Christmas Eve Services

Candlelight Family Service 3:00 p.m., Providence Sanctuary A traditional service, particularly

appropriate for families and children.

Chapel Communion Service 4:00 p.m., Providence Chapel

A small, intimate service.

Communion Service 4:00 p.m., St. John’s Campus,

4305 Monroe Road

Candlelight Festival Service 5:00 p.m., Providence Sanctuary

A traditional service led by our Chancel Choir.

Christmas Eve @ The Net 7:00 p.m., Wolfe Hall, Providence Campus

Celebrating the joy-filled traditions of Christmas in a relaxed,

family-friendly atmosphere.

Candlelight Communion Service

11:00 p.m., Providence Sanctuary A traditional candlelight service with

carols and Holy Communion.

Join us for our Advent Gathering each Sunday at 10:40 a.m. in The Atrium.

Vol. 45 No. 21 December 3, 2014

7:00 p.m., Wolfe Hall Enjoy an evening with international singer/songwriter John Gorka. Gorka has recorded eleven studio albums and

has written songs recorded by Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nanci Griffith, Mary Black, Edwin McCain, and Maura O’Connell. John has graced the stage of Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage, and plays festivals, theaters and clubs all over North America and Europe. Tickets on sale at www.ProvidenceUMC.org/Resources.

7:00 p.m., Providence Sanctuary Under the direction of Adam Ward, our Chancel Choir will perform Francis Poulenc’s Gloria as well as two of the four suites of The Many Moods of Christmas by Robert Russell Bennett and Robert Shaw. The choir will be

accompanied by a full orchestra comprised of members of the Charlotte Symphony on these grand pieces of

music. You will not want to miss this wonderful evening of Christmas music which will include sounds of the familiar and the not-so-familiar.

Bring your friends, family and neighbors and join the United Methodist Women in Wolfe Hall! Last year’s Cookie Walk & More raised over $10,000 for UMAR and our Haiti Missions. Come purchase holiday décor, gifts, and COOKIES! Fill a box for $8 or two boxes for $15. What a great way to get all of your holiday “baking” and “decorating” done at once!

Make your reservation by noon on the preceding Monday one of three ways: 1. Web Registration 2. Telephone 704.714.9380 3. Sign up at the POW Table in the Atrium

Childcare is available for infants through kindergarten age during the meal. You may also supervise your older elementary age children on

the playground from 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Cost: Adults: $7.50 Children (Age 10 & under) : $4

$25 Family Maximum (one household living at the same address)

Altar Flowers: Order forms are at the Welcome Desk. Order deadline is Sunday, December 14. Questions? Contact Lisette Helveston, 704.366.7442 lhelveston@ProvidenceUMC.org.

Speaker:

The Rev. Dr. George E. Thompson Former Providence UMC Pastor,

Now Residing in Waynesville, NC. Reserve for this tradition in

Sunday School, at the Welcome Desk,

reply to the MMF email, or at

704.714.9381

Committed to God by Rev. Leigh Anne Hagerman Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. – Malachi 3:10

These past few weeks, we have been learning in worship what it means and looks like to be fully committed to God. We have been focusing specifically on three areas: being committed to prayer, committed to service, and committed to generosity.

Which area is the most challenging for you? Although we are all at different places in our spiritual journeys, it’s probably safe to say that most of us struggle with the financial generosity part. Perhaps you are struggling with that now.

Providence UMC is currently operating on a deficit. Although we have managed to keep expenses under budget, congregational giving has not been what was originally pledged. As we approach the end of the year, we ask you to prayerfully consider fulfilling the commitment you pledged to God through Providence.

As we prepare to fall $200,000 short, we also ask that you prayerfully reflect on the ways we impact our community and Kingdom, and consider giving above what you pledged, in order for Providence to meet what we committed in our budget for 2014. Your generosity to our ministry operating budget is both needed and appreciated.

Stewards know that whatever we have, we merely hold in trust from God. The day will come when God asks, What have you done with all I’ve given you? How will you respond?

Detailed financial statements for the month of October are available at the Welcome Desk, or contact Rev. Leigh Anne Hagerman.

Leaving a Legacy at Providence Consider using a donor-advised fund as a flexible and convenient way to support Providence. Most financial institutions have these type funds as a way to help you support churches.

You will be eligible to take an itemized income tax deduction for a charitable contribution on the date the contribution is made to the financial institution.

Cash equivalents, publicly traded stock, mutual fund shares, bonds, certain private or restricted stock and select real estate are eligible for contribution.

