HIGHLIGHTING OUR MISSIONS AND MINISTRIES

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God’s love. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been
packed, shipped, and delivered across the globe. People of all ages can be involved in this simple, hands-on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas—Jesus Christ.

This year, Central UMC will again participate in this wonderful program. We are now collect ing shoe boxes for this purpose. We would like to have shoe boxes available THIS SUNDAY so are asking that empty shoe boxes be brought in to the church by this Friday.

National Collection Week is November 17-24.

Alcoholics Anonymous

What is A.A.?
Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of men and women from all walks of life who meet together to attain and maintain sobriety. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership.

Current Membership
It is estimated that there are more than 114,000 groups and over 2,000,000 members in over 180 countries.

Relations With Outside Agencies
The Fellowship has adopted a policy of “cooperation but not affiliation” with other organizations concerned with the problem of alcoholism. We have no opinion on issues outside A.A. and neither endorse nor oppose any causes.

How A.A. Is Supported
Over the years, Alcoholics Anonymous has affirmed and strengthened a tradition of being fully self-supporting and of neither seeking nor accepting contributions from nonmembers. Within the Fellowship, the amount that may be contributed by any individual member is limited to $3,000 a year.

How A.A. Members Maintain Sobriety
A.A. is a program of total abstinence. Members simply stay away from one drink, one day at a time. Sobriety is maintained through sharing experience, strength and hope at group meetings and through the suggested Twelve Steps for recovery from alcoholism.

Why Alcoholics Anonymous Is ‘Anonymous’
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of A.A. It disciplines the Fellowship to govern itself by principles rather than personalities. We are a society of peers. We strive to make known our program of recovery, not individuals who participate in the program. Anonymity in the public media is assurance to all A.A.s, especially to newcomers, that their A.A. membership will not be disclosed.

Anyone May Attend A.A. Open Meetings
Anyone may attend open meetings of A.A. These usually consist of talks by a leader and two or three speakers whoshare experience as it relates to their alcoholism and their recovery in A.A. Some meetings are held for the specific purpose of informing the nonalcoholic public about A.A. Doctors, members of the clergy, and public officials are invited. Closed discussion meetings are for alcoholics only.

How A.A. Started
A.A. was started in 1935 by a New York stockbroker and an Ohio surgeon (both now deceased), who had been “hopeless” drunks. They founded A.A. in an effort to help others who suffered from the disease of alcoholism and to stay sober themselves. A.A. grew with the formation of autonomous groups, first in the United States and then around the world. www.aa.org

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS meets weekly here at Central UMC on Thursday nights at 7pm in Room 133.

Narcotics Anonymous

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a twelve-step program of recovery from drug addiction, modeled on Alcoholics Anonymous. It describes itself as a nonprofit "fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem", and it is the second-largest 12-step organization in existence. The program is group-oriented, and is based on the twelve steps and the twelve traditions adapted from A.A.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS meets weekly here at Central UMC on Tuesday nights at 7:30pm in Room 133.

Used Furniture Ministry

This ministry was started a little over 6 years ago, right after an apartment building on A Street in Lenoir City burned down. We collect and store good used furniture in two different mini-storage locations plus a storage building located behind the church.

There are over a hundred church families who have donated furniture. This would not have been a success without their generosity. We hope this continues so that we can help the families who are less fortunate.

Most families come to us with nothing to sit on, to sleep on, or to eat on. To date, we have helped 620 families with over 2200 pieces of furniture. The rewards of this ministry are the hugs and the “thank you’s” from the people we help. We have had people thanking us with tears in their eyes and saying that it must have been a “Godsend”. This ministry is carried out by all
volunteer workers. I hope that all of you continue to support this ministry and make life just a little bit better for some needy person.

Thank you,
Jay, The Furniture Man