1. shopping
2. gifts

November 2014
November Dates
to Remember
Veterans’ Day Service
1
Men’s Breakfast
Called Admin Meeting
Growing God’s Girls
Brothers4Christ
McClure Cpl Service
2
Board of Trustees
3
Carrie Ruff Circle6
Girl Scouts
5
5, 20
Middle School Retreat
11/7-9
UMW Meeting
8
Blood Drive
Quest
Organ Concert
9
Stephen Ministry
10
Depression Support
11, 25
Acworth United Methodist Church
Rev. James Gwin, Senior Pastor
Rev. Linda Birchall, Associate Pastor
4340 Collins Circle
Acworth, GA 30101
770-974-3312
www.acworthumc.org
Thanksgiving Baskets:
Thanksgiving is just around the
corner. It's time to help our community again this year by filling
up baskets for a Thanksgiving dinner. Empty baskets will be
available for pickup at the Welcome Desk on November 9 & 16
between services and after 11:00 service. Please return them to
the hall of memories by noon Sunday, November 23. Monetary gifts are always welcome. Make your check to AUMC and
Memo it "T-Baskets". Gifts may be placed in the offering plate or
brought to the church office. If you know of a family that might
need assistance for Thanksgiving, please let me know ASAP. If
you have any questions, please contact Valorie Hoven at
678-613-4631 or email hovenv@bellsouth.net.
Angels are Coming on November 23
Help brighten the Christmas of a girl or boy in our community by picking an Angel from our tree and purchasing gifts. Sign your angel out on the sheet located near
the tree, purchase gifts and return them unwrapped by
December 14. Want to join our committee and help
spread Christmas Joy to those in need? Contact Karen
Jeffrey at jeffreymom@att.net or 404-275-4472.
OWLS to Jaemer
Farm
13
HS Night Out
Young Adult Retreat
14
Adult Singles Potluck
15
Missions Lunch
Youth Potluck
Confirmation Picnic
16
Sr. Adult Lunch
Admin. Council
17
Finance Committee
CancerCare
18
Annual Pancake Supper
UMW Pancake Supper
Hanging of the Greens
23
Sunday, November 23
ACTS Mail Team
24
OWLS Apple Trip
23
Missions Committee
25
Handbell Concert
Youth Mission Night
Family Promise
30
United Methodist Women’s
11/3012/7
5-6:15 p.m.
Family Life Center
Bring the family and enjoy the
traditional pancake supper
Hanging of the Green Service
Sunday, November 30
6:30 p.m.
before the annual Handing of
Watch for the sign up sheet to participate
the Greens Service at 6:30pm.
in decorating the sanctuary for Advent.
WE LIFT OUR JOYS AND CONCERNS IN PRAYER
Ongoing Concerns…
Faith Anderson, Michael Bedenbaugh, Bob Foster, Sally Jarrett & family, Marie Hicks, Janelle
McClure, Zachary Queen, Pamela Saunders, Max Sheheane, Lisa Sizemore, Bill Watkins,
Denise West-Smith,
Missionaries: Dorothy Mutambara, Zimbabwe; Inna Mezalumo, Malawi;
Local Mission: Blessings in a Backpack, Family Promise-North Cobb, Middle School Outreach Program, Murphy Harpst children & staff, Regional Youth Detention Center, Rome, GA, UM Children’s Home
Military Prayer List: Charle Gothro, Graham Martin, David Sanford
MEMORIALS AND HONORARIUMS
To the glory of God and the General Fund
In memory of Chris Ann Stark-Richards by the Epiphany Anglican Church
In memory of Jean Huggins by the Charlotte McClure Sunday School class
In memory of Eunice Frohberg by Alyce Hegedus
To the glory of God and the AUMC Food Pastry
In memory of Joyce Watkins by Bill Watkins
FAITH FOUNDATION
Did you know our actions today can help win others to Christ long
after we are gone? By investing in AUMC’s newly created endowment
fund, the Faith Foundation Fund, we will support church priorities that
would not be possible through the yearly budget. The best part is that only
the income earned from gifts will be used. The principle amount remains
in the account earning interest and generating income far into the future.
THANK YOU!
The staff of Acworth UMC
has been richly blessed by
the outpouring of love &
kindness during October’s
Staff Appreciation. The
outpouring of meals, cards,
candy, baked goods, ScripCards, flowers, emails,
hugs, pillows, and prayers
have been overwhelming.
We are blessed to minister
through Acworth UMC and
thank God for the wonderful people who are a part
of this church family.
Our November 13 destinations are new. Jaemor Farms supplies all types of produce...even a tractor ride. The Dillard
House is well known throughout North Georgia for its bakery,
store and preserves. (Beware, James is going.) We’ll leave the
church at 9 a.m. Sign up will be on the Sr. Adult bulletin board
We are changing our December event. The Main Street Playhouse in Woodstock is doing a
Christmas Carol musical featuring favorite Christmas carols and other original music. We have
15 reservations for the December 12 performance. Senior tickets are $11. Watch for the sign
up sheet on the Sr. Adult bulletin board.
Single Adult’s Pot Luck and Game Night
Saturday, November 15 - 6 pm
Casual gathering for adult singles, divorced, widowed or married folks who socialize single!!
Bring a bite or dish to share on the buffet line. You don't need to eat first....just come and relax.
Beverages provided. Hosted by Karen Bakos and Joy LaFleur at 4676 Hadaway Rd NW, Kennesaw 30152. Contact Teresa or Scott Koppel at tkoeppel@bellsouth.net - or 770-419-5912 or
text or call Karen at 404-314-9967 or email at klbakos@gmail.com . Ample parking available
at the church lot next door! Those with pet allergies note that there are shy cats on the property. Please let us know if you can come so we can prepare accordingly! Hope to see you
there! (And mark the calendar for Game Night on Dec.13, details will be published later.)
4th Annual
CHRISTMAS
CAMP
Saturday, December 13
9:30am-1:30pm
Ages 3 years - 5th grade
Only $25 each child!
Children can make age-appropriate crafts, listen to the Nativity Story, join in the Christmas
carol sing-along, play “reindeer games” and have pizza, cookies & hot cocoa with the elves! You
can take a much needed break or use the time for Christmas shopping! Registration opens November 2! Space is limited to 50 children ages 3 years-5th grade. Register in the Hall of
Memories on Sunday’s & Wednesday’s or in the church office during the week. Payment is due
at registration. This is a volunteer run camp (no paid positions) because all of the
money is used for crafts and food! Adults and youth interested in volunteering for
this event may contact either or Cathy Osborne at cadosborne@bellsouth.net or
Darlene@acworthumc.org . Please note: Kids On the Hill choir kids can come to camp
and still participate in adult choir rehearsal! We’ll make sure you don’t miss anything!
G3- Growing God’s Girls - for 4th-6th grade girls - will meet on November 2 from 12-2:15pm for potato
bar lunch and a special Christmas craft activity! Sign in will be in the FLC. Cost is $5. Friends and big sisters
are always welcome at G3! Contact Kris Shock at kris.shock@comcast.net or Darlene@acworthumc.org for
more information.
B4C - BROTHERS for CHRIST -for 4th-6th grade boys- meets on Sunday, November 2. Bring
money for lunch out and be prepared for games afterwards! Sign in will be in the choir room after church
–and pick up in the Chapel at 2:30pm. Dads and friends are welcome to join us! For more information
about B4C, contact Ed Lynch at elynch1818@bellsouth.net or Chris Derrick at caderrick@comcast.net.
QUEST - for 3rd-6th graders – will meet Sunday, November 9 from 5-7pm DownUnder for fun and
fellowship! We will not meet on the 23rd - families are encouraged to start the holiday season by coming to the Pancake Supper and Hanging of the Greens Service! It’s an awesome family event!
Our annual trek to Bethlehem Walk at Mountain View UMC will be Saturday, December 13. We’ll
meet DownUnder at 4:15p for pizza supper, leave church at 4:45p then return at 8pm. Families are
welcome to participate! Sign up will begin November 23. Cost: $5 each person ($3 for supper and $2 donation to
Bethlehem Walk). Friends are always welcome at QUEST!
COMING SOON...
Children’s
Christmas Eve
Pageant
Children 4 years old-8th grade can
play a part in this one rehearsal play!
Sign up will begin November 30 in the
Hall of Memories. Rehearsal will be
10a-noon on Christmas Eve.
The kids will perform at the 5pm
Christmas Eve service!
November
Live Nativity is December 5 from 5:309:30pm in Downtown Acworth. It’s an awesome opportunity for AUMC to present the
story of Christ’s birth to the community! Signup in Hall of Memories beginning November 9.
Costumes are provided. All ages welcome!
Created by God - Human Sexuality Education program for 5th-7th graders will be held
on January 16-18. Registration will begin in
December. Cost is $35 and includes materials,
snacks and lunch Saturday. For more information, contact Darlene@acworthumc.org or
Hannah@acworthumc.org.
11/2
11/2
11/9
11/23
12-2:15pm
12-2:30pm
5-7pm
5pm
6:30pm
G3 Lunch & Craft
B4C Lunch & games
QUEST- DownUnder
Pancake Supper &
Hanging of the Greens
looking forward to December...
