A note from Pastor Travis

Posted on Posted in A Message from Our Pastor

“O come all Ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come Ye, O come Ye to worship at First United Methodist Church of Melrose!” – Ok, I just messed up the meter of a great

Christmas carol, but I think it was worth it to share an important message. Exciting things are happening in our church during Advent and Christmas, and we invite everyone to join us.

Christmas Eve is on a Sunday and we are going to shake the building with the joy of our worship. At the 10:00 morning worship service we are having an all-congregation

Christmas Pageant. Everyone will have a role. You don’t need to practice before hand, and I guarantee you will have a great time. This will be a great service to bring children to – so invite all your little nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and neighbors!

Then at 5:30 we are going to have a wonderful and inspiring Christmas Concert. If you are not already in the Christmas mood, then you definitely will be after the concert. The concert will be followed by the Christmas Eve service at 6:00. The service will be a lesson and carols, and will include our traditional candlelight ending.

The following Sunday is December 31 – New Years Eve. Traditionally Methodist meet at 11PM for a watch night service on New Years Eve to give thanks for the old year and to ask for God’s blessing in the new year. We aren’t going to do that. (It’s past my bedtime!).

However, we ARE going to celebrate an adapted version of the watch night service during our regular morning worship at 10:00 am. It will be a watch morning service — (maybe I need to workshop the title a little bit!)

It will be a wonderful way to give thanks to God for all of the blessings of 2023 and for the ways that God was with us when 2023 didn’t feel like a blessing. It will also be an opportunity to ask for God’s continued presence and blessings on 2024.

I am excited about our services for Advent and Christmas (and beyond). I will see you there! Don’t forget to bring a friend…or 3!

Happy Advent,

Pastor Travis

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Christmas Eve is on a Sunday!

In the morning service we will be holding a Christmas Pageant in which everyone can participate, no rehearsal needed. Then we will be holding our Christmas Eve Service in the evening. The festivities will begin with live music at 5:30 and the service at 6:00. This is a great day to invite family and friends, for both the morning and evening services. 

Join The Christmas Eve Choir

Our Christmas Eve celebration will begin with music! We are inviting you to join the Christmas Eve Choir, which will sing prior to the Christmas Eve Service from 5:30-6p.m. and participate in the Christmas Eve Service at 6:00. If you would like to participate, there will be rehearsals on Sunday, December 10 and 17 following morning worship. Everyone is invited to join in the fun!