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Children on Sundays
Children are always welcome at the RUMC Church Services, OR at any of these:
The Nursery is for children 6 weeks through 2 years old. The nurseries are located
down the hall from the Welcome Center.
Children’s Church is for kids age 3 through Kindergarten at 8:45 and 11:00 AM. Please
sign children in before entering worship as they will be led out to Children’s Church,
Room S207. Parents pick up the children there following the service.
Children’s Sunday School is at 9:45. Classes are offered for children 3 years through
5th grade, and brochures are available in all the lobbies.
Kids W.O.W Worship at 11:00 AM is for children grades 1-5. This group meets in Room
130A. Parents should sign in their children before going to worship.
Children’s Ministry
A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU to the United Methodist Men for their love and support
of the Children’s Ministry through the year. You are such wonderful examples of Christ’s
love through your service.
Youth Ministries
Normal Youth Activities will resume Sunday, January 4.
Confirmation Retreat Parent’s Meeting: Sunday, January 4 at 4:00 in The Well.
Calendar of Events
S=Sanctuary; FH=Fellowship Hall; FR=Fireside Room; RR=Riverchase Room
C=Children’s Wing; E=Education Building; SC=Student Center
Sunday 12/28
7:00 AM Prayer Meeting-S
8:45 AM Worship-S
Adult Sunday School
9:45 AM Sunday School
Worship-S
11:00 AM Worship-S
WOW-130A
R’chase Contemporary-Gym
Hispanic Worship-Upper Room
4:00 PM Prayer Team-S214
Monday 12/29
6:00 AM Men’s Study-RRA
6:30 PM AA-E111
Tuesday 12/30
Wednesday 12/31
Thursday 1/1
Church office is closed.
Friday 1/2
Saturday 1/3
10:30 AM Overeaters Anonymous-Rm32
6:30 PM AA-E111
Visit our Website at Riverchasestudents.com
Scouting Ministry:
 Boy Scouts - Randy Batten: batten11@gmail.com; 988-0746.
 Girl Scouts - Cynthia Stafford: cynthia4616@charter.net; 410-4715.
 The Girl Scouts went Christmas caroling at Golden Living Nursing Home in
Hoover. They also learned about Christmas in other countries at the annual
Holidays Around the World educational event.
Online Giving—eGive Year End Giving Policy
One time gifts requested on or before 11:59 PM Central Time December 29, 2014
with a posting date on or before December 31, 2014 will be reported as a gift in 2014.
One time gifts requested after 11:59 PM Central Time on December 29, 2014 will be
reported as 2015 gifts. Recurring gifts will be processed on their scheduled date and
reported in the year the gift is deducted from your account. Bi-monthly gifts will be
deducted on December 31, 2014.
Update for Mission and Ministry Budget 2015: To date we have received 294 oneyear Estimate of Giving cards totaling $1,747,686. Last year we received 386 cards
totaling $1.9 million. To help us determine the budget for next year, the Estimate of
Giving cards need to be turned in by year end.
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Adult Ministries
Dinner & Theater-January 30: Virginia Sanford Theater’s Tony Award winning
musical The Producers. We meet at the church at 5:00 and go to dinner before the
play. Come by the church office to make reservations. $30 for 5 th row seats.
Career Assistance Ministry: Contact Mike Coffey, morcoffey@gmail.com.
Community Grief Support Service: For information, call 870-8667.
Beginning Experience: A ministry for those who are divorced or separated. For
information, call 969-8509 or http://birminghambeginningexperience.org.
Open Prayer Meeting: Sundays at 4:00 PM in the Prayer Room, S214.
24-Hour Prayer Line: 1-800-251-2468; the Upper Room Prayer Center.
Needle & Thread will NOT meet again until January 6, 2015.
New Sunday Service: A new offsite Sunday morning service. The Stream, now at
Baumhower’s Wings in Patton Creek at 9:45. Contact Wes Savage if you can help,
Wesley@RiverchaseUMC.org. Find us at Facebook.com/thestreambww and
Twitter @thestreambww.
Adult Sunday School information available
in the brochure racks in all Lobby areas.
Prayer Concern lists are available for pick-up
at the wooden-church Prayer Boxes and online.
Riverchase Day School
Happy New Year! A few spots have opened in the Day School. If you’re interested,
please call the Day School office, 989-8070.
2015-16 Kindergarten information meeting will be January 13, at 1:30 PM.
Altar Flowers
The flowers on the altar are in honor of
Paul and Debbie Ward’s 48th wedding anniversary,
given by their children and grandchildren.
Sympathy
The church staff and congregation would like to offer our deepest sympathy to
Joe and Tina Styslinger and family on the death of Tina’s brother, Sheldon Metcalf.
Stewardship Report
Mission and Ministry Budget 2014
$2,826,025
Budget Needed Weekly
$54,347
Long Term Debt
$1,729,964
Total Worship (December 21)
1667
Remember RUMC in your will.
A Service for the Worship of God
First Sunday of Christmas
PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP
Welcome! Please fill in the friendship pad so we can record your attendance
OR reach out to you if you’re visiting. Thank you for silencing your cell
phones.
Announcements
Children’s Moment and Children’s Church (11:00)
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom
come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day
our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory
forever. Amen.
