Blessings
Good Morning!
Call to Worship and Prayer
Advent Candle
Hymn #195, “Silent Night”
Offering and Doxology
Hymn #185, “Away In A Manger”
Children’s Program
Praise and Prayers
Responsive Reading: Christ's Rescuers Romans12:1-8; 13:8-10
Leader: The apostle Paul knew that in Jesus the Christ, deliverance had arrived. Paul knew that the challenge and the privilege of the follower of this rescuing Jesus was now living out this new freedom in an oppressive and unholy world. In a letter to the Roman Church, he speaks:
All: So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is - that is good and pleasing and mature.
Leader: Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say to each of you: don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each of one of you. We have many parts in one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function. In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other.
All: We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, you should prophesy in proportion to your faith. If your gift is service, devote yourself to serving. If your gift is teaching, devote yourself to teaching. If your gift is encouragement, devote yourself to encouraging. The one giving should do it with no strings attached. The leader should lead with passion. The one showing mercy should be cheerful.
Leader: We are rescued to become part of the rescue effort. So what does the rescue plan look like? Paul seems to arrive at the heart of the matter in the thirteenth chapter.
All: Don’t be in debt to anyone, except for the obligation to love each other. Whoever loves another person has fulfilled the Law.
Leader: In other words, what the Law really intends is not to make us legalists, measuring ourselves and others by compliance with trivial details. The Law’s real intention is to help us become lovers of God and others.
All: The commandments, Don’t commit adultery, don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t desire what others have, and any other commandments, are all summed up in one word: You must love your neighbor as yourself. Love doesn’t do anything wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is what fulfills the Law.
Leader: We live in this gospel rescue, this salvation God has given us by His grace in Jesus, by becoming participants in what God is doing to rescue this world from its oppression and people from their enslavement. We the rescued become hands of our Lord in His rescue enterprise. Through His enabling grace, we the rescued become Christ’s rescuers
Hymn #171, “Joy To The World”
Special Music:
“I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day” by Casting Crowns
Thank you Pastor Donna for arranging the bulletin.
Sermon: “God Will Come To The Rescue”
Hymn #193, “O Come All Ye Faithful”
Benediction
Participating Children:
Warren Schreck, Waylon Schreck, Greenly Moore, Gentry Moore,
Daxxyn Moore, Ezra Shipley, Kenzie Pridell
Prayer List
Joan Tiemeyer - broken hip, Donna and Jim Glenn, Phyllis Layman - not well, Mary Sherwood, Wava and Don Shipley, Mike Shipley, Kate Little - back surgery 12/26/24, Jennie Evans - surgery recovery, Mindy’s DIL Jackie, cancer, Sherrie Thompson, cancer, Jon Horenstein, cancer, Davie Warren - cancer, Randy Snapp - cancer, Ellie Warren - weight loss, Drew, Dave Heuberger, Harley Niles, kidney disease, Phyllis Crom - broke arms and leg, The family of Jim Harris
Praise for the opening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and a successful Tour of Homes in Malvern.
The PCC Board requests the congregation to help reduce the budget shortfall by augmenting their donations. Also donations are accepted for new doors in basement.
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LOOKING AHEAD...
Dec. 22 Sunday Service, Christmas treats
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Service, 4 pm
Dec. 25 No service
Dec. 29 Sunday Service
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Sharing this beautiful Christmas devotional (purchased on Amazon). Absolutely love it! Too good not to share. This particular one is the padded hardcover. The photos in the book are simply wonderful. Highly recommend! ~Mindy
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Old churches must not simply stand as monuments to the past but as spiritual grandparents that have invested in the future by passing on their life to others and releasing their offspring to form new congregations. ~ unknown
Today's Sunday Church Share...
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Percy's Tidbit
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Have a great week
