new & upcoming at LUMC!
HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURE

The church office will be closed Friday, December 31. Happy New Year!
IMPORTANT END-OF-YEAR FINANCE INFO

earn free money for LUMC!

Now is the time to sign up for recurring giving—and never have to remember to tithe again! For every new recurring gift initiated by December 31, our giving partner, ShelbyNext Giving, will match the gift up to $50 with a maximum match of $1,000 for LUMC. Recurring giving allows you to be faithful and consistent in your generosity, and creates an even flow of money to the church. To sign up, go to https://lenexaumc.org/give/, select “click here to give online” and follow the instructions. Recurring gifts can be used to support the Operating Budget, the Kitchen Remodel Project, or any mission you are passionate about. To be eligible for the matching gift, more than one installment must be set up and the first recurring gift must be transacted by December 31, 2021. Thank you for your help!
end-of-year giving & charitable deductions

To take a charitable deduction in 2021, the church must receive your contribution by December 31, 2021 (or it must be postmarked by December 31). For items dated in 2021, but received after January 1, the postmark will determine whether it is considered a 2021 or 2022 contribution. If you have any questions about where you stand on your estimate of giving for 2021, please contact Linda Stokes in the church office at (913) 888-5600 or via email.
The January 2022 issue of the Messenger is available now!

Pick up a copy at church—or read or download it online.
MIXED NUTS NEEDS YOUR HELP!

The young adult MIXED NUTS mission team is headed to Texas on January 2 to help with disaster relief. Participation fees will cover most of the cost of rental vehicles, gas, food, and lodging, but not the cost of our building materials. We would like to head to Texas with $1,000 to $1,500 earmarked for drywall supplies and materials. If you are interested in donating to this effort, please drop your donation in the offering plate or call the church office to give online. Thank you for considering financial support for MIXED NUTS!
SAVING GRACE
January–February

Lenexa United Methodist Church invites you to look at Money Management from a faith perspective. How do we, as Christians, create healthy relationships with money and possessions?

Saving Grace: A Guide to Financial Well-Being, adapted from the best-selling Freed-up Financial Living curriculum from Good Sense, provides the text and tools you need to address the topics of saving, earning, giving, spending, and debt, along with helpful strategies for achieving a sustainable financial life.

Courses begin in January and run for 6 weeks. We currently plan to offer the following days/times:

Wednesdays, 10 a.m., January 5 – February 9
Thursdays, 6:30 p.m., January 6 – February 10
Sundays, 6:30 p.m., January 9 – February 13

Tuesdays, 7:00 p.m. via Zoom, January 11–February 15

Sign up for the time that best fits your schedule on the table outside the sanctuary or by contacting the church office at office@lenexaumc.org or (913) 888-5600. The participant workbook is $16.50 and an optional devotional book is $10. But don’t let money be an obstacle—the cost of the books will be underwritten for those who need it.
MEN'S GROUP
Sunday, January 8 | 8 a.m. | Wesley Room

Men's Group meets on the 2nd Saturday of each month for discussions and presentations of interest to Christian men of all ages. All men are invited to attend! The January Methodist Men’s meeting will feature a presentation by Van Rose entitled “Coaching and the Calculus Classroom”. If you'd like notifications about meetings or have questions, contact Chuck Sheppard at shepcr@sbcglobal.net.
EPIPHANY SPAGHETTI LUNCH
Sunday, January 9

Come join us in Schneeberger following the 10:30am service for a spaghetti lunch on behalf of our Youth group! Thank you for supporting us throughout the year and we hope you’ll join us! The meals will be prepared in a to-go style.
GOD AND CHURCH
February 6–May 1 | Sundays | 2–3:30 p.m.

We will be teaching God and Church class at LUMC Sunday afternoons from February 6–May 1. God and Church is normally a program that helps young people grow in their faith through the Boy Scouts, but this session is open to all youth in 6th–8th grade. For more information and to register online, visit lenexaumc.org/godandchurch. Registration closes on January 19.
IN-PERSON WORSHIP
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In-person worship takes place in the sanctuary at 9 and 10:30 a.m.

