Connect with us online in one place: https://linktr.ee/castlerockfumc
Worship Service Times
9 a.m. Modern Worship
10:45 a.m. Traditional Worship
Both Services are offered online through our Facebook and YouTube channels.
Liturgical Sunday: Advent 1 Liturgical Color: Blue/Purple
Sermon Title: Do You Taste What I Taste
Scripture Reading: Psalm 34:8
Don't forget that your name tags are appreciated.
All of our Services are live-streamed
go to (www.linktr.ee/castlerockfumc )
and click on either the YouTube or Facebook option.
Carols and Cocoa: Our 9 am service on Christmas Eve morning will be a time of fellowship, Christmas music and yummy hot chocolate, a pleasant respite among faithful friends. As Will Ferrell said in Elf, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”
Little Library: In addition to a shelf of books celebrating Native American writers and topics, there is now a shelf of Christmas books. Both shelves will remain through December 31.
History Photographs: If you have any church-related photographs from 1974- present, please bring them to the church. There will be an envelope/file in the office for you to place them in. Please identify people, events and dates if you have them. If you would like these photographs returned to you, please place them in your own envelope and put a “return to” name on the envelope. Louise Molieri will be scanning these photos for our history book and slide shows beginning now through and through the first few months of 2024.
Current Photos: If you have any photos to share from Star Lighting, church scenes/events, or Small Group Dinners and Lunches, please send them digitally to Rev. Matt. We would like to include them in upcoming newsletters.
Helping with Our Church History: The church’s Sesquicentennial Committee is looking for help with updating the history records of our church for the anniversary celebration planned for next summer. Folks can work independently or with a partner on small segments of history. Please reach out to Laryce Nitsch if you have questions or would like to help.
Cookie Walk Dec. 3rd:
The UMIF Cookie Walk will be on Sunday morning, December 3rd. To be sure that Fellowship Hall is filled with tables of festive and delicious cookies to purchase, UMF is looking for donations. Donating a few dozen of your favorite cookies is a wonderful way to share your tasty recipe with others while filling your own box with various cookies for your holiday gatherings. Whether purchasing, donating, or doing both, United Women of Faith appreciates your help.
If you've signed up for the Women's Christmas Mini-retreat on Saturday, December 2, from 10am - 2pm, please bring a picture of yourself as a girl; any age is fine. Also please bring a journal; it can be one you use regularly or a brand new one just for the season. Lunch will be served. If you have not yet signed up or have questions, please see Brenda Lear or contact her at b.clear.72 @gmail.com as soon as possible.
Plans for our church’s 150th anniversary are underway. Please save the date — August 25, 2024 — for the culminating worship service. Other activities are being planned and wil be announced in coming months. Our next meeting will be Noonday, O tower 8 at 6 pm in the church library.
Tuesday Morning Bible Study will begin an Advent Study on November 28 when Rev. Matt will lead our discussion of Matt Rawle’s Experiencing Christmas: Christ in the Sights and Sounds of Advent, which is also the source of his Advent sermons and a Zoom discussion group (time TBA). If you would like to purchase the book and/or participate in the Zoom discussion, sign up at the Welcome Center. You may also purchase the book on your own at cokesbury.com or amazon.com . Prior to the Advent study, the Tuesday morning group will devote the next few weeks to a study of Scripture provided in the Common Lectionary. Join us in November, Advent, and the New Year — Tuesday morning at 9:30 in the church library.
Reverend Sarah’s Monday night contemporary studies group
Will be discussing Advent and the Message of John the Baptist by Adam Hamilton. In Person Sessions, Mondays November 27, 2023 to December 18 2023 6:30PM to 8:30. Zoom Sessions, Fridays December 1 2023 to December 22 2023; 6:30PM to 8:30PM
Church Calendar Schedule: As we move into our new calendar year, remember that if you would like to schedule a meeting for your group at our church or have a need to reschedule a meeting, please check with Theresa Kepple to be sure the time and date are available.
Chancel Choir: As we enter Advent and prepare for our Christmas Eve services, the choir would love to have a few more voices adding to worship and celebration. We rehearse on Wednesdays at 5:30 in the sanctuary. Please consider joining us for a few weeks.
Leah Circle Correction— Please note that Leah Circle will be meeting on December 14th (not the 7th) in Fellowship Hall. This will be a traditional potluck lunch beginning at 11:45. It will be a joyous afternoon of singing our favorite Christmas Carols led by Jeri Groves. As in the past, we will support Help and Hope. If you choose, bring an unwrapped gift for a child. We are also collecting for their Birthday Room a boxed cake mix, frosting and candles. There is always a need for wrapping paper and scotch tape. These items will be delivered after our meeting.
Knot Again cannot accept any donations at this time.
Rev. Sarah’s Wednesday morning coffee time on Zoom begins at 9:30. Contact the church office for the link to connect.
Catch Pastor Matt for Coffee: I am back to working at Crowfoot Valley Coffee on 734 Wilcox St. Monday-Thursday from about 7:45 a.m. until about 10 a.m. If you want to make sure you catch me let me know, my schedule may vary depending on the day. You can let me know if you want to meet by going to: https://calendly.com/mattdamethodist/pastor-matt-coffee-time
SAVE THE DATE
WOMEN’S SPIRITUALITY RETREAT
May 3-5,2024
It’s been awhile! Revs. Sarah and Brenda are planning the next Women’s Spirituality
Retreat for May 3-5, 2024. More details to follow but for now, SAVE THE DATE!
Grocery Story Card Update: Currently we have over 50 families participating in this program. We receive about $450/quarter from King Soopers. Check the welcome center for directions for signing up for the first time with them. The Safeway Cards are now available. Contact the church office to pick one up.. We have received approximately $250/quarter from Safeway. There is no dollar amount on them this time so folks will just pick up a card and head to Safeway to load the amount they choose to have on it . NOTE: You may use the money you have remaining on the old card, but you will not be able to reload it.
Church Conference is coming up on December 16th at 2 p.m. in person.
Our Supervisory District Superintendent, Chris Carr, would love to meet us in person since we are new to his supervision.
In preparation for the upcoming conference, it is essential that we improve our Leadership Nominations Form to help the Committee on Nominations and Leadership Development select the most suitable candidates for the available positions. This does not mean that we want to remove or replace anyone who is currently serving on a team. Our goal is to follow the guidelines set forth in the 2016 Book of Discipline and identify the right individuals for the available positions. By ensuring that our church governance is robust, we can effectively carry out the mission of the Church.
Please help us out by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/mcncnBYuAwLJUT7Q8
Church Directory
One of the nice things about the program we are using for the photo directory is that we can update it at any time. I would like to update it so we can print the updates on the first of Jan. Our church directory is a great resource tool that allows you to get to know our church family better! Simply go to the App Store, search for Instant Church Directory, and download the FREE app to begin. Links to Member Apps
You will use your email address listed in the directory to CREATE A log-in the first time you use the directory app.
If you’re not listed in the directory, OR if you have trouble logging into the app, please email me: matt.franks@fumccr.org
Members can log into the Online Member Directory at https://members.instantchurchdirectory.com/
Giving Tree still has some tags to be checked out. These gifts are due back on December 4th and the recommended amount per gift tag is $25.
Butter Braids are now on sale until December 4th and will be delivered by December 12th. There is more information at the Welcome Center.
For all the Advent Events go to: www.fumccr.org/advent2023
Upcoming Events:
December 2: Women’s Christmas, 10am-2pm Fellowship Hall.
December 3: Cookie Walk, 9am-12noon
December 4: Giving Tree gifts brought to the church.
December 4: Last day to order Butter Braids
December 5: Community Kids Christmas Show, 5:30 pm
December 10: Colorado Brass ensemble at 9:00 a.m worship
December 12th Admin. Council 6:30 p.m.
December 14: Little Blessings Christmas Show at 10:00 a.m and 6:00 p.m.
December 14: Leah Circle Christmas potluck
December 16: Colorado Brass Concert, 7:30 pm
December 17: Castle Rock Orchestra Concert. 3 pm
December 20: Blue Christmas Service, 6:30 pm
December 21: Youth White Elephant from 6-8 pm
December 21: Men’s Luncheon at Pegasus, 11:30
December 24: One morning Service “Carols and Cocoa”
December 24: Christmas Eve Services at 5,7, and 11.
December 31st One Service at 10:45 a.m.
2024
January 21: Sesquicentennial Inaugural Event, one worship service at 10:45 a.m. Celebrating our Church’s Music and Musicians
April 17: Sesquicentennial History Night with speakers and dessert
July 7: Sesquicentennial “Old Time Ice Cream Social”
May 3-5: Women’s Retreat; details will be posted later.
August 25, 2024: Sesquicentennial Special Worship Service celebrating FUMC 150th Year in Castle Rock
Zoom Sessions
• Rev. Sarah’s Contemporary Discussion Group, Zoom Sessions: Fridays at 6:30
• Coffee Time with Rev. Sarah, Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m.
In Our Prayers
The United Methodist Church
Mountain Sky Annual Conference
Our Pastors and Staff
Little Blessings Families
Conflict in the Middle East
Donna Murray
Sarah McAneny
Jan and Bud Richter
Betty Grant
Maria Molieri (sister of Vince Molieri)
Garrett Humphrey (Pat Wood’s grandson)
Hank Slawson, Father of Julie Venable
Rose Andrade
Diann Lawson, daughter of Lowell Burgener
Kathy Spackman neighbor of Julie and George Curran
Bill Eylens
Iliana Grutdrad friend of Pat and Kay Jones
Kathy Spackman , Neighbor of Julie and George Curran
Jim Ellis Uncle of Kari Sorah
Connie Williams mother in-law of Kari Sorah
Jim Szymanski, son of Louise Szymanski
Julie Bailey
For Prayer Requests go to:
The Current newsletter is up on the website at https://www.fumccr.org/newsletter
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"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
“Someday at Christmas man will not fail
Hate will be gone and love will prevail
Someday a new world that we can start
With hope in every heart.” — Songwriters: Bryan Wells & Ronald Miller