For more information, ask your accountant or financial institution. Or, www.thrivent.com may be able to assist you and answer your questions.

Articles for the The Voice are due by noon on the following dates by email to drogers@ProvidenceUMC.org:

12/11, 01/02, 01/15, 01/29, 02/12, 02/26, 03/12, 03/26, 04/09, 04/23, 05/07, 05/21, 06/04, and 06/18.

Upcoming sermon information along with scripture lessons are available at www.ProvidenceUMC.org/Resources.

Get to know us! Learn more about your Providence UMC staff.

December 14 · Children’s Pageant 3:00 p.m., Providence Sanctuary

Invite your friends and neighbors to a delightful drama performed by the children of Providence UMC. Our pageant will feature carols by our Children’s Choirs and performances by our Children’s Asbury Handbell Choir. Our fourth- and fifth-graders will play our lead roles, and all children attending are invited to come in costume as angels, shepherds, kings, sheep or other stable animals and be part of the story. Some costumes are available for children who do not have one at home.

December 14 · Mary & Joseph’s Journey to Bethlehem Following the Children’s Pageant, Wolfe Hall Register for Mary & Joseph’s Journey to Bethlehem at www.ProvidenceUMC.org.

Following the pageant, children will have the opportunity to participate in several activities celebrating the birth of baby Jesus. There will be a birthday celebration complete with a treat, an area to dress in costume and have your photo taken, a nativity craft area and an area where the children are invited to interact with a variety of nativity scenes.

December 14 · Junior Mints Caroling 5:00 p.m.

Fourth– and Fifth-graders and their families will carol through Foxcroft and return to the church for a time of fellowship.

December 21 · A Festival Service of Nine Lessons & Carols 8:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m., Providence Sanctuary The scripture lessons lead followers of Christ from the fall of mankind to mankind’s ultimate salvation through Christ. Each carol is chosen to illuminate the scripture lesson that precedes it. The Chancel Choir, instrumentalists and liturgists will present the Christmas story through scripture and song.

December 21 · Service of the Longest Night 7:00 p.m., Providence Sanctuary This service is designed to offer consolation and hope for many who move through the holidays with great difficulty due to divorce, grief, loss of employment or illness.

Dr. John Arey, Executive Director of the Methodist Counseling and Consultation Services, an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, and an active participant in Providence UMC will speak. The service will conclude with an invitation to light a candle as a sign of hope. Please attend and invite someone in your life who would benefit from this service.

Adam Ward, our Director of Music Ministries has been at Providence since June of 2008. Adam oversees our music ministry which includes eleven choirs for all ages. He also works with the ministerial staff to plan our services of worship.

In January, he will celebrate his 40th birthday, and 28 years in church work (that’s right, he had his first REAL church organist position when he was 12 years old!) Adam has degrees in organ performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and he has performed all around the southeastern United States as well as in a number of European countries as a solo organist and as a collaborative keyboardist.

Adam has an almost-10-year-old son, Benjamin, who can be seen holding court in Adam’s office on a semi-regular basis. In his spare time, Adam enjoys watching television, working out at the Jewish Community Center, eating at Leroy Fox, and sharing elementary-school humor with his son. (Don’t be deceived, Adam is the one who instigates the elementary-school humor!)

Senior Adult Ministries (S.A.M. / LiveWires)

Please save the date for the next fellowship luncheon Thursday, December 11 at Aldersgate. We will enjoy sounds of the season played on the harp by Jennie Eggleston.

We will gather in the Shamrock room at 11:30 a.m. with lunch served at noon.

Lunch will be $7 for those who are not Aldersgate residents and one meal ticket for Aldersgate residents.

Transportation from Sharon Towers will be provided and a bus will depart from the church at 11am for those wanting to carpool.

Please call the Welcome Desk to reserve you seat for the December luncheon by Tuesday, December 9 at noon. If you have any questions, please call Lindsay Tice at 704-877-8648.

The annual Shepherd’s Gift Christmas Cards are available in the Atrium each Sunday during Advent or through the church office during the week. Donate to a church mission in honor of a friend or family member and give a beautiful card to the honoree in recognition of this gift. Donations of all sizes are welcome. This year’s cover art was created by Maurice Mable, who came to us through the youth program and “What’s Next?” ministry. He is now a participant of the Providence United Methodist Church College Ministry. These cards are offered through the Advent Conspiracy program. Questions? Contact Mary Rantala, maryrantala@me.com/704.277.6053.