Welcome: Craig Waddell (covering for Pastor Stanley)
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Songs: “In the Bleak Midwinter", "Amazing Grace" (Jerri Wadell)
Lighting of the Fourth Candle
Song: “O come, O come Emmanuel" - verse 4 (Howard)
Offering - Hymnal #572: “Praise God” (Howard)
Family Prayers / The Lord’s Prayer
Message: “A Brother"
Hymnal #120: “Joy to the World” (Howard)
End of service
As this week unfolds, ponder . . . IN THE GOSPELS, everything that happens involves people in relationships with other people. Mary and Joseph. Mary and Jesus. Elizabeth and Zechariah. Mary and Elizabeth. John the Baptist and Jesus. Jesus and his disciples.There are no isolated individuals in the Gospels, no independent advocates of self reliance. Everyone is related to others. There’s a message in this for us. Jesus doesn’t just say, “Love God.” He links love of god to love of neighbor. As we draw close to Christmas, we would do well to remember that the only true Christian joy comes with others. Jesus was born into a family in the usual way. He didn’t materialize independently, out of thin air. This is the message of Christmas