The church office will be CLOSED next week, November 20-24. We hope you all enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving!

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

Sunday, December 24, Sanctuary

• 10:00am, Fourth Sunday in Advent Communion Service
• 5:00pm, Family Nativity Service
• 7:00pm & 9:00pm, Traditional Candlelight Service

We hope you are making plans to celebrate the birth of Christ with us at Aledo United Methodist Church! As the Advent Season approaches, please watch the eNews and Sunday bulletins for information about upcoming events, and mark your calendars for one of our Christmas Eve services.

POINSETTIA SALES

November 5 through November 19

Let's fill the Sanctuary with beautiful flowers for Advent! Poinsettias may be ordered at the Connection Center for $30 (10-inch) or $20 (6-inch) each, through November 19th. Those who purchase plants are invited to take them home after the Christmas Eve services.

HANGING OF THE GREENS AND CHILI COOK-OFF

Sunday, December 3, 5:30pm

Our annual Deck the Halls Chili Cook-off judging begins at 4:30pm, followed by dinner at 5:30pm and the Hanging of the Greens worship service at 6:30pm. Children and youth have special roles during the service. Sign up at the Connection Center today! For more information, contact Alisa Davis at 817-584-2382.



**Note**To be judged and eligible for a prize, chili must be at the church by 4:30pm.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

December 2, 9am-10:30am, MAC

Come enjoy a delicious breakfast, make fun crafts, and of course, visit with Santa! To volunteer, email teresa@aledoumc.org.

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT EXCHANGE

Monday, December 4, 6-8pm

Ladies, it's time to bring back an Aledo UMC holiday tradition! Mark your calendars and bring a friend to this year's Christmas ornament exchange. We will meet at Sara Reed's home: 1301 Saddle Trail in Willow Park. Bring a wrapped holiday ornament ($20 max) and a dessert or appetizer to share. Drinks will be provided. Please RSVP no later than December 3rd at the Connection Center. Text or call Sara Reed at 817-723-4409 with any questions. Hope to see you there!

PERRYTON MISSION TRIP

December 11-14

Aledo UMC members are preparing for another trip to Perryton, TX to aid with tornado recovery. If you are interested in going, please sign up at the Connection Center, and be sure to provide your contact info. We have arranged for a special rate at the hotel and will provide tax exempt forms to help minimize the cost. Travel is on your own, and it is not required to stay for the entire trip. Any time you can give will help! This will be an ongoing mission for our church, so if you can't make it this time, there will be another opportunity in the future. Thank you!

FREEDOM HOUSE ANGEL TREE

November 12 through December 3

Thank you to all who selected angels from the Freedom House Angel Tree! Please remember to return all gifts to AUMC, unwrapped, no later than December 3rd. Items for each child should be together in one bag, with the corresponding angel attached.

HOPE & ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Sunday, November 19, 6:30pm, Fellowship Hall

When you are dealing with grief, the holidays can seem daunting. Join us for coffee and dessert, as we explore ways to cope with upcoming holidays, celebrate our lost loved ones, and find hope in Christ. Find encouragement at this informal gathering hosted by our Congregational Care team. Contact trudysmith@aledoumc.org for more information.

JAVA & JESUS

Thursdays, 9:00am, Gathering Rm

Drop off the kiddos at school and join us every Thursday for Java & Jesus, a time to meet with other moms and share life! We seek to grow in our faith through fellowship, a shared devotion, and a good cup of coffee! Childcare provided. Contact trudysmith@aledoumc.org for info and to let us know if you're bringing children!

MEN'S DEVOTIONAL BREAKFAST

Mondays, 7:30am, MAC Center



Men, start your week with a brief devotional, led by David Stubbs. Burritos and coffee will be served. This is an opportunity to meet new people and decompress. The goal is for those not retired, to get back on the road by 8:15, at the latest. A donation of $5 is asked to cover the cost.

November 20 - Isaiah 40:28-31

November 27 - Romans 12:3-8

ADVOCATS ANGEL PROJECT

This year we will once again be collecting donations of wrapping paper, tape and bows for the AdvoCats Angel Project. Please place items in the marked bin in the Narthex. Donations will be collected through Sunday, December 3rd.

BOB BULL'S COAT DRIVE

December 3 through January 31

During December and January we will be collecting gently-used coats to be distributed by Beautiful Feet in Fort Worth. All sizes are needed, children through adult! Please make sure coats are clean and in “working order”.

MANNA ROOM FOOD PANTRY

Thank you for your generous donations to the Manna Room! Due to a large donation from the Aledo ISD food drive, the Manna Room is very well stocked at this time. New lists will be published as needs arise. Again, thank you for all you do to support this ministry!

SUPPORT GROUPS FOR AREAS OF LIFE

Our groups are open to adults in our community who are experiencing daily challenges.

• Alzheimer's Support Group & Kaleidoscope - meets the second Thursday of each month at 1:00pm.
• Cancer Support Group - meets the second Tuesday of each month
• Caring Hearts/Stephen Ministers - offer compassionate and confidential prayer, support, and encouragement

For more information on any of these groups go to our Ministry Page at CLICK HERE.