Wednesday or Sunday Night Book Conversations - “In Search of God’s Will”
Book conversations with Pastor Cyndi using Trevor Hudson’s In Search of God’s Will
Too often people wonder whether God has a unique and personal call for them. And if so, how do we discern God’s call? Over the coming weeks, we will use Scripture and Trevor Hudson’s book to listen for God’s call—together, prayerfully, and with active participation.
Wednesdays at 6:15 PM in Room 311, begins January 7
Sundays at 7 PM on Zoom, begins January 11
For information and to sign-up contact: INFO@MCKENDREEUMC.ORG
Prayer Walk - an invitation to pause, pray, and rest in God’s presence
The sanctuary is open for a self-guided prayer walk designed to help us slow down, notice God’s presence, and pray in ways that open ourselves to discerning God's presence in our lives.
The prayer walk moves through a series of stations around the sanctuary, each offering a brief prayer and reflection. You’re invited to move at your own pace—lingering where you wish, passing by when you’re ready, and simply being present with God.
A prayer booklet is available in the sanctuary (regular print and large print). If you’d like to reflect more deeply or return to the prayers later, you can also download the booklet as a PDF HERE.
This is not a program to complete or a task to accomplish. It’s an invitation to pause, pray, and rest in God’s presence.
There’s a place for you—whether you have five minutes or an hour.
Adult Confirmation Class
CONFIRMATION FOR GROWN-UPS
Beyond baptism:
What confirmation means to United Methodists
Strengthen your identity and open your heart to God’s call
When: Wednesdays at 6:15 PM - Starts January 14th
Where: Room 314
Facilitators: Pastor Paula & Grace Lee-Zimmerman
Email: pdallas@mckendreeumc.org for information and to signup
Wednesday Night Supper
There’s room at the table for you! No reservation is required.
Menu: Poppy Seed Chicken, Rice, Green Beans and Tomatoes, and Dessert Kids: Pizza Bites and Fruit Cup
Dinner is served from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM.* $6.00 per adult, $3.00 per child and $7.00 for To-Go meals
*The serving line is open from 5:00 to 6:00 PM for in-person or carry-out. If you can't make it before 6 o’clock, pay online before 4:00 PM and your order will be ready for you to pick up when you arrive. Pay Online ($7.00 per meal)
Serve Dinner at Rainbow Village
Make a difference for families experiencing homelessness. Help McKendree UMC prepare and serve dinner. Learn more.
Sunday Worship - Laity Sunday
Celebrate and commission McKendree leaders and volunteers at the two Sunday Worship Services (9:30 AM and 11:00 AM)! After the service(s), walk down to the Fellowship Hall for a snack so we can show appreciation for all your hard work this year.
Sunday Worship - Uniquely Gifted: Everyone Has a Part to Play
We continue our series on God’s personal call in our lives. Scripture: Acts 2:17-18 and 1 Peter 4:8-11
At both the 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM services, we will learn that God’s will is communal—each disciple shares in God’s dream.
Touch the Water, Taste the Bread - Holy Communion
During the 11:00 AM Worship service, students of the Touch the Water, Taste the Bread class, will participate in Holy Communion along with their families.
Preschool Registration 2026/2027
Registration begins February 4th at 9:30 AM (registration must be in person)
All registration fees are non-refundable.
Sunday Worship - Scout Sunday
Celebrating the Scouting community and organization at the 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM service! Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, and Girl Scouts will lead us in worship, demonstrating the values of service and community that Scouting instills. If you have ever been a part of the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts we invite you to join us and be recognized for your accomplishments!
Food Drive - LAWRENCEVILLE CO-OP
Sunday, February 8 | Before and After Worship | Fellowship Hall
Everyone can make a difference by helping provide food and essentials for families in our community. On February 8, bring nonperishable food and toiletries to support Lawrenceville Co-Op.
Tuna is always in high demand and a great item to donate, along with other needed nonperishable foods and essential toiletries.
