This Sunday is our final worship of the year. Pastor Jessie is out this week on post-Christmas vacation, and our wonderful Clerk of Session (and seasoned preacher) Lawrie Gardner offers the sermon this morning, based on the story of Jesus’ parents taking Him to the temple for purification and dedication. What insights can we glean from this blessing of baby Jesus?
HAPPY NEW YEAR COA!!!
It’s that magical night of Christmas Eve! This is a much anticipated service, filled with rituals and songs and stories that we hear every year, but our goal is to make them come alive again into this world of 2023. Where do we see hope, peace, joy, love and especially AMAZING GRACE in the story of Jesus’ birth? In where, how and to whom He was born? In who the first visitors get to be? Join us in this sacred time and MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
In this morning service before Christmas Eve festivities, we continue to ponder where we see Amazing Grace in the Advent and Christmas scriptures. We think about what is often called the Annunciation, or the announcement by angels to Mary about the miraculous pregnancy she is about to experience. Her response is one of fear, joy and wonder! How do we respond to unexpected news or to things that look like scary challenges? How do we agree each day to bear love into a hurting world? And furthermore, Mary is given this honored role because the angel tells her that God “favors” her. What does that mean? How do we get God’s favor? What makes God point to a person and call them blessed? Maybe favor does not look like what we imagine. Maybe it is even better!
We are almost to Christmas! Join us on the journey!
This Sunday is a very special and festive day filled with the music of the season! It is our annual Christmas Cantata, led by our amazing Music Director (of 37 years!!) Diana Martin and featuring participants from our Sanctuary Choir, Bell Choir, Contemporary Band and even several guest musicians you will not want to miss!! (Hint, hint: some of them used to work here!)
This Sunday never fails to fill us with joy (the theme of Advent Week 3) and help our hearts to prepare for the coming of Christ Jesus.
Blessings and Peace!
This week, we focus on the candle lit for PEACE in Advent. But we also continue on in our Advent sermon series “Light of Grace” celebrating 250 years of the beloved hymn “Amazing Grace”. We consider where we see grace in this build up to Christmas. This week, we look at Jesus’ family tree. Where is grace present in that long list of names and in those complicated stories of imperfect people? How does God’s plan unfold even across generations? Maybe it is hard for us to see peace and grace in our own family (or in the larger human family), but this week we will be reminded of God at work among us, especially in unexpected places and unexpected people.