This Christmas, we think together about a story that does not show up in our traditional pageants; a story with no shepherds or wise men or angels; the story of Jesus in the Beginning as told by the Gospel of John. What does it mean for us that the “Word became flesh”? This service also includes the traditional lessons and carols treasured by our church community. All are welcome to watch or join us on a future Sunday!
12/19/2021: HOLIDAY CANTATA
Today is a long-awaited annual tradition: our Christmas Cantata! We are thrilled to be able to come together in person this year, but this service will also be available online. This musical message of Christmas features our sanctuary choir, bell choir and even members of our band AND our former beloved Assistant Music Director Mike Jarjoura on piano. This is a do-not-miss event at our church that is sure to put you in the holiday spirit. ENJOY!
12/12/2021: Songs of Waiting WEEK 3 (Advent 3)
This week we come to a very hopeful invitation in the prophet Isaiah (one that is ALMOST too good to be true) and we explore it using our “Song of Waiting”, Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming, the ancient 15th century Christmas hymn. Are we able to embrace joy this Christmas, even when it seems too good to be true? Are we able to see the fragile beauty breaking forth like a rose in winter? Join us for this third week of Advent with its theme of JOY. We hope to reflect AND rejoice together as a community. This week also features a celebration of baptism for a baby in our congregation. Many reasons to celebrate!
12/5/2021: Songs of Waiting WEEK 2 (Advent 2)
This week in our short Advent sermon series, we think together about a more popular, but also solemn Christmas song called “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”. We use imagery from texts normally read during Lent and Easter: the story of Jesus raising Lazarus and the prophet Ezekiel’s vision of God bringing an entire valley of dry bones back to life. How do such images connect to this season of Advent and Christmas? How do they connect to what we light our Advent candles for this week: the theme of PEACE? How does God’s coming into our world somehow answer our weariness and longing? We will explore these things together, and hope you will join us!
11/28/2021: Songs of Waiting WEEK 1 (ADVENT 1)
We are entering into the season of Advent; the four weeks before Christmas where we intentionally set our hearts and minds on the journey towards God entering the world as one of us; as a child born for us. Our Advent sermon series will be called “SONGS OF WAITING”. It will use our Narrative Lectionary scriptures to explore how ancient and beloved hymns of Advent and carols of Christmas teach us about one of our faith’s greatest mysteries: a God who comes to be one of us and walk among us in the flesh. The song we will combine with our scripture meditation this week is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”, one of the church’s best known Advent hymns. It has a solemn tone and reminds us that this season is joyous, but also hard and bittersweet for so many of us. Our stories contain light and darkness and God came into the world to experience a full life of both. God knows what it is to be human.
Join in reflection with us in this beautiful season!