I got out my 2008 United Methodist Calendar and Workbook the other day to start filling in some dates for the new year.

All the pages were so white and blank and clean. But then I started writing on them: meetings, choir practices, weddings, special events, Annual Conference, Carpenter's Project, Ellwood City Festival Weekend, turkey dinner, family gatherings, and so on. Gee, I discovered, a lot of my "new" year is already planned for me! I'm sure it's the same for you.

An order form is available in the kitchen or you may call the church office.  Quarts of soup are available for $4 or join us for lunch at noon for soup, crackers, bread, dessert and beverage for $3

Two hundred and twenty-three years ago this month, the Methodist preachers of the new United States were in the midst of an historic conference. They were busy organizing themselves into the Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury were elected general superintendents - bishops - of the new church. And Methodism became the first nationally organized church in the new nation.

Also at this conference, several persons were ordained as ministers. The ritual which was adopted was an edited and abridged form of the order of service used in the Church of England. Preaching services were held three times a day. Dr. Coke preached at the noon services and others preached the morning and evening services.

During the conference the preachers sent this pledge to John Wesley: During the life of Mr. Wesley, we acknowledge ourselves his Sons in the Gospel, ready in matters belonging to church government to obey his commands." However, three years later in 1787 when Mr. Wesley tried to exert some authority over the new denomination, he discovered the group was now charting its own course. They gladly followed his interpretation of Scripture, yet they felt they knew better than he what kind of church government was best suited for this country.

When the Christmas Conference was over, the preachers returned to their appointments. They and their successors did their work so well that within 75 years Methodism was the largest Protestant denomination in this country.

(Gathered from the works of Robert L. Hunt)

Receive catalogs! Every day our mail is filled with them: home furnishings; expensive gifts; cheap gifts; “niche” gifts (for the book lover, the cat lover, the dog lover, the horse lover, even the duck lover and chocolate lover); and, of course, toys. Each catalog encourages us to put together our Christmas Wish List to share with those we love.

I did that as a kid