Weekly Bulletin – January 3, 2010

Posted on December 30, 2009 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
January 3, 2010
Welcome to our Church!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP
Gracious Lord, just as you’ve brought us to the threshold of this new year, guide us as we journey through each day.

WORDS OF WELCOME
What a joy it is to start this new year with all of you. May we rededicate our lives for service to God.

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

(Children ages 4 -7 may be dismissed for Jr. Church)

HEARING FROM GOD

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE STAY FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT!

THIS WEEK :

UPCOMING EVENTS

VARIOUS NOTES

New address for your directory:
Ron & Christine Pelton  PH# 775-0889
187 Hoadley Hill Road
Windsor, NY 13865

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

Weekly Bulletin – December 27, 2009

Posted on December 23, 2009 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

The Lord’s Day!
Dec. 27, 2009
Welcome to our Church!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP
On this first Sunday after Christmas, may we remain joyous and share that joy with everyone around us.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you are visiting us, please fill out a visitor’s card (available in the foyer if no one has handed you one) and drop it in the offering plate or hand it to an usher. Thank you.

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

(Children ages 4 -7 may be dismissed)

HEARING FROM GOD

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE STAY FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT!

THIS WEEK :

UPCOMING EVENTS

VARIOUS NOTES

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

SISTER CHRISTIAN Lk. 1:26-38;46-55

Posted on December 19, 2009 
Filed Under Pastor's Blog, Sermons

“Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you.”  – Parker Palmer

The story of Mary is a quest for vocation. Bearing and raising Jesus was not just her job, it became her life. In a sense vocation is something only you can do (in the sense that there is only one you). Lets face it, there was only one Mary. From God’s perspective there could be no other. Not that there wasn’t anyone else. But that’s who God wanted.

In all truth I come to Mary with fear and trembling. It’s easy to talk about Joseph for we have such limited knowledge of him. But Mary is another story. She ponders Jesus from the cradle to the grave. For one, I no doubt can not understand the mind of a woman. In itself that is dangerous territory. Second, Mary is a bit of a conundrum for the Church. In Roman Catholic circles she is over-venerated. But in conservative christian circles she is barely a blip on the radar screen. You might say she is under-appreciated.

Which is tragic because I think Mary is a great picture of our own struggle with the question, “Who am I and what will become of my life?” Mary knew exactly who she was. The handmaiden of the Lord. She was willing to “let it be according to God’s word.”

I believe several things about Mary: 1) she was poor (that’s herself she is talking about in the Magnificat), 2) She was the first NT preacher. John the Baptist usually gets that honor but Mary beats him to it. The Maginficat is the gospel. 3) Mary was a primary teacher of Jesus. You might say he was his Mother’s son. What Mary proclaims in the Magnificat is what Jesus does. Or more appropriately put; it’s who Jesus is.

Mary teaches us several things about our own quest for vocation. First we have to listen to God and not self. And we usually have so many of our own opinions its hard for God to get a word in edge wise. Then, we have to take our own risks. We love living other people’s lives (in our minds). It costs nothing. Mary paid everything. If you never take any risks you will never be able to enjoy the journey of vocation. And finally, you have to settle the ownership issue. Mary was the “servant of the Lord.” If you don’t do that your life will “never speak.” At least not in a way that people look  back and “call you blessed.”

None of this made any sense at the time of course. That’s the way life works. Mary was just your average Sister Christian, like any country bumpkin who simply loved God. In the eyes of her community she became a “scarlet letter.” She was the talk of the town. A good girl gone bad. Or an ignorant follower of God who doesn’t know about sex education (her parents must have sent her to Christian school). I see Mary scorned in one community (church) and the butt end of a lot of jokes in another community (the world). Only she knew/believed the truth (Joseph came around). Roberta Bondi once said, “even Jesus was resurrected with his wounds.” I reckon Mary had her wounds. But out of them came her vocation. Her life has been speaking ever since. We call her “blessed.” And we have been celebrating Christmas ever since.             WHB

(I am deeply grateful for the insight Scot McKnight has lent to this sermon series through his book The Jesus Creed. A worthy read.)

Weekly Bulletin – December 20, 2009

Posted on December 17, 2009 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

The Lord’s Day!
Dec. 20, 2009
Welcome to our Church!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP
As we celebrate Christmas joy, let us look past the glitter and material gifts to the priceless gift of God’s love for us in the person of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you are visiting us, please fill out a visitor’s card (available in the foyer if no one has handed you one) and drop it in the offering plate or hand it to an usher. Thank you.

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

(Children ages 4 -7 may be dismissed)

HEARING FROM GOD

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE STAY FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT!

TONIGHT: 6:00 PM – Christmas Program & Sun.  School Parties.  Please join us!

