Dec 2007
God Rest You Merry
12/24/07
Christmas Eve 2007
Luke 2:1-20
Merry Christmas everyone! Merry Christmas! That is the traditional Christmas greeting. Everyone from Santa Claus to the politicians seeking votes in the Iowa caucuses is sending out the greeting, Merry Christmas. Christmas is the season of merriment. It is a time for celebrating, for putting up colorful decorations, for opening presents, and for singing cheerful songs. If someone is not merry, what is he or she? A “scrooge,” who says, “Bah Humbug,” after that old grump Ebenezer in Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol.” Read More...
Luke 2:1-20
Merry Christmas everyone! Merry Christmas! That is the traditional Christmas greeting. Everyone from Santa Claus to the politicians seeking votes in the Iowa caucuses is sending out the greeting, Merry Christmas. Christmas is the season of merriment. It is a time for celebrating, for putting up colorful decorations, for opening presents, and for singing cheerful songs. If someone is not merry, what is he or she? A “scrooge,” who says, “Bah Humbug,” after that old grump Ebenezer in Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol.” Read More...
Joseph’s Day
12/23/07
Advent 4
Matthew 1:18-25
Dear friends in Christ,
“Silent Night, Holy Night! All is calm, all is Bright; Round yon virgin mother and child, holy infant so tender and mild; sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.” Perhaps the most loved of all Christmas carols is Silent Night. Written in 1816 by Joseph Mohr in Salzburg, Austria, this carol has been associated with Christmas Eve candlelight worship services for generations. We’ll sing it here tomorrow at all our services. But if you listen carefully to all three verses of the hymn, there is someone missing from this Christmas picture. In verse 1 you have Mary and Jesus, “round you virgin, mother and child.” Verse 2 mentions the shepherds and angels, “shepherds quake, at the sight, glories stream from heaven afar.” Verse 3 focuses on Jesus, “Son of God, love’s pure light.” Who’s missing from this picture? Joseph, Mary’s husband, who would raise and provide for the Son of God through infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Read More...
Matthew 1:18-25
Dear friends in Christ,
“Silent Night, Holy Night! All is calm, all is Bright; Round yon virgin mother and child, holy infant so tender and mild; sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.” Perhaps the most loved of all Christmas carols is Silent Night. Written in 1816 by Joseph Mohr in Salzburg, Austria, this carol has been associated with Christmas Eve candlelight worship services for generations. We’ll sing it here tomorrow at all our services. But if you listen carefully to all three verses of the hymn, there is someone missing from this Christmas picture. In verse 1 you have Mary and Jesus, “round you virgin, mother and child.” Verse 2 mentions the shepherds and angels, “shepherds quake, at the sight, glories stream from heaven afar.” Verse 3 focuses on Jesus, “Son of God, love’s pure light.” Who’s missing from this picture? Joseph, Mary’s husband, who would raise and provide for the Son of God through infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Read More...
Urgent Preparation
12/09/07
Advent 2
Matthew 3:1-12
Dear friends in Christ,
As we move closer to Christmas, you can just feel the need for urgent preparation. It’s hard to believe, but Christmas is now just over two weeks away. These next two weeks are crunch time, with many activities squeezed into that time frame. Read More...
Matthew 3:1-12
Dear friends in Christ,
As we move closer to Christmas, you can just feel the need for urgent preparation. It’s hard to believe, but Christmas is now just over two weeks away. These next two weeks are crunch time, with many activities squeezed into that time frame. Read More...
Waiting Expectantly
12/02/07
Advent 1
Matthew 24:36-44, Romans 13:11-14
Dear friends in Christ,
When I was a child, the longest day of the year was not the summer solstice, when we have the most hours of daylight. The longest day was always Christmas Eve, which is one of the shortest days of the year in terms of daylight. That day seemed to me to take forever to pass by. Read More...
Matthew 24:36-44, Romans 13:11-14
Dear friends in Christ,
When I was a child, the longest day of the year was not the summer solstice, when we have the most hours of daylight. The longest day was always Christmas Eve, which is one of the shortest days of the year in terms of daylight. That day seemed to me to take forever to pass by. Read More...