Christmas Eve 2019 - December 24th

 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: 

and the government shall be upon his shoulder: 

and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, 

The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 KJV

"For Unto Us A Child Is Born"

by George Frideric Handel 

from "The Messiah"

Advent 2019 - December 20th

Five days until Christmas!  Are you ready?

Today's Straw in the Manger scripture is Genesis 2:15 -- The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.  Today's focus is on taking care of the earth.  Remember that the main theme of Straw in the Manger centers around Matthew 25 and the parable of the bags of gold.  The author of the devotional asks us to wonder if Jesus was telling us this story today would he ask us to remember the first work God gave us to do -- care for Eden -- to be faithful stewards of the earth.  So today's challenge is to be kind to the Earth we live on -- pick up trash when you see it, recycle, help out with clean up projects around your city.  And, if you have a real Christmas tree, remember to recycle it.

Today's Sketchnote December Icon challenge is a Christmas Wreath.

Advent 2019 -- December 18 & 19

I'm finally starting to feel better.  Yesterday was one of those days...sick dog, errands to run, trying to get ready for choir rehearsal, and getting a late start to rehearsal.  But the next three days are my relaxation days, so I'm looking forward to finishing up Christmas projects and wrapping presents.

December 18th Bible Journaling scripture was John 1:14 -- The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  And today's verse is Matthew 1:21 -- She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 

The Random Acts of Kindness for December 18th & 19th are to make a donation to an animal shelter -- either monetary or items that are used like used blankets or towels AND decorate a rock with "Joy to the World" and leave it on a park bench somewhere.  For the past few years, I have made a donation to the place that we took our dog Rosie to get fixed.  Donations help to spay or neuter dogs for people that can't afford it.  And as you've seen before, I have already made some blessing rocks.  Time to distribute them!

The scripture reading for Straw in the Manger for December 18th was 2 Corinthians 9:11-12 -- You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.  This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.  The action item for this devotional is to add a personal note to your Christmas cards this year -- if you haven't sent them out yet.  If you have, consider doing this next year or throughout the year, make sure you personalize notes to people.  Be generous.  And the scripture reading for today, December 19th, is 1 Corinthians 13:7 -- It (Love) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. The focus of today's devotional is love.  The devotionals have been focusing previously on ways that we can reach out to our community, but today's devotional reminds us to not forget our own family.  The action item for today suggests that we write a love letter to our children, our spouse, or parents, or a valued friend.  If it's a family member, wrap it up & put it under the Christmas tree and give it to them on Christmas morning.

The Sketchnote December Icon Challenge is Gingerbread Person & Reindeer.

 

 

Advent 2019 - December 16th &17th

I was not feeling well yesterday, so I didn't get a chance to post the 16th, so I'm consolidating the two days.  This is one of the reasons that I do a daily devotional -- to help keep me grounded and centered during this busy time of the year.  Sunday I came home from church exhausted.  I arrived early to rehearse something that was happening during worship and then after church we had our annual lunch & Christmas Wrapping Party for the gifts we give to the community.  I wrapped just one too many gifts.  When we left to head home, I really felt tired.  Once I got home I fell asleep watching a football game.  Then yesterday, I still felt tired.  I did a few things, but not much.  I felt like I was starting to get sick & that's what I don't need this week.  I'm feeling better today, so I'll still take it easy the next couple of days & make sure I'm ready for this week's rehearsals and worship service.

The scripture reading for yesterday from Straw in the Manger is Philemon 1:7 - Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.  The devotional encourages us to pay attention to the Holy Spirit's nudges and to bring joy to a stranger -- strike up a conversation while standing in line at the store or bank.  Positive interactions not only bring joy to the person you're talking to, it brings you joy.  And today's scripture reading is Hebrews 13:2 --  Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.  This scripture and devotional is a continuation of the message from Philemon.  We never know when someone that we strike up a conversation with is going to be an angel -- a blessing -- to us.  The call to action for this devotional is to send a thank you note to someone in your past that showed you hospitality.  Think about how their hospitality has influenced you and tell them how grateful you are for how they influenced you.

The Random Act of Kindnesses for yesterday and today are give a donation to your local food bank and bring a plant or bouquet of flowers to a hospital or nursing home near you, asking the nurses to give them to a patient that needs a pick-me-up.

Yesterday & today's Sketchnote December Icon Challenge is Christmas Stocking and Holly.

Advent 2019 - December 15th

Today is the third Sunday of Advent, and we light the candle of Joy.  This is also called Gaudete Sunday.  Gaudete, in Latin, means rejoice.  It is also the Sunday that we light the pink candle in the advent candle wreath.  

Today, our choral music focused on the Song of Mary -- the Magnificat -- as found in Matthew 1 -- And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, ⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.  Our anthem was Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven" arranged by Lloyd Larson.  And one of our youth presented an interpretive dance.

Today's Sketchnote December Icon Challenge was a Christmas Card.

Advent 2019 - December 14th

Today's Straw in the Manger scripture is Psalm 139:13-14 -- For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  Today's emphasis is on helping those who are aging to feel like they are productive.  As we age, we are in a constant state of mourning -- grieving that we can't do the things that we use to do, grieving that we are losing or will soon lose our independence, and much more.  The key is to continue to thrive and to give love so that others, as well as ourselves, feel the love of God.

Today's Sketchnote December Icon Challenge is a Christmas Bow.

Advent 2019 - December 13th

Today's Straw in the Manger verse is Isaiah 61:1 - The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.  The Hebrew word for bind up is "chabash" and for meek is "anav."  The figurative meaning of meek is depressed.  The question is how does anyone "bind up" the brokenhearted?  Grief shatters, and no one can make it go away.    As we approach the winter solstice and the longest day of the year, reach out to someone who is grieving -- who does not feel happy about celebrating the holiday season. 

Today's Sketchnote December Icon Challenge is Poinsettia.

Advent 2019 - December 12th

Today's Bible Journaling Ministries scripture is one of my favorite & very appropriate for this week -- Luke 1:46-47 -- And Mary said:  "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."  These are the beginning verses of the Magnificat -- "The Song of Mary."  This Sunday my choir is singing Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven" arranged by Lloyd Larson.  And one of our youth is doing an interpretive dance to it.  It will be a special presentation.

Today's Random Act of Kindness is an easy one that everyone can do -- be a Shopping Cart Angel.  Bring a shopping cart back to the shopping cart corral or back to the store entrance.  Or if you see someone with a cart, offer to take it back for them.

Today's Straw in the Manger passage is Philippians 4:8 -- Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Today's devotional focuses on acts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable -- acknowledging those who serve us.  So today as you're shopping, acknowledge the clerks by name, tip a little bit more at the restaurant you have lunch at, and write a positive review about your favorite store or restaurant.

Today's Sketchnote December Icon Challenge is a Candle.

 

Advent 2019 - December 11th

Today's Bible Journaling Ministries scripture is Ephesians 5:19 -- ...speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.  We celebrate this season of the year by singing Christmas carols and listening to Christmas songs.  They are definitely made of memories that live in our hearts.  I think this year, more than before, I am reminded of this scripture through one of the anthems that my choir is singing on December 22nd.  The scripture we are highlighting is Matthew 1:18-25, where an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to take Mary as his wife and to accept Jesus as his son.  The anthem we are singing is "The Hands That First Held Mary's Child" by Dan Forrest, based on a poem by Thomas Troeger.  The lyrics that echo this Ephesians verse are:

The tiny form in Joseph's palms
Confirmed what he had heard
And from his heart rose hymns and psalms
For heaven's human Word

This Child shall be Emmanuel
Not God upon the Throne
But God-with-us, Emmanuel
As close as blood and bone 

  

Today's Random Act of Kindness is a popular one.  As you go through the drive-thru today to get your morning cup of coffee or your lunch, consider paying for the person behind you in line.  Or buy a $5 gift card and have the barista give it to the next person in line.

Today's Straw in the Manger verse is Ezekiel 11:19 -- I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.  Today's challenge is to engage in conversation with those in our community who have a different culture than our own.

Today's Sketchnote December Icon Chalenge is Santa.

 

Advent 2019 - December 10th

Today's Bible Journaling Ministries scripture is Matthew 2:1 -- After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem.  I drew this journal illustration in January of this year for Epiphany Sunday.

Today's Straw in the Manger scripture reading is Psalm 142:7 - Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name.  Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.  Today's devotional continues the theme of imprisonment.  But this time, it focuses on emotional prisons.  Advent or the Christmas season can be a very lonely time for people that have suffered a loss and are feeling lonely.  They may feel imprisoned by their circumstances, which is why it's so important to bring love into the lives of those who are suffering through simple acts of kindness.

The Sketchnote December Icon Challenge for today is Snowman.

 

Advent 2019 - December 9th

Today's Bible Journaling Ministries scripture is Romans 15:23 -- But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you...  I am not quite sure how this relates to Advent.  The ministry theme for December is Celebrate, so I suspect this passage was selected because Paul was celebrating that he had no more places to visit.  He had just completed a circuit of travel between Jerusalem and Illyricum, preaching to the Gentiles.  And he tells the Romans that he has a goal to preach the gospel where people haven't heard of Jesus Christ.  And so now he tells the Romans that he will visit them on his way to Spain with plans to celebrate with them and reenergize himself.  Perhaps that's the message for us this Advent -- to reenergize ourselves through the celebration of Jesus' birth.

Today's scripture reading for Straw in the Manger is Isaiah 61:1 -- The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.  Today's devotional focuses on the innocent victims of families of those in prison -- their children.  Years ago, the church where we were members and where I was the music director sponsored an angel tree for the Jim Russo Prison Ministry.  Members of our congregation picked an angel off of the tree and bought a gift so that a prisoner could present their child with a gift at Christmas.  If your church doesn't do something like this, consider donating to the Prison Fellowship Angel Tree.

Today's Sketchboss December Icon Challenge is Christmas Lights.

Advent 2019 - December 8th - Second Sunday of Advent

Second Sunday of Advent - Peace

Today's Bible Journaling Ministries scripture is Isaiah 9:6 -- For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Whenever I hear this scripture, I think of "The Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah.  Especially his name as Prince of Peace.  Today as we light the candle of Peace, I claim the authority that rests upon Jesus' shoulders.

Today's Sketchnote December Icon Challenge is Candy Cane.

And finally, today's Lectionary Readings are:
Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 
Romans 15:4-13
Matthew 3:1-12

Isaiah 11:7-9 are my favorite verses of today's Old Testament reading.  Today my choir sang "Creation Will Be At Peace" by Anna Laura Page.  It has become a tradition for us to sing this anthem on the Sunday in Advent that we light the candle of peace.

Romans 15:13 also played an important part in our service today.  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  We gave every family in our church a star ornament with this scripture on it.

So as we start into this second week of Advent, I hope you'll think about the kindnesses that you've done this week.  The straws of hope that you gathered last week and how you can continue to gather the straws of peace this week to reach out to others.

Advent 2019 - December 7th

Yesterday I finally got our Christmas Tree up and decorated.  And I also got my Christmas Cards addressed.  Most of them are ready to go in the mail, except for a few that I need to enclose my annual Christmas letter, which I need to finish.  I also found time to attend a Midday Meditation at one of our local churches.  The music was beautiful and helped me to center myself and continue to move forward during this busy season. 

And today I baked Christmas Cookies.

I felt very accomplished.  I checked several "to do" items off of my list.

Today's Bible Journaling Ministries scripture is Luke 10:27 -- He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 

Today's scripture for Straw for the Manger is Psalm 95:1 -- O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!  Today's scripture and devotional speaks to my heart because it is the heart of my ministry -- music!  My favorite quote from this devotional is, "To hear music, and to sing, is to give voice to grace."  This is the time of year when many churches go out Christmas caroling.  Whatever your tradition, incorporate singing into it.  Allow your memories of music to give you hope and remind you of heaven and its presence here on earth.

Today's Sketchnote December Icon Challenge is Ornament.  How appropriate, because yesterday as I was trimming our tree, I found myself thinking about special ornaments as I put them on the tree and the people that had given them to me.  

I've decided to change to making gift tags instead of blessing rocks.

Advent 2019 - December 6th

Finally caught up...here's December 6th -- Today!

Today's scripture for Bible Journaling Ministries is Romans 6:23 -- For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  I didn't have room in my journaling Bible to draw anything, but here's what I would have drawn.

Today's Random Act of Kindness is to celebrate St. Nicholas Day.  St. Nicholas was known for his giving spirit.  One tradition observed in the US is leaving shoes outside the bedroom door or in the foyer of the house.  On the eve of St. Nicholas Day, St. Nicholas would leave a gift in the shoes.  Because St. Nicholas gave his possessions to the poor, the suggestion for today's RAK is donating to a coat drive and leaving a special note in the pocket for the person that will receive the gift.

Today's scripture for Straw in a Manger is Matthew 28:19 -- Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Today's call to action is to reach out to friends that are unchurched and invite them to join you.  Because of all of the seasonal activities -- Christmas concerts, tree decorating, Christmas Caroling -- it is much easier to invite friends to activities.  Everyone craves community -- especially during the holidays.  And for that reason, those who have little or no religious background will be more likely to attend these activities.  So set the foundation today and invite someone to your church's Christmas program.

Today's Sketchnote December Icon Challenge is Christmas Tree.  Today's a perfect day for this icon because I finally got our Christmas tree up.

 

Advent 2019 - December 5th

Still behind, but catching up!  Here's Day 5 - December 5th

The scripture for today for Bible Journaling Ministries is John 14:27.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  This is a perfect scripture for this coming Sunday when we will light the Advent Candle of Peace.  I am choosing to re-share a journal drawing that I did back in January.

Today's devotional in Straw for the Manger has the same message as December 3rd's Random Act of Kindness.  The key scripture is John 13:34 -- “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  The questions is "how do we love others as Christ has loved us?"  The call to action is to put together a care package for the troops to show them that someone loves them and thanks them for their sacrifice.

Today's Sketchnote December Icon Challenge is a star.

Advent 2019 - Day 4

Well, I'm finding myself getting behind again.  It's been a difficult week to focus.  Getting home from being away for Thanksgiving and realizing that the next day was the beginning of Advent, panicking because I didn't feel I was ready.  God proved once again that he is a gracious God who looks out for us.  Everything for our first Sunday of Advent went great.  Our youth came through and did the Advent Candlelighting reading and also helped with a dramatic reading of Isaiah 2:1-5.  My choir sang an anthem based on the Isaiah scripture.  One of our congregants shared a "Chrismon Moment" and read a beautiful poem about the Chrismon tree.  And our guest preacher ushered in the Advent season.  Then life kicked in and I had to prepare for a medical procedure that derailed me for a couple of days.  And then it was back to reality, choir rehearsal, and today a staff meeting.  So I'm ready to get caught up on my Advent activities.  What I've realized and, for that matter, known is that I have too many resources that I'm trying to keep up with.  So for the rest of Advent, I will just be focusing on the resources that have really spoken to me and that I have been able to keep up with -- and they are the Bible Journaling Ministries daily reading, Random Acts of Kindness, Straw in a Manger, and Sketchnote December Icon Challenge.

So let's get back on track with Day 4 -- December 4th.

The Bible Journaling Ministries reading for today is Luke 2:21.  On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.  I chose to draw the temple because this passage is entitled "Jesus Is Presented at the Temple."

 

Today is National Cookie Day.  I have plans this week to start making Christmas Cookies so I will defer this RAK for some other day this week when I have baked some cookies.  I will give my postal carrier a container of cookies.  She really appreciated it last year.

The key verse for today's Straw in the Manger devotional is Lamentations 3:22-23 -- The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  One of my favorite hymns, "Great Is My Faithfulness," is based on this hymns.  The author asks how can we make God's light known?  The answer:  by showing mercy.

The Sketchnote December Icon Challenge for today is the three Magi.  This is the Blessing Rock that I painted.

Advent 2019 - December 3rd

Today's scripture verse for the Bible Journaling Ministries devotional is 1 Timothy 2:1-2.  I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

This is the first time I have highlighted Random Acts of Kindness.  I have been doing this for the past  two Decembers.  It has really brought joy to me to be able to anonymously give selflessly of myself.  Sometimes it's just a gesture of kindness.  Sometimes it means giving monetarily to someone or some worthwhile cause.  Today's RAK entails sending our heroes tidings of joy -- specifically those who serve in our armed forces.  For the past two years, I have sent letters to Support Our Troops.  But this year, I decided to contact a friend whose son is deployed.  I watched this young man grow up, and I'm looking forward to sending him a care package and encouraging him and thanking him for his service.

The scripture reading for today for "Straw for the Manger" really hit home for me.  The scripture is Colossians 3:13 -- Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  The devotional states the following:  "Sometimes friends betray us.  They tell us there is no room in the "inn" of their lives for us anymore."  The author talks about a friend that turned away from him and how, many years later, they spoke and how the weight of rejection, hurt, fear, and anger was lifted.  What really resonated with me was his comment that he wondered about the millstones of broken relationships that we carry around and about the harm and injustice that has been committed against us.  The action point for this devotional is to make a phone call or write a letter to a friend who has hurt you and offer forgiveness.  I have someone in my life that hurt me very much and I have yet to forgive them for what they did to me.  So my response -- my call to action -- will be to go through the process of forgiveness toward this person and, as a final act, write them a letter of forgiveness.  One phrase in the devotional prayer sums it up:  "Grant me COURAGE to reconcile, and be reconciled."

The Sketchnote Boss Christmas Challenge Icon for today is Bethlehem.

