St. Patrick's Day - A Tale of Redemption

   

What do Veggie Tales, Kings Kaleidescope and Keith and Kristyn Getty have in common?  If you guessed "Links on this St. Patrick's Day Blog Post" you would be correct!

I love St. Patrick's Day!  Not for the green beer or green rivers.  Possibly a little for the fun Irish  sayings:  "Top o' the mornin' to ya!"  When you step aside the silly legends, Paddy Parades, and fun frolicking, you are left with a missionary tale that points to the providence of God.  (Incidentally, this story resembles a treasured Biblical account of the story of Joseph being sold into slavery- look it up - Genesis 39.)

So in our household, each March 17th, we get our green on and grab some great resources to help separate fact from fiction.  In some small way, this is how we redeem the culture instead of running from it.  

Check out these fun resources: 

• One for the kids - Veggie Tales Classic  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg5ejLGEnZk&list=PLB5567E17B236276A
• One for the adults   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOqWT2tk9Js
• One with Kings Kaleidoscope, because they are just so cool, and because Be Thou My Vision has Irish roots, like a potato.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxP45fCBdtw
• One with the Gettys - does it get more Irish than Keith and Kristyn?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6h7nSDtW-E

Christ in the Passover

Christ in The Passover

This Easter season we have a great opportunity to taste, smell, see and feel the Exodus deliverance of the ancient Israelites.  On Thursday evening of Holy Week, Jesus gathered His disciples together for a Passover meal.  This meal commemorates the night long ago when the Lord judged the Egyptians and emancipated His people.    Pastor Tim Kirk

We would love for your family to come experience Christ in the Passover  with us.  This will be a Seder Supper led by Jeremiah (and Hannah) Zaretsky, Chicago director of Jews for Jesus.  [See photo below.]  

The Basics:

• Thursday, April 2nd 2015 
• Christ Community Church, in the Commons - 6:30-8pm
• $8 for an individual; $20 for a family
• Experience a symbolic and interactive Jewish Seder, appropriate for all ages.
• Enjoy a catered meal together.
• Register online at www.christcommunitycarmel.org

Helpful Info to Prepare:  At Christ in the Passover, we will take part in a traditional, Jewish Passover Seder. (Seder means "order.")  The Passover points us back to the book of Exodus when God through Moses led His people out of slavery.  

Recall the events of The Exodus:  God instructing Moses to tell Pharoah, "Let my people go!"  Read through the ten plagues, and pay special attention to the final, tenth plague:  The angel of death passing over every household in which the doorpost was covered with the blood of a lamb. This points us forward to Christ, who became our Passover Lamb.

Recall the events of the night that Jesus was betrayed:  Washing the disciples' feet; sharing a Passover Meal together; praying in the garden; Roman soldiers coming to arrest Jesus.

A Hebrew blessing spoken corporately in the Seder:

Baruch atah adonai, elohay numelech hadlam boray pree hagafen.

Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who makes the fruit of the vine.

Why is this night different from all other nights?

This is a question asked by a child during a Seder.  

Won't you come and find out?