Wesley United Methodist Church is a church family that seeks to live into John Wesley's three simple rules- to do good, to do no harm, and to stay in love with God. http://www.wumcsf.org

2 Corinthians 5:7, For we walk by faith, not by sight, is the verse to guide us as we prayerfully make our commitment for the coming year. December 8th will be the Commitment Sunday. We will join together for a meal after the service. The meal will be a way to celebrate together Wesley as a family and also each of us is an individual part of the family . December 8th is the formal date for our gifts, but we all know the Wesley Family gives each day in so many ways. This is the formal start of our dreaming of what Wesley can be, but we know the members of Wesley dream every day of to spread the word of God. Don't let roadblocks we see slow us down or blind us, have the faith to see and dream the future of God's Kingdom here in our neighborhood.

In November Pastor CC focused on gratitude. She challenged all of us! How did each of us do? She wrote in the newsletter -"... instead of concentrating on the areas in which I falter, what would it look like to lean in and acknowledge all the ways that I have been blessed? I have air in my lungs, food to eat, a house to call home, a vocation I love, and am honored to shepherd a congregation of people who want to Love God and Love our Neighbor. Those items, if I am honest, are the basic building blocks to an attitude focused on gratitude. This November, I will embark on a commitment to either begin or end my day with a moment of thanksgiving. If we look at the next few weeks prior to the hustle and bustle of the holidays as opportunities to steward all that we have been gifted, we may just see a shift in focus. That focus will then guide decisions we make in how we spend time, talent, and treasure. I ask you to help keep me accountable to this new practice. Will you join me? Shalom, Pastor CC"

It's never too late to practice gratitude.

In case you missed the worship services and messages in November, go to http://wumcsf.org and click on the “Video Archive” tab to view.

To watch services “live” each Sunday at 10 AM, go to http://wumcsf.org and click on the “Livestream” tab.

In November Pastor CC messages were on Gratitude

We are also grateful for the opportunities we have to “host” these additional congregations within our Wesley UMC building:

• Pentecostal Slavic Congregation of Sioux Falls-Meets in our Sanctuary on Sundays 12:00-2:00 , and on Fridays 7:00-9:00
• Lirio de los Valles-Meets in our former nursery room on Sundays 12:00-2:00 and Thursdays 7:00-8:30

Prayers:

Steve Polzin - Comfort care

Ernie Griner & family - prayers for Ernie to safely drive his new vehicle

Aleene WIlliams - cancer treatments

Zelda Kirkvold - cancer

Sandy - Bernie McCabe's daughter, ongoing illness

Kolby Bohmbach – Continued prayers for good test results

Karen Renken- continued prayers for healing

Nila & Karen’s sister-in-law Karen - continued prayers

And all who are named in hearts

An article in UM News highlights how some South Dakota Methodist Churches are developing Pray-grounds. "A Pray-ground is a designated place in the sanctuary where young children can experience worship through age-appropriate materials and tools that will help keep them engaged in what is happening ...Congregations throughout the Dakotas are introducing Pray-grounds in response to shifts and changes in today's church culture, such as parents desiring to have their young children in worship with them and parents not wishing to leave their child in a church nursery with someone else". *

Some churches are setting up spaces in the Sanctuary with art supplies for kids to create and get out their wiggles while still being present and listening to the church service. Some churches are offering comfortable seating in the Sanctuary, others set up tables and chairs for families to sit around. Some have removed pews so more wiggle room is available. At Wesley we are offering comfortable seating in the front, the speakers on in the parlor during the service where kids can listen to the service and adult and kids' activity bags.

"Why start a Pray-Ground? Welcoming children and families to worship is important because it reinforces the idea that children are a vital part of the church community, encourages intergenerational connection, helps pass on faith traditions to the next generation, and aligns with biblical teachings about welcoming all people, including children, into the worship space; essentially, it demonstrates that the church values families and wants them to feel included and actively participate in worship". *

* Pray-grounds engage children during worship - Dakotas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church Click on this link for more information

Wesley Neighborhood Outreach is going to do a Silent Auction on this hand crocheted American Flag blanket. All proceeds for this auction will go toward providing milk for the Terry Redlin Food Pantry. WNO has been working with Terry Redlin for many years to help support these at-risk kids.

We would like anyone who is interested in placing a bid to email their bid to the office or send by mail. All bids should be received in the office by 12/15/2024. The winner will be notified as soon as possible after 12/16/202. Wouldn’t this be a great Christmas gift for a special person in your life?

