December 2019 Newsletter

December 2019
Newsletter
New Sunday
Morning Times:
Sunday School | 9am
Worship | 10am
New Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday
9am - 2pm

Contents
Pg. 2 | Message from the Pastor
Pg. 4 | Financial Report
Pg. 5 | Announcements
Pg. 7 | Discipleship
Pg. 14 | Fine Arts & Worship
Pg. 15 | Congregational Care
Pg. 16 | Sunday Volunteers
Pg. 17 | Church Calendar
Staff
Rev. Philip Waltz | Pastor
PhilipW@gmumc.org | Ext. 4
Brandon Mock | Director of Music and Arts/Organist
BrandonM@gmumc.org | Ext. 2
Debbie Brown | Director of Program and
Outreach Ministries
DebbieB@gmumc.org | Ext. 3
Rev. David Mucha | Director of Congregational Care
DavidM@gmumc.org
Evan Odson | Administrative Assistant
EvanO@gmumc.org | Ext. 1

Message from The Pastor
Over the years I’ve collected a number of
Nativity scenes. Some are made out of carved
olive wood, some are ceramic, others cloth, and
one set is made out of tin. A few of the sets I’ve
purchased- my favorite is the one I bought at
Costco (they still make some of the nicest sets!).
Actually, I bought two sets. I had placed the set
on display on a Christmas table runner which was
exactly where my cat decided to run laps. Need
less to say my surviving Costco scene has five
kings, a flock of sheep, and Mary appears to have
had twins. But through out the years I was always
in search of an “ethnically-correct” set.
No blond haired, blue eyed Mary for me. I
wanted a set that reflected those who actually live
in Palestine- olive skin and dark hair. Try to find
one yourself and you’ll see the challenge.
After raising this issue with more than a few congregations, one of my parishioners,
who was a world-traveler, gave me a Nativity scene she had picked up on the occupied
West Bank, home of the little town of Bethlehem. The set had all the players: one
manger, one kneeling mother, one proud father, two shepherds, three wise men, one
sheep, one cow, one donkey, and one baby Jesus. Everyone present and
accounted for. This turned out to be my most prized Nativity set. It even came with a
rough wooden creche.
If your household is like mine, we have our very special, dare I say unique, Christmas
ornaments stored in large plastic bins appropriately colored red and green. Everything
has a place and there is a place for everything. Lights in one tub, breakable ornaments in
two others, and several set aside for unbreakables and my Nativity sets. Items come out of
their boxes in a sort of order and at the end of the season are returned in a sort of order,
including the Nativity sets-- most years. Apparently one year some one deviated from the
well orchestrated plan, not to be discovered for 365 days.
When the appointed time for decorating arrived the plan was set into motion. The tree
went up, lights were wound around it, and the ornaments were placed on it according
to the age of our grandchild and the number of cats present in the home at the time.
You know- all precious, fragile decorations are hung above the height of an outstretched
child’s hand or cat’s paw. Then, finally, the topper and tree skirt are put in place.
After the tree was completed came the time for the other decorations to be freed from
their boxes- including the Nativity scenes. All were present or accounted for save one.
Yes- you might have guessed it- missing was my West Bank, ethnically correct set, my
favorite. After expressing my frustration, my feelings began to shift towards panic. So I
began to look. I dug through the tissue paper that we use to wrap each ornament. Not
there. I pushed the tangles of old Christmas lights aside. Not there. I looked in every
box. No holy family there. Then I realized that I had put is somewhere safe. In other

words, I had no idea where it was. I thought it may have been lost. But when we
unpacked all the Christmas table cloths, napkins, and table runners-- there it was
safely cocooned in the safety of multiple layers of festive fabric. The baby Jesus
was safe!
Thinking back on that experience I came to realize that our search for the
Divine has us poking around in all kinds of places.
Every year since then I haul that Nativity set out of storage first and place it
somewhere I can keep an eye on it. That way, when we’re scurrying about in
a frenzy, honoring the birth of the One who told us not to be anxious about
anything, we can pause and remember what Christmas is all about. How
that quiet baby came into this tumultuous world, greeted by one manger, one
kneeling mother, one proud father, two shepherds, three wise men, one sheep,
one cow, one donkey, and us. Swing open your hearts and welcome him home.
May you have a blessed, safe, and love-filled Christmas.

