FUMC Words for Wednesday: 11-30-2022

Good morning church!

Don’t miss our float sponsored by the Children’s and Youth ministries this weekend in the Christmas parade on Saturday at 6 pm. They will be working on it tonight.  If you can help, please join them at 6 pm at the annex.

Speaking of children and youth, they will be leading our Hanging of the Greens service this Sunday at 4 pm. This is a casual affair with refreshments provided by our Hospitality Team following the service. Wear you favorite Christmas shirt or ugly sweater if you want.

Our annual holiday meal is one week from today, December 7, at 5 pm. Be sure to sign up for this special time of fellowship as we reflect on God’s blessings and those to come.

Next, Sunday, December 11, our music ministries will continue to prepare us for Christ’s arrival. Overflow will lead us in songs of the season during the contemporary service at 9:30 am in the MAC. The First UMC choir and orchestra will share the Christmas cantata, “Stars of Glory,” at both the 8:30 and 11 am services in the sanctuary. Invite someone to join you for worship!

Hope and Peace,

Don

Member Al Kocher passed away this weekend and is in Glory with his Savior. A memorial service will be held this Saturday at noon at the church. Please keep his wife Pam and their family in your prayers.

Decermber 4th- Hanging of the Greens service at 4 pm in the sanctuary

December 7th - Holiday Meal potluck (meat and bread provided)

December 10th - Family Fun Night - Parents Night Out

December 11th - 8:30 and 11:00 am - Christmas Cantata

December 11th- 9:30 - Contemporary Christmas Musical

December 14th - Youth and Children’s Christmas Dinner

December 24th - Services at 5 pm and 7 pm

December 25th - Christmas Service at 10:30 am

Children and Youth will be decorating the Christmas Parade float beginning at 6 pm. Any help is appreciated.

Adult Bible Study will begin at 6 pm.

•Tons of white Christmas lights (different sizes are welcome!)

•Wood 2×4’s to build our stable

•A large star to place on top of the stable. (Light up would be great! But not necessary.)

•A lot of sparkly garland (we’d like to line the entire float with this around the bottom)

•Someone skilled in making banners to create 2 for either side of the float (we don’t need this finished until Dec 2)

•Fake snow and ”snow sheets” to cover the float & hay bales.

•Some hay bales for sitting (we already have a few!)

•Lots of candy donations & treat bags to hand out in the parade. (Please place these on the counter in the Youth kitchen downstairs!)

If you have any of these items, please email April at april.leigh27@gmail.com to schedule pickup or delivery as soon as possible. We’d love to start working on the float this weekend! Thank you!

for Wednesday, December 7th. Ro & the Robinettes will be providing the turkey, dressing, rolls and scalloped potatoes. The rest is up to you so bring your favorite salads, sides, and desserts to share.

SIGN-UP FOR THE HOLDIAY MEAL IS REQUIRED. Sign up sheets will be outside the worship services. Deadline to sign up is December 4th.

Thank you to everyone for your patience, prayers and faithfulness during this time of change and discernment. Below is a schedule which has been developed to address the United Methodist matters ahead of us:

December 2022    This is Advent Season where we reflect on preparing our hearts and homes for Christ’s birth. It is a time for faith communities and families to remember, through prayer, reflections, special music, and good deeds what the true meaning of Jesus’ birth is. So please take the Advent season to consider how we commemorate the birth of Jesus.

Sunday, January 8, 2023 3:00 pm  Townhall Meeting with  Dan Parr addressing Disaffiliation

Early January 2023                        Townhall Meeting addressing Remaining United Methodist (“non” disaffiliation”)

Following Townhall Meetings                         Church Council meeting to determine whether to proceed with application to disaffiliate, or to remain United Methodist (remaining requires no further action)

IF THE DECISION IS MADE TO APPLY FOR DISAFFILIATION:

February 28, 2023                         Deadline for submission to District Superintendent of application for disaffiliation

After March 1, 2023                     District Superintendent schedules church conference

May 31 to June 3, 2023               North Georgia United Methodist Church Annual Conference to consider all applications for disaffiliation

All Townhall meetings will be held in the MAC. Also, they will all be recorded and available for viewing on YouTube.

