Percival Community Church: Sunday, December 29, 2024

Blessings

Even when Christmas is over, the Light of the world is still here.

This is a lyric from Matthew West's song, "Day After Christmas." If you would like to listen to this song, there is a link at the end of today's post.

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Good Morning!

Living Christmas
Living in the Hope

Call to Worship and Prayer

Hymn #197, “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”

Offering and Doxology

Hymn #183, “I Wonder As I Wander”

Praise and Prayers

Responsive Reading: Living in Hope

Leader: God Himself may be wondering why so many Christians are content to live in a cloud of despair and self-imposed power-lessness, while clinging to the prospect that someday when God’s Kingdom comes, their problems will be resolved, and life will be happy. Did they forget that Jesus announced the Kingdom had come and was already living among them, His disciples?
All: Pharisees asked Jesus when God’s kingdom was coming. He replied, “God’s kingdom isn’t coming with signs that are easily noticed. Nor will people say, ‘Look here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ Don’t you see? God’s kingdom is already among you.”
(Luke 17:20-21)
Leader: That the Kingdom was similar to living seeds someone else planted in the ground - seeds that His disciples were to nurture and harvest?
All: Then Jesus said, “This is what God’s kingdom is like. It’s as though someone scatters seed on the ground, then sleeps and wakes night and day. The seed sprouts and grows, but the farmer doesn’t know how. The earth produces crops all by itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full head of grain. Whenever the crop is ready, the farmer goes out to cut the grain because it’s harvest time.” (Mark
4:26-29)
Leader: That they themselves were to be bearers of Gospel light - so convincing by their good works that others would see the glory God in their midst?
All: In the same way, let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
Leader: That in Revelation 21:5, John saw Jesus saying - in the present tense - “Look! I’m making all things new”? The Second Advent is proclaimed in the future tense in the chapter that follows:
All: “Look! I’m coming soon. My reward is with me, to repay all people as their actions deserve. I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:12-13)
Leader: Perhaps, the return of Christ has been delayed for so long, because we Christians have not taken the Kingdom of God seriously as a reality already implanted in the world by Jesus - a Kingdom in and by which He actually expects us to live our daily lives. The good news is that the Kingdom is present today, and we have the knowledge of living in it by following Jesus.

Hymn #171, “Joy To The World”

Special Music:
“Blessings” by Laura Story

Thank you Nancy Newlon for arranging the bulletin

Sermon: “Living Hope”

Hymn #193, “O Come All Ye Faithful”

Benediction

Prayer List

Joan Tiemeyer - broken hip, Donna Glenn - caretaker, Jim Glenn on hospice at home, Mary Sherwood, Wava and Don Shipley, Mike Shipley, 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 Warren baby

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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Here are a few images from the Christmas Eve Service.

And in this last photo, did anyone else spot the "heart" on the ceiling?

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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