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Midweek Update
December 4, 2024 |
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Wednesday Dec. 4 -
Blue Christmas Worship in Chapel - 5:30pm
Saturday Dec. 7 -
SCUBA - Christmas VBS Celebration, 2pm - 4pm
Registration Required.
See below for link.
Sunday Dec. 8 - Second Sunday of Advent
Magnify Choral Worship - “Miracle in a Manger”
Youth and Children presenting “A Very Special Night”- 10am
Online Advent Study – 6pm
Saturday Dec. 14 -
Jingle Bell Hike – 5:30pm- Belvedere Neighborhood
Wear your bells and Christmas hats!
Sunday Dec. 15 - Third Sunday of Advent
Worship 10am
Christmas Carol Sing and Potluck Lunch following worship
Online Advent Study – 6pm
Sunday Dec. 22 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
Worship 10am
Online Advent Study – 6pm
Tuesday Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Services
5pm - Service for Children.
Children’s program presented, nursery provided.
7pm/11pm - Candlelight Communion
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Racial Equity & Reconciliation Webinar
Wednesday, December 4th at 2pm
Join Equal Justice USA for In the Movement with Be the Bridge's Latasha Morrison. Latasha is a speaker, author, and reconciler.
In 2016, she founded Be the Bridge, a group dedicated to racial healing, equity, and reconciliation. She’s the New York Times bestselling author of Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation (2019) and Brown Faces, White Spaces: Confronting Systemic Racism to Bring Healing and Restoration (2024).
Her work centers around helping individuals, groups, and churches break free from the barriers in our racialized society and grounding themselves in truth. Register here.
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Blue Christmas
Wednesday, December 4th at 5:30pm
Not all the colors of Christmas are gold and green. For many of us, the holiday seasons bring a rich mix of emotions, including blue.
Our Blue Christmas service will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 5:30 PM in the chapel at Charlottesville First UMC. Come on your own or bring a friend to this brief, contemplative service that respects all the moods of this time of year. Led by Rev. John Conway and Pastor Alex.
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SCUBA Christmas
December 7 from 2-4pm
Save the Date! To reserve your spot and register your family for this free event click here.
We hope to see you there!
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"A Very Special Night" Program
Sunday, December 8th & December 24th
Children and Youth have been practicing hard and will be performing their Very Special Night Program on Sunday, Dec 8th at 10 am and Tuesday, Dec 24th at 5 pm.
We hope you can make it to cheer them on!
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Magnify Choir Performance
Sunday, December 8th
Our worship on Sunday will be led by the Magnify Choir as they peform "The Miracle in the Manger."
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December One Thing Ministry
For the month of December, The One Thing Ministry will be accepting donations to benefit The UVA Stocking Project.
The following items are needed:
- Hand or toe warmers
- Holiday window decorations/sun catchers
- Adult coloring books/color pencils
- Journals (no wire)/pencils
- Art supplies/kits
- Slippers
- Stocking hats (Santa hats)
- Gloves
- Combs/brushes
- Festive hair bands
- Flavored chapsticks
- Lotions
Financial donations for purchase of the items can be made on REALM or by check (One Thing Ministry in the memo line).
Socks for the Cville Sock Love Ministry will continue to be accepted.
Questions? Contact Carolyn McGee carolynmcgee@cvillefirstumc.org
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Habitat for Humanity Build Day
Friday, December 13th at 8:45am
If you feel called to help build homes, please sign up: Habitat Volunteerhub. If this is your first time you will need to create an account before you can register. No special skills required! Aldersgate will be providing lunch.
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Round the Table Carol Sing & Lunch
Sunday, December 15th after Worship
Let’s gather in the Fellowship Hall after worship to celebrate the birth of a King! Bring a side or dessert and the church will provide ham and turkey.
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IMPACT Meetings
December 10th at 4pm &
December 11th at 6pm
IMPACT, our local interfaith network, has notified us of some upcoming meetings of interest to current priorities around housing and mental health.
The next Albemarle County Board of Supervisors meeting is Dec 11th at 401 McIntyre Road. The public comment period will be at 6pm, and they are asking folks to attend to show support for affordable housing. You can let them know you are attending with this form.
Also, there will be a Region Ten board meeting Dec 10th at 4pm at 500 Old Lynchburg Road. IMPACT members are supporting the re-opening of the Women's Center. You can sign up for the December board meeting, as well as future board meetings with this form.