12/5 5:30pm
Live Nativity
Downtown Acworth
12/7
KOH C’mas Musical
12/7 12-2:15pm G3 in FLC
12/7 12-2:15pm B4C Lunch
12/13 9:30-1:30p Christmas Craft
Camp for Kids
12/13 4:15-8pm QUEST to Bethlehem
Walk at Mtn View UMC
12/14 5-7pm
QUEST DownUnder
12/24 10a-noon Rehearsal for Pageant
Hann ah
S tubblef ie ld
S tude nt
Mi nis te r
Hannah@acworthumc.org
HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING: November 2014
www.acworthumcyouth.com Instagram: AUMC_Youth Facebook: Acworth UMC Youth
ReMix
Sunday Night
Program:
Nov. 2: ReMix.
4:30-7:00pm
Nov. 9: ReMix.
4:30-7:00pm.
Nov. 16: Thanksgiving Potluck.
Nov. 23: Hanging of the Greens.
Nov. 30: Night of Worship.
Middle School: “Jesus Freak”
High School: “Can I Ask That?”
A Great Big Thanks!
We thank you for your support and
Wednesday Night Program
5:00pm: Dinner in the FLC
5:45: Fellowship/Study Hall in the Attic
6:30-7:30: Bible Study
6th Grade: E204
7th/8th Grade: The Loft
High School: Attic
Upcoming November Youth Events:
November 7-9: Middle School Fall Retreat.
Woodland Camp and Retreat Center. $90
making the 1st Annual AUMC Pumpkin November 14: High School Night Out. 6-10pm.
Patch a huge success and supporting the
More info coming soon.
youth and Youth Ministries here at
AUMC!
Confirmation Schedule for November
Nov. 2: Class: 9:30am-12:00pm
Youth: 4:30pm-7:00pm
Nov. 9: Class: 9:30am-12:00pm
Passion City Church: 4:00pm-8:30pm
Nov. 16 Class: 9:30am-12:00pm
Acworth Beach: 4:30pm-7:00pm
Nov. 23: No Class
Nov. 30: Class: 9:30am-12:00pm
Youth: 4:30pm-7:00pm
November 16: Thanksgiving Potluck. 4:307:00pm. FLC.
Nov. 11 Paulding Co. &
Allatoona, 7am.
McDonald’s @ Cedarcrest &
92
Nov. 18: Cobb County, 7am
Chick-fil-A on Hwy. 41next to
O’Charley’s
From Senior Pastor
Rev. James Gwin
Letting Go
I was sixteen years old the first time I tried ice skating. It wasn’t pretty. Our
church’s youth group was looking for a good, wholesome fellowship activity.
I was out-voted and ice skating was selected. I didn’t want to go. I had never
been before. Ice skating looked like something that could make a young adolescent male appear un-cool. I was right.
To me, it seemed as though everyone laced up their skates and glided out onto the ice. I (like Charlie Brown) laced up my skates and then clung to the
side wall surrounding the ice rink. It seemed like hours passed before I made
a single lap around the ice. I was pitiful. My feet went back and forth very fast, but I never moved.
Like a train sits on tracks, I gripped the side wall surrounding the ice rink. My friends zoomed past
me with almost no effort at all. I tottered, fell, slipped, crawled, paddled, clung, wobbled, shimmied,
inch by inch around the outer wall of the rink.
After a lot humiliation, a friend grabbed my arm and offered some coaching. Soon I was persuaded to
let go of the wall and skate. Wow! Skating is more fun when you let go of the wall.
Sometimes in our life of faith, we spend too much time holding onto the wall. We work really hard.
We get nowhere. It takes encouragement and coaching, but if you let go of the wall, trust your friends
to help you, and glide out on faith, then your spiritual life will be free. You will go further with less
stress and more joy. What a concept! Faith can be fun if you just let go and let God.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of
witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that
slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And
let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Hebrews 12: v1 (NLV)
Your clumsy clergy
in Christ,
Email: james@acworthumc.org
Cell: 770-757-0403.
McClure Update
When is work going to begin in the McClure Chapel? Why is this taking so long? What is the plan?
These are a few of the frequent questions heard around Acworth UMC these days. Here is what I know
as of mid-October.
Work to re-purpose McClure Chapel into McClure Hall is progressing. Bids are being received for different parts of the project (window, paint, lights, flooring, etc.) Before anything can be done, other projects must be completed. Those projects include a new sound system in the sanctuary (done), a new
playground (done), ministry money for Children & Youth (done), reserve money set aside (done) and
the windows replaced in the McClure Chapel (estimates are being received.) Only after a contract is
signed for the McClure window replacement will the McClure Project Team know how much money is
available to use in the renovation. Currently, work is expected to begin in early 2015. To start sooner
would be too disruptive during the Christmas Season.
You are invited to a special worship service in the McClure Chapel at 7pm, November 2, 2014 to celebrate this beautiful space, the memories it created, and the lives that have been touch within its walls.
Stay alert. As more information is known, it will be shared in newsletters, bulletins, and worship.