 

Today's PictureAdvent word is Promise as used in Genesis 9:12-17 -- God said, “This is the symbol of the covenant that I am drawing up between me and you and every living thing with you, on behalf of every future generation. I have placed my bow in the clouds; it will be the symbol of the covenant between me and the earth.  When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember the covenant between me and you and every living being among all the creatures. Floodwaters will never again destroy all creatures.  The bow will be in the clouds, and upon seeing it I will remember the enduring covenant between God and every living being of all the earth’s creatures.”  God said to Noah, “This is the symbol of the covenant that I have set up between me and all creatures on earth.”  The author uses a story about a 2nd grader who was exasperated because, once again, they had heard the story of Noah and the Ark in Sunday School.  She exclaimed, "How many times do we have to hear that story!"  We are reminded that, as children, we view a promise as finite -- with a beginning and an end.  However, the author surmises that, as adults, we have a different definition of a promise -- as something that has no end, but keeps going on and on creating a lasting relationship with God.  The challenge for today is to find a spot that reminds us of that ongoing relationship we have with God and to reflect on our relationship with him.  Here's my spot!

  

Advent 2019 - December 2nd

I have decided that the best way to approach these blog posts is in a narrative form.  So here goes...

December 2nd...

I am a little bit behind writing this post, but such is life.  Life gets in our way, so let's catch up.

As I mentioned in my Advent 2019 introduction post, I have 6 different resources that I'm using for my daily devotionals and activities.  I won't be using each resource each day, but what I will do is highlight the resources that speak to me for that particular day.  

The scripture reading for Bible Journaling Ministries for today is Matthew 1:23 -- “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).  The word that spoke to me in this verse was Immanuel.  So I chose to journal about Immanuel in my journaling Bible.  I found a clip art of the Hebrew for Immanuel, printed it out on vellum, colored it & pasted it into my Bible.

The scripture for "Straw for the Manger" devotional is Isaiah 43:18-19 -- “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.  The challenge for this scripture is to help someone who is downhearted by offering to do a simple chore or errand, because when you show them they are not alone, you bring them hope. 

Today's Sketchnote Boss Christmas Icon is Manger.

The PictureAdvent word for today is Blessing, and the key scripture is Psalm 21:13 -- Be exalted, Lord, in your strength!  We will sing and praise your power!  In Psalm 21, David takes time to list all of the blessings that God has given him and to thank him for those blessings.  The author of the devotional challenges us to put aside our Christmas to-do lists for just a few moments each day and, instead, list all of the blessings that God has given us that day and thank Him for them.  As you list those blessings, think about the meaning of blessing -- God's favor and protection.  Where have you seen his favor and protection in your life?

"The Wonder of Christmas" devotional for today centers around the wonder of a name.  It uses the two verses of Matthew 1 that come right before the verse that was used for the Bible Journaling Ministries scripture for today.  The key phrase from Matthew 1:21 is "you will call him Jesus."  We know from the Bible Journaling Ministries scripture that Jesus, Immanuel, means "God with us."  The author of this devotional ask us, "When you hear Jesus called Savior, what comes to mind?"

Advent 2019 - December 1st

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, and today we light the candle of Hope.  I was reminded this morning that today we also say "Happy New Year!"  Happy LITURGICAL New Year!  As we celebrate the King of Kings, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end -- Christ the King -- and prepare for his coming.  Prepare the way of the Lord!

Advent 1A Lectionary Readings

• Isaiah 2:1-5
• Psalm 122
• Romans 13:11-14
• Matthew 24:36-44

Today our guest preacher's sermon was based on John 18:33-38 with an emphasis on Jesus as King of kings.  "My kingdom is not of this world.  My kingdom is from another world."  Even though the setting for this text is Good Friday, it is relevant as we prepare for Jesus' coming.  We need to remember that Jesus is in charge.  He is the King of kings and has plans for us.  We need to ask ourselves, "what is He calling you to do?"

Our anthem today was "Neath Vine and Fig Tree" based on Isaiah 2:1-5.  And our congregational hymns were "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" and "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus."

 Bible Journaling Ministries

Bible Journaling is a way to enhance bible study through visual arts.  It can be simple or very detailed.  Many different mediums can be used -- colored pencils, watercolor pencils, water color paints, acrylics, stickers, velum tip-in pages, and much more.

Luke 2:7

She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

Medium used:  Gel Pens

Straw for the Manger

Straw for the Manger is a resource of the Presbyterian Today.  PCUSA is currently encouraging congregations to become Matthew 25 churches and actively engage in the world around us and to serve those who are hungry, oppressed, imprisoned, and poor.  During Advent, PCUSA is encouraging congregations to be a "touchable God" by living our faith through our actions.

Matthew 25:37

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

Kindness:  the language that all people of every nation and tribe can understand

  Sketchnote Boss

Sermon Sketchnoting is a technique to keep focus during sermons by actively taking notes and using icons to help illustrate note taking.

 Sketchnote Boss December Icon Challenge

For this December Icon Challenge, I am going to be making Blessing Rocks and "hiding" them around my community.

 

December 1st - Angel