Financial Report
Financial Snapshot November 17th
Annual Pledged Goals: $300,000
Weekly Pledged Goal: $5,769.00
Where we should be November YTD: $259,605
Where we are November YTD: $242,364
Memorials:
Given in loving memory of Betty Low by:
Carolyn Barnes, Kay Jester, Mollie Snedegar
In loving memory of Doris Jean Pearman by:
Susan M. Culbertson
Newsletter | Pg. 4

Discipleship
Sunday Morning Classes 9:00am
Children classes are in room 309 and 310
Youth classes are in the Youth room 312
John Wynn Myers class meets in Room 212
Discovery Class meets in Room 211
Short term studies meet in the Chapel
Looking forward to seeing you in one of our class offerings!
HELPING HANDS NEEDED:
As all of our repairs are slowly being completed, I would love to have
some helping hands in putting some things back in place. We have a
nursery that is ready to be put back in use and many boxes to unpack.. If
you have some time and would like to help with this process, please let me
know. many thanks, Debbie Brown DebbieB@gmumc.org
Announcements
Security | Did I lock the door?
Please help to keep our building safe and secure!
When you are here for a meeting or visit, please make
sure the door closes securely behind you. Make sure
the door is locked when you leave the building
Pg. 5 | Newsletter

Parking Opportunities on Sunday Morning
On Sunday mornings you may
park on Church Ave. as well as
on 2nd St. There is a parking lot
right next to the church as well as
a second lot just across Luck Ave.
If you have any questions, please
feel free to contact the church
office. If you intend to utilize the
ramp on Sunday mornings, there
are plenty of opportunities for
you to park close to the ramp so
that you have less of a walk from
your car! Especially on days with
inclement weather, make sure to
utilize one of these areas so that
you can get inside quickly!
Advent Time for Children
Our children in the church will be presenting
a special message every Sunday
in Advent on “Time.” Each Sunday,
their class work will be talking about the
time leading to the birth of Jesus.
Plan to be here for Advent!
Newsletter | Pg. 6

OR MAIL A CHECK TO: 402 SECOND ST. ROANOKE, VA 24011
Pg. 7 | Newsletter

Christmas
Poinsettias
8.5 in. pots with red foil
$13
per flower pot
If you would like to order a
poinsettia, please stop by the office
during normal hours, call, or email
Evan by Sunday, December 8th! If
you would like to purchase a pot
in honor or memory of someone,
please have this information ready
when you place your order. Thank
you!
email: evano@gmumc.org
Newsletter | Pg. 8

HOTEL ROANOKE TREE
COMPETITION 2019
Your Greene Memorial team of Linda Bailey, Joann Kevorkian,
and Mitzi Willingham have completed our tree at the Hotel
Roanoke for the 2019 competition! We are thrilled to be able
to be included for the fifth year in a row, placing in the top
trees each year! Please come tour all of the trees beginning on
Thanksgiving Day. Make a tax-deductible donation for tree #1,
and put an envelope in one of the three voting boxes, if you
desire! Only monetary donations to United Way count as votes.
This is another outreach to our community to tell our downtown
community - WE ARE HERE FOR YOU! Thank you for being
part of our wonderful ministry!
Pg. 9 | Newsletter

ANGEL TREE FOR
CATAWBA HOSPITAL
It’s that giving time of year again and we have 15
patients at Catawba Hospital we want to provide 4
gifts apiece so they will have a Merry Christmas. This
coming Sunday, the angels will be on our Giving Tree.
If you can, take one or more, buy the gift noted on the
angel, do not wrap but put in a bag and firmly attach
the angel. Return gifts to the church no later than
Dec. 15. These folks are seldom remembered and our
gifts of love will mean so much to them.
Newsletter | Pg. 10

Pg. 11 | Newsletter

Newsletter | Pg. 12

Pg. 13 | Newsletter
December 6th, 5p-10p
Calling all bakers! We will have a booth to sell
delicious homemade cookies, so please let JoeAnn
Sprigings know what you can provide! Baked goods
are needed by the morning of December 6th for us
to wrap up in our special packages.

