James R. King, Jr.
Resident Bishop, South GA Conference
Connectional Ministry Team
Dr. Edwin (Buddy) Cooper
Northwest District Superintendent
Church Ministry Team
Rev. John A. Walker
Senior Pastor
Cathy A. Thompson
Administrative Assistant
Stacey Peavy
Financial Secretary
Lisa Ramsey
Youth Ministry
Ron Newsome
Music Minister
Barbara Woods
Church Organist
The Beacon
“Shining Forth the Glory of God”
November 2014
The
A Publication of the Vienna United Methodist Church
Rev. John Walker, Pastor
313 Church Street Vienna, GA 31092
WORSHIP SERVICE…………...10:00AM
SUNDAY SCHOOL…………….11:00 AM
Email: [email protected]
Web Site: www.viennaumc.org
Rev. John A. Walker, Pastor
Vienna UMC & Shiloh UMC
Editor: Cathy A. Thompson, Administrative Assistant
WORSHIP with US
SHILOH UMC SUNDAY SERVICES
Phone# 229-268-4207
November 2014
VIENNA UMC SUNDAY SERVICES
Courtyard Praise & Worship Services :
every 2nd and 4th Sunday Mornings @ 9 am
SUNDAY SCHOOL …………….9:45AM
WORSHIP SERVICE…………...11:00 AM
VIENNA— SHILOH
UNITED METHODIST CHARGE
313 CHURCH STREET
VIENNA, GA 31092
Return Service Requested
NON PROFIT ORG.
Vienna United Methodist Church
POSTAGE PAID
VIENNA, GA 31092
PERMIT NO. 20
Reconnect
Recommit
Remember
Sunday, November 9, 2014, 11:00 A.M.
Rev. Tommy Mason, Guest Minister
Special Music by the Chancel Choir & Bell Ringers
“Jacob’s Dream” Dramatization by Dooly Disciples
Lunch immediately following the worship service
Vienna UMC
November 9, 2014
Pastor’s Article…………………....page 2
Vienna Calendar ………………...page 5
Opportunities to Serve ………….page 3
Music Minister ………………….page 6
Birthdays……….. …………….…page 4
Shiloh Calendar………………......page 7
T he Beacon
Page 7
2014
Hanging of the Greens
Sunday
As we begin the Christian Year, we also celebrate the Holy Season of Advent. It is a
time when we prepare ourselves for the coming of our Messiah. Advent means “Coming.”
We celebrate these days of Advent in expectation and preparation for Christ’s arrival.
Through the centuries, Christians have observed a time of waiting and expectation
before celebrating the birth of the Savior at Christmas. The Advent season is a time for
reflection and preparation, but its mood is joyful. Advent has been enriched by Christian
tradition to reflect its distinctive Christian meaning. It proclaims the revelation of God’s
love as expressed in Christ’s birth in a humble stable, His sacrificial death on the cross, and
His victorious resurrection! It points to the hope of Christ’s coming again as the King of
kings and Lord of Lords. Advent makes innkeepers out of all of us, asking each of us to
make room for the arrival of Christ The King. Let us, today, begin to prepare Him room in
our hearts, our lives, and our homes.
The most striking and the most universal feature of Christmas is the use of evergreens in churches and homes. Among ancient Romans evergreens were an emblem of
peace, joy, and victory. The early Christians placed them in their windows to indicate that
Christ had entered the home. Holly and ivy, along with pine, and fire are called evergreens
because they never change color. They are ever – green, ever – alive, even in the midst of
winter. They symbolize the unchanging nature of our God, and they remind us of the everlasting life that is ours through Jesus Christ.
In Isaiah 60:13 we find these words: “The Glory of Lebanon shall come unto you,
the fir tree, the pine tree and the box together, to beautify the place of your sanctuary.”
Our forefathers called the procuring of these evergreens, “Bringing home Christmas!”
Please make plans to join us for a soup and sandwich lunch on Nov. 23 rd following 11a.m.
worship in Wesley Memorial Hall. Following lunch we will participate in the Hanging of
Our Greens.
Bro John
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
Prayers of thanks
To give thanks in solitude is enough. Thanksgiving has wings and goes where it must go.
Your prayer knows much more about it than you do.
- Victor Hugo
2
Communion
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
11
12
13
14
15
All Saints Day
Daylight Savings
Ends
9
No Courtyard @
VUMC due to
Dr. Lois
March
HOMECOMING
16
Veterans Day
17
Family Night
Supper 7:30 PM
23
Courtyard
VUMC 9:00 A.M.
