451 Hogan Road, Nashville TN 37220 phone:  615-832-2897 website: www.crievewoodumc.org

Christmas is just around the corner. Don’t miss these opportunities.    Youth Fundraiser The last day to pre-order is Sunday, December 13th.   The Crievewood United Methodist Church Youth Group is selling smoked hams (10-12 lbs) and smoked turkeys (12-15 lbs) for $60 each! The meat will be hickory smoked by Firehouse Barbecue and delivered to the church hot and ready for you to pick up and eat, refrigerate, or freeze on Sunday, December 20th.  Pre-orders and pre-pay only, please. You may order online by using the online order forms titled “CUMC Youth Fundraiser: HAM” or “CUMC Youth Fundraiser: TURKEY.” Or you may mail a check to the church with “Youth Missions Fundraiser” and write your selection of “ham” or “turkey” in the memo line.   You may pick up your pre-ordered meat in the Crievewood UMC parking lot on Sunday, December 20th from 1-2 p.m. No refunds will be offered if you’re unable to pick up your meat.    Not a meat eater? Live out of town but still want to support the CUMC youth AND folks in need? We are pleased to announce that, in partnership with the Nashville Food Project, you may choose to make a meat donation to folks in need! You may purchase meat for the Nashville Food Project by using the online order form titled “CUMC Youth BBQ Fundraiser DONATE” below, or mail a check to the church  with “Youth Missions Fundraiser DONATE” in the memo line.   ORDER A HAM:https://onrealm.org/CrievewoodUMC/give/HamFundraiser   ORDER A TURKEY: https://onrealm.org/CrievewoodUMC/give/TurkeyFundraiser   DONATE meat to the Nashville Food Project: https://onrealm.org/CrievewoodUMC/give/BBQdonate Christmas Memorials The last day to order is Sunday, December 13.   Continuing in the Crievewood tradition, you will be able to honor a loved one this Christmas by donating a Christmas memorial. As in the past either a plant or monetary memorial can be made, and either way, all memorial donations will be acknowledged in the bulletin on Christmas Eve. Money received through the monetary memorials this year will be applied to the Crievewood Serves missions. Flower envelopes will be available in the narthex and can be be filled out and used to order a plant memorial or to place a monetary memorial.  At the top of the envelopes there is a line stamped “Plant  YES  NO”.  Please remember to circle which option you are selecting.   If you are purchasing a memorial plant, the minimum donation is $12.50 per plant.  Any amount of money may be given for a monetary memorial. Since the pandemic has prevented many members from comfortably entering the church building, you may also mail your gift to the church in your own envelope or donate online. If you are donating online, select the Miscellaneous option and write “Christmas Memorial” in the memo block.  However, there may not be enough space to enter all the needed information electronically, so an email follow up containing the the name of the person that you wish to honor and the options you want may be necessary. Send that email to janbassett@crievewoodumc.org.  If you use your own envelope, please include a note with your name, the name of the person you wish to honor, whether the gift is a memorial or honorarium, and whether or not you want a plant, and write “Christmas Memorial” on the memo line of your check.   UMW Cookbook Fundraiser Preorder your cookbook(s) by Friday, December 11th.  The Crievewood UMW is offering for your holiday gift giving a copy of Sue Bean’s cookbook,  These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things. The Bean family has generously agreed to allow the UMW to duplicate this cookbook as a fundraiser. The cost per cookbook is $10.00, and in order to have enough copies on hand, we will need to have you preorder. Please contact Laura Benson, lauracbenson@aol.com or Mary Bryan, bryanmarym@yahoo.com to make sure you will receive your copies in a timely manner. The UMW will be happy to deliver your orders to your home or make arrangements for pick up at our church. Thank you for your support for such a worthy cause.  Pastor’s Pen As we walk through the Advent season of waiting and preparation together and approach Christmas, I wanted to share about all the worship opportunities that Crievewood will be providing during this holy time of year. Of course, things will look different than they have in the past, but we hope that these offerings will help us all to still experience the wonder of this season.On Sunday mornings, we will continue with our worship series called “The Characters of Christmas” on Facebook Live at 10:45 each week. This Sunday, we’ll talk about Mary, and the following Sunday will focus on the shepherds.If the weather is nice and above 45 degrees, we will also offer outdoor worship at 9:30 am on Sunday mornings. Watch Facebook for updates.This Sunday, December 13, at 5:00 pm we will gather outside in the parking lot for about 30 minutes of Christmas caroling. We also hope to share some of your Christmas memories that you can submit here. We will cancel if there is rain but not for cold temperatures. All are welcome, so please invite friends to join us for a fun and festive event!On Sunday, December 20, at 6:30 pm we will share a Blue Christmas/Service of the Longest Night on Facebook Live. This service is designed to create space for the pain, sorrow, heaviness, and darkness that many of us experience this time of year and provide a way to offer it to God in worship. On Christmas Eve, the sanctuary will be open during certain hours of the day between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm for individuals to come in, light a candle, and spend some time reflecting with Christmas music playing in the background. We will limit the number of people in the sanctuary to 10 at a time. Per our COVID Guidelines, masks and social distancing will be required.At 5:00 pm on Christmas Eve, we plan to have a short gathering in the parking lot to share the light of Christ with one another and to sing “Silent Night” and perhaps another carol or two.At 5:30 pm on Christmas Eve, we will share our Christmas Eve service on Facebook