'Christmas' Tagged Posts
Welcome 2024
First Church Family, Happy New Year – 2024! I’m at my desk wondering how many times I’ll still write ’23 on January checks and documents. What a whirlwind the past weeks have been… and how wonderful they were! I’m not sure I’ve ever enjoyed as meaningful an Advent or Christmas! Thank you to all of those who made that possible, both volunteers and staff! It takes an incredible number of persons to fulfill our desire to offer both powerful ministries and worship services.…
Christmas Season
First Church Family, What a beautiful season of Advent we’re experiencing! I pray that we remember the words of Isaiah’s prophecy, specifically that God comes to those who wait and are prepared for Him. Please take a moment to internalize the following worship announcements: Please remember this schedule and remind each other of upcoming dates and times as the weeks progress. It is an honor to walk with you through the days of Advent and Christmas.Pastor Dave * * * *…
Beginning Advent
First Church Family: Goodness, it’s cold! While winter hasn’t officially begun, you can’t tell it! I pray that you are warm and well. This coming Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent and also the first Sunday of the church year. “Advent” means coming – namely the coming of God into our world in and through the Incarnation. A transformation occurs in our lives every year at this time as we are reminded of how much we mean to God who offered Himself in…
Christmas Worship Schedule
First Church Family, Winter officially began Wednesday, and is it ever coming in with a vengeance! There is something special, though, about Christmas being cold! Stay warm, and enjoy the blessed holiday! The following announcements will guide us through the next week: Christmas Eve WorshipOur Sanctuary Christmas Eve service will begin at 5:00PM on Saturday evening. It will include Holy Communion and end in candlelight. Following the Christmas Eve service, Holy Communion will be offered until 7:00PM in the Sanctuary. Luminaries will adorn the front steps of…
December News
First Church Family: I pray that you are experiencing a blessed Advent. One of the things I look most forward to during this season is holiday music. And on Sunday, December 11, our Chancel Choir will present its 2022 Christmas offering: Festival of Christmas. Please be there for that presentation, and invite friends and family to join you. One of the Advent traditions of members of our local Latino community is the experience of Las Posadas. That term is Spanish…
Bless This meal
First Church Family: I pray that you are doing well and staying warm after a few cold, wet days. It’s a perfect occasion for a hot bowl of homemade soup, don’t you think? We have a big weekend ahead of us at First Church, as we feed 150 deserving, impoverished families through our Bless this Meal Thanksgiving project. Thank you for your support of that ministry. Through it we are making a difference in our community, sharing the love of Jesus. We could…
Christmas Is Not Your Birthday
First Church Family, I pray you are remembering whose birthday Christmas is, and making decisions accordingly. Our present worship series: “Christmas Is Not Your Birthday,” has called me to a new understanding of what things honor Christ during the Christmas season. I believe that one of the things Jesus would desire is clean drinking water for His children. Over the past two weeks, we made the decision to provide crystal clean drinking water to a village in Chimaltenango, Guatemala. The project has…
“Normal” Sundays
First Church Family, During the week, as we prepare bulletins for worship, I’m often asked: “Dave, is this going to be a normal Sunday?” To those of us involved in weekly worship planning, the question really is: “Will we be celebrating holy communion or baptism or have a special emphasis in worship that would change the order of service?” If my answer is: “No this will be a “normal” Sunday, it means that we will follow our standard form of worship with prayers, music,…
Christmas Letter
First Church Family, Do you anticipate a wonderful Christmas this year? I do, because I am not basing my expectations on things I might receive, but things I might partner with Jesus on. You see, everything changes when you begin to anticipate and eagerly await something that actually has the ability to fulfill and satisfy your expectations. The season we are in, Advent, is about preparing for something of great magnitude by having high anticipation of appropriate expectations,…
December News
First Church Family, It’s a beautiful time of the year. I remember thinking, back in July: “Wow, half of the year has gone by… in another five months, we will be celebrating America’s most beloved holiday, Thanksgiving, and then preparing for Christmas.” And that time has come. But no matter what we do during Advent, the truth is that the days will tick by, faster and faster, until December 25. And then, in almost anticlimactic fashion, it will…
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