Agape Class

Lesson Sunday

Please join us this Sunday, January 29th. Rachel Cabal will be with us to discuss "Radical Hospitality". She will also tell us how to use "My First Church"! Rachel is a delight, so I hope you will be able to join us. 

One more request.... We have been getting started at about 10:00, but this leaves little time for Agape announcements, prayer requests, etc.. It would be great if we could get started closer to 9:45! Let's shoot for that this week.

Best,
Hollis Owens

Lessons

Jan 22nd: Sydney Fiedler, "Balancing Family and Work"Jan 29th: Rachel Cabal, "Radical Hospitality"Feb 5th: Hollis Owens, "Babyproofing your Marriage"Feb 12th: Frank Roby, "Learning to Accept the Ambiguity of Scripture Without Losing Your Faith"

Feb 19th and Feb 26th: Andy Stoker, topic TBA

Lesson

Please join us this Sunday, January 10th in Agape. Gretchen Combs will be discussing the topic, "Birth Order-And What You Need to Know About It.". We'll start promptly at 9:45.

Lessons

January 8th - We'll start the new year withan Agape potluck during class. Brian Owens will be showing his documentary titled "Take me to the Water" and tell us a little bit about the amazingcommunity in Pin Point, Georgia where religion is the center of theirlives.

January 15th - Gretchen Combs - "Simple Discipline"

January 22nd - Sydney Fiedler - "Family Traditions"

January 29th - Rachel Cabal - "Radical Hospitality"

Schedule

CURRENT EVENTS:
Agape is responsible for collecting the Ritual of Friendship (attendance) cards. Please help out since we have more pews than you mayrealize. The people below have already volunteered to be in charge, so all you have to do is help.

Dec. 10 - Molly
Dec. 18 - Bryan Owens
Dec.25 - Megan 
 
NEXT SUNDAY is Christmas day, and we will not have class. 
 
THIS SUNDAY (Dec. 18) is a busy day at the church. All three events are taking place that day so plan ahead.

*Finally, there is a Mini Market for any items you might have missed at the First Gifts Market a few weeks ago
*It is the All Church Breakfast. However, DONOT SKIP SUNDAY SCHOOL! Kristen will be leading us in a...

*Kid-friendly Sunday School. Go to the All Church Breakfast bright and early, then bring the entire family to Agape for The Christmas Story. Feelfree to bring blankets to make it a picnic type deal.

Lessons

Hello Agape,

Wow! It's been a while since I have been to class :). However, I have really enjoyed teaching those 4 year-olds. What a great group of kids. Michele Blankenship is taking over the 4 year-old class so that I can join back with Agape and help with programming. Thank you Michele! I'm very excited to see everyone again. Before I give the schedule of speakers for January, let me map out a few important dates for the next few weeks:

December 18th - no class, all church breakfast with trains downstairs. Just bring a breakfast dish and let the kids watch the amazing display of running trains. Super cool!
 
December 24th - 5:00 PM Children at the Manger - If you have not signed your child up to participate in the service, please let me know. Your child must be 5 years old AND in Kindergarten to participate in the actual Christmas Eve service. However, all ages are welcome to "prepare the manger" at the beginning of the service. At the end of the service, everyone holds a lit candle while the church congregation sings "Silent Night". Super cool!

December 25th - no class - church building opens at 10:00 AM! However, because Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, I am sure it will be a well-attended service!

January 1st - no class - church building opens at 10:00 AM! 

January 8th - Let's start the new year with an Agape potluck during class. I will send out a sign-up sheet in the next week. Also, Brian Owens will be showing his documentary titled "Take me to the Water" and tell us a little bit about the amazing community in Pin Point, Georgia where religion is the center of their lives.

January 15th - Gretchen Combs - "Simple Discipline"

January 22nd - Sydney Fiedler - "Family Traditions"

January 29th - Rachel Cabal - "Radical Hospitality"

That's all for now! I want to thank Sarah for all that she has done as far as programming for the Fall. She did an amazing job. I have big shoes to fill :). 
 

Also, Ann Smith graciously offered to help me with costumes for the Children at the Manger service, but I need 4 more people to volunteer please! I just need help getting kids in their costumes from 4-5 PM on Christmas Eve before the Children at the Manger service. 

 
Merry Christmas to all of you!
 
Best,
Hollis Owens

The Christmas Version - 1 Corinthians 13

Thanks to Megan for the added material - The Christmas Version
of 1 Corinthians 13 that provided such a great wrap up to the class
discussion yesterday. Several people wanted a copy so I've scanned and
attached.
 
Have a good week!
Sue

Download The Christmas Version_1 Corinthians 13.pdf

Christmas is not your Birthday study

Hi everyone.This weekend Sue isleading us in Chapter 3 of Christmas is not Your Birthday. The First Gifts Christmas Market raised over $31,000. Also, if you want to buy Gift Donation Cards you can do that thisweekend. There is an associated flier as well. If you wantto view it, I have uploaded it to the AgapeFUMCDallas page on Wiggio. You can go to the site and view it in your web browser orclick on this link to download it.

http://wiggio.com/yui/folder/stream_file.php?doc_key=4JyTRy77PHwdmKPex4ccM0+dubRP0FEAHt7OoZyGDBM=I am going to include the Agape distribution list on this email as well. That will probably give you two copies of the email. I apologize for filling up your inbox but I wanted to make sure everyone receives the email. Next week I am going to use only the distribution list if there are no hiccups. 

