United Methodist Church of Swartz Creek

Dr. Reverend J.D. Landis, Pastor

December, 2010
Come join us for Sunday Worship 8:30 am & 11:00 am/Sunday School 9:45 am
Wednesday Worship 6:30 pm

JD Landis

As usual, our Christmas schedules are all getting very busy at this time, but I would like
to encourage you to take time to be a part of our Christmas Concert on December 5th
for the food pantry, to come and hear our musicians perform a Cantata on Sunday, De-
cember 12, to see our Children’s program on Sunday, December 19, and, of course to
be a part of our Christmas Eve services on December 24th. Let me also
tell you about another wonderful opportunity to be renewed and re-
freshed in the Christmas Love Feast…..(please see pg. 3)

Corner-Copia Where To Find It

The Candy Cane Greetings from…………….pg 1

Corner-copia………………pg 1
Look at the Candy Cane New News……………….. pg 2
Tell us what you see.
Stripes that are red Christmas Love Feast.…….pg 3
Like the blood He shed for me. Around the Congregation... pg 4
Birthdays…………………. pg 5
White is for my Savior
Who’s sinless and pure! Military List……………….pg 5
“J” is for Jesus, my Lord, Thank you’s……………….pg 5
God in flesh, be assured! Staff Listing……………….backcover
Turn that “J” around,
A shepherd’s staff in view.
Jesus, our Good Shepherd,
Was born for me and you!

United Methodist Church of Swartz Creek

7400 Miller Rd. Swartz Creek MI 48473* 810-635-4555
Our Mission Statement:
To be a nurturing community of Christians committed to serving Jesus Christ, help-
ing others find Him and grow as His disciples.
 New News...
Flint District United Methodist Church
Detroit Conference Lay Speaking
Ministries:
• Launching Laity Leadership—
Saturday January 8, 2011 9am-12p at
Flint Hope UMC—For All Lay Speakers/
Leaders
• Youth Lay Speaking Weekend—
January 29-31, 2011 at West Vienna-
Clio UMC
• Adult Lay Speaking Workshop—
March 4 & 5, 2011 at Court Street UMC
Need more info?? Check the District website
at www.flintdistrictumc.com OR contact
Bonnie Potter at mpotter60@charter.net
UMM Annual Christmas Tree Sale has
started!
Sale hours are M-F from 4p-7p
And Saturdays from 10a-7p
No Sunday Sales
Choose from Douglas Fir, Frasier Fir,
Or Scotch Pine
Prices range from $25-$45
Financial Peace University— A Dave
Ramsey study will be held at Flushing UMC
beginning January 9th from6p-8p. Actual
classes will begin January 16th from 6p-8p.
Approximate cost is $110.00. Class runs 13
weeks. Call 810-659-5172 for info.
Your LAST CHANCE to have you picture taken
for our new directory is Wednesday, December
22nd from 2p-9p.
If you consider our church, your church, make
sure you’re pictures there!
Call 1-800-866-2263 or go to
www.signup.olanmills.com—use our church phone
number as a password!
Non-perishable food items are being col-
lected for Christmas Baskets to help out
those in need. You can drop items off until
December 19th.
Heifer Fill The Ark—Special Advent Giving
Opportunity: During Advent, we encourage each
of you to participate in Heifer International’s FILL
THE ARK program, which encourages individuals
and families “an opportunity to learn about—and
offer a helping hand to—families around the
world.” Your participation will support Heifer’s ef-
fort to end hunger as well as care for the earth by
providing “appropriate livestock, training and re-
lated services to small-scale farmers and commu-
nities worldwide.”
Arks will be available on November 28th to all
Sunday School classes. (Extra arks will also be
available at the welcome center). Take your ark
home with you and begin your 4 week journey of
giving!
A couple tips:
• Make it a habit to give to your ark daily. Pray
for the recipients of these gifts and that our
hearts be filled with generosity
• Set a goal for your Sunday School class
• Visit the Heifer table by the welcome center to
learn about alternative gift giving and other
ways to help!
•
Bring your filled arks to church Sunday,
December 19th!
 Christmas Love Feast
December 15, 2010
6:30pm

This year we will celebrate the Old Moravian Love Feast at our Wednesday night
service, as we have for the past two years. Someone might ask, what is a love
feast? Why should we do this on an already busy holiday season? The Love feast
actually goes back to the New Testament recalling the fellowship meal Jesus had
with his disciples. The current feast we celebrate had its beginning with Ludwig
Von Zinzendorf in Germany, at a place called Hernhut, in 1727.

