Christmas Eve Schedule - Dec. 24th

4:00 p.m. - Family Worship

This service will be an interactive family experience. It will include our carols and will focus on the Journey to Find Jesus, inviting the children to travel around the Sanctuary in search of the baby Jesus. The children will again be invited to serve Holy Communion.

10:30 p.m. - Music Program

11:00 p.m. - Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship

This is our traditional Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship, rich with sacred music provided by the choir, and the sharing of Holy Communion. Worship will conclude at midnight as candlelight is passed to everyone, and the darkened sanctuary is illuminated.

Come join us to celebrate the birth of Jesus!

“Nets for Catembe” Progress Report

Our Campaign to provide mosquito nets for all of Catembe, Mozambique is exceeding expectations. Less than a month old we are approaching the halfway mark! Last year, we raised 220 nets to cover the members of our “sister” church, The Catembe United Methodist Church.

This Year’s focus is on providing mosquito nets for everyone in the city of Catembe. We need 2000 nets to protect the women, children and families of Catembe. So far we have raised enough funds for 911 nets. So we only have 1089 nets remaining to reach our goal.

The nets are treated so that in addition to protecting people from mosquito bites, any mosquito that lands on the net is dead within a few minutes. The result is an 82% reduction of malaria cases in the area that the nets have been distributed.

Mozambique is a country located on the southeast coast of Africa. A one time colony of Portugal, independence was gained in the 1970’s and followed by a civil war. A young country rich in resources it is still largely undeveloped. About 60% of it’s children complete primary school. Only 7% complete a secondary education. Malaria is a horrible disease that greatly impacts many people. It is estimated that it kills 800,000 children each year in Africa.

$10 Saves a Life — Buy a Mosquito Net and give the gift of a healthy life to our brothers and sisters in Catembe!

Breakfast with Santa - Sat December 11th - 9:30 AM

Saturday, December 11 from 9:30-11:00 a.m.

Children under the age of 10 years and their parents are invited to join us in Fellowship Hall for a light breakfast and a visit with Santa. This event is open to members and friends.

Fun, food and pictures with Santa will be provided at no cost. Just come and enjoy!

Sponsored by the WCDANS and friends

World AIDS Day – December 1st

December 1 of each year marks World AIDS Day, a global observation that raises awareness of HIV & AIDS, commemorates those who have died, and celebrates advances in prevention and treatment services.

A time to remember the more than 25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981, and the 14,000 who will die in the United States this year. To remind ourselves that there are more than 1 million people in the United States and 33 million worldwide who are living with HIV and AIDS and wonder how almost 3 million people were infected last year alone.

We have lost fiends, brothers and sisters to this disease. They have been part of our families and our church. Each one a life cut short, each one leaving a void in our lives.

World AIDS Day is an opportunity for us to work together to help reduce stigma around HIV and promote HIV testing. Silence will not prevent the spread of this disease. Ignorance and silence is the enemy. Talk with your doctor, your partners, your family and friends. It is imperative we remove the stigma surrounding this disease.

At the end of 2008, women accounted for over 50% of all adults living with HIV worldwide. Young people (under 25 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide. Unfortunately, the number of new HIV cases remains high — an estimated 2.7 million last year alone — which means too many remain uneducated about the disease. The UMC is committed to put a stop to HIV/AIDS in our world, in our time. The UM Global AIDS Fund is leading the effort for an AIDS free world. Become educated; check out the UM Global AIDS Fund website at www.umglobalaidsfund.org and www.aids.gov.