Sunshine Herald

A Monthly Publication of Druid Hills United Methodist Church Serving Christ by Learning, Leading and Loving

Druid Hills United Methodist Church

From the Pastor:

Rev. Daryl W. Allen

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

From the Pastor Financial Report Caring and Sharing Our Goals Activities

1, 3 2 2 4 3, 6, 7

This season of Advent is a very festive time of year. As you travel thorough Ocala, you can see it almost everywhere! From the decorations that don all the shopping malls and plazas, to the homes decorated with various lights of their own, to the downtown square decorated with icicle lights in the oak trees, the Ferris Wheel that is making its return visit this year, not to mention the color-changing lights on the 42-foot tall Christmas tree! This festive atmosphere is everywhere! One piece of decoration that always catches my eye is the signs. You know, those signs that people stick in their yards, or end up as magnets on their cars. There are always the tried and true favorites, Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings. Then we have the Protestant themed ones, Jesus is the reason for the season and Let's keep Christ in Christmas Everyone has their own means and preference for marking this time of year. However; it is those last two signs that got my wheels spinning this year, by bringing our focus and attention to the Baby Jesus. We spend the better part of this entire month, year after year, working our way up to December 25th; the day we commemorate the birth of Christ. Our faith tradition has been doing this for generations and will continue to do it for generations to come. As it should be. We should be focused on, and humbled by, the birth of our Lord and Savior, coming into this world in the form of child; the same way we do. Small, without language, totally dependent on those around them. There is great excitement this time of year, around that Baby. Praise God, there is great excitement this time of year, around that Baby! This year though, as you continue to focus on the Baby Jesus, and everything that means, to us and for us as believers, I invite you to look at this from a different perspective as well. I invite you to focus on the act of birth itself. What is birth? It is new. It is fresh. Each one is different. Each one holds promise for whatever may transpire as a result of this newness. Whether we talk about the birth of a child, a ministry, or a hope. This upcoming year, we are going to try and generate some of that excitement that can come with a new birth. We are going to try to live more in kairos time this upcoming year. We are doing this because we need to. Our denomination, along with other denominations in this world, are in a decline. We cannot do the things we have always done, in the ways we have always done them. This culture has changed, the people have changed, and we need to reach out to them and share with them the wonderful things we have here at Druid Hills. All of the things that we are going to try, are aimed at helping us be the body Christ we are called to be. Now I know the tendency is to resist change, but I ask that you fight that tendency this upcoming year. We have been asked by the Florida Conference to come up with goals for increasing our effectiveness in the five practices of the Methodist Way over the next four years.
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The Scouting Side Calendar

8 5

12/01 12/03 12/04 12/10 12/12 12/14 12/21 12/23

Louise Cox Gloria Ufkes Nancy Battin Gayle Huels Chase Maskiewicz Jack Grieves Federico Lopez Ellen Sisson Karen Murray Chip Baskin

12/16 Pam & Edgar DuBois 12/17 Lucile & Roman Kulwich 12/23 Eunice & Charles Reid 12/28 Peg & Bernie Hamilton

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Sunshine Herald

Prayer serves as the backbone of the church. It is what supports all our efforts of ministry. In that spirit, you are invited to hold these persons in your prayers and thoughts. Just as the Spirit needs healing, so does the body. The two, it seems, go together in Gods plan. Murriel Allen, Luann Bainbridge, Jeff Bixler, Margery Bland, Jason Bonell, Bob Brombacker, Edie Caroleo, Rose Carroll, Eunice Charles, Kenny Chastain, John Clayton, Fred Coder, Ralph Cooley, Debbie Creef, Tiffany Critchfield, Jim Dekersky, Raymond & Violet Dyer, Stephanie Englert, Lisa Faulk, Jean Fay, Eddie Ferguson, Jennifer Foster, Mary Frye, Brad Fuller, Bradley Garris, Tina Gorski, Abby & Damon Graham, Ruth & Jim Griffith, Joey Hager, Bernie Hamilton, Tola & Emil Hass, DeNease Hicks, Robert Hildenbrandt, Jean Hoesman, Harry Hosey, Linda Hughes, Tom Klotz, Joanne Knepp, Alene & Les Krouse, Flo LaVine, Charles Lee, Michael MacPherson, Berniece Mason, Sandi Moore, Ed Munday, Sue Murray, Carole Newlin, Carol Peterson, Doris & Bill Pitts, Kathy Puskar, Jan & Don Ridley, P. R. Rion, Ilene Rittmayer, Wilhelmina Rogers, Mary Ann & Mike Roos, Rob Sanders, Harvey Singley, Floy Smith, Adele Stipp, Gerry Theisen, Gloria Ufkes, Tammie Wise

