Happy Advent! I trust that everyone had a great Thanksgiving with their families and enjoyed their much-deserved break from school and work. We're all back at it today – on the countdown 'till Christmas.
Thank you to all who helped at the Tamale dinner and the Hanging of the Greens last week-end. It was a fun time and we raised nearly $200 to spend on the children who are part of the Prison Ministry.
Student Leadership Meeting this week
The Leadership Meeting will meet this week, December 4 at 12:15. Lunch will be provided. We will decorate the Youth Hall for Christmas following our meeting.
Sam Brasch will have devotions.
Sunday School
All of the Sunday School classes have started a study on Advent titled "Destination Christmas." We want to help our youth find true meaning this season! Please encourage your youth to be in Sunday School as well as in worship
Sunday School Breakfast
The Scrivner family will be providing breakfast this week, December 4.
This week at Student Outreach
We've got one more week left in our Emotional Roller Coaster series. We've been having a lot of fun with this series – and it has generated some great discussions. Who doesn't like to talk about what makes them angry?! This Wednesday, we're on the Tear-Jerker – the roller coaster of sadness.
Teenagers may experience powerful sadness. The cause of these feelings might seem trivial to those of us on the outside, but it's important to help them understand that these feelings are legitimate. Even "good Christians"; who trust God have times of sadness. The reality of the hope that Christ brings should change how we encounter sadness, but it doesn't change the reality of sadness in our lives.
Shopping on Sunday, December 11
Mark your calendars now for our annual shopping excursion to Wal Mart. Armed with lists and the money we raised from the Tamales, we going to purchase gifts for needy children. This year, we've adopted kids who have a parent in prison.
We'll have lunch after the 11 am service and leave immediately following. Look for a sign-up sheet in the Youth Hall. We will need drivers as well.
Christmas Caroling and Party December 14
We're going Christmas Caroling on Wednesday, December 14 during Student Outreach. We'll split into groups and walk around the neighborhood behind the church.
Parents – we would love for you to join us! We can use the additional hands – especially in the Middle School group – and the voices! Just let me know. We'll close with refreshments back here at the church. I would appreciate donations of cupcakes, cookies, and soft drinks.
Be sure to take time to enjoy the season!
See you at the church!
Peg
Kid's Club
We had a great Advent Workshop yesterday. We painted glass plates and gave out advent votive candles for advent wreaths (and the glass plates can be used for other candles after Advent). We made chrismons: star for Jesus' birth, a chalice for his ministry (he ate and drank with sinners), a cross for his death and resurrection, and a fish for the body of Christ, the church. We began work on our mission project and made Christmas cards. If you have not already picked up your Advent Devotional I will hand them out on Wednesday and Sunday.
Kid's Club Christmas Party
Christmas Concert
It's that time again – time to cast the Christmas Eve pageant. All parts are open except for Mary and one wise man. If you will be here for the 5pm Christmas Eve service and your child would like to participate please let me know. We will have pizza and rehearse right after the 11am service on Sunday, December 18. 
Sunday School and Mission Project
Christmas Day
Acolytes
United Methodist Women's Annual Christmas luncheon is upon us! Save the date! Saturday, December 3, 10:00-12:00. The heat is gone and "There's a Song in the Air: The Carols of Christmas". Please join Karla Martian for a look at some of our favorite carols, old and new, their stories and a fun carol sing-a-long. We'll start with the some Olde English and French Carols, then enjoy some of our current day favorites (and our sing-along) ,then move on to Appalachian and gospel carols.
Now is the time to order a white chrysanthemum plant to decorate the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall worship areas. If you would like to give a plant in honor of or in memory of a favorite person, please fill out a Chrysanthemum Plant envelope on Sunday morning November 27, December 4 or December 11.
The Namaste Class is hosting Jeri and Bill Savuto in the Activity Room on December 4 at the Sunday School hour (10:00 AM). All are invited to come and hear their presentation. As most of you know, they have been in mission for several years at the Maua Methodist Hospital (MMH) in Maua, Kenya. PPUMC has helped to support them both financially and spiritually in this effort for the time they have been there. Remember too that PPUMC is their home church.
Attention All 3rd-6th Graders!
We've been assigned to clean the gutters! This Saturday morning beginning at 9 am we're going to climb up on the big ladders – and the roof! – to clean out the gutters and the down spouts. You may join us for couple hours or stay for the entire morning as we clean up the church and prepare the church for our Christmas guests. Please sign up so I know who will be here. Senior High only!
It's already time to deck the Halls! Join us this Sunday for the Tamale Dinner and Hanging of the Greens. Anyone who would like to help decorate the Sanctuary will be welcome. Morgan and Megan have already called the top of the 12-ft ladder!
But before we decorate, we're going to eat Tamales! We use donations from the Tamale Dinner to buy Christmas for 4-5 kids from our Prison Ministry. Each of them has a parent in prison, and we buy gifts for the parent to give to the child.
We had a great discussion about anger last week. This Wednesday we're on the Runaway MINE Train – the roller coaster of jealousy. We all deal with jealousy – although some of us are probably more careful to hide it than others. How can we avoid being jealous of those who have more than us, who are better at something than us, or who have something we wish we had?
The church needs YOUR help decorating our worship spaces in anticipation of this beloved season. Please mark your calendars for Sunday, November 20th immediately following the 9:15 and 11:00 a.m. worship services. And don't forget that the Youth will be hosting their annual Tamale Lunch fundraiser at noon to add to the festivities! All hands on-deck are needed to transform our church for Advent, with tasks big and small for anyone who is able to volunteer.
