Drama Group Reforming

Please see Pastor Sue or contact the church office if you would like to be part of the Graceham Drama group. Initially, we will be preparing a play for January/February; a drama for Ash Wednesday (February 22nd, 2012); and skits for Lent. Please share your gifts for the performing arts with your church family!

Holy Conversations

Many thanks to everyone who attended the Holy Conversations Regional Gathering sponsored by the Task Force on Human Sexuality held at Graceham on November 8th. The other gathering for our region will be held at St. Paul's Moravian Church in Upper Marlboro on December 3rd from 10 am to noon. This gathering is open to all. Beginning in January we will offer several options for continuing the conversation in our congregation. These include a repeat of the Holy Conversations event of November 8th to be held on Sunday, January 8th following a covered dish lunch; a Sunday School class for six weeks offering an overview of one of the studies provided by the Task Force; and two Bible studies. For planning purpose, a sign-up sheet with suggested days and times for the studies will be available in the narthex. Please hold in mind and heart and prayer, the following:

• We are called to be respectful of one another, and to love one another in all things.
• We are called to be open in our search for God's leading, to pray and study the Scriptures and to participate in prayerful discernment together, and to wait for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• We trust that God will supply what we need to come together for our future.
• We are called to continue Christ's mission in the world, addressing other needs of deep concerns such as hunger, poverty, homelessness, and violence.

Remember, too, the following:

• No legislation on this matter will be presented anytime before the 2014 Provincial Synod.
• At the direction of the 2010 Provincial Synod, the "Provincial Elder's Conference of the Moravian Church, Northern Province, in consultation with the Bishops of the Northern Province and the District Boards, will provide a summary report and corresponding legislation regarding the Christian service of homosexual persons for consideration by the 2014 Synod of the Moravian Church, Northern Province. [This will be after all our District Synods in 2012 which will provide "time in the synod process for non-legislative, collaborative dialogue and prayerful discernment."
• This means proposed legislation would be presented for consideration by Synod in 2014, and then would follow the established Synod process used for all legislation. The 2010 Synod acknowledged "the importance of a patient and prayerful discernment, including intentional congregational and regional gatherings as a prerequisite to the consideration of legislation relating to the Christian service of homosexual persons. [Emphasis added.]

Annual Church Council

Our Annual Church Council will be convened on Sunday, January 22nd, 2012, following a covered dish lunch. Reports from all boards, committees, teams, choirs, etc., will be needed by January 8th, 2012. Thank you for your cooperation.

Walk For Hunger And Human Needs

We express our appreciation to everyone who participated in and/or contributed to the Thurmont Walk for Hunger and Human Needs. The walk raised $4,010, and we have applied for a grant from Thrivent for Lutherans that may increase this generous amount. All of the proceeds this year were designated by the Thurmont Ministerium to the Thurmont Food Bank.

World AIDS Day — Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 7 PM

Turkey And Oyster Dinner

The turkey and oyster dinner was a great success this fall with 1,216 people being served. This included tickets sold, carry-outs to shut-ins, the busses, and extra oyster pats. Friday night was extremely busy with the forecast for snow bringing people who normally would come to the dinner on Saturday. Surprisingly, many people came on Saturday through the snow and slosh.

Christmas Production at Frederick Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church

On December 3rd at 5:00 or 8:00 pm make plans to be at the SDA Church, 6437 Jefferson Pike, Frederick, MD for a world-class production of the famous modern opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors" which provides a different perspective of the trip of the three Magi as they make their way westward following the star that eventually leads them to the new Messiah. Along the way, they stay at a widow's home who has a crippled son, Amahl.

The proceeds of this concert will benefit our wounded veterans. A free-will offering will be taken. Call the SDA Church office for additional information (301-662-5254).

From The Board Of Trustees
Our Shared and Common Ministries for 2011 and 2012

As "members of the household of God," we continue to work to fund our Provincial and District Common Ministries in full for 2011, so that we may take advantage of the forgiveness program that would relieve us of our outstanding obligation from 2010, over the next five years. We greatly appreciate the congregation's faithful support of this obligation. In accordance with a 2010 Synod resolution, in 2012 we will move to a new income-based formula for determining the amount each congregation will contribute to our Common Ministries. Based on this new calculation our contribution will be approximately $10,000 less than 2011. With this change, our full contribution for 2012 will be crucial to the work of our province. Please give generously to our Common Ministries. We have a remaining balance of $12,550 as of November 14, 2011.

Men's Breakfast

The Graceham Men's Breakfast will be held at Mountain Gate Restaurant on Saturday, December 4th at 7:30 am. All are invited.

Thurmont Food Bank Sunday, December 11th

Place your non-perishable food items in the basket in the front of the Sanctuary. Frozen or refrigerated items may be placed in the freezer or refrigerator in the Equipment Room in the Basement. Please mark items and inform Ms. Joanne Fuss about those items.

The Food Bank hours are 6:00 - 7:30 pm each Tuesday and 3:30 - 5:00 pm each Friday. Donations may be dropped off ½ hour before regular food bank hours. Thanks to the congregation for your continuing support.

Requested items

• Tuna
• Macaroni & Cheese
• Baked Beans
• Rice
• Spaghetti and Sauce
• Hamburger Helper
• Ravioli
• Cereal
• Canned Fruit
• Cake Mix and frosting
• Ramen Noodles
• Soup
• Pasta
• Paper Towels
• Toilet Paper
• Canned Vegetables, especially corn, green beans and peas

Thank you to everyone in the congregation who contributed canned fruit to the Food Bank for the Christmas baskets. We reached our goal of 350 cans of fruit.

Letters

Letter From Emmy Baltic…

Dear Graceham,

I hope you are all doing well. Here is my latest newsletter about what God is up to here in Maui.

I want to just thank you all for being such a supportive group of Christ followers. All of your prayers and financial support is really making this ministry possible. I can't wait to see you in person again and thank you face to face.

God is really preparing me for this next season and teaching me what it really means to live by HIS spirit and not by my flesh. He is starting to show me the areas of my heart when I walk out in the bad fruits of the flesh so that He can produce the fruits of the Spirit in me (Gal 5). It's not always fun to be "pruned" but I know the result will be beautiful and worth all the discomfort.

I want to encourage you as a church and tell you how precious you are to God. You look even more like Jesus when you come together as one body and seek him. He is so proud of you when you love each other, lift each other up in prayer and serve one another with a joyful heart. You, Graceham, do this and He is glorified through it! What a privilege! Continue to ask Him for things - healing, revelation, wisdom, rest, whatever it is and He will be quick to answer. Don't forget that Jesus gave you all authority in heaven and on earth…you can do all things through Him!

Thank you so much! Miss you all.

Love,
Emmy

Card Of Thanks…

Thank you doesn't begin to express our appreciation for your kindness in letting us use your kitchen and social room for our pancake breakfast to raise money to help pay for our new Community Clothes Closet Building. Joanne Fuss made us feel right at home and was very helpful.

We collected over $1,100 (this included baked goods) and we enjoyed doing it.

Everyone involved asks "when are we doing another one?" My reply is, "not until next fall."

It was also an encouragement to see so many churches in the community represented among those who ate breakfast.

It truly was a God-blessed project and thank you for making it possible. How wonderful it is to work together and be God's hands reaching out in love to meet the needs of the less fortunate.

Sincerely,
Thurmont UMC Community
Clothes Closet Staff

Volunteers Needed In Eastern North Carolina

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, it has come to our attention that volunteers are needed to build new homes following the tornados this summer in Eastern North Carolina. The homes will be fully funded by Samaritan's Purse, they are in need of construction volunteers only.