No children's and adult's classes will be meeting tonight.
With the power still out for some of us, this is a good evening to do Advent Reflections.
See previous post for first two weeks of Reflections. Print off and read Scriptures, discussion questions, prayers and sing or play songs that go with each.
If electricity is returned, the office will be open Thursday.
Email church office
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Advent Weeks 1 & 2
Advent is a time to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christ coming into the world, to imagine what life was like as Israel was waiting for the promised Messiah, and to get ready for the final return of Jesus. So each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas are marked by storytelling about Christ’s coming and self-examination and hearing from voices who announced his coming.
Each Sunday during Advent season a brief resource is provided for you to use with family or friends. The recommendation is that you set aside at least 15 minutes each week to gather with friends or family to share these Advent Reflections. Much of the material is inspired by and taken from www.simpleliving.org.
Consider making an Advent Wreath
Take a shallow bowl and fill with sand or salt and place four purple candles around the edges, or use candle holders. Place one large white candle in the middle. Make a circle of evergreens and place around the bowl or candle holders.
You need a Bible, matches, and you can also use a manger scene.
Light one candle during this week’s reflection. The second week, light two, then three the third week and four the fourth. On Christmas Eve, light all and the middle white candle.
Set aside some time each week for this short ceremony. Invite those who are alone to join you in worship. Use the telephone to join someone. Gather as a family or with friends.
Read and Meditate and Prepare Ourselves
Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
Discuss
Are you prepared for this season? Are you already stressed out? Why? Have you considered giving the gift of time this month?
Average Americans consume five times more than Mexicans, ten times more than average Chinese, and twenty times more than average person in India. What do you really need this Christmas?
Are we willing to spend less on ourselves and more to needy people?
With your Nativity scene at home . . . What if we hide Wise Men, Shepherds, Jesus until we read that part of the story closer to Christmas, then we put each person in as we read along?
Calendar--Plan times to make visits, bake cookies for someone, donate your time or money to charities. Plan your shopping only on certain days. Plan NOT to be going to stores everyday in December but plan this out together. Plan your Advent Reflection times for a certain time together.
Sing
O come, O come, Emmanuel / And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here / Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
Advent Reflections Week 2
Read and Meditate
Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12.
Read this aloud . . .
Make room in your heart for the Lord!
“While Waiting”
Start in the basement where it’s cold and dark;
Reach deep into the shadows of the recesses of your heart.
Empty crammed closets; donate clothes no longer needed.
Throw out the trash; from your fears be relieved.
Remove extra furniture and bric-a-brac that clutters;
Climb attic stairs, and without oaths one sometimes uters,
Clear out a lifetime of baggage and broken toys.
Take a broom to clinging cobwebs and the memory that cloys.
Throw open attic windows and that stuck cellar door;
Breathe in a breath of fresh Spirit;
Welcome God’s newborn Son forevermore.
Make room in your heart, your mind and your soul
For Christ each day to dwell.
Embody the Good news that angels still sing;
Jesus is God-with-us,
Emmanuel!
--Ashley M. Calhoun, Beulah UMC, Knoxville, Tennessee
Make room in your heart for the Lord!
Sing
Play your favorite songs about Jesus and Christmas. Each person in your group or family could decide a song to play. Have one of the children burn a CD with all the songs off of iTunes or just play CDs . . . or old records, if you have a record player!
Pray
Dear Father, we’re wandering in your world. We often come fully in a circle and recognize the path we’ve been so many times. Teach us to learn from this journey to love you more as you have loved us. Holy God, help us make room in our hearts for Jesus, Emmanuel, God-with-us.
Each Sunday during Advent season a brief resource is provided for you to use with family or friends. The recommendation is that you set aside at least 15 minutes each week to gather with friends or family to share these Advent Reflections. Much of the material is inspired by and taken from www.simpleliving.org.
Consider making an Advent Wreath
Take a shallow bowl and fill with sand or salt and place four purple candles around the edges, or use candle holders. Place one large white candle in the middle. Make a circle of evergreens and place around the bowl or candle holders.
You need a Bible, matches, and you can also use a manger scene.
Light one candle during this week’s reflection. The second week, light two, then three the third week and four the fourth. On Christmas Eve, light all and the middle white candle.
Set aside some time each week for this short ceremony. Invite those who are alone to join you in worship. Use the telephone to join someone. Gather as a family or with friends.
Read and Meditate and Prepare Ourselves
Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
Discuss
Are you prepared for this season? Are you already stressed out? Why? Have you considered giving the gift of time this month?
Average Americans consume five times more than Mexicans, ten times more than average Chinese, and twenty times more than average person in India. What do you really need this Christmas?
Are we willing to spend less on ourselves and more to needy people?
With your Nativity scene at home . . . What if we hide Wise Men, Shepherds, Jesus until we read that part of the story closer to Christmas, then we put each person in as we read along?
Calendar--Plan times to make visits, bake cookies for someone, donate your time or money to charities. Plan your shopping only on certain days. Plan NOT to be going to stores everyday in December but plan this out together. Plan your Advent Reflection times for a certain time together.
Sing
O come, O come, Emmanuel / And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here / Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
Advent Reflections Week 2
Read and Meditate
Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12.
Read this aloud . . .
Make room in your heart for the Lord!
“While Waiting”
Start in the basement where it’s cold and dark;
Reach deep into the shadows of the recesses of your heart.
Empty crammed closets; donate clothes no longer needed.
Throw out the trash; from your fears be relieved.
Remove extra furniture and bric-a-brac that clutters;
Climb attic stairs, and without oaths one sometimes uters,
Clear out a lifetime of baggage and broken toys.
Take a broom to clinging cobwebs and the memory that cloys.
Throw open attic windows and that stuck cellar door;
Breathe in a breath of fresh Spirit;
Welcome God’s newborn Son forevermore.
Make room in your heart, your mind and your soul
For Christ each day to dwell.
Embody the Good news that angels still sing;
Jesus is God-with-us,
Emmanuel!
--Ashley M. Calhoun, Beulah UMC, Knoxville, Tennessee
Make room in your heart for the Lord!
Sing
Play your favorite songs about Jesus and Christmas. Each person in your group or family could decide a song to play. Have one of the children burn a CD with all the songs off of iTunes or just play CDs . . . or old records, if you have a record player!
Pray
Dear Father, we’re wandering in your world. We often come fully in a circle and recognize the path we’ve been so many times. Teach us to learn from this journey to love you more as you have loved us. Holy God, help us make room in our hearts for Jesus, Emmanuel, God-with-us.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Letting Go of the Workshop
For many years Garnett has partnered with the Memorial Church in hosting and directing the Tulsa International Soul Winning Workshop. God has been very good to the workshop during this time. He has used many of you to help put on an event that has challenged, encouraged, and changed the lives of many.
Memorial has graciously accepted full responsibility for the Workshop. Their passion for and commitment to the workshop is unsurpassed. Letting go of the workshop was a relatively easy decision to make because we know that we are leaving it in good hands. Please continue to support, encourage, and pray for Terry Rush and the leadership of the Memorial Church as they shepherd the Workshop into the future.
If in the past you’ve been a part of the huge base of volunteers it takes to pull off the workshop, we thank you for all of your effort. The workshop would have never happened without you. If you want to continue to help out with future workshops, you can contact Danna Townsdin: danna0215@cox.net. We’ve been assured that she will put you to work.
So what are the “other directions” into which we’ve chosen to direct our energy? Right now we have three main areas of concentration:
1. Leadership development. We’re focusing more and more of our time and energy on identifying and developing new leaders who can help Garnett step into God’s future with energy, passion, and hope.
2. Being good neighbors. We’re going to continue to explore ways to engage our increasingly multi-cultural neighborhood. We believe that the event center and bi-lingual preschool are but the tip of the iceberg.
3. Planting new churches. We’ve been dreaming about it for several years now and we still believe this is something God wants us to be a part of. As we make progress in areas #1 and #2, we hope it will lead to opportunities to plant new churches.
God has always taken care of His church. We believe he will continue to guide us down this path and provide for us what we need to accomplish his mission. Please join us in praying for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done in our church, in our community, and in the world.
If you have any questions about anything mentioned in this letter, please speak with a staff member or shepherd.
Blessings,
Garnett Leadership Team
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