Are you baking a few cookies for Christmas? Members of First United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls will bake and distribute over 100 dozen cookies. Advent is in full swing at First UMC. Preparations to celebrate the birth of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ include opportunities for service, fellowship and worship.  The flutter of activity is framed around prayer.

For the past three years Sioux Falls First UMC has been part of the Missional Church Consultation Initiative (MCCI) of the Dakotas Conference.  As part of the effort, the church has been praying and discerning where God is leading them. Reverend Bob Ruedebush wrote a prayer for this Advent season. Every member of the congregation received a Breakthrough Prayer card. Members are encouraged to pray daily at 6:29 a.m. and/or 6:29 p.m. Photo: A family shares activities and cookies at Sioux Falls First UMC during Advent. Photo courtesy Sioux Falls first UMC.

“Our mission now is to be a sanctuary of Christian hope, love and encouragement in the heart of Sioux Falls,” Ruedebusch said. “The Advent prayer is an effort to ask God to break through for First UMC to live out the mission.”

The congregation has a long list of service opportunities to help people reach out and serve others this Advent season. Serving the Christmas meal at the banquet—with cookies of course, helping the Salvation Army with Toy Town, the annual distribution of Christmas gifts for families in need—with cookies of course and giving to the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, a center that provides services for the homeless, the church will give financially and also by volunteering - and with cookies.

On evenings during the week there is fellowship and education, including a tree lighting with a book reading by Tom Roberts, a Christmas tea, the multi-generational Christmas program and a family fun night with Christmas-themed games. The tree lighting began with songs in the sanctuary followed by Tom Roberts reading his newest Christmas story, “The Greatest Gift.” Everyone bundled up and headed outside to Minnesota Avenue for the tree lighting. All the children in attendance received a copy of Roberts’ book.  Refreshments of were served—with cookies of course. Photo: Lighting of the Christmas tree during a recent event at Sioux Falls First UMC. Photo courtesy Sioux Falls first UMC.

Each week the congregation can worship in a variety of services a traditional service, a unity service and a modern worship. A three-part sermon series, “The Redemption of Scrooge”, has three messages titled: “Bah Humbug”, “The Remembrance of Christmas Past” and “The Life of Christmas Present”.

Christmas worship will be available at seven different times and styles. An early Christmas Eve service will be held on Wednesday, December 21 in a casual family setting.  There will be five separate services on December 24th: 3 p.m. a family service, 5 p.m. a candle-light unity service with the unity praise band, 7 p.m. a candlelight traditional service with the chancel choir, 9 p.m. light up the night modern service and 11 p.m. candlelight service in the chapel. One service will be held Christmas day at 9:45 a.m. with a breakfast after the service. Photo: Sioux Falls First UMC chancel choir sings in the Advent season. Photo courtesy Sioux Falls first UMC.

There are also Bible studies going on and a finals study hall for college students. Sioux Falls area college students were invited to bring study materials to a quiet area in the church and connect to the Wi-Fi. There was free food and plenty of outlet spaces. Students with a college ID entered to win a $100 Visa Gift Card and left with finals care packages—with cookies of course.

“The season of Advent and Christmas can be overwhelming and busy. We invite members to pray daily that God would break through our stress and worry and remind us of the gift of each day,” said Ruedebusch.