The Sunshine Herald is the monthly publication of Druid Hills United Methodist Church. Editor: Carole Newlin Pastor: Rev. Daryl W. Allen Pastors Blog: www.pastordaryl.blogspot.com Director of Worship Arts: Lucy Williams Email: [email protected] Phone: 352-629-5688 Mail: 1712 S. E. Lake Weir Rd. Ocala, FL 34471

Hours: 9:00 a.m. to Noon Monday through Friday Website: www.druidhillsocala.org

OUR STEWARDSHIP AND ATTENDANCE (10-30 through 11-20)

PRAYER SHAWL No meeting is scheduled for December. Thank you

NEWSLETTER DEADLINE
Due to Christmas & my vacation, the deadline for the January Newsletter will be December 11. If you have information you want published, please use the proper submission form and submit it to the church office no later than the deadline or email Carole at [email protected]. Please remember when writing articles for publication to include all the basics of the information you want included: who, what, when, where and why. Articles may be edited as necessary. Thank you for your cooperation.

Offering: Childrens Home: Parking Income:

$10,807.00 $ 490.21 $ 750.00

Average Attendance Worship ..... 113 Sunday School Adult Focus.. . 9 Nursery..0 Childrens Church...2 Bible Study..22

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These new births that we are going to attempt, are all predicated on that request.

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Please join me in being excited for what God has in store for us. Please join me in praying that as we move through this, God will bless us beyond our imagination. Please join me in expecting God to move and work in wonderful ways in 2012. As a body we can be mighty. As Christ's body, nothing is out of reach! Merry Christmas my friends!

THANK YOU Last month, we asked for your help in raising funds to replace the flooring in Fellowship Hall. While the church had some funds set aside, we needed your help. True to the dedication and love you have for this church, you responded in a tremendous way. To date, you as a congregation have generously given $7,250. We will have the flooring, a polished concrete surface, applied December 12th 16th; ready for us to see and use on Sunday, the 18th. I am so thankful for your benevolence and your response. A response that will enable us to make sure the memories and witness that take place in Fellowship Hall, have a place safe enough and durable enough to last for many, many years. Thank you!

SPAGHETTI DINNER I am excited about the opportunities that Pastor Daryl gave us in his letter last month about the replacement of the flooring in Fellowship Hall. As you know, we are removing the old carpet and replacing it with a polished concrete floor, which will cost $12,925. The Trustees committee presented this plan to your Administrative Council and it was unanimously approved. We currently have $7,950 to apply to this endeavor with the balance coming from donations from you and fundraising projects. We do have enough funds set aside for other projects that will be used to pay this balance when the floor is completed, mid December, but those funds need to be put back as soon as possible. I have been announcing each month about the spaghetti dinner that members of the Morning Star Lodge put on the first Friday of each month. Some of these Masons, along with their spouses and other faithful worshipers will be putting on a spaghetti dinner to help raise funds toward this flooring project. This dinner will be held Friday, January 20, 2012 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. The cost is $7.00 for adults, $4.00 for children age 6 to 12 and under 6 free. The dinner includes all you can eat, lovingly prepared spaghetti with meatballs, salad, rolls, dessert and beverage. It is important that the entire church participate in selling and/or buying tickets for this worthwhile project. Tickets will be available mid December in the Church Office to sell. I know that anyone who goes out to eat on a regular basis knows what a value this is. It is a win-win for all. A big THANK YOU, in advance, to the Boy Scouts who will be serving the dinner and to these faithful worshipers for their foresight to give their talented gifts which will help all of us at Druid Hills. Thank you, Bob Greene OPEN HOUSE! Pastor Daryl and Pastor Debbie invite you to an open house at the parsonage on Sunday, December 4 from noon to 2 pm.

