"It's the most wonderful time of the year!" Is it? "Have a cup of Christmas cheer!" Is that a sly alcohol reference I am henceforth wise to? "'Tis the season to be jolly!' And tired, over-sugared, and over-scheduled. I am NOT Ebenezer Scrooge! I love some aspects of Christmas: fresh pine Christmas trees; Christmas carols -beatboxed or crooned; my kids making gifts for one another. Christmas cards that come in the mail (y'all are GORGEOUS!). Lighting our Advent candles over dinner. Reading of Jesus' birth and ruminating on its mystery. I love Christmas. I bemoan creating the perfect Christmas. No outside decorations this year? My fail = Joneses win. Not really nailing it in the Christmas-baking department. "Look at it this way, Family, we won't gain any weight this year!" Time to send out a Christmas card. Oh - no perfect family photo? No Christmas card, again. I resent helping with your perfect Christmas! "Nope, I still don't own a Christmas-y sweater; I like your ugly one, though." "I'd rather not kiss you under your mistletoe, if it's all the same to you." "Did I remember to get you a gift? I can barely remember groceries!" I'd like the turn back the clock to the days when I wasn't the Responsible One. Being irresponsible or penniless really has its perks. Very low expectations placed on that group. Show up for an event and enjoy. Sit down for the dinner and partake. Not so for the Responsible One. When the Responsible One is now the Christmas Weary- When you are the Go-To Person, to whom can you go? This is my dilemma. Over creamy coffee, I pour out these feelings to my best friend. He's the Prince of Peace, after all - seems like a good place to turn. I whine. I cry. I lament, "God, it seems like all I do is serve! Who is serving ME?" Be still, my soul: You will not believe the answer. Jesus, by His Spirit, as only Jesus can do, shocked me with, "I serve YOU. I stoop to pick you up; I carry you through." How quickly I forget. The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28) [He] made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.... (Philippians 2:7) My whining turns to worship as I recall a myriad Scripture references of Jesus as servant. He comes knocking at my door: He clothes me with robes of righteousness; He prepares a banquet for me; He makes me radiant; He restores my soul. Jesus sounds a lot like the Responsible One. The Perfect One. The Servant-Savior. I am called to serve others; you are, too. But we don't serve alone. We are in the company of Jesus, our brother, who not only showed the way, He is The Way. Jesus cares deeply and tenderly for me. My perspective changes. The Christmas-Weary finds rest.
Children sang songs like: The Fruit of the Spirit!
Reviewed the 9 fruit we've been learning.
Kids' Community
The LORD will guide you! It's a promise!
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Using this All I Want for ChristmasAdvent Devotional, you will look at the events of Jesus' first coming to earth, and then consider what His coming means for us now. Each week has a theme that runs through our Advent Worship Services at Christ Community: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Make sure to pick up your copy of this Advent Devotional in the lobby!
Our Kid's Bulletins for the four weeks of Advent follow these themes and will aid in your child's participation in worship each Sunday.
Advent Wreath This is what my Advent Wreath looks like. We dim the lights and eat dinner by candlelight til December 25th. The closer we get to Christmas, the brighter it glows as more candles are lit each week. This is a cherished tradition in our home. Purchase or create your own special wreath! The devotional is designed to guide daily lighting of the candles, reading Scripture, singing a carol that ties in with the week's theme.
Once again this Christmas Eve, we will have children and teens participate in a costumed Nativity.
We are looking for:
Shepherds (boys)
Angels (girls)
Ages 3 +
What to Expect:
One Mandatory Rehearsal
Sunday, December 14, 3:30-5pm
Costumes* - Either Shepherd or Angel. Costumes will be provided in part. *Parents will be asked to provide some additional pieces.
Singing - All participants will be singing the chorus of Angels From the Realms of Glory, "Come and worship!/ Come and worship!/ Worship Christ the newborn King."
The Nativity will be at the beginning of the Christmas Eve Service and will be approximately 5 minutes in length.
"[B]e amazed to discover that the real hero of the first Thanksgiving was not English or Indian---but God. The remarkable story of how he brings together the struggling Pilgrims and a lonely brave who knows their language and shares their faith is a true American history miracle."
Children sang songs like: “Jesus - what a Peach of a Savior”
Children learned that GOD gives Kindness!
Just like the Good Samaritan showed kindness to the hurt man, God shows us kindness in Jesus.
Galatians 5:22, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness..."
Kids' Community
God gives the gift of salvation to all who call on Him.
Psalm 100:1-4, "Shout for joyto theLord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he that made us, we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."
Children's Worship
Gen. 50:20, You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good."
Memorizing Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, AND 1st and 2nd Samuel.
Looked at The Forgiving Prince [Joseph]
Joseph was betrayed and rejected by his brothers, but by God's plan, he later rescued them! Jesus was betrayed and rejected, too, and by God's plan, he rescues us.
Yep - curious question for you: How do you like your truth? How do you fill yourself up with life-giving scripture? Me- I need truth to bombard my brain and seep into my heart all throughout the day. week. If I don't intentionally fill my mind with good stuff, sinful thoughts and wrong beliefs seek to fill the vacuum- they get sucked right in! And since you can't read my mind, those unwelcome visitors can become permanent residents of my heart. Soul germs that morph into major infection or disease if not dealt with.
Setting aside time to be with the Lord in prayer, reading the Bible, and journaling has been a life-giving practice for me. I need time and space daily for the Holy Spirit to peel away layers of unbelief, point out sin, encourage a weary heart, lead me to wisdom. Yet - my heart is so fickle. I can easily become the pathetic man described in the book of James, looking at himself in the mirror only to walk away, forgetting what he just saw!
So, a spiritual discipline for me is finding great music with needed truth. I'm not being facetious here, people! In the down-time of my mind, I want my thoughts to be honoring to the Lord, and this is a spiritual battle. A favorite weapon is music. I am grateful to have had a mom who indulged my love of music with a big ol' "Ghetto Blaster" (That's what we called it in the 80s in Toledo, OH!!!). I cranked my parents' Sandy Patti, my brother's Petra, and my Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman when they were still rockin' their mullets.
Many moons later; I am no different. I still need to crank it up and let truth sink into my soul. If you do, too, I hope this song will encourage you, get a needed truth absorbed in a new way. And maybe, just maybe, you'll divulge your secret love of gospel hip hop, too! Check out more of Shai Linne -or LeCrae's Anomaly, or Attributes of God by Sovereign Grace Kids, linked below!
Children sang songs like: “Good Morning God” “The Caterpillar Song.”
Children learned that GOD gives PATIENCE!
Just like God has patience while Noah built the ark, and God gave Noah patience, God gives us patience, too.
Galatians 5:22, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience..."
The Preschool Community team is led by Mike and Doris Alderink, Heidi Sweet, Nancy Richter, and Sara Nist.
Kids' Community
God makes some promises that have a condition: it requires something of us.
Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people." Jeremiah 7:23b
Psalm 100:1-3, "Shout for joyto theLord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he that made us, we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture."
Kids’ Community team is: Lisa Burkes, Barbara Mussler, Andy Nist, Kristin Livermore, Patti Fraley, Todd Barrett.
Children's Worship
Gen. 50:20, You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good."
Memorizing Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Ruth!
Looked at The Girl No One Wanted [Leah]
God often sets his love on those who are unloved, unwanted, unpopular just like Leah and just like Jesus.
