MINISTRY AT McKENDREE!

 SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES  are regularly at 9am and 11am.  (On Christmas Day we will have one combined worship service at 10am.)  Our Advent sermon series is entitled “Awaiting the Already!”  In this series, we look into the future of the coming of Christ again.  Although we know that Christ has already been born, even before His birth, Christ was among us.

ENCOUNTER MINISTRIES
ENCOUNTER@METROCENTER  Each Sunday at 12:30pm, McKendree Church has an alternative worship service for those who feel “church” isn’t for them.  This service meets at the United Methodist Publishing House, 2222 Rosa Parks Blvd.

ENCOUNTER@EDGEHILL The Encounter@Edgehill meets the first Sunday of each month at 6pm at Edgehill Café, 1201 Villa Place.  In risky, vulnerable small group conversations around tables we seek to confront issues of privilege, racism, and classism that divide us, and to hear the call to God’s beloved community.

Everyone is welcome to attend one or both of our Encounter services.  For more information on either of our Encounter Ministries, you may contact Rick Quinn at mckendreerick@gmail.com.

REFRESH! is our mid-week gathering.  We meet in the first floor chapel each Wednesday, 12:00-12:30pm.  Our worship includes prayers, hymns, a message and Holy Communion.  Everyone is invited to attend.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY  Our Adult Bible Study meets at 6pm in the Pastor’s office.  We are doing an Advent study entitled Christmas Playlist, by Alistair Begg.  Everyone is welcome to join us!

BAPTISMS  If you are interested in being baptized, please contact Ruth in the church office at 615-271-2600 or mckendreeinfo@gmail.com.

URGENT MISSION NEED!  ANGEL TREE GIFTS  We still have 23 Angel Tree names that are NOT TAKEN!  These are students from our Pencil Partner, Rose Park Middle School.  If you can help by filling one wish from these students, it would be a great blessing!  You may pick up your Angel Tree name on the table in the back of the church.  Or you can call Ruth Baggett in the church office (615-271-2600) and she can give you the information for one of the students.  The deadline for bringing in these gifts has been extended, and we ask that you please help us to make Christmas better for these children!

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SPECIAL CHRISTMAS HAPPENINGS!

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PAGEANT AND CAROL SING-ALONG  Our children will present the Christmas story next Sunday, December 11th at 10:15, on the front lawn.  The children are excited to share their songs and story with you.  We encourage all our adults to be present and receive a blessing as our children proclaim again the story of Christ’s birth.  Many thanks to our Children’s Team for their great work!

DECEMBER MISSION FOCUS:  Christmas Eve Meal  This is the 4th year McKendree Church has hosted a Christmas Eve meal and celebration for the displaced in our downtown community.  We are preparing for 300 guests – with a meal of turkey and dressing and ALL THE TRIMMINGS.  The meal will be at 11:30am on Christmas Eve.

We need donations of food items and paper products for our meal.  We’ll also need volunteers – before, during and after the meal.  Look for the folks in the red Christmas hats to sign up!  Contact Cindy Ligon at mckendreecindy@gmail.com if you’d like to be part of this special day.

CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT BAGS   Along with our Christmas Eve Meal for the displaced community, we also would like to give each guest a gift bag.  Our goal is 300 bags.  Items needed in the bags are:

Warm socks                  Hat (stocking cap)                 Hand-warmers
Gloves                            Bottled water                          Chapstick
Lotion                             Protein bar                              Christmas candy

 

Please let Cindy Ligon (mckendreecindy@gmail.com) or Ruth Baggett (mckendreeinfo@gmail.com) know if you can donate gift bags!

DOWN HOME CHRISTMAS   Next Sunday, December 11, Carol Croft, Martha Ann Gregory, Jenni Kriner and their family will host a Covered Dish Luncheon and Musical Variety Show.  This event will be in Fellowship Hall and will follow the 11am worship service.  Bring your favorite side dishes and desserts and come prepared to be entertained!  You’ll be surprised to know what hidden talents our congregation has.  Everyone is invited!

UMW CHRISTMAS BRUNCH   December 10th, 10am, at Debbie McCormick’s home (2084 Traemoor Village Drive, Nashville, 37209).

Bring to the meeting:  One or more of the following items: Laundry soap, Dish soap, Paper products (toilet paper, paper towels), personal hygiene products (shampoo, toothpaste, soap), socks, undershirts, house shoes/slippers.  Note: If you cannot attend, but wish to contribute to a gift need, bring it on Sunday, December 4th or 11th.  They have to be delivered on the 12th.  These are the wish list items for Christmas Gifts for 220 shut-ins served by Bethlehem Center.

Program:  Sharing Christmas memories, singing carols and a Christmas devotional will be given by Margaret Cornell, Nashville District President.  You will be blessed by this lady who is deeply committed to God and to the UMW.  Her smile will bring you joy by itself!

PLEASE RSVP by December 4th to–Willodene Broderick(615-641-6858), Debbie McCormick (931-206-3481), or Martha Barr (615-957-6081).  We need to know how many are coming and if you have room in your car for another person.  Parking is limited and we ask that you please carpool.  All women and girls are invited!

DAY CARE CHILDREN CAROLING  Friday, December 16, 11:00-11:45am
Our McKendree Day Care children will be sharing Christmas carols on the front steps of the church.  The children are always so sweet and cute!  Most of the children are excited and happy, but as you can see in the pictures, sometimes the crowd and noise level is just too much!  If you’re downtown on December 16, come to the church and be blessed by our Day Care Toddlers and Preschool children!

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY, December 18, 9-11am  For all our McKendree Children!

LONGEST NIGHT SERVICE, December 21, 5:30-6:30pm
Many United Methodist Churches hold these special services on the longest night of the year, December 21, for people who are grieving.  Perhaps due to death, illness, or heartbreak of one kind or another – it doesn’t really matter.  For some people – or for all us at one time or another – Christmas with images of hope, love, family, and togetherness isn’t what they experience.  The Longest Night Service is especially for those who are hurting.  We invite you to join us for this special service of understanding, listening, prayer and healing.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 12:30pm and 5:00 pm

CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE – We’ll have one service at 10am!

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PASTOR’S SERMON  You may hear Pastor Handy’s latest sermon by going to https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/mckendree-united-methodist/id962978531?mt=2

FINANCIAL GIFTS  Your financial gifts and donations are always appreciated.  Consider adding McKendree UMC to your bill pay account.  Our address is: 523 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37219.  Online giving is always available at https://mckendreenashville.com/give.  Also, you can text your giving!  Just text the amount you would like to give to 615-375-4049.  The first time you give you will be prompted to visit a secure URL.  Just follow the prompts and enter your information.

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PRAYER CONCERNS
As part of our commitment to caring for all children, we pray for the following schools: Rose Park Math & Science Middle Magnet, Jones Paideria Elementary, Buena Vista Elementary, John Early Middle Magnet, and Hull Jackson Elementary.

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As always, remember God’s will for us is good, we must do the rest!
Pastor Stephen