Masks are strongly recommended indoors. If you plan on attending in person, we encourage you to read all our COVID safety protocols at https://lenexaumc.org/covid/.



LIVESTREAM WORSHIP
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For those who'd like to worship from home, we livestream both the 9 and 10:30 services. Please tune in at facebook.com/LenexaUMC/live!
Missed last week's service?
this Sunday's worship
JANUARY 2
EPIPHANY SUNDAY
"Taking Care of Christmas Leftovers”
Luke 2:22–40

Simeon and Anna saw and they believed, they saw and worshipped, they saw and lived in that grace they experienced from that child, they saw and continued to serve God through others. These marvelous people, these leftovers, are a fine example for us of how God continues to reveal himself to the leftovers of society.

Pastor Ezekiel Koech preaching.
COMMUNION SUNDAY

The congregation comes up the center aisle to receive communion. Servers wear gloves to hand out bread and prepackaged juice cups. Those who wish to continue taking communion with the wafer in the cup instead of receiving bread are welcome to do so. After receiving the elements, you may kneel at the communion rail or return to your seat to consume the elements. Those worshiping at home can either supply their own bread and juice or pick up prepackaged elements at the church office or during the Dinner’s On Us drive-thru the Wednesday before from 5:30–6:30 p.m.
ongoing events & announcements
VOLUNTEERS WANTED!

Greeters & Ushers
Can you help as a greeter or usher during worship? We have several positions open. Please consider volunteering once a month if you are able to.

To volunteer to be an usher or greeter, visit our SignUpGenius page:
Youth Volunteers

We’re always needing volunteers to help with Sunday School and Youth Group! Please contact Teila Creekmore if you’re interested! We would love for you to join us!

FOOD PANTRY

The food pantry is in need of toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, body wash, women's deodorant, granola bars, and fruit snacks.

Please bring your donations to the gray bins outside of the church office.
ALTAR FLOWERS

The 2022 Altar Flower Calendar is on the bulletin board outside the office. You may also sign-up by calling or emailing the church office. You may sign up to bring flowers to commemorate a special occasion or in memory of a loved one.
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL

Everyone is welcome to join any of our classes!

9 AM:
Pathfinders: Asbury Room
Spectrum: Room 122
Foundations: Room 119 and via Zoom

10:15 AM:
Dashers: Asbury Room

10:30 AM:
YAC—Young Adult Conversations: The Underground

Find the class that is the best fit for you! Contact the church office for more information, including Zoom links to participate from home.
ZOOM BIBLE STUDY
Thursday evenings | 7–8 p.m.

All are welcome to participate in a weekly zoom Bible study led by Fiske Miles. We'll take this week off, then—after the beginning of the year— start reading across the gospels in parallel as they fit together, a few chapters at a time. Each gospel includes a chapter or two about John and the baptism of Jesus, so we'll start with that on Thursday, January 6. Email Fiske for more information.

We hope you can join us!

DRIVE-THRU DINNER'S ON US!
Wednesdays | 5:30–6:30 p.m.

We're serving you curbside at Dinner's On Us, our weekly free meal!

Enter the lot on the northwest side of our property and we will serve you from the front of the education building. Spread the word to your friends and neighbors!

menu options:
#1: pulled pork sandwich, chips, and a cookie
#2: PB & J sandwich, chips, and a cookie
Contact Wayne Dothage or Lisa Freeman to volunteer as a server/baker.

connect with us!
Connect with other members via Facebook—though we may not see each other in person as often, our LUMC community is active online and as welcoming as ever!

Lenexa United Methodist Church

Office Hours: 9 a.m.–3 p.m. | Monday–Friday
Church Office Phone: (913) 888–5600

Preschool Office Phone: (913) 888–6300