Night to Shine is back AND in person!!

Already we have had about 30 guests register and we are expecting a total of around 100-120, so we are looking for

\350-400 volunteers.

Volunteer Registration is open and online:

http://firstmethodistblairsville.com/events-night-to-shine/

We look forward to working with you in serving this special group within our community!

Scott & Elizabeth Terry

Night to Shine at FUMC of Union County

ntsfumcuc@gmail.com

DIABETES is a chronic (long lasting) health condition that affects how your body turn food into energy. Your body breaks down most of the food you eat into sugar (glucose) & releases it into your body. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin.

WITH DIABETES, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your blood stream. Over time that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. Type 1 diabetic patients are unable to make insulin. Type 2 diabetic patients aren’t able to make enough insulin.

SEVEN warning signs of diabetes

1. Frequent Urination

2. Increased Thirst or Dry Mouth

3. Unexpected Weight Loss

4. Persistent Hunger

5. Foot Pain & Numbness

6. Frequent Infections & Feminine Health Issues

7. Blurred Vision

WHAT to do if you have these signs? See your family physician. Your care provider will order blood tests to confirm Diabetes. It may be caught on your routine yearly physical exam lab work. A Fasting Blood Sugar of 99 mg/dl or lower is normal, 100 to 125mg/dl indicates you have prediabetes, 126 mg/dl or higher indicates that you have diabetes. Diabetes treatment is monitored by a Hgb A1C. This test measures the level of your blood sugar over 2 or 3 months. Normal is 5.7% is normal, between 5.7 and 6.4% indicates you have prediabetes, and 6.5% or higher indicated you have diabetes.

MAC Walking Track Hours…

Monday-Thursday 8am - 4:30pm

Pickleball! The Blairsville Pickleball Club plays on Mondays from noon til 3:00pm & Tuesdays from 8:00am until noon. Everyone is welcome! Join us!

1-     Peggy Gorman, David Kuykendall 2- Jared Burdine, AG Sherman 3- Harold Hergert, Alice Russell, Stan Wallace 4 – Cathy Berggreen, Bill Dittus, Lydia Stafford, Paisley Stamper 5 – Melanie Howell, Lewis McAfee, Richard Myers, Jeannie Pickerill 6 – Bonnie Reno, April Southern 7 – Beverly Bradley 8 – Shirley Walker 10 – Karen Rice 11 – Sharon Willits 12 – Milton Bradley, Peggy Hergert 13 – Roger Evans 14 – Bob Stone 16 – Kathy Wiley 17 – Marie Goddard 18 – Jerry Roberson 19 – Nisia Redgrave, Sally Wiley 20 – Glenda Wischmeyer 21 – Anita Meza 22 – Paxton Snider 23 – Tsali Bentley 24 – Joshua Gobin 25 – Mitzi Gasaway, Ray Norwood, Alan Zimmerman 27 – Ginger Adamson, Penny Collins, Maggie Plott 28 – Kerry Rittenhouse 29 – Marilyn Barnes, James Young 30 – Cher Young 31 – Joe Livingston, Nancy Stephens, Carole Thompson

Please Help Us at the church by keeping us informed of any sickness or procedures that you or any of our family members may be experiencing. You may contact Pastor Mack for your prayer requests at mack.riley@ngumc.net or call the church at 706-745-2073.

Please help us keep this list updated by notifying the office of any changes.

