Scripture for Sunday (1/3/16)

Announcements:

• Ordination and Installation of Elders for the class of 2018 will be next Sunday January 10th during worship.
• Presbyterian Youth Fellowship will resume meeting Sunday January 17th 5:30 to 7. Dinner will be provided.
• Kids for Christ will resume meeting Tuesday January 26th 3:30 to 5.
• Our 1st Session meeting of the year will be Tuesday January 19th.

Scripture for Sunday

Mark 1:21-45 (ESV)  

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.  [22] And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.  [23] And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,  [24] "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are— the Holy One of God."  [25] But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!"  [26] And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.  [27] And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."  [28] And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. [29] And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  [30] Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.  [31] And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. [32] That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.  [33] And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  [34] And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. [35] And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.  [36] And Simon and those who were with him searched for him,  [37] and they found him and said to him, "Everyone is looking for you."  [38] And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out."  [39] And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. [40] And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean."  [41] Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean."  [42] And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.  [43] And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once,  [44] and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them."  [45] But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter. 

Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:1-14 (ESV)  

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. [2] This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. [3] And all went to be registered, each to his own town. [4] And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, [5] to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. [6] And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. [7] And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

[8] And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  [9] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. [10] And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [12] And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 

[14] "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

Children's Christmas Play & Breakfast on Sunday (12/13/15)

On Sunday Morning, Parents, please have your children here for the Christmas Play at 9:30 AM. The children will do a run-through of the play and then eat breakfast. 

Sunday morning we will have our annual Christmas play put on by the children and youth of the church. This will be during the Worship Service hour.  We will have breakfast during the Sunday School hour.  Please bring a breakfast dish to share. 

December 2015 Newsletter

Click on the link to open this month's newsletter.

December 2015 Newsletter

Merry Christmas!
Carmen

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (12/6/15)

Announcements

• Men's Breakfast Saturday at 8 AM
• Our annual Christmas Play will be held Sunday December 13, during the normal worship hour at 11. Play practice is each Sunday please have your children here at 9:45 AM. This year's play will have just a couple of lines for each child to learn. Come join us! If you have any questions please call Molly McMillan.
• We will have a brief congregational meeting following worship to hear a report from the nominating committee and elect elders to the class of 2018.

Scripture

Isaiah 40:1-11 ESV

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." 6 A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. 9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" 10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Mark 1:1-8 

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Questions for Reflection

1. What are some of the various ways people comfort themselves about life’s difficulties?
2. What is one of the most comforting messages you’ve ever received from a fellow Christian?
3. In contrast to the previous announcements of God’s judgment, how did Isaiah begin God’s message? (40:1)
4. What good news did Isaiah have for Jerusalem concerning the sufferings that went before? (40:2)
5. What did Isaiah instruct the people to do, even while they were in the wilderness? (40:3)
6. How did Isaiah use the surrounding land to illustrate the change that Isaiah envisioned when God would intervene on behalf of His people? (40:4)
7. How did Isaiah contrast the mortality of human life with the Word of God? (40:6-8)
8. With what exclamations of joy did Isaiah announce God’s arrival? (40:9-10)
9. How does Isaiah’s message of comfort apply to us today?
10. In what sense can it be comforting to meditate on the overwhelming greatness of God?

Scripture for Sunday (11/22/15)

Scripture for Sunday
Isaiah 5:1-7 (ESV) 
    Let me sing for my belovedmy love song concerning his vineyard:
    My beloved had a vineyard
        on a very fertile hill.
    [2] He dug it and cleared it of stones,
        and planted it with choice vines;
    he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
        and hewed out a wine vat in it;
    and he looked for it to yield grapes,
        but it yielded wild grapes.
    [3] And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem
        and men of Judah,
    judge between me and my vineyard.
    [4] What more was there to do for my vineyard,
        that I have not done in it?
    When I looked for it to yield grapes,
        why did it yield wild grapes?
    [5] And now I will tell you
        what I will do to my vineyard.
    I will remove its hedge,
        and it shall be devoured;
    I will break down its wall,
        and it shall be trampled down.
    [6] I will make it a waste;
        it shall not be pruned or hoed,
        and briers and thorns shall grow up;
    I will also command the clouds
        that they rain no rain upon it.
    [7] For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
        is the house of Israel,
    and the men of Judah
        are his pleasant planting;
    and he looked for justice,
        but behold, bloodshed;
    for righteousness,
        but behold, an outcry!

Isaiah 11:1-5 (ESV) 
    There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
        and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
    [2] And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
        the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
        the Spirit of counsel and might,
        the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
    [3] And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
    He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
        or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
    [4] but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
        and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
    and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
        and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
    [5] Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
        and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (11/15/15)

Scripture for Sunday
Hosea 11:1-9 (ESV)  
    When Israel was a child, I loved him,
        and out of Egypt I called my son.
    [2] The more they were called,
        the more they went away;
    they kept sacrificing to the Baals
        and burning offerings to idols.
    [3] Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;
        I took them up by their arms,
        but they did not know that I healed them.
    [4] I led them with cords of kindness,
        with the bands of love,
    and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
        and I bent down to them and fed them.
    [5] They shall not return to the land of Egypt,
        but Assyria shall be their king,
        because they have refused to return to me.
    [6] The sword shall rage against their cities,
        consume the bars of their gates,
        and devour them because of their own counsels.
    [7] My people are bent on turning away from me,
        and though they call out to the Most High,
        he shall not raise them up at all.
    [8] How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
        How can I hand you over, O Israel?
    How can I make you like Admah?
        How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
    My heart recoils within me;
        my compassion grows warm and tender.
    [9] I will not execute my burning anger;
        I will not again destroy Ephraim;
    for I am God and not a man,
        the Holy One in your midst,
        and I will not come in wrath.

Questions for Reflection
1. Would you prefer to be known as “loving” or “just”? Why?
2. How did God express His love for Israel? (11:1-4)
3. Why did the nation not deserve mercy? (11:5-7)
4. How did God show that He was torn between love and justice? (11:8-11)