December 2023

The stockings were hung with...enthusiasm

Wait

Waiting could not be further from what our world encourages us to do this time of year. Everything is a rush, with happy chaos stacked on top of celebrations, franticness, stress, and, for many of us, anxiety or grief. This all culminates in a single day that feels like it's over before it starts.

Yet the church reminds us this is a season for waiting, for leaning in, for hoping in a season to come full of joy that endures. So take that extra breath, lean in to what God is doing, and gather with those who point you to hope in this season.

-Geoff

Christmas Lock In ls Back!

After our students finish their last day of exams, it's time to celebrate Christmas all night! The lock in is back to its previous timing this year, and we can't wait to welcome our students to the fun we have planned.

Students, we would love to take one final holiday opportunity to bless those around us, so we're going to use the night to gather canned goods and nonperishable items for our local blessing boxes.
Adults, we say this a lot, but a great event like this really can't happen without your support and help! Click here to get signed up to help. Needs include: snacks, drinks, breakfast, and both men and women overnight volunteers. Like the previous two years, we've divided the night into shifts so you can give us a few hours or celebrate all night with us.

Retreat Planning Updates

After looking at the budget and hearing from parents concerned about registration cost overload, we've got some important retreat planning updates to pass along.

Unfortunately we will not be attending the 2024 winter retreat at Camp Wesley Pines as a group. We will be offering a service day opportunity that weekend. While we'll miss the time at CWP, this will help lighten the burden on our youth families during an already financially strained time of year.
We hope to instead be able to participate in a Jackson metro area DNow weekend later in the semester. Several remaining UMC churches will be meeting this week to work on plans, so hopefully we'll know some more info on these efforts very soon.
We're aiming to have info on summer 2024 plans early in the new year. We're also working to shift to a pattern of alternating between winter retreats years and bigger summer trip years, which would balance financial needs and better facilitate matriculating new youth into our event planning cycle.

Upcoming Events

Weekly Schedule
Sunday
9:30am: Sunday School
10:30am: Church-wide fellowship time in the Worship Center
10:45am: Church-wide worship*
*Worship at 10am with no Sunday School on 12/24 and 12/31

Dates to Know

Adults, you make this possible! To help with the exam study night and the lock-in click here.

December 13: Exam Study Night, 5:30-7:30pm--Get ready for the last big week of the semester with friends and pancakes!

December 22: Youth Christmas Lock-in--The lock-in is back to celebrate the end of fall exams week!

December 24: Christmas Eve--Note the special schedule for this year. We'll have the same Christmas Eve worship service at 10am and 5pm, with only the 5pm service recorded/broadcast. There will be no Sunday School on 12/24 or 12/31, when morning worship will also be at 10am.

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PO Box 1721
Madison, MS | 39130 US

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