iHOPE

Sermon Thoughts: Happiness

Happiness, I have come to understand, comes when what I choose to be about in life is actually worth spending my life doing... What fills the heart with happiness, ironically enough, is not what we get out of the world; it’s what we put into it. Being about something worthwhile, spending our lives on something worth spending a life on is what, in the end, makes us happy.

Joan Chittister Following the Path: The Search for a Life of Passion ,Purpose & Joy

Here's a quote from this morning's sermon, "Kepping Christmas Well."

So, what is actually worth spending your life doing?

12 Days, 12 Acts of Christmas

On Christmas Eve, I challenged the folks who attended to commit to 12 Acts of Kindness throughout the 12 Days of Christmas. It was inspired by the many ways people are finding to 'push back' the darkness of the past several months.One example is the response to the death of Jayden Lamb, an eight year old in Michigan. Another is the response to Ann Curry's challenge to perform 26 Acts of Kindness in honor of the 26 victims at Newtown.

The concept is simple. Between Decemeber 26 and January 6 (the traditional 12 Days of Christmas), do one act of kindness as a way of extending the light of Christ into our world. If you can, take a picture and send it to me. The picture on the right came from Nancy Faunce. She posted on her FaceBook page,

"On the First Day of Christmas - Act of Kindness #1 - shovelled neighbor's driveway.

Let His light shine on and through me."

How about you- are you in?

12 Days, 12 Acts. It sure beats sending all those Partridges, French Hens and Drummers!

Are You Ready for Christmas?

Of all the preparations that are being made for Christmas, perhaps the one thing that is most neglected   is our own heart. Here are the services this weekend that can help!

Sunday, December 23

Morning Worship (9:00 & 10:45):

Another intallment of "The Gospel According to Scrooge". Sunday School at both services.

Blue Christmas Service (7:00 pm):

A special Christmas service for those who are in a season of loss.  It is not a 'sad' service, but rather a service of hope that recognizes and honors the strugle that many go through this time of year. We light candles for the special people in our lives. We light a candle for ourselves, too!

Monday, December 24

4:00- Young Children Service:

This is a service designed for families with young children. Lots of energy, lots of activity and lots of fun! Come early so children can interact with the animals at the Live Nativity.

6:00 & 8:00- Carols & Candles Services:

A service for all ages. Bring something that "jingles" (bells, keys, ??) for the singing at the beginning. We close with lighting candles and singing Silent Night.

11:00- Candlelight Communion Service:

This is a quieter and more traditional Christmas Eve Service. Communion is offered and we close at midnight singing Silent Night by candlelight.

You have spent a lot of time getting everything else ready for Christmas, make sure you take some time to get yourself ready, too. While you are at it, invite a friend. They may need the same!

Sometimes, Lord, it just seems to be too much...

Sometimes, Lord,

it just seems to be too much:

    too much violence, too much fear;

    too much of demands and problems;

    too much of broken dreams and broken lives;

    too much of war and slums and dying;

    too much of greed and squishy fatness

        and the sounds of people

            devouring each other

                and the earth;

too much of stale routines and quarrels,

    unpaid bills and dead ends;

too much of words lobbed in to explode

    and leaving shredded hearts and lacerated souls;

too much turned-away backs and yellow silence,

    red rage and bitter taste of ashes in my mouth

Pastor's Class: Way to Go!

We just finished our mid-week, Fall Pastor's Class. We used N.T. Wright's book, After You Believe as the source book.  Not the easiest read, but it sure made us think (the video lectures didn't hurt, either!)It was another great class and as always, is one of the highlights of my week. 

Thanks too all the participants for the lively discussions, great questions, persistence, faithfulness, humor (always lots of that!) and of course, wonderful snacks!

I'm already looking forward to the next class in January, when we take on The New Testament Challenge!

As a bridge between this classs and the next, we'll let Wright have the last word:

The practice of reading scripture, studying scripture, acting scripture, singing scripture—generally soaking oneself in scripture as an individual and a community—has been seen from the earliest days of Christianity as central to the formation of Christian character… (It is) important that the sheer activity of reading scripture, in the conscious desire to be shaped and formed within the purposes of God, is itself an act of faith, hope, and love, an act of humility and patience.

A New Year's Resolution...in December?!

Right now, you are busy with Christmas plans. Right now, you can hardly think about the new year.

But the day will come soon when Christmas is over (two weeks from today, in fact!) and you'll start thinking about the new year.  That is why I want to make a plug for a new year's resolution- right now.

It is called the New Testament Challenge. It involves reading the New Tetstament in 90 Days- together. More than that, it involves becoming part of the New Testament story. Beyond the Daily Readings, it will involve Worship, LIFE Groups and Adult Ed classes and workshops. The children and youth are joining in, too! It is going to be a church-wide focus from New Year's to Easter, and I wanted to give you a heads-up, so you'll be ready when it gets here. There are a lot more details and you will start to see some of them soon. Today, I just wanted to let you know so you can make a New Year's resolution- right now!

If you want to find out more, check out the special page we have by clicking here!

Who's Your Favorite Scrooge?

What is your favorite version of A Christmas Carol? 

This story is so universally loved that I don't have to ask IF you have seen it. The real question is, "which version is your favorite?" Usually, that depends on who is playing Scrooge.  Some like Alistair Sim, others like George C. Scott, Patrick Stewart, Michael Caine, Jim Carrey, etc.

So, which is your favorite version? Who is your favorite Scrooge?

Whichever version you choose, A Christmas Carol is about the possibility of change, new beginnings and being transformed by grace. That is why we are using this story in our sermon series, "The Gospel According to Scrooge."  Each week, we let the story lead us into a Christmas theme like, Generosity, Compassion, Joy, Love and Grace.  Each week we use a clip from one of the many versions of this story. Which version will we choose this week? Maybe it will be your favorite!