FARMER CITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

NEWSLETTER ~ JANUARY 2020 EDITION

Get Togethers and Meetings Un-Hanging of the Greens: Jan 5th at 11:45 am

UMW Meeting: Jan 8th at 9:00 am

Special Charge Conference Meeting: Jan 12th 11:45 am

Focus Meeting: Jan 14th at 6:30 pm

Free Taco Dinner: Jan 21st from 6-7:30 pm

Find this newsletter on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/FarmerCityUMC/

UMM: will resume meetings at the Farmer City Rehab and Healthcare Center on Wednesday Jan 8th starting at 9:30 am

Feed Forward: will also resume starting Wednesday Jan 15th at 11:00 am at Farmers Cafe

11:45 am

Lettuce Taco ‘Bout Jesus: We are having a FREE Community Taco Dinner

Night at the church on January 21st, starting at 6 pm. Taco’s will be served until 7 pm and anyone who wants to stay and talk about Jesus can. All are invited. This is a great way to share the message of the Lord! Please join us!

The United Methodist Women are shown below with approximately 120 dozen cookies. The cookie plate

give away was held on December 11th and over 150 plates of cookies were made and delivered within our community. Our homebound friends were blessed with this outreach, as well as, the residents of Farmer City Rehab and Healthcare Center, the teachers at our local schools, and those receiving Peace Meals. We thank everyone that helped bake and donate cookies and to those that helped make and deliver plates.

The FCUMC Youth Group held a Santa’s Secret Shop on December 13th and 14th. The Shop gave children the option of buying inexpensive gifts for their siblings, parents, and grandparents. Approximately 25 shoppers attended the event and the youth group made about $120. Thank you to all that help initate this event. A special thank you to our youth group for helping the young shoppers, working the cash register, and wrapping gifts.

Did You Know?

Our UMW has been

delivering cookies

for over 10 years!

Our local community choir, bell choir (God’s Joy Ringers), children, women and

family choirs, and instrumentalist presented Festival of Carols. to over

100 guests on December 15th. Karen Harris directed the festival and helped write the program. Other writers/editors included: Beverly Buttry, Stephanie Drake, Wendy Hammitt, Marilyn Hirschman, and Rhonda Kimmel. Marilyn Hirschman directed the choir and accompanist included both Wendy Hammitt and Rhonda Kimmel. Marc Enger provided us with sound and Diana Homann created the programs. Narrators included: Heather Howell, Troy Jamison, Abby Johnson and Anna Johnson.

The festival kicked off with God’s Joy Ringers playing three Christmas arrangements that helped set the mood for a joyous celebration. Bell musicians included: Gary Boyles, Beverly Buttry, Wendy Hammitt, Becki Hoffman, Sue Hoffman, Ava Jamison, Janis Maxwell, Christopher Mitchell, Jessi Price, Krista Voyles, Ashley Voyles, and Sara Wrestler. We are blessed to have so many local talented instrumentals. Dick Maxwell played the drums to The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy. Nathan Hieronymous and Bill Yeagle played guitars to Silent Night and Molly Schneman played the flute to Once in Royal David’s City. Performing solo were soloist, Sarah Whitehouse, to Once in Royal David’s City, Stephanie Drake, organ solo to O Come, O come Emanuel, and Bill Yeagle, to his own arrangement on the piano. The Hieronymus family performed their magic by singing Hush Little Baby. Singers included: Laurie Franklin, Connie Hieronymus, Nathan Hieronymus, Tom Hieronymus, Leslie Whitehouse, and Sarah Whitehouse. The children’s choir sang Away in the Manger. How sweet they were dressed as angels around the manger. This choir consisted of Addie Browning, Maddison Hoffman, Alexis Madden, Addy Wendel, Presley Whisman, and Jordynn Wilson. The women’s choir performed What Child is This. Performers included: Beverly Buttry, Laura Enger, Martha Heavilin, Gail Sigler, Kim Whisman, and Sara Wrestler. The community choir helped the congregation sing many of our favorite carols. Performing by themselves, they sang: Noel Festival, Once in Royal David’s City , and The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy . The community choir consisted of Jill Anderson, Gary Boyles, Beverly Buttry, Stephanie Drake, Laura Enger, Laurie Franklin, Karen Harris, Martha Heavilin, Connie Hieronymus, Nathan Hieronymus, Tom Hieronymus, Sue Hoffman, Dan Homann, Ava Jamison, Rhonda Kimmel, Murl Kimmel, Dick Mawell, Christopher Mitchell, Gail Sigler, Ashlyn Voyles, Kim Whisman, Leslie Whitehouse, Sarah Whitehouse, Sara Wristler, and Bill Yeagle.

