THE MESSENGER - Clover Sitesstorage.cloversites.com/aldersgateunitedmethodistchurch3/documents... · soon. These dispensers take coreless rolls which increase the number of sheets

THE MESSENGER

January 2013

Share The Journey.

New Members .............................. 2

New Bathrooms............................. 3

Sharing our Blessings ..................... 4

Youth Players Production .............. 4

Trustee Notebook ......................... 5

Student Ministry ............................ 6

Notes from the Music Guy ............ 7

Lead Team Update ........................ 8

Children’s Update .......................... 9

Dinners for Eight............................ 9

Chili Cook-off ............................... 10

Pray for it all Do you ever wonder if prayer really works? I can easily see how the deadlines of life and the pressures of work could bring an individual to wonder about that.

When you are given an assignment at work or in school your boss or teacher doesn’t want the work done on your timeline, they want it on theirs. Imagine going to your boss and saying, “You know, Boss, you’re not going to know when or how this work assignment is going to be done, but rest assured in my good time I will finish it and if you wait until then, I know that you will be pleased with the results.” Pretty far fetched, huh? The material world does not operate in that fashion. In fact, if we don’t meet the deadlines assigned to us, we risk our jobs.

How many Sundays would it take for people to get upset with their pastor if he or she showed up at church without the service or a sermon prepared? We see in the Biblical record that God does not operate in the manner of this world, but in His own. Christ also modeled that during His time on earth. He asked people to do and say things that were far from what was the norm of the day.

One of the things that God asks us to do is to talk to Him through prayer. Many of us do this on a regular basis and some may not do it at all. I suspect that some have lost faith because they have not seen any evidence of an answer in the time frame that they have set up.

I too, admit that there have been things that I have prayed about for which I am still waiting for the answer. I, however, was startled one time by the speed at which God can work in answering our prayers. I had a phone conversation with an individual and learned that this person was having great difficulties with another person. They had been hurt by the harsh things this other person had said and was completely out of answers as to what could be done about this person’s behavior. We talked about it for a while and at the end of the conversation we took a few moments to give this concern to the Lord. We asked for healing in the relationship and in the two people involved. We asked boldly in faith that the Lord would step in and touch this person; that their heart could be changed and softened. Do you know that this prayer was answered not fifteen minutes later? In a dramatic and complete reversal of attitude, the one who had been so hurtful had come to apologize and make amends. I can’t begin to tell you how impactful this has been for me.

We will simply not know when or how the Lord will answer our prayers but we can be certain that in His time, He will. Take time to pray, no matter how big or small, take time to pray, pray for it all.

Grace and Peace!!

Pastor Chris

Share the Journey 2 January 2013

John & Helen Ciach Vijay & Monica Kumar

David Choi Craig & Catherine Spangler

Donna and Christopher Ruggiero

with Nicholas (13), Natalie (10),

and Cory (15)

David & Sara McFarland

Gary & Sandy Poplos Elizabeth Temme

Roxana Strang Candance Ting

Share the Journey 3 January 2013

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You…for donating homemade cookies,

for donating crafts, for donating baked goods and other goodies to

the Cookie Walk and for buying all of these. There were 80 feet of

cookie trays and 122 boxes of cookies sold. That is a lot of cookies!

We appreciate your help in providing funds for mission work for

women and children.

UMW General Meeting with Sandwiches and Dessert – UMW invites the women of Aldersgate to attend the General Meeting on Monday, January 7 at 6 p.m. in the Auditorium. The program will be presented by News Journal food columnist Nancy Coale Zippe. Her topic will be Energy for the New Year. The program will be followed by an installation and pledge service. Please sign up with your Circle Leader or with an email to [email protected] so that we can plan for food. That mailbox is monitored by Barbara Buckley, President of Aldersgate’s UMW.

Who Doesn’t Love New Bathrooms!

By Royal Lowthert, Business Administrator

Thanks to everyone for your patience while we remodel the bathrooms near the narthex.

The Board of Trustees is planning several improvements to areas around the building and the first to get attention were these two bathrooms. Thank you Jane Smith for developing the plan and selecting all the beautiful tiles, toilets, sinks and spigots. The tile work was done by Steve and Ryan Bordas and it looks beauti-ful.

