DEADLINE FOR YOUR GOOD NEWS ARTICLE FOR THE JANUARY ISSUE:
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2008
Articles can be dropped off at the Church Office OR e-mail:
PubSec@ChristUMClehigh.org

DO YOU HAVE THREE HOURS AVAILABLE? If you do, Y-O-U can volunteer to be the Church Receptionist. Think about which Friday suits your schedule to “sit” the office from 9:00am till Noon, then call Helen in the office to put your name on the list. 369-1433


ADULT VOLUNTEERS OF ALL AGES NEEDED to help with Youth Activities. See Jeremy

Have you been ill? Were you in the hospital? Did you call the church office? 369-1433

Please have someone from your family, or a friend, or a neighbor call our church office to let us know if you are not well. Maybe “back home” those hospitals did call churches, hospitals here in the Lehigh Acres/Ft. Myers area don’t offer that service to us.

We do want to minister to our members and friends that are ill, hospitalized, recuperating, those in a rehab facility, or shut-in, but unless someone tells us we have no knowledge of such a situation.


W.O.W.!
We are “Watching Our Weight”

We would like to invite you to our healthy eating support group that meets on Saturday morning at 8:30 am in the Chapel. We each follow our own diet that works for our own particular situation. A scale is provided and we each weigh and track our own weight privately. In the past 16 weeks our group has lost nearly 100 lbs!!

Activities include:
A scripture and prayer specifically relevant to healthy living
Celebrating our weight losses
Sharing our meal plans, tips, helps, recipes, etc. to promote good eating habits
A lesson on a specific strategy or technique that aids our journey towards the goal
Inspirational and humorous stories, anecdotes and cartoons

This is one of our recent devotions: For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? (Romans 8:24 NIV)

Gwen stopped by the dress shop every few days to look at the gown she had picked out. Though it was a couple of sizes smaller than she wore, she dreamed of the time she could fit into it. It was a perfect gown. She could visualize in her mind’s eye how stunning she would look in it. For the next month, Gwen stuck to a strict diet and made her dream a reality. She lost the two sizes and bought the dress she wanted so badly.
We need our dreams, hopes, and plans to make it through our diets. Hope helps us bolster our faith and makes our dreams come true.
Today’s Thought: Hoping helps believing! (Taken from “Devotions for Dieters” by Dan R. Dick)

SECONDS COUNT….ESPECIALLY WHEN DIETING.


Pancake Breakfast 9:00am Sunday December 14

Cub Scouts Pack 11, will be serving some super pancakes beginning at 9:00am until after our Worship Service. This is a fundraiser for the scouts to go on an overnight trip to Busch Gardens.

You can even watch them flip the flapjacks they’ll make for you.

Christ United Methodist Church sponsors this Scout Troop. Please support the scouts!


We have been blessed with the presence of a Lay Pastor from the New England Conference. Israel Lozano is looking for a job. If you or someone you know can help him, please call 239-823-3033. Thanks and Blessings


We appeal to you once again for BLANKETS.

We will accept NEW or ALMOST NEW (please be sure they are C-L-E-A-N!) For the shelter at Friendship House in Immokalee.
Over the past years we have donated more than 500 blankets, but the need is always there. The nights are getting colder and many people sleep outside. Many of you have been most generous and we hope you ALL can find a few more for us. We also accept small toiletries you may have from your travels.

This is a church with a H-E-A-R-T for those less fortunate. Would you be interested in going with us when we deliver them?
Esther Wilson
Blanket Chairperson


CHILDREN’S CHURCH—We are in need of teachers and helpers every Sunday to help out in Children’s Church. Please sign up in the back of the church and be prepared to be blessed. We are also in need of volunteers to teach Pre-K thru 5th grade on Wednesday night from 7:00—8:00pm, as well as Nursery volunteers. Please call Debbie Dittmar if you can help. 693-0936


CAN YOU HELP?

If you have a few hours available to help enhance our Worship Service please consider these “positions”:

   USHERS — Adult & Youth—see Ray Zitko;
   ACOLYTES — Youth—training will be provided, see Pastor Carlos
   Or Ray Zitko;
   GREETERS — see Barbara Whaley;
   HANDBELL CHOIR — come to the Bell Room (behind the Sanctuary)
   On Monday night at 7:00pm;
   ALTAR GUILD — Change paraments. Maintain and polish brass altar
   Items—see JoAnn Landes-Ross;
   NURSERY HELPERS — Sunday morning—see Terry in the Nursery or
   Call the Church Office to pick a Sunday.


