Dear SUMC family,

We are immensely thankful for the way you, as always, generously supported our efforts
to provide “care packages” for our college students and gift bags for the shut-in members of the church family. We are grateful to everyone who supplied gifts and treats, energy, and imagination to these year-end projects, and we are certain that everyone who received a care package or a gift bag felt the love of Jesus and the church family.

It has been a challenging, pandemic-shaped year for all of us, but it was never a challenge to find enough in the donation bins to fill every Operation Christmas Child shoebox, care package, and gift bag. Your willingness to serve and love encourages us, always. Thank you.

The Fellowship of the Cross

Dear Church Family — Thank you for the “Christmas Purse” and many other gifts and cards this Christmas season. I am surrounded by the love of family and am very grateful and thankful to you all.

With deepest appreciation,
Pam Honeychurch

Dear families of SUMC,

Thank you all so much for your generous gift! You are kind, caring, personable, and fully giving of your time and treasures.

As a musician, I consider it both a blessing and a necessity to share my love of music with the congregation. We all know that music brings people together, and I have always felt so welcomed and loved by the people of this church.

Once again, thank you for thinking of me and the others on the staff at this time of year. It really is my pleasure to bring the gift of music to the wonderful people of this church.

Matt

The week before my finals, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a package with wonderful decorations all over it, full of goodies and a lovely card from the SUMC. It really lifted my spirits and energized me to keep on going on with my studies. I just wanted to express my gratitude towards everyone who put their love into that gift, as it really warmed my heart (and my roommates' as I shared the goodies with them). Thank you all so much!

All the best,
Lia Warburton

THANK YOU so very much for helping to make this Christmas Season a truly joyful one! Through your presence and your presents, you have shown me the true Spirit of Christmas over and over again. Thank you for your encouragement and generosity this season. I feel loved by you!

Pastor Hannah Loughman

Good morning Church!

Thank you so much for your generous gift. I am so grateful to be a member of such a kind community. I love our worship and fellowship time together more than you know!

Merry Christmas and blessings to you all! Xoxo Kelly

Dear SUMC family,

I am profoundly thankful for the light and encouragement offered by Rev. Marilyn Evans and Susie Moffett through the “But I’m not racist ... am I?” discussion group and for the leadership involved in the “Down to Earth” Advent study groups.

I am also thankful for everyone, new friends and old friends, who participated in those sharing circles. Everyone who gathered contributed to my growth. I valued your insights and experiences and look forward to gathering with you again.

Early in the “... I’m not racist ...” series, Marilyn and Susie asked the group why it is so difficult to have conversations about racism. In my response, I used the word “hopeless.” The gap between our earnest conversations and embedded, systemic racism seemed too vast to bridge. By the end of our journey, the energy and purpose in our group rekindled my hope.

One of the voices we considered in the group recalled a “bubble” of racial harmony and respect in the neighborhood where he lived as a young person. He was searching for more bubbles. The people in the room led me to believe that we could be a bubble, reflecting God’s love and hope for all the people.

In my Advent group, we talked about sacrificial love and intentional love and spirit-driven love in ways that made these concepts seem accessible and applicable. Again, I felt hopeful. When we gather and share, God’s Light lifts and encourages us. I encourage everyone in our church family to explore every growth opportunity.

Bill Utterback

Photo by Katharina Friederike