We decided to do some new lighting to enhance these rooms and we added motion detectors to come on when someone enters the bathroom. They will go off 5 minutes after motion ceases in the single room and after 25 minutes in the two-stall ladies room. This will save money by not allowing lights to burn all evening. New toilets (TOTO) were installed and have the reputation of having the greatest suction flush of any commercial toilets on the market. Along with the new toilets, we have installed new toilet paper holders that are oriented side by side instead of on top of each other. This should eliminate the paper tearing too soon. These dispensers take coreless rolls which increase the number of sheets per roll. They are more expensive per roll but should last much longer. You will notice that we decided to go with 2 ply instead of the 1 ply we use throughout the building, so hopefully these new toilets will be able to flush when excessive 2 ply is used. And yes, that is a problem in this church!

Jane Smith, along with help from Sandy Anderson and Caroline Fleckenstein have chosen the new wall coloring. Please stop by and see the new design. If you like it please thank the people mentioned above for their effort and good taste!

Updated list of drop off points for Cleaning or Health Kits

Continue to collect supplies for UMCOR Cleanup Buckets and Health Kits. We have already distributed thousands and will need thousands more. Your gift to UMCOR US Disaster Response, Hurricanes 2012, Advance #3021787, will help UMCOR to be with storm survivors over the long term of their recovery.

For those who have buckets and kits ready to ship, there is now a Google Map of District locations that will receive them. Address and contact phone numbers are provided. Once sufficient supplies have been collected, our conference Disaster Coordinator's team will pick them up and ship them to Mission Central for distribution. You can view the Updated Map to locate a collection point near you. As a reminder, Cleaning / Flood bucket contents are listed below.

Cleaning Bucket Value: $ 55.00

5 gallon bucket with resalable lid

liquid laundry detergent—two 25 oz. or one

50 oz. bottles only

liquid household cleaner—12-16 oz. liquid

cleaner that can be mixed with water—no

spray cleaners

dish soap—16-28 oz bottle any brand

1 can air freshener—aerosol or pump

1 insect repellant spray—6-14 oz. aerosol or

spray pump with protective cover

1 scrub brush—no toilet-bowl brushes—plastic

or wooden handle—no kitchen or dish brushes

18 cleaning wipes—handi wipes or reusable

wipes—no terry cleaning towels—remove from

packaging

7 sponges—remove from wrapper—no cellu-

lose sponges due to mold issue

scouring pads—remove from wrapper—no

Brillo, SOS pads or any kind that will rust

50 clothespins—remove from packaging

clothes line—two 50 ft. or one 100 ft.—cotton

or plastic.

24 roll heavy duty trash bags—remove from

the box—30-45 gallon size

5 dust masks

2 pair disposable waterproof gloves—rubber

or latex– remove from packaging

1 pair work gloves—cotton or leather—leather

palms necessary

Additional information is available at: http://

www.umcor.org/UMCOR/Relief-Supplies

Share the Journey 4 January 2013

Aldersgate Youth Players March 2013 Production

A Fairy Tale Life:

The Stories of Hans Christian Andersen

(including The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, Princess and

the Pea, and the Emperor’s New Clothes)

Save the Date!

Performances will be in the Sanctuary:

Friday, March 1 at 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 2 at 2 p.m.

Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m.

For more information, or if you would like to help,

contact Janet Atwater, Director

(610) 388-2120 or [email protected]

Sharing Our Blessings—Christmas Joy 2012

By Jim & Barbara Rindfuss

On Friday, December 7 the Christmas Joy ministry

delivered over 400 gifts to Sojourner's Place, Family

Promise, Urban Promise, Sunday Breakfast Mission and

Neighborhood House. All of the agencies were greatly

appreciative of the gifts and were looking forward to

distributing them across the community. It is only

through the generosity of the Aldersgate family that

we were able to provide a more joyful Christmas

season for families who are less fortunate. It is truly a

blessing from our Lord to allow us to do this.

Our thanks to all who helped in this ministry. Over 150

Aldersgate members participate in this ministry by

organizing the Christmas Joy Tree and ornaments,

purchasing gifts, attending the wrapping party and

delivering gifts to the agencies. This is the 7th year for

this ministry and it continues to grow each year.

Blessings to all who participated.

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Share the Journey 5 January 2013

December Updates

By Bob Reis, Trustee President

Labyrinth: Soon new benches will be placed in the Labyrinth area. They will replace the original ones that disintegrated over time and were taken apart by trustees Carolyn Fleckenstein and Doug DeVoll. The benches were ordered as a necessity as the community has

found this a nice area to wait for busses or reflect. In addition, we are ordering a new box to hold the Labyrinth brochures and hope that all will make more use of this area in the future.

