Agape Class

Chili Cookoff 1/31!

Mark your calendars. The all-church Chili Cookoff is at noon on January 31, 2010!

Temporary Relocation in January: Dickerson Chapel

Dear Agape,

The church has been working on the exterior wall just outside our

classroom in order to prevent future water damage. The bad news is

that the rest of the work has to be done inside our room and Agape has

been forcibly, but temporarily, relocated to the Dickerson Chapel for

the first four Sundays in January. That's what they say. Our stuff

was moved out today.

 

Happy New Year ! Make a resolution to do Agape service in 2010. 

Thanks, Scott

Advent Study - THIS Sunday -Dec. 20

Just a reminder...



The last session of The Lord & His Prayer Advent Study will be in Dickerson Chapel this Sunday. Also, there are a few books available, so if you haven't done so, consider purchasing one.



Enjoy the All-Church Breakfast (starts at 8:30) and join the study in the chapel.

"Ritual of Friendship" pad duty

From: Scott Hounsel <shounsel@hotmail.com>

Date: Wed, Dec 2, 2009 at 9:53 PM



Dear Agape - for each Sunday in December, our class has been entrusted with the "Ritual of Friendship Duty" - so I need volunteers for the glamorous task of tearing the info sheets from the sign-in pads for the entire sanctuary after the 11:00 service and getting the info sheets to the Sanctuary coordinator or in Rachel Cabal's mailbox. It does not take long - especially with 3-4 people. Please volunteer and reply to me with the sunday you can help (either 12/6, 12/13, 12/20 or 12/27). -Scott

Lesson / Daily Devotionals

In case you missed week one of our book The Lord & His Prayer, below is a link to the daily devotional guide for this week.  Next week, we'll meet again in Wesley Hall (between our room and the donuts!) as Rev. Tom Downing leads us in studying chapter 3.

Download LordPrayerWeek1 devotional.

Annual Christmas Party 12/12 7 pm

December 12, 7:00 p.m.

Hello Agape Friends!

We are happy to be hosting the December potluck and thought it would be nice to have one potluck this year where we aren't worried about running after kids, having conversations in 30 second sound bites and having to tag team eating. So, this will be an adult, kids-free party...I know many of you are juggling multiple adults only invitations and so we certainly understand if you dread having to pay a sitter to watch your children sleep for yet another night. However we would LOVE to see everyone so to make it a litter easier we've decided to make the food thing simple...(thank you Me'Cheal for this idea!) We will provide heavy hors d'oeuvres and all the cocktails. If you'd like, please bring your favorite cocktail accompaniment.

In years past we have also done a gift exchange which has always been a lot of fun. So, please bring a gift worth giving that doesn't exceed $20 if you'd like to participate.

Looking forward to celebrating some holiday cheer with our Agape friends.

John & Neetu

Sign up for Advent study - pay online

For those of you that weren't able to make class last Sunday, we have agreed to co-host the church's all church Advent Study with the Covenant Class. Click here to sign up and pay for your book online:  From November 29th - December 20th, Rev. Tom Downing will teach on the book "The Lord and His Prayer" by N.T. Wright. We'll meet in Wesley Hall (the large room with the stage, near our class).  Click for a map of the church. 

The books can be purchased the next two Sundays for $10 on the Harwood Landing but they encourage us to purchase the books this Sunday (the 15th) if at all possible. This will be a great chance for us to get to know other members of the church and will give our class a break from preparing lessons during the busy month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. As co-hosts we will need 1-2 volunteers to man the check-in table on Sunday mornings starting November 29th and also to provide snacks to supplement the doughnuts in Wesley Hall. Please e-mail me if you can sign up for either on the following Sundays: November 29th, December 6th, December 13, and December 20th. If you're in town the 29th, please think about volunteering because many of us will be traveling.

SS lesson recap - 11/15

Dear Class,
Thanks to all who came and participated today. I love having a willing audience. And to those we
missed we looked at "Three Simple Rules" Rule 3 - "Stay in Love with God." This is the end part of the lesson. Just some thoughts to ponder this week. I pray that you all are moved to make this Covenant with God.
Go in Peace,
Summer

Wesley's Covenant Prayer

The prayer is often used, particularly by Methodists, to re-dedicate oneself to God.
 
