Christmas Comes No Matter What
By Reverend Ken Sauer
A contentious presidential campaign. A school bus crash that killed 6 young
children. A shooting at Hamilton Place Mall. I could go on and on. There can
be no doubt that our world is fraught with pain and disappointment, and so
was the first Christmas.
Arguably, the best loved Christmas carol that we sing every Christmas Eve is
“Silent Night” in which are the words “all is calm, all is bright.” But think
about it: if all were calm and bright in the world Christmas wouldn’t be necessary.
What’s Inside...
December
Birthdays
2
ERUMC Postal
Service
2
Special Christmas Activities...
3
Ladies
Christmas
Brunch
3
Christmas came because the world is broken. We all wrestle with sin and are
plagued by tragedy. We get confused about what really matters and how we are Christmas Caroling
supposed to live. Jesus was born into the real world—our world—a world
where women and children are brutalized, families go hungry while others
throw food away—a world riddled with sin and evil.
Young At Heart
God came into this world to give us the knowledge that we are loved and that
December
there is hope no matter our situation—no matter our state of confusion. And
Calendar
when we accept Christ as Lord and Savior we are given an inner calm, an inner
peace, an inner joy which surpasses all understanding. We are also given a callA November to
ing. And this calling includes surrounding ourselves with the community of
Remember...
faith (the Church), seeking to follow Christ (becoming disciples), and making a
positive difference in this world (making other disciples for the transformation
of the world).
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4
5
6
About Us...
It is my prayer that we will all experience Real Presence of Christ in our lives
and know that He has forgiven all our sins—even ours—and has called us to be
a holy priesthood.
Please come to our special Christmas activities this year. Attend worship every
Sunday. Come Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Allow Jesus to enter your
heart and bring peace and calm to your life.
I look forward to serving with you this coming month!!!
Your Servant in Christ, Pastor Ken
The United Methodist Women will have their annual Christmas
dinner on December 5th at 6:00 P.M. at Fernandos Restaurant on
Ringgold Road.
If you would like to exchange gifts please bring a $10.00 gift.
Sunday:
9:45 AM Sunday School
10:45 AM Worship
Wednesday:
6:30 PM Bible Study
Pastor:
Rev. Ken Sauer
Phone:
423-892-8451
Email:
[email protected]
ERUMC Postal Service back in action!
December
Birthdays
2nd—Alexis Cope
5th—Rebecca Blackwell
6th—Tanner Salinas
8th—Donna Evatt
8th—Samie Nation
8th— Jim Fry
th
9 —Jeannie Farrow
The New Vision Class will be providing
their traditional in-church Christmas Card
Postal Service beginning Sunday, December 4th and continuing through Sunday,
January 1st.
If you have cards ready to distribute within
our congregation, please put them in the
“mailbox” outside the sanctuary. The New
Vision Class members will make sure the
cards are delivered.
Any donations received by the class will be used for projects adopted by the class. Thanks for your support!
Saturday Housekeeping Helpers
Dec. 3: Terri, Lebron, Butch, Jackie
15th—Ken Klyver
Dec. 10: Jessica, Kelly, Valerie
16th—Madeline Bishop
Dec. 17: Patty, Nikki, Tab. Allison
17th—James Farrow
Dec. 24: Christmas Eve
17th—Kenny Westmoreland
19th—David Evatt
21st—Arlene Lavry
21st—Kellie Thrasher
rd
23 —Brian Hall
25th—Jean Wood
th
26 —Michelle Simpson
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
4: Abigail Scroggs, Caitlyn McSorley
11: Lili Martinez, Haven Martinez
18:Mary Ellen Sauer, Anna Martinez
25: James Shaw, Alexis Shaw
31st—Patty Ireland
31st—Dorothy Thornton
December Ushers
Brandon Emery
Nikki Murdock
Kelly Phillips
Richard Wilson
Page 2
East Ridge Happenings
Special Christmas Activities and Services...
Christmas Movie Night
Saturday, December 10, 6 p.m.
Max Lucado’s “Christmas Child”
Tree of
Remembrance
Gifts of gold leaves
to be placed on the Tree.
Caroling to our Shut-Ins
Sunday, December 11, 4 p.m.
United Methodist Men’s “Ladies” Christmas Brunch
Saturday, December 17, 9 a.m.
Children’s Christmas Program
Saturday, December 17, 6 p.m.
In Memory
of
Pat Murdock
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Saturday, December 24, 7 p.m.
Christmas Worship
Sunday, December 25, 10:45 a.m.
by
Butch and
MaryElla Ortwein
East Ridge United Methodist Men host our annual
Christmas Brunch
for the women of the church!
