Hamburg United Methodist Church

116 Union St

Hamburg, New York, 14075

(716) 649-8080

Worship Sundays at 10 am

Church Charge Conference 12/27/23

Dear Saints,

As your Pastor, I have had the opportunity to do a variety of exciting things. This Summer, we hired a part-time director for Sparks of Hope and saw exciting ministry developing there. I have been blessed to see exciting signs of spiritual growth at the Hamburg Church, and in partnership with Gowanda, Four Corners, and Versailles. Sometimes, God does things that seem unbelievable—miraculous circumstances occur and offer us opportunities to provide for the future of ministry in exciting ways.

Saturday, we received three bequests at Charge Conference, augmenting the principal of the General Endowment and, surprisingly, paying off our indebtedness to the Parsonage Fund! Many thanks to the gracious gifts from Dick Bish, Bob Montgomery, Donna, and Edwin Tomaka to provide for the future of ministry!

In a wondrous turn of events, a property that can be made to meet parsonage standards according to ¶2544 of the 2016 Book of Discipline is available in the Village of Hamburg, and we are pre-emptively negotiating with the owners who would like to see it become the parsonage for Hamburg UMC. However, even if this property falls through, the Church Council, in discussion with the Board of Trustees and SPRC would like to move forward in finding an appropriate parsonage. We can do this with funds on hand that are restricted to purchasing a parsonage, likely with a residual fund to assist with future maintenance. Once necessary renovations are completed and your pastor is housed, likely reduce the annual budget by a non-trivial margin. We can afford to do this, and with the gifts and skills within the congregation, we may be able to reduce the cost of contractors by working together to do the work.

With the authorization of the District Superintendent, I am announcing a Church-Charge Conference for Hamburg UMC at 6:00 PM on December 27, 2023, to be held in the Sanctuary under ¶247 and ¶248 of the Book of Discipline for the sole purpose of authorizing the Board of Trustees to comply with all provision of ¶2544 in the purchase and, if necessary, renovation of a parsonage for the use of the Pastor of Hamburg UMC, utilizing whatever portion of the Parsonage Fund is necessary for that purpose.

God is doing amazing things among us and through us—and I hope you will join me in being excited about God’s miraculous provision!

In Christ’s Service, with You,

Pastor David Nicol

Cozy Quilts will resume on Tuesday Jan 2, 2024, at 1:30 pm

Thank you to the anonymous donor

who purchased a new Brother sewing machine for Cozy Quilts

Cozy quilts will also need some strong backs and moving carts on

Saturday, Jan 13 at 1 pm as we will be moving to the upstairs room on the right (Red)

Adult Sunday School in recess

There will not be Adult Sunday School this Sunday(12/24) or next Sunday (12/31). John

Meader’s Sunday School class will resume on Sunday, January 7th.

Our little pantry at Sparks of Hope is nearly empty, and our shelves are bare. Members of our recovery community rely on your generosity to see them through the hard times. Please drop off nonperishable groceries when Sparks is open, or leave them inside the pantry.

The Church office is glad to announce that services going forward will be streamed via YouTube Live, in addition to the current Facebook Live services. You can access the Youtube live stream on our Youtube Channel, or directly on our church website homepage.

Please make sure to "Like" and "Subscribe"

Coffee Hour Schedule

Groups are to provide goodies/ snacks

each Sunday of the month they are scheduled.

Please get in touch with Sue Gagne or Joyce Spencer with any questions.

Order of Worship

Sunday, December 24, 2023 | 10am

Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/HamburgNYUMC/live_videos Youtube Live:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxRWld9XtaLY0WpX7JsXEcw

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, who has looked with favor on me, a lowly servant.

From this day all generations shall call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is the name of the Lord, whose mercy is on those who fear God

from generation to generation.

The arm of the Lord is strong, and has scattered the proud in this conceit.

God has cast down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly.

God has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich empty away.

God has come to the aid of Israel, the chosen servant, remembering the promise of mercy,the promise made to our forebears, to Abraham and his children forever.

OPENING MUSIC: “People Look East #202 UMH

OPENING PRAYER: Gracious God, your servant Mary discovered new life growing within her and knew it to be your promised presence. In tender reverence for the holy mystery of your Incarnation, may we be as a womb for your blessed presence, ready to receive and nourish your Word in our lives, open to the stirrings of your Spirit within us. May we faithfully bear your love in the world, that by your grace Christ may be born in us. Amen

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 1:18-29 Read by: Beth Tills

Matthew 1:1, 16-17

SERMON: “Roots: Pregnant with Possibility”   Rev. David A Nicol

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

THE PEACE

TITHES & OFFERINGS tithes.hamburgumc.org/Give

DOXOLOGY “Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow” #94 UMH

CAROL COMMUNION

For sung responses, please refer to slides

THE LORD'S PRAYER

SHARING OF BREAD AND CUP 

CLOSING HYMN: “The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy” #2098 TFWS

BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE