Church Happenings - Week of 12/3/25
*Reminder - please remember to bring your 2026 Estimate of Giving Card to Church Sunday or any day this week. Thank you!
Your Commitment Makes Ministry Possible
As we prepare for 2026, we’re asking everyone to prayerfully complete and return your Estimate of Giving card. These commitments aren’t just paperwork—they’re the foundation that allows us to live out our mission of “Living Jesus’s radical love, welcoming all into life-changing faith and joyful service.”
When you share your intended giving for the coming year, you help us:
Plan worship and ministry programs with confidence
Support our staff and maintain our facilities
Reach out to our community with compassion and purpose
Make faithful decisions about where God is calling us to grow
Your generosity—whatever the amount—matters deeply. Every gift fuels our shared ministry and makes our vision possible. Please bring your completed card to worship this Sunday or drop it by the church office.
Thank you to Linda for article in the November MN Annual Conference Newsletter
HAPPENINGS AT GLENDALE UMC 6 Shared by Linda V - 2026 Lay Servant Ministries Team Co-Chair
This summer Glendale UMC officially became a reconciling congregation
~ Hooray! In September Glendale celebrated its 40th Anniversary of Ministry in Savage with a special theme each week throughout September
~ Hooray! Also in September, some of the Reconciling Ministry team were present with a booth at the Pride festival in Burnsville
~ Hooray! In October Glendale once again participated in the city of Savage Boo-Bash with a booth filled with a spinning wheel and activities for all the children. Like last year, Glendale's booth was a favorite! Glendale also hosted a Trunk or Treat event on Halloween Night~ we had 16 trunks handing out treats plus we had fresh popped popcorn and crafts for the +200 kiddos who braved the yucky, cold & rain
~ Hooray! 7 Coming up, Glendale is hosting their annual Thanksgiving Day community meal which has become a tradition for many families!
~ Hooray! On December 6th another annual event, the United Women of Faith's Cookie Sale will be happening. A new addition this year is the Sunday Funday Youth are having a Christmas Market to coincide with the Cookie sale!
~ Hooray! Also, Glendale is going to be a host site for the Bishop's Zoom Advent study on Monday nights in December.
~ Hooray! AND... if all of this isn't enough to toot our horns, Glendale has welcomed ANOTHER 10 new members this fall with another new member group possibly in December!
~ Hooray! God is definitely up to something at Glendale UMC!
Sunday Morning Prayer Team
Join us every Sunday from 9:15-9:30 AM downstairs in classroom 1 for prayer before worship. Together, we'll pray for our world, our nation, our community, and each other. In times like these, prayer matters—and praying together matters even more.
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Pastoral Care & Support
Need a listening ear or a caring presence? Pastor Brenda and our compassionate church members are available for visits during times of illness, loss, or when you simply need someone to talk to. To arrange a visit, please contact the church office at (952) 894-5394 or reply to this email. We're here for you!
This Sunday, December 7th
10:00 AM - Worship Service - Pastor Brenda North
11:00 AM - Fellowship time with Coffee & Donuts
Volunteers needed for this Sunda
Liturgist
Tech Team
Acolyte
Thank you to the volunteers who have helped out previous weeks! For more information on volunteering during worship, please check out the Sunday volunteer page.
Advent Study - Mondays 12/1-12/22, 6:45-8:15p
A Child Is Born: A Beginner’s Guide to Nativity Stories
By Amy-Jill Levine
“Dive into the narratives of Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, and Samuel to reveal how they foreshadow and enrich the timeless Christmas story. Levine shows readers how Scripture's earlier birth stories anticipate the story of Jesus’s birth and how His birth resonates and gives new meaning to those earlier stories.“
We will be following along with Bishop Lanette on Mondays during Lent (12/1- 12/22) using this study. There will be a ZOOM portion with Bishop Lanette and other churches along with our own discussion.
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Women's Bible Study - will also be engaging in this study on Wednesdays 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, & 12/17 at 9:30 am.
JOIN US THIS SATURDAY:
Glendale's Annual Cookie Sale AND Christmas Market!
Saturday, December 6th
10am- Noon!
This year you can get your favorite sweet treats & special handmade gifts for everyone on your list!
