Blessings
Good Morning!
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Sunday, December 14, 2025
The Purpose of Christmas
Call to Worship
Hymn #197 "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
Offering
Song: "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" by Casting Crowns
Advent Wreath, 3rd candle
Praise and Prayer
Responsive Scripture
Leader: With the blessing of hindsight and the leading of the Holy Spirit we now realize that the Old Testament is replete with specific
prophecies about the Messiah’s birth and his Jewish heritage.
All: The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem:
Reader 1: But you, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will rule over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. (Micah 5:2)
All: The Messiah would come as a baby:
Reader 1: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
All: The Messiah would be born of a virgin:
Reader 1: Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
All: The Messiah would be a suffering servant:
Reader 1: He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed by our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:3-5)
All: The Messiah would be our salvation.
Reader 1: After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion amount the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Leader. Jesus told the people that God wanted their love. What is the
kingdom of God? It is the place where God is King. If God is king of your heart, if you love Him enough to obey Him, then the kingdom of God is within you.
Song: "This is Christmas" by Kutless
Special Music: "I Still Believe in Christmas" by Anne Wilson
Sermon: "To Bring Us to God"
Hymn #171 "Joy to the World"
Benediction
Prayer and Praise
Mary Sherwood, sign-in book, Pastor Donna face recovery, Wava and Mike Shipley, Rockport, Joan Tiemeyer, covid, Don Shipley, Rich Hobbfast, Jan’s friend, Lucy Roth (Beth’s friend), cancer, Brenda Herival, cancer, Sandra and Chase (Nancy’s family) Linda Hendrickson, Dave’s friend liver transplant/Mayo, Rick Thompson, liver cancer, Family of Mrs. McIntosh, Ellie (Penny’s daughter), Clint and Glenda’s daughter, Betty Booker, Davie Warren, Larry Moyer- good test results, Ethan Burge- record breaking 670#, Sherrie Thompson, more Birkby great grandchildren, Handy great grandchildren at Disney World, Moyer 3rd great grandchild Delilah
Ruth, Jenny Bruce’s organ donation saved lives
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Christmas Eve Service will be December 24, at 3:00pm
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Here are some photos from the children's Christmas program last Sunday. They did a great job! A heartfelt thank you to Mary for all she does for our children.
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Wednesday evening the Percival Hometown Pride and our church hosted a Holiday Party for the residents of Percival and their family members. Here are a few photos from that evening.
Attendance----- 75...(38) children.
Everyone enjoyed a fun evening with food, crafts, and activities!
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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...
Picture via pinterest
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Percy's Tidbit
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Have a great week
