“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Sunday, December 6, 2020
Welcome Strangers
Garlinn Story will lead the CUC lesson this Sunday. She will be sharing from chapter two of “Making Room”, titled Welcome Strangers. The bible verse is
He defends the cause of the featherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:18-19:
CUC Sunday School Class on Zoom and in Our Classroom
Thank goodness for Zoom! This Sunday will be the 36nd Sunday we have met on Zoom.
Last Sunday, Nov. 25, there were 12 CUC members in the classroom and approximately 75 were able to join us on Zoom for a total socially-distanced attendance of about 87.
Sunday we will again have the Zoom meeting in the CUC classroom. It will be displayed on the TV screens in class so it’s really a hybrid meeting. There is a capacity for 47 in the classroom.
If the meeting doesn’t start for you by 9:30 am on Sundays, PLEASE check your emails for a new (alternate) link to the Sunday School meeting.
Online Attendance Register for SS Classes
Be sure that you register your attendance – either Zooming or on-site participation online using your personal cell phone or tablet. Class members will initially go online to: www.rumc.com/connect-card to register within Ministry Platform. After that, each time you sign-on you will just need to select the event that you are attending to register. When you choose the time that your class normally meets, the system will then automatically connect your attendance to the CUC class.
A Note from CUC President
The Thrill of Hope
by Shawn McEvoy
“A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaker a new and glorious morn.” —O Holy Night
Does Christmas thrill you?…So if Christ’s coming into this world offers hope, and hope, as the song says, provides a thrill, how do we locate that experience amid the distraction and disillusionment of December? Well that is the cool thing about Hope. Just as total darkness can’t hold back the light of a tiny flame, so does the smallest increment of Hope provide joy and purpose.
Ever wonder why faith, hope, and love are the greatest virtues, and apparently in that order? Maybe hope isn’t actually something we do, but we receive, like grace. If it’s true that “without faith it is impossible for us to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6), perhaps it’s conversely true that without Hope it would be impossible for Him to please us. The same verse says that God is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Is hope that reward?
I mean, if faith is what we give to God, and hope is what He gives to us, then we have the dynamic of a relationship. With that in place, we can love. So love is built on hope, which is built on faith.
I look forward to seeing you as we enter the second week of Advent,
Fred Brown
CUC Plans Christmas Party!
Our Merriest Little Christmas Party Ever! is fast approaching on Tuesday night, December 15th from 5:50 – 7 PM. Everyone should have received their invitation by email this week.
The Christmas party committee is Garlinn and Mike Story, Dee and Bill Scott and Patsy and Bill Lanham and they have planned a fun evening of visiting with one another in small groups and then playing Santa Bingo.
Next week, you will be emailed a bingo card for you to print on your printer along with instructions for putting your own numbers on your cards. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO PRINT ONE, please email Patsy Lanham or call her, so she can mail you one. We want everyone to be able to play bingo at our party, so if you have any problem being able to print OR if you are having trouble getting Zoom or understanding HOW you do it, please contact one of us to help you.
Christmas Gifts for Murphy Harpst Children
The total amount contributed by CUC members for Murphy-Harpst Children’s Home Christmas is now $3,915. Charlie Mason has written a check from CUC to Murphy-Harpst in the amount of $4,000 and Betty Hunt is sending it off this weekend to the Murphy-Harpst Children’s Home.
Christmas Gift & Craft Show
Saturday, Dec. 5, 9:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. – change of hours due to weather.
Festive gifts. Artisan crafts. Delicious goodies. Gorgeous lights and decorations. You’ll find all that and more at RUMC’s annual Christmas Gift and Craft Show. Find the perfect gift for anyone and everyone in your life; from kids to in-laws to teachers and anyone in between.100% of the proceeds from vendor booth fees go to support our student mission efforts both domestically and internationally.
