Sunday, December 22, 2024 - The Fourth Sunday in Advent
Tomorrow:
The Fourth Sunday In Advent
Lighting of the Advent Wreath - The Angel Candle
Sunday, December 22, 2024, 9:30am
This Tuesday:
Festive Christmas Eve Worship
Tuesday, December 24, 2024, 4pm
Carols, Children’s Message, Communion, Candlelight, “One Solitary Life”
We hope you join us!
Find a bulletin for this week’s service using the link below!
Emmanuel, God With Us
Grant
vs. 1
We dim the lights
We stroke the fire
We breathe the evergreen
Young ones wait
While the old ones make up
Tales of how it used to be
China dolls
Candy corn
Painted wooden toys
Treasures found
To the wondrous sound
Of caroling the Savior
Born to us on Christmas morn
refrain:
Emmanuel
God with us
Emmanuel
Emmanuel
God with us
The Son of Israel
vs. 2
And still he calls
Through the night
Beyond the days of old
A voice of peace
To the weary ones who
Struggle with the human soul
All of us
Travelers
Through a given time
Who can know
What tomorrow holds
But over the horizon
Surely you and I will find
(refrain)
bridge:
And the years they come
And the years they go
Though we may forget somehow
That the child once born
In Bethlehem
Is still among us now
(refrain)
The Son of Israel
The Son of Is
Israel
“But just when Joseph resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.””
The wait is about over for this year; just two days to go. Today is The Fourth Sunday In Advent, and we light the Angel or Star Candle. We are reminded how the angels made the announcement to Mary and Joseph, and how they sang to the shepherds the Good News, and how the star pointed the way for the wise men to The Christ.
Likewise, in Christmas, throughout our own journeys, while we wait for Christ's return, we have been commissioned to be messengers! Even with just a few days to go, we are to point others to The Christ, to The One who was promised, to The One who came to save the world, to the One who rules the world with truth and grace, to Emmanuel, God with us!
As we go out and tend to our final details, as we go out and share the full anticipation of the promise and hope of the season, may others see us pointing them, announcing for them, even in the midst of our own spiritual questions, like those of Mary and Joseph; may others be equally awed as we reflect the trust and faith of Mary and Joseph, as we go and carol of the Savior born to us that Christmas morn; that the Child once born in Bethlehem, is still among us now!
Let us pray: Lord I am sorry I do not always point beyond myself. Give me again the strength and the mission to be angel-like, to be your faithful messenger. Give me faith like Mary and Joseph, even in the midst of much that is unknown, to tell others where they can find peace, hope, security, power, truth, promise, grace, comfort and joy. Thanks to the One who rules the world with truth and grace, point me like your star and light, to point others to you; point me to those who need Christmas; point me to those who long for every sign of you, Emmanuel, God with us. Amen.
