Everyone worships something.  Why not join us for worship this Sunday and worship the only one worthy of worship: the person of Jesus Christ?

 Talent acts of ALL AGES can register for free at clemmonsone.smartevents.com!  

Parents of 6th-12th graders: if you have not RSVP'd for a FREE lunch at the Clemmons:One Family Open House this Sunday January 29th @ 12:30, please do so right now!

email Kim at ballk@clemmonsumc.org so we can prepare for lunch. See our facilities, meet our ministry team, hear our vision, receive a free book, and so much more! (children welcome) 

A Tale of Two Tables from Fuller Youth Institute on Vimeo.

From the Equipping Ministry Center

“What’s in a name?

The names we are given and that we choose to accept tend to shape us and form us, for better or worse. Last week in worship we were reminded of our baptisms (or encouraged to look forward to being baptized) and that, like Jesus, we are called “beloved” by God. One name that we are given as faithful followers of Jesus Christ is the name “minister.” Yes, we are all in the ministry together, the ongoing ministry of Jesus, gifted and called to do the things Jesus does: loving, teaching, healing, feeding, welcoming, offering refreshment, clothing and visiting. What if we added this statement to our congregation-joining service, “As a disciple of Jesus Christ I understand that I am part of the priesthood of all believers and the ministry of all Christians. I am a minister among ministers of the Gospel, partners with Christ and this congregation in discerning needs, initiating and doing the ministries to which I am being called according to my spiritual gifts, and in supporting the ministries of others, our congregation, and our denomination."

You may notice some changes in the way we identify our staff, those people we look to for guidance and support as we discover and live into our calling as ministers and find ways of serving according to our gifts and the needs around us. Instead of a “title” the paid staff is identified in the bulletin, the newsletter, and the website by the areas of ministry they help shepherd. It’s one step in lowering the lay/clergy divide and move us beyond the staff/volunteer designations that perpetuate a hierarchy of ministry. We are all in this together, and we are all ministers.

The word “laity” comes from the Greek word “laos” which means “all of the people,” in our case as the church, “all the people of God” and “all the followers of Jesus.” So, clergy (folk with “Rev.” in front of their name) and paid staff are part of the laity.

Old habits are hard to break. It will take us awhile for all of us to both see ourselves as ministers and accept that role from each other. But we are on the way. Embrace the name and the role. When I was an editor at the United Methodist Publishing House we’d host an annual writers conference to develop new writers for curriculum and magazine articles. These folks were not professional writers. They were experienced in some area of ministry who were willing to become writers. From the minute we welcomed them to the conference we called the “writer.” Their nametags designated them as a “writer.” Their training materials designated them as “writers.” They were listed as writers in published magazines and study books. So many of them told us that they grew into their name and actually became what we consistently called them, writers.

Embrace the name and the role of minister. And let’s continue to be about the works of ministry to which we are all being called and equipped.

 Click to download Pastor Matthew's Suggested Reading List

Welcoming experiences. . . 

Wondering if you can recall the top five life experiences of being welcomed. . . anywhere.

Where were you? 

Who welcomed you?

Who was with you?

One memory that sticks in our minds of being radically welcomed is walking into CiCi's pizza. I know that sounds crazy, but before we had both feet in the door, these were a few things we heard; "let us know if we can help you, glad you are here, is this your first visit with us"?. They did everything in their power to make sure our visit was not going to be our last. 

They even go one step further. If you have ever been to this pizza establishment, you know their style of service is buffet. However, they invited us to let them know if our favorite pizza wasn't in the buffet line, let them know and they would prepare it for us. WOW. . . 

Makes me wonder what message folks receive when they walk into the doors of our church, home, office, etc. Are they radically welcomed to the point they are anticipating with joy their next visit? Are they finding reasons to return? Are we like the folks at CiCi's pizza doing everything in our power to make sure this visit will not be the last? Christ calls us to welcome folks through feeding, clothing, visiting them where they are - in their space. . . sick or in prison. Our constant prayer is our hearts be so filled with the joy of the Lord that all who enter encounter God. 

For more info and registration visit clemmonsone.smartevents.com

We spent the month of December getting acclimated with the ministries of our staff as well as with some of our “member ministers” serving here at Clemmons UMC. As this calendar year comes to a close as we look toward 2012, we would like to invite you to an Equipping Ministry Conversation in the Conference Room [A207] on Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. This time with you will continue our initial conversations with the member ministers of Clemmons UMC about Equipping Ministry Implementation. This will be an open conversation so please feel free to bring others with you who would be beneficial to the process. We are learning a great deal from our conversations with the staff and value your insights about the life and ministries of Clemmons.
    
Please let us know if you will be able to with us. You can contact us at the church at extension #45, or via emails. equippingoffice@clemmonsumc.org 

    
We are looking forward to being with you as we unite our gifts and passions for building the kingdom of God.

Christmastide blessings to all, 

Chris & Gloria

 Ephesians 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Friends,

Imagine receiving the most opulent, over-the-top, dream Christmas gift.  Whatever your dream gift is, picture it.  There it is, under the tree, waiting to be opened.

And you never touch it.