There is still an opportunity to provide a great memorial with a plaque to provide a lasting remembrance. If you would like to give such a memorial and have a loved one’s name engraved on a plaque on the top cross bar, let a trustee know. The cost per bench installed is $750. Please contact Bob Reis ([email protected]) or leave Bob a message by calling the church office 302-478-2575.

New Trustee: Joanne Smeltz was elected and replaces Barbara Lassiter who finished her term. Thanks to Joanne for agreeing to pull weeds, mulch and come to meetings; and to Barbara for her service in representing the Trustees at PG&M meetings and other gatherings, as well as faithfully adding to our meeting discussions.

Renewed Trustees: Dave Dunbar and Carolyn Fleckenstein have agreed to serve another term on Trustees. We are thankful for all they do on a continual basis tending to the grounds and building; eager to pitch in with anything that needs to be done any time.

New Bathrooms: You will notice that the bathrooms between the narthex and auditorium have been refurbished with new tile floor, paint and new fixtures. It was a great team effort of staff and lay person (wife and husband – Jane and Royal) that put it all together and had it done earlier than originally anticipated.

Security: While we have made some progress, it is not time to go to sleep or let your guard down! Apparently “others” who are living on the street like Aldersgate’s carpeted floors for a nap now and then. Recently, two members gathered in Room 236 for a late afternoon Bible Study. As they started chatting they heard a noise from behind the sofa and an unknown gentleman got up and walked out. It appears he just came in for a warm, soft rest. The camera images show he did not take anything or go into any areas with children. Needless to say, we are still working on security for the congregation while we provide a sanctuary and reaching a happy, workable solution is a challenge. As always, if you see anything out of the ordinary, tell someone as soon as possible.

Daffodil Bulbs: The UMW provided a number of bulbs for the church in their recent fundraiser for Neighborhood House. These were planted in the front flower bed around the blue spruce. In the spring we’ll see a blossoming of yellow amidst the blue. How fitting is that in the First State?

Budget: In keeping with the overall trend, Trustees are trimming our budget by 5% for 2013, meaning that the 2013 spending will be 5% less than that called for in 2012. Regardless, our needs will continue to be met. We will simply have to spend more time sorting needs from wants and deliberating cost and timing for improvement projects.

Parsonage: We have made some repairs in plumbing and walls due to leaks, as well as replaced the kitchen floor. Although the major needs have been met, we are continuing to address maintenance and improvements with an eye toward continually adding to the value of the house, both for the Penningtons and the future.

Berwyn Rental: The lease with the Manns has been updated and renewed. Some plumbing concerns remain which we are addressing with New Castle County and with plumber visits. Don Moore stays on top of this facet of Trustee responsibility.

Volunteer Opportunity: The dedicated few who work on the grounds always have room for more. They continually do a fantastic job and build fellowship as they keep Aldersgate a very bright and attractive spot on the Pike. If you have the second Friday of the month open, you are invited to join them. No experience is necessary. Tools are provided and coffee is available.

Pew Candles: Our thanks to the Altar Guild for researching options and ordering new pew candles with safer mounting hardware. Pew candles are traditionally used for Christmas and by request for weddings. The wooden ones we’ve used for many year were showing some age and were not stable when fitted on the pews with the clamp. Replacements are made of brass with better fixtures, look much better, attach easier and are more secure. What’s not to love??? Another need has been well met by ladies we seldom recognize but could not operate without.

If you see something that needs attention or have questions for the Trustees, please feel free to contact any of them. The trustees are: Dave Dunbar, Carolyn Fleckenstein, Bob Reis, Jane Smith, Jay Doughty, Doug DeVoll, Don Moore, Rick Cross and Joanne Smeltz.

Share the Journey 6 January 2013

Each month, milestone anniversaries are listed as well as all those over 50 years. While we can all benefit from knowing that marriages truly can exist for more than 5 decades, we want to recognize those milestone years (i.e. 5, 10 15, 20 ) for all. Congratulations! Paul & Taffy Nemeth 51 years January 27

If you are not sure we have your anniversary and would like it to be included in the future, please contact Betty Moore (302-478-2575 ext. 117) or [email protected]. All additions or corrections are gratefully accepted to keep our records up to date.

Confirmation is in full swing for this year and we are very excited about our group of students that are going through the confirmation process. One change to the process is the use of mentors as a vital part of the confirmation experience. This year’s class is largely male heavy. As such, we are in need of some men who would be willing to take on the role of a mentor to one of the confirmands. If you are interested in serving in this role, please let me know.

The Christmas season was an eventful one for our youth ministry. Our annual doubt night was a huge success. Doubt night provides students with an opportunity to ask questions relating to Christianity, church, ethics, etc. Students write down their questions on a piece of paper without placing their name on the paper and then Pastor Chris and myself pull questions out of a hat and answer them to the best of our ability. While we may not know the answer to every question, we answer honestly and openly. This a time when we are able to see what students in our church are wrestling with and what God is doing. It was a great night and probably my favorite thing we do all year. We also had homeless for the holidays where we camped out in front of the church allowing our students a small taste of what its like to be homeless for a night.

On the weekend of March 2 and 3, our students will participate in a 30-hour famine, which is sponsored by World Vision. We will be collecting donations as our students learn about fasting and how blessed we are. The money we collect will go to help eradicate hunger in the Congo. We would love to have you join the youth of Aldersgate in this 30-hour fast. We will break our fast by taking communion with the church. If you’re interested in this please let me know.

Adam West

Adam West—youth ministry director

[email protected]

Student Ministry News

Adam West

Director of Student Ministry

[email protected]

302.478.2575 ext. 115

Carole Gibbs November 25

Donald Farrar December 5

Gregory Kummeth December 5

ALDERSGATE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Student Mini ry

Print Cartridge Recycling—An Update

Last month in the Messenger there was an article about recycling toner cartridges—a volunteer opportunity.

This month, the good news is that the Student Ministry accepted the challenge and will handle the cartridge recycling task going forward.

A vendor (Advantage Cartridge) was identified via a quick online search who will accept an unlimited number of cartridges each month and send the church a check for $5 per cartridge. More good news is that the “stockpile” of toner cartridges that were stored in the DOV office have been boxed up and sent off already!

So, the recycle container that is located near the hallway copy machine will remain and you are invited to drop off your used printer cartridges as before.

Thanks to everyone who provided altar flowers during 2012.

Anyone wishing to place flowers on the altar during 2013 may call Meredith McGregor at 302-235-5601 with a request. Please

specify a tribute, either in memory or in honor of a loved one. The cost is $45 per bouquet. Checks should be made out to Aldersgate UMC and be placed in Meredith's mailbox #22 in the HUB.

Thank you to the many people who donated to the Hurricane Relief Fund through UMCOR (United Methodist Council on Relief). 100% of each dollar donated to UMCOR projects go to the intended target population. All overhead is absorbed by the General Church. Donations totaled $9,095, including a $500 check we received from AARP Chapter #3979 that meets regularly at Aldersgate. Thanks to all of you for caring for our brothers and sisters everywhere!

Share the Journey 7 January 2013

Notes from The Music Guy

Jeffrey Manns

Director of Music Ministry

(302) 478-2575 ext. 120

[email protected]

Aldersgate’s Music Ministry Rehearsals resume, Wednesday, January 9!

Arts @ Aldersgate Presents:

Sunday, January 27 at 4 p.m. in the Music Center

Violin and Piano Recital with Jennifer Haas, violin and Charles Abramovic, piano.

Jennifer, daughter of Marilyn Haas, is a violinist in the Philadelphia Orchestra and a graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She studied with Estella Frankel and Sylvia Ahramjian in Delaware, Margaret Pardee of Julliard and Jascha Brodsky at Curtis.

Charles is a Professor of Keyboard Studies at Temple University's Boyer College of Music of Philadelphia. He also is a graduate of The Curtis Institute and Peabody Conservatory, with a doctorate from Temple.

“Building Community & Strengthening Lives” By Sarah Ogilby, Family Promise Coordinator

2012 has been another successful year for Family Promise and accolades go out to all the amazing volunteers at Aldersgate who have helped to make it successful. So far in 2012, thirteen families have graduated to become independent again. GOD IS SO GOOD!

Below are a few words from a recent teen graduate that helped put our mission in perspective.

“The Family Promise program is a wonderful program. The people are there to help you to have a better life. The program is more based around you and your needs, instead of all the families as a whole. Me and my family would NOT be doing this well without it.”

Family Promise is based on the bible phrase from Matthew 25:35 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”

PLEASE JOIN THIS WONDERFUL MINISTRY IN 2013! There are lots of volunteer opportunities that are simple & easy to do. Some of them are: provide meals, stay overnight as a host, drive a van, set up rooms or just do some laundry.

