Sermons

Advent Sermon Series: Through Advent we will engage in a short series of sermons around the theme of “Waiting Well.”  Advent is a time of waiting. For children it is the lo-o-o-ong time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, much as the Jewish people waited a lo-o-o-ong time for Messiah to come. For us it is the time of waiting for the Second Coming of Christ or, perhaps, waiting for Christ to come into our hearts right now. Our culture devalues waiting as a waste of time but, as people of faith, learning to wait well as a faith exercise can lead to spiritual vitality and actions grounded in faithfulness. We can see waiting not as inactive, apathetic or passionless, but as deliberate, disciplined and just.

 

Dec 1          Advent I: Celebration of Holy Communion

                  Matthew 24: 36-44; Romans 13: 11-14

                  “Quick, Look Busy!”

                  We are more than what we do!

 

Dec 8          Advent II

                  Matthew 3: 1-12; Isaiah 11: 1-10

                  “Not All Actions are Created Equal”           

We are called to do good and bear good fruit in our world

 

Dec 15        Advent III

                  Matthew 11: 2-11; Luke 1: 47-55

                  “That’s OK, I’ll Wait”

When is waiting wise? When are we called to stop waiting and make a daring move?”

 

Dec 21        Christmas Cantata (3 PM): “Behold, A Savior! Songs & Stories of His Birth.” May Christ be born in us. May we become ever more alive in him. And then, may we tell the story, his story and our story, in our own way. Tell it again and again and again.

 

Dec 22        Advent IV

                  Matthew 1: 18-25; Romans 1: 1-7

                  “Don’t Drop the Baby” (8:15 and 9:45)

How do we prepare for what comes to us while waiting for an impending moment?

Christmas Cantata (11:00): “Behold, A Savior! Songs & Stories of His Birth” (see above)

 

Dec 24        Family Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship (6:00 PM)

                  “Whose Birthday is it? J is for Jesus”

                 

Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols (8:00 PM)

Luke 2: 1-20; Isaiah 9:2-7; Matthew 2: 1-11; John 1: 1-9, 14, 16

                  “The Gift of Fragility”

 

Dec 29        Fifth Day of Christmas

                  Psalm 96; Hebrews 2: 10-18; Matthew 2: 13-23

                  Meditation: “Born Like Us”

Hymn Sing: Opportunity to sing the carols we missed or want to sing more

 

Jan 5           Twelfth Day of Christmas; New Year’s Sunday; Epiphany Sunday

                  Celebration of Holy Communion

                  Matthew 2: 1-12; John 1: 1-18

                  “Who is Jesus?”