By Rodney Newman

Our Spiritual Service

   Every time I enter our sanctuary, I am immediately grasped by a sense of awe and sacredness. Even a casual glance makes it obvious that this was a room designed and built for the worship of God. Echoes of voices and hymns from over the years still reverberate through the air and fill one’s soul.

  Preparing for my recent sermon series on worship only deepened this sense for me. I was reminded of the great care taken over the centuries to hone the elements of our worship services to usher us into the presence of God. The prayers of the people invite us to offer our individual prayers with those of the whole church, our hymns give emotional expression to what we think and feel, sharing in Christ’s table unites us into one body. I appreciate the way our musicians continue to enable our praise and devotion. The music after the sermon allows each of us the opportunity to listen to how God is speaking to us and to reflect on how we may respond.

 

  This renewed sense of worship goes on my list of things for which I am thankful this year. It joins appreciation for my family who loves me, challenges me, and brings joy into my life each day. It’s there next to our church community, our freedoms, a network of supportive friends across the miles, happy memories and healing scars, the list goes on. Won’t you join me in counting your blessings in this month of thanksgiving and then let’s share those blessings with others.

         

Gospel Sunday – November 13

Lively music will fill the sanctuary at the 11:00 service on this day celebrating music from the gospel tradition. Three anthems, a special ensemble, along with a guitar, mandolin, bass, drums, and banjo make this a service not to be missed.

Stewardship Campaign Underway

Thanks to all those who have responded to our annual estimate of giving campaign. Many are increasing the anticipated amount of their financial offerings to the church in 2006. If you have not yet responded, you may do so by returning your pledge card or calling the church office.

 

Advent Festival

Sunday, November 27

4:00 p.m.

 This annual event is one of the highlights of our life together. People of

all ages are invited to come to a brief service in the sanctuary to mark the beginning of Advent then stay for a snack supper and make crafts to celebrate

the season in your home.

 

Skyline Can Drive Very Successful

 

After our third week, Crown Heights has been able to provide over 1,500 cans to the food closet at Skyline Urban Ministries. Greg Jorgensen has headed up this effort each week by reminding us of the need, counting cans, and delivering the cans weekly to the closet. As of the deadline for the Trumpet, he reports that we have already exceeded last year’s total number of cans!! One week when the cans were delivered one of the workers handing out the food had tears in her eyes when the food came. They had been very short on supplies of food and long on people needing the food. The food we provided was a huge help to them. Thanks for all you have given in this food drive.

 

 

Music Ministry

by George Massey

  

A Music Ministry Anniversary

 

This fall, we congratulate Mariann Searle on her tenth anniversary as our organist/pianist here at Crown Heights. I know you all join me in thanking her for her service. Mariann’s tasteful selection of music enhances all of our worship experiences and her collaboration with me the past twelve and one-half years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my thirty-two year musical career. Please take time to congratulate her this month!

 

 

This Month in Worship

 

We finish this liturgical year with three selections from our featured gospel – Matthew. We’ll hear Jesus rebuke Peter and call his followers to lives of discipleship followed by his parable of the unforgiving servant and his response to a question about allegiances to the state. The last Sunday of November is the first Sunday of Advent. We will look to the epistle readings to guide us through this initial season of the new liturgical year.

 

Sermon Titles & Texts

 

    November 6    Unwelcome News

                         Matthew 16:21-28

                         All Saints Day

 

 November 13  Let’s Keep Score

                         Matthew 18:21-35

                         Twenty Sixth Sunday of Pentecost

                       

   November 20  Pledging Allegiance

                                               Matthew 22:15-22

                                                         Reign of Christ

 

   November 27  Ready and Waiting

                         1 Corinthians 1:3-9

                         First Sunday of Advent

   

Youth

by Mike Slack

 

The Halloween Party

Is Right Around The Corner!

 

Come (in costume) and join us for the annual youth group Halloween party on October 30. The party will start at the Moore’s home at 6 pm and last till 9 pm.

 

There will be a costume contest and there’s a rumor that recent alumni will be judges. All youth 5th-12th grades are welcome. I look forward to seeing everyone there!

 

Youth Website

 

We are thinking of ways to expand, update, and breathe new life into the youth ministry section of the church website.  Please take a minute to visit www.crownheightsumc.org, click on the “children/ youth” link, then click on the “youth” link and tell us what you think.

 

For Directions to the Moore’s or for suggestions to the website please send an e-mail to mike@ crownheightsumc.org

 

Children’s Ministry

by Jenifer Thompson

 

Coming Events

 

Acolyte Recognition

November 6 – 11:00 a.m.

 

Work Day for the Children’s Area

November 12 – 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Join us on this clean out and organization day for classrooms and storage closets in the children’s area. Let’s make a day of it and have pizza and a great time getting to know each other.

 

3rd Grade Bible Presentation

November 13 – 11:00 a.m.

 

Children’s Choir Sings

November 20 – 11:00 a.m.

 

Advent Festival

November 20 – 4:00 p.m.

We will have crafts and food. Please plan to join us as we decorate for Advent.

 

Children’s Sunday School

 

Please remember to pick up your children after Sunday School in order for them to be a part of the children’s moment during the 11:00 a.m. service. Every child age three and up needs to go to church. After children’s moment, children ages three through six years old will be taken back to the nursery where they will play and work on the week’s children’s bulletin. Ages seven and older have children’s bulletins to work on as you enter the sanctuary; grab one on a clipboard. The bulletins are updated weekly.

 

 

Memorial Gifts

 

In memory of Helen Friesen

Robert & Patricia Sine

 

Missions

 

Angel Tree Coming

 

Christmas is coming quickly and that means that the ANGEL TREE will soon be here!! By the middle of November the Angel Tree will be in the narthex with names of children and families for whom we have the opportunity to buy Christmas gifts this year. Skyline Urban Ministry will provide us with about 100 names of people who have been cleared thru their ministry to receive help at Christmas.

HOW THE ANGEL TREE WORKS:

*   Each card on the tree will have a name on it and several suggestions for gifts they want or need this year. Usually clothing sizes are included along with other gift ideas.

*   YOUR RESPONSE:

1. Take a name or two

2. Write your name and phone number next to your card number on the list near the tree

3. Buy the gifts

4. Label each gift with the name and number of the person receiving the gifts

5. Bring the gifts to the church, unwrapped, Sunday, December 4 through 11.

 

The Key Club of Classen School of Advanced Studies will wrap each gift before they are taken to Skyline for the parents to pick up for their families. Cindy Krone is coordinating the Angel Tree mission this year.

 

Rio Bravo Trip Getting Ready to go

 

The mission trip to build casitas (homes) in Rio Bravo, Mexico, is beginning to get materials, transportation and enthusiasm ready to go. We leave in less than 2 months and already we have 16 signed up to go, the transportation paid for, and the money for the casitas collected. Now it is time to start collecting house warming gifts for the families who will live in the 2 homes we will build.

 

If you are unable to go on this trip, you can still be a part of the mission thru donations of house warming gifts. Linens, cookware, eating utensils, rugs, curtains, and toys for the kids are all appropriate items to donate. These can be brought to the church now and thru Sunday, December 19. Also, there is space for about 10 more people to go on the trip. Most importantly, you can help by praying for the missioners, the families, and for God to be present in each as the mission unfolds.