This year’s Christmas Gift & Craft Show is moving outdoors! Vendor booths will be set up in Sanctuary Parking Lot according to recommended distancing guidelines and a one-way traffic flow. Please come wearing a mask and be prepared to have your temperature taken. Come safely shop and support local businesses this holiday season!
RUMC Weekly “To Go” Menu
From Jacob Crane: I hope everyone had a great week back from Thanksgiving. The kitchen was right back into the swing of things this week, Serving up 375 Hot Meals and another 215 Frozen Meals! Thanks again to all of you for your help in making this a successful outreach ministry to the community! We have a really great menu planned for next week. Should be a busy week, and we plan on serving some really great meals!
The RUMC Hospitality team is still preparing convenient, delicious, affordable meals every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM. Pick up meals at our drive-through outside of Fellowship Hall. All meals are just $5.00. No need to pre-order unless you plan to pay by credit card.
Week of December 8th – December 10th
- Tuesday – Beef Chili over Steamed White Rice, Cole Slaw, Corn Bread,
- Wednesday – Honey Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders, Mac and Cheese, Peas and Carrots, Buttered Biscuit
- Thursday – Pork Schnitzel with Mustard Cream Sauce over Roasted Potatoes, Braised Red Cabbage, Bavarian Soft Pretzel
- Jim Adcock – Ongoing recovery at home following partial hip replacement
- Sister Backus – as she deals with continuing back problems and dealing with Parkinson’s Disease
- Jeannie Ehlers – as she recovers from latest chemo treatment
- Pat Phillips is scheduled for surgery on Monday, December 7, at Piedmont, for a lumpectomy, and would appreciate prayers.
- Vince and Donna Grosse appreciate all your prayers for his sister, Deidra Morrison, and for their friend Susan Ouzts, both undergoing therapy for cancer
- Nancy Spence: Thank you CUC friends for prayers and concerns for my son Tim. He came home Wednesday afternoon. Covid and Pneumonia under control, but still dealing with gallbladder issues.
- Keith Stump has had multiple myeloma for many years. He is now on home hospice. Please keep Keith and Wilma in your thoughts and prayers in the coming days.
Thanksgiving
- Beth and Bob Hamilton express their heartfelt appreciation for the unbelievable love and support that you all have given to us during their covid illness. “To all of those in our class,…..many thanks for the cards, prayers & individual deliveries of delicious dinners. Just great!!!! Beth and I are today free of the covid virus! “
Continuing Prayers
- Dick Anthony – as he continues to deal with health problems.
- Pat (Mrs.) Cooney and (Mr.) Pat as she continues to battle multiple myeloma
- Pat Deaton and her daughter Lara who is caring for her
- Malone Dodson – as he continues his recovery from stroke
- Betty and Don Gay – at home with daily help of caregiver
- Shirley May – still recovering with post-shingles neuropathy
- Mary Kay Mills – as she continues treatment of leukemia
- Edna Smith as she deals with increasing problems with Parkinson’s Disease
- Stan & Virginia Thomason – Virginia has palliative Hospice Care. Stan looks forward to calls from CUC members.
Please pray for needs expressed and unexpressed for CUC members, and for friends and relatives of CUC class members who are facing illnesses, loss of loved ones, and important decisions to be made, especially at this difficult time with the Corona virus! Special prayers for CUC members who have had severely limited outside contacts for these past few months due to Covid 19 risk. Prayers also for our nation and its people and for the reopening of churches.
Birthdays
- Mary Serafina – December 7
- Hugh Gardner – December 10
- Bob Burrell – December 11
Anniversaries
- none
Support for Our Missions:
Continue to save those flip tops for Ronald McDonald Houses!
You can continue to contribute support to Murphy Harpst using Amazon Smile. Also register at Publix.com with M-H’s school as the one to receive a portion of your receipts at Publix.
Save the Date
- December 15 – CUC Virtual Christmas Party
- Dec. 5 – 9:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. – Christmas Gift and Craft Show
CUC 