ASHFORD MEMORIAL
METHODIST CHURCH​
PASTOR'S ARTICLE
Merry Christmas!
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Our family has always appreciated the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, written in 1843. For many years, my parents hosted a party at which the final few pages were read. Isn’t Dickens' story a wonderful picture of transformation? Ebenezer Scrooge is a cold and demanding miser, cruel to his employees and cranky all of the time.
But through the visitation of some ghosts, Scrooge realizes the error of his ways. The end of the story finds Scrooge a changed man, joyful and generous. A Christmas Carol closes describing Scrooge as someone who “knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.”
As I celebrate my fourth Christmas at Ashford, I would say that the people of our church surely ‘keep Christmas well.’ The biggest part of keeping Christmas well is to focus on Jesus and His birth. It is to let every heart prepare him room, to join with the angels singing “Glory to God in the highest,” to ponder as Mary did, the meaning of Jesus’ birth, to emulate the extravagant generosity of the Magi, and to share about Jesus like the shepherds did in Luke 2. Thank you for all for how you are so very joyful and generous - and a very Merry Christmas to you!
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Thank you for such a great response in submitting devotionals for our Come Near the Manager Advent devotional book. It has been a blessing to read each day’s entry, and I am finding that it is a good way to get to know some of our members at a deeper level. Perhaps this will become a Christmas tradition for us.
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It is believed that this year’s Candlelight services will have the largest number of voices in the choir we have ever assembled. I love to sing, but am typically reticent about participating in church choirs. This year, I decided to go ahead and be a part of this amazing ministry and be one of those voices. Being involved in the rehearsals has enabled me to grow even more in my appreciation for Daniel Shafer and Tony Wall. I cannot emphasize enough how gifted they are, while at the same time they are so patient with newbies like myself. They are absolute professionals, and we are blessed to have them serving the Lord here. I’m really looking forward to singing the Hallelujah Chorus for the first time and to proclaim through song that “He shall reign for ever and ever (and ever and ever, Hallelujah!)
- Robert
MUSIC AND WORSHIP
Sunday Worship Schedule
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9:00 am Worship Service
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10:00 am Adult Sunday School
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11:00 am Worship Service
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Ashford offers two traditional worship services at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. The format of these services are identical, with the exception that there will not be a choir or children's church offered at the 9:00 a.m. service.
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The 9:00 a.m. service offers Holy Communion on the first Sunday of each month for those who wish to partake of the sacrament on a more frequent basis.

The 11:00 a.m. service will be streamed through our YouTube page, Ashford Memorial Methodist Church. You can find it at this link: Ashford YouTube Channel. The 9:00 a.m. service
WILL NOT be streamed on YouTube.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
New Church Management App
​​Ashford Memorial Methodist is excited to announce our new mobile-enabled church management application! The new app will provide enhanced tools to sign up for service opportunities, make donations, and to access the church events calendar and membership directory.
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Training for New Church App
Julie Lucas will be providing trainings for members who would like to get a jump start using the new app. Click here to reserve a spot. She will provide more dates in January if all of these fill up. There will only be 5 spots per time. If you have a group that would like to come together, feel free to email her at finance@ashfordmemorial.org to schedule a time.
MISSIONS
Ashford Memorial Methodist actively supports many local and international missions. You can view our recent and upcoming activities in our December Missions Newsletter. ​Contact our missions coordinator to find out how you can help.
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TITHES AND OFFERINGS
Thank you for continuing to support Ashford financially. We are blessed to be able to continue to support our missions, service people, and ongoing church expenses.
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Ashford now has a Pushpay account. If you choose to donate electronically, please scan the QR code or use this link.
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As always, checks can be mailed to P. O. Box 344, Watkinsville, GA 30677.
CONTACT US
Physical Address: 1 South Main Street
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 344
Watkinsville, Georgia 30677
The Ashford Church Office is located in the Murray House (the yellow house across the parking lot). As a reminder, the church office hours are Monday-Friday 9:00-3:00 with an hour lunch break.
Office (706) 769-6928
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THE CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday