ministry Team Leader Brian Mitchell
Family Life Ministry Team Leader John Lawson
Invitational Ministry Team Co-Leaders
Gina Barlow & Joanne Weis
Music and Worship Arts Ministry Team Leader
Callie Vincent
Technology Ministry Team Leader Steve Ward
Finance Committee Chair Brandy Olander
Church Council Chair Nathan Hanks
Staff Parish Chair Steve Goetz
Trustee Chair Brian Lenahan

Help Needed on Finance Committee

Our Financial Secretary and our Treasurer are relinquishing
their positions by the end of the year. New volunteers are
needed immediately to learn from these great servants of our
church. The Treasurer disburses all money contributed to
causes represented in the church budget and makes regular,
detailed reports on funds received and expended to the Finance
Committee and the Church Council. The Financial Secretary
keeps records of the contributions, payments, pledges, and
gifts in kind and also develops donor reports of quarterly
giving. If you are interested in performing either of these
important ministries for our church, please contact James
Marden at wahador@knology.net or (256) 679-5484.
8

Memorial & Honorary Gifts to Grace

General Fund
In memory of Ruth Keen (Betty Lawsons Sister-in-Law)
- given by Dell Segler
In memory of David Lee (Tony Lees Father)
- given by Marshall & Myra Arney
Joel Curry Soup Kitchen Fund
In memory of Nell Payne (Barbara Currys Sister)
- given by Imogene Johns
- given by Betty Lawson
Choir Robe Fund
In honor of all those who worked so hard to make the Fall Fun
Fest so great!
- given by Betty Lawson
*To make a memorial or honorary gift, please make checks
payable to Grace UMC. On the memo line, list the name of
the person being honored or memorialized, and the fund in
which you wish the money to be deposited.

Prayer Concerns:
Helen Matthews, Joann Wiemers, Jim Martin,
Martha Rothermel, and Stacey McIntyre.

The Grace Youth Times

Issue #3.14159265359

December 2014/January 2015

So weve invited them to come get it all out of their

system right at the beginning of the year. Its going to
be fun. McNeil also added that the gym will be
blacked out for the event, way too much pizza will be
ordered, and friends are more than welcome to come
participate. Students are welcome to bring their own
Nerf guns, but GUMY has guns available as well.
TEENAGERS TO THROW OUTRAGEOUS
PARTY TAKE OVER MEMBERS HOME
Grace Youth are planning a blow out party for
Christmas this year. The party, set for Sunday,
December 14, at 5:30 pm, will be held at Amanda
Harmons house a few miles from the church.
Amandas mother, Paula, had this to say, Every year, these
teenagers show up and eat all our food. Theres always wrapping
paper on the floor from their Dirty Santa presents. And they
always leave cups and cookies laying around our basement.
Teenagers.. . The party will once again feature the
popular Dirty Santa gift swap, plus the second year of
the Tacky Christmas Sweater contest. Students dont
have to bring anything other than their Dirty Santa gift
and a good attitude. We once again send a very special
thank you to the Harmons for hosting our Christmas
Party. They are always so welcoming to our youth.

PASTOR LOOKS FORWARD TO PEACE AND

QUIET
Pastor Bryan Sisson is relieved. I love our youth, I do. But
theyre just so loud sometimes. Sisson rubbed his temples, I have
asked our Youth Council to come up with as many weekend trips
as they can to get our youth to go be loud somewhere else as often as
possible. I hope they schedule a lot. The first of these trips is
the Behold Retreat, January 17-19 at Camp Sumatanga.
The retreat is a gathering of over 900 students from
around the conference and beyond. A guest speaker,
praise band, and small groups make the weekend a great
break for students after the Christmas season winds
down. I just glad it will be quiet that weekend, said Sisson.

YOUTH PASTOR INVITES STUDENTS TO

SHOOT ONE ANOTHER
On January 2 at 6:00 pm, the youth of Grace UMC have
been invited to shoot each other with Nerf guns. Its a
great way to blow off steam. Explained Youth
Director Adam McNeil. Our students just love to
cause harm to one another. Be it dodgeballs or Nerf
darts.
Due to budget cutbacks, weve eliminated all fact checking from the Grace Youth Times. Therefore, you
may not be able to believe anything you read on this page.
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Childrens Ministry Notes

Our Childrens Ministry exists to be a
place where kids:
Know the love and joy of Jesus Christ
Invite everyone to know Him
Develop a heart of service
Seek God and his Word
With each letter in our KIDS Logo having a meaning, we
hope that this assists each of us in sharing with others what
Grace KIDS ministry is all about.