Zinzendorf was the leader that led the Moravians into a passion for revival and
world missions. It was through them that John Wesley found Jesus Christ as his
savior. We celebrate the feast in part because, without their influence, there
would be no Methodist Church or modern day Wesleyan revival. Some consider
the Moravians as the founders of the modern day prayer movement, with their
100 year 24 hour a day prayer watch.

As the years went by, many Moravians, Methodist, Mennonites, and Brethren
celebrated the Love Feast. They were often held in homes by candlelight. It had
as a focus a time of sharing, singing, showing love, and experiencing forgiveness
with one another. Many churches today celebrate it in the Advent or Christmas
Season with candle lighting and festive music. There is also a special bun and a
drink of coffee, cider, hot chocolate, tea, or water. Love Feasts have also been
part of Covenant Disciple Groups.

My first Love Feast was at Metropolitan United Methodist Church in 1979. Dr. Wil-
liam K. Quick, a North Carolina United Methodist who grew up in Moravian coun-
try, introduced it. Remarkably, I grew up in Moravian country as well, but knew
little of it. At its peak, Metro drew 1600 people to this Christmas Eve like service.
It became a city wide event with people coming together from all denominations.
In later years, persons were encouraged to dress in their native clothing.

On a smaller scale, we will gather for a similar time of sharing, singing, reading
the Scriptures and lighting candles. We will have participation from youth and
adults. There will be sharing, and the bun and cider. We invite you to come and
remember the gift of the Savior. To come show love for one another.

A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved
you—John 13:34. Come and be in the presence of Christ, of your church family
and friends, and remember the spiritual heritage we have been given.
 Around The Congregation….
UMW Cookie Exchange
Need help with your holiday baking?? We
have just the thing for you!
Bring 2 dozen of your favorite cookies, and
copies of your recipe on Saturday, December
11th @ 9:30 am in the Johnson Center!
Come enjoy the holiday fellowship!
Join us on Sunday, December 19th at
6pm in the sanctuary for our Annual Christ-
mas Play -“The Nativity Story”.
Everyone 3 & up is encouraged to be a part of
the play! As is our tradition, yummy cookies &
punch will be served following the play in Mur-
bach Hall.

Important December Dates:

“Joyful Sounds”
Dec 1 UMW Exec Bd Mtg @ 9:30a Lg
Dec 1 UMW Unit Mtg @ 11:30a Lennon Café
An Advent Concert to benefit the Dec 3 SS Christmas Party @ 6p Johnson’s
Swartz Creek Community Food Basket Dec 4 Play Practice @ 10a S
Sunday December 5th at 3pm Dec 4 Bells @ Durand Train Station @ 6p
Swartz Creek United Methodist Church Dec 5 Food Pantry Concert @ 3p S
Hosted by Richard K. Thompson Dec 8 Finance @ 7:30 201/203
Dec 9 Food Pantry Mtg @10a JC
Choirs from St. Mary, SCUMC and Living Way
Dec 11 Play Practice @ 10a S
will perform! Dec 12 UMM Breakfast @ 7a MH
Non-perishable food donations are Dec 13 Pasties @ 8a Kitchen
appreciated and a free-will offering will be Dec 13 Missions Mtg @ 6:30p 105
taken. Dec 14 Pasties @ 8a Kitchen
Dec 14 Moms & More @6:15p MH/105
Dec 15 Church Council @ 7:30p S
Dec 16 Red Cross Blood Drive @ 12p MH
Our Annual Christmas Cantata Dec 18 Play Practice @ 10a S
“Holy Night of Miracles” will be presented on Dec 19 Christmas Program @ 6p S/MH
Sunday, December 12th at both services. The Dec 20 Trustees @ 6:30p SR
Chancel Choir will be telling the Christmas Dec 22 Olan Mills Photos 2p-9p JC
Story in word and song. Dec 24 Christmas Eve—Office Closed
Dec 24 Family Christmas Eve @ 6p S
Dec 24 Candlelight Service @ 11p S
Dec 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Dec 26 No Sunday School
Dec 28 Men’s Work Day @ 8:30a MH
Dec 30 North End Soup Kitchen @ 8:45a
Dec 31 New Years Eve—Office Closed
 Thanks be to God Those in Military
You all did such a wonderful job of preparing & Service
serving the meal at Lou Ellen’s Memorial Din-
ner. Your thoughtfulness is so greatly appreci- STC Jeff Arnold
ated during this sad time. Thank you so very Alan Lloyd
much!
Richard Brill Matt Makillom
Stan & Lisa Kloc & Cody Joe & Missy Caldwell Kenny Middaugh
Family of Lou Ellen Myers Christopher Campbell AIC Kevin Miceli
Bob Churchill Michael Packer
Thank you for your prayers and cards during Sean Crisp
mother’s 8 months in a nursing home. Thank Michael Quinn
CW3 Rodney Crow Ryan Rolfe
you for the continued visits of the care team Jessica Faith
members: David Beckwith, Barb Benjamin, Joshua Sepanak
Richard Moreland, and our pastor, JD Landis,
Ian Gohlke Michael Sepanak
as well as other church family members. Thank Paul Gregg Avry Spigner
you to Tammy Gwillim & Monte Morgan and all Trevor B. Hicks SRA Brandon Squires
the others who prepared the delicious funeral John Leach Steven Tanous
dinner. And finally, thank you for all the cards William Lengyel
sent to me after the funeral. Dr. Brad Taylor
Kyle Leonard
Ros Hamady