Live.I hope you’ll make plans to join us for as many of these opportunities as you can. For the health and safety of everyone at all of the outdoor gatherings, we do require that you wear a mask, maintain a distance of 6 feet from anyone not in your household, and provide your own seating. May we each know the deep love and meaning of the Incarnation during this season. Pastor John Hill Giving Tree The CUMC Missions Team has set up the Methodist Mission Giving Tree in the church narthex! Operating similar to an angel tree, the Methodist Mission Giving Tree will give you the opportunity to choose a Methodist Mission to support through a financial gift by picking out an ornament from the Giving Tree. Each ornament will have a description of a specific Methodist Mission from around the world to tell you a bit about the organization and the amazing ministry they provide. Gifts may be made online through umcmission.org. Instructions for how to do this will be provided when you choose an ornament from the tree. Feel free to stop by the church weekdays during office hours to select an ornament from the Methodist Mission Giving Tree! The tree will remain in the narthex through January 1st.Join us this Sunday, December 13, at 5:00 p.m. for 30 minutes of familiar carols and stories.  The caroling will be outside, so please gather in the parking lot.  Bring your own seating if you want it, observe COVID distancing, and dress for the weather.  We’ll sing the known verses of about seven carols. Christmas Memories  Please pause during this busy holiday season to ponder just what makes Christmas special to you and share a few sentences about your favorite Christmas memory.  All members of the Crievewood family are encouraged to send their special Christmas story, perception, or insight regardless of their age.  Since many of us will not see each other this Christmas season to greet each other or to speak in person, the staff would like to incorporate your special memories and thoughts into some of our Advent events and publications.  To share your story use the link below.   https://redcap.link/cumcFor many the Christmas season is a time of sadness rather than joy.  If this year has brought a period of loneliness, grief, fear, or pain, this service offers a safe place to take those worries and problems to the Lord so that you might receive comfort and peace.  All are always welcome to share their burdens with the Lord.Project Thrive Crievewood, along with 17 other area churches, has partnered with the Center for Healthy Churches out of Belmont University to participate in Project Thrive, which has been funded in large part by a grant from the Lilly Foundation.This five-year initiative is designed to create opportunities for our church to reflect on our strengths and ministry focus, our unique context, and specific thriving traits. The beginning stages of the initiative were disrupted by the pandemic, but much work has continued behind the scenes.    In 2021, we will have a series of 3 congregation-wide conversations to talk about the past, present, and future of Crievewood. Our Thrive Team will host these conversations, listen intently, and then work together to form an action plan and strategies to help our church thrive in the 21st century.    The first of these conversations will be on Sunday, January 10, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on Zoom.We want as many members of the Crievewood family to participate as possible from youth group age on up. We value your input, your stories, and your relationship with Crievewood and want to take as many perspectives into consideration as possible. We are asking everyone to usethis form to RSVP with yes, no, or maybe for the conversation and to let us know via the same form if you need any help connecting via Zoom. Thank You The family of Wanda Lou Bumpus extend heartfelt appreciation for all that the membership of and staff of Crievewood United Methodist Church did to support and love our mother not only during her illnesses but, more importantly, through her life journey.  She cherished her worship and time with you, her studies with you, her friendships with you; her Charter Membership in CUMC was valued beyond words.  We thank you, Lynne, Julie and Buddy  Thank you and Merry Christmas!   A big THANK YOU for all of the prayers, calls, cards and goodies given by our Crievewood family. Church Lives Matter. All Lives Matter!    Praise be to God! John JettonWorking on the CUMC Family Advent ProjectsOther Notes Child Care Positions Available It may seem like this is an ongoing request, but it is new, and we could really use your help in finding the right people to fill the two openings below. Please share this with your friends, family, and any local college students you may know who are virtual schooling from home right now. Also, please pray we find the right fit for our program. Applicants must be 18 years old.   Preschool lead teacher-3 year olds.   Afternoon teacher in the school-age program.   For more information, details, or to send a resume, please contact director@crievewoodumc.org or Sharon at 615-834-7255.  Staff VacationsStaff members will be taking any remaining 2020 vacation days this month, so the full staff may not be working on some December days.  Staff members who are present will cover the church needs, but they may be called to various church locations during the day.  If you need access to the church and you do not have a pass key, please call the church first to insure someone is in the office area to let you in.  Apartment NeededWe have a single, male church member who has qualified for a Section 8 housing voucher and is looking for a place to live that is near to Crievewood. His family is wondering if anyone at the church might have a garage apartment or connection with housing that would consider taking section 8 vouchers, allowing him to have a safe, independent apartment. The property owner would need to register with the city as a landlord to receive fair market value for the rental. Please contact Rev. John Hill if you are interested.  Beware of ScammingSeveral members have called the staff reporting that someone who is pretending to be Pastor John is asking CUMC members to respond to an urgent need.  