Being Thankful
Rev. Linda Birchall
Have you ever noticed how often and yet how seldom we say “thank you”? Confused? Here’s
what I mean. Many days we offer a very perfunctory thank you to: sales clerks, the person who holds
open the door for us, someone on the telephone…and so it goes. But then, on the other hand, think
about how seldom we offer true, genuine thanks to other people for their kindnesses, their generosity or
their thoughtful comments.
And that leads me to God. Many people I know routinely say grace over their food. Has that gotten perfunctory too, so that you are doing it by rote and not with sincerity? And how often do we bother
to thank God for daily blessings and treasures? I know I don’t do it
nearly often enough.
I’ve decided to focus on thankfulness all month, not just on
Thanksgiving Day. I want to take time each day to be truly thankful for
those little moments God puts in my path. Notice them. Enjoy them.
Thank God for them.
I want to make sure that I thank God for all of the people God
puts in my path, too, and view each of them as a child of God, someone who deserves love, respect and consideration – yes, even the annoying ones. God gives us so many chances to be thankful. Why not take them?
I was reading an article the other day in which the author was talking about gratitude and its effect
on the grateful person, not just the receiver of gratitude. He said that people who are genuinely grateful,
who practice gratitude daily, are much happier AND bonus!: they live longer!
The very next day I read an article about Christians no longer giving
a hoot about others. It showed a picture of three young women, all
dressed up, having their pictures made on the streets of a city, all while
being totally oblivious to the old homeless man right at their feet. And I
thought: there are cautionary tales here. Gratitude means giving a hoot.
It means being thankful for those people around me, whether they go to
the same church, vote the same way, live in the same neighborhood, have
the same color of skin, are rich or poor, sick or well, are homeless or not.
Gratitude means loving God and others, and wanting to act toward others
with the same kind of love God has for me.
So, this Thanksgiving season, I really AM thankful, and I’m going to practice it! I’m thankful for all
of you, for your servants’ hearts and willing spirits. I’m thankful for this church and its desire to make a
difference in the world. I‘m thankful for opportunities to witness to others about the powerful difference
God has made in my life and can make in theirs. And I’m thankful that God loves me in spite of all the
mistakes I make and the things I do wrong. Surely, I can be grateful for that!
Blessings, Linda
Music Ministry
Please hold these calendar dates:
November 9 at 6 pm Vicki Frey, our extraordinary organist, will present an organ concert featuring selections from her
award winning American Guild of Organists Scholarship Competitions programs. The music includes many standards
of organ literature and some of the most difficult compositions ever written for the organ. Vicki is recognized by her
peers as an accomplished artist at the organ. You will want to be there to hear her in concert.
The Kennesaw Mountain High School Chorus and Orchestra will present a program of Christmas music on December 2
at 7 pm in our sanctuary. They will have approximately 80 in the chorus and a full orchestra of 68 players. They have
held their Christmas concert here for several years and their performances are truly inspiring and enjoyable. You will
be happy you came.
All of our AUMC musical groups are in rehearsal for the Christmas services each one will present.
- The Praise Team will lead their Christmas service on November 30 at the 9:30 service.
- The Kids on the Hill Choir will present their Christmas musical December 7th at 11 am.
- The Chancel Choir and Orchestra will present their Christmas Celebration service on December 14 at the 11 am
service.
Rehearsal attendance for each member of every group is vitally important. We want to present the finest we have to
offer to the Christ whose birthday we celebrate. Things get busier as we approach the Season, so we have to be more
intentional than ever about making sure that each member is in attendance at every rehearsal. From the youngest to
the oldest, it's all about music in ministry and what manner of gift we can give to the King of Kings and to our congregation. Clearly, only our very best will do.
AUMC MOVING IN MISSIONS
Does your view never change? Do you need a change of pace?
Then get out of the building and get Moving in Missions.
Food Pantry
"I was hungry and you gave me something to eat......I tell you, Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you
did for me."
Never go hungry
Loaves of Love
Hunger knows no season
You CAN help
How shall we feed them?
These are a few slogans I came across from various food pantries throughout the area. So many pantries, so many volunteers, and ever so many families in need. Bags of
food continue to appear week after week as the people in need continue to come week
after week. Every person walking through the door, a rare treasure, and all the volunteers and donations truly making a difference in the lives of many.
So, "How shall we feed them?" "You CAN help" with "Loaves of Love" because "Hunger
knows no season and we will help them "never go hungry.
May you all enjoy a bountiful and blessed Thanksgiving.
Baskets of Blessings, 'Rene
One Person Called to Serve…
She works at our Food Pantry several time a month. She gladly and
lovingly bags up food for those in need . One day she felt called to do
more, so she bought some bags, attached a note of explanation and
dropped them off at homes in her neighborhood. The following week
she collected them….filled with donations of food for our pantry.
Just One Person Called to Serve….