Mark SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 on your calendar NOW!

COME! ENJOY! Get “into” the CHRISTmas Season! Attend the Preschool Program In the Sanctuary. Then walk over to the Fellowship Hall. Get to know our Members and Friends in an enjoyable holiday atmosphere.
We’ll look for Y-O-U!


GET INVOLVED!

Can you spare a few hours to “man” a table, or just be available for whatever “job” needs to be done? Talk to Blanda & Laurel. How wonderful it would be if other CUMC groups would GET INVOLVED!

Put on your “thinking cap” and let them know your group will have an information booth; do a performance, or do some activites and games for the children. Let’s show Lehigh what Methodist RADICAL HOSPITALITY is all about!.. Volunteer and be Blessed!

Call Laurel 368-8849 NOW


Christmas Bazaar

Saturday, December 6
10am—2pm
In the Fellowship Hall

Christmas Bazaar is being planned for December 6, 2008. Start working now on your handmade items that you can donate. Questions? Call Maude Coleman, 247-4824 or Betty Mitchell, 560-3822.

WE WILL WRAP GIFTS!
Buy them here or bring yours in for a super gift-wrap by our “girls.”

GET INVOLVED!

Can you spare a few hours to “man” a table, or just be available for whatever “job” needs to be done? Talk to Blanda & Laurel. How wonderful it would be if other CUMC groups would GET INVOLVED!

Put on your “thinking cap” and let them know your group will have an information booth; do a performance, or do some activites and games for the children. Let’s show Lehigh what Methodist RADICAL HOSPITALITY is all about!.. Volunteer and be Blessed!

Call Laurel 368-8849 NOW


Here’s TEENA WEBBER’S CHERRY DUMP CAKE recipe

Everyone that was lucky enough to have a a taste of this at our “BRING A FRIEND SUNDAY” thought it was scrumptious!
1– 20 oz. can Crushed Pineapple-undrained (no sugar added)
1– 21 oz. can Cherry Pie Filling (Lite)
1– 18.25 oz Pkg. Plain Yellow Cake Mix
12 TBLSP. Butter—Melted (1-1/2 sticks)

Preheat oven to 350o F (325° for glass) (use center rack)

Spoon Pineapple evenly over bottom of 9” x 13” ungreased pan.
Cover the Pineapple with Cherry Pie Filling.
Sprinkle the DRY Cake Mix evenly over fruit mix, touching sides of pan. Drizzle entire pan with the melted Butter.

Bake 55—60 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool at least 10 min. on wire rack.

OPTIONAL: 1/2 can frozen unsweetened coconut and/or 1 cup chopped pecans. Sprinkle on top. If desired, spread with COOL WHIP™.


Teachers and volunteers are needed

We are in need of additional teachers and helpers for Sunday school and/or Children’s Church on a rotating basis. Curriculum is provided. If you can serve even one Sunday a month there is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex for you to indicate which day you can help or call the church office at 369-1433.


Food Pantry

A BIG thank you to all who has contributed to the Food Pantry in June. We were blessed with a large variety of items and lots of food. However, it goes out almost as fast as it comes in. We are designating every 4th Sunday as FOOD PANTRY DAY. Bring canned, boxed or bagged food items and place in the box in the Narthex. Some suggestions are: cereal, fruit, hamburger helpers, jelly, canned meats (tuna, chicken, salmon), rice, black or red beans and spaghetti sauce. Hours for pick up are Wednesdays and Thursdays from one to two pm. Questions? Call the church office at 369-1433.


Upper Room

Please note that the prices on the Upper Room have gone up. The small print is now 50 cents and the large print is now $1.00.


Methodist Children’s Home

We are now collecting items for the “Campus Wish List.” Personal hygiene items, twin bed sheets, school supplies, etc. can be left in the laundry baskets located in the Narthex.


New Worship Schedule:

On Sunday, May 18th we began one service. Our new schedule will be:

Sunday School — 9:00 a.m.
Fellowship — 10:00 a.m.
Worship — 10:30 a.m.


THANK YOU

Our “THANKS” to Doug Compton and Ralph Hemingway (representing the Mission Committee) who went to LaBelle and purchased food for the church food pantry.