We are ready for you inside our historic, beautiful Red Brick Church or, join us on YouTube Live!
Whatever your religious affiliation, or none at all, we all hear Jesus say, “Come to me all who are overburdened, and find rest for your soul!” Everyone is welcomed at Cold Spring Church. Yes, everyone!
Enjoy sitting with others from greater Cape May as we worship together. We simplified our service and made it even easier to participate, with our Worship Guide and lyric videos displayed on a large screen.
No internet? No problem!
If you don’t have internet access, just use our call-in number from your phone: +1 (929) 205-6099. Enter Meeting ID: 882-3154-2428 Password: 1714.
Worship Preview
Gathering At the Lord’s Table
Let’s meet at the Table of Peace! Our in-person worshippers will be provided pre-packaged communion cups, which on-line worshippers may request by contacting the office. Or, you choose the bread. For the cup, you may use grape juice or wine, or water, remembering that Christ is the Living Water for all.
The Second Sunday of Advent tells us to prepare for something fantastic that is coming. News that’s worthy of being shouted from the mountaintops, or posted to your Instagram account, or texted to a friend. There is nothing ordinary about the preparatory days of Advent that lead us to Christmas, literally “Christ’s birth.” We will flesh out God’s story as we hear the prophet Malachi tell of a messenger to come. Five hundred years later, John the Baptizer fulfilled the prophecy and prepared the way for Jesus.
Christianity is a religion, a relationship with God through Christ, that is materialistic. It is not materialistic in a consumerism way, but uniquely different from all other religions in that it forever connects divinity with humanity. Jesus’ incarnation transformed the transcendent into the imminent when the Word and Spirit became flesh and blood. Christmas tells of this incarnation, literally God’s “fleshing out” when the infinite took finite form.
The first commandment strictly prohibits making representations of Almighty God. Moses knew that nobody could look upon the face of God and live. Because of Christ, now we can! But it’s okay if God reveals an image of God, and God did just that in the incarnation of Jesus.
This week we proclaim that matter matters. There is no division between spirit and matter for those who follow Jesus. We do not somehow care about the spiritual life without caring about physical life, too. We cannot separate what God made inseparable in Jesus Christ. That’s fantastic news!
Get ready as we proclaim God’s story that a Jew from Nazareth who lived briefly, died violently, rose unexpectedly, and was God in the flesh, calls us to follow, transformed in mind, body, and spirit!
Music Preview
Our first hymn today is Hark the Herald Angels Sing. The current tune for this carol was composed by Mendelssohn, who himself was a Messianic Jew. It is from the second chorus of a cantata he wrote in 1840. The cantata commemorates Johann Gutenberg and the invention of the printing press. Mendelssohn strictly warned that his composition had a purely secular purpose. However, in 1856, long after both Wesley and Mendelssohn were dead, Dr. William Cummings ignored both of their wishes and joined the lyrics by Wesley with the music by Mendelssohn for the first time. As a result, the modern version of this beautiful, gospel-centered carol was born, and generations have been singing it ever since.
We close with Go, Tell It On The Mountain. The refrain theme comes from Old Testament passages in which praise to God for his acts of deliverance. Acclamations are shouted, both literally and metaphorically, from the mountaintops (Isa. 42:11). While the three stanzas tell the essence of the Christmas story, the refrain underscores the missionary impetus of the Christian church: “As you go, make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). The “Go, tell,” which initially applied to the singers caroling on the university campus, signals us to leave the comfortable confines of Christian worship and “Go, tell” the message of Christ’s redemption to the whole world.
Come and worship!
“…That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:18).
Due to the spike in cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in Cape May County, masks are again required, even for fully vaccinated worshippers.
You have found a place to encounter God and people who care about you – just as you are, right where you are, anytime. Once you and your family are ready for worship at home, share the picture with us by posting to Facebook #ColdSpringChurch or Instagram #coldspringchurchnj. If you’re in the sanctuary, feel free to share photos or text friends about what you are learning! Subscribe to our weekly Connections email newsletter. Sign up here!
Energize your life and discover the amazing love of Jesus! This week is the perfect time to join us in person for worship. Enjoy live music and solo, lyric videos, and a message of hope from God’s word.
We are excited to welcome to worship all who are able and comfortable in-person in our historic Red Brick Church on Sundays at 10:30 AM. Your safety, health, and wellness are our top priority. Following the guidance from the CDC and health officials, we have implemented safety protocols and designed an approximately forty-minute worship experience that will be spiritually energizing and safe for you, your family, and other worshippers.
