First United Methodist Church of Longview
The Voice
December 20, 2017

Christmas Eve Services
On Christmas Eve morning, which is also the fourth Sunday of Advent, we will have one combined, traditional worship service at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary (no Sunday school). That evening we will have multiple opportunities,in different worship venues, for you and your loved ones to come and celebrate Christmas!

4 p.m. Children's Service
Sanctuary

5-6 p.m. Come and Go Communion
Chapel

7 p.m. Candlelight Service
Sanctuary
Childcare Provided l Communion

11 p.m. Candlelight Service
Please enter through the Whaley Street entrance
Chapel
Communion l No Childcare Provided

For more information on what's coming up in Advent go to longviewfumc.org/worship/advent
Worship Schedule

Christmas Eve Morning
Join us for a combined traditional worship service on Sunday, December 24 at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary! There will not be any Sunday school this morning.

New Year's Eve Service
Join us for a combined contemporary worship service on Sunday, December 31 at 10 a.m. in the Faith Center! There will not be any Sunday school this morning.


In 2018
8:30 Worship (at both Sanctuary and Faith Matters)

9:40 Sunday School

10:45 Worship (Both services and venues)
Where are you connected?
This past Sunday, December 17 we were blessed by our choir's Christmas Cantata!
Thank you to everyone who helped make it such a special time of worship!
We need your help!
As we prepare for our candlelight Christmas Eve services, we need your help to get everything ready! The candles for these services need to be placed in their holders. We expecting hundreds of people...and that's a lot of candles! Can you help?

Come by the church office Tues, Dec 19, Wed, Dec 20, or Thurs, Dec 21 any time from 1:30-5 p.m. and put some candles together! Whether you've got 15 minutes or 3 hours any bit you can do helps!
Youth Christmas Party: Wednesday, December 20 in the Faith Center
Please join us from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for basketball, volleyball, 9 square, Christmas movie and games, and LOUD music. Bring your gift for our family Christmas Drive and your favorite Party Food. Parents we will need extra chaperones and would love you to celebrate with us. You are welcome to invite friends. Please enter through the Faith Matters doors.

If you have questions, please email Janice at jcrane@longviewfumc.org

THE RISE 2018 EAST TEXAS YOUTH CONFERENCE - January 25-27
Sign up by December 31 for Early Bird pricing $65
Or $80 after Dec. 31 – Jan. 22, 2018
The Rise is a collaborative conference of East Texas Churches who have come together for one weekend to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the youth of our cities and challenge the hearts of even the most mature in their faith. We have nationally known speakers and artists at the Belcher Center for a weekend packed of prayer, devotion, witness, praise and music as well as service and fun. The youth of FUMC will spend the night at our church on Friday and Saturday nights.  On Sunday we will complete our weekend with worship in one of our services. WE only have LIMITED SPOTS; so be sure to get your registration fee soon. Registration forms available in the church office and youth room . Registration includes meals and transportation.

To see more of The Rise go to easttxrise.com 
  
Genesis Sunday School Class
Sock Tree
Each Christmas the Genesis Sunday School Class sponsors the Sock Tree in the Church Office. Your gifts of socks, underwear, gloves, mittens, etc. for preschool and school age children are distributed between Asbury House (children 3-5 years) and The Methodist Home in Waco (children 12-18 years). Please bring your donations to the Church Office and place under the Christmas Tree in the office through December 25 th. Thank you for your support and gifts,
~ Genesis Sunday School Class
In 2018 we 're starting something new!
The Beacon Sunday school class will officially start January 7th and will meet in the Heritage Room. The class is designed for couples and singles who desire to grow in their faith and reconnect with a small group. The name Beacon was chosen because it fits with our vision of growing, serving, and leading. The light in a beacon will only grow if it is tended, just as the light of Christ within us will only grow brighter if we grow in our faith. As that light grows, it has a purpose and that is to serve, just as we are called to serve as part of our faith. A beacon also leads and points the way with the light, just as we are called to lead and point others to the light of Christ. We're excited to start this new opportunity to grow, make new friends, serve, laugh, and cry together, and we look forward to where the light of Christ will lead. For more information contact Hollie Gannon 903-746-7646, Angie Guest 903-738-1794, or Romnie Scott 903-235-4009.
Life Together at FUMC Longview
An Important Word on Stewardship and Discipleship
I am in awe of this church family at Longview FUMC! LeAnn and I have been so warmly welcomed into this church family and feel amazingly blessed to be here. I am sure that Becca and Steven feel similarly. Over these first (almost) six months, we have felt the warmth of your love and support in countless ways. I have also witnessed the faithfulness of this congregation and feel the powerful presence of God in our journey together. The Holy Spirit is breathing afresh on FUMC! Do you feel it? I sure do.

As we prepare to close out this calendar year, we still have some unfinished business to attend to together. We entered into November with almost $150,000 in expenses over giving despite efforts on the staff and leaders to hold expenses to a minimum while offering faithful and impactful ministry. We also have discovered that our beautiful facility requires some much needed restoration next year due to deterioration of our mortar throughout a significant portion of our facility, especially around the sanctuary, bell tower, and old education building. This has been estimated to run close to one million dollars. Yet, once this has been identified the trustees, finance committee, and administrative council have unanimously endorsed complete restoration in 2018. This was also unanimously approved at our recent church conference. Amazingly, we have already received gifts or commitments to cover nearly half of this cost through several families’ gracious gifts and the support of the Johnson Foundation. For that, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and thanksgiving!

This leads me to share this important call upon each of us as we close out an amazing year of transition and blessed ministry at FUMC. We need to step up and do all that we can to finish 2017 strong in fully funding our ministry and giving us a strong starting point for next year. To demonstrate my commitment, I am foregoing my Christmas Bonus and making a year-end Christmas gift totaling the equivalent of an additional one-month tithe to support our ministry. Others have already made gifts above their pledged giving to support our ministry. I hope and pray that each you will consider how you can support our ministry in a special way as Christmas approaches. 

Our current plan for the mortar restoration is to use whatever funds that we have donated to defray the costs for as long as possible during the restoration process. After those funds are exhausted, we will utilize a low-interest loan to cover the additional costs. After we have an opportunity to evaluate facility needs to further our ministry together, we will develop a proposal and plan for a future capital campaign to pay off any indebtedness incurred from the mortar restoration, along with these future capital improvements to further our ministry to be A Beacon of Hope for All.

I welcome your prayers, your faithful attendance, your financial support, and your selfless service as we move forward in this endeavor. I am personally happy to answer questions or discuss possibilities, as are any of our leaders, in the days ahead.
                                                                                               Blessings,
                                                                                               Jay
End of Year Giving
If you would like your church tithes and offerings to count for 2017 it must be postmarked by December 31 or brought to the church office before that date! Please be aware that the church office will be closed Friday, December 29th!
You can also place your gift in the offering at worship on Sunday, December 31 (10 a.m. Faith Matters).

Please DO NOT leave any checks or envelopes taped to or slipped under the church office doors! We cannot guarantee it will be received safely this way.

If you have any other questions please feel free to contact our Finance Director, Ann Fogle at 903-753-4463 ext.134 or email her at afogle@longviewfumc.org.
We know that small groups, Bible studies, and Sunday school classes are having some awesome Christmas parties! Share how you are celebrating the season with your church family by going to our Facebook page- LongviewFUMC - and sharing stories or pictures!
For Your Calendar
December 20
Youth Christmas Party
5:30 p.m.
Faith Center

December 22
Church Office Closed

December 24
Combined Worship Service
10 a.m.
Sanctuary
(No Sunday School)

Children's Christmas Service
4 p.m.
Sanctuary

Come and Go Communion
5-6 p.m.
Chapel

Candlelight and Communion Service
7 p.m.
Sanctuary

Candlelight and Communion Service
11 p.m.
Chapel
Enter at Whaley Street

December 25
Church Office Closed

December 26
Church office Closed

December 29
Church office Closed

December 31
Combined Worship Service
10 a.m.
Faith Matters
(No Sunday School)

January 1
Church Office Closed

January 10
Wednesday Night Supper Resumes
Spring Studies Begin
First United Methodist Church of Longview
400 N. Fredonia St. Longview, Texas 75601
Tel-(903) 753.4463
Fax-(903) 236.7608