This peace pole is part of a display over a quarter million similar peace poles around the world that recognizes our shared humanity and common desire for peace to prevail over all the earth. This pole in particular is an older pole that calls for the desire of peace in our homes and communities in eight different languages.

What I find interesting about peace is that like this pole, peace is always there in our community, stalwartly waiting to be noticed and embodied. But peace is often easily ignored or dismissed, just like this pole that has been around for more than a decade in downtown Geneva.

My message last Sunday was about peace drawing upon the Greek and Hebrew terms for peace that are much more than the absence of conflict. My favorite devotional book devotes the 8th day of the month to peace and I want to share the lesson with you as it has been so formative to me... Read the rest of Rob's message here.

The service will be livestreamed to YouTube and to our Website and posted later to Facebook

“All I want for Christmas is to be free from sorrow - Unwrapping Joy”

Luke 1:46-53, Phillippians 4: 4-9

We will be decorating a UMCG Children's Christmas Tree this year in the Atrium area. Every week the kids will make ornaments that relate to the sermon theme. We will also have a "present" under the tree that will reveal the day's theme. Please have the children come and open the gift to get a peak of what they will be learning about.

Dec. 12 - Family Worship and Children's Christmas Carols performance!  

Dec. 12 at 2pm - Come to Engstrom Park for our Tri-city Interactive Nativity experience! We will be singing our 2 carols again around 2:10pm near the petting zoo.

Dec. 19 - UGLY SWEATER DAY! Feel free to have the kids wear their favorite Ugly Christmas Sweater this Sunday while we make a manger scene ornament.

Contact: Julie Popplewell

Christmas Cookie Decorating Contest: We will be having our second annual youth ministry Christmas Cookie Decorating Contest from 2:00-3:30 this Saturday, December 11. All 6th-12th graders are invited to participate, and the cookie mix and cookie cutters will be provided for you by our youth ministry. For health and safety reasons, we will not be supplying decorations to share. Please bring your own decorating supplies and ingredients from home. Each student will have their own workspace (a table top) on which to decorate their cookies.

A pastoral word for this season: We have prayed and supported many people who have been sickened by COVID-19, including fully vaccinated people who have become sick with break-through cases. While most people do fare well, some become very ill,and a few we know have died. Our pastoral experience aligns with the data that shows those who have been vaccinated tend to not become as ill or ill at all, recover more quickly and lack the long-standing health effects experienced by those who are not vaccinated. We love and care for all of you. If you are hesitant about receiving a COVID vaccine, please consider getting the vaccine in consultation with professional medical advice. Even with mild side effects from vaccination, if you do contract COVID vaccination is likely to prevent you and those you love from suffering and worry. For those not able or not inclined to receive a COVID vaccination, we love and support you too and pray for your protection, good health and well-being.  

We have received updates to the dates the church will be closed for remodeling. The church is expected to be closed Monday, January 3rd through Friday, January 28th.

Programs that you oversee or are involved with will need to be canceled or moved off-site during this period of time. Worship in this timeframe will be online only; no in-person worship, as well as no classes, studies or groups onsite. Please check future Messenger emails for updates on this project. Questions? Contact Debbie Sampiller.

Monday, December 13 for Dec. 17 Messenger and Dec. 19 Bulletin

Monday, December 20 for Dec. 24 Messenger and Dec. 26 Bulletin

Monday, December 27 for Dec. 31 Messenger and Jan. 2 Bulletin

Click here for the registration form or register online. 

Attention all high school seniors and college undergraduate and graduate students! UMCG scholarship applications are now open. You can find the application form on our website undersign-ups or click this link. The deadline to submit your application is May 6, 2022 at 11:59 PM. No application will be accepted after that date, and all parts of the application must be received by May 6. This year, the scholarship committee will only accept official transcripts, so please plan accordingly so that the transcripts are received prior to the May 2 deadline. Please contact a committee member with questions or if you need help: Colleen Fasbender, Barb Pribble, Suzanne Zefron, Gwen Powell, Don Mendenhall, and Nancy Tweed. 

Photographers Needed: We are a busy church with lots of great activities and events. Carolyn Burnham is looking for people that can help photograph activities held by the church including some in-service photography. You don't need to be a pro, but would love some people that enjoy photography to help out from time to time.

Livestream Volunteers: We are looking for people that might be able to assist Alex Johnson during worship services from time to time. We are still setting this up, so if you want to get in on the "ground floor" or can help later, let us know.

Contact: Carolyn Burnham

We have created a list of folks who are not able to join us in worship, and we encourage you to take a few moments and send them well-wishes during the holidays. Call the office for a copy of the list. Hard copies are also available in the church office.

We have more Monitors, a metal desk and an inkjet printer. Check out our cleanout page on our website for more information. If you know of any person or group that could use these, please contact Carolyn Burnham.

The NIC weekly eNews is here.

The NIC December/January Reporter is available here.

Submit information each week by Wednesday at 12pm for inclusion in Bulletin Announcements or the Weekly Messenger.  Please use the submission form. This form can also be found on the sign-ups page on our website. You may also send them to communications@genevaumc.org. Information sent to this email goes to Carolyn, Debbie, and Lorie.