Here is the news from Springwater. December brings Advent and Christmas,
with events and opportunities for giving and sharing, Read on. . . .
with events and opportunities for giving and sharing, Read on. . . .
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December Birthdays
Kathy Scott 12/6 Danika Odell 12/12 Michelle Richardson 12/18 Jim Roden 12/28 |
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Church Events in December
Advent Wednesdays: Soup Supper, & Activity December 4, 11, & 18 - 6:30 pm Progressive Dinner Christmas Party December 8 right after service Serve a Meal at the Women’s Shelter December 15 Longest Night Service December 22 4:30pm Christmas Eve Lessons & Carols December 24 7:30pm |
Sunday Hours
9:30 Bible Study 10:15 Hymn Sing 10:30 Worship 1 1:45 Fellowship Deadline for next newsletter: December 20 |
Prepare the Way - Advent 2019
“This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days
the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, descendants of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
Isaiah 2:1-5
“This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days
the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, descendants of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
Isaiah 2:1-5
It is the season of arrivals. And waiting for arrivals. Much like the cell phone parking lot at PDX. Your guest is not yet close enough for you to pull up curbside, but they are close enough that you need to be in the cell phone parking lot. Not at home. Not at the store. If you’re not in the cell phone lot, you’re not ready. In the cell phone lot, you’re ready. Sure, you are waiting, but you are ready.
Advent is our awaiting the arrival of Christ. We are both remembering and celebrating the first coming in the birth of Jesus and awaiting the second coming that is beautifully imagined in the Isaiah passage above. The passage plays with the image of the mountain of the Lord as the time when God and God’s way of peace will be the way of earth. The time when there will be no more war. Swords will be beaten into plowshares, spears into pruning hooks. Guns into garden tools. There is actually a group that is doing this, practicing and preparing for the day when there is war no more. https://rawtools.org/. I’d say that is being in the cell phone lot of a world at peace. Awake to an arrival that is nearby. Preparing the way for peace.
The call to us from scripture this Advent: to be AWAKE to the arrival that is nearby and to be PREPARING the way for the Lord. As you read and pray through the lectionary scripture passages and devotional reflections this Advent season where do you sense God calling you awake? Disturbing your status quo? Interrupting your mindlessness?
The following link is to a beautiful Advent devotional that is both a slow reflection on the birth of Christ and an invitation to meditate on artwork. Take time with both these things and see what the Lord calls to your attention. How is God waking you up?
Devotional Download address: https://renovare.org/books/meditations-on-the-birth-of-jesus
Waiting for the arrival of Christ with you,
Pastor Susan
Advent is our awaiting the arrival of Christ. We are both remembering and celebrating the first coming in the birth of Jesus and awaiting the second coming that is beautifully imagined in the Isaiah passage above. The passage plays with the image of the mountain of the Lord as the time when God and God’s way of peace will be the way of earth. The time when there will be no more war. Swords will be beaten into plowshares, spears into pruning hooks. Guns into garden tools. There is actually a group that is doing this, practicing and preparing for the day when there is war no more. https://rawtools.org/. I’d say that is being in the cell phone lot of a world at peace. Awake to an arrival that is nearby. Preparing the way for peace.
The call to us from scripture this Advent: to be AWAKE to the arrival that is nearby and to be PREPARING the way for the Lord. As you read and pray through the lectionary scripture passages and devotional reflections this Advent season where do you sense God calling you awake? Disturbing your status quo? Interrupting your mindlessness?
The following link is to a beautiful Advent devotional that is both a slow reflection on the birth of Christ and an invitation to meditate on artwork. Take time with both these things and see what the Lord calls to your attention. How is God waking you up?
Devotional Download address: https://renovare.org/books/meditations-on-the-birth-of-jesus
Waiting for the arrival of Christ with you,
Pastor Susan
Advent & Christmas 2019 - Prepare the Way! Scripture Readings & Events
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irst Sunday of Advent—December 1
Isaiah 2:1–5 Psalm 122 Romans 13:11–14 Matthew 24:36–44 Second Sunday of Advent—December 8 Isaiah 11:1–10 Psalm 72:1–7, 18–19 Romans 15:4–13 Matthew 3:1–12 Third Sunday of Advent—December 15 Isaiah 35:1–10 Psalm 146:5–10 or Luke 1:46–55 James 5:7–10 Matthew 11:2–11 |
Fourth Sunday of Advent—December 22
Isaiah 7:10–16 Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19 Romans 1:1–7 Matthew 1:18–25 Christmas Eve Lessons & Carols Service at 7:30pm Isaiah 9:2–7 Psalm 96 Titus 2:11–14 Luke 2:1–14 [15–20] Christmas Day Isaiah 52:7–10 Psalm 98 Hebrews 1:1–4 [5–12] John 1:1–14 |
Christmas Joy Offering - A note from the Presbyterian Mission Agency
During this Christmas and Advent Season, we celebrate leadership; past, present and future through support of the Christmas Joy Offering. We do so because church leaders greatly impact our lives of faith, walking with us down the path to be more like Jesus. We want those church leaders and their families who find themselves grappling with a critical financial need to have the resources they need which are provided through the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions. We also support the offering to help our future leaders in the church and world, like those educated at our Presbyterian related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. Supporting these students helps the whole church develop leaders who reflect the wideness of God’s intended diversity. For those supported through the Christmas Joy Offering, this help is truly a gift from above. May our gifts, and the leaders who receive them, point us always to the truth of the one whose birth we celebrate, Jesus Christ — the truly perfect gift.
To learn more about the Christmas Joy Offering, please visit: ● Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions: www.pensions.org, click on Plans & Programs ● Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and colleges: www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/resc/
We will collect the Christmas Joy Offering on Sunday, Dec 22.
To learn more about the Christmas Joy Offering, please visit: ● Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions: www.pensions.org, click on Plans & Programs ● Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and colleges: www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/resc/
We will collect the Christmas Joy Offering on Sunday, Dec 22.
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Date
December 1: December 8: December 15: December 22: December 29: |
Ushers
Tim & Nike Guttridge Kathy Scott Renate Jeppeson Ellenmarie OCallaghan Gary Guttridge |
Worship Leader
Lynda Conway Barbara Shibley Debbie Ingamells Susie Garrison Cindy Woodbury |
