Do you know how to take a selfie? Sure! Let’s take a few now. Here’s my iPhone, go ahead and take a selfie. Each of you can have a turn. Wow, great shots! Here at the manger scene, imagine its Christmas Eve when we put Jesus as a baby in the manger. If Joseph, Mary and Jesus were born today, do you think a few selfies would be taken?! Absolutely. Can you imagine Joseph holding his phone and taking a selfie with Jesus and Mary in the frame? This week and next, we have a great project for you to work on and you’ll use your photo in a frame like this. And when you take photos of yourself, remember that Jesus is right there in the frame with you, walking with you, always with you, and you can’t see him in the usual way, but he is there just as if it was your friend! This Christmas, and every day, Jesus is in your frame. Now, that’s good news!
In this second week of Advent, we are introduced to the affects of light shining on a crowd of people being influenced by John the Baptist. People from all walks of life are attracted to his message. What message did he proclaim? Well, he started off calling them a bunch of snakes! Then he called them on the carpet for taking advantage of the poor, mistreating neighbors, abusing the rights of citizens, and even cheating their employers out of an hipness day’s work. You might wonder how this calling to accountability and invitation to take responsibility was an attractive message. They knew John the Baptist saw the light of possibilities when he looked at them with a wide lens. We are responsible for the ideas we choose to spread. Be inspired to share your best ideas about God’s love!
Do you usually travel for the holidays? When was the last time you made a snowman? What was the worst Christmas present you ever received?! Great answers! Last week we learned that’s the candy cane was in the shape of a…? Yes, a “J”! And “J” stands for…? Yes, Jesus! Christmas is not a one-time event, it is a conversation based on celebrating the birth of Jesus, God’s Son, who is with us every day of the year! Take a candy cane from this box, and respond to the question. Great! What’s you favorite Christmas ornament on your tree? What is your favorite Christmas play? Super! This weekend, Melissa and I enjoyed time with family playing games and it was super fun! This week, spend time with your family. Maybe you’ll play some games. Instead of TV, try asking your family members to share what makes Christmas time so special to them. Ask, learn, grow, and through your family conversations, remember that God loves you so much! Have a conversation with Jesus every day! Christmas is all about conversations! Thank you for having this conversation with me today!
“Advent” denotes the beginning of the Christian worship year as we bring into view Jesus’ arrival at his birth. Instead of jump-scares into Christmas and attending anxieties, many appreciated Advent’s needed time for reflection, preparation, and openness to new ways that Jesus can arrive in our lives. The four weeks of Advent begin this Sunday, December 1, when we celebrate around the Lord’s Table, enjoy special holiday music and decorations, our Poinsettia Trees, and light the Advent Candle of Hope! Your friends and neighbors will be grateful for your invitation to join you!
Pastor Kevin has also prepared a special Advent Series of messages using photography as a metaphor for our faith titled, The 5 Lenses of Christmas. Deeply focused on our Advent Scripture readings, each week we will create a different field of view using Normal, Wide, Ultra Wide, Telephoto, and Macro lenses in our spiritual camera bag that will bring our experience of Christmas into sharp focus.
This week we will use a Normal lens in a message from Matthew 24:36-44 titled, “From Influenced to Influencer.”Advent is a time to hear Isaiah the prophet urge us to walk in the light of the Lord while the Apostle Paul reminds the neighbors in Rome that God’s deliverance is getting closer every day. As we wait, Jesus’ words to be ready for Jesus are not intended to scare us or provoke fears of being left behind. Instead, Jesus promotes our growth in mindfulness that is a counter narrative to political rancor, consumerism’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and to instead respond in faith to opportunities at hand, like Giving Tuesday exhorts us to do!
Come to worship this week for your wake-up call to resist being negatively influenced to becoming an positive influencer of faith as we focus on Jesus who continues to arrive in our life each day.
