All Saints Day Observation    One definition of a saint is one that the light shines through.  That definition comes from seeing the light shining through stained glass windows portraying the saints of the church.  These men and women expressed God’s love and mercy in how they lived their lives.  To observe them in relationship with others, was to see God’s love shining through.    This Sunday we will recognize all those who have claimed their eternal rewards since last All Saints Day.  We will light a candle for each church member who died over the past 12 months, and light one large candle for those who were part of our family, but not actually members of this congregation.  This time honored observance is important in recognizing the contributions of those who have shared with us in life and have now claimed their eternal rewards.

In our communion ritual we say, “And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:”      I am thinking about all those saints who shared faith with me over the years.  I am grateful for those who showed me love and taught me mercy.  There are those saints that I have not met, but because of their faithfulness, I have been blessed by those with whom they loved and shared life.  I love to read the Bible and all those wonderful stories, but somehow the personal testimony of those men, women, and children who have graced my life have shaped my faith in ways beyond description.  Their lives continue to light my path.    I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday as we light candles, proclaim God’s grace, and in gratitude give our gifts so others can know Him.      Bro. Don

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN
*November 1, 9:00AM Acadiana District UMW Annual Meeting in Lafayette. For information call Joyce Thibodeaux at 868-0100.
*November 4, 9:30AM UMW General Meeting in the Fellowship Hall Parlor.  Leader is Jeanne Scott.  Program:  Music in Mission.   Guests are welcome!

UNITED METHODIST MEN
   United Methodist Men, following an excellent meal, voted to contribute $1,000 toward a $7,000 cost of stump grinding and limb removal. They also discussed their Annual Ladies’ Night on November 18.  Men are encouraged to come and bring their ladies! You will remember that means Fried Turkey and all the trimmings!  Great food!  Good fellowship. $5 per person!  

NEWSLETTER NEWS!  NEWSLETTER NEWS!
   Let’s plan ahead!  The Church secretary will be out of the office the week of November 10-14.  There will be no newsletter that week.  However, if you have an article pertaining to that week,  please get it to the secretary by Monday, November 3, and it will be included in that week’s Circuit Rider! 

OUR CHURCH FAMILY
Death
   We extend our Christian sympathy to Jim and Betty Farmer and their family.  Betty’s sister-in-law, Mary Chambers, passed away recently!  May God bless this family!
   The family of Bobby Aycock wishes to thank everyone for all the loving prayers, thoughts, and acts of kindness following the loss of our beloved Bobby.  The support of our Church family comforted us greatly! 

October is Clergy Appreciation Month

TRUNK OR TREAT
   You can bring your family to this fun, safe Halloween alternative event here on the church grounds this Friday night!  The festivities start at 6:00PM and last until 8:00PM.  There is a lot for the kids to enjoy and the adults seem to have a blast, too!
 This is what we have planned!
1.  Trunk Or Treat --passing out candy and goodies to all the  little treaters from the trunk of your car.
2.  Car Decorating Contest
3.  Costume Contest with categories for Children, Teens,
Adults and Couples or Group.
4.  Games and Spacewalk for the children.
5.  FREE Hamburgers, Hot Dogs and Drinks (for as long as our supplies last!)
HELP! Have you checked with Jeanne Scott (868-7787)to see if you can help in some way on Friday night? Monetary donations to this event will HELP A LOT!  We also need cakes for the SPOOK WALK (aka Cake Walk). If you can help in any way please call NOW!

YOUTH MINISTRY
   This Sunday night we played volleyball and saw the “mad volleyball skills” of our own Bro. Don!  The boys were pretty good with his help but not good enough to beat the girls!  It’s never too late to join our group.  We meet on Sunday mornings at 10:00AM in the Youth Room (upstairs) in the Activity Building gym.  We also meet on Sunday nights in the gym from 5-7:00PM.  Come check us out!
Thursday, October 30 - Cake Baking Bash!  We will start at 4:00PM.  These cakes will be donated for the Trunk or Treat cake walk.  Youth, bring in your Christian music and festive sprinkles or icing. 
Friday, October 31 - Trunk or Treat!  The youth will help with the nights activities!  Don’t forget to dress up in a fun costume!  Be at the church at 5:30PM.
Sunday, November 2- Youth Council Elections.  Prayerfully consider the position you would like to hold on the Youth Council.  We will also attend Charge Conference.
Friday, November 14 - A lesson on Homelessness.  Get your cardboard box and get ready for a night under the stars.  We will be going to the Lajaunie’s for a once in a lifetime experience!  More information coming later!
Sunday, November 16 - Commitment Sunday.  Youth are in charge of drinks.  We will be making Tea and Lemonade.
   Our dinner calendar is completely empty.  If you have a passion for cooking or feel led to donate money toward feeding our youth, call me at 870-5976 or 876-6694.  We appreciate your support!                                   -Nickie Barr

       HAPPENINGS THIS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2!
+Cherub Choir practices at 4:00PM in Fellowship Hall.
+Voices of Light practices at 4:00PM in Room 404.
+UMY meets at 5:00PM in the AB Gym.
+Charge Conference at 6:00PM in the Fellowship Hall.

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL
Let’s Talk About It–A discussion based class for adults of mixed ages, led by Donna Sammarco, meets in the Fellowship Hall.
Disciples Class–A class for people who are interested in theological debate meets in the Fellowship Hall Parlor.
Discovery Class–This is a class for people who are interested in becoming Christian Disciples.    They meet in the Activity Building Chapel.
Fellowship Class–This class of retirees is interested in fellowship.  They sing for a while and have a lesson taught by either Ed McCarty or Frank Porter.  They meet in Room 403 in the Activity Building.
Class of Mixed Ages, led by Jimmy Hardin,  meet in Room 206.
Youth Sunday School Class–meet in Activity Building.