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Ben Strauss 2 Gerald Lindenberg 17 Robert Museus 30
Suzette Mulnix 3 Joe Beckley 18 Hope Moreland 31
Mikaela VanHoven 4 Nancy McLaughlin 18 Alvis Whitten 31
Irma Elmore 5 Janet Peterson 18
Alexander Fortinberry 5 Donald Waddell 18
Weston Mitchell 5 Jaden Sepanak 19
Madeline Rourke 5 Ashley Parks 20
Tara Clark 6 Alli Weller 20
Lynn Harburn 7 Annette Beckwith 22
Andrew Burchett 9 Jonathon Smith 22
Becky McGraw 9 Carla McKay 23
Alex Poppen 9 John Witt 23
Zachary Forsythe 10 Deena Wolfgram 23
Dorothy Cattell 10 Paul Speck 24
Michele Bielby 11 Nicole Grant 25
Sherrie Strickland 11 Jennie Pyles 25
Thomas Gwillim 13 Abby Henry 26
Doris Beebe 14 Roberta Hatch 27
Elisa Hasse 14 Victoria Niles 27
Madeline Pfeiffer 14 Elaine Sharp 28
Margot Guindon 15 Marjorie Huff 29
Aaron Johnson 15 Brenda Sepanak 29
Eva Drlik 16 Geri Smith 29
Mary Whitten 16 Lucinda Brier 30
Susan Gaines 17 Jessica Mulnix 30
Swartz Creek United Methodist Church The Good Word
Box 268, Swartz Creek, MI 48473

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more at www.umc-sc.org

STAFF LISTING SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR ALL AGES:

Office hours: M-F 8:30a-12:00p & 1:00p-4:30p Join us each Sunday at 9:45 am for these ongoing classes:
All are welcome!
Pastor Associate Pastor
Rev. Dr. J.D. Landis Rev. Dr. Andrew Allie Nursery (2 & under) Nursery
Phone: 635-4555, ext. 201 Phone: 635-4555, ext. 204 Preschool Rm. 101
office@umc-sc.org office@umc-sc.org K-1st Grade Rm. 108
2nd-3rd Grade Rm. 102
Financial Secretary Administrative Assistant 4th-5th Grade Rm. 105
Donna Smith Barbara Mulnix Junior High (6th-8th) Rm. 107/109
Phone: 635-4555, ext. 202 Phone: 635-4555, ext 201 Senior High (9th-12th) Rm. 202/204
dsmith@umc-sc.org bmulnix@umc-sc.org Women’s Bible Study Rm. 206 Amy Gawthrop &
Teresa Woodby
Youth Director Main Office Men’s Bible Study Rm. 302 Pete Plum
Brian Kelley Kim Edwards Journey Through
Phone: 635-4555, ext. 210 Phone: 635-4555 The Bible Rm. 203 Dennis Thorpe
bkelley@umc-sc.org office@umc-sc.org Fellowship Class Rm. 207 Sharon Cummings &
Judy Bordeaux
Music Director Building Manager Essential Christianity John. Center Carolyn Landis
Richard Moreland Dan Parks Connecting With Others Rm. 205 Lesa McKeon &
Phone: 635-4555, ext. 208 Phone: 635-4555 Ann Brimley
rmoreland@umc-sc.org Come As You Are Lounge Jerry & Dannett Rice
Walking with God Murbach MaDonna Kelley
Nursery & Sonshine Director
Susan Waddell
Phone: 635-4555