• The flag is made of acrylic yarn, so it is washable. The dimensions are approximately 76” by 48”.
• Please email your bids to wumc1700@outlook.com or mail to 1700 E 6th Street, SF 57103.
• Any questions, please contact Susan Ness at suevdo@hotmail.com.
• Bids are not restricted to members of WUMC.

Wesley collected $887 for the Bishops' Thanksgiving offering. The offering is designated to help the hurricane victims. If you missed the opportunity to give, just write Thanksgiving in the memo line on your check. All donations are welcome and needed all the time.

Income 10 months 2024----- --------------------------------- -$86,611.41

Expense 10 months 2024 ------------------------------------- ($79,675.93)

Income exceeds expense @ 10.31.2024 ----------------------- $6,935.48

Don Armstrong, Treasurer

Balance 9/30/2024----------------------------------------------------------------$22,425.55

Donations October 2024 --------------------------------------------------------------$220.00

Interest earned October 2024 -----------------------------------------------------------$7.63

Balance 10/31/2024 ---------------------------------------------------------------$22,653.18

Don Armstrong, Treasurer

Wesley's Blue Christmas Service is on Sunday December 15 at 4:30. Followed by a soup supper. A Blue Christmas service is a way the church can offer healing and hope to those who don't feel very holly or jolly. The service recognizes the heaviness some carry and also offers the hope that the baby Jesus brings to all.

On December 22nd, the 4th Sunday of Advent, plan on bringing cookies to share! Share your Christmas baking with others to enjoy with coffee before and after worship. This is something new at Wesley and is a way to spread holiday cheer.

Good Sam/ Canton: Joyce Patterson

Tuff Home in Hills, MN: Jackie Dreyer

Avantara: Guy Varud

Rushmore Mn: Marian Hoek

Stoney Brooke: Maxine Ingalls

Prairie Crossing: Bernie McCabe

Dow Rummel: Nila Hendriks

Luther Manor: Donna Hoh

Tieszen Memorial Home in Marion, SD: Margeann Dewes

Prince of Peace: Audrey Hullinger

• Wesley's turn to staff the Terry Redlin Pantry are the first three Tuesdays in December. Helpers are needed to stock shelves from 12:30 -2:00. Additional helpers are needed from 3:00 - 5:30 to help the families of Terry Redlin as they visit the pantry. Signup sheets will be in the Narthex or call Mary P if you have any questions.
• Wesley serves Nightwatch canteen on Sunday December 22nd and Monday December 23rd. Responsibilities include preparing the food, serving the meals in two locations on Sunday and one location on Monday. We also need help with distributing donations of personal items.
• There are two totes in the Narthex for continued donations to both the Terry Redlin Pantry and the Nightwatch Canteen. Needed items include warm outerwear in good condition, hats, gloves, socks, coats, boots in all sizes. Personal care items are needed, items such as hand soap, toothpaste, to go along with the donated toothbrushes, lotion, lip balm, sanitary napkins, shampoo, combs, brushes, Band-Aids. Individually wrapped snack items are always welcome.

Monday Morning Bible Study 9a Prayer, 10a Bible Study

12.5 @ 9a Prayer Shawl

12.8 Thanks for Giving, and meal following Service

12.15 @ 4:30p Blue Christmas service followed by a soup supper

12.16 @ 6:30p Trustee meeting

12.22 Cookie exchange before and after worship

12.22 Nightwatch

12.23 Hayward Nightwatch

12.24 @ 5p Christmas Eve Service

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:14

Isaiah 26:12 “Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”

Sunday School, 9a-9:45, is “The Christmas Letters.” December 8th will be week 2. If you would like to view week 1- ask the office and a link will be sent.

The second Bible Study, starting Monday December 9 @ 10, is "Max Lucado- Anxious for Nothing"

“When we ground ourselves in hope, when we allow hope and not anxiety to direct our sight, then we notice that there are signs of hope around us, too.” — Roland Fernandes, top executive of the United Methodist boards of Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry

Wesley put together 51 shoeboxes to send to children in the area reservations! Mary Wilcox, a recently deceased member, would donate 20 boxes each year. Mary and her daughter enjoyed filling the boxes with toys hats and gloves. Mary must have been encouraging us from Heaven because 51 boxes is a lot!