This is not from John.  One give away is that this request is from a Yahoo account.  John does not use Yahoo.  Please do not respond if you get this email.Dec. 11 – Jim Bryan and Dorothy Shumate Dec. 12 – Spencer Hardison Dec. 13 – Pat Long and Mary Ruth Sellick Dec. 14 – Norma Foster Dec. 15 – Esi Fenih, Chris Justice, and Jim Ratcliffe Dec. 17 – Jennifer Bizwell Dec. 18 – Betty Berry and Barbara Brezzel Dec. 22 – Sharon Ferrell and Mike Milligan     If you have a birthday between December 9 and December 22 and it does not appear in the list above, then it is not in our database.  We would like to celebrate with you.  If your birthday does not appear, please notify the church office at 615-832-2897.Still looking for more information?  Below are links that may help.   UM NewsLink to the Prayer ListCUMC Online GivingLive Stream Worship Sundays @ 10:45 a.m. Most gracious God, thank you for all the gifts you have bestowed on Crievewood United Methodist Church over the generations. By your Holy Spirit, grant us the grace that welcomes all of your children.  Make us a community that reflects the full diversity of Christ’s body. Help us grow to love one another as You love us. Empower us to reveal Christ through worship and service.  In your holy name we pray.  Amen.Copyright © 2020 Crievewood United Methodist Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive the Crievewood United Methodist Church Newsletter. Our mailing address is: Crievewood United Methodist Church451 Hogan RoadNashville, Tn 37220 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Worship Materials and Bulletin December 13, 2020 Streaming License Number: 20160536  Copyright License: 2880734 Video License: 504308177  Weather permitting, we will offer an in-person, outdoor worship service at 9:30 Sunday morning. We will do our best to communicate via Facebook by 9:00 on Sunday morning if the outdoor service will not happen.  Each Sunday morning at 10:45, we will livestream a worship service to Facebook from inside the sanctuary (with no in-person congregation).  You can access the livestreamed Advent service at https://www.facebook.com/CrievewoodUMC/   Please share this bulletin with any members that you think might not see this email before Sunday.  Thank you.   Prayer List Ecumenical Prayer Cycle: China, Hong Kong, Macau Cumberland River District Prayer Cycle: Bethlehem UMC (Wilson County), Cross Roads UMC, Dodson Chapel UMC  Crievewood UMC:   https://crievewoodumc.org/prayer-list/ (a password is necessary) Crievewood PrayerMost gracious God, thank you for all the gifts you have bestowed on Crievewood United Methodist Church over the generations. By your Holy Spirit, grant us the grace that welcomes all of your children.  Make us a community that reflects the full diversity of Christ’s body. Help us grow to love one another as You love us. Empower us to reveal Christ through worship and service.  In your holy name we pray.  Amen.   Worship Order  Words of Welcome: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin  Centering Music: Gabriel’s Message: Caleb Dinger, Piano   Opening Prayer:  Rev. John Hill  Hymns: Joy to the World and Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming   Joy to the World Verse 1 Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven, and nature sing. Verse 2 Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ; while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat, the sounding joy. Verse 3 No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground; he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found,  far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found. Verse 4 He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness, and wonders of His love, and wonders of His love, and wonders, wonders, of His love.   Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming Verse 1 Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung! Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as those of old have sung. It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter, when half spent was the night. Verse 2 Isaiah ’twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind; with Mary we behold it, the Virgin Mother kind. To show God’s love aright, she bore to us a Savior, when half spent was the night. Verse 3 O Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air, dispel in glorious splendor the darkness everywhere. True man, yet very God, from sin and death now save us, and share our every load. Advent Liturgy (written by Matt Sevier) and Lighting of the Advent Wreath: Locklayer FamilyReader 1: Blessed be Mary, God’s favored one. Reader 2: And blessed be the fruit of her womb, the coming Christ child. Reader 1: Mary shows us what it means to say ‘yes’, Reader 2: and what it means to ‘let go and let God’. Reader 1: Like Mary, let it be – according to God’s word. Reader 2: Let the power of the Most High overshadow us. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the very picture of what faith and obedience looks like.  She takes a huge leap of faith, saying ‘yes’ to God.  By hearing and keeping the word of the Lord, she becomes highly favored by God.  She lets go of her own fears and insecurities, and in holy indifference, allows God to work through her.  As we light the third candle, we remember that God has done great things, God has brought down the powerful and lifted up the lowly, and God remembers his promises to be merciful to his servants. Let us pray. God of mercy and mystery, you are the Word fulfilled in our hearing.  As we hear the story of your incarnation, help us to follow the example of Mary and make Christ present in the world so that everyone might know of your mercy and love.  Take away our fear, and let your work be done in us.  With your spirit, we ask this in the name of the living Christ.  Amen.  Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-45: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”  Sermon: The Characters of Christmas – Mary: Rev. John Hill  Instrumental Reflection: Mary, Gentle Woman: Caleb Dinger, Piano  Pastoral Prayer: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin Invitation to Offer Tithes and Gifts: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin https://onrealm.org/CrievewoodUMC/Give Offertory Anthem: Magnificat (Holy Is His Name): Hailee Hunt-Hawkins  Holy Is His Name  Verse 1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord And my spirit exalts in God my Savior For He has looked with mercy on my lowliness And His name will be forever exalted For the mighty God has done great things for me And His mercy will reach from age to age   Chorus And holy holy Holy is His name   Verse 2 He has mercy in every generation He has revealed His power and His glory He has cast down the mighty in their arrogance And has lifted up the meek and the lowly He has come to help His servant Israel He remembers His promise to our fathers   Repeat Chorus  Prayer of Confession:  Rev. John Hill    Kyrie Words of Assurance:Hear the Good News: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. That proves God’s love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Glory to God! Amen. Closing Hymn: The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy Verse 1 The virgin Mary had a baby boy, the virgin Mary had a baby boy, the virgin Mary had a baby boy, and they say that his name is Jesus.Refrain He come from the glory, he come from the glorious kingdom. He come from the glory, he come from the glorious kingdom. Oh, yes! believer! Oh, yes! believer! He come from the glory,  he come from the glorious kingdom.  Verse 2 The angels sang when the baby born, the angels sang when the baby born, the angels sang when the baby born,  and they say that his name is Jesus. Repeat Refrain Verse 3 The shepherd came where the baby was born,  the shepherds came where the baby was born, the shepherds came where the baby was born, and they say that his name is Jesus. Repeat Refrain  Verse 4 The Wise Men came where the baby born, the Wise Men came where the baby born, the Wise Men came where the baby born, and they say that his name was Jesus. Repeat RefrainBenediction:  Rev. John Hill

Worship Materials and Bulletin December 6, 2020 Streaming License Number: 20160536  Copyright License: 2880734 Video License: 504308177  The decision has been made not to offer an in-person, outdoor worship service at 9:30 this Sunday morning because the weather is expected to be too cold. Please join us for online worship.    Each Sunday morning at 10:45, we will livestream a worship service to Facebook from inside the sanctuary (with no in-person congregation).  You can access the livestreamed Advent service at https://www.facebook.com/CrievewoodUMC/   Communion will be offered through drive-up communion at 1:00 p.m. Please share this bulletin with any members that you think might not see this email before Sunday.  Thank you.   Prayer List Ecumenical Prayer Cycle: Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam Cumberland River District Prayer Cycle: Vanderbilt Wesley Fellowship, Woodbine UMC, Hermitage UMC  Crievewood UMC:   https://crievewoodumc.org/prayer-list/ (a password is necessary) Crievewood PrayerMost gracious God, thank you for all the gifts you have bestowed on Crievewood United Methodist Church over the generations. By your Holy Spirit, grant us the grace that welcomes all of your children.  Make us a community that reflects the full diversity of Christ’s body. Help us grow to love one another as You love us. Empower us to reveal Christ through worship and service.  In your holy name we pray.  Amen.   Worship Order  Words of Welcome: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin  Centering Music:  Somebody’s Talking ‘Bout Jesus: Caleb Dinger, Piano   Opening Prayer:  Rev. John Hill  Hymns: O Come, All Ye Faithful and Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine O Come, All Ye Faithful Verse 1O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!  O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem. Come and behold him, born the King of angels; Refrain:  O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,  O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord. Verse 2 True God of true God, Light of Light eternal,  lo! he shuns not the Virgin’s womb;  Son of the Father, begotten, not created;  Repeat Refrain  Verse 3 Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;  sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!  Glory to God, all glory in the highest;  Repeat Refrain Verse 5 Child, for us sinners poor and in a manger, we would embrace thee with love and awe. Who would not love thee, loving us so dearly?  Repeat Refrain Joseph Dearest, Joseph MineVerse 1 Joseph dearest, Joseph mine, help me cradle the child divine; God reward thee and all that’s thine in paradise,  so prays the mother Mary. Refrain: He came among us at Christmastime, at Christmastime, in Bethlehem; let us bring him from far and wide Love’s diadem: Jesus, Jesus, lo, he comes, and loves, and saves, and frees us!  Verse 2 Gladly, dear one, lady mine, help I cradle this child of thine; God’s own light on us both shall shine in paradise,  as prays the mother Mary. Repeat Refrain Verse 3 All shall come and bow the knee; wise and happy their souls shall be, loving such a divinity,  as all may see  in Jesus, Son of Mary. Repeat Refrain  Advent Liturgy (written by Matt Sevier) and Lighting of the Advent Wreath: Tickle FamilyReader 1:God gives us gifts, sometimes in the silence. Reader 2: Unexpected people receive unexpected blessings at unexpected times. Reader 1: Imagine an outstanding person – completely blameless – Reader 2: Who gets thrust into a scandal he had nothing to do with. Reader 1: Imagine this outstanding person doing an unexpected thing – Reader 2: Saying ‘yes’ to God and daring to not be afraid. The story of Joseph is full of all things unexpected.  A woman is pregnant, but unexpectedly her husband is not the father.  The baby that is coming isn’t just a human, but unexpectedly also divine.  A new family is forming, but unexpectedly it is a family related by something other than a bloodline.  When we embrace the Holy Spirit and say ‘yes’ – just like Joseph did – we allow God to be with us.  