Paving The Way For God

This Advent Season you will have multiple opportunities to invite someone you care about to a service and encounter the Lord as we worship together. There are roughly seven opportunities to invite someone to ‘come and see’ .

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

John 1:45-46

Those seven opportunities are:

• December 1 – Luke in December. Start reading one chapter a day through the Gospel of Luke. By Christmas Eve you will have completed the entire Gospel. HINT: invite someone you care about to do this with you, then invite them to the Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service at 5:00 pm December 24th.
• December 3 – Advent decorating and potluck. This is also a sneaky way to invite them to the worship service just before that at 10:00 am.
• December 3 – Advent Worship Service. Four weeks to cover the theme, “Paving The Way For God.” Week one we will look at the topic, “Staying In Your Lane” as we ponder together what to do with the sometimes scary apocalyptic scripture in Mark 13.
• December 7 – West County Chamber Of Commerce Ribbon Cutting. At 11:00 am, Thursday December 7, the church will host a ribbon cutting ceremony as members of the chamber gather to celebrate with us the opening of our new facility. You will also have a unique opportunity to network with members of the community who would not ordinarily come to our facility. Lunch will be served.
• December 10 – Second Week of Advent service. Sermon topic, “Your Crooked Little Heart Needs Straightening.” A Look at the controversial first chapter of Mark’s Gospel. Mark 1:1-8.
• December 17 – Third Week of Advent service. Sermon Topic, “I Can’t, But I Know A Guy.” John the Baptist is confused for the Messiah. He sets the record straight pretty quick. John 1:6-8, 19-28.
• December 24 – Fourth Week of Advent service. Sermon Topic, “You Can’t Get There From Here.” Mary meets an angel and gets some impossible news. Luke 1:26-38.
• December 24 – Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service. 5:00 pm

You can see that there are many opportunities to share the Good News. Think of it as simply inviting them to join you for Church. You don’t need to have any answers (except where and when to met). Just ask them to ‘Come and see.’

As you read Luke each day in December, here is a suggestion about how to spend the time:

• Make the sign of the Cross and pray, ” In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, I am eager to meet you in your Word. Please help me to notice what you want to say to me through your Word today. Help me to receive your Word with Joy and put it into practice. Amen”
• Read the text slowly, out loud if the setting permits.
• Re-read the text again and slowly focus on whatever gets your attention.
• As you read, stop now and again and pray quietly, “Lord what do you want me to notice here today?”
• Consider highlighting the verse or words that get your attention.
• Give yourself to the the Lord for the day and pray for whatever else comes across your mind.
• Go on your way in the peace that you know you have given special time and attention to the Word of God and that that time and effort is never wasted.

“…so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

Isaiah 55:11

See you in Church!

Pastor Mark