Congregational Care
December Birthdays
Aaron Chase - Dec. 1st
Kirby Evett - Dec. 4th
Matt Smith - Dec. 5th
Virginia Powell - Dec. 5th
Alleyne Goyette - Dec. 6th
Andrew Gross - Dec. 6th
Benjamin Puente - Dec. 7th
Bill Evans - Dec. 15th
Jacob Lester - Dec. 15th
Bernard Via - Dec. 16th
Kay Duffy - Dec. 16th
Ann Seddon - Dec. 17th
Tracy Lax - Dec. 17th
Julie Satterwhite - Dec. 18th
Melody Jessee - Dec. 19th
Greg Baker - Dec. 22nd
Noah Hastings - Dec. 22nd
Cynthia Landeweer - Dec. 22nd
Reene Lynch - Dec. 22nd
Angelica Puente - Dec. 22nd
Kay Smith - Dec. 24th
Kim Irvin - Dec. 25th
Larry Williams - Dec. 25th
Shane Mortensen - Dec. 25th
Carolyn Via - Dec. 27th
JoAnn Kevorkian - Dec. 27th
Randy Corbin - Dec. 29th
Lucinda Smith - Dec. 29th
Bob Snead - Dec. 29th
Shawn Evans - Dec. 29th
Ed Morgan - Dec. 30th
Franklin Swann - Dec. 30th
Sherri Greene - Dec. 31st
Wounded Hearts - Healing Love
Spiritual Retreat
for the single again from divorce, separation, or death.
December 6-8, 2019
Cost: $110 per single registration.
Overlook Retreat and Camp Ministries
3014 Camp Overlook Lane
Keezletown, VA 22832
Brochures with registration forms are in the Welcome
Center. To register, please mail registration form and
fee to the above address before November 29th.
Pg. 15 | Newsletter

Sunday Volunteers
Dec. 1st Dec. 8th Dec. 15th Dec. 22nd Dec. 29th
Ushers
George
Fischer
and Mitzi
Willingham
Ann and
Tom
Seddon
Ed and
Carolyn
Barnes
Vickie
Long and
Pat Quillen
George
Devlin
and Sean
Cooper
Communion
Stewards
Jo Ann
Kevorkian
and
Ann
Seddon
Steve and
Linda
Bailey
Emily
Mayhew
and Joe Ann
Sprigings
Chris and
Betsy
Bohannon
Joe and
Marianne
Jolley
Liturgist
Ann
Seddon
Linda
Bailey
Ann Swank
Betsy
Bohannon
Ann
Swank
Fellowship
Time
Mary Anne
Hastings
Larry
Lance
Mary Anne
Hastings
Betsy
Burton
Need
Volunteer
Bus
Driver
Gary
Morris
Kurt
Stockstill
Gary
Morris
Larry
Lance
David
Johnson
Car
Driver
Barbara
Devlin
Barbara
Devlin
Barbara
Devlin
Barbara
Devlin
Barbara
Devlin
Newsletter | Pg. 16

Dece
Sunday Monday Tuesday wedn
9am Sunday
Morning Classes
10am Worship
Service
9am Sunday
Morning Classes
10am Worship
Service
Newsletter
Deadline
9am Sunday
Morning Classes
10am Worship
Service
9am Sunday
Morning Classes
10am Worship
Service
1
8
15
22
29
Tree Decorating
After Service
9am Sunday
Morning Classes
10am Worship
Service
10:30am Prayer
Group
5:30pm Worship
Committee
9
10:30am Prayer
Group
11:30am Congretional
Care Group
6pm Missions
Meeting
Veteran’s Day
10:30am Prayer
Group
6pm Missions
Meeting
2
16
23
10:30am Prayer
Group
6pm Fellowship
Meeting
30
10:30am Prayer
Group
3
10am Instruments
12pm Rooster’s
Luncheon
6pm Evelyn Byrd
Ornament
Exchange
10
10am Instruments
12pm Rooster’s
Luncheon
6pm Finance
Meeting
17
10am Instruments
12pm Rooster’s
Luncheon
6pm PAC
Meeting
24
Christmas Eve
10am Instruments
12pm Rooster’s
Luncheon
5pm Christmas Eve
Service
31
New Years Eve
10am Instruments
12pm Rooster’s
Luncheon
6:45pm H
7:30pm C
C
6:45pm H
7:30pm C
C
6:45pm H
7:30pm C
C
Christma

mber
esday Thursday Friday Saturday
4
andbells
hancel
hoir
5
6 7
11
andbells
hancel
hoir
18
andbells
hancel
hoir
5:30pm
Candlelight
Dinner
7pm Christmas
Concert - VOA
12
13 14
19 20 21
25
s Day!
26 27
10am Caregiver
Support Group
28

Greene Memorial
United Methodist Church
402 Second Street, S.W.
Roanoke VA 24011-1504
Phone: 540 344 6225
www.gmumc.org
Address Service Requested
The chapel is open for
prayer and meditation
during office hours.