As we celebrate the mystery of faith, we know that by allowing God to be with us in the sharing of the bread and cup, we are all one family in Christ.  We light the second candle to remind us that simply by saying ‘yes’, we are part of the family of God. Let us pray. Almighty Father, you are the giver of unexpected gifts.  Thank you for the gift of continued hope in face of adversity.  Help us to say ‘yes’ to you, and to know your loving presence in our lives.  With the same love, we ask that you help us keep our hearts open to you.  In the name of the ever-living Christ we pray, Amen.   Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin  Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.  Sermon: The Characters of Christmas – Joseph: Rev. John Hill  Instrumental Reflection: Joseph’s Lullaby:  Caleb Dinger, Piano  Pastoral Prayer: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin Invitation to Offer Tithes and Gifts: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin https://onrealm.org/CrievewoodUMC/Give Offertory Anthem:  A Strange Way to Save the World:  Hailee Hunt-Hawkins  A Strange Way to Save the World Verse 1 I’m sure he must have been surprised At where this road had taken him ‘Cause never in a million lives Would he have dreamed of Bethlehem And standing at the manger He saw with his own eyes The message from the angel come to life And Joseph said   Chorus Why me I’m just a simple man of trade Why Him with all the rulers in the world Why here inside this stable filled with hay Why her she’s just an ordinary girl Now I’m not one to second guess What angels have to say But this is such a strange way To save the world   Verse 2 To think of how it could have been If Jesus had come as He deserved There would have been no Bethlehem No lowly shepherds at His birth But Joseph knew the reason Love had to reach so far And as he held the Savior in his arms He must have thought   Repeat Chorus   Bridge For unto you is born this day A Savior Christ the Lord    Ending Now I’m not one to second guess What angels have to say But this is such a strange way To save the world This is such a strange way Such a strange way A strange way to save the world Such a strange way to save the world   Invitation to the Table:  Rev. John Hill Prayer of Confession:  Rev. John Hill    Kyrie Words of Assurance:Hear the Good News: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. That proves God’s love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Glory to God! Amen. The Great Thanksgiving:  Rev. John Hill and Rev. Chelsey Hedglin Holy Communion Closing Hymn:  Come, Thou  Long-Expected Jesus  Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus Verse 1 Come, Thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart. Verse 2 Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King, born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring. By Thine own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone; by Thine all sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne.  Benediction:  Rev. John Hill                                     Copyright © 2020 Crievewood United Methodist Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive the Crievewood United Methodist Church Newsletter. Our mailing address is: Crievewood United Methodist Church451 Hogan RoadNashville, Tn 37220

Worship Materials and Bulletin November 29, 2020 Streaming License Number: 20160536  Copyright License: 2880734 Video License: 504308177  As we begin Advent the circumstances are such that there is an uptick in COVID cases in Nashville. Our COVID Task Force has decided that we will no longer offer indoor, in-person worship at the church at this time. The Task Force will continue to monitor the situation and make changes as its members deem appropriate.  Weather permitting, we will offer an in-person, outdoor worship service at 9:30 Sunday mornings. We will do our best to communicate via Facebook by 9:00 on Sunday morning if the outdoor service will not happen.    Each Sunday morning at 10:45, we will livestream a worship service to Facebook from inside the sanctuary (with no in-person congregation).  Our Worship Committee has been at work to prepare the sanctuary with greenery to help us celebrate the season of Advent.  You can access the livestreamed Advent service at https://www.facebook.com/CrievewoodUMC/   There is no Kid’s Worship on November 29th or December 6th. Please share this bulletin with any members that you think might not see this email before Sunday.  Thank you.   Prayer List Ecumenical Prayer Cycle: Myanmar and Thailand Cumberland River District Prayer Cycle: South End UMC, Trinity UMC, and West End UMC  Crievewood UMC:   https://crievewoodumc.org/prayer-list/ (a password is necessary) Crievewood PrayerMost gracious God, thank you for all the gifts you have bestowed on Crievewood United Methodist Church over the generations. By your Holy Spirit, grant us the grace that welcomes all of your children.  Make us a community that reflects the full diversity of Christ’s body. Help us grow to love one another as You love us. Empower us to reveal Christ through worship and service.  In your holy name we pray.  Amen. Sympathy is extended to Brenda and Keith Head and their family on the loss of Brenda’s mother, Zelma Stroud, who died on November 25, 2020.    