The heart of the service, focused in the Covenant Prayer, requires persons to commit themselves to God. This covenant is serious and assumes adequate preparation for and continual response to the
covenant. Leaders of worship must take seriously the need to prepare the congregation for this service, possibly through study sessions and prayer.

The Prayer

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
(as used in the Book of Offices of the British Methodist Church, 1936).

Discussion Questions:
What would happen if you completely turned your life over to Christ?
Are you ready? Would you be willing to do it today?
With what seriousness would you be willing to pray this prayer?
Do you feel like praying this prayer is the same as taking marriage vows?

Lessons in November

Hi Class! For November 15 and and November 21 we will be continuing our study of "Three Simple Rules." Wes Wadle & Summer Holbrook teach this Sunday on the third rule - "Stay in Love with God."

For those of you that weren't able to make class last Sunday, we have agreed to co-host the church's all church Advent Study with the Covenant Class. From November 29th - December 20th, Rev. Tom Downing will teach on the book "The Lord and His Prayer" by N.T. Wright. We'll meet in Wesley Hall (the large room with the stage, near our class).  Click for a map of the church. 

The books can be purchased the next two Sundays for $10 on the Harwood Landing but they encourage us to purchase the books this Sunday (the 15th) if at all possible. This will be a great chance for us to get to know other members of the church and will give our class a break from preparing lessons during the busy month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. As co-hosts we will need 1-2 volunteers to man the check-in table on Sunday mornings starting November 29th and also to provide snacks to supplement the doughnuts in Wesley Hall. Please e-mail me if you can sign up for either on the following Sundays: November 29th, December 6th, December 13, and December 20th. If you're in town the 29th, please think about volunteering because many of us will be traveling.

Paula

News from Scott

Hey - wanted to say thanks to all who volunteered for Fall Festival, especially Hollis and Katherine - every year the attendance seems to get bigger (and I am sure the work gets bigger too).
 
I have scheduled the meeting with Linda Roby for this Wed (10/28) at 5pm.
 
This Sunday (11/1 - Daylight Savings), we move on to the Second Rule - "Do Good" - you'll want to do good the day after Halloween and you can sleep an hour later - right, Joe ?

I like to add one more thing: Next month is our turn to host potluck at our home. Given holidays are quickly approaching the only weekend we are in town is 11/7. We wanted to see if this weekend was okay with the majority otherwise we can be one of the first families to go next year since the Rainwaters have December.

-Scott

2008 Baby Brunch 11/8

Please Join Us for a church-wide Potluck Brunch For the Families and Babies Born or Adopted in 2008.
RSVP with what you will bring by November 6th.
FUMC Dining Room; Sunday, November 8, 9:45AM

October Potluck 10/24 5pm

Nathan
Moore will be home from Iraq this weekend, so we thought we could honor
him with all of the things that he's been craving (Mexican & good
'ol Southern Cuisine). We'll be making King Ranch Casserole.  Please
respond with what you plan on bringing.

Some of Nathan's favorites:
Chili Con Queso
Potato dish
Corn dish
German Chocolate Cake

Feel free to let your kids showcase their Halloween Costumes before the Fall Festival, too!

Hope you can make it!
Jen & John Szklarski

Save the Date: 12/12

December 12th will be the Agape December Christmas Party Potluck.  Time and details to be announced.  The Rainwaters are hosting this year.

Programming for October

Rev. Jay Cole will be teaching our class the next three Sundays: 9/27, 10/4, 10/11.  

After that, we'll be doing a book study that will take us up until the holiday season.  I've narrowed it down to two books that will fit that timeframe (5/6 weeks):

1.) Three Simple Rules  by Rueben Job

or 

2.) Prodigal God by Tim Keller.  

Three Simple Rules discusses some of John Wesley's teachings, and Prodigal God digs into the Prodigal Son parable in-depth.  If you have a preference as to which book we study, please let me know.  My email is pbmoore@fulbright.com.

Wilson's potluck 9/19 at 4pm

You are invited by the Agape Class to the September Agape Potluck!

Date: Sep 19, 2009 Time: 4:00 PM
Location: The Wilsons' House