Children's Church - Worship and Wonder

During the 9:00 and 11:00 services, following the childrens

message, children ages 4 through 2nd Grade are invited to
worship using a curriculum called Worship and Wonder.
Children hear, see and experience the sacred stories and
parables of God, led by Storytellers and Greeters. If you like
to tell stories to children, this is a great opportunity! If you
are interested in being a Storyteller or Greeter (teens
included!), please contact Shelley Lenahan at
shelley.lenahan@gmail.com or (256) 651-9359.

Christmas WeeBZ!
Come join us for our Christmas edition of WeeBZ! For ages
2 years-PreK, this is a fun, age appropriate time to learn about
Gods love and the birth of His Son, Jesus. Our final session
will be on Wednesday, December 3 from 6:00-7:00 pm.
See you there!

Christmas WeeBZ Performance

Please join us at 10:15 am during the Sunday School hour on

Sunday, December 7 for a special production of the
Christmas story put on by our WeeBZ children. All are
invited to the sanctuary to see the children perform in
costume!

Parents Night Out

Friday, December 5 from 5:00-10:00 pm
For further information, please see the article on
page 5.

Club 45 Meets Sundays at 5:30 pm!

Club 45 is a program for all 4th and 5th Grade students led by
Jim and Holly Cecil. We will have our Christmas Party on
December 14 from 5:30-7:30 pm in the gym. The Youth
Groups Christmas present to Club 45 is the gym for our
party. Let the games begin! This will be our last meeting for
the year. Well resume on January 11. Please contact the
Cecils at (256) 828-1387 if you have any questions.

Mission Madness
Bring your kids ages, Kindergarten - 5th Grade, to Grace to on
Wednesdays from 6:00 - 7:00 pm, to learn about how
Christmas is celebrated around the world. The kids will play
games, make an ornament, and experience a little about how
other cultures celebrate Christs birth. Our last meeting for
2014 will be on December 10.
We will resume meeting on January 7 when the Wednesday
Family Nights begin.
If you have an idea or would like to speak with the kids about
missions, contact please contact the Cecils at (256) 828-1387.

Movie Mania for Grace Kids

Its time once again for Movie and Game Night for Graces
Kids on Saturday, January 24, from 6:00-9:00 pm. We will
be watching How to Train Your Dragon 2. Please bring a snack
to share. This will be a great time of fellowship and fun so
bring your friends!

Nursery Ministries
Grace UMC is blessed to have the following
Individuals serve on the Nursery Ministries Team:
Nursery Coordinator: Kalyn Polatty
Brittany Allen
Olivia Bell
Sarah Davis
Jannise Davis
Caroline Dobbie
Amber Jones
Samantha Ramsey
Jenny Shaw
Ashley Sylvester
Brittany Walton
Samantha Weir
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Grace Family News & Notes

Operation Christmas Child
Thanks again for another successful shoebox ministry! This
mission project makes a big difference around the world.
We collected 128 shoeboxes full of goodies for the
underprivileged! Thanks to all who participated in this
wonderful mission project, especially Betty Van Valkenburgh
who made it her mission to get as many boxes as possible.

CASA TEMP$ Workday Thank-You

A big thank-you to all who worked on the CASA Workday
and also to the Food and Fellowship Ministry Team for the
wonderful meal afterwards!

Sock Drive Mission Project

The Thursday night LifeGroup is collecting socks for Manna
House. Manna House has expressed a need for socks of all
types for all ages from infant through adult. While you are
out shopping during the next few weeks, please pick up a
few packages of socks to help with this need. There is a red
tub located outside the Sanctuary to collect the donations.
We will be collecting socks through Sunday, December 21.
You help is greatly appreciated!

Stacey McIntyre Address

Now that Stacey McIntyre is out of UAB Hospital she will
be staying for several weeks in Birmingham at the home
of her son, Ben. If you would like to send cards of
encouragement and love to Stacey they may be sent to
149 Hackberry Circle Chelsea, AL. 35043.