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Sunshine Herald
OUR GOALS FOR DRUID HILLS UMC

In my pastoral letter this month, I talked about the goals that all United Methodist Churches have been asked to create. These goals are a response to the fact that, as a whole, our membership is declining. This information is not new, it is not unexpected. After all, all denominations are experiencing the same thing. This culture is changing, and so must we. After careful consideration and multiple conversations, with many different people, I wanted to share with you the goals that we are submitting to the Conference. I do want to offer a calming word right here. Nothing is going to change dramatically. We are not doing away with our style of worship, we are not changing the hymns and creeds we love. These adjustments are not going to happen all at once. We have four years to cover. Therefore, some things you will not see for at least three years. We are just going to adjust the way we do things, try some new ministries, and see what happens. We want to make sure we stay effective, to be all that Christ calls us to be, and with just a few, minor adjustments, we have the people, the gifts, and the graces to be all that Christ calls us to be. (Please keep in mind that none of the numbers we have, include the 2011 year, because this year is not over.) Passionate Worship: We are setting a goal of growing by 4% each year in our average worship attendance. That means that we are seeking to add four, new attendees, each year, from 2012 to 2015. Not a huge number, but it is an increase in an area where we have seen a decrease every year since 2006. In that vain, the worship committee has devised a few tweaks to how we do things to make our time on Sunday morning more worshipful and less church business. Radical Hospitality: This area covers our witness by tracking our number of professions of faith and reaffirmations of faith. For this area, we are seeking to bring in the same number of professions of faith and reaffirmations of faith as 2009, which was six; and then seven for 2013 and 2014 and eight for 2015. For this Methodist Way, one ministry you will see, is a Care Coordinator program rolled out in 2012. As we get closer to its implementation, you will hear more about it. Basically, this will simply be a tool that will help us communicate and care for each other more consistently. Intentional Discipling: Our goal for this area is to see a five person increase each year in some discipling group or Bible Study, every year from 2012 through 2015. That translates into 50 people for 2012, 55 for 2013, 60 for 2014, and 65 for 2015. One way we are going to attempt to accomplish this goal is to roll out more small groups in 2013.

Salty Service: As you know this measures our service outside of the church. Our goal in this area is an average increase of two people, per week, every year through 2015. That breaks down to a weekly average of 15 people in 2012, 17 in 2013, 19 in 2014, 21 in 2015. We have been averaging 13 a week for the last two years.

Extravagant Generosity: This area concerns the giving of our congregation to the ministries of the church. Our goal for each year, through 2015 is an increase of 1%, or about $1500 a year. As you can see, none of these goals is outrageous, or extreme. These are simply meant to be tools to help us better focus our energies so that we can strive to remain as effective as we can for Jesus Christ. If you have any questions about these goals, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will be happy to talk them over with you. Blessings,

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Sun Mon

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APRIL 2007
1

Tue

Wed

Thu
2

Fri
3 10 am - Advent breakfast set-up

Sat
9:30 am - Advent breakfast

10 am - Bible Study

5:30 pm - Girl Scouts 7 pm - Bible Study 4 9:00 am - Adult Focus Group 10:30 am - Worship 12 - 2 pm - Open House at parsonage White Sunday 11 9 am - Adult Focus Group 10:30 am - Worship Cantata Canned Food Sun. 6:30 pm - Den Mtg. 19 8:30 am - District Mtg 5 6 7 am - MRMC 8:15 am ROMEOs 7 pm - Choir Sanctuary 6:30 pm - Pack Mtg. 12 All day - floor installation 7 pm - Boy Scouts - FH 13 All day floor installation 8:15 am ROMEOs 10 am - Worship Cmte 7 pm - Choir 7 pm - Boy Scouts 20 8:15 am ROMEOs 10 am - UMW 5:30 pm - Girl Scouts 7 pm - Choir 6:30 pm - Den Mtg. 25 26 Office Closed 7 pm - Boy Scouts 27 8:15 am ROMEOs 7 pm - Church Council 7 pm - Bible Study 6 pm - Brownies 7 7 am - MRMC 8 10 am - Bible Study 5:30 pm - Girl Scouts 7 pm - Bible Study 15 All day floor installation 10 am - Bible Study 12:30 pm MODELs 5:30 pm - Girl Scouts 7 pm - Bible Study 22 10 am - Bible Study 16 All day - floor installation 17 All day - floor installation 9 10