30 1st
Sunday of
Advent
24
18
Food Bank
VUMC
25
19
Young at Heart
Luncheon
12:00 Noon
VUMC
Anna Walker
20
21
22
27
28
29
Connie Sewell
26
Thanksgiving
Day
31
Thoughts for Veterans Day
Abraham Lincoln gave his second Inaugural Address on March 4, 1865, as the Civil War was raging. He said, “Fondly
do we hope — fervently do we pray — that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away.”
Lincoln’s next paragraph is especially appropriate for Veterans Day:
“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us
strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the
battle, and for his widow and his orphan — to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among
ourselves, and with all nations.”
When President Lincoln finished his classic oration, he reportedly kissed the Bible and left the platform. He was
assassinated the next month.
Page 3
Worship
From the Director...
Activities & Opportunities
I love this time of the year. For a guy that is slightly bigger than petite, cool weather is a blessing. As the leaves began to turn, we see a palette of colors that points to the greatness of the
God we serve.
With the cool weather comes Thanksgiving. Kids are out of school for two or three days; a big
dinner is planned and it is the traditional start to the Christmas season – although I have seen
Christmas in stores for the last month. What is the real meaning of Thanksgiving?
We can trace our American Christian tradition to the year 1623. After the harvest crops were
gathered in November 1623, Governor William Bradford of the 1620 Pilgrim Colony, “Plymouth
Plantation” in Plymouth, Massachusetts proclaimed: "All ye Pilgrims with your wives and little
ones, do gather at the Meeting House, on the hill… there to listen to the pastor, and render
Thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings."
On November 1, 1777, by order of Congress, the first National Thanksgiving Proclamation was
proclaimed, and signed by Henry Laurens, President of Continental Congress. The third Thursday
of December, 1777 was officially set aside "…for solemn thanksgiving and praise. That
with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of
their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their Divine Benefactor”.
Lay Leader for November: Linda West
Lead Usher for November: Donnie Lane
Greeters for November Anna Walker & Lydia Peavy
Dooly Disciples meet: 4:30 Sunday Afternoons
.
*******************************************
November Flower List
November 2 November 9 November 16 November 23 November 30 -
Janice & Wayne Ward
Laura & James Woodward
Lisa & Donnie Lane
Hanging of the Greens
First Sunday in Advent
Christmas Decorations
Other presidents have made proclamations directing the nation to set aside a time to be thankful
for those blessings they have received. George Washington in 1795 composed his Thanksgiving
Proclamation; Abraham Lincoln in 1865 proclaimed, by Act of Congress, an annual Na-
Sunday
November 23rd
11:00 A.M.
tional Day of Thanksgiving "on the last Thursday of November, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."
Soup & Sandwich
As we approach “Turkey Thursday”, pause for a moment and reflect on the blessings
that you have received this year. Psalms 100:4 tells us, “Enter his gates with
thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
How fitting that as we approach Thanksgiving, we also begin the season of Advent.
We have no greater blessing to celebrate that the birth of our Savior. “Praise God
from whom all blessings flow....”
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Lunch following the
service.
Vienna United Methodist Church
You will love the music and the message a
casual courtyard setting.
UMW Thanksgiving Banquet
Monday, November 17th
6:30 P.M.
Wesley Hall
Turkey & Dressing will be provided.
Bring Covered Dish to Compliment
HOMECOMING @ VIENNAUMC
November 9, 2014
Join US!
Office Staff Direct Email Addresses
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Ron Newsome
The “Courtyard”
Praise and Worship Service Sunday Morning 9:00 a.m. November 23rd
[email protected]
[email protected]
Church email: [email protected]
Rev. John Walker personal: [email protected]
Rev. Tommy Mason will be preaching.
Lunch will be served after Morning Worship.
Please see Benning McGraw to volunteer for
Final job description and plans.
November Birthdays
02 - Phillip Warren
07 - Monty Penn
09 - Benning McGraw
12 - Elaine Hudson
14 - Anne Walker
16 - Marian Bowen, Anne Pinnell, Sam Thompson
20 - Laura Carolyn Woodward
21 - Chad West
23 - Brennen Sewell
24 - Robby Farlett
25 - Jeff Davis
28 - Fay Woodward
Prayer List
Page 4
Jane Mason
SuAnna Hobbs Smith
Bobby Fullerton
Patsy Kinard
Trella Etheridge
Wesley Poole
Dottie Forehand
Laverne Webb
Aleta Atkins
Tammy Kaiser
Sharl Ann Trussell
Brad Wilkin
Glen Jarvis
Jeanine Sewell
Family of Dorothy Stillwell Barlow
Remember our Shut-ins
Dot Morgan, Virginia Rose Cannon, Margaret Coody,
Lillian Harris, Catheryn Green & J.R. Evans.