Drop-off Location: Fellowship Hall – Before and after worship
Learn more here.
LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEETING
McKendree's Leadership Council meets monthly in the Education Building Room # 311 - 312 and also via Zoom. Church members are welcome to attend meetings as observers. This month’s meeting is Sunday, January 18, after the worship service. If you would like to attend by Zoom, email Karla McHugh (kmchugh@mckendreeumc.org) for the zoom link or for more information.
Sunday Worship - Listen Well: A Heart That Looks Like God’s Heart
We continue our series on God’s personal call in our lives. This week we explore aligning our hearts with God's heart. Scriptures: Acts 2:5–13, 1 Corinthians 12:4–7
At both the 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM services, we will learn the Spirit empowers each person differently so all can build up the body. We discern God’s will by listening deeply to one another and by listening to scripture (especially the stories about Jesus, our best image of God).
Men of McKendree Gathering
Join the Men of McKendree the 3rd Thursday of this month for Food, Fellowship, and Faith!
Details:
When: January 15, 2026, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Fellowship Hall
Food: CHILI SAMPLING!
The weather forecast at this writing calls for a cool, wet winter day; Which seems like a perfect time for the Food option to be our annual CHILI SAMPLING! We'll need a few crock pots of your favorite chili offering, so please indicate when you RSVP whether you can bring chili or any of the typical toppings or sides for a chili dinner meal.
Fellowship: NFL playoff and Super Bowl trivia. Note: We will NOT discuss a certain Super Bowl appearance by a nearby NFL franchise which ended infamously.
Faith: Guided discussion on McKendree's current focus, God's Unique Call for You
If you are interested in more info., please contact Bobby Butler at bobby_b57@yahoo.com.
See you next Thursday, 1/15, don't forget to RSVP....and be planning your best chili! (BTW, we aren't Texans, so chili can be with or without beans, chef's choice.)
Wednesday Night Supper
There’s room at the table for you! No reservation is required.
Menu: Spaghetti with Meatballs, Italian Salad, Garlic Bread, and Desserts
Dinner is served from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM.* $6.00 per adult, $3.00 per child and $7.00 for To-Go meals
*The serving line is open from 5:00 to 6:00 PM for in-person or carry-out. If you can't make it before 6 o’clock, pay online before 4:00 PM and your order will be ready for you to pick up when you arrive. Pay Online ($7.00 per meal)
Support Liberian Mission Trip - Grab & Go Lunches
What: McKendree UMC Mission Team is selling grab & go lunches to raise money for the Liberia Mission Trip. African and American food will be available.
When: Sunday, January 11th 10:30 AM and Noon
Where: Narthex
African Menu: Jollof Rice, Collard Greens (Liberian), and Fried Plantain (side)
American Menu: Poppy Seed Chicken, Green Beans with New Potatoes, and Baked Cinnamon Apples
Your support for our fundraiser will be highly appreciated! All proceeds go to fund the 2026 Liberian Mission Trip.
Sunday Worship - Remembrance of Baptism
In both services, 9:30 and 11:00 AM, we will read the story of Jesus’ baptism as we remember our baptism. Through our baptism vows we renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of sin. We accept the freedom and power God gives to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
Send a picture of your baptism to info@mckendreeumc.org
Sunday Worship - Our First Call: God Names and Claims Us
At both the 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM services, in Acts 2:1-4 · Matthew 3:13–17 and through the remembrance of our baptism, we will continue to listen for God’s personal call in our lives.
McKendree Women Connect Meeting
Women's Connect meets monthly.
Who: Women of McKendree - bring your moms and youth
What: Pastor Cyndi will lead a workshop on Prayer.
Food: Light refreshments will be provided.
When: Saturday, January 10th, 2026, 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Where: Fellowship Hall
For more information email INFO@MCKENDREEUMC.ORG
Wednesday Night Supper
There’s room at the table for you! No reservation is required.