Ladies, it’s time to allow the men to serve you!
Page 3
East Ridge Happenings
Here we come a-caroling!
Come and make a joyful noise with us as we go caroling to our shut-ins
on Sunday, Dec. 11, beginning at 4:00 p.m.! We will meet at the church
and go caroling as a group,
then return to the church
for a soup dinner. Please
bring your favorite soup to
share! There is a sign-up
sheet for soups
on the church
bulletin board.
Cost is $10.00 per person, Young at Heart will
pay $5.00 for each member. Non-members will pay $10.00.
We will meet at the church at 10:45 A.M.
Page 4
East Ridge Happenings
Mon
Office Open
27
20
13
6
Tue
Office Open
Office Open
Office Open
Office Open
Office Open
Wed
Bible Study 6pm
7
Bible Study 6pm
1
8
30
23
16
9
2
Fri
24
31
Sat
Candlelight
Service 7pm
9:00AM ERUMM
“Ladies Christmas
Brunch”
6PM
Annual Children’s
Christmas Program
17
6PM Movie Night“Christmas Child”
10
3
EA ST RID GE U N ITED METHO D IST
1601 PRATER ROAD
CHATTANOOGA, TN 37412
(423) 892-8451
KEN SAUER, PASTOR
Thu
Office Open
Office Open
15
Office Open
14
29
22
12PM Restaurant Critics’
Lunch
Office Open
Office Open
Office Open
12PM
Young At Heart Christmas
Party, at Dee Pinckard’s
Home
Bible Study 6pm
28
12PM Restaurant Critics’
Lunch
21
Office Open
12PM Restaurant Critics’
Lunch
Office Open
12PM Restaurant Critics’
Lunch
30
December 2016
Sun
5
6PM UMW Christmas Dinner
@ Fernando’s Restaurant
4PM Feeding the Homeless
5:30PM Youth Group
12
4
11
4PM Feeding the Homeless
Office Open
4PM
ERUMC Caroling
19
Office Open
18
4PM Feeding the Homeless
4PM Feeding the Homeless
26
5PM
New Vision
Class Christmas Party
25 Worship—
10:45am
East Ridge Happenings
Page 5
East Ridge Happenings
East Ridge United Methodist Church
www.eastridgeumc.org
Acts 4:32
Pastor:
Rev. Ken Sauer
Office:423-892-8451
[email protected]
[email protected]
A November to Remember... In MemoriamGifts to ERUMC have been received in memory of Pat Murdock
Given byRichard Wilson
Debbie & Walter LaGrange
Belinda Daniel
Minister of Worship and
Administration:
James Fry
423-653-9599
[email protected]
Kelly Phillips
Pam Phillips
Franklin & Charlsie Bradford
Thurman & Jo Wolfe
Treasurer:
Jackie Watson
423-364-1303
[email protected]
Tuesday, November 8, we hosted an
election Welcome Center where we were
able to shake hands and share a cup of
coffee with approximately 400 persons in
our community
The East Ridge Restaurant Critics meet
every Wednesday, 12 Noon, at a different
local eatery.
Danny & SuEllen Sisk
Bill & Janice Jaap
Richard Bassette
Mary Bates
Nancy Crisler
Patricia Mitchell
Gilbert & Sara Bratton
Harold & Samie Nation
Pat Joiner
Gerald & Joan Kastner
East Ridge Cares:
Marcy Hall
423-316-9038
[email protected]
Jean, Jessica and Jillian Cooper
Patty & Brandon Emery
Lebron & Terrie Jones
Al & Lynn Foster
Sandra DiPuccio
Chattanooga District
Rev. Brenda Carroll
District Superintendent
P. O. Box 80353
Chattanooga, TN 3744
(423) 629-0333/0625
[email protected]
Betty Evans
The Youth said “hi” to Fred Ellis as they
visited with some of our shut-ins Sunday,
November 20.
Alice Marie Billingsley teaches the
Confirmation Sunday school class about
the history of East Ridge UMC.
Robert & Janet Barber
A big “thanks” to all who came out to
help decorate the church on November
27.
Thursday, November 17 the “Young at
Heart” had their Thanksgiving luncheon.
Our wonderful Youth had a blast making Christmas ornaments and cards to
take to our shut-ins.
Holston Conference
Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor
P. O. Box 850
Alcoa, TN 37701
(865) 690-4080
About this newsletter: This publication represents members of East Ridge United Methodist
Church. You are invited to email ideas, articles, and photos to [email protected].