Notice anything different in our sanctuary this morning? (Kids notice everything!) Poinsettia Trees, decorations, the Advent Candles, and yes, a manger. Wait! It’s empty. Each week we will add characters to our Manger scene because Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of, who? That’s right, Jesus. And for our journey I want to give you a very special energy treat, its a Candy Cane! (Each child is given their own candy cane.) In this special package is not only a candy cane, and a Christmas stocking, but the story of how the candy cane came to be invented. It all started in Indiana, and well, you can learn more about it during your learning time upstairs in a few minutes. Here’s one thing you may not have known. The candy cane is in the shape of? (Turn the candy cane upside down.) A -J-! A -J- for? That’s right, Jesus. Next week we will continue our ADVENT-ure, add a few characters to our manger scene, and prepare for a great celebration, on the birthday of who? That’s right! -J- for Jesus who is with us every day.
Where do you call home? We are a transient society. Roots are short. Transplants are the norm. Fewer of us stay in place. You may be one of the 50 million motorists in motion this week. Or perhaps you are preparing for friends and family to gather at your place. Everyone starts somewhere. And even more importantly, everyone ends up someplace. Your place may be cozy, safe, and warm, but for more than 500,000 Americans without a permanent “address” this week, their experience of home is quite different and they deserve a warm smile, healthy meal, and a safe place to live. Wherever our home, God welcomes all of us to be at home where we are, and to make our place a home for others, too.
This week, Pastor Kevin invites us to think about the reasons God has placed us in the physical and spiritual locations where we live. Some of us might think about this quite a bit, especially if we’ve undergone a major transition or if we felt led to our current homes for employment or retirement. Life transitions and unexpected changes, welcomed or not, can leave us feeling anxious and unsettled.
Throughout the story of Scripture, however, place is a very important concept. The Promised Land was a place of peace and prosperity, and the prophets spoke of God’s involvement in our daily live. Jesus said we should take care of our neighbors and to be comforted knowing that God’s eternal home is open to us. Place matters.
Wherever you’ve been, and no matter where you may be going this Thanksgiving, experience gratitude and spiritual abundance at Cold Spring Church where everyone can discover a safe place to experience God’s love in Christ.
Welcome home. Where You Belong.
So much to be thankful for! I’m thankful for YOU! Thanks for joining me up front each week. Did you know that Advent is the start of the Christmas ADVENTure? It starts next week. And what ties Thanksgiving and Advent together is Jesus’ Welcome to everyone to join him on this adventure. You are always welcomed here. How could you show welcome to your classmates? Family? Reach out to someone who may be feeling alone or sad. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to be thankful that God always welcomes us, and for us to show our gratitude by being welcoming to others, too! Happy Thanksgiving! And, see you next week when our ADVENTure begins! I can’t wait!
Pulling up in front of a loading zone, the sign read: NO IDLING. A car running at idle doesn’t accomplish anything worthwhile. Idling is a wait-state between off and on. In fact, idling not only needlessly consumes fuel, but creates noxious fumes for those walking nearby. It’s better to be off than idle. It’s best, though, to get energized and move forward!
This week, Pastor Kevin’s message from 2 Thessalonians 3 will invite us to examine the status quo and honestly take a look where we are within it. Is there anyone who hasn’t gotten weary in doing good? Found yourself stuck in idle? Get your faith in gear this week and with the spiritual fuel you need. Not to “work harder,” but love more, trust more, serve more, feel more engaged doing good.
At our craft fair yesterday there were so many talented vendors and artists. Hundreds of people came because everybody had something to share. Something to show. Great baked goods! Clothing. Christmas gifts. I even got a new belt from an incredibly talented artisan. One very special table was hosted by ARC, a county program for some very special people who are gifted in different ways than us. Those with down syndrome were handing out flyers, those with autism helped sell a very tasty product. Would you like to see? Popcorn! I have some here to share with you. Everyone can be helpful. Everyone has a job to do. We are most like Jesus when we imitate Jesus. When we do things that Jesus did. Jesus loved everyone. Jesus served everyone. Jesus helps everyone. What will you do this week to help others? I can’t wait to hear!
The Session has called a congregational meeting to immediately follow worship on Sunday, November 17, 2019 to:
- Increase the size of the congregation’s Nominating Committee to add one (or more) additional member(s) at large, to conform with the most recent constitution of the Presbyterian Church, (U.S.A.).
God has abundantly blessed our congregation with gifted individuals and our Nominating Committee is actively discerning those gifts.
A separate congregational meeting will be called December 8 for the purpose of electing leaders who will then be ordained and installed as elders and deacons the following week (December 15) so that they may begin their service at the start of the new year.