Menu: Meatloaf, Creamy Mash Potatoes, Green Beans, and Desserts. Kids Menu: Chicken Nuggets and Fruit Cups
Dinner is served from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM.* $6.00 per adult, $3.00 per child and $7.00 for To-Go meals
*The serving line is open from 5:00 to 6:00 PM for in-person or carry-out. If you can't make it before 6 o’clock, pay online before 4:00 PM and your order will be ready for you to pick up when you arrive. Pay Online ($7.00 per meal)
Touch the Water, Taste the Bread - Kids Sacrament Class
MCKENDREE KIDS SACRAMENT CLASS
McKendree UMC invites all preschool aged children to join us for our annual Sacraments class. This six week class introduces the UMC Sacraments and will prepare the children to take Communion and start to understand the meaning behind this tradition.
Class meets Sundays at 11:00 AM for six weeks starting, January 4, 2026.
To register, email Sarah How at SHOW@MCKENDREEUMC.ORG
Children will participate in Holy Communion on February 1, 2026.
Sunday Worship - Good News! God Has A Unique Call for You
On this first Sunday of the new year at both the 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM services, we’ll listen for God’s personal call in our lives. In Acts 1:12-14 and Romans 12:1–2, we ask whether God really has a unique call for every person.
Called: God’s Unique Call for You
Our new sermon series, Called: God's Unique Call for You, begins January 4.
Alongside the sermons, several opportunities support this focus:
Book conversations with Pastor Cyndi
using Trevor Hudson’s In Search of God’s Will
• Wednesdays at 6:15 PM in Room 311, begins January 7
• Sundays at 7 PM on Zoom, begins January 11
Confirmation for Grown-Ups
with Pastor Paula and Grace Lee Zimmerman
Strengthen your identity and open your heart to God’s call.
Wednesdays at 6:15 PM in Room 314, begins January 14.
A Spiritual Gifts Workshop led by Pastor Paula
January 24, 9 AM - 2 PM | Fellowship Hall
Explore your unique spiritual gifts and how these are part of God's unique call for you.
There is a place for you as we listen, learn, and respond to God’s call.
Men of McKendree Weekly Prayer Call
What: A time for men to gather via Zoom to pray for our families, church, community and nation, as well as, ourselves. We'll generally gather for a couple of minutes, begin lifting up topics of prayer & praise, then wrap up after 15 to 20 minutes.
Why: 1 Timothy 2:8 - Men of God Pray!
When: Every Tuesday at 7:00 AM to 7:15 AM/7:20 AM
How: Join Zoom Call. Meeting ID: 873 2397 3948 Passcode: 0NH7hM
End-of-Year Worship
One Worship Service at 11:00 AM
Everyone is invited to wear Christmas Pajamas! Children stay in worship and are encouraged to bring a favorite (quiet) soft toy for the prayground.
Family Nativity Worship Service
MCKENDREE KIDS CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE
All ages are welcome to attend our 2:00 PM Family Nativity Service! McKendree Kids have been practicing for months to share their beautiful Christmas songs and reenact the Nativity in costumes to bring the coming of the Christ child alive! This international Worship service is interactive and will fill your heart with the joy of the spirit. If you are looking for a daylight Christmas Eve service, you do not want to miss this.
Christmas Eve Services
CHRISTMAS EVE AT MCKENDREE - CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS
McKendree UMC offers several times of worship on Christmas Eve in the hopes that EVERYONE knows they are welcome and that there is a place for them.
2:00 PM Family Nativity Service - Children will dress in costume to reenact the Nativity and sing.
8:00 PM Lessons and Carols - Scriptures with music from choir, handbells, orchestra, and ensembles. (Childcare Provided)
11:00 PM Candlelight & Communion - A meaningful service led by the praise team.
All are welcome to celebrate this wondrous time!