Thanks everyone. See you Sunday.Joe

Notes

1) I just sent out an invitation to every email in this list to create an Agape distribution list. The name of the site that handles it is called topica. The email address is agapefumcdallas@topica.com. There is a link and instructions in the email. Just follow the steps and you'll be up and running. If you did not receive it, please check your spam folders for it. Once we have everyone signed up to this list, we will no longer have to dig up old emails to send an email to everyone. We will be able to just send a message to the list email and it will go out to everyone. 

2) This Sunday we are not meeting in our classroom. We are converging downstairs to offer assistance for setting up the Fall Festival. If they don't need us, we will sit in on the 5th Sunday Mission Trip presentation. I believe they are going to give highlights of the recent trip to India. 

3) I think everything is covered for our involvement in the Fall Festival as a class. So at this point our volunteers just need to show up and the rest is handled. 
4) Give some thought to volunteering Sunday November 13th for the Alternative Gifts Giving Day. Contact Brian Owens or Linda Roby to volunteer.

New Room!

Just a reminder: AGAPE is now in a new room - 2nd floor of the Urbanlife (Ogelsby) building which is the building in the back behind the church (1925 San Jacinto).

AGAPE and Fall Festival

Happy Friday, AGAPE!!!!

I need your assistance with the Fall Festival. We are sponsoring the Toddler Zone (inflatable maze for those who toddle) and the Nail Painting Booth (booth offering nail enamel application in a variety of shades). The Fall Festival will be held on Sunday, October 30, 2011 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Please email me (beverlycahill at justice com) the times that you are available to work a shift (shift times offered set forth below). Toddler Zone is super easy-- you mainly just stand at the Zone and peer over the top of the side to ensure that the toddlers are playing nicely and not ramming their knees into the heads of other little toddlers. Nail Painting is easy unless you have a nervous condition that causes you to twitch sporadically. All this to say-- STEP UP AGAPE AND CHOOSE YOUR SHIFTS! COME ONE, COME ALL! If you are worried about not being able to cover a shift because you have kids to chase around, that is NO EXCUSE not to sign up. There will be a number of Agape parents to chase around your kids while you are covering a shift. Alternatively, you can just stick them in the Toddler Zone while you are serving your shift. Or, you can send your kids to the Youth's trick or treating room.

Toddler Zone:
5:00 to 5:30
5:30 to 6:00
6:00 to 6:30
6:30 to 7:00

Nail Painting:
5:00 to 5:30
5:30 to 6:00
6:00 to 6:30
6:30 to 7:00

Love,
Beverly

Reminder Agape Class: New Room

Hello Agape Class.

This Sunday you will begin meeting in your new temporary location on the 2nd floor of the 1925 Building. To get there, leave the main church building out the San Jacinto (ramp) exit. Go down the parking lot ramp and just down the street to the right and enter the 1925 Ogelsby Building. Take the elevator to the second floor!

Corrected schedule

corrected schedule!
 
October 2: Introduction: Faith in the Midst of Financial Crisis     
October 9: When Dreams Become Nightmares  
October 16: Wisdom and Finance
October 23: Cultivating Contentment
October 30: Defined By Generosity 
November 6: Wrap up/Perhaps have a speaker or member of Eco-team?/Bonus video: To Be A Blessing (?)

Upcoming Programming: Enough

Dear Agape,

We will be starting a new series next Sunday (9/25) entitled "Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Giving" by Adam Hamilton. It will be a video study with a book (optional). Check it out on YouTube:

Or review the book/read the first chapter here: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=776750

September 25: Introduction: Faith in the Midst of Financial Crisis      

October 2: When Dreams Become Nightmares   

October 9: Wisdom and Finance
October 16: Cultivating Contentment 
October 23: Defined By Generosity  
October 30: Wrap up/Perhaps have a speaker or member of Eco-team?/Bonus video: To Be A Blessing (?)

I have ordered 2 additional copies of the book if you would like to purchase ($8). The DVD will start promptly at 9:45, so be sure to get to class between 9:30-9:45 for social time.

Be thinking about if you would like to facilitate any of the sessions! (there is a leader's guide to make it easy :))

Have a blessed week!

Sarah Hansen

Harvest Time 9/18

Dear Agape,
The Harvest of Years dinner is this Sunday, September 18th at FUMC Dallas. Please join us at 5:30 PM downstairs as we join for dinner with senior members of our church. The idea of the dinner is to bring the young and senior members of the church together. The children will be serving the seniors dinner. If your children are too young to serve, please come so they can "ooh and ahh" over the babies. We still need people to help bring king ranch casseroles, so please let me know if you can attend and/or bring a casserole to the event.

For those of you interested in cooking here is the recipe :
King Ranch Casserole
1 pkg of corn tortillas cut in half
Mix the following:
3 cooked and diced chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 bell pepper-chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garglic salt

1/2 lb grated cheddar cheese
Layer tortillas and mix, top with i can Rotel (mild)
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes
Please bring in a disposable tin baking dish, 9x13