For the week ending Sunday, December 10, 2017 Volume 49 Number 49

The Calmeth News (USPS 555560). Published weekly, free of charge by Calvary United Methodist Church, 2315 S. Grant St., Arlington, VA

22202-2599. Periodicals paid at Arlington, VA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CALVARY UNITED

METHODIST CHURCH, 2315 S. Grant St., Arlington, VA 22202.

Calvary United Methodist Church

www.calmeth.org Office: 703-892-5185

Fax: 703-892-0414 Calvary Children’s School:

Preschool: 703-892-4112

Periodical Address Service Requested The Calmeth News

2315 South Grant St., Arlington, VA 22202

Our Mission: Through worship, education, service, and

fellowship, we'll share with all people Christ's message of faith, hope, and love.

What’s Going on at Calvary Please check with the church office to schedule an event.

Thursday, December 7 7pm—Adult Handbell Choir in Memorial Hall 7:30pm—Trustee Meeting in Classroom 1 8pm—Chancel Choir rehearsal in Memorial Hall

Saturday, December 9 10am-3pm—Holiday Boutique

Sunday, December 10 8:30am—Worship with Holy Communion 9:30am—Children’s Choir in Memorial Hall 9:45am—Learning for All Ages 10:30am—Chancel Choir in Memorial Hall 11am—Worship 12:15pm—Coffee Hour 12:15pm—Youth Handbell Choir in Memorial Hall 3pm—Confirmation Class in Classroom 2

12 Days of Christmas! PLEASE SAVE your egg cartons - the dozen kind – all materials- cardboard, plastic, clear – the kids are making a wonderful 12 days of Christmas gift for Christmas eve. Come to the 11am worship service and receive yours!

Christmas Mission Event December 15, 6pm Make your Christmas about who we help and how we make a difference! Contact Beth Posey (bposey@comcast.net) for more information. ANGEL TREE NAMES are available (starting at pancake breakfast on Saturday). Children and teens from the nearby Arlandria/Chirilagua neighborhood are individually listed with wishes and sizes. If you would like a name, please either e-mail Neena Gupta at neena_gupta@yahoo.com or stop by Saturday or Sunday to pick one up! We have 66 names. BAGS OF GROCERIES are given to each family on the night of the 15th. Margaret Taylor and Bonnie Crouch have bags with suggested grocery lists. Please see Bonnie this weekend, or e-mail Margaret at trhino@acninc.net Youth wanting to volunteer for the event and receive certificates for community service should contact Christy Harvey at dharveyo@aol.com Adults wanting to volunteer for a specific area (serving food, brining side dishes/desserts, carrying gifts to cars, driving families from Arlandria to Calvary and back, set up, clean up, music, leading crafts/games, readings for the pageant (picture from 2016 above) in Spanish or English) should contact Beth bposey@comcast.net Please pray for these families and for the event on Friday, December 15 at 6pm.

HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE on SATURDAY! Saturday, December 9 form 10am—3pm The Boutique is this week! Take time and relax with your family and friends during this busy season at this year’s boutique where there will be something for everyone! Enjoy lunch, shop, and listen to music of the season! As we prepare for the big event we’re grateful for the

ideas, support and help of so many people. If you would like to support this effort by volunteering

it’s not too late! Contact Marykate

Dougherty (703)979-1434 or for

more information or to volunteer.

No Drama Discipline 2.0 Sundays, December 10, and 17 at 9:45am There is a class (Sunday, December 10, and 17 at 9:45am) on tips and techniques to reduce drama and improve relationships in your family. This class will be taught by Beth Posey and will meet in Classroom 3. If you have any questions, please contact Beth at bposey@comcast.net.

Christmas Offering 2017 This year the first $3000 of our Christmas offering will go to support the United Methodist Family Services. UMFS helps empower at-risk teens and children in foster care. Their future starts with you and every donation makes a big difference. “Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t be something and don’t let your past hold you down” said Mark S., a youth in foster care. UMFS matched Mark with a loving foster family, and provided the entire family with unwavering support. As a result, Mark was able to catch up in school, and even more impressive, graduate with honors. His success earned him a college scholarship, making Mark the first in his family to attend college. There are 5,330 children like Mark in foster care in Virginia. Nationally, only 50% of foster youth complete high school by age 18, and less than 9% graduate from college. Give other foster youth the same love and support that helped Mark to shatter these statistics. Your financial gift at our Christmas Eve services and anything labeled “Christmas” will support foster children like Mark across Virginia.

Sharing Nativity Scenes In the Parlor During Advent folks are invited to bring their nativity scenes to the parlor for a display! Please complete the tag (available in the Parlor) with your name and any information you want to share about the nativity. Questions? Contact Beth at bposey@comcast.net.

Year-end Gifts to Calvary If you have been thinking about making a gift of stocks, etc. to Calvary as a year-end donation, it is possible to do so and a. avoid all broker commissions/fees, b. avoid all capital gains taxes, c. take the full market value of the security as a 2017 tax

donation (regardless of what you may have originally paid for it),

d. possibly satisfy your 2017 Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) if you are over age 70½, and,

e. benefit Calvary with the full market value. f. You may also fulfill some/all of your 2018 pledge and

record it as a 2017 deduction. For further information, contact Ted Soto at the Virginia United Methodist Foundation at 804-521-1122, the Calvary UMC Office at 703-892-5185 or admin@calmeth.org, or Natalie Houghtby-Haddon, Finance Chair, at 202-297-9460 or drhsquared@gmail.com.