14 All day - floor installation

5:30 pm - UMM 6 pm - Jr. Girl Scouts

18 9 am - Adult Focus Group 10:30 am - Worship 2 pm - Ocala Health & Rehab

21

23

24 6 pm - Christmas Eve combined service

28

29

30

31

7 pm - Choir 7 pm - Boy Scouts No Worship Service

5:30 pm - Girl Scouts

December 2011

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GOODSEARCH/GOODSHOP $ raised from searches $1.69 $1.24 $0.45 $0.51 $1.49 $0.51 $1.24 $1.31 $1.60 $1.24 $0.46 $12.24 $34.31 $ raised from shopping $8.58 $2.18 $1.60 $0.01 $1.79 $7.92 $8.24 $10.92 $3.56 $0.00 $2.06 $46.86 $117.00

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Month January February March April May June July August September October November Total: Yr. to date Total since inception

Searches 169 124 45 51 149 51 124 131 160 124 46 1224 3335

Total Earnings $10.27 $3.42 $2.05 $0.52 $3.28 $8.43 $9.48 $12.23 $5.16 $1.24 $2.52 $59.10 $151.31

Each time you search the internet or shop online at one of the participating stores, a donation will be made to Druid Hills United Methodist Church at no cost to you. Go to www.goodsearch.com & follow the directions to download the toolbar. When it requests your charity information, just type in Druid Hills United Methodist Church. If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Daryl or Carole Newlin. DID YOU KNOW. that you are allowed to attend our monthly Trustees, Finance and Church Council meetings, even if you are not a member of these committees? You will not have a vote in matters brought before the committees, but you can come and hear about our church finances, our projects and our church business. This is a great way to keep yourself informed about our wonderful church. After all, the best and most consistent way to hear about the business of the church is at the business meetings. NURSERY/PRESCHOOL ROOM We Learn, Laugh, Play and Grow Welcome to our room. Children are a blessing, there is always enough room in our Nursery/Preschool room for more children. Have a heart for children? We would like more volunteers to serve on alternate Sundays, from approximately 10:15 am until approximately noon, to help with the children. We have Bible lessons, fun packs, arts & crafts, games and our Buggy for Book library and more. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Ms. Joy.

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MODELs

MODELs will meet at 12:30 pm on Dec. 15 at Outback Steakhouse, 3215 SW College Rd. If you plan to attend, please email your reservation to [email protected] or call the office by Dec. 13. Dont forget to bring a dollar to be donated to Florida Childrens Home at the end of the year.

FROM THE HEART - UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

PUMPKIN PATCH As we close this years annual Pumpkin Patch fundraiser, we should take a look at what this event means to our church and the Marion County community. It started in 1995 with one-half load of pumpkins and a lot of doubt. The citizens of Ocala quickly accepted the idea and bought pumpkins worth $13,619, giving the church a profit of $4,555. The Patch has continued to grow in popularity and as a financial resource. In 2000, the Patch sales reached a high of $44,790, giving the church a profit of $17,916. The economy started to fade in the 2000s, but the Patch continued to be supported and enjoyed by the community. It has become one of the fall highlights in Ocala. The business community, local government and schools have provided great support of the Patch and its efforts to raise funds for the church. To continue this success, it requires the support of the entire DHUMC family. This year, which was our third highest, in sales $36,035, giving the church a profit of $14,414; demonstrates the interest and enthusiasm the community of Marion County has for this annual event. This year, we had 70 volunteers who worked in the Patch or supported it with their behind the scene efforts. Special recognition and thanks for their efforts go to Steve Rittmayer (17 shifts), Ed Ford (14 shifts), Don Cox (9 shifts) and Libby Orbison (8 shifts) for manning the sales table; Carole Newlin and her volunteer office staff taking reservations, printing coloring sheets and handouts for the Patch; Terri Silvola-Finch and the twelve storytellers who entertained the preschoolers in 40 storytelling sessions. Also, a special thank you to those who helped set-up and take-down the Patch decorations and equipment, 8 church volunteers, Frank Fischkelta and his ARC crew. Over the past seventeen years, the Pumpkin Patch has raised $178,095 for Druid Hills United Methodist Church. A big job, well done, by all and many thanks to the entire community. God Bless, Roy CHRISTMAS SERVICE TIMES This year, Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday. Therefore, after much discussion, internally and with other churches, the Worship Committee has decided to combine our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services into one service to be held, Saturday, December 24 at 6 pm. We look forward to seeing all of you at the Saturday evening service and pray you will be moved by its music and its message. Have a wonderful Advent, The Worship Committee GREAT LAKES SCRIP CENTER The amount earned from Jan. through Nov. 14, 2011 is $419.56. The amount earned from August 3, 2010 through Nov. 14 is $1,025.02. If you would like to order gift cards for Christmas, the last date to submit an order to ensure delivery is Dec. 12, 2012. I will place an order on Dec. 19, but cannot guarantee delivery by Christmas. If you have any questions about the Scrip program, please feel free to contact me at the Church Office or at home. Carole Newlin

