December 14, 2018
Paradise Valley United Methodist Church
TONIGHT: Christmas Wonderland and Family Movie The Star
Join us TONIGHT at 6 pm for Christmas Wonderland featuring a family Christmas movie, The Star. Santa and his elves will be there too, for visits and crafts. Skip the mall and hang out with your church family. We'll even have free pizza and popcorn!
Pastor's Message

  Dear Friend in Faith,

These weeks of Advent, we have been reading from the prophet Isaiah about God’s hope for us. Isaiah talks about the birth of a child who embodies and represents some remarkable qualities of God: wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace. In ancient Israel, Kings were usually seen as carrying divine power. In the church, this passage helps us shape our hope about what Christ brings to us and our weary world.

Jesus talks often about God as a father, which draws upon some important imagery and understanding of God that we see in the Hebrew Scriptures. In fact, Jesus refers to God using the term “abba”, best translated as “daddy.” This is an intimate term, one that gives us a sense of comfort and caring. This title invites a tender and close relationship with God. It makes me think of God as a loving parent who cares for us, who protects and watches over us. We envision God as a generously loving parent who is always available. We think of what children need in a parent: a relationship of trust,...


Christmas Wonderland / The Star
TONIGHT, Friday, December 14 , you're invited to bring your family to church for a Christmas Wonderland! We'll have hot cocoa, cookies, pizza, popcorn, Christmas crafts, and Santa and his elves! Spend time together with your church family and watch The Star (PG), a delightful animated movie about the first Christmas. We may not have snow, but we'll have fun!

Sunday Worship at PVUMC
Paradise Valley United Methodist Church (PVUMC) invites you to worship with us at 8, 9:30 or 11 am this Sunday. Pick up a few business card sized Christmas Eve invitations after worship this Sunday, and invite a friend or neighbor to join you for a Christmas Eve service.


Download your Looking Ahead for this Sunday and see what's on the schedule for this week. We include news and events as well as Prayers of Intercession so you can pray for others.

Check our Calendar Online
See the website calendar at pvumc.org/calendar for all our children's, youth and adult activities, during the week and all year long.

Prayer Requests
 Submit prayer requests using our online request form, email prayer@pvumc.org or call the church office at 602.840.8360. Your request will be shared with our 200+ list of prayer warriors on email. If you haven't been receiving prayers, and are already on the prayer team list, please make sure you add " prayer@pvumc.org" and our new prayer chain coordinator's email, " ddoran@pvumc.org" to your safe sender and recipient lists. To make sure the E-News gets to you, add " paradisevalleyumc@gmail.com" to your email list of safe recipients.
Pre-Order Syrian Sweets Sunday; Gifts Delivered December 23
This Sunday morning, Syrian Sweets Exchange will have bakers on campus taking holiday pre-orders for Christmas goodies. Sample items and order this week and have your sweets delivered to the church next Sunday, December 23 , just in time for Christmas! Gift boxes range from $15 to $50. Cash is preferred.
PVUMC has supported Syrian refugees through its RAFT (Refugee Assistance and Friendship Teams) program since 2016. Last October, our church hosted a Syrian Sweets event, and plans to do it again in 2019. Bake sales generate income for the bakers and introduce Syrian families to the wider community. Proceeds from the bake sales go directly to the families of the bakers to help them pay for living expenses.
Give Gifts of Shelter, Food and More to Families at UMOM
UMOM Holiday Tribute Cards are the perfect Christmas gift for family and friends as we remember the birth of a child needing shelter so long ago. Cards range from $15 for a day of meals to $360 for a month of shelter. Stop by the patio table after worship this Sunday to purchase yours. PVUMC Member Marge Dennis is also collecting Christmas stamps to help families served by UMOM stay in touch with loved ones during the holidays. Leave your donations in the small gift bags in the chapel and sanctuary. Thank you!
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Welcome Donte Ford, New Assistant Music Director
The church is pleased to welcome Donte Ford as our new Assistant Music Director. You may have already seen him at the PVUMC Christmas Concert last Sunday, playing bells, singing, conducting and even playing the drums. He has several degrees, including an Master's of Divinity, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Musicology with a minor in Choral conducting at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Read more about his background on our website.
Christmas Missions Offering
Paradise Valley United Methodist Church supports three missions with donations to its Christmas Missions Offering:

  • PVUMC Emergency Relief Fund
  • UMOM New Day Centers
  • Wesley Community and Health Center

You can donate online at GIVE NOW. Choose “Christmas Missions” from the drop-down menu. There is also an option for “Christmas-General Fund.” If you would like to designate to just one or two of the missions, please type your designations in the comments section, or leave as is so we can divide your gift evenly among all three. Should you decide NOT to donate online, we invite you to use the special offering envelopes in the pew pockets. Thank you for giving generously during the holiday season. You are God's love in action!

Serendipities Shop & Share
Shop at Serendipities, the church gift shop, on Sundays and Tuesdays in December and designate 30 percent of your purchase proceeds to one or more local missions that the church supports:
  • Audrey's Angels
  • Mingus Mountain Camp
  • PVUMC Preschool
  • UMOM
  • Wesley Community Center
Open extended hours Sundays, 9 am-12:30 pm, and Tuesdays, 10 am-1:30 pm.

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  Did You Miss the Sermon Last Week? Listen online.
If you missed last week's sermon, you can listen online at LISTEN: Previous Sermons.

Matching Gift Challenge
We invite you to give generously to your church this holiday season. PVUMC has a 2018-2019 faith budget of $194,000 to fill over and above normal giving and we need your help to close the gap. A church member has generously offered to match up to $55,000 of faith budget contributions made during the fiscal year to make this goal more reachable. Please consider making a special gift now. Every single dollar raised will help the church fulfill its mission to be God’s love in action. Your donations will double the impact we have to be an all-embracing, all-engaging church in the community. Can we count on you to help us reach our goal? Thank you for your generous spirit now and in the new year.

To make your donation online, visit GIVE NOW, choose "General Fund" from the drop-down menu, and include "Faith Budget Challenge" in the comments section.

NOTE: Childcare is availa ble with a 48-hour reservation for all our
events and classes on campus. Call 602.840.8360, ext 134.