Announcements 1/28/2024

The flowers on the altar are given by Janet Marson Happy 57th Birthday to my son Adam, Love Mom

Memorial and Collation for Audrey Wetterwald

Audrey passed away at Lowell General on Tuesday Morning January 16^th. Her memorial will be held on February 3^rd at 11 am in our Sanctuary, with her burial at Pine Ridge Cemetery at noon. After all return to the church, there will be a collation served in the Fellowship Hall. Please check in with Betsey Driscoll and let her know what you would like to bring for that.

Please pray for Ed and the rest of the family as they prepare to celebrate Audrey’s life.

Memorial and Reception Meal for Chuck Piper

Chuck passed away at Kennedy Meadows on Saturday morning January 20^th. His memorial will be held on March 16th at 11 am in our Sanctuary, with a reception in the Fellowship Hall at noon. His burial will be sometime this summer in Maine. Please check in with Betsey Driscoll to find out what you can help with.

Please pray for Jean and the rest of the Piper family as they prepare to celebrate Chuck’s life.

Here is the link for Chuck’s Obituary: https://www.rivetfuneralhome.com/obituary/charles-piper-sr?

Interested in Learning How to Record Worship?

We are looking to add to our friendly team of volunteers who live-stream and record our worship services. We take turns so everyone gets an opportunity to participate. We schedule the two-person crew weekly based on everyone’s availability. Training is provided. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Peter Smyton (617-893-9669) or Jim Ortolf (978-995-0614)

It is not too late to donate to our Advent Mission Project.

This year we are supporting Greater Lowell Community Foundation Refugee and Immigrant Resettlement Fund, which supports the efforts of Greater Lowell organizations to help ensure those in need are welcomed and connected with housing, employment, transportation, food, acculturation, and other related support.

Checks should be made payable to AUMC with “GLCF” in the memo.

You can mail to the church or place your donation in the offering plate over the next several weeks. Thank you to all who already donated.

Upper Room Devotionals January/February

The January/February Upper Room Devotionals are available on the Welcome Desk.

Our Lenten Journey Begins on Wednesday, February 14th

The Ash Wednesday service is February 14th at 7:30, and is being hosted by West Chelmsford UMC as a hybrid event, with the in-person service in their sanctuary and viewable remotely via Zoom. Pastor Geisa will give the message and co-officiate with Pastor Bob of Aldersgate UMC. A Zoom link will be sent to your email prior to the service. If you are participating via Zoom and wish to use ashes during the service, ashes are available in the brown bin outside the front hall entrance to the church.

Wednesday evening in-person soup suppers and worship led by one of our church family members will return this year, beginning on Feb 21st. The suppers will be held at 6:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall, followed by the ~ 30 minute service in the sanctuary at 7:00 pm. If you want to help provide salad, bread, or dessert for one or more weeks, please contact Betsey Driscoll, (betseylll@yahoo.com).

This year we will be sharing reflections on giving it up with fasting, giving up control, prayer, expectations, and finally giving it up in death. If you are interested in offering one of the reflections, please contact Pastor Bob.

We will also live-stream the service so people can watch it in real-time at home.

Hand warmers for the homeless

Helping all stay warm this winter, we will be collecting hand warmers. The hand warmers will be distributed to the homeless needing assistance to stay warm this winter. There is a donation basket in the lobby. Thank you as always for your extraordinary generosity. God is good, all the time.

Early Bird Bible Application

Lord…Facing a Crisis.” The Scriptural foundation for the lesson is 2 Chronicles 20:13-17. However, yu are invited to read all of the chapter so that you might better understad the crisis and actions of Jehoshaphat. Join in as we discuss how King Jehoshaphat prayed fervently for the Lord’s help in a time of crisis.
Early Bird meets on Tuesday at ten o’clock via Zoom.

Adult Ed Sunday Class

Our study and discussion on the impact Alzheimer’s disease and dementia has on our loved ones and our congregation continues today between the services. Pastor Bob has recommended Ministry with the Forgotten by Kenneth L Carder as a resource. You can get it online or at your favorite bookshop. We invite you to read and join the discussion, led by Debbie Smyton, on Sunday mornings at 9:45 in the Concord Room or via Zoom. See more information in the January Advocate.

Did you know?

Alzheimer’s Statistics

More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. By 2050, this number could rise as high as 16 million.
More than 15 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias.
In 2016, caregivers provided an estimated 18.2 billion hours of care valued at over $230 billion
In 2017, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation $259 billion. By 2050, those costs could rise as high as $1.1 trillion.
Thirty five percent of caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s or another dementia report that their health has gotten worse due to care responsibilities, compared to 19% of caregivers for older people without dementia.
One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
It’s the 6th leading cause of death and it kills more people than breast and prostate cancers combined. • Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s.
Since 2000, deaths from heart disease have decreased by 14 percent while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have increased by 89 percent.

Alzheimer’s Association; https://www.alz.org/facts/overview.asp?type=alzchptfooter

Thursday Morning Bible Study

Looking for fellowship and to know the Bible and yourself better? Come to the Concord Room Thursday mornings at 10:00 am to learn from Pastor Bob, Debbie Smyton and your neighbors as we discuss forgiveness, peace and freeing yourself. “In his book Forgiveness: Finding Peace Through Letting Go, Adam Hamilton equates our need to forgive and be forgiven with carrying a backpack filled with rocks. Over time the tiny pebbles and giant boulders weigh us down, distort our sense of purpose, and destroy our relationship with God.” We will grow deeper in our understanding and love for God and our neighbor as we discuss it all together. Prayer requests, encouragement and laughter are a part of each gathering. We’d love for YOU to join us this week! Grab a copy of the book wherever books are sold.

Request from Jasper: from Ken Bair

Early Bird reconvenes on Tuesday morning at ten o’clock. This week will focus on Romans 14:1-23. In that passage Paul admonishes us to ‘Live in harmony with one another.’ He gave the church some practical instructions on how to do we. Let’s examine his instructions and explore how they might assist us in living in harmony with one another. Join in this discussion via Zoom on Tuesday morning. All are welcome.

Join Us for Dinner and a Pop-up Adult Bible Study on Monday, December 11 and Monday, December 18

Jasper has texted and asked for coffee creamer (not refrigerated type), and protein bars (it is hard to get enough protein for their workouts), and fruit cups or dried fruit. Microwave popcorn especially the kettle corn kind and the single serving oatmeal cups, or oatmeal packets with a box of paper cups as well as coffee filters. We have a pretty solid coffee maker and a coffee bean grinder and everything. Between all the crews we drink a ton of coffee we like trying a lot of different specialty types. Favorites so far are Dunkin Donuts, Caribou Coffee, New England Coffees French vanilla flavor. s. Definitely need more creamer than coffee for the next couple of months.

For those who would like to send items, Kim and Dan Ward can help. Kim is also sending Girl Scout cookies. Check with Kim if you would like to help.