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!

The church office will be closed December 25 through January 1. Wednesday evening programming resumes January 10. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2024!!

STUDENT MINISTRY UPDATE

Midwinter Retreat

February 23-25

All youth are invited to join us February 23-25 for the Midwinter Retreat at Glen Lake Camp. It's a fun event you don't want to miss! Click here to register as an individual. When you check out, choose "pay by check," and we will contact you about payment. Deadline to register is December 30; payment due January 10. Email Shannon Reynolds with questions.

** Reminder: No activities at The Quad December 20-January 6. We will begin our new Sunday School series Half Truths by Adam Hamilton on January 7 at 10am. And we'll meet back at The Quad January 7 from 5-7pm for our first Sunday Funday of 2024! Wednesday evening activities will resume January 10 with our new Bible Study Don't Believe Your Eyes by Brock Gill.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE

We have a wonderful team of ushers, but we need more volunteers for the 11:00 service. This involves being friendly, arriving 15 minutes before the service, handing out bulletins, recognizing new faces, collecting the offering and picking up pew pads after the service. On the job training is available! If you are interested or need more information please email Scott Sadler at jscottsadler@aol.com.

ADULT MISSION TRIP

February 4-8, 2024

Each year there are about 100 natural disasters in the US. These include wildfires, floods, droughts, heat waves, cold waves, tornadoes and hurricanes. Last year the cost of natural disasters was $152 billion, and countless people were left homeless and without possessions as a result.

The Mission Center in Conroe, a mission of the Texas Conference, responds to such disasters with pre-assembled kits that serve immediate needs. They include flood buckets, hygiene kits, and adult and child backpacks. In 2023 Aledo UMC made 3 trips to Conroe and volunteers helped prepare 1,763 relief kits valued at $100,491. We are doing God’s

work in Conroe!

If you would like to be part of this critical mission, please join us for four days in Conroe.

• February 4 – 8, 2024
• No trip fee; individual expenses are hotels and meals
• Sign up in the Narthex; deadline is January 14th or when filled

Can’t go this time? You can support the mission team by donating supplies for the emergency kits. Watch the eNews for a list of needed items. For more information, contact Alicia Henze arhenze@aol.com or Peggy Badlato pbadlato@att.net.

JAVA & JESUS

Thursdays, 9:00-11:00am, Gathering Room

New series begins January 11

Calling all busy moms! Take a couple hours out of your week and join us for fellowship and Bible study! New 6-week series Starved by Amy Seiffert invites us to leave the chaos of the world and find out what truly feeds our souls. Childcare is provided, and no reading is required. For more info, contact Trudy Smith.

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.

December 25 - No meeting

January 1 - No meeting

January 8 - 2 Peter 1:19-21

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

If you would like to help feed our neighbors, we are currently short of the following items: *URGENT NEED

Rice (1 lb. bags or boxes)*

Cornbread mix*

Tuna Helper

Canned pasta sauce*

Canned chili

Vienna sausage

Canned ravioli

Canned spaghetti

Canned pears

Canned mixed fruit

Canned peaches

We are very well stocked with all other items.

We appreciate your faithful support of this ministry! Please no glass jars, bottles, or other breakable containers, and we cannot accept items past their expiration dates. Donations may be placed in the marked bin in the Narthex. Thank you!

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.