Worship Order  Words of Welcome: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin  Centering Music:  Angel’s Carol: Caleb Dinger, Keyboard   Opening Prayer:  Rev. John Hill  Hymns: Angels from the Realms of Glory and Prepare the Way Angels from the Realms of Glory Angels from the realms of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth; ye who sang creation’s story now proclaim Messiah’s birth. Refrain: Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn King. Shepherds, in the field abiding, watching o’er your flocks by night, God with us is now residing; yonder shines the infant light: Refrain: Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn King. Sages, leave your contemplations, brighter visions beam afar; seek the great Desire of nations; ye have seen His natal star. Refrain: Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn King. Saints, before the altar bending, watching long in hope and fear; suddenly the Lord, descending, in His temple shall appear. Refrain: Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn King. Prepare the Way (words and music by Caleb Dinger) Verse 1 Every valley shall be raised up Every mountain shall be made low Crooked paths will Be made straight in Your Name In Your Name Chorus A voice cries out Prepare the way Our hearts cry out Prepare the way Our God has come God’s only son Prepare the Way We prepare the way Verse 2 Broken lives will Be made whole here Shattered hearts will Find their peace here In your house God In your world God We will wait for you We prepare for You Repeat Chorus Bridge So we wait for You So we wait for You We Prepare for You As We wait for You Repeat Chorus   Advent Liturgy (written by Matt Sevier) and Lighting of the Advent Wreath: Rachel Leyers and Eric LeyersRachel Leyers: Creator of the stars of night, you lead your people by your light. Eric Leyers: You sent your messengers to the lowest of the low, to proclaim your word. Rachel Leyers: ‘Do not be afraid’, they said, ‘for the Messiah has come tonight’. Eric Leyers: Share the message and make sure everyone has heard. Rachel Leyers: Christ is coming, so we can put away fright.  Eric Leyers: We give thanks for new hope; our spirits have been stirred.   God has created the stars of the night to light our way during the darkness.  We are facing darkness now, not just at night but also during the day.  The future looks bleak and uncertain – we are full of dread and fear.  God sends angels to remind us that hope is coming, and that there is no reason to be afraid.  God has given us good news, and it is ours to share for the world.  We light the first candle as a reminder that God shows us the way, even in darkness, so that we might bring forward God’s word.   Let us pray.  Almighty God, you are the one who gives hope and takes away fear.  Help us to remain steadfast to your promises.  Help us to remember not to be afraid.  Help us to take the good news you have given us to the entire world, so that they too may become a part of your kingdom.  We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, who reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for all time, Amen.    Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8-14: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin  In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”  Sermon: The Characters of Christmas – The Angels: Rev. John Hill  Instrumental Reflection:  Joy to the World/ Hark the Herald Angels Sing:   Caleb Dinger, Keyboard  Pastoral Prayer: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin Invitation to Offer Tithes and Gifts: Rev. Chelsey Hedglin https://onrealm.org/CrievewoodUMC/Give Offertory Anthem:  Gloria:  Hailee Hunt-Hawkins  GloriaVerse 1 Mary, Mary, lay me down Weave some thorns inside my crown Born to heal and then to die But then I’ll come alive This world will come alive Verse. 2 Joseph, Joseph, here’s your son God’s only begotten one Little hands will become strong And love will conquer all My love will conquer all Refrain: Gloria, in the highest Gloria Gloria, in the highest Gloria Verse 3 Shepherd, shepherd follow me I’m the way to liberty I know my sheep And they know me Se let me lead, Let me lead Verse. 4 Kings and princes, travel light Burdens lift at stable side Lay your gifts here at my feet Now go in perfect peace Go in perfect peace Gloria, in the highest Gloria Gloria, in the highest Gloria Verse. 5 Child, Child please believe Join me in eternity When I’m all grown up and on a tree know that it was all for thee it was all for thee Gloria, in the highest Gloria Gloria, in the highest Gloria  Prayer of Confession:  Rev. John Hill    Kyrie Words of Assurance:Hear the Good News: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. That proves God’s love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Glory to God! Amen. Closing Hymn:  Angels We Have Heard on High  Angels We Have Heard on High Verse 1 Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o’er the plains, and the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains. Refrain: Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Verse 2 Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heav’nly song? Refrain: Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Come to Bethlehem and see Christ whose birth the angels sing; come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Refrain: Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo! See Him in a manger laid, whom the choirs of angels praise; Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, while our hearts in love we raise. Refrain: Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!  Benediction:  Rev. John Hill

11/25/20451 Hogan Road, Nashville TN 37220 phone:  615-832-2897 website: www.crievewoodumc.orgPastor’s PenOn this week of Thanksgiving, my heart is filled with gratitude. Gratitude for the ways you have welcomed me and my kids to Crievewood and encouraged me as I began ministry among you in the midst of a pandemic. Gratitude for your generosity in supporting the mission of our church (and a final gentle reminder to submit your pledge card for 2021 if you haven’t done so yet). Gratitude for the ministry that takes place in and through our congregation and for the lives that are being changed. Gratitude for an amazing staff that is dedicated to their faith and to the work of the church. Gratitude for our nation, state, city, and the Crieve Hall neighborhood – all great places to live. And most of all, gratitude for God’s unfailing love, grace, and presence in my life.   This coming Sunday marks the beginning of the season of Advent, a time of preparation for the arrival of Christ. We will continue to livestream a worship service from inside that sanctuary each Sunday at 10:45 and offer outdoor worship at 9:30 as long as the weather allows. During worship, our theme will be The Characters of Christmas. It’s easy to overlook the characters in a story we know so well, but they have much to teach us. Join us for worship during Advent and Christmas as we take a closer look at each of the Characters of Christmas. This Sunday, November 29, we’ll begin with the angels.    