This year’s Festival of Carols was unique in design because it provided a history of the carols and

that history was provided as a take away for guests to read later. Many were surprised to learn that carols sang by christians were actually banned in the 1640’s. Today, we are grateful that singing carols was restored. A HUGE THANK YOU to Karen Harris for her vision and to all those that helped her along the way. It wouldn’t have been a success without our wonderfully talented community singers and performers, so THANK YOU! And THANK YOU to all those that attended.

Click on the following link to listen to Bill Yeagle’s piano solo. (or go to Youtube and search for Festival of Carols-Bill Yeagle)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjUQrVb0fRA&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR3W2hc8XF_CgGa3wsg9t02V-dzMZzeKcUZb5HJ2lmfs_RcWDKooJl_JhFg

Festival of Carols – December 15, 2019

Christmas Eve Candle Light Service was held at 7 pm on December 24th. We had 71 in attendance. Laura Enger sang a beautiful solo reminding us that there was no more room in the inn. Stephanie Drake was the organist. The service ended with everyone singing Silent Night by candle light. It was a great way to remember the JOY of Jesus’ birth, the HOPE that the light reminds us of, and the PEACE that comes with His salvation.

Christmas Caroling was held on December 22nd. Carolers, shown below, were caught on camera traveling around town while singing. After caroling, a party was held at Russ and Marilyn Hirschman’s house. We wish to thank the carolers for spreading Christmas Joy and a special thank you to the Hirschman’s for hosting the celebration afterwards!

9,000 Calorie Question: Did Steve really eat 9,000 calories at the Christmas Caroling party? According to inside sources, it’s highly probably!

Can you guess how many cookies were eaten after caroling? Approximately, 72 people enjoyed cookies at the Hirschman home. It’s been reported that the two favorite cookies were buckeyes and iced sugar cookies. Even though, 100 dozen cookies were gobbled up that night, there was still some left overs. Those attending worship on the last Sunday of the year got to enjoy these left overs!

1 Troy Tomlin

2 Teri Kelley Michelle Zelhart

4 Carly Hawn Emma Drinkwater

5 Jesse Galaway

7 Jill Freden Russ Hirschman

9 Ron Vance

11 Kathy Huff David Williams

14 Tyler Reeser Katelyn Kelley

15 Todd Nafziger

17 Dan Tomlin Robert Ashworth Rick Wells Michael Madden

18 Janet Jones

19 Flynn McCartney

20 Ashley Madden

22 Doris Kelly

25 Scott Hilty

28 Jim Howe

29 Clarine Tipsord

31 Tim Maxwell

The History of

FCUMC by

Stephanie Drake

will be back next

month

Christmas Shop: Together with Weedman United Methodist Church & some other individuals, we were able to raise and purchase gifts for a Christmas Shop. The Shop allowed parents to pick out two toys per child. A total of $1880 was raised and 60 children received gifts. The Christmas Shop was held Saturday the 21st at the Sunshine Center. Thank you for your donations and we thank those who volunteered their time!!

New Church Treasurer

As of January, Diana Homann will assume the responsibilities of Church Treasurer. We wish to thank Amy Phillips for her service in this role for past five years. In next month’s newsletter, we will share a list of our church committees and board members

for the year 2020.

Office Contacts

Do you need to contact the office or Pastor Steve? You may call, text, or email to the following.

For Office Needs: Diana: 309-830-2267 diana.homann56@gmail.com

Church: 309-928-2355 fcwm101@gmail.com

For Immediate Needs:

Steve: 217-737-4948 pastorsteveanderson@gmail.com

January Anniversaries Jan 4th: Jeremiah & Megan Thompson Jan 24th: Keith & Jane Evans

Sunday Morning Treats: Fellowship

before and after Sunday worship just wouldn’t be the same without our table full of treats. Please consider signing up for a Sunday or “create a treat team” and sign up once a month! You’ll find the sign-up sheet in the Wesley Room hanging on the cabinets!

FOCUS Starting in January, 2020, monthly meetings will be held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month instead of the 3rd.

A Special Charge Conference Meeting: will be held following worship on Jan 12th to consider approving Michael Madden to become

a licensed local pastor.