Midweek: Wednesday, December 21st, 2022.

 


Midweek 12-21-22

Christmas Calendar of Events

  • Dec. 21: Service of Comfort & Peace, 7pm
  • December 24: Christmas Eve service, 7pm, ONLINE ONLY!
  •  Dec. 25: Christmas Day service, 10:30am, ONLINE ONLY!

In This Issue:     

   


   ·         IMPORTANT NOTICE

  •            Music Notes                         
  •          Candle Lighting for Advent
  •          Website! & Celebrations
  •       Live and Learn
  •          PPM Break
  •          A Christmas Prayer
  •          The Christmas Attic, part 4 The Christmas Song

“. . . that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” Romans 1:12

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  Due to projected severe winter weather towards the weekend, we will worship God and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior via online at our safe place called Home. Please be safe and stay warm.

Music Notes: No Rehearsals this week for Presbyterian Ringers or Chancel Choir.

Candle Lighting for Advent: Due to service being held online, candle lighting will be an individual choice. Perhaps you have your own family traditions or special candle you can light. Thank you for worshiping with us as we celebrate the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

Website! We invite you to check out our website. Neal and Pastor Je have done a wonderful job working on it. You can find a calendar of events, Midweek newsletters, sermons – both written form and video form, and more:  www.lebanonfpc.org


“Congratulations
to you! We celebrate with you! Know that we love you, and God loves you too!”   Happy anniversary to Jim and Nancy Hendrickson, 12/26; Roy and Kathy Flanary, 12/30 & Scott and Lisa Hutcheson, 12/30.

Live and Learn on Saturdays: There is no Live and Learn Dec. 24th or 31st.  We hope you enjoy the holidays with your families.

PPM Break: PPM will have winter break from December 19 through Jan. 2nd. They will resume class on Tuesday, January 3rd.


A Christmas Prayer

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.” Luke 1:30,31
Dear Heavenly Father,
When the angel appeared to Mary and told her she would conceive, carry, deliver, and raise the Son of God, her Messiah, I cannot imagine her not taking time to be still and consider You. The Hebrew word for “know” in this verse also means to recognize, to admit, to acknowledge, to confess. When Mary heard the incredible news You had to share with her, how could she do anything but acknowledge the great God You are, admit Your sovereign control over her life, recognize that You are The Almighty, and confess her undying affection and loyalty to You?
            We have it recorded in scripture that she responded with some of the most beautiful words, the most magnificent words, of praise to You:  
“And Mary said,
My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. . . .
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him
From generation to generation.” (Luke 1:46,47,49,50). 
            But her very first reaction to the angel’s announcement was the following very simple, heartfelt, humble response: “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38). 
            Can I humbly accept what You have laid before me? When You present to me the gift of Your will for me right now, be it in the form of illness or loss, triumph or trial, change or challenge, calm or comfort, do I choose to magnify Your name? Do I immediately step away from my plans, my ideas, my goals, so as to embrace Yours? Or do I cling to mine with fists of iron? How can I be still before You if I am busy questioning and doubting, arguing or complaining? You are the same God today that met Mary on that favored day. You have done great things for me. Holy is Your name. Your mercy has been shown to me, generation upon generation. 
            Heavenly Father, I pray today that we would each one be still in our hearts and recognize that You are God Almighty: You know exactly what You are doing and You make no mistakes. I pray that we would admit that You are sovereign and we can trust You with every breath, every day, every heartache, every joy. I pray that we will acknowledge You in all our ways, crying out to You in joy and in sorrow. I pray that we would confess You as Lord today and every day. 
            Therefore, I say to You, on my knees, with all my heart: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.

May this be the prayer and the praise of our hearts today. Hallelujah. Emmanuel. God reigns. Amen. 

 

The Christmas Attic, part 4: The Christmas Song

We have been hearing a story about an attic, a group of toys who felt forgotten and forlorn, and an angel with a message of hope. This newsletter brings the conclusion to the story. What happened to our rag doll? Why is it called the “Christmas” attic? And what happened when the angel shared a Christmas song with her attic friends? Read on and find out. Should you want to read the story all together in one piece, it is attached to the email this newsletter is sent out on.

 

They all listened. They scarcely took a breath

While to their ears, on angel’s wings, God’s hope and peace came yet.

A tear slid down the rag doll’s face while a grin began to grow

As the sound of hope newly heard stirred higher her once-drooping bow.

Each toy closed its eyes, the doll house closed its doors,

The swing tried hard as it could to lean forward a little more. 

Peace had come, it was sung, and glory to the earth;

Shepherds, angels and wise men came to attend a new child’s birth. 

This child was someone special, the message shared was bright

With hope and with promise that would live on past that night.

When the song sung was still and the toys opened their eyes

What they found around them was quite a happy surprise:

The attic once bare and silent, the attic once dusty and still

Was full of Christmas green and red and tidings of good will,

Tinsel and lights and bows and ornaments on trees

With shining stars and singing angels glistened beneath the eaves.

This attic was not just a space for items forgotten and grim,

This was now a Christmas attic and joy lived within.

But what of the rag doll and what of the broken swing?

What was the end of their story? (Or the beginning?)

The last piece of news I heard, and this from a worthy source,

The swing was mended and upon it sat the rag doll, of course.

Christmas lived on in the attic, it remained throughout the year;

It’s said, if one listens carefully, a Christmas song you’ll still hear:

 A song with the sound of hope, a song of the promise of joy,

A song of the birth of a special baby boy.

There was once an old rocking horse, a teddy leaking at his seams,
A tin dollhouse that had seen better days, a rag doll, and a little red swing.

 They all lived in an attic, a family beneath the eaves,

Now filled with joy from the sound of hope thanks to an angel one Christmas eve. 

                                                                                               

Interested in joining the prayer chain? Contact Phyllis Duff at (765)482-1485/ raduff2@att.net.

“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth
for thee 
in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” Psalm 63:1
Dear Heavenly Father, Happiness that comes from You truly is like nothing else. When we are satisfied in You, we see so many other things in a different light. It is incredible but true that we can walk through the weary desert of this world and know a joy that does not come from it. We can long for that joy more than anything else. We can search for it and strive for it without realizing that is what we truly desire. But when it comes, when we meet You, whether in a life altering encounter or a simple, quiet moment, there is a sense of: “That’s it!” Thank You, Father.  
 In the sunshine hours when day is young,
In the waning hours when evening comes,
When light bursts forth and clears the way,
Or when one bright ray peeks through the clouds to stay:
You can be found. 

Early will I seek Thee, for You are in the morn. 

All day long I keep Thee, and in me hope is born. 
Upon the eve when I meet my bed, when upon my pillow I lay my head,
In my heart, I dwell on You, and find when this I choose to do,
There You are.
When I wake You’re always there, 
For Heaven’s sake. 

 With joyful lips I praise You. 

With grateful heart I love You. 
With pleading heart I implore You:
Be just as near, just as dear, to each one here. Amen. 


Merry Christmas to you all!


In the words of Tiny Tim,

“God bless us, every one!”

 


 

 

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