We will also have a few special services during Advent. We are planning to gather outside in the church parking lot on December 13 at 5:00 to sing Christmas carols (socially distanced, of course). We will hold a Blue Christmas Service on Sunday, December 20, at 6:30 pm. And our Christmas Eve Service will be on December 24 at 5:30 pm. I hope you have a good Thanksgiving, and I look forward to sharing in worship with you during this upcoming holy season.   Grace and peace, John HillAdvent Worship As we begin Advent the circumstances are such that there is an uptick in COVID cases in Nashville. Our COVID Task Force has decided that we will no longer offer indoor, in-person worship at the church and that any meetings or gatherings in the church will be limited to 10 or fewer people. The Task Force will continue to monitor the situation and make changes as its members deem appropriate.   Each Sunday morning at 10:45, we will livestream a worship service to Facebook from inside the sanctuary (with no in-person congregation).  Our Worship Committee has been at work to prepare the sanctuary with greenery and Advent wreath to help us celebrate the season of Advent.    Weather permitting, we will also offer an in-person, outdoor worship service at 9:30. We will do our best to communicate via Facebook by 9:00 on Sunday morning if the outdoor service will not happen.   There is no Kid’s Worship on November 29th or December 6th. Missions   United Methodist Student Sunday Student Day is one of six UMC special offering Sundays. The money collected through this offering provides scholarships and loans for Methodist students as they prepare for life careers while further connecting to their faith. This special offering will be collected this Sunday, November 29th at Crievewood.  You can pick up a special offering envelope from the church narthex, send in a donation in your own envelope, or donate online through the Miscellaneous option.  Please remember to mark “Student Day” in the memo line of your check or in the memo box online. TP Sunday December 6th is our next TP Sunday. Contributions of toilet paper may be left in the narthex or dropped off during drive-up communion.  Thank you for your faithful commitment in helping Community Care Fellowship serve those in need. Crievewood Serves  South End is in need of some extra hands on Tuesdays to help with their Food Program. A SignUpGenius form has been created in order to organize sign-ups and so folks can see where the need is. Please click on the link below to sign up for a volunteer slot. All you have to do is show up and someone from South End UMC will tell you what to do. Also note that the 8:30-9:30am shift volunteers will meet at Second Harvest Food Bank (331 Great Circle Road, Nashville) at the loading dock to load food to be driven to South End UMC. All other volunteers should meet at South End UMC’s Fellowship Hall.  Please contact Rev. Chelsey with any questions.  Sign Up Link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4DAEA62DAAFF2-south  Norman Binkley Food ProjectOur Crievewood Youth and Kids grades 3-6th under the guidance of our seasoned adult volunteers will create bags of food for children at Norman Binkley Elementary School.  The goal is to continue this mission throughout the school year.  This is an important mission as the food items go directly to children in need.  All items must fit in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag to be placed in a child’s backpack, so look for items that are individually portioned or small enough to fit into the bag. Please help us collect the following donations, and bring them to Crievewood whenever you are able: canned fruits, vegetables, or beans, canned tuna fish, canned soups, boxes of rice, pasta, or mac n cheese, breakfast bars or protein bars, boxes of raisins, fruit cups, or applesauce. Thank you for your support! Christmas Memorials Continuing in the Crievewood tradition, you will be able to honor a loved one this Christmas by donating a Christmas memorial. As in the past either a plant or monetary memorial can be made, and either way, all memorial donations will be acknowledged in the bulletin on Christmas Eve. Money received through the monetary memorials this year will be applied to the Crievewood Serves missions. Flower envelopes will be available in the narthex and can be be filled out and used to order a plant memorial or to place a monetary memorial.  At the top of the envelopes there is a line stamped “Plant  Yes  NO”.  Please remember to circle which option you are selecting.   If you are purchasing a memorial plant, the minimum donation is $12.50 per plant.  Any amount of money may be given for a monetary memorial. Since the pandemic has prevented many members from comfortably entering the church building, you may also mail your gift to the church in your own envelope or donate online. If you are donating online, select the Miscellaneous option and write “Christmas Memorial” in the memo block.  However, there may not be enough space to enter all the needed information electronically, so an email follow up containing the the name of the person that you wish to honor and the options you want may be necessary. Send that email to janbassett@crievewoodumc.org.  If you use your own envelope, please include a note with your name, the name of the person you wish to honor, whether the gift is a memorial or honorarium, and whether or not you want a plant, and write “Christmas Memorial” on the memo line of your check.  