I wanted to be sure you had one worship service in particular on your calendar: The Longest Night on Tuesday, December 21 at 6PM. For those who have experienced loss, the holidays can be a particularly painful time, stirring up grief in acute ways. As a result, Allendale has adopted the practice of having a “Blue Christmas” or a “Longest Night” service during the Advent season.
The 21st is the Winter Solstice, which is the longest night of the year and we have created a space for prayer, reflection, and remembrance amidst the holiday hustle and bustle. In this pandemic season of life, we imagine that grief and loss will be magnified and nearly universal, and a service like this may be needed now more than ever. Therefore, I hope that this worship service will be a gift to you, providing a space of calm, quiet, and healing.
PS. This Sunday in worship is our Christmas choir debut as well as new member Sunday! You won’t want to miss the special music and new faces!
BRING A NEW UNWRAPPED TOY TO WORSHIP this Sunday (Dec 12) to participate in a community Xmas toy drive with Rep. Michele Rayner’s office.
Gifts
Click the picture to give online
Text-to-give: 727-312-0808
Amazon Smile: Allendale United Methodist Church
Missed Sunday’s worship service! Click the image to watch.
Sat Dec 11 Neighborhood Caroling with Tru (Meet @ Allendale) 5:30 PM
Sun Dec 12 Toy Drive & New Member Sunday @ Allendale
Sun Dec 12 Christmas Choir Music Sunday (Sanctuary) During worship
Sun Dec 12 St. Pete Community Band Christmas Concert (Sanctuary) 3 PM
Sun Dec 19 Cookie Exchange (Narthex) Following worship
Tue Dec 21 Longest Night Worship Service (Sanctuary) 6 PM
Wed Dec 22 Dinner With Santa (Community Center) 5 PM
Impromptu Christmas Pageant (Sanctuary) 6:30 PM
Fri Dec 24 Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (Sanctuary) 6 PM
Sun Jan 16 Allendale Tru-Time Orchestra Concert (Sanctuary) 4 PM
Mon Jan 17 Allendale Tru-Time Orchestra Concert (Sanctuary) 7:30 PM
Mar 14-18 Youth Spring Break Trip to Montgomery Lynching Memorial
Sign-up at www.allendaleumc.org/montgomery
WANT TO JOIN ALLENDALE?:
New member Sunday is this Sunday Dec 12!
Sign up at www.allendaleumc.org/join
Caroling Opportunities: Sat Dec 11, 5:45 PM – Neighborhood caroling
Meet at Allendale – Caroling with Tru!
BRING COOKIES TO WORSHIP ON SUN DEC 19
for a cookie exchange following worship!
Tuesday, Dec 21 – 6PM
Longest Night Worship Service: for those grieving during the season and for all to stand with them
Join us on the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice, as we take time to lean on one another in our collective grief and sorrow, holding space for loss in this season that tries to insist on us being jolly.
Dinner with Santa and Impromptu Xmas Pageant
Wednesday, Dec 22
5-6:30 Dinner with Santa (come anytime)
6:30 Impromptu Christmas Pageant RSVP: www.allendaleumc.org/santa
There will be Christmas crafts, fun games, and a spaghetti dinner!
Impromptu Christmas Pageant: The children will participate in telling the Christmas story in whatever costume they would like! Dress up as Mary, Joseph, a donkey, or camel, Batmans, fairies, Pokemons, or dress up any way your child would like! If you do not have a costume, we have some available to grab before the service begins. They will join the manager scene when their character is called (whichever character they would like to be!). The Christmas story is meant for everyone! \
Friday, Dec 24 – 6PM
CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT WORSHIP:
There is no room for Mary and Joseph in the inn. They are displaced from their home, journeying to fulfill their civic requirements to be counted in the census. And yet, the time comes to give birth where they are, and so a humble home is found. A place is made, among the feeding trough, in a cramped room abounding with chaos. In many ways, Jesus is born without an invitation, and yet, he devotes his life to inviting people who are cast out. In the same way, we might imagine the story of Christmas as God’s invitation to be welcomed home despite all barriers. How will we respond?
Youth/Adult Spring Break Trip to Montgomery Lynching Museum
Join us March 14 -18, 2022 for our discovery trip. We will be going to Montgomery, AL to learn the history of slavery and how it intersect with our current problem of mass incarceration. We will travel by charter bus and visit the Equal Justice Initiative Museum, the Monument of Peace and Justice, have a walking tour of the south and many more activities. This trip is in partnership with Community Tampa Bay. We hope you can make it! Fill out the application at www.allendaleumc.org/montgomery
Click the image to register for Allendale’s Christmas Choir workshops and singing in worship
Click the image to download the Advent Devotional
SCHEDULE OF VIRTUAL GATHERINGS
Gatherings will be held via Zoom. Click event to join!
Click on an event at the appropriate time to join!
In-Person Youth Gatherings
Youth will meet on Sunday nights from 5:30pm-8:00pm
Noble Carter – Dec 8
Brandon Wise – Dec 9
Donna Vollmer – Dec 9
Sam Mattheus – Dec 9
Nathalie Valdez – Dec 12
Ed Lally – Dec 15
Philip Dinkins – Dec 15
Dr. Jim Light – Dec 17
Ruth Spangler – Dec 19
Greg Davidson – Dec 21
Helen Sterin – Dec 22
Chris Reich – Dec 22
Liam Oliver – Dec 22
Rook Ringer – Dec 24
Miguel Iturralde – Dec 25
Adrian Waldon – Dec 27
Jorge Sanchez – Dec 27
Patti Pierce – Dec 30
Laura Hutton – Dec 30