Celebration and Opportunity There is an upcoming challenge to pay off the mortgage in 2018. If you would like to contribute this year in addition to your regular giving, please make a note in your memo line. More information will be in next week’s newsletter.

Bishop’s Bible Reading Challenge Current Reading List Bishop Lewis suggested making a resolution to read the Bible together this year. The link backtothebible.org/reading-guide/15/1 will give the reading for each day.

Have something to post in Calmeth News? Deadline is THURSDAY 12 noon to submit your articles or announcements, please contact us by email: admin@calmeth.org, or simply call the church office: (703) 892-5185. Due to limited space we can only publish a limited number of articles. Articles or announcements that are lengthy may be edited. Thank you for keeping our family and friends up-to-date.

Pastor: Matthew Smith Pastor.matthew@calmeth.org Church Admin.: Molly Sessions admin@calmeth.org Family Ministries: Beth Posey bposey@comcast.net Ministerial Intern: Connor Williams samuelcwilliams7@gmail.com Financial Admin.: Barbara Harslem barbara@calmeth.org Lay Leader: Keith Sessions mksessions@aol.com Music Director: Mickey Fuson mickey@calmeth.org Organist: Dennis Thorp 8:30am Music Dir.: Wayne Kemp wayne@calmeth.org Custodian: Thuan Tran

Prayer Corner If you would like to add a name to this list (please check to be sure it’s okay to share), please submit it in writing by using a prayer card during worship or sending an e-mail to admin@calmeth.org. Names will be kept on the list for one month unless a written extension or removal is requested. This week we pray for: Laura

We continue to pray for: Blessings for Evan and Jeremy Chen—born November 7 Carmela Dexter Alex Weaver Tina Henry Erika Stone who is battling cancer Kaitlin Mona Fearheiley and family Kelly Slough

Learning For All Ages Sunday Morning—Walk-ins Welcome!

Children’s Sunday School Children meet in the Preschool building Sunday mornings. For information, contact Beth bposey@comcast.net.

Classroom 1 Group Pastor Matthew will lead the next study drawing from the Upper Room Devotional

Classroom 2 Group Classroom 2 Group will begin a 4 week series on December 3rd for Advent by Walter Brueggemann: Names of the Messiah. Using the names the prophet Isaiah gives to the Messiah in Is. 9:6, the study will explore what it means to describe Jesus as "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Come and join us in classroom 2 as we dig deeper into God's Word in preparation for the coming of the Christ Child. Books (for $15.00) will be available on Sundays and from the Church office.

Classroom 3 Group No Drama Discipline There will be a three week class (Sunday, December 10 and 17 at 9:45am) on tips and techniques to reduce drama and improve relationships in your family. This class will be taught by Beth Posey and will meet in Classroom 3. For questions, please contact Beth at bposey@comcast.net. On-Line Studies Praying Wives Every morning, wives can receive an e-mail guiding them towards loving God and loving our husbands. To get more information e-mail Beth at bposey@comcast.net. Online Book Group The On-line Book Group will be doing readings from Henry Nouwen during Advent. To join this group, email Beth at bposey@comcast.net.

Christmas Eve Schedule 11am Worship combined worship service. 12-3pm there will be a living nativity on the lawn 3pm Family Worship—an experience for the whole family 8pm Candlelight Communion Worship will include all the

wonderful things you expect on Christmas Eve.

Pancakes and Santa! On Saturday, December 2, Santa came to eat some pancakes and shared some special times with children (young and old) as Calvary started celebrating the Advent season. Thanks to the Boutique Team for the lovely decorations!

Dec 4 2 Corinthians 1-4 December 11 Philippians 1-4

Dec 5 2 Corinthians 5-9 December 12 Colossians 1-4

Dec 6 2 Corinthians 10-13 Dec 13 1 Thessalonians 1-5

December 7 Galatians 1-3 Dec 14 2 Thessalonians 1-3

December 8 Galatians 4-6 December 15 1 Timothy 1-6

December 9 Ephesians 1-3 December 16 2 Timothy 1-4

December 10 Ephesians 4-6 Dec 17 Titus-Philemon

Poinsettia Dedications Each year there is an opportunity to dedicate a poinsettia in memory of / in honor of / or in thanksgiving for someone or something in your life. The cost this year will be $15 and you will be welcome to take your poinsettia home following the 8pm Worship on Christmas Eve or donate it to a shut-in. Forms will be available in the narthex on Sun-day mornings, or you may contact the church office at admin@calmeth.org. The deadline for dedications is Monday, December 18 and the dedication list will be included in the 8pm Order of Worship on Christmas Eve). PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY

Dedicated by: ________________________________

Your email address: ____________________________

In Honor / In Memory Of / Thanksgiving for

__________________________________________

Will Pick Up Give to Shut-In