Dates for 2013 are as follows so you can mark your calendars now:

Thanks to all the giving people of Aldersgate, Candice Kilson, Britta Nippert and Carolyn Fleckenstein will be carrying over 50 pounds

of sheets and towels to the El Ayudante Mission Center in Leon, Nicaragua.

Also included in their luggage were layettes provided by the UMW's Martha Circle. The 3 are traveling with a group of 12 lead by Rev. Karin Tunnell of St. Paul's in Odessa and formerly our associate pastor. They return on January 6.

March 24th – 31st

June 23rd – 30th

September 29th – October 6th

December 8th – 15th

German Choir "Ephata" Coming During Holy Week!

By Nancy Hough

The Ephata Choir of the UMC in Friedrichsdorf, Germany will

be coming to visit and present a concert during Holy week.

This multi-generational choir visited previously in 2000 and

2002 and they give a terrific performance. We will be

seeking about 20 host families for the youth and adults

who will be coming. Look for more information in the

next Messenger, and contact Nancy Hough for further

details in the meantime. [email protected]

Share the Journey 8 January 2013

January UMM Program Tuesday, January 15 at noon

Greg Strong, Director of the Consumer protection Unit of the Delaware Department of Justice, will speak to the United

Methodist Men on Tuesday, January 15th at 12 noon.

He comes to help us better understand the mortgage crunch and the default procedures in Delaware. If you know of people who have lost their homes or are in danger of losing their homes in the realty market, you will want to hear what Greg has to say. And you will want to know what proactive measures Delaware has taken to protect consumers.

It’s the third Tuesday in January (the 15th….at 12 noon) and guests are always welcome. If you are not on the “contact list” you can sign up in the HUB and indicate your choice of sub (turkey, Italian, roast beef or ham). Please come.

If you have questions, please contact Tom Short, Bob Hawkins or George McKeown or send an email to [email protected].

Rummage Sale 2013

If you or a friend is moving this year or cleaning out a house, we can provide an outlet for your unwanted / unneeded stuff and use

it to generate much-needed funds for our church via the 2013 Rummage Sale.

Special Pickup Dates:

January 12

February 9

March 9

March 30

Move stored items to church

Donations can be dropped off at the church

If you are interested in getting more information or to arrange a pick up, please contact Chris Burket at (609-504-3107) or [email protected] or Don Moore at (610-558-6817) or [email protected].

Lead Team Update

By Mary Jane Prince

It’s been a while since you’ve seen an update from the Lead

Team, but that doesn’t mean nothing has been happening at

those once-a-month meetings!

The Lead Team has set some goals for 2013 that you should be

aware of. The goals are:

1. To increase membership at Aldersgate in 2013 by 70

people.

2. To increase the involvement in Aldersgate’s ministries.

Each team leader (Gather Grow & Go) along with the support

teams (Lay Leaders, Trustees, Finance, SPRC, and

Communications) have been charged with establishing team

goals that directly support the Lead Team goals. As those

team goals are established, you will be informed of them via

more Messenger articles.

You might wonder if goal #1—increasing membership by 70

people is realistic or a stretch goal, so some research was

done to look back over the last several years. This is what we

found regarding the number of new members in the years

since 2001 (including confirmands):

The goal is certainly a stretch for 2013, but with your help we

believe it is attainable. And yes, we are asking that you do all

you can to help bring people to Christ and to Aldersgate.

Matthew 28: 18—20 states: 18 Jesus came near and spoke to

them, “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing

them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the

Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything that I’ve

commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day

until the end of this present age.”

As for goal #2, research is underway to determine the baseline

number of people needed to support various ministries and

events within the church. Once we have that data, we’ll

further refine the goal to be more measureable and share the

details with you next month.

2001—60

2002—60

2003—66

2004—51

2005—46

2006—55

2007—29

2008—25

2009—15

2010—20

2011—49

2012—42

Our Heavenly Father is the God

of the fresh start. When we fail,

we are still loved. God is good.

For His mercy endures forever!

(Psalm 136:1)

Share the Journey 9 January 2013

Mark your calendars for the these exciting events in Children’s Ministries

Aldersgate Preschool

Registration for fall 2013 will start in January for families already enrolled. Please contact [email protected] for a tour and register your 18 month old to 5 year old child. More details available at www.aldersgatede.org.

Mommy – Daddy Date Night - Friday, February 8 from 5 to 9 p.m.