Anniversaries
03 - Lisa & Donnie Lane
04 - Norma & Danny Posey
20 - Melody & Steve Morgan
22 - Lisa & Mike Ramsey
23 - Jean Marie & Charlie Gregory
28 - Laverne & Henry Ingram
The Lord’s Pantry – November 2014
In October the Lord’s Pantry served 70 households with a total of 127 family members. We had
5 new families. Thanks to the team of Linda West, Cathy Jones, Laura Carolyn Woodward, Pat
Newby, Lisa Ramsey and Luanne Sewell. We welcomed Lisa and hope she will volunteer
again.
We had many volunteers during October who assisted with a variety of LP projects. A special
thanks to Danny Posey, Gary Turner, Bobby Lamb, David Brown and Raymond King who
unloaded the delivery truck while I was out of town. Thanks also to Pat Newby and Laura
Austin who helped me move food. Brad Wilkin and I picked up approximately 70 cases of donated food from JAG in Cordele. Also, thanks to Brad for working on the storage shelving.
The November 18 team includes Debra Wilkes, Sally Sangster, Anne Pinnell and June Johnston. Since November is usually our busiest month we could use 1-2 extra volunteers. If you are
available, please let me know.
The Wilkin family will sponsor the November Goody Basket. The November basket is always
given to Mr. Ernest Brown. This gentleman has helped at the food bank every month for years
and this is a special way to thank him for his assistance.
We are in need of recyclable shopping bags. If you have extra we would appreciate them. Bless
each of you who volunteer to this mission!
If you would like to be a part of this project please contact me @ 268-4857 or
[email protected].
Sharon Wilkin
Page 5
T he Beacon
2014
Flower: Chrysanthemum
Birthstone: : Topaz
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Gratitude gets us through the hard stuff. To reflect on your blessings is to rehearse God’s accomplishments. To
rehearse God’s accomplishments is to discover his heart. To discover his heart is to discover not just good gifts but the
Good Giver. Gratitude always leaves us looking at God and away from dread. It does to anxiety what the morning sun
Homebound
Communion
does to valley
mist. It burns
it up. Sunday, January 2:
—Max Lucado,
Linda West, Jane Ramsey, & Sherry Evans
1
2
Fall Back!
Daylight Savings Time Ends
3
4
Handbells
Family Supper
Bible Study
Choir Practice
Communion
Flowers : Janice & Wayne
Ward
9
No Courtyard
Homecoming
10
16 Flowers: Lisa & Donnie 17 UMW
Lane
Courtyard 9:00 A.M.
8
13
14
15
5:30
6:30
7:00
7:30
18
19
20
21
22
25
26
27
28
29
Veterans Day
Hanging of the Greens @ 11
Soup & Sandwich Lunch
30 1st Sunday in Advent 31
Family Night Dinner Menus for November
November 05 - Chili , Pimento Cheese Sandwiches, &
Ham Sandwiches, Chips, Desert
November 12 - Country Fried Steak, Rice & Gravy,
Green Beans, Biscuit, Dessert
November 19 - Grilled Hamburgers & Hotdogs, Garden
Salad, Mac & Cheese, Chips, Dessert
November 26 - No Wednesday Activities
Thanksgiving Eve
7
12
Thanksgiving Lord’s Pantry
Banquet 6:30
Wesley Hall
23 Christ the King Sunday 24
6
11
Flowers: Laura & James
Woodward
Rev. Tommy Mason, Speaker
Last Sunday of Jacob’s
Ladder
5
Set Clocks
Back!!!
Handbells
Family Supper
Bible Study
Choir Practice
5:30
6:30
7:00
7:30
Handbells
5:30
Family Supper 6:30
Choir Practice 7:30
Operation Christmas
Child & Angel Tree
“Young at Heart”
Luncheon
12:00 Noon
Thanksgiving
Day
Returning Thanks
After a family sat down for breakfast, the father offered his
standard prayer of thanks. Afterward, though, he began his
usual grumbling about financial hardships, the food’s poor quality, how it was cooked and so on.
One of his children interrupted: “Dad, did God hear what you
said a while ago when you were giving thanks?”
“Certainly,” the father replied confidently.
“And did he hear what you said just now about the bacon and
the coffee?”
“Of course,” the father said, more hesitantly.
“Which did God believe?”