This Week's QUICK LINKS:
RSVP to this worship this Sunday in the Sanctuary: 8:00AM
RSVP for Worship in Maxwell Hall: 9:15AM
Virtual Attendance Pad for December 6th HERE
Looking for the online pledge card?: Click HERE
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I have been thinking a lot about the past this week. Not necessarily desiring to return to the way things were, but in the way that helps me learn from the stories of the people who have gone before me. Don't get me wrong, I could easily look around at our world and find myself, and sometimes do, wondering when things will return to the way they were.
But then I think about the people who came before me and the way they looked at the world around them. Today, I am thinking about my grandfather, Ben Carmichael Sr. I grew up going to his house and sitting at his feet, or by his side, as he told stories about my family. I miss hearing those stories today and wish that I had written them all down. But one lesson I learned from him, that I am not sure he knew he taught me, was about looking forward and not back. In about 1965, three of the most important people in his life, his parents, and his wife, died within months of each other. In all the stories he told us, I did not know this until we were planning his funeral after his death.
My grandfather never seemed to focus on the hard things in life, the trauma, or the tragedy, he just kept moving forward. In the midst of chaos, five children and a limited support system, my grandfather found a way to provide for his family, to love his family, and to raise his family. Did he do everything perfectly, no no one could, but he did it with love, care and persistence.
Advent is a time for preparing for what is to come, a time of moving forward toward Christmas and a life changed by Christ. As we get ready for worship on Sunday, I want you to reflect on the lessons you have learned in your life. What lessons keep your moving forward sharing love with those around you?
Blessings,
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This Sunday in Worship at Memorial... Join us at one of our three worship opportunities: online at 11:00AM or, if you RSVPed, at 8:00AM in the Sanctuary, or Worship in Maxwell Hall at 9:15AM. Watch the video at left to learn more!
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*if the service is full, you can sign up for the wait list of sign up for the following week
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Access the worship guide for the December 6th, 11:00AM
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You'll also receive a special Enews with the link and can watch it via YouTube if you do not have a Facebook account. |
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Memorial’s Longest Night worship reminds us that the Christ child comes as a sign of hope even in the face of uncertainty or despair. This peaceful worship service will premiere on Facebook live at 6:00PM on Sunday, December 20th.
The following day, Monday, December 21st, First Presbyterian has invited us to continue through the longest night with an interactive prayer station event from 3:00PM - 6:00PM outside their church (across the street from Maxwell Hall).
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Join the Pastors for a Wednesday morning Advent Class this December
Wednesdays during Advent will bring a unique weekly offering. Using the Advent book The Light of the World: A Beginner’s Guide to Advent by Professor and Biblical Scholar Amy-Jill Levine as our guide, we will discuss advent and seek to learn together. You are invited to join our weekly Facebook Live conversation at 11:00AM on Wednesday mornings in December. If you can’t catch it at 11:00AM, feel free to log on and watch later. If you would like read along with us we have a few copies in the office, or you can purchase your own. For more information contact Pastor Carrie.
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Surviving the Holidays: On December 10th, at 5:00PM we will have a workshop called “Surviving the Holidays. This 90-minute workshop features a video followed by discussion and is designed for those who are experiencing grief in this holiday season as a way of supporting one another and learning tools to cope with the challenges of this season. The workshop will be led by Pastor Drew and will be done through Zoom. Please reserve your spot at rsvp@mumconline.com.
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Sundays:
New Testament: Chronological Reading
Study with Andy Foote, Via ZOOM
Yokefellows Class
with Carol Carroll, via ZOOM
Youth Group
5:00PM at Memorial
Tuesdays
Mom's ConneXion Group,
9:30AM at Amelia Island Coffee
The Gift of the Nutcracker
with Dr. Joan
2:00PM in the Multipurpose Room
Wednesdays
Light of the World
with the pastors
Wednesday Night Classes, 6:00PM
Lessons From Scrooge/Faithlinks with Carrie Mac
Book of Revelation with Pastor Charlie
Out from Obscurity, Pastor Alyce
(Pastor Carrie will send out code and password to those who RSVP)
Thursdays
Men's Bible Study
with Dave Bowers, 7:00AM, in the Multipurpose Room
Lunch & Learn, "Love is the Way",
via ZOOM, 11:30AM
with Pastor Carrie
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Did you see our pastors' Keeping Connected
videos this week?
This week, our pastors answer the three questions Pastor Charlie asked in his sermon on Sunday.
1) Where have you been seeing God at Work in these days?
2) What are some of the things that help you hold on to hope?
3) What is the work that you are being called to in these times?
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We had so much fun at our drive thru "Kickoff to Christmas" event this past Sunday evening! It was wonderful to see so many happy faces and we are so thankful for all the gifts for the Florida United Methodist Children's Home that you brought in! Here's just a few pictures from that night! |
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Did you know that you can look up videos on our Memorial Supported Mission any time you want on YouTube? Click HERE to find our playlist of Mission Videos and find out more about how your givings and efforts support these wonderful missions!
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"A Way A Week"
With Sarah Flint
Welcome to “A Way-a-Week,” where, on behalf of Memorial’s Creation Care Team, I’ll be offering information and actions that can help us to explore our spiritual connection to creation and our religious responsibility to partner with our Creator in caring for this beautiful planet.
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This Week:
This week you get double tips since I took a break for Thanksgiving. These tips are lifted directly out of the December newsletter posted on the “National UMC Creation Justice” Facebook group, an excellent resource for those who are passionate about creation stewardship and climate justice.
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With COVID more of us will be doing our Christmas shopping online. Turn your shopping green by exploring companies that are environmentally focused, that give back a percentage of profits to environmental organizations, and that have ethical practices, as well as great products that won’t quickly end up in a landfill. If you want some ideas, visit westendumc.org/green-giving-guide.
Shipping boxes easily recycle because cardboard is clean, easy to reprocess, and every ton of it that's reclaimed saves 17 trees. Simply break the boxes down flat so that they don’t take up so much room in the recycling trucks that they require extra trips, use up more energy, and eat up the good you hoped for by recycling in the first place.
Grateful for this beautiful planet,
Sarah, “Green Geek”
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Shop Memorial's Alternative Christmas Mission Fair
Support the missions of Memorial at our Alternative Christmas Mission Fair. Click HERE to find the flyer with descriptions of each of our missions, contact information if you would like to get involved or learn more, as well as some suggested donations to give as a non-material gift this Christmas season.
When you have selected the missions you would like to support, fill our the donation form and return it with your donation. You can either send it to the Partin Center (601 Centre Street, Fernandina Beach FL, 32034) by December 19th or stop by our in-person Alternative Christmas Fair on December 12th from 9:00AM-1:00PM in conjunction with the Fernandina Beach Farmers’ Market on North 7th Street. We hope you will stop by and talk with some of our missions partners then.
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Stop by our in-person Alternative Christmas Fair on December 12th from 9:00AM-1:00PM in conjunction with the Fernandina Beach Farmers’ Market on North 7th Street.
Givings to the Alternative Christmas Mission Fair make great gifts to friends and loved one. Give a donation to a mission in their honor.
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Your financial giving is still very important to our church.
You should have received your stewardship commitment card for 2021. If you did not, you can download one HERE
or you can use our ONLINE pledge form
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Give a Year-End Gift to the General Operating Budget at Memorial As you consider your year-end donation to Memorial please remember:
· Checks delivered to the Partin Center, or received in the mail BEFORE January 1st, 2021, will be deposited and posted in December 2020 and reported as a 2020 contribution.
· Checks postmarked after December 31st will be reported as a 2021 payment. If you deliver or mail your check before year end and intend for it to be deposited and reported on your statement as a payment in 2021, please date your check in January 2021 and note it is a 2021 payment.
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Ways to GIVE @Memorial
Electronically:
In Person:
- drop boxes in Maxwell Hall
- mail slot at the Partin Center
Through the Mail:
- 601 Centre St., Fernandina Beach, Fl 32034
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Are you feeling worn out? Frustrated? Lonely? Scared? In need of someone to talk to? Our Stephen Ministers are here to help. Memorial has a great team of Stephen Ministers who are extensively trained and gifted to help walk with you through this challenging season of life. Stephen Ministers meet with people one-on-one to provide spiritual care and comfort. To request a Stephen Minister, contact Pastor Drew or the Church office.
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Pastor Alyce is also available by appointment for pastoral counselling via phone. You can contact Pastor Alyce by calling: 850-544-482
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The Sanctuary and Chapel are Open for times of personal prayer two days a week. Mondays will be only for those ages 65 and over, from 10:00AM - 12:30PM. Wednesdays are open to all from 10:00AM-12:30PM.
Please pre-register your spot by calling the church office (904-261-5769) or signing up online HERE.
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Need to Add Something to our weekly Prayer List?
If you would like to add something to our prayer list, there are a few ways to do that. You can email it to Pastor Drew or call the church office. You can use our weekly virtual attendance pad which has a spot to include prayers. You can also leave prayer requests on the community feed during our live 11:00AM worship service. If your prayer request is something you want to keep more private (only for our pastors or for our prayer team) please email or call the church or add it to the virtual attendance pad and be sure to note that you would appreciate privacy.
Our weekly prayer list is available in the Monday Connect, on the mumconline.com/connect page, or in the front office.
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Many of us have been on this extreme rollercoaster of emotions that has serious highs and lows, and also takes unexpected turns. Is it okay to feel like this? Are there healthy ways of dealing with and working through your emotions? What do the scriptures say about our emotions? Over the next three weeks we will take time to answer these important questions and look at how we can embrace our emotions as we deal with them.
5:00 - 7:00PM - Meet in Maxwell Hall
Week 1 - Where is God when I hurt (November 23rd)
Week 2 - Finding relief from anxiety (December 6th)
Week 3 - Angry? Jesus got Angry too. (December 13th)
Week 4 - Lost in Sadness? Find JOY Again (December 20th)
We will have food, games, teaching, small groups and lots of fun together. Make sure you come this week.
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The Bridge Meets SUNDAY, December 13th at 3:00PM for a special Christmas party! Bring a Christmas Mask or Christmas socks for a gift exchange! Contact Pastor Carrie with questions. |
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Delegates discuss mapping new church vision
“We must definitely learn to do things differently because what we’ve done there has brought us to, well, you all know to where,” said the veteran delegate about the denomination’s top lawmaking assembly.
Read more
www.umnews.org
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Salvaging Christmas amid coronavirus concerns | United...
United Methodists aren't thrilled about observing Advent and Christmas seasons amid COVID-19, but many are looking at ways to safely add personal interaction to virtual worship. "It's very challenging," said the Rev. Sheron C. Patterson, senior...
Read more
www.umnews.org
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Commentary: Hope is the flame that must carry us forward
Much like how this year has felt, we once again find ourselves in a season of anticipation and waiting. What What will the world and our country look like in January?...
Read more
www.flumc.org
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Let There Be Light! - Cathedral District Jacksonville
Opens with Churches Lit Up, Bells Ringing, Live Nativity Scene and Holiday Music Join us every night from Nov. 27-Dec. 31, 2020 f or a self-guided driving tour of the Cathedral District's historic churches & landmark buildings, i lluminated with...
Read more
cathedraldistrict-jax.org
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The United Methodist Church has its own news service! Methodist New Service website, umnews.org,
or the Florida Conference Website, flumc.org.
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