Advent is a time of Christian preparation for Christmas. All are invited to the First United Methodist Church in Jefferson this Sunday to prepare for Advent.
Every year since 1996 the church has celebrated the coming Advent with the workshop two Sundays before Advent begins.
Teresa Shahan organizes all the crafts and recruits family and friends to bring food. Worship is moved to 9:30 on that day so that the workshop can begin at 10:30. This year, November 23 is the day.
The FUMC Fellowship Hall round tables will be filled with crafts of all sorts – Christmas sugar cookies to decorate, Christmas ornaments to make out of toilet paper tubes and glitter glue, and decorations for the table like reindeer made out of gloves. This year the children will be able to make a hand print Santa, too. After worship is over the kids make a beeline to the Fellowship Hall and the dozen craft tables.
Over the nearly 20 years, the Advent workship has become a tradition. “It is our Coon family gift of love to our church family,” Shahan said. Everyone is always so happy and joyous on that day. Kids who used to do the crafts are now bringing their kids to church on that day. I can’t thank people enough for helping with the crafts and food. Everyone helps!”
Shahan is grateful to her parents Mary and Don Coon for helping as well as her sisters and their families: Gina Harrington, Marianne Carlson and Denise Harberts. Last year the Harberts helped a lot because the rest of the family was gone on that day.
Don Coon, Teresa’s father, used to make sugar popcorn at the church that day, making the entire building smell great. Now Shahan makes it at home and brings it. Grace Circle women and many others make snacks, desserts, rolls, and pizza for everyone to eat.
Shahan first saw an Advent workshop at Collegiate United Methodist Church in Ames when she lived there. Now it is a favored tradition in Jefferson.
Advent begins Sunday, Nov. 30. Other special events at First United Methodist Church include a cantata performed by the choir Sunday, Dec. 7, at 10:30 am; the children’s Christmas program Sunday, Dec. 14, at 10:30 am; and a Christmas musical, “The Christmas Chronicles,” Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 6:30 pm.
On Christmas Eve there will be a family worship service at 7 pm and Holy Communion at 11 pm.