• SPECIFIC:
• Prayers for God leading the right person to us as Youth Director
• BL Anderson - pain relief and wisdom in making decisions about surgery
• Norma Jean Anderson’s brother Wendell -recovering from jaw surgery
• Clint Blackmon - cancer
• Jack & Jackie Bowlin’s friend - Allen Davenport - prostate cancer
• Diane Brackett - taking physical therapy on shoulder and arm
• Kathy Brandenburg- recovering from knee replacement surgery
• Joyce Byers - numerous medical issues
• Joyce Byers’ sister-in-law Shirley Kelley - had a mastectomy
• Pat Clay’s brother Victor- health issues
• Margaret Frizzel - recovering from knee surgery last week
• Maggie Guerrier - recuperating from kidney transplant
• Nancy Hussey’s sister Debbie- diagnosed with cancer stage 3
• Al Kocher - passed away last Saturday, please remember his wife Pam
• Vic Henderson - health issues
• Diane and Bill Kolb’s grandson Jason Nichols - bad motorcycle accident
• Ria Ledbetter - recovering from rotator cuff surgery
• Pat Maryscuk - in ICU at UGH
• Tiffany Martinez’s son Sky - recovery from surgery
• Linda McClarnon - recuperating
• Maria McGlen - recuperating
• Roger McGlen - had stents put in this Monday
• Jeanee and Jerry McJilton’s brother- cancer has returned
• Louise McTaggart - recuperating from knee replacement surgery
• Patty Norwood’s son, Ryan-serious colon problems
• Patty Norwood’s sister, Jan-lung problems
• Teresa Price’s grandson Isiah Arrant-long term recovery from burns
• Jeannine Riley’s sister Suzanne Mobley - lymphoma
• Jeannine Riley’s brother-in-law - Ricky Mobley- heart surgery
• Peggy Schultz - recent passing of her husband Ron
• Avis Shaw’s sister Mildred Elkin
• Ron Taylor - in hospice care at the nursing home
• Mrs. James Taylor - sister of Michelle Hernden - dementia meds to work
• Carleen Ward - family member John Gray - waiting for a new heart.
• Dennis Wetzel- back surgery and recuperating at the Gobin’s home

HEALTH ISSUES and CONCERNS:

• Jim Arthur
• Marjorie Bowron
• Mike Brandenburg
• Shirley Cobb
• Jennifer de la Montagne’s mom and dad
• Jack Dugger
• Jesse Eady
• Christine Golden
• Kathy Heyer
• Wayne Jones
• James Jordan
• Hugh Lee
• Leura Mollnhauer
• Elaine Neuhaus
• Ray Norwood
• Rose Oberlin’s mother, Letha
• Jeanne Pickerill
• Jerry Price
• Jerry Roberson
• Carol/Norm Rogers
• Avis Shaw
• Sue Stewart
• Carole Thompson
• Zach Thompson
• Carol Warren
• Roy Whitelock
• Sharon Willits

IN SYMPATHY:

IN NURSING HOMES and ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES:

• Polly Conkle - Blue Ridge Assisted Living
• Jan Boland’s sister June Gesche - hospice care at Stonehenge
• Richard and Shirley McGinnis - Brasstown Manor Assisted Living
• Nisia Redgrave - Chatuge Nursing Home
• Ron Taylor - UG Nursing Home
• Lois Ward - Brasstown Manor Assisted Living - under hospice care
• Margaret Wise - Brassstown Manor Assisted Living

A Note from Your Finance Team THANK YOU!!!

………………………… Received…………YTD Received

November 6th……….$22,693…………………$803,897

November 13………..$11,655…………………$815,552

November 20………..$17,033…………………$832,585

November 27th……..$27,460…………………$860,045

Please continue to remember your Church in your legacy trusts & wills - that gift is also greatly appreciated!

Pastor Don Landen………………………………………………………. revdonaldlanden@gmail.com

Pastor Mack Riley…………………………………………………………………. mack.riley@ngumc.net

Stan Wallace…………………………………………………………….. blairsvillefumcstan@gmail.com

Evelyn Ueltzen……………………………………………………….. blairsvillefumcevelyn@gmail.com

Deidra Gilbert…………………………………………………………. blairsvillefumcdeidra@gmail.com