What is Advent? Advent is a season of four weeks, including four Sundays. The word, Advent, is a Latin word which means “coming.” The season of Advent proclaims the coming of Christ – His

birth, the way He comes each day in Word and Spirit, and His return in final victory.

The Colors of Advent Purple has traditionally been the primary color of Advent, symbolizing repentance or “turning away from” our sins. Purple is also the color of royalty, demonstrating the anticipation and excitement of receiving the coming King at Christmas. Today, many churches have begun using the color blue during Advent instead of purple – as a means of distinguishing Advent from the season of Lent. Saint Luke UMC continues to use the traditional

purple.

Pink is also one of the colors of Advent used during the third Sunday of Advent. Pink represents joy and rejoicing, and reveals a shift in the season away from repentance and towards

celebration. The 3rd candle on many Advent wreaths are pink.

White is the color of the center candle in the Advent wreath, representing purity. The white candle,

called the Christ Candle, reminds us Christ is the sinless, spotless and pure Savior. Also, we are reminded of how those who give their hearts and lives to Christ are forgiven of their sins and have their hearts washed

whiter than snow.

The Advent Wreath is typically made of various evergreens. Church tradition has assigned different specific meanings to the varieties of evergreens used to make up an Advent wreath but the main point of emphasis (whether the evergreens are real or artificial) is to symbolize eternal

life in Christ.

Advent is not just a countdown to Christmas Day it is a time for all the world to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ! You may be ready for Christmas; are you ready for Jesus?

Love always, ~ Pastor Billy

Saint Luke UMC

Saints=Ordinary people following Jesus MINISTRY STAFF

Billy A. Olsen, Pastor

Susan Johnson, Coordinator of Children’s Ministry

Bobbie McClure, Handbell Director

Julia McCall, Administrative Assistant

1501 Turnpike Road

Laurinburg, North Carolina 28352

Church Phone #: 276-6821; Fax 276-2932

THE SAINT LUKE SCROLL

DECEMBER 2018 NEWSLETTER Volume 1, Edition 73

OUTREACH

Thanks to everyone who provided Thanksgiving bags for needy families. Bags were delivered to Church and Community Services on Monday, November 19. Because of people like you needy families were able to have a Happy Thanksgiving. A big shout out to the Methodist Men who so graciously provide hams each year.

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

Susan Lockey Seekers Circle will meet at the

church on Wednesday, December 5th at

10:30am for a brief meeting and then go to

General McArthur’s at 11am for lunch.

UNITED METHODIST MEN

The U.M.M. purchased the hams for the

Thanks-for-Giving bags and sponsored the

pre-game meal for the Scotland High football

team. Rev. Olsen presented a devotion after

the meal. Paul Lemmond was recognized for

his leadership with the local Fellowship of

Christian Athletes. Our next meeting will be

December 16 at 7:30am. All men are invited.

THANK YOU

Thank you for all your prayers, support, and gift

of love. Colton has been deeply touched by

everyone’s care and concern. Thank you.

Colton, Tanya, Allen and Alex Williams

Saturday, December 8th: Volunteers Needed:

We need help on Friday, December 7th at 12 noon to

pack the bags that are given to the families and to set up tables and chairs for Saturday. Help is also needed to give out the

food, serve breakfast, and clean up on Saturday mornings from 8am until about 10am.

Monday, December 24 at 6:30pm

Everyone is welcome and invited.

The staff would like to wish everyone a very

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Church office will be closed on December 25

and December 26 for the Christmas holidays

and January 1 for New Year’s.

CHRISTMAS CHEER / ANGEL TREE “Tis the Season “ is all around Laurinburg. Here at Saint Luke we have our own “Tis the Season “ each and every year. Our Angel Tree is filled with items for five needy families. Please take an ornament, wrap it and return to the church no later than December 19th.

Our Paws Tree is full as well for our needy four legged friends (no need to wrap for the Paws Tree). Please take an ornament and return no later than December 19th. Thank you for your never ending support. “The purpose of human life is to

serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” Albert Schweitzer

The 2019 FLOWER CALENDAR is

posted outside the

church office. Sign up

early to place flowers in

the Sanctuary.

Congratulations to Ned and Jean Barringer who

celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on

November 14, 2018. Jean is originally from San

Diego, CA she and Ned met while Ned was in the

US Navy and stationed in CA. They are thankful

for their 65 years together, their children,

grandchildren and great grandchildren. Charter

members of Saint Luke UMC, Ned and Jean

wanted to be included in the December issue of

the Scroll so that everyone would know about

their love for each other and their church! This

picture was taken in 1992 at their daughter’s

wedding.

Dear Saints and Seniors, Mullins, South Carolina and Webster Manor once again beckoned us to the annual pre-Thanksgiving / Christmas celebration of friendship, fun and food. What a special time of remembering. We’ve lost some Saints and Seniors over the years, celebrating their joyful lives among us. Traditions bring us to a realization of how blessed we all are like rivers, lives flow together, new joining the old. The thankfulness continues as we praise god in so many ways. A special blessing was ours this trip because Pastor Billy Olsen was our awesome driver. Dema Clark joined us along with Ann Steinbrink, Gloria Monroe, Bo Smith, Ora Tarleton, Myrta Cox and Mac Ingram, our super cook.

