Week of December 29, 2024
At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
as you have promised.
I have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared for all people.
He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” - Matthew 2:25-35 (NLT)
"On the First Day of Christmas...": We all know that song, but did you know that there are "12 days of Christmas"? The church's celebration of Jesus' appearance on earth as a flesh and blood person (like us) traditionally starts on Dec. 25 and continues until Epiphany (Jan. 6). Epiphany commemorates and celebrates the arrival of the Magi ("wise men [royal astrologers] from eastern lands", per Matthew 3, NLT), symbolic of an essential truth: Christ came for all.
Christmas Eve Offering: With thanks to the generosity of God via the friends and members of our church, each year we pool the special offerings taken at our Thanksgiving Eve and Christmas Eve services and donate them to local charitable organizations providing valuable services to the people of the Upper Valley. This year, our pooled offereings are being split equally and donated in toto to the Grafton County Senior Citizens Council for their Meals on Wheels program and to West Central Behavioral Health for their mental health programs (in particular, for suicide prevention). We are grateful for the presence and for the diligent work of these organizations in service to our community! God is indeed great!
Bible Discussions: Our Wednesday & Sunday morning Bible discussions are taking a break for Christmas and New Year's. Pastor Chris's Wednesday morning group will be starting again on January 8, 2025 at 10 am in Trumbull Hall. Our Sunday morning bible discussion group is planning to start up again on January 5, 2025 (9 am in Trumbull Hall). We hope to see you at one or both!
Late-breaking Bible Discussion news: Last week, Pastor Chris announced his plan for another Bible discussion opportunity. He's planning an in-depth study of Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth (i.e., 1 Corinthians). Along with Sunday morning sermons, he's planning a companion Bible discussion on the epistle. Final schedule tbd; perhaps on Mondays or Tuesdays. If you're interested or just want to find out more, contact Pastor Chris! We'll also share more details via this blog when available.
Late-breaking Bible Discussion news: Last week, Pastor Chris announced his plan for another Bible discussion opportunity. He's planning an in-depth study of Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth (i.e., 1 Corinthians). Along with Sunday morning sermons, he's planning a companion Bible discussion on the epistle. Final schedule tbd; perhaps on Mondays or Tuesdays. If you're interested or just want to find out more, contact Pastor Chris! We'll also share more details via this blog when available.
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