Prelude
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
arr. Wood
Acolytes: (9:45) Brayden LaPore
(11:00) Anna Beth Goodman and Burton Collis
Lighting of the Christmas Wreath
(9:45) Herman and Marianne Faulk
(11:00) Buzz and Ellen Barrett
A Christmas Medley
Shaw
JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME
Receiving of Our Tithes, Offerings, and Attendance
Offertory
In the Bleak Midwinter
GLORIA
Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o’er the
plains, And the mountains in reply echoing their joyous
strains. Gloria in excelsis Deo!
BORN IS THE KING OF ISRAEL
Scripture Lesson (Pew Bible 59)
Luke 2:21-40
This is the Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!
*Christmas Medley
Angels from the realms of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
Come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ the newborn King.
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
The first Noel the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King,
Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing.
Sermon
Back To Normal
Rev. John Ray
Invitation to Christian Discipleship
ANTIOCH
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy.
*Benediction
May the joy of the Christmas, the love of God our Father, the hope
of His newborn Son so fill our hearts and minds that every day
may be Christmas Day as we resolve to share this good news with
all the world. Amen.
Postlude
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
arr. Held
He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove
The glory of His righteousness, and wonders of His love.
YEA, LORD WE GREET THEE
*Greeting of Friends and Guests
Coming Soon!
Classes & Wednesday Nights
Look for these classes on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM, starting Jan. 7, 2015:
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Getting to Know the Word of God
Divorce Recovery
The Family of Jesus (Women)
Let’s All Be Brave (Women)
 Legacy Journey
(prerequisite–Financial Peace)
• I Wish Jesus Hadn’t Said That
Announcing New “Small Groups for 2015.” What you’re interested in—when & where
you want it. Sign-up now on-line! Maximum 12 sessions, Jan. to May. Space limited.
Still available: Riverchase Hikers, Marks-men and Marks-women, Soul Food 101,
Gardening Group, 280 Corridor Folks, Family Fun Night, Mondays for Moms, Men &
Wings, and Dominoes.
Sundays starting January 25:
 Knowing God’s Covenant with Ray Miller from 5:30-7:00 PM. MUST pre-register by
January 18, 2015.
Mondays starting January 12:
 Spiritual Warfare: From 6-8 PM with Rev. Mark Wadley in Room 28.
(Those wishing more information on church membership are asked
to call Dr. Jim Savage, Senior Pastor, 397-3013)
*Hymn of Joy
This Week!
Welcome New Members! Suzanne Douglass.
 Healing Services will be available beginning Sunday afternoon, January 4, 2015.
Services will be held in the Sanctuary from 5-6:00PM on the first Sunday of each
month until further notice. Come as the Holy Spirit leads you.
 It’s time to submit your Lenten Devotional thoughts on ―Living the Joy of Christ‖ to
Nancy@Riverchaseumc.org on a single page. Include Scripture, your story, and a
brief prayer.
 Basketball Camp: January 2 from 9:30 AM-1 PM for boys and girls 6-13. Cost is $40.
Register now or on the first day of camp 8:30 -9:30 AM.
 Singles Impact Ministry: We will start back on Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30 beginning
Jan. 6, in Riverchase B. Contact: Darla@Riverchaseumc.org.
 Lunch Bunch: January 13—10:30 games; 12:00 lunch; 12:30 guest speaker
Carol Kuttik from Lakeshore Foundation will share ways to get in shape without
going to a gym.
 January 24—UMW Potluck Brunch at 9:30 AM in the Fireside Room.
arr. Innes
*Song of Praise (Hymnal 238)
*A Prayer for Christmas Day (in unison)
God of love, Father of all, the darkness that covered the
earth has given way to the bright dawn of Your Word made
flesh. Make us a people of this light. Make us faithful to Your
Word, that we may bring your life to the waiting world. Grant
this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer (in unison)
Anthem
COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL
Susan Sheffield
Tuesdays:
 12 Ordinary Men: At 9:30 AM starting January 6, with Rev. Buzz Barrett
in the Library #18.
 Tuesday Morning Moms: Resumes January 13 at 10 AM with Chase.
Heather Monsma leads at 10 AM in Room 29. Childcare available
Register Now (Wednesday classes or Small Groups) at our website by clicking on
Sign-up Genius.
Mission Needs and Opportunities
Haiti Mission Trip, May 26-June 2. A team of 8 is needed. Sign up deadline is Jan. 26.
Rev. Mark Wadley will lead the group. Contact Mark or Wes Savage to join the team.
Children’s Mission Focus: Baby diapers and wipes.
Church of the Reconciler Needs: All size men’s and women’s underwear (small-XL)
socks, blankets, hand warmers, and women’s thermal underwear (XXL or XXXL). Mark
items ―COR‖ and place in a green mission bin.
Do you need a ride to your doctor? Call Bob Chapman, 432-8483.
Habitat for Humanity: Upcoming dates: Jan. 10 and 22. Contact Clint Bruess, 987-9448
or cbruess@bsc.edu, to join the group.
Mission Moment
Wireless earphones and large print hymnals and pew Bibles are available from
the ushers. Please ask an usher for assistance, if needed.
Habitat for Humanity is a Christian ministry dedicated to providing safe, affordable
housing to everyone. Members of RUMC regularly participate in building teams. To join
our next group in January, contact Dr. Clint Bruess at cbruess@bsc.edu, or Wes Savage,
397-3004. for more info.