Its hard to imagine that one could do such a thing, and yet many breeze through Christmas, forgetting to open God's most precious gift - the gift of Jesus Christ.  This personal choice has powerful & potentially eternal ramifications for our lives.  God wants us to push through our pride and be open to receiving his love.

We invite you to join us this Saturday, December 24th for our Christmas Eve Communion & Candlelight services as we receive and celebrate this gift of God!

The 4pm service will feature our praise team members and the 6pm & 8pm will feature our chancel choir.  Live video overflow seating will be available in the new fellowship hall at 4pm & 6pm.  If you are a member of Clemmons UMC and are able, would you consider sitting in the fellowship hall as we make room for our guests?

Free childcare is also provided at 4pm & 6pm only.

We look forward to seeing each of you!  

http://www.clemmonsumc.org 

ps. There will be ONE worship service on Christmas Day: 10:30am in the Sanctuary.  No Sunday school.  

From the Equipping Ministry Center

Advent is all about preparation and readiness. The prophets declare, “Prepare a way for the coming of the Lord.” Gloria and I are in the process of preparing to provide shared leadership for greater effectiveness in connecting people of faith with the needs of the world and of the church, each according to the gifts God has implanted in us. We’ve been blessed to have a few weeks to settle into the Equipping Ministry Center, next to the media library on the second floor of the new building, and to have some time to listen and learn about Clemmons UMC and this congregation of member ministers. We look forward (a good Advent thing to do) to building on CUMC traditions of outward-focused mission and helping folks connect their spiritual gifts and passions for service. Click on  the Clemmons UMC website and join the conversation about equipping ministry. 

Gloria and Chris Hughes

Equipping Ministry and Discipleship

 (this was sent via email today.  To receive the weekly email updates, contact the church office to be added to the email iist)

Friends and family of Clemmons UMC,

We invite you to join us for worship this Sunday as we continue our journey toward Christ during this Christmas season.  Many have been attending our three worship services and been enjoying the wonderful fellowship, the powerful worship, and relevant preaching each week.

Make sure and pass along our new Christmas invite video we have realeased.  You can view it here.

This week, Pastor Matthew will lead our Advent IV Sunday with a message of "God Comes Down".  Join us as we celebrate the love of God coming down to earth to rescue all humanity.  For sure, Christ is the answer to our deepest needs!  And just as Christ came to earth as a little baby, His spirit can come into our lives today and bring peace to our souls.

• Worship - Sunday December 18th at 8:40, 10:55 or 11:15am.  Free childcare at all services.  Contact Kathy Giff with child care questions.  

• Staff Love Offering - if you would like to contribute to the CUMC staff love offering, envelopes are available in the Sanctuary pews and at the welcome table in the New Fellowship Hall

• Clemmons:One Student Ministry - Tacky Christmas Party - Sunday @ 4:30 (middle school 7-8 grade), dinner @ 5:30 ($3), till 7:30 (High school).  Prizes for best (or worst depending on your opinion) Christmas outfit.  Contact our student pastor, Clark Chilton, with questions. 

• Service of Comfort and Healing during the Holidays: helping those who have lost loved ones this year - tonight (12/14) @ 6:30pm in the upstairs Commons Area.  Contact Pastor Mark at 766.6375 x.24 with questions.

• Christmas Eve @ Clemmons UMC - this year we will feature three candlelight communion services at 4pm, 6pm, and 8pm.  Child care available (4pm and 6pm only) and live video overflow seating (in the fellowship hall) will also be available at 4pm and 6pm only.  The 4pm service will feature music from our praise team (and some special guests) and 6pm/8pm will feature our chancel choir.  

• Christmas Day at Clemmons UMC - one service at 10:30am in the Sanctuary.  No Sunday school.  

Also...

Join a Mission Team - Help our brothers and sisters on the NC coast recover from hurricane damage by joining a mission trip. No experience is necessary. A meeting will be held Dec. 20 at 7:30 PM in room 205 to discuss. Bob Jones is thinking late Feb.-early March. Call Bob at 766-5610 with questions.

Thanks and see you Sunday!

 to hear more....check out Pastor Mark's sermon this coming Sunday December 11th!!

 Our next and last frequent visitor dinner for this year will be held on Monday evening, December 5th at 6:00pm in the Conference Room located in the center of the adult educational building, upper floor.

We will be serving sub sandwiches and sharing information about Clemmons United Methodist Chucrh with those who have been attending our church for some time.

Some have already expressed a desire to join our church family. This will be an informal time. We will meet approximately one hour. Staff present will be given two or three minutes to share about areas of ministry. Hope you will be able to join us.  Questions?  Email Mark Portis

A special treat for preschoolers between the ages of two and five/Pre-K…

Saturday, December 10 from 9:30 until 11:00 am
New Fellowship Hall

Christmas crafts…Heavenly breakfast goodies…Angelic guests.  Each preschooler may bring one special adult or youth guest. Registration is $5.00 per child and is due by December 9.

Please register and pay online starting November 20 @ www.cumckids.smartevents.com.
Any questions, please, contact Kathy Giff:  giffk@clemmonsumc.org or 766-6375, x42.

 Click to read our upcoming Christmas/Advent worship & event schedule!