News & Articles

We are now taking reservations for Altar Flowers for 2010. The reservation forms are on the Welcome Table.

ANGEL TREE PROJECT

Our Angel Tree Project of providing two Christmas gifts to children whose parents are incarcerated (one clothing item and one fun or toy item) will be coming up fast in late November—and again, we will need your help! Please watch the bulletin and Atrium for the Angel Tree with gift tag ornaments (telling you the item to purchase, wrap, and return to the church for delivery), and respond with your usual care. We thank you in advance for your participation and support of these projects!

Unplug the Christmas Machine!

On Sunday, November 15th 2—5pm, Unplug the Christmas Machine workshop will be presented at Wesley Church—Lodge Parlor. Based on the popular book “Unplug the Christmas Machine”, by Jo Robinson and Jean Staeheli. This workshop helps people reduce their stress by making simple changes in the celebration. Participants will be given a chance to examine their current practices, define their values, create a fantasy Christmas, then combine all their insights into a workshop plan for the coming holiday season. To date, this innovative workshop has been sponsored by over a thousand institutions in the US and Canada. Questions? Contact Jo Ann Hairston—Jones at 836-8090. Registration is required by Wednesday November 11, 2009 to ensure adequate resources. To register call the church office at 833-2153.

Sunday, November 15 – the Jr and Sr High Youth Groups will be raking leaves again this year, with all the proceeds going to Loaves and Fishes. If you have a gas-powered leaf blower that you would be willing to let us use, please drop it by the church office, with your name CLEARLY marked on it, or better yet, bring it on the 15 th and come help!!

REMINDER – next Sunday, Nov 15, is the last Sunday to bring items for the Shoe Box Ministry. We can also use donations, as it costs $7 to send a box overseas. If you would like to make a donation, please drop it in the collection plate and indicate SHOE BOX MINISTRY on the memo line or drop it by the office to Belinda. Thanks for your generosity!

The children’s Sunday School classes will be making CHRISMONS for the Hanging of the Greens on Sunday, Nov. 29. If you have any extra GOLD trim at your house, please send it with your child to Sunday School next Sunday or drop it by the office. Thanks!

Family J.A.M. will be Sunday, Nov 15. We’ll begin the evening at 5:00pm in the Atrium with a dinner of tacos, compliments of The Barnett Family. Afterwards we will have a fun evening of bowling. All 3 rd -6 th graders and their families are invited! GIRLS: please bring a COLD 2-liter of your favorite beverage BOYS: please bring a package of either hard shell or soft shell tacos

Vision Update

Starting last December our church went through an extensive MAPP (Ministry Assessment and Planning Process) to discern the Vision for our church. On Sunday, August 23, the Mission, Vision, Goals, and our Top Five Ministry Priorities were presented to the congregation during both worship services. Our church and our ministry teams have been doing many neat things to help us achieve our Vision. Some of the activities we’ve been doing include:

Up Grading of Elementary Grade Sunday School Rooms, new dry wall, furniture, flat screens. Check out the Jr. High Room, the 1-2, 3-4, and Children's Church Rooms. You've got to stop by these rooms and check them out!

Our new Associate Pastor has significant involvement with Christian Education, Children, Youth and Young Families Ministries.

More Audio-visual presentations in Contemporary Worship Services and changes in Choral Music for the Traditional Services.

Risk-Taking Missional Outreach to the Local Community during Streaming Waters Work Week in July and finishing last project in September.

Please go to the Wesley UMC web page at www.macombwesleyumc.com/ to read more about our church's Mission and Vision.

Warm Greetings Without a Handshake Initiative

Due to the H1N1 flu pandemic, the Administrative Council of Wesley U.M.C. sets forth the following Warm Greetings Without a Handshake Initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to reduce the spread of infectious disease. This initiative will be in effect from October 21 through the end of December 2009 (at which point the initiative will be reviewed).

