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Christmas Music, Part 1 – Sleigh Ride

Sleigh Ride

I’ve always liked Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride as a secular Christmas song 🙂  It’s not technically a Christmas song since the words never mention Christmas but it’s often played now so it seems like a way to ease into the season.

Anderson had the original idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946;  he finished the work in February 1948.  Lyrics, about a person who would like to ride in a sleigh on a winter’s day with another person, were written by Mitchell Parish in 1950.

The orchestral version was first recorded in 1949 by Arthur Fiedler and The Boston Pops Orchestra. The song was a hit record and has become the equivalent of a signature song for the orchestra.

 

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Sunday November 30 Is the Beginning of Advent

Advent

Sunday, November 30, 2025  is the First Sunday in Advent.

The first Candle of the Advent Wreath is lit on the first Sunday of Advent, on November 30 this year. It is called the Prophecy Candle and reminds us that Jesus’ coming was prophesied hundreds of years before He was born. The candle’s purple color represents Christ’s royalty as the King of Kings.

Suggested Bible Reading: Luke 1:26-38

Chuck Knows Church — ADVENT WREATH. Four candles in a circle with a big one in the middle? Yep, take a moment and learn the basics about the advent wreath. And why is the pink candle…pink?

 

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Pender’s Mini Free Pantry

Pender’s Mini Food Pantry: A Small Space with a Big Mission

The Pender Mini Food Pantry is officially open and ready to serve our community! This little structure—built as an Eagle Scout Project by one of Pender’s Boy Scouts—is a beautiful example of service, compassion, and creativity.

At first glance, it looks a lot like a Little Free Library, but instead of books, it’s stocked with nonperishable food for anyone in need. It’s a simple yet powerful way to share kindness and nourishment in our neighborhood.

📍 Location:
You’ll find the pantry at 12301 Alder Woods Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033—coming from Route 50, it’s the second driveway on the left into Pender, right beside the sidewalk.

🥫 What’s Inside:
As of this writing, the pantry is filled with a wide variety of items, including:

  • Canned tuna, chicken, chili, and soup
  • Broth, vegetables, pumpkin, and apple sauce
  • Shelf-stable milk, peach slices, mandarin oranges, and individual fruit packs
  • Jello, pudding cups, mac and cheese servings, and mashed potatoes
  • Coffee, oatmeal, ketchup, gravy packets, and cooking oil

It’s truly a community effort—and every contribution helps keep it going.

đź’ś How to Help:
Anyone is welcome to take what they need or to donate food items to keep the pantry stocked. When you give, please remember our guiding principle:

Give with dignity. Donate items you’d feel comfortable using yourself.

✝️ A Reflection

In Matthew 14:19–20, Jesus blesses a few loaves and fishes and feeds thousands—reminding us that God multiplies our small acts of generosity into abundance for all.

The Pender Mini Food Pantry is one small basket among many, but together, we can feed both body and spirit in the name of Christ.

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2025 in food insecurity, Get Involved!, Pender UMC

 

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Christmas Tradition

This December, you’re invited to slow down and prepare your heart for Christmas in a meaningful way—by walking through the life of Jesus, one chapter at a time.

Starting December 1, we’ll be posting one chapter from the Gospel of Luke each evening at 6:00 PM, on the Pender blog. With exactly 24 chapters, Luke gives us a complete picture of who Jesus is—His birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection.

By Christmas Eve, you’ll have read the entire story of Jesus. And on Christmas morning, you’ll wake up not only ready to celebrate, but truly knowing who we celebrate and why it matters.

Make it a personal devotion, a family tradition, or a quiet moment at the end of your day. Let the story of Christ shape your season.

December 1–24 at 6:00 PM — right here. One chapter. One Savior. A Christmas to remember.

 
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Posted by on November 28, 2025 in Advent, Christmas, Holidays, Posts of Interest

 

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Have a Blessed Thanksgiving

thanksgiving

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving
Psalm 100:4:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

 

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