Men of McKendree Weekly Prayer Call
What: A time for men to gather via Zoom to pray for our families, church, community and nation, as well as, ourselves. We'll generally gather for a couple of minutes, begin lifting up topics of prayer & praise, then wrap up after 15 to 20 minutes.
Why: 1 Timothy 2:8 - Men of God Pray!
When: Every Tuesday at 7:00 AM to 7:15 AM/7:20 AM
How: Join Zoom Call. Meeting ID: 873 2397 3948 Passcode: 0NH7hM
Caroling, Cookies, and Cocoa at the Co-Op
On Monday, December 22 from 4:30 - 7:30 PM, join the Vasser Family to sing carols and hand out cookies and cocoa to clients at the Lawrenceville Co-OP (52 Gwinnett Drive) for our 4th annual Caroling, Cookies, and Cocoa.
We are expecting about 200 people and need 20 dozen cookies to be donated in addition to as many Christmas Carolers as we can get to help spread holiday cheer! If you can't join us to sing, please consider donating homemade cookies for us to hand out. Thank you and sign up!
Advent Holy Communion
During the Advent season, Holy Communion offers a quiet space to remember that hope is greater than fear.
Wednesday, December 17, 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM - Fellowship Hall
In this brief, yet meaningful service, we read scripture, light candles in prayer, and open the Altar Rail for prayer. Stephen Ministers are available during and after the service. We especially invite anyone who has experienced a loss this year, making it difficult to face the holiday season. There is a place for you in this time of prayer, light, and hope.
Wednesday Night Supper
There’s room at the table for you! No reservation is required.
Menu: Breakfast for dinner - Spinach Quiche, Scrambled Eggs, Pancakes, Sausage, Bacon, Fruit, and Biscuits
Dinner is served from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM.* $6.00 per adult, $3.00 per child and $7.00 for To-Go meals
*The serving line is open from 5:00 to 6:00 PM for in-person or carry-out. If you can't make it before 6 o’clock, pay online before 4:00 PM and your order will be ready for you to pick up when you arrive. Pay Online ($7.00 per meal)
Men of McKendree Weekly Prayer Call
What: A time for men to gather via Zoom to pray for our families, church, community and nation, as well as, ourselves. We'll generally gather for a couple of minutes, begin lifting up topics of prayer & praise, then wrap up after 15 to 20 minutes.
Why: 1 Timothy 2:8 - Men of God Pray!
When: Every Tuesday at 7:00 AM to 7:15 AM/7:20 AM
How: Join Zoom Call. Meeting ID: 873 2397 3948 Passcode: 0NH7hM
Christmas Cantata, The Promise
A joyful musical celebration of Jesus birth at both worship services. Come at the time, 9:30 AM or 11:00 AM, that best fits your schedule.
This year, our cantata celebrates the theme, “The Promise” - recognition of the joy that the coming of our Savior brings. Our troubled world compels us to live from a place of fear. But this Advent, we recognize the joy, hope, and peace that Christ’s coming brings. We place our worldly worries at the foot of the infant Christ’s cradle, and center ourselves in the faith of the promised salvation that His arrival brings.
Through powerful readings and music, we journey from the quiet hope of Bethlehem to the triumphant proclamation of God’s glory revealed to all flesh. The cantata invites us to trust in the promise fulfilled—a child named Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace—whose light shines in the shadows of our lives and whose joy transforms the world.
This sacred offering reflects on God’s faithfulness and reminds us that Christ’s joy is for all people, in all times and places. Through music and word, we are invited to witness again the wonder of a child born to bring peace and hope to the world. Let this cantata be a moment to pause, to reflect, and to celebrate the profound truth: “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!”
***Please join us after the 11:00 AM service for a card shower reception to celebrate our organist Tom Moore, who will be concluding his time at McKendree after nearly a decade of beautiful contributions to our music program.
McKendree Women Connect Meeting
Women's Connect meets monthly. This time we invite the Cantata Cast members to join us for breakfast. After breakfast, the Cantata Cast members will leave for rehearsal and the Women Connect will have a White Elephant exchange game.
