Already we have a change to the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany hymn schedule. Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus appears on the schedule twice, so we’re substituting in the anticipatory communion hymn Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence this Sunday (December 3, 2017).
Advent-Christmas-Epiphany Hymn Schedule
Below is the 2017-2018 Advent-Christmas-Epiphany hymn schedule. This is a working document and changes may be made.
December 3, 2017 — First Sunday of Advent
202 People Look East
3047 God Almighty, We Are Waiting
211 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
196 Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus
December 10, 2017 — Second Sunday of Advent
206 I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light
234 O Come, All Ye Faithful
220 Angels From the Realms of Glory
203 Hail to the Lord’s Anointed
December 17, 2017 — Third Sunday of Advent
238 Angels We Have Heard on High
203 Hail to the Lord’s Anointed
198 My Soul Gives Glory to My God
249 There’s a Song in the Air
December 24, 2017 — Fourth Sunday of Advent
196 Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus
227 The Friendly Beasts
230 O Little Town of Bethlehem
221 In the Bleak Midwinter
3052 God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
228 He is Born, the Holy Child
218 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
219 What Child is This
251 Go Tell it on the Mountain
December 24, 2017 — Christmas Eve
240 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
246 Joy to the World
217 Away in a Manger
239 Silent Night
December 31, 2017 – Covenant Renewal Service
224 Good Christian Friends Rejoice
236 While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
229 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
606 Come, Let Us Use the Grace Divine
January 7, 2018 — Epiphany
220 Angels From the Realms of Glory
237 Sing We Now of Christmas, verses 1, 3, 4, 5
254 We Three Kings
245 The First Noel
We had a request for O Holy Night, a carol that I love, but it is not in the hymnal nor in the supplements, probably because it is too difficult for congregational singing. Clark is at work attempting to arrange a soloist.
Only Two Kinds of People in the End
There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in Hell, choose it. — C. S. Lewis [1]
C. S. Lewis isn’t God, and The Great Divorce is not the Bible, but I think this understanding of hell is compatible with biblical teaching.
[1] C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce (New York: Macmillan Company, 1946), Chapter 9.
Serrv Sale Deadline
Yesterday was the last Sunday to turn Serrv orders in, but there’s still time to get a Serrv Order Form turned into the church office. The deadline is Thursday, November 30, 2017.
The True Test of Faith
Not everything (not even most of the things) I read in preparation for the sermon make it to the pulpit. Here’s a great comment on Matthew 25:31-46 that didn’t make it into the sermon:
Feeding the hungry, welcoming strangers, and visiting the sick are mundane acts. In this sense ‘virtue is not far from us, nor is it without ourselves, but it is within us, and is easy if only we are willing’ (Anthony the Great). The Son of Man does not demand supernatural feats but simple, unobtrusive charity. The former but not the latter can easily be counterfeited (24:24). Charity [Christian love] is accordingly the true test of faith. [1]
[1] Rene Kieffer, “Matthew,” in The Oxford Bible Commentary, ed. John Barton and John Muddiman (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), 879.
Funeral Service for Gerald Everett
A Service of Death and Resurrection for Gerald E. Everett will be held Friday, December 1, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. in the sanctuary, interment will follow at Abilene Cemetery. Jenny and I (John) will officiate. There will not be a funeral dinner.
Church Office Closed for Thanksgiving
A reminder that the church office will be closed tomorrow (Thursday, November 22, 2017) and Friday (Friday, November 23, 2017) for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Be Not Afraid
The board of trustees met this evening and one of the topics discussed was the security of the church in light of recent events both in town and in the country as a whole. If you are concerned, please know that the issue is being discussed and will be addressed. Please also heed the words of the angels, a message God is so urgently trying to convey to us: “Be not afraid.” God loves us, God’s providence provides and cares for us every day of our lives, and no matter what happens, God is with us and for us. Do not let fear undermine your ability to live as a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.
Quotable: Jonathan Edwards
Godliness is more easily feigned in words than in actions. — Jonathan Edwards [1]
[1] Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections.
Because God Loves Us
The Christian thinks any good he does comes from the Christ-life inside him. He does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us. — C. S. Lewis [1]
[1] C. S. Lewis, “The Practical Conclusion,” in Mere Christianity (1952).
I’m So Happy to Have Been Wrong
Yesterday, eleven members of the Ring Praise Youth Bell Choir treated both worship services to their rendition of Come, Christians, Join to Sing. It was spectacular. And it reminded me of how horribly wrong I had been when Lisa Divel approached Jenny and me about starting a youth bell choir. I liked the idea of a youth bell choir and I encouraged Lisa in her efforts, but I didn’t think it would work. In fact, I was sure it was going to fail and I just didn’t have the heart to break it to her. My reasoning was that because kids today are busy with countless extra-curricular activities, Lisa wasn’t going to find anyone interested in taking the time to be in a bell choir. Well, I forgot about the Holy Spirit and I underestimated Lisa and the youth of this church. Clearly, it can be done and it can be done well. The eleven members are soon to be twelve. I’ve rarely been so happy to have been wrong.
Fires, Tornados, and Attempted Mass Shootings
I’ve had two people ask me if the church has a contingency plan for an attempted mass shooting. We do not. I do not think there is any real chance that a mass shooting will happen at our particular church. And I’ll admit I’m skeptical as to what can be done given the power of automatic weapons and the fact that we all gather together in one place for worship on Sunday morning. Nonetheless, here are my recommendations for dealing with fires, tornadoes, and attempted mass shootings while at the church.
Fire: Exit the building and call 911.
Tornado: Go to Wright Fellowship Hall, the Wright Fellowship Hall Kitchen (even better the “dungeon” off of the kitchen), or the old nursery room (Room B-9). Use the phone or Wi-Fi in the basement to let someone outside the area know that you are safe and where you have taken cover.
Attempted Mass Shooting: run, hide, take cover, create a distraction, or swarm depending on the circumstances. When you can do so safely, call 911. I would suggest you take a look at the guide provided by The Washington Post in consultation with several security specialists.
In all these circumstances I would suggest you pray (although I’m pretty sure this will come automatically). I would encourage you to take heart in the fact that Jesus Christ went through death and out the other side into eternal life that we might do likewise. This sure and certain hope is an excellent reason to join the gathered congregation on Sunday morning.
A now for the political part you may want to skip: I have avoided talking about gun-control because it is a highly-charged political issue and given the diverse nature of our congregation I try to avoid engaging in too many of those. Nonetheless, I cannot bring myself to write a post about how to respond to an attempted mass shooting without encouraging you to contact your elected representatives and urge them to pass common sense gun control legislation. (An example would be the universal background checks supported by roughly 90% of Americans.)
Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/activeshooter/