Leadership Christmas Party
Committee members and staff: Thank you for your faithful leadership throughout this year! You are invited to our annual Leadership Christmas party. This is a time to relax, celebrate the season together, and enjoy each other’s company outside of meetings and ministry tasks. I’m looking forward to celebrating with you and the incredible work we’ve accomplished together this year!
- Pastor Brenda North
When: Monday, December 8th, 6:00-7:30 PM
Where: Pastor Brenda’s home
Bring: An appetizer or treat to share
Please RSVP to Brenda so she knows how many to expect!
Glendale UMC will be volunteering with The Open Door Food Pantry
Next volunteer opportunity is December 10th at Eagle Ridge Middle School, located at 13955 Glendale Road, Savage, MN. The volunteer hours are from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm.
We have drivers to deliver food to clients who cannot travel to Eagle Ridge Middle School, and volunteers to help distribute food at the school. For more information, please contact Glendale at 952-894-5394.
New Club forming at Glendale - Lego Club!
Thursday, December 11 from 5:30-7:00 pm.
Bring your most recent project! Build a bag or a whole box. Don't have Lego sets? Just come! Build with friends, build with family, or build by yourself. No matter what you choose, it will be a good time!
Wednesday, December 17 - Thrive and Care Packages
Friends! On December 17th during Thrive we will be putting together care packages for our shut-ins. Please help us spread some cheer during the holiday season!
We need you to help box us the love and write notes of encouragement, right after our heavenly hot dish meal. In preparing for this, we need some supplies. Below you will find the list:
Small boxes (think shoe box size)
Packing tape
Packing filler
If you know of someone that could you a little Christmas love in a box, please contact Cindy W. or the church office. Thank you!
Come support one of our members during a performance with Unlabeled Theatre Company!
Performances: January 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, and 25, 2026
Where: Gremlin Theatre, 550 Vandalia St., St. Paul, MN
Tickets are on sale now at Unlabeled Theatre Company Presents: Something Rotten!
ADVENT HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Sunday, November 30 - First Sunday in Advent: Please return your Pledge cards.
Wednesday, December 3 at 5:30 pm - Join us for Heavenly Hotdish and Church Decorating
Saturday, December 6 - 9:00 am - 12:00 Noon - Cookie Sale and Youth Christmas Market
Sunday, December 7 - Second Sunday in Advent
Wednesday, December 10 - 5:30 pm - Join us for Heavenly Hotdish and Christmas Caroling
Sunday, December 14 - Third Sunday in Advent - Communion and Pop-up Christmas Pageant
Wednesday, December 17 - Join us for Heavenly Hotdish and making Care Packages
Sunday, December 21 - Fourth Sunday in Advent
Wednesday, December 24 - Christmas Eve Service
Advent Study: A Child Is Born: A Beginner’s Guide To Nativity Stories by Amy-Jill Levine
Monday evenings: 12/1, 12/8, 12/15, & 12/22 from 6:30 pm-8:15 pm with the Bishop via Zoom and our own discussion afterwards
Wednesday mornings: 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, & 12/17 at 9:30 am with the Women’s Bible Study
SAVE THE DATE: Upcoming Glendale Events to Mark on Your Calendar
Now-Christmas Eve - Advent (see scheduled events above)
December 3rd, 12:00 Noon - Plants delivered from Gertens
December 6th, 10:00 AM to Noon - Cookie Sale & Christmas Market
December 8th, 6:00-7:30 PM - Leadership Christmas Party
December 10th, 2:30-4:30 pm - Open Door Distribution at Eagle Ridge MS
December 11th, 5:30-7:00 pm - First meeting of the Lego Club
January 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, and 25 - Unlabeled Theatre Company Presents: Something Rotten!
January 18th, during Sunday Morning Worship - The Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge Choir
See below for other small groups and volunteering opportunities
Glendale Small Groups & Volunteering
For additional information on small groups to join or volunteer opportunities, check out the Small Groups, Community Outreach, or Worship Volunteer pages. If you are interested in starting a small group, please contact Pastor Brenda and/or the church office for additional guidance. See below for the Church Calendar for this week and next.
