Finance Update January Opening Balance $ 38,860.83 Giving thru September $ 334,795.43 Spending thru September $ 363,281.71 September Closing Balance $ 10,374.55 Altar Plants & Flowers Altar plants & flow- ers are provided by Charles Bruce Flower Endowment Fund. Please Note: Names added to the prayer list will remain on the list for 30 days if needed. They will be relisted by request. Several months ago I mentioned that I would be coordinating an adult mission experience between Christmas and New Year’s Eve this year. However, due to when those dates fall and that there will be a Fifth Sunday even on December 30th, I believe the time was inappropriate. So, I wanted to let you all know that we will be looking at a mission experience in January or February of 2013. If there is anyone interested in working with me to develop this experience, please contact me as soon as possible. I appreciate your patience. Grace and peace, Jack Turn Your Clocks Back Sunday, November 4 Christmas has been hijacked. Beginning in early October, we see holiday banners hanging from shopping mall ceilings and plastic trees lining store shelves. Christmas music begins to fill the airwaves as fall pumpkins are turning bright or- ange. Each year, the sights and sounds of Christmas come a little earlier, and merchandise gets a little more tempting. This Advent study, A Different Kind of Christmas: Liv- ing and Giving Like Jesus, encourages us to move our focus away from consumerism and to reclaim the real meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus. You will be inspired to establish new Christmas traditions that focus on Jesus Christ. This study is part of a churchwide program that includes five week studies for adults, youth, and children, so your whole church family can participate in the effort to reclaim Christmas. At the 9:45 a.m. Sunday school hour all the adults and youth will gather in the Sanctuary to view a brief video by Mike Slaughter. We will then dismiss with a prayer to our normal Sunday school classrooms. Study materials are $7.55 a copy. If you would like to order one: please write ADVENT on the Registration Sheet or contact the church office this week. People who do not have a Sunday school class may remain in the Sanctuary to discuss the topic of the day with Pastor Jack. HELPERS NEEDED!!! for OUR COMMUNITY Thanksgiving Dinner @ Noon Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22 Help Needed: 10-11 am Set up tables and dinnerware Receive food donations Help with preparations 11-Noon Receive food donations Help with preparations Prepare takeout meals Noon-1 pm Deliver take out meals Help serve dinner 1-2 pm Help Clean up your help is needed Our community Thanksgiving Dinner is a wonderful outreach to those who are alone on this special day and to home- bound residents who need meals delivered to them. Our church has provided this meal for more than 25 years. Church members share food and bring it to the church. Deb & Bruce Morris are the coordinators and this year they need more helpers. Contact them at 903-860-7245 or the church office if you can help. you are invited to join us for thanksgiving dinner order your Christmas Wreaths, Swags & Trees Get ahead of the Christmas rush and or- der your Christmas wreath, door swatch, and/or tree today. They are made from fresh Michigan Frazier firs. Wreaths are decorated with red bow, holly berries, and pine cones. Door swatches are decorated with red bow and a pine cone. DOOr SWATCH _______________$16 WrEATHS Small (22 inch diameter) $23 Medium (32 inch diameter) $32 Large (42 inch diameter) $52 TrEE Sizes Available 5/6ft $39 6/7ft $46 7/8ft $55 8/9ft $61 9/10ft $85 These are great prices for beautiful greenery. The youth will receive up to 50% of the price to help with our mission projects. Deadline to order is November 15th. They will be avail- able for pick-up on December 5th. Christmas Order Form NAME ___________________________________ PHONE _______________________ Wreath-Size: S ___ M ___ L___ Door Swatch _____ Tree-Size: 5/6____ 6/7_____ 7/8_____ 8/9_____ 9/10______ Amount due:________________ Questions? Call Cindy at (903)537-3616. Put your order in the collection plate or mail it with your check to: FUMC, PO Box 659, Mt. Vernon, TX 75457 October 31, 2012 Prayer List Andrea Abbott Tom Adams Zoey Arthur Evelyn Bawdon Junior Bishop Beth Bolger Betty Cason Doris Clapp Tim Dillard Jean Duck Landon Dunavant Chuck Etheridge Melba Fabel Joyce Floyd Sally Ford Charles Massey Zoe Mather roy McCann ross McConaghy Linda McDaniel Cindy McDonald Janice McKee Lanny Moore Debra Nichols North Texas Conference Henry Oertel Melinda Sue Plott Barbara Points Bonnie ramsey Oscar reeder Bryan Freeman Wally Freeman Gerald Fritzgerald Vivian Fritz Gene Gardner Felix Garrison Linda Garrison Debbie Guthrie Jo Hansen Dylan Heisler Ben Holloway Gladys Justus Melea Lasater Helen Lunceford Andy Males Lela roberts LaVada Simpson Becky Stewart Linda Stinson Steve Sullivan Vickey Thames JoAnn Turner Ernie Venteicher Marie Walker rodney Walker Julie Whitaker Kathy Wooten Steve Wright Gary Zemp Sympathy ...to Nadine Jennings on the death of her brother, Tommy Tinsley. ...Niki Armstrong on the death of her sister-in-law, Glenna Knotts. ADVENT STUDY A Different Kind of Christmas Begins November 25 Brothers and Sisters, As we enjoy the beautiful Fall weather here in East Texas, many of our family, friends and fellow United Methodists on the East Coast from North Carolina through New Eng- land begin recovery after the results of the devastating Hurricane Sandy. We at FUMC Mount Vernon will support this recovery through our tried and true relief organization of the United Methodist Church. We will have a “second-mile Com- munion offering” this Sunday that is designated to UMCOr US Disaster response, Hur- ricanes 2012, of the United Methodist Committee on relief. By a second-mile offering, we mean, beyond your normal giving to the general operating expenses or other giving through FUMC. If you would like to see what UMCOr is doing click on this link http:// www.umcor.org/UMCOr/resources/News-Stories/2012/October/Within-Dark-Devas- tation-Sparks-of-Hope . I am very expectant of the graciousness of the people of FUMC helping our neighbors through UMCOr. All thanks to God for giving us the ability to help those who may have lost everything. Please pray for the people, the first responders, the rescuers, the cleanup crews, the medical personnel, and the extended families and friends as they go through a long recovery. May God bless our efforts in our support. Grace and peace, Jack CHURCH BAZAAR SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17 BAZAAR ITEMS NEEDED Plans for the bazaar are in full swing. The crafty ladies have been crafting. The youth will be cooking. You can help. SILENT AUCTION Do you have a talent or item to donate for the auction? Please call Becky Arterbury at 903-860-3661 or Niki Armstrong at 903-860-2976 COUNTRY KITCHEN We need your tamales, cakes, cookies, homemade breads and pie to sell by the slice. CHICKEN STEW Billy & Veronica need 8 cooked chickens with broth separate. Also: 2-5lb bags of legs & thighs Contact Billy Jordan at 903-537-4390 for questions. OTHER HELP? If you can help with the bazaar in other ways, call Becky Arterbury at 903-860-3661. SILENT AUCTION: Talents, Treasures, & Skills Your special skills and talents can help make the Bazaar Auction a great success. In the past those skills have included babysitting services, 1 dessert a month, breakfast or dinner for a group, guided fishing trips, gift certificates and many other skills. You might also consider contributing a special item to the auction such as an afghan, decorated clothing, antique treasures, unique collectibles or art items. If you have a skill or an item you would wish to contribute to the Church Bazaar, please complete this form and drop it in the collection plate, take it to the church office or call Becky Arterbury at 903-860-3661.