When: Saturday, December 13th, 2025
8:45 AM - 9:25 AM - Breakfast - Women Connect Members and Cantata Cast
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM - White Elephant Gift Exchange - Women Connect Members
Where: Fellowship Hall
Menu: Cheese Grits, Scrambled Eggs, Turkey Sausage, Fruit, Muffins, Coffee, Juice, & Water
RSVP Text 678-491-5048
For more information email INFO@MCKENDREEUMC.ORG
The Giving Tree Donations
Let's share God's love by donating to help these families in need so they can have the best Christmas possible!*
Please email Crystal Cox or Sarah Brown at raiseemup@mckendreeumc.org with any questions.
*We’re happy to report that all the specific gifts have been donated. However, monetary gifts are still welcome and will be very helpful.
Donate now - Giving Tree Donations
Advent Holy Communion
During the Advent season, Holy Communion offers a quiet space to remember that hope is greater than fear.
Wednesday, December 10, 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM - Sanctuary
Wednesday, December 17, 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM - Fellowship Hall
In this brief, yet meaningful service, we read scripture, light candles in prayer, and open the Altar Rail for prayer. Stephen Ministers are available during and after the service. We especially invite anyone who has experienced a loss this year, making it difficult to face the holiday season. There is a place for you in this time of prayer, light, and hope.
Wednesday Night Supper
There’s room at the table for you! No reservation is required.
Menu: Chicken Pot Pie, Salad, Dinner rolls and dessert Kids Kids Menu: Chicken Nuggets / fruit cup
Dinner is served from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM.* $6.00 per adult, $3.00 per child and $7.00 for To-Go meals
*The serving line is open from 5:00 to 6:00 PM for in-person or carry-out. If you can't make it before 6 o’clock, pay online before 4:00 PM and your order will be ready for you to pick up when you arrive. Pay Online ($7.00 per meal)
Men of McKendree Weekly Prayer Call
What: A time for men to gather via Zoom to pray for our families, church, community and nation, as well as, ourselves. We'll generally gather for a couple of minutes, begin lifting up topics of prayer & praise, then wrap up after 15 to 20 minutes.
Why: 1 Timothy 2:8 - Men of God Pray!
When: Every Tuesday at 7:00 AM to 7:15 AM/7:20 AM
How: Join Zoom Call. Meeting ID: 873 2397 3948 Passcode: 0NH7hM
Walk Thru Bethlehem 2025
Come experience what it was like in Bethlehem the night Jesus was born! Market stalls, shepherds and live animals, and the story of Jesus’ birth. This is what Christmas is truly all about! Everyone is Welcome! Open to the public from 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Advent Holy Communion
During the Advent season, Holy Communion offers a quiet space to remember that hope is greater than fear.
THIS WEDNESDAY PASTOR CYNDI IS BAKING FRESH BREAD!
Wednesday December 3, 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM - Sanctuary
Wednesday, December 10, 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM - Sanctuary
Wednesday, December 17, 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM - Fellowship Hall
In this brief, yet meaningful service, we read scripture, light candles in prayer, and open the Altar Rail for prayer. Stephen Ministers are available during and after the service. We especially invite anyone who has experienced a loss this year, making it difficult to face the holiday season. There is a place for you in this time of prayer, light, and hope.
Wednesday Night Supper
There’s room at the table for you! No reservation is required.
Menu: Meatloaf, Parmesan Garlic Linguine, Broccoli, and Desserts Kids - Hot Dogs and Fruit Cups
Dinner is served from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM.* $6.00 per adult, $3.00 per child and $7.00 for To-Go meals
*The serving line is open from 5:00 to 6:00 PM for in-person or carry-out. If you can't make it before 6 o’clock, pay online before 4:00 PM and your order will be ready for you to pick up when you arrive. Pay Online ($7.00 per meal)