​Isn’t the gratitude season is over?  Don’t we embrace the concept of gratitude in the last quarter of every year during Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons?  It’s JANUARY for goodness sake and shouldn’t we be moving onto the all-dreaded resolutions?  2023 just began and we should be creating an elaborate mastermind schedule that includes resolutions to fix our personality quirks, lose weight, exercise more, focus on mental toughness or _______________ (you fill-in the blank).   Or does the resolution mindset just end up depressing us and basically setting us up for failure?
 
Could our spiritual approach for the entire 2023 year be on gratitude as an alternative to resolutions?  Our lead pastor of North Scottsdale UMC, the Rev. Christopher Wurpts, shared in his sermon series that “Gratitude gives us a perspective on the past and our future.  This view gives us more hope and optimism for our future.”  I personally would fully welcome hope and optimism in this post-COVID era. 
 
Rev. Wurpts suggested that we could consider adopting a gratitude mindset.  Focusing on the gifts we have received from God.  That is, how you see God working, providing and showing up in your life.  If we begin this New Year focusing on His gifts of love, kindness, faithfulness and forgiveness in us, then it would make it easier to offer that gratitude to others as well.
 
One of our members once shared that one of his daily prayers was to offer-up 10BEFORE10.  Basically he thanks God for ten things that he is grateful for before 10:00.  We asked him if that was 10:00am or 10:00pm and his reply was “God would be happy with either!”  Not only did that work in his life but current research also supports living with an “attitude of gratitude” for a healthy mindset.
 
Why not shake up your new year and ditch the resolutions and focus on gratitude.  I invite you to offer-up a 10BEFORE10 daily gratitude prayer for a healthier 2023.

North Scottsdale United Methodist Church  invites the community to have the option of three Christmas Eve worship services this year.  We are hosting a family service at 5:00pm, a candle light service at 7:00pm and communion service at 11:00pm.  NSUMC will all host a Christmas morning service @ 10AM. All are free and open to the public.
 
The first service is family friendly and will begin at 5:00pm.  It offers the birth of the Christ child scripture reading and Christmas carols. All children will receive  glow sticks and Christmas goodie bags.
 
The second service will begin at 7:00pm.  This worship service follows the traditional Methodist liturgy and offers Christmas hymns, scripture and sermon.  It will feature the NSUMC adult Chancel choir.  This service will end with the darkening of the sanctuary and the lighting of candles by all attendees.
 
The last service of Christmas Eve will begin at 11:00pm.  The pastors will offer communion.  It also includes the traditional liturgy with scripture, instrumental accompaniment and sermon. This service will end with the darkening of the sanctuary and the lighting of candles by all attendees.

But wait that's not it! If you can break your  littles away  from their gifts, you are invited to our 10AM Christmas Day Service.   It will be a family friendly service and all children will remain in the sanctuary for the entire service (Sunday school will not be offered).

You are invited  to  experience Christmas  with the NSUMC community!

North Scottsdale United Methodist Church invites the community to a “Christmas Ornaments,Caroling & Hot Cocoa” Event on Sunday, Dec. 4th at 11:00AM (following the 10:00AM service).   The event will host the music of NSUMC Christmas carolers while attendees design their personal Christmas Ornaments and sip hot cocoa.  This event is FREE and open to the public.

NSUMC artist-in-residence; Janet Flournoy, will share her skills and artistic direction in assisting families in creating nativity silhouette make-&-take" ornaments for their Christmas tree.   Some of the materials that will be supplied include: clear ornaments, decals, labels,   glitter, poly-foam snow and pearls to help make each ornament into your family's Christmas 2022 ornament masterpiece!

NSUMC Chancel choir members, UWF ladies and children will lead attendees in traditional Christmas songs as folks design their holiday ornaments.    Some of the  seasonal favorites will include: Jingle Bells  and Silent Night by our children and youth,  Winter Wonderland  by our  Adult Chancel choir and  Santa Claus is Coming to Town  by our United  Women in Faith.
 
While attendees are creating an ornament for their tree and singing carols, NSUMC will also be hosting a Hot Cocoa Bar.  The bar will include hot cocoa, marshmallows, peppermint sticks, whipped cream and Christmas cookies. To add a twist NSUMC will have “To-Go” hot cocoa and holiday cards for everyone to take home and share with friends and family.  NSUMC is offering a fun way to share the holiday cheer!
 
The four weeks prior to Christmas is the season of Advent, a time when people prepare for the coming of the Christ child.  NSUMC would like to help you and your family prepare for the season by providing art elements to inspire creativity to help decorate the bough of your 2022 Christmas evergreen!  This is a perfect time for families to join in on the excitement of the season.  NSUMC will supply all of the crafting necessities and BONUS parents will enjoy that the mess will be left at church not on their kitchen floor! 

NSUMC invites you to craft, carol, sip cocoa and  share the spirit of Advent!

North Scottsdale United Methodist Church invites the community to the “Giving Plate & Pie Make & Take” event on Sunday, November 13th at 11:00AM.  NSUMC would like to help families prepare for the giving season with a “Giving Plate.”  The ceramic plates and materials will be supplied to assist folks in making a Giving Plate.   Home baked cookies will also be available and can be added to the plate before it leaves as a gift!  Families that attend can create a design on their own plate with the assistance of our Artist-in-Residence, Janet Flournoy, or use their personal creativity to make the design. This event is FREE and open to the public   

The month of November reminds us that we are in a season of gratitude.  We all have someone to be grateful for and NSUMC would like to offer a helping hand in giving a gift from the heart.  The concept behind the Giving Plate, is that you create it, and fill it with seasonal goodies.  Then gift this full plate to someone that you are grateful for.  The only thing you ask in return is that they fill it and gift it to someone that made them smile.  The Giving Plate ends up being a gift that keeps giving and keeps delighting others throughout the season.

The NSUMC will be also serving a wide selection of pies to accompany this artistic event. .

We would be grateful if you would  join in on the creativity and gifting!

Join NSUMC for a Chili Cook-Off with a pumpkin decorating craftivity on October 23rd at 11:00am following the 10:00am worship service.  The event is open to the public. Free chili taste testing and pumpkins!
 
We have invited amateur chili chefs to create their masterpieces for a friendly competition of taste testing.  All in attendance will have the opportunity to taste test the chili delicacies that come through those fellowship hall doors. The winner will claim bragging rights for 365 days and a special Chili Cook-Off trophy!
 
While friends and families devour the chili, NSUMC will also hand-out pumpkins and crafting items so families can decorate their pumpkin for the autumn holidays. 
 
Your taste buds, crafting skills and friendly conversations are invited to help welcome the season of autumn! 

We would be honored if  you would bring your family !

North Scottsdale United Methodist Church would like to celebrate the milestone of a new school year with a party that includes yummy donuts from the BITES DONUTS FOOD TRUCK!  On Aug. 28th NSUMC will host a “Welcome Back to Sunday School” party complete with activities, and FREE donuts.    The Sunday School PARTY on Aug. 28th @ 10:00 AM will include will include balloon artistry, a Johan and the whale craftivity, FREE yummy donuts from BITES DONUTS FOOD TRUCK.

The new school year has arrived and  NSUMC would like to help start students with a little   "Donut you love a Back-to-School Party" fun!  We will serve students FREE donuts from BITES DONUTS FOOD TRUCK.  Sunday School teachers will present the scripture story of Jonah in Sunday School and create balloon artistry whale during class time.

We invite all students ages 2-18 to come celebrate a great start to the 2022-2023 school year!

NSUMC would like to invite you to help celebrate the milestone of a new school year with a blessing, mission packing party, and a Sunday School party with yummy donuts from BITES DONUT FOOD TRUCK!  NSUMC will be offering blessings on students, educators, their mobile devices and backpacks during their worship service on Sunday, Aug. 14th @ 10:00AM!  The following Sunday (8/21) will include a “Mission Packing Party.”  Then on Aug. 28th NSUMC will host a “Welcome Back to Sunday School” party complete with crafts, and yummy donuts.

FREE backpack tags and goodie bags will be given out on Aug. 14th to all that attend the Backpack Blessing service and Sunday School at 10:00AM.  The backpack tag is constant reminder that God is with the students of our community in their daily life and that their church family will be praying for them throughout the year.
 
Children will be invited to help the mission project by packing the donated school supplies into backpacks on Aug 21st @10:00AM.  Don't have any students at home? All are invited to be a blessing to other less fortunate children by donating backpacks and school supplies or by making an ONLINE DONATION. The gifts will be blessed and distributed to Vista del Camino Recreation Center to help families that need extra support at the beginning of a school year.  Vista del Camino is a recreational facility in south Scottsdale that offers after-school care, clothing, food and financial support to less fortunate children.


The Sunday School PARTY on Aug. 28th at 10:00AM will include will include balloon artistry, a Noah’s ark craftivity, a half a dozen   FREE donuts  from BITES DONUTS FOOD TRUCK.

Please join NSUMC and help your student prepare for back-to-school by  stopping by to celebrate  one or ALL THREE of these Sunday's!

And of course, we pray that each of you have a  growth-filled and joy-filled school year (this goes for mommies and daddies, too!).
Blessings!
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North Scottsdale United Methodist Church invites children to “FOOD TRUCK PARTY Day Camp.”  This camp adventure will be held Monday, June 13 through Friday, June 17, 9:00 a.m. until 11:30AM at NSUMC.  It is open to all children ages three through twelve.  Because of the generous donations from our NSUMC members, this year our VBS/DAY CAMP is     FREE   for the full week program.
 
Food Truck Party Day Camp teaches us that everything we have comes from God!  It’s by turning to God at our meal time prayer, we can find grace, compassion and support on our daily journey.  This day camp offers energizing dance videos, interactive bible puppetry, super science experiments, creative crafts, and active games that are out-of-this-world!
 
Contact the church office at 480-948-0529 or office@nsumc.com to request a registration form that can be returned to the church office (11735 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85254) or register <<<HERE>>>.
 
Every summer during NSUMC’s Summer Day Camp, camper families and the congregation are asked to help us help other children.  This year the request is a donation of Walmart Gift Cards for the PIMA TRADITIONAL SCHOOL community aide office.  These gift cards will support children and families by helping them afford school supplies, clothing and the bare necessities to make their school life more comfortable.  Pima Traditional School is a Title One school in south Scottsdale.  To donate to this mission project click <<<HERE>>>.
 
Come enjoy the FOOD TRUCK PARTY Evening Event hosted on Friday, June 17th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm in the parking lot of North Scottsdale United Methodist Church, 11735 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85254.

North Scottsdale United Methodist Church INVITES ALL FAMIIES to celebrate the best of food truck cuisine and dine at our FOOD TRUCK PARTY EVENING celebration!  Multiple food trucks will be attending to help create an awesome foodie celebration!  The food delicacies will include:
 
Diner on Wheels FOOD TRUCK  They offer all the diner specialties that you can think of including an assortment of hamburgers, hot dogs, chili dogs, corn dogs, grilled cheese, fries, onion rings and even a Root Beer float!

Copper State Pizza FOOD TRUCK    Their menu includes 10” pizzas and calzones!  They offer ten different combinations for the pizza lover!

El Taco Santo Gilbert FOOD TRUCK This food truck will satisfy your taco pallet with quesadillas, tacos, keto bowls, Horchata and beverages!
 
The food trucks will be conveniently located in our parking lot.  The fellowship hall will be open for your dining pleasure, so families will not need to eat outside.  Families are also invited to pick-up dinner on their way home from work.
 
As always, we invite the campers to join our worship service on Sunday, June 19th at 10am to celebrate their fun week as well as to share photos and songs with our congregation.

NSUMC would like to invite the community children to a FREE Easter Sunday Bubble Blessings Event hosted on Sunday, April 17th from 10:00 to 11:00 am @ North Scottsdale United Methodist church, 11735 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85254.

North Scottsdale United Methodist Church INVITES children to celebrate Easter Sunday (April 17th, 2022 @ 10AM) with us and receive BUBBLE BLESSINGS!  We will have bubble stations set-up to experience bubbles as 3D shapes, snakes, giant bubbles and celebrate with the children as the bubbles they create sail to heaven!  

We will begin at 10AM in the sanctuary. Children will be excused to the NSUMC Fellowship hall where they will hear a short scripture story of the resurrection.  Then they will proceed to the playground to participate in a bubble extravaganza!  Children will learn to LOOK IN, LOOK OUT and LOOK UP, to experience Jesus! As the celebration ends each child will receive a FREE Easter goodie bag filled with eggs and candy!

And while we invite kids to this party on Easter Sunday, we also invite them to begin preparing for Easter  throughout Holy week.   Check out the online lessons.