Celebrating the Nativity

Throughout the month of December at Monaca UMC, kids and kids at heart heard the message of the first Christmas!

The Kids Sunday School class worked through lessons on the first Christmas, while the Adult Sunday School class completed a study on Who Needs Christmas by Andy Stanley.

For Coffee Mugs & Kids Club on December 13th, the featured story was The Stable that Bob Built by Cindy Kenney and the craft was a nativity scene with a “stained glass” background. (Thanks to everyone who braved the weather!)

The church lobby curio was filled with Nativity scenes, thanks to Joanne Ziegler.

Then on December 21^st, Monaca UMC hosted a Nativity Play, featuring actors of all ages. We thank Tina Allen for directing, Vera Lovewell for assisting, Adam Davidson for coordinating the audio equipment, Norma Coast for providing musical accompaniment, and all of the cast and crew members for attending practices and for remembering cues and lines! Special thanks also to our “understudies” for changing roles at the last minute!

On each Sunday of Advent, an additional candle of the Advent wreath was lit and readers shared the special meaning of the last candle. On Christmas Eve, December 24th, we saw the lighting of all four candles, as well as the center candle – the Christ candle – which celebrates Jesus as the Light of the World.

As chair of the Staff—Parish Relations Committee, Roberta Houser presented Pastor Jim with a monetary Christmas gift on behalf of the congregation.

Before Pastor Jim preached on Joseph’s decision to stay with Mary and name and raise Jesus, he brought children from the congregation forward to teach them about the Nativity scene.

The service concluded with Monaca UMC’s tradition of making a circle of light while singing “Silent Night.”

A Nativity even adorned the table with our mitten tree, where we collected winter accessories for those served by Beaver County’s Men’s and Women’s shelters, reminding contributors of the Reason for the Season!

Thanks to everyone who celebrated the birth of our Savior at Monaca UMC!