WE’LL HELP YOU  RECYCLE! 
Aluminum Cans, Old Eye Glasses, and Campbell Soup Labels.  Call the church office for details!_______

WE’VE GOT SALSA!
   The Salsa is made by the La. Methodist Children’s Home in Ruston and all sales go to benefit the children.

WESLEY UNITED CAMPUS MINISTRY AT ULL
Greetings in the name of Christ!
   I sometimes meet laypeople, even pastors, at our sponsor churches who don’t know much about the Wesley United Campus Ministry, and so we are attempting to communicate better with our sponsor Methodist, Presbyterian, and Episcopal Churches in South Central La.  Every month or two, we will send you a short article to give people a better idea about what is going on here. 
   Things are going well this semester at the Wesley United Campus Ministry.  Our semester has gotten off to a strange start with missed school for hurricanes, but our Monday Lunches and small group Bible studies are now in full swing.  The first weekend in October a group of students put feet to our faith as we engaged in local mission projects, helping the Faith House ministry with post-Gustav clean-up.  We are looking forward to beginning our Wednesday evening worship services in
the coming weeks, and to inviting more students to participate in the life of our ministry.  We invite your prayers for us that we may finish this semester in a strong way!  Please call 337-235-6073 or check out our website (ulwesley.com) if you have questions or would like to find ways to support us.  Thank you for your support and God bless your ministry! 
                   Rev. Daniel McLain Hixon, Campus Minister
                           Wesley United Campus Ministry at ULL

ANGELS IN ACTION!
   We have a funny story to tell you! We thought it was funny!   A huge box was delivered by UPS to the Church office.  The box seemed to contain a sink according to the printing on the box.  We tip-toed around that box for a few days expecting that whoever had ordered it would step up and claim the sink.  No one did!  We started asking everyone “Did you order a sink?  Do you know who might have ordered a sink?”  No one knew!  A mystery!
    The secretary decided to call the name on the return address and find out not only who ordered it,  but how could we return it?   An angel answered the phone!  Mystery solved! Her name is Connie Zwego and she is from Bonner Springs, KS.  She makes hand-made quilts for infants and children.  She heard about all the loss after the hurricanes in this area and wanted to help children  who may have lost bedding. She used the sink box to mail the quilts!  She asked that we distribute them for her!
   On each quilt, she has sewn the following message:
“Hurricanes have no power compared to the tenacity of the human spirit to overcome adversity. 
Connie Zwego, Bonner Springs, KS  October 2008"
   Thanks to Connie Zwego for all her effort and generosity!  Thanks for caring about our community!­­­­­___

NOVEMBER MEETINGS
Charge Conference-Nov. 2, 6:00PM in Fellowship Hall
Finance Committee-Nov. 11, 6:00PM in Room 403
Church Council-Nov. 11, 7:00PM in  Fellowship Hall
SPR Meeting-Nov. 25, 6:00PM in F.Hall Parlor

Our Stewardship for 2008
  WK43  Oct. 26, 2008  Attendance 211 Sunday School 74
  Offering                      $   3,968             YTD   $  306,878
  Building Fund            $      805             YTD    $   75,869
  Apportionments Due $ 54,726      Paid YTD  $   16,462
            IN WORSHIP   Sunday, November 2, 2008
 The Music: “Shall We Gather at the River”  The Choir
 The Sermon: “Gratitude” by Pastor Don Ross  
 Readings: Joshua 3:7-17; Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37;
                  Revelation 7:9-17; Matthew 23:1-12

THANK YOU FOR THE GIFTS OF LOVE TO THE:
Trunk Or Treat by Pat Murphy and in honor of the staff by M/M Gene Milford.
Parsonage Fund by Louise Autrey.
Nursery by Landon Graves.
Music Fund in memory of Russel Elliott and Bobby Aycock by Dena Bordelon and M/M Nolan Eschete.
Apportionments in memory of Opal Davidson by M/M Duane Day.  In memory of Russel Elliott, Bobby Aycock and Elgin Rogers by Hideo Koike and M/M Wayne Reid.
Trustees Fund by United Methodist Men.  In memory of Russel Elliott by M/M John Walton and Ashley Seely, Dot Coleman, His Neighbors, M/M Ted Waguespack & Jon, Mrs. C.L. Morgan, and Jane Martin.
Building Renovation Fund by M/M Melvin Childers and M/M Larry Babin.  In memory of Jason Thomas by M/M David Garcia.  In memory of Elgin Rogers by M/M George Shely.  In memory of Bobby Aycock by M/M Keith Rhea.  In memory of Al Cowan, Stephen Eschete, and Takeko Koike by M/M David McMath.  In memory of Bobby Aycock by M/M Mike Charpentier.

The Protestant Reformation
   Protestants recall the Reformation on October 31.  On that day in 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on a church door in Wittenberg, Germany.
 Ultimately, the following five statements of belief became central to Protestant Christians.
1. Scripture alone is the final   authority of Christian doctrine.
2.  Christ alone is Lord and Savior.
3. God’s freely given grace is central to salvation.
4.  Sinners are justified by faith in Christ alone.
5.  God alone is worthy of all the glory.

Daylight Savings Time Ends
Sunday, November 2
   Remember: Turn your clock back Saturday night! 

Prayers, presence, & gifts!
Commitment Sunday luncheon-november 16