We were happy that Pastor Billy was driving, otherwise we would have lost him in the antique mall making friends with a moose head, a large rhinoceros and horse and buggy. Really, our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone this Christmas season with special prayers for the entire Olsen family for such spiritual leadership and our whole wonderful Saint Luke family who continue to spread the message of love given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Prayers and Candles, Carol Whitehead

Our Wednesday Night Meal at 5:30pm on December

5 is being prepared by the BSA Venture Crew #4447

and our CHARGE CONFERENCE and worship

service will follow at 6:30pm. The menu is soups,

breads and desserts. Cost is $7.00 per person or

maximum $21.00 per family. Everyone is invited and

welcome. Sign-up on the insert in your bulletin or call

the office no later than Tuesday.

Children’s Ministry Children’s Program

Coming Soon! !

“Twas the Night

Before Christmas”

Presented by the

Children of Saint Luke’s

Junior Fellowship Program

Sunday

December 16 at 5pm

JUNIOR FELLOWSHIP

Important Dates:

PLAY practice– Sunday December 2 and

9 from 4:30 until 6:00pm

Dress Rehearsal– Saturday December 15

from 10:00am until 11:00am

No Junior Fellowship December 23 or 30

January 6 Resume regular programming

with a study of “The Diary of a Godly

Kid”

Children’s Church Volunteers Needed

December is full...see Susan for your

favorite January or February dates

Parent’s Night Out/

Children’s Night In

YOUTH FUNDRAISER-

DONATIONS

Christmas Symbol Arts and

Craft activities and Games

will be the program

Saturday December 8

Drop In and pick up

between 5pm and

10pm

Dinner Provided (at

6:15)

YOUTH NEWS

PILGRIMAGE 2018 Our youth's trip to Pilgrimage was another big highlight of our 2018 Youth Ministry. Many thanks to Susan and Scott Johnson, and Kim McGugan for all the planning; Tanya Currin and Elaine Olsen for joining the team's chaperones and of course, our amazing youth!

Saint Luke has so much to be proud of; thanks to every one of the Saint Luke UMC members and friends. Your giving continues to support this generation of young believers. As a parent and as your pastor, all the Saint Luke youth send thanks! ~ pastor Billy

DECEMBER 2018

Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat

B - Birthday

A - Anniversary

1

2

B - Melisa

Ciarrocca

4:30pm Junior

Fellowship

4:30pm Youth

3

A - Nick & Ann

Collie

4

11:30am United

Methodist Women’s

Christmas Lunch -

The Main Table

6:30pm Solo

Ensemble

7pm Handbells

8pm AA meeting

5

10:30am Susan

Lockey Seekers

Circle - lunch at

General McArthur’s

5:30pm WN Meal

6:30pm Charge

Conference and

worship service

6

B - James

Whitehead

A - Richard &

Dannie McInnis

7

B - Ann Long

B - Betty Price

12 noon Food

Bank prep

5:30pm Chrysalis

RUSH

8

8am Food Bank

9am Chrysalis

Team Training

5pm - Parents

Night Out

9

4:30pm Junior

Fellowship

4:30pm Youth

10 11

B - Pam Vandenberg

A - Tom & Beth

Nicholson

6:30pm Solo

Ensemble

7pm Handbells

8pm AA meeting

12 13 14

B - Jan Cooke

B - Jim Ellis

B - Lee Peterson

15

B - Kelsey

Hunter

10am Children’s

Dress Rehearsal

16

7:30am United

Methodist Men

5pm Children’s

Christmas

Program

17 18

A - Dave & Leslie

Knauss

6:30pm Solo

Ensemble

7pm Handbells

8pm AA meeting

19

B - Ralph Bolger

20

A - Donnie &

Winnie Robinson

21 22

23 24

B - Scoofer Jordan

6:30pm Christmas

Eve Service

25

CHRISTMAS

Church office closed

26

B - Ned Barringer

Church office closed

27 28 29

30 31

B - Bobbie McClure

A - Russ & Becky

Chiles

New Year’s Eve

Saint Luke United Methodist Church

1501 Turnpike Road

Laurinburg, NC 28352

Remembering in Prayer

Urgent Needs: Billy Lassiter (Violet Hughes brother), Rev. Randall Snead, Bessie Collins, Dr. Joe Dean, Sandra Burns’

sister Elaine, Wayne Bryant, Ashlyn Phelan, Colton Williams

Ongoing Needs: Nick Collie, Sara Smiley, Braydon Luke Dilling (Bettie Barrow), Colin McArthur, Ned Barringer, Donald

Krout, Sarah Barrett (mother of Peggy Alexander), Rev. Jim Lee, Jean Barringer, Reg Poteat, Buddy Clark , Bertie Hash,

Elizabeth Williams, Bob Varner (James’ father), Carolyn Hook, Chuck Killian (Elaine’s father), Julie King, Ann Collie,

Beverly Mills, Yates Clifton, Julie Fogleman, Madison Fedak, Karen Dunn, Charlie Barrow, Jadon Olsen, Ralph Kersey

Scotia Village: Emma Dunn, Billie Shelley, Ellen Stanley

Prestwick Village: Shirlee Jacobs, Dorothy Bolger

Scottish Pines: Kelly Muse, Sandra Nichols, Linda English

Those in Ministry/Mission Field: Church Community Services, Food Bank of North Carolina, Lindsey Garrison, Jessica &

Grayson Stallings (China)

Military: Eliot Tremblay (Ruth’s grandson)