December 11, 2020 - Advent Devotion
Join us for worship this Sunday, 9:30 a.m., "And This Will Be A Sign For You…A Sign Made Known!"
As we follow the latest information and recommendations regarding gatherings, please join us in doing everything possible for the health of one and all! Please stay home, if you do not feel well, if you or someone close to you has been exposed, if you or someone close to you has been tested. We will keep you informed with further updates!
Thanks be to God for those who have given their time and leadership as we worship in our sanctuary, and as we together do everything possible to honor, serve, & care for one and all!
You will find more details below, including signing up for worship, signing up to volunteer, what to expect, and children's activity sheets. You can also access these details on our website and on our Facebook page!
Worship each Sunday will be a 30-minute service including live music by our worship leaders, a children's message and a message from Pastor Jamie. Holy Communion will be offered as the service ends. If you prefer, if your timing is better, from 10:15-10:30 a.m., you are invited to drive up to the curb of the sidewalk in front of the building, and receive Holy Communion in your vehicle.
Each Sunday we will make every attempt to live stream the service for you at 9:30 a.m.
We hope you join us for worship this Sunday! We look forward to seeing you soon!
You can access a mobile version of the bulletin for this Sunday, December 13, here.
You can access the bulletin for this Sunday, December 13, here.
You can access children's activity sheets for this Sunday here.
You can sign up to attend worship in December, including Christmas Eve here.
You can access details and what to expect as we share worship here.
You can access the signupgenius and ways to assist our services in December here.
Access the signupgenius for our Drive Through Donation & Silent Night event here.
Access the bulletin for this week here, on our website, or on our Facebook page!
Come, they told me,
Pa-rum pum pum pu,
Our newborn king to see,
Pa-rum pum pum pum,
Our finest gifts we bring,
Pa-rum pum pum pum,
To lay before the King,
Pa-rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
So, to honor Him,
Pa-rum pum pum pum,
When we come.
“A voice cries out: “In the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. .... He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.”
This Second Week of Advent is about preparation, getting ready. For many people over the years, one of the frustrations or balancing acts has been getting too much ready too soon, and the ongoing commercialization of the season. We want to get ready earlier and earlier to enjoy ourselves, and yet we struggle with early sales, decorations, displays. Balancing this is not easy.
Another balancing act is how much to do as we get ready. We long to balance: decorating, letter writing, baking, gift giving with praying, singing, Bible story telling, worshiping, praising. 'Come, they told me, our newborn King to see, our finest gifts to bring, to lay before the King, so to honor Him.' When it comes to getting ready for the Savior, let us go all out.
This will be a sign for us: This season, this Promise, this Prophecy, this Gift, this Hope, this Truth, this newborn King, every sign of God's grace goes all out for us. God does not balance things. God was getting ready for The Word to become flesh from the beginning of time. God is going all out getting ready for Jesus' return. God goes all out, all the way out into the wilderness of our lives and world, into the broken corners of our spirits. God goes all out lifting up the lowest valley in our lives, making the roughest part of our journey plain. God goes all out in every sign of grace to feed us, to gather us, to carry us, to gently lead us.
Let us get ready the best we can, and play for him the best we can, and honor him the best we can, our finest gifts to bring. It is never too early to get ready. We can never do too much to prepare the way of The Lord!
Let us pray: God of abundant grace, today I thank you that you go all out for me and for my salvation. Grace is not about balance. You go all out for me. Grace helps me balance life and spirit and faith in the midst of outside forces and life's demands. I thank you, for your finest gifts you bring, for every sign of your grace tips the scale, now and forever. In Jesus' name, I pray and I go all out to prepare to honor you. Amen.