Notes!
Dear Church Members & Staff,
Thank you for the nice fruit basket that was brought to Otto
and I. I have had to put Otto in the Tut Fan Nursing Home
because he could hardly make a step, and my car would not take
a wheelchair. I did not need to drive anyway. We miss not
being able to come to church because it is something we have
done all our lives. Thank you, again for the wonderful fruit
basket.
Otto & Margie Milstead
Grace UMC,
Thanks so much for the gift bag! It was full of food and faith.
The bread was delicious and who doesnt like chocolate? I
appreciate the information on opportunities for service.
Thank you for your outreach.
Jeanine McMillan
Dear Grace Family,
I was so surprised when Rev. Bryan brought a basket of so many
wonderful goodies. Thank you all for your thoughtfulness
and the wonderful care basket. I am so enjoying it!
Always,
Audrey Woolverton
To Our Grace United Methodist Family,
Dawn and I want to personally thank the Grace family for the
support and thoughtful prayers after the death of my father,
David O. Lee. The outpouring of kindness helps our family heal
and for that we are forever grateful.
Sincerely,
Tony Lee
Grace UMC,
We truly appreciate the support we have received for our church
family. It has meant more than you know, especially for Katie.
Buddy & Suzie Beckwith
Dear Church Family,
Thank you so much for the prayers, the gift basket, and the gift
card for Steak-Out.
Much love & many blessings,
Joann Wiemers
Dear Grace Family,
Gene and I wish to thank you for the delicious food basket. We
also thank you for the cards, prayers and thoughts during my
long battle with cancer. Your love and generosity is a blessing.
We are thankful to be a part of such a generous, loving church
family.
Love & God Bless,
Helen & Gene Matthews

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For Your Information

Contemporary Service Worship Ministry
Musicians and Technical Team Members Needed
We are in need of musicians and technical team members on
a permanent, backup, or rotating basis. As we continue to
grow and realize our mission in the worship ministry during
the 9 oclock hour, we would love to add additional interest
in our ministry. Please contact Doug Wright at
doug@dougstuff.com. I would love to meet with you and
discuss our direction and see if there is a place for you to
share in this ministry.
Equipment Donations Needed
As we continue to expand the ability and quality of our
Praise Team ministry, a few equipment needs have arisen
that we would like to bring before the church body in case
anyone is able to help. They are:

Apple computer (can be tower, iMac, mac mini, or

laptop) with Intel dual core 2.4 Ghz or higher with 4 GB
Ram (8GB+ recommended)**
61 key (or greater) midi controller (or portable external
controller to control the software)
iPad 2 or greater
Any stage worthy gear you want to get rid of that may be
useful to our band.

**If anyone is upgrading their computer this Christmas and

is decommissioning a gently loved Mac, we could sure use it.
The software we are using runs on Macs only.
All of the above items can be donated to the church and can
be included in your charitable giving on your 2014 taxes.

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December
1
1
1
2
3
5
6
9
10
11
11
13
15
16
16

Rebecca Brown
Alex Mayhall
John Steffen
Cindy Schwartz
Gina Barlow
Chris Weaver
Ron Golub
Sophie Manning
Allison Dahlberg
Landon Jones
Joanne Weis
Phala Rasmussen
Yvonne Sanders
Susan Allen
Eva Schoen

20 Pam Crusey
20 Robbie Pierson
20 Mark Schoen
21 Jacob Cecil
22 Luke Nelson
23 Steve Ward
24 Hope Cecil
24 Caroline Ward
27 BJ Strickland
27 Forrest Weaver
27 Amanda Harmon
28 Bradley James
28 Brandon McWard
30 Freeman Allen
30 Raymond Evans

January
1 Betsy Allison
2 Joe Hamner
3 Sondra Robertson
4 Brian Johnson
5 JoAnn Clem
5 Randolph Weaver
6 Peyton Barlow
8 Larry Curry
8 Richard Melis
11 Amber Keith (McMullin)
12 Mary Iffrig
12 Cale Wimberly
12 Grayson Wimberly
15 Mary Allen
15 Donna McWard

15
18
18
20
20
20
22
22
24
24
25
26
29
30
31

Rebecca Robertson
Connie Carnes
Cindy Lavallee
Gloria McHugh
Samantha Mayhall
Harper Imsand
Katie Rigoni
Robert Gunn
Cindy Golub
Liam Nelson
Rebecca Mahanna
Matthew Ibrahim
Clarence Golson
Brychan Sanders
Maryann Golson

Grace Family Events

Due to the large number of events at Grace, only a few
important church events are highlighted here. Visit
our online calendar at www.graceumchsv.org/calendar
for full details. A weekly calendar is also posted on the
church office door.