The Administrative Council recommends:

Greeters and those at the Welcome Center are encouraged to continue to create a welcoming atmosphere here at Wesley without shaking hands.
Pastors will greet before and after services without shaking hands.
The formal greeting time during the worship service will be temporarily suspended during the period of this initiative.
All are encouraged to warmly greet one another before and after services without a handshake.

H1N1 has made it to Macomb. In order to keep our children safe, we are asking parents to observe the same precautions when bringing your children to church as you would when taking them to school. Each classroom has hand sanitizer, tissues and antibacterial wipes. Please use generously and wash hands often. If your child is diagnosed with either the seasonal flu or the H1N1, please notify us by calling the church office at 833-2153.

DONATIONS NEEDED FOR SAMARITAN WELL

The Samaritan Well provides a supportive, structured and loving home for men, women and children who are homeless and in need of shelter. They have recently experienced a drastic decrease in funding from the State of Illinois. Therefore, for the month of November, they are asking the community to help them with a financial gift and/or a donation of supplies for the two houses. Tax-deductible monetary donations may be sent to: Samaritan Well, 1306 Maple Avenue, Macomb, IL, 61455. Supplies may be brought to the Wesley Church office for the entire month of November. For a list of needed items, see the November newsletter (or check the Samaritan web site at http://www.samaritanwellinc.org ). Thank you for your support!

Wesley United Methodist Women will again be collecting new and gently used baby clothes for the McDonough County Early Beginnings Parent Program. These items will be collected from now until Thanksgiving and can be brought to the church office.

Do you have a Christmas Tree that is just taking up space in your garage? If so, please consider donating that tree to your church. We are preparing for a very special Christmas and will need additional trees to complete the displays and decorate the Sunday School rooms.

Pilates offers an approach to strength and flexibility training with exercises created to strengthen abdominal and back muscles while developing pelvic stability and abdominal control. A great compliment to any exercise program, Pilates promotes ease and efficiency of movement through focused, slow, careful and controlled exercise. The mind/body awareness developed in Pilates will improve your posture and form in all areas of your fitness program. All levels welcome.

When: Tuesdays from 6:00-6:45 pm.

Where: The Village Room of the United Methodist Church

What to bring: Pilates or yoga mat & small hand weights (no more than 5lbs.)

Price: $64.00 per 8 week session ($8 per class)

8 week session:

Oct. 13th through Dec. 10th .

No classes will be offered over Thanksgiving week.

Instructor: Heather McIlvaine - Newsad

Christian Education

LOOKING AHEAD…Mark your calendars for:

Sunday, November 15 – the Jr and Sr High Youth Groups will be raking leaves again this year, with all the proceeds going to Loaves and Fishes. You will be able to call the office and sign up at a later date.
Saturday, December 12 – this is a new outreach entitled “A Night in Bethlehem.” It will be a mini-VBS from 10am – 3:00pm aimed at all parents in the community. We’ll need lots of volunteers to work - watch the Wesley Window for more details!

January in Costa Rica!

The Missions Team of Wesley United Methodist Church is once again sponsoring a Mission Work Trip to Costa Rica on January 5 th through 16 th, 2010. The Mission Work Team will be working on various building projects near San Jose, and very likely visiting and feeding the children at Los Guidos UMC. Additionally, our team can do a Vacation Bible School kind of experience for the children of Los Guidos.

The trip is open to the first 16 people who register and will cost $600 per person. For more information please pick up a Brochure, Participant Application Form, and VIM Work Camp Insurance Application Form, and Health Insurance and Emergency Contact Form from the Welcome Table in the Atrium. The earlier we can book your airfare the cheaper you can travel.

To sign-up for the Mission Work Trip please fill out the Participant Application Form, VIM Work Camp Insurance Application Form, and Health Insurance and Emergency Contact Form and give it to (or mail it to) Rev. Russ Smith (1212 W. Calhoun Street – Macomb, IL 61455) and enclose a check for $100 made payable to The Wesley UMC. We need to have our team in place ASAP – so please do not delay!

Team leader Bruce Black will be in the Atrium between services to answer questions and assist you with signing up for this Adventure in Missions.