Advent Day 2

I was thinking today as I left the house this morning what it must have been like for Joseph. To hear that the women he was to marry was already pregnant. Not with his child but a long expected Messiah... back then the first born son got all the inheritance of his father. it was a huge deal to be the first born. we see this in the old testament story Ishmael found in the book of Genesis. His brother Isaac who was born second got the full birth rights of the first born. Something to ponder as you think that God gave us his one and only Son... we get that inheritance that Christ received as the first born son.

I was also thinking of what Joseph was like as a dad... we know that Mary and Joseph had other children after Jesus. But if you read the Scriptures closely. None of their other children accepted Jesus for who He was till after His resurrection. This isn't to say that Joseph was a horrible father but it gives us as parents hope. That even the father of Jesus wasn't perfect. But yet, God chose him to be the one to teach Jesus the things that a father teaches their children, including his trade as a carpenter. We all have a hope of how our children are going to turn out. We hope that all of them will accept Jesus as their personal savior. We hope...

Matthew 1:24-25 says, "When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus."

Advent Day 1

Hope... expectation... waiting for something to be fulfilled... today is the day we remember the hope they had long ago that the Messiah, the one who would rescue them, would be there soon.

If you haven't done so already, talk as a family about how you are going to spend the days of Advent. I am spending them surprising my husband with little gifts each day. As we prepare to spend our first Christmas together. It doesn't have to be that big or exciting but even an Advent calendar helps to remind us each day of the hope we have in Christ our Savior.

Preparing for Advent

Advent is the first season in the church calendar. It marks the beginning of our church year. Advent has become a time of buying gifts, baking cookies and running ourselves ragged. While preparing to celebrate is certainly an appropriate response to the anticipated coming of God incarnate (become human), the true meaning of Advent is inward reflection, repentance of sins, and preparing our souls to meet Christ, the Redeemer. The season of Advent gives us a unique opportunity to enrich the lives of our families. To provide traditions and memories that bond families together while giving each member a chance to enrich their own spiritual lives.

One way we can do this is through the making of an Advent Calendar. It is a way to count down till Christ’s birthday. An idea for an Advent Calendar:
http://new.catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/2010_advent_chain.pdf

Another way is to make a family Advent wreath. This is a way that families can gather each night and have a devotion about the coming of Christ. An Advent wreath is made from greens to symbolize continuous life and contains four candles— three purple and one rose. Often a fifth candle (white) is added to the center of the wreath for lighting on Christmas Eve, in celebration of the birth of Jesus. (http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/christmas_advent.htm)

First Sunday of advent : Hope
light one purple candle to symbolize Hope
Prayer
Read Isaiah 60:2-3
Extinguish the flame

Second Sunday : Peace
Light two purple candles - Hope and Peace
Prayer
Read Mark 1:4
Extinguish the flames

Third Sunday : Joy
Light two purple candles (Hope and Peace)
and one rose to symbolize Joy
Prayer
Read Isaiah 35:10
Extinguish the flames

Fourth Sunday: Love
light all four candles - Hope, Peace, Joy and Love
Prayer
Read Isaiah 9:6-7
Extinguish the flames

Christmas Eve
After Sunset...
Light all four candles and add the fifth white candle
(the light of Christ)
Prayer
Read Luke 1:68-79 and Luke 2:1-20
Keep the candles lit a bit longer, or safely
throughout the evening.

Kidz News

Some children's ministry events coming soon:

Shadman's Birthday is November 30th! On November 28th we will be celebrating his birthday by having a birthday party. The first and second grade class is opening up a cupcake bar after first service for anyone who would like to come to their room and decorate their own cupcake.

Girls Night Out! Friday, December 3rd. 6p.m. - 8:30p.m. Fun Girly Movies, Crafts,Pizza, Snacks and great friends. Cost $5.00/person. Childcare available for 2 and under. Please RSVP to Lisa Michelle Wilson. 797-2651

Christmas Pageant December 12th both services. We will have a Christmas party for children of all ages during the kids worship time.

Family Christmas Movie Night! Wednesday, December 22 4:00 p.m. Room 208/209 Pizza, Soft Drinks, popcorn and other goodies will be provided. We’ll also be doing fun Christmas Crafts and activities! Can’t wait to see you there!

Preschool Kids Worship
Starting this Sunday Kids Worship will be a little different for kids ages 3 - 5. They will be having their own worship time in the nursery area. They will have a lesson, craft and song time that is specific for their age group.

Children's Missions - Room in the Inn
This year each guest at Room in the Inn will find a handwritten card containing an encouraging verse of Scripture on his pillow each week. Ask your children--they may have made a card or two already in Sunday School. We thought families might like to participate in this project together, so we have put together take-home bags that contain a suggested verse and 5 cards. If you are interested, please pick up a bag from the 1st/2nd grade Sunday School classroom, write the verse on the cards, decorate them, pray for the recipients, and return them to Barry Prince. Our guests always enjoy seeing the kids' artwork (because it's awesome!). They will be blessed by your sharing God's word and His love in this way. Thanks!

Kids Worship

Starting this Sunday we will be dividing the children into age groups during the Kids Worship time. The preschoolers (children ages 3, 4 and 5's that are not in K) will meet downstairs in the nursery area and the elementary children will meet in room 208-209. Andrew Kimbrough started this a few weeks back during the second service. Starting this week we will divide into two groups for both services. This is to give both age groups age appropriate stories, crafts, and music. This week Susan Holt will be leading the preschoolers during first service and Andrew Kimbrough will be leading second service.

Opportunity to serve Room in the Inn

This year each guest at Room in the Inn will find a handwritten card containing an encouraging verse of Scripture on his pillow each week. Ask your children--they may have made a card or two already in Sunday School. We thought families might like to participate in this project together, so we have put together take-home bags that contain a suggested verse and 5 cards. If you are interested, please pick up a bag from the 1st/2nd grade Sunday School classroom, write the verse on the cards, decorate them, pray for the recipients, and return them to Barry Prince. Our guests always enjoy seeing the kids' artwork (because it's awesome!). They will be blessed by your sharing God's word and His love in this way. Thanks!