January 1 (Thursday) New Years Day

Important Grace Events in December

January 4 (Sunday) Epiphany Sunday

Important Grace Events in January

December 2 (Tuesday) 6:30 pm Youth Council Meeting

January 4 (Sunday) 4:00 pm Un-Deck the Halls

December 2 (Tuesday) 7:00 pm Madison Community Band

Free Concert
December 3 (Wednesday) 4:00 pm Life South Blood Drive

January 7 (Wednesday) 5:00 pm Wednesday Family Night

Dinner, Bible Studies, and Activities Begin

December 3 (Wednesday) 6:00 pm Christmas Wee BZ

January 19 (Monday) 6:00 pm Meals to Grow Packing

December 5 (Friday) 5:00 pm Parents Night Out

January 10 (Saturday) 5:30 pm Wheelchair Ramp Install

December 6 (Saturday) 9:00 am Childrens Program Rehearsal

January 10 (Saturday) 9:00 am Church-Wide Goal Setting Retreat

December 7 (Sunday) Poinsettia Order Deadline

December 7 (Sunday) Salvation Army Angel Tree Deadline
December 7 (Sunday) 10:15 am Wee BZ Performance

January 12 (Monday) 8:30 am Salvation Army Sandwiches

January 12 (Monday) Fun Timers Trip to Museum of Art

December 7 (Sunday) 3:00 pm Childrens Program Rehearsal

January 13 (Tuesday) 9:30 am Ladies Bible Study Group Begins

December 7 (Sunday) 5:30 pm GraceFull Singers Christmas

Program & Dinner
December 8 (Monday) 8:30 am Salvation Army Sandwiches

January 16 (Friday) 10:30 am Meals on Wheels

December 8 (Monday) 11:00 am Fun Timers Christmas Party

December 10 (Wednesday) 8:30 am Mission Madness

January 17-(Saturday) - January 19 (Monday) - Youth Behold

Retreat at Sumatanga
January 19 (Monday) Newsletter Deadline

December 13 (Saturday) 8:30 am Wheelchair Ramp Install

January 19 (Monday) MLK Day - Church Office Closed

December 13 (Saturday) 10:00 am Lessons & Carols Rehearsal

January 22 (Thursday) 12:00 pm United Methodist Women

December 14 (Sunday) Lessons and Carols Both Services

December 14 (Sunday) 5:30 pm Youth Christmas Party
December 14 (Sunday) 5:30 pm Club 45 Christmas Party
December 15 (Monday) 6:00 pm Meals to Grow Packing
December 15 (Sunday) 5:30 pm Youth Christmas Party
December 18 (Tuesday) 12:00 pm United Methodist Women
December 19 (Friday) 10:30 am Meals on Wheels
December 21 (Sunday) Sock Drive Deadline
December 22 (Monday) 8:30 am Salvation Army Sandwiches
December 24 (Wednesday) 5:00 pm Contemporary Christmas
Eve Worship Service
December 24 (Wednesday) 7:00 pm Traditional Christmas
Eve Worship Service
December 24-(Wednesday) - January 1 (Thursday) Church Office Closed
December 25 (Thursday) Christmas Day
December 31 (Wednesday) New Years Eve
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January 24 (Saturday) 6:00 pm Kids Movie Mania

January 25 (Sunday) 2:00 pm Youth Small Group Leader
Training
January 26 (Monday) 8:45 am Salvation Army Sandwiches
January 27 (Tuesday) 6:30 pm Youth Small Group Leader
Training
February 1 (Sunday) 4:00 pm Confirmation Parents
Informational Meeting
February 7 (Saturday) 8:30 am Take Pride in Your Church Day

2113 Old Monrovia Rd.

Huntsville, AL 35806

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Grace UMC is a Safe Sanctuary Church.

Summaries of our Child and Youth Protection Policy are always available.

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

The church office hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Our pastors and staff are
available by appointment in the afternoons. If you need to contact Pastor Bryan on Friday or Saturday, call his
mobile phone at (256) 527-5042.
BULLETIN DEADLINE
The deadline for information for the church bulletin is Tuesday afternoon. Please contact Vicki Sheehy at
(256) 430-0003 about information that needs to be included.
ARE YOU RECEIVING E-MAIL ANNOUNCEMENTS?
If you have e-mail, we encourage you to join our announcements list. You can sign up online from the church
web page at www.graceumchsv.org.
NEWSLETTER INFORMATION
The newsletter is published monthly, on the 4th Monday of each month. Articles are due by the 3rd Monday of
the month. Articles are received by e-mail: vickisheehy@graceumchsv.org OR place articles in newsletter
mailbox in church office. Thank you for your contribution of articles.
GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Pastors Mobile/Voice Mail # - (256) 527-5042 Pastors emailbryansisson@graceumchsv.org
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