Enjoy a night out while your child(ren) play and enjoy everything LOVE! (That means heart / Valentine activities/snack/games/crafts/music/video). Proceeds will benefit the preschool fund. Registration and payment by February 1st.

Easter Egg Hunt and Activities—Saturday, March 23 from 3 to 5 p.m.

All families with children 10 years and younger are welcome to this free event to visit with the Easter Bunny, hunt for filled eggs, enjoy a snack and enjoy Easter activities together.

Vacation Bible School – June 16 to 21 (week of Father’s Day)

We are looking into a variety of themes and will share more details soon! Many volunteers are required to make this week a big success. More information coming.

Christian Summer Day Camp – At Aldersgate Church from July 22 to 26 and from July 29 to August 2 (Last two weeks of July). Each week of camp runs $85 per child from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Before care at 8 a.m. and after care from 4 to 6 p.m. for $5/hour.

Children ages 4 years to those who have completed 6th grade are invited.

Sharon Jennelly, Director of Children’s

Ministry & Aldersgate Preschool

302.478.2575 ext.118

[email protected]

Remember: Childcare is offered at no charge during

each worship service!

Salisbury District Superintendent Announced

Bishop Peggy A. Johnson announces the appointment of the Rev. Fred Duncan as the Salisbury District Superintendent, effective July 1, 2013.

Rev. Duncan has served as senior pastor of Bethel United Methodist Church in Lewes, Delaware since 2008. He is a graduate of Indian River High School, Delaware Technical and Community College, Wilmington University, and Wesley Theological Seminary. Other pastoral appointments served by Rev. Duncan are Christ UMC in Laurel, Delaware; and Roxana-Sound United Methodist Charge. He has served the Annual Conference on the Board of Pensions, Council on Finance and Administration, and the Conference Sessions Team as Head Usher. He has also served on the Dover District Hispanic Task Force and Committee on the Superintendency. He is a trained leader for Stephen Ministry as well.

His life experience includes serving as a retail department manager with J. C. Penney; and the Atantic/Smith Cropper Deely Insurance Agency. Rev. Duncan is also an active member of the community of the Chesapeake Walk to Emmaus.

Please join in welcoming Rev. Duncan and his wife Pat to the Salisbury District.

Dinners For Eight—AKA D8 By J.E. Hamer-Maansson

It's time to start thinking about Dinners for Eight again. Dinners for Eight is a wonderful way to get to know more about others at Aldersgate and is for singles as well as couples. Eight people gather together to share a meal and fellowship four times per year. Groups decide when and how they will meet, ranging from gathering at a private home for an evening meal, to meeting at a local restaurant for breakfast or lunch. When the meal is in someone’s home, the work is shared by all, with everyone taking responsibility for part of the meal (i.e. appetizers, main dish, side, dessert). Each year, groups are shuffled,

new groups are formed and now is the time to sign-up. If you are interested in participating this year, please contact J.E. Hamer-Maansson at 302-438-1092 or [email protected] or sign-up at the Information Booth or in the HUB by February 17. The D8 kickoff will be February 24 at 6:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.

Non-Profit

Organization

U.S. Postage

PAID

598

Wilmington, DE

19850

Aldersgate United Methodist Church—Come as you are and be transformed by the love of Christ!

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

3rd Annual Chili & Chocolate Cook-off Social By Jeff Walters, Chili Cook-off Coordinator

Saturday, January 26 from 5 to 7 p.m.

“Instructions”: (Note: Adult, youth and family entries are all welcome.)

Make your favorite pot of chili.

Make something chocolate and yummy.

Make your special cornbread.

Just come and eat!

The cook-off is fun and social, rather than competitive, though top cooks will receive a certificate and get to wear a prestigious Sombrero of Glory. And two contestants will take home the Best Chili and Best Chocolate dish “perpetual” trophies.

Put this event on your new 2013 calendars now. All are welcome, in fact, it would be great if you’d all bring a friend or two! There will be a modest charge to cover serving supplies, etc.

If you’re planning to cook something, please let me know so we know about how many entries to plan for. Please sign up on a Sunday in January either in the HUB or at the Information Desk or simply send me an email at [email protected].

Helpers are always welcome, so if you’re willing to lend a hand for organizing, set-up, or clean-up, please reach out to me. Give me a call at 610-558-2056 or email [email protected].

Aldersgate’s Purpose: To be a significant place where disciple-making occurs.

To get there we will: Gather as God’s people, Grow in faith and love, and Go into the world as Jesus’ disciples.