Youth Fundraiser  The Crievewood United Methodist Church Youth Group is excited to announce a fundraiser for youth missions! We are selling smoked hams (10-12 lbs) and smoked turkeys (12-15 lbs) for $60 each! The meat will be hickory smoked by Firehouse Barbecue and delivered to the church hot and ready for you to pick up and eat, refrigerate, or freeze on Sunday, December 20th. Pre-orders and pre-pay only, please. You may order online by using the online order forms titled “CUMC Youth Fundraiser: HAM” or “CUMC Youth Fundraiser: TURKEY.” If you’d like a ham, please only use the link titled “ham” to order hams. If you’d like a turkey, please only use the link titled “turkey” to order turkeys–that’s how we will keep up with who has ordered what. Or you may mail a check to the church (451 Hogan Road, Nashville, TN 37220) with “Youth Missions Fundraiser” and write your selection of “ham” or “turkey” in the memo line. If you’d like more than one to take home, simply pay $60 x the number of hams or turkeys ($120 for two, $180 for three, etc). The last day to pre-order is Sunday, December 13th. You may pick up your pre-ordered meat in the Crievewood UMC parking lot (451 Hogan Road) on Sunday, December 20th from 1-2 p.m. No refunds will be offered if you’re unable to pick up your meat.    Not a meat eater? Live out of town but still want to support the CUMC youth AND folks in need? We are pleased to announce that, in partnership with the Nashville Food Project, you may choose to make a meat donation to folks in need! You may purchase meat for the Nashville Food Project by using the online order form titled “CUMC Youth BBQ Fundraiser DONATE” below, or mail a check to the church (451 Hogan Road, Nashville, TN 37220) with “Youth Missions Fundraiser DONATE” in the memo line.    Thank you for supporting the CUMC Youth Group and their annual missions! Questions? Contact Rev. Chelsey Hedglin at chelsey@crievewoodumc.org  ORDER A HAM: https://onrealm.org/CrievewoodUMC/give/HamFundraiser   ORDER A TURKEY: https://onrealm.org/CrievewoodUMC/give/TurkeyFundraiser   DONATE meat to the Nashville Food Project: https://onrealm.org/CrievewoodUMC/give/BBQdonate Advent Studies  The Tuesday Bible Study is meeting in person, socially distanced and with masks on in the Builders/Hilltop classroom at 9:30 a.m. each Tuesday.  On November 24th the group began the Advent study Christmas in the Four Gospels by Cynthia M. Campbell which creatively imagines a home decorated for Christmas based on each of the four Gospels’ descriptions of the Christmas story. Beginning on November 30th, Pastor John will lead the same four week Advent study virtually on Zoom on Monday nights at 6:30 p.m. You can order the book for the study online through Cokesbury or Amazon.  All are welcome, so feel free to invite friends who are not part of the Crievewood family. Zoom info is below.    Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/5829403547 Meeting ID: 582 940 3547 One tap mobile: +13126266799,,5829403547#  Dial by your location: 1-312-626-6799 Meeting ID: 582 940 3547UMW Cookbook Fundraiser  The Crievewood UMW are offering for your holiday gift giving a copy of Sue Bean’s cookbook,  These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things. The Bean family has generously agreed to allow the UMW to duplicate this cookbook as a fundraiser. The cost per cookbook is $10.00, and in order to have enough copies on hand, we will need to have you preorder your cookbook(s) by Friday, December 11th. Please contact Laura Benson, lauracbenson@aol.com or Mary Bryan, bryanmarym@yahoo.com to make sure you will receive your copies in a timely manner. We plan to have extra copies available as needed. We will be happy to deliver your orders to your home or make arrangements for pick up at our church. Thank you for your support for such a worthy cause.Project Thrive  Crievewood, along with 17 other area churches, has partnered with the Center for Healthy Churches out of Belmont University to participate in Project Thrive, which has been funded in large part by a grant from the Lilly Foundation.This five-year initiative is designed to create opportunities for our church to reflect on our strengths and ministry focus, our unique context, and specific thriving traits. The beginning stages of the initiative were disrupted by the pandemic, but much work has continued behind the scenes.    In 2021, we will have a series of 3 congregation-wide conversations to talk about the past, present, and future of Crievewood. Our Thrive Team will host these conversations, listen intently, and then work together to form an action plan and strategies to help our church thrive in the 21st century.    Please mark your calendars for the first of these conversations on Sunday, January 10, at 1:00 pm. The conversation will take place on Zoom and, if possible, we will also provide an in-person option. We want as many members of the Crievewood family to participate as possible from youth group age on up. We value your input, your stories, and your relationship with Crievewood and want to take as many perspectives into consideration as possible. More details will follow, but please go ahead and make plans to give 2 hours of your time in this important step toward helping Crievewood more fully live into our calling and identity.Nov. 25 – Jim Arnette Nov. 26 – Cappi Villines Nov. 27 – Noah Hardison and Chelsey Hedglin Nov. 29 – Lillian Burch and Jo Newbill Nov. 30 – Cora Lane Dec. 1 – Worlanyo Fenih and Ashlee (Head) Walker Dec. 2 – Allie Cate, Luke Sims, and Claire Woods Dec. 6 – Jacob Lee and Katie Lindholm  If you have a birthday between November 25 and December 8 and it does not appear in the list above, then it is not in our database.  We would like to celebrate with you.  If your birthday does not appear, please notify the church office at 615-832-2897.Still looking for more information?  Below are links that may help.  UM NewsLink to the Prayer ListCUMC Online GivingStewardship Commitment FormServant Leader Interest FormLive Stream Worship Sundays @ 10:45 a.m.Most gracious God, thank you for all the gifts you have bestowed on Crievewood United Methodist Church over the generations. By your Holy Spirit, grant us the grace that welcomes all of your children.  Make us a community that reflects the full diversity of Christ’s body. Help us grow to love one another as You love us. Empower us to reveal Christ through worship and service.  In your holy name we pray.  Amen.Copyright © 2020 Crievewood United Methodist Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive the Crievewood United Methodist Church Newsletter. Our mailing address is: Crievewood United Methodist Church451 Hogan RoadNashville, Tn 37220