The Chapel Times
Mathews Chapel UMC
Volume 7
Issue 2
December, 2016
Inside this issue:
Pastor Lisa’s Christmas
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Message... Thanksgiving Eve Dinner & Worship Service
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More November Activities
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Dinner & A Movie:
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The Polar Express Living Nativity
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Christmas Eve &
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Christmas Day Services; Fiber Arts & FINS News Mission News & Reflections
Save the Date! Lots of Activities planned that are listed inside!
12/10/16—Dinner & a Movie-The Polar Express 12/16, 17 & 18— Living Nativity
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A Christmas Message from Pastor Lisa... In our world, Christmas has become a secular holiday. Even some who do not consider themselves Christians participate in Christmas events and customs. Our Challenge as believers of Jesus Christ is to reclaim Christmas; reclaim the customs that for generations have helped us to celebrate God’s gift of love in Jesus. Advent, the four weeks before Christmas, is a time to get ready. It is a time of preparation for the arrival of Emmanuel “God with us”… in the person of Jesus the Christ, the tiny baby in the manger. For a child has been born for us a son given to us…(Isaiah 9:6) Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, said of John: You, child, will be called the prophet of the most high: for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways…By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:76-79) During Advent we become one with those who waited in darkness for the revealing of God’s light and who dared to hope that God’s salvation could come in the birth of a child. As we re-live the story each year, we gain new and deeper understanding of the meaning of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. We celebrate God’s gift of Jesus Christ and give thanks. So let us, the faithful in Christ, reclaim Christmas. Let our parties and gifts, our celebrations and events express God’s love, not obligation. And let us extend an invitation beyond our immediate circle of family and friends to those who most need love and care. Christ came to be the light of the world. Let us be beacons of that light to each other and the world. In Christ’s love, Rev. Lisa R. Blackmonson
Mathews Chapel will host a community Thanksgiving Eve dinner and worship service on W ednesda y , Nov em ber 23rd at the church. All are welcome and are invited to bring a covered dish, if possible. The dinner will begin at 6:30pm, with the worship service beginning at 7:30pm.
2 Corinthians 9:11— You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
November 25th—6:00pm Help decorate the church! Frances Green and Pat Hudgins doing just that last year! Come join us enjoy soup, chili and chowder before we decorate Mathews Chapel for Advent and Christmas! Bring a side dish or dessert to enjoy! Fun and fellowship will abound! November 27th—11:00am Service - The first Sunday of Advent; lighting of the Chrismon Tree.
November 29th—10:00am— Tuesday mornings.
Advent Bible Study begins m eeting o n
December 10th—5:30pm— Dinner & a Movie: The Polar Express. Pastor Lisa will lead a discussion afterwards on the spiritual implications. This is a free monthly event open to everyone. Bring your friends and family!
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Holiday Happenings (continued) December 16, 17 & 18th— 6:00-8:00pm— Living Nativity - Come join us at the church for a real look at what Christmas is all about!
December 21st—7:00pm— A Christmas Comfort Service— This service will offer comfort, hope and peace to those for whom the Christmas season can be a time of grief and sorrow. Salem UMC will join us for this service to be held at Mathews Chapel. Lamentations 3:26 It is good that a man should hope
and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh. December 24th— 11:00pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
December 25th -10:00am—Christmas Day Service
Hearts & Hands Fiber Arts: The team will meet again in January to discuss future plans.
FINS NEWS (Fridays in the Spirit) - FINS will be meeting for Fun & Fellowship activities for grades K-12 on the Third Friday of the month from 6:30-9:00pm. Schedule: Decem ber 16th : Macedo nia B aptist Chu r ch —Jesus’ Birthday Party; January 20th: Mathews Chapel UMC. 3
On November 13 shoeboxes were packed for Operation Christmas Child. Each shoebox represents another opportunity for us to share the love of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a child in need. Some of these children live in such deep poverty that they have never received a Christmas Gift. Pray for the children who will receive these shoebox gifts.
4185 Buckley Hall Rd. P.O. Box 125 Cobbs Creek, VA 23035
On December 5 will be the beginning of the fourth year of GUEST which provides shelter for the homeless during the winter season. Volunteer Training Sessions will be held on Sunday, November 20th at 4 pm at Bethany UMC, Gloucester Point and on Sunday, December 4th at 4 pm at First Presbyterian Church, Gloucester. Anyone with an interest in volunteering, please contact Nancy Katsuki or Peggy Newsome.
Phone: 804-725-9275 Rev. Lisa Blackmonson: 804-725-3797
Mathews Chapel UMC www.mathewschapelumc.org
Blessings & Joy!
The annual Christmas Store sponsored by the Mathews Department of Social Services and Community Volunteers will be on December 9 and 10, 2016. Last year 595 people were served and 45 children participated in the Elf Shoppe and were able to get gifts for their parents or guardian. Needs for this year’s store include: new toys, clothing, household items, jewelry, cosmetics, and money to purchase such items. There will be a basket in the Fellowship Hall from November 20 - December 4, if you would like to be part of this Christmas mission. All donations are due at the Social Services office no later than December 5, so that they can be sorted and marked.
Reflections...
Trunk or Treat 2016
Children & Youth Choir Children & Youth Present A Black & White Christmas 4