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THE SCOUTING SIDE

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As a child and young adult, how many of you were involved with scouting? Scouting is a wonderful, faith-based organization that we, at Druid Hills UMC, are privileged to be involved with. We sponsor four scouting troops; Brownie Troop #408, Girl Scout Cadet Troop #269, Cub Scout Pack #112, and Boy Scout Troop #112. Last month, while attending our Cub Scout Pack Meeting, I was in awe of all that these young Cub Scouts were doing. I went and spoke with the other three troops that meet here, and they were doing much of the same. We have very active, motivated, and wonderful Scouting Troops that we sponsor. With that in mind, we are adding a new piece to our monthly newsletter, The Scouting Side. I wanted us as a congregation to be aware of how much these young people are doing. Therefore, every month, our Scouting leaders will share all that their troops have been doing and the tremendous feats they have been accomplishing. Please remember these young people, their leaders, and their parents in your prayers. These young people are laying a wonderful foundation for the future and we should be very proud of them. Cub Scout Pack 112 "Cub Scout Pack 112 has gotten off to a great start in the 2011-2012 scouting year! At the beginning of the school year, we had a very successful Round Up at several of the local elementary schools, and more than 30 new scouts joined us. Our Dens are very busy--we have two Tiger Dens, a large Wolf Den, a solid Bear Den, as well as Webelos I and II Dens. All of the boys and their leaders are working hard and have already earned many badges and beltloops, which were awarded at our October and November Pack Meetings. We had a great Pack 112 turn out for Swamp Fox in October. We camped out for two nights and spent a busy Saturday earning fishing, archery, soccer, conservation, and other scouting achievements. Our experience was enhanced by having the opportunity to eat our meals with the Troop 112 Boy Scouts and their leaders, who were there helping out with all of the Swamp Fox activities. We have also had two very successful fundraising events--a car wash held at Druid Hills United Methodist church where we earned close to $1,500.00 and the annual BSA Popcorn sales fundraiser, which has also been very successful. We are looking forward to lots more scouting fun as the year continues, and we so appreciate our scouting home and all of the support we receive from Druid Hills!" Brownie Troop 408 Brownie Troop 408 takes girls in the second and third grade on a journey around the world to learn the stories of others. Through these stories the girls learn about themselves and how they can effect others. Check out our map in the Education Building to see the places we have learned about so far. Our next trip takes us to learn about how Christmas is celebrated in Australia. Junior Troop 425 is run by fourth and fifth grade girls taking a journey about leadership and community service. They will learn the steps required to complete a service project where they can make an impact in their community. Check out our biography card posted in the Education Building where we learned about how others have made an impact on their communities or the world. Interested in joining us? Please contact Jen Althiser for more information at [email protected]. Girl Scouts Happenings with Cadette Troop 269 - On Sept. 22, we had our celebration ceremony for five of our Cadettes that earned their Silver Award. It is the second highest award for Girl Scouts. Chelsea Shippee, Claire Duvall, Luvshawna Samuel, Madison Kebrdle, Megan Wager were the Scouts receiving the award. Sept 29, we went to Mochi for a tour and to talk to a business woman. In Oct., we worked the Pumpkin Patch and also had a survivor camp out, where the girls did challenges. Girl Scout Service Project - We are working on our Christmas Service Project and would like to know if we can have your help in getting supplies. The girls are making Christmas sacks of personal items for teenage girls and boys. We are looking for these items: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body sprays, shaving gel or cream, razors, deodorant, nail polish, make-up, guy colognes, toothbrushes and paste. If there is anything that you can give us, please drop off at the Church Office and tell Ms. Carole, its for Troop 269. Your help is very appreciated. We would need everything by Dec. 8, 2011. Thank you so much.

Druid Hills United Methodist Church

Sunshine Herald
1712 S. E. Lake Weir Rd. Ocala, FL 34471