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Door Codes Updated
To upgrade security for our preschool, all door codes have been changed. All previous door codes havebeen erased and new ones will be issued to church members who need to access the building outside ofchurch hours. If you need to access the building during the hours of 8:30am-1:30pm Monday-Friday,please ring the doorbell outside the Welcome Center door. To receive a new code, contact the churchoffice at office@cvillefirstumc.org.
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Advent Offering
We’d like to see a miracle this Advent! Over 100 million people in the U.S. struggle under the weight of medical debt. Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson has invited churches to help raise funds to forgive that debt through the work of Undue Medical Debt.
On Dec. 22, Dec. 24, and Dec. 29 we will be receiving a special Advent/Christmas Offering in addition to our regular giving with the goal of raising $30,000 that could be leveraged to offset as much as $3 million of medical debt. Where there is great love there are miracles and we can be part of it at CFUMC! For more information on the work of UMD, visit www.unduemedicaldebt.org.
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Christmas Pointsettas
Remember or honor a loved one with a poinsettia(s) this year. Cost is $12 and all proceeds will go to PACEM (Partnering Area Congregations Engaged in Ministry).
Let’s make sure to give our brothers and sisters a place to lay their head this chilly winter. Return the form with information.
Deadline is Dec. 15. Payment can be made with cash, check, or on REALM.
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PACEM 2025
CFUMC will be hosting our unhoused neighbors in partnership with PACEM February 8 - 21, 2025.
The PACEM Team needs 7 to 10 people to serve as the Lead Volunteer for 1 or 2 evenings during the PACEM Winter Hosting at CFUMC. These people will be the lead CFUMC person for the evening and will coordinate activities across all teams. You will also serve as the liaison with the PACEM Staff for the evening. Please contact Jon Scheumann to learn more and to volunteer.
Please mark your calendars and contact Jon Scheumann for more information please contact jonscheumann@gmail.com or 434-422-1749.
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Our Current Gallery Artist
Our new artist exhibition “Portraits of Morocco" is the photography work of our own Fred Schneider! After traveling through Morocco several years ago he decided to bring home some of his images and stories and share them. Take a moment to take in these beautiful photographs and read the accompanying descriptions. Thank you Fred!
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Love INC Cville
After rent and utilities, the most requested need is for furniture. Love INC Cville is desperately looking for volunteers with vehicles to pick up and deliver furniture that has been donated to Love INC for distribution to our neighbors in need. Without the ability to deliver the furniture, large amounts end up in the dump instead of going to those who desperately need it.
To inquire about how to help, message Raymond Klein, Executive Director of Love INC at raymond@loveinccville.org .
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Thank You For Your Continued Support to Loaves and Fishes
With your help, Loaves & Fishes is providing a week's worth of groceries (at least 100 lbs. per household), including milk, eggs, meat, and fresh fruits and vegetables for more than 10,000 people a month in 2024. That's an average of 690 people in 175 households each day, with 35% of our visitors coming for food two times each month. THANK YOU for helping us help so many!
There are a few new ways to support the pantry.
- NEW LOAVES & FISHES MERCHANDISE makes it easy to show your support and meaningful and unique holiday gifts! Visit our new online store: https://cvillefoodpantry.myshopify.com/.
- Loaves & Fishes will benefit from the Thanksgiving morning Charlottesville Turkey Trot 5k, Thursday, November 28th at 9:00 a.m. To learn more about the event and to register, visit the race website. If you run the live event on Thanksgiving morning, join team “The Gobblers” to run (or walk!) alongside some L&F staff and fellow volunteers.
- Loaves & Fishes also is a featured beneficiary of the Target Circle Community Giving program through the end of December. When you shop at Target using your Target Circle account, you earn “votes” that you can then cast for Loaves & Fishes!
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Women at the Well
Thursdays at 9:30am
We are studying “Searching for Sunday” by Rachel Held Evans. This author describes faith as less of a club to belong to and more of a current to enter into. Her ideas are both comforting and slightly terrifying and really….isn’t that what faith really is?
Come join us, and fall in love with God all over again! |
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Monday Grad Chats
Mondays from 12-1pm
Are you looking for a space to connect with other graduate students who are a part of UVA's Progressive Christian Community?
Join us every Monday starting September 2nd from noon to 1pm for a free lunch at Wesley at UVA and a discussion on a topic of interest.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
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Adult Fellowship Group
Sundays following Worship in Room 208
The Adult Fellowship Class has begun a new study of John Newel’s book, “Christ of the Celts”.
This study will explore some of the teachings of ancient Christianity. Celtic Christianity, which is still practiced today, is more about love and forgiveness than about judgement and doctrine.
All are welcome! Contact Pat Grahm at Annew41@outlook.com for more information. |
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Young Adults & Parenting Groups
The Young Adults & Parenting Groups are now merging together and is open to anyone who considers themselves a young adult, with or without children.
Join them throughout the Advent Season each Sunday at 11:30 in the youth room.
Contact: Patricia Hott, patriciahott13@gmail.com for more details |
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Men’s Bible Study
Tuesdays at 8:00 am
The Tuesday Morning Men’s Study will be studying the N.T. Wright thoughts on the book of Matthew.
His thoughtful insights will bring contemporary application of Scripture to life. All are invited.
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Faith Seekers Class
Sundays 8:45 am
Our Advent Study is Will Willimon’s "Heaven and Earth” This study will introduce you to the God who brought heaven to earth and that changed everything!
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Faith Explorers
Sundays at 11:15 am in Room 308
Starting on October 20, Faith Explorers will begin a new study of John Newel’s book, “Christ of the Celts”. This study will explore some of the teachings of ancient Christianity, prior to the establishment of Christianity as the religion of the Roman empire and subsequent doctrinal practices. Celtic Christianity, which is still practiced today, is more about love and forgiveness than about judgement and doctrine. All are welcome to join with us as we prepare to celebrate once again the coming of Christ.
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Interested in Reading?
Pastor Alex's book,
A Space for Peace in the Holy Land: Listening to Modern Israel and Palestine, can be purchased as an e-book on Amazon for $4.99.
If you are not a Kindle reader, simply purchase the book as if you were (so that the publisher will be paid) and we will print a physical copy for you here in the church office.
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UVA Learning Programs
UVA's Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is offering a series of online learning programs on topics such as Microagression, Introduction to DEI, Introduction to Implicit Bias, Introduction to Difficult Dialogues, Introduction to Equity, and more!
These are great opportunities to engage with our community and educate ourselves on issues of inequality. Click here to learn more about their offerings and to register. |
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Caring Writers
The Caring Writers are a group who enjoy sending cards and letters to those who are homebound, feel isolated, or just need to know that someone cares. The commitment is to send a card or letter to two recipients per month.
If you are interested in becoming a Caring Writer, please contact George Batten or Maurya Batten. You can also contact either of them if you know of someone who would enjoy being on the recipient list. |
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Music Ministries
Our Music Ministry includes choirs, bands, instrumental ensembles, and soloists of both traditional and contemporary sounds. There is no shortage of ways to praise God through music, and everyone is invited to explore the gift of music, even if you are just singing along in the congregation!
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Enjoying the food and fellowship at Portico Café after worship?
Thanks to those who recently gave monetary contributions for Portico Cafe - we have enough funds for coffee and creamer for the next couple of months, so you won't see the donation jar any time soon!
We will continue to host Portico Cafe outdoors as long as the temperature is above 50 degrees and not raining. Otherwise, it will be held in the Gathering Space.
Email Lisa Hanrahan if you want to sign up to bring treats. A sign up sheet is also available by the coffee area. The success of Portico Café depends on the generosity of church members to help or contribute food! |
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Rainy Day Blues?
“Love the City” umbrellas will be left at the Front and Welcome Center entrances for all to borrow and then return on rainy days!
If you would like to purchase an umbrella to support our Nurture Ministries and our CFUMC Vision of
“Love the City," they are $20. Put “umbrella” in the memo line of your check. |
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The Quiet Center
Sundays at 11:15 in the Chapel
The Quiet Center is an after-church gathering of, and for, anyone who wants to know more about grief’s journey. The sessions are “stand alone,” to join anytime and as often as you wish, to explore the many faces of grief and to share with each other our time, our experiences, our presence and our prayers.
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Congregational Prayer Time
Now Tuesdays at 12:00 pm on Zoom
Meeting ID: 882 7977 8844
Passcode: 968327
If you are interested in praying for our church and community, be in touch with Carolyn McGee for the link. |
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Assistance for Ukraine
UMCOR International Disaster Response and Recovery, Advance #982450, is collecting funds for humanitarian assistance.
You can donate directly online or designate "Ukraine relief" on your checks made out to CFUMC. |
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Prayer Quilt Ministry
Contact Teri Guertler if you need a prayer quilt for someone going through a difficult time, or if you would like to help in the creation of the prayer quilts. No experience necessary.
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