News and Announcements

Paxton United Methodist Church exists to grow and share God’s Love.

We welcome anyone in need of a local church home to come and join us in worship and service.

Join us for worship on Sundays at 9:15 am!

Worship is in-person and live streaming on both YouTube and Facebook, or watch any time at either site.
Sunday School for adults begins at 10:30am after worship!
Sunday school for children and youth available at 11:30 am.

Advent and Christmas: A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens classic story A Christmas Carol was originally titled A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. Dicken’s story is not a song, though like a traditional carol, it is divided into verses, with each section offering an independent thought. Dickens has his love-to-dislike lead character, Ebenezer Scrooge, receive visits from 4 ghosts prior to Christmas, Scrooge’s least favorite time of the year. Each of these ghosts, though, brings us the message of Hope, Love, Peace, and Joy of Jesus for all people. Like the carols we sing each year at Christmas, Dickens perhaps wanted us to share the story over and over again, year after year, in order to bring people together in joy and love. Join us each week as we sing our favorite Christmas Carols and study in Worship and Sunday School how the lessons of A Christmas Carol apply to us today.

Sundays in Advent

December 1^st First Sunday of Advent – Hope

Jeremiah 33: 14-16; 1 Thess. 3: 9-13; Luke 21: 25-36

December 8^th Second Sunday of Advent – Love

Malachi 3: 1-4; Philippians 1: 3-11; Luke 1: 68-79

December 15^th Third Sunday of Advent – Peace

Isaiah 12: 2-6; Philippians 4: 4-7; Luke 3: 7-18

December 22^nd Fourth Sunday of Advent– Joy

Micah 5: 2-5; Hebrews 10: 5-10; Luke 1: 39-45

Christmas Worship Services

December 22nd 6:30 PM at Brookdale Retirement Community

Candlelight Service open to all people.

December 24^th 6:30 PM at Paxton – Sacred Christmas Music

7:00 PM Candlelight Worship Service

Get the latest with the Paxton Pulse newsletter!

Opportunities to Give and to Serve:

* Need gifts for hard-to-shop-for friends and family? The Paxton gift card program is a great way to do your shopping and at the same time help Paxton raise funds to assist charitable organizations outside the Church.

* Ring the bell for the Salvation Army this year! Please contact Kirby Beshore (717-602-2327) to volunteer your time and talents for a shift on one of three Saturdays at Sam’s Club: 12/7, 12/14, and 12/21.

* Sunday December 22, 6:30pm – Join Pastor Gary as he brings a service of Christmas scriptures and carols to the church’s next-door neighbors at the Brookdale Senior Community.

* Saturday, January 25 – Help prepare a meal for the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House during their children’s stay at the hospital.

* Interested in giving a special financial gift to improve our church building? You can find some project ideas here.

* And looking ahead: Rise Against Hunger meal packing event, May 17, 2025!

Visit our online offering system here to make a one-time contribution or schedule a regular/reoccurring offering to Paxton UMC!

Join the Wednesday Study Group

A Study Group meets weekly on Wednesdays at 10 am at the Peach Tree Restaurant, 251 N. Progress Ave., Harrisburg. Pastor Gary is leading a series based on connecting the Old and New Testaments.

Come and join us for breakfast and discussion!

Paxton Boiler Replacement Project

It has been heartwarming to see people respond to our emergency repair need. A new heating system now warms our church building. THANK YOU to all who donated to this emergency project. The new boiler has been installed, and the church is warm once again!

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

– The Wesley Covenant Prayer

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