Reconciler Update

Christmas is fast approaching and we are probably getting more and more caught up in the various ways the time of Advent can be busy. As we attend Christmas or Holiday parties, shop for Christmas gifts, and prepare to go see family, in the midst of all this, may we keep in mind the point of all of this: God has come to us as a human being. God didn't just appear as a human being fully formed but was born into this world like every other person we know. This uniting with God's creation is a great gift to us. We celebrate we exchange gifts with friends and loved ones to honor our God who gave us this greatest gift. We celebrate a God who continues to give himself to us and the world. May our preparations during the rest of Advent also be a preparation to receive again this gift of God's self in the Christ child, and may we be prepared to walk with Christ this coming year from baptism to Cross and Resurrection.

Announcements:
Please take the time to comment here on the changes in our liturgy during Advent. We value your ideas and feedback. The pastoral team and worship committee would like to know what your experience has been, and your thoughts and ideas.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we are worshiping with Immanuel Lutheran Church. The services are on Christmas Eve at 6PM and on Christmas day at 10:30 AM (note: this time had been incorrectly announced as 10 AM in past updates.)

January 7th is Epiphany Sunday and the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord. On this day we celebrate God's appearing to the gentiles in the coming of the Magi and the showing forth of who Jesus is when he was baptized by John in the Jordan. It is customary to remember our own baptism as we celebrate the baptism of Christ in the Jordan.

On January 9th we will begin our new Bible study on Praying the Psalms. The Bible Study will be through the season of Epiphany and conclude during lent. We will be reading Eugene Peterson's book Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer also we are encouraging all who participate in the Bible Study to pray a Psalm a day either individually or by joining the Community of Holy Trinity in their morning or evening prayer.

In Christ,
Larry