THIS WEEK :

UPCOMING EVENTS

VARIOUS NOTES

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

Protected: Prayer Requests – December 9, 2009

Posted on December 16, 2009 
Filed Under Prayer Requests

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WAIT FOR ME Matt. 1:18-25

Posted on December 12, 2009 
Filed Under Pastor's Blog, Sermons

“Before a man can seek God, God must have first sought him.” -A.W. Tozer

The story of Mary and Joseph has taken on mythical proportions. Centuries of layered meanings and readings have given it more of a fairy tale feel than is likely the reality.

For one, it was the worst of times. Roman occupation, soldiers all over the place, ridiculious taxes, and the threat of rebellion from the indigenous population always looming. It was anything but stable. Not exactly the best environment for a small business man to operate.

Joseph was also a man of reputation (just). This is how the community viewed him. The text is not stressing his standing before God but other people. That understanding can quickly tweak the way we see this story. I expect Joseph was an older man. Not terribly old mind you but old enough to have established himself in the community. Perhaps in his early 30′s. He is a man of reputation who is engaged to a young maiden.

All of this is totally acceptable, even natural for Jewish culture of the day. What is not acceptable is the unexpected pregnancy. According to the Law of Moses Mary has had either consensual sex or she was raped. In the case of consensuality the penalty is death. There are no witnesses so a trial is not likely but Joseph could have required her to drink the “magic potion” a concoction prepared by the priest to prove that a wife had  been unfaithful or her husband was a jealous fool. Joseph would have had nothing to lose being as she already admitted to the pregnancy. The outcome would be tragic though. For in the case of guilt the woman got sick and died (that’s how you knew who was in the right). If she lived then her husband was an idiot. In this case Mary and the baby would be at stake (at least in Joseph’s mind).

Joseph doesn’t want to kill Mary, he just can’t stand to see her. So he determines to quietly break up with her (divorce her). Still, at the end of the day Joseph is throwing Mary under the bus and preserving his own reputation. Remember, Joseph is a “just” man. He is a highly respected follower of the Law in his community. Any apparent infidelity on his part would ruin him. He is completely in the right to abandon Mary and the baby.

Only the intervention of God would make this story a happy ending. The child is Holy. Conceived of the Holy Spirit. He will be the Savior of the world and save his people from their sins. This is the Messiah. Joseph goes for broke, cashes in all his chips, surrenders his reputation on the hope that this is the Messiah. Joseph determines to walk by faith and not by sight. We have been having Christmas ever since.

Your identity is more important than your reputation. And you will be making decisions for the rest of your life that put the two at odds. You can cultivate your identity in Christ or you can choose a particular reputation over Jesus. Joseph chose Jesus and kissed his reputation goodbye. Thanks to that you can have a Merry Christmas.                              WHB

Weekly Bulletin – December 13, 2009

Posted on December 10, 2009 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

The Lord’s Day!
Dec. 13, 2009
Welcome to our Church!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP
Our goal on this third Sunday of Advent is to have fellowship with our living Lord and with one another. Let our hands be extended to our fellow worshipers.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you are visiting us, please fill out a visitor’s card (available in the foyer if no one has handed you one) and drop it in the offering plate or hand it to an usher. Thank you.

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

(Children ages 4 -7 may be dismissed)

HEARING FROM GOD

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE STAY FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT!

THIS WEEK :

UPCOMING EVENTS

VARIOUS NOTES

Addresses you might want:

If your address isn’t in the directory & you would like us to put it in, please write it out & give it to Terry or put it on my desk or email it to fcc.kirkwood@yahoo.com.

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

SUNSCAPE Lk. 1:39-45;3:1-20

Posted on December 5, 2009 
Filed Under Pastor's Blog, Sermons

Did you see the sunrise this morning? It’s a question we take for granted but in reality something quite different happens. Rarely are we aware of  this. We may live our entire lives never knowing the truth and just how wrong we are to ask, “Did you see the sunrise?” But we live in a culture where truth is personal. It’s something that is subject to our preferences. We aren’t the first people to think like this and we won’t be the last.

He came out of the desert. At least that is what the Bible says. He was anything but normal. In fact a lot of people thought he was crazy. But in a popular sort of way. His father had been a priest. A person who represents people before God and seeks to cover their sin. He on the other hand was a prophet. An altogether different animal with a different sort of mission. You see, prophets represent God before people and have a habit of throwing people’s sin back in their faces. In Israel prophets had short life spans and for this prophet it would be no different.

His mission was to direct people to the Son who was soon coming. His message was a baptism of repentance. Calling people to turn toward God and abandon their sin. The motive for repentance was that the Messiah was just around the corner. He’d already arrived (the birth of Jesus,) he just hadn’t made his entrance yet.

John the Baptist’s message was wrapped in three appeals. Don’t depend upon your religious heritage. Don’t keep your possessions for yourself and use your influence to help others.

How do you see yourself in relationship to the Son of God? Do you insist that he revolve around you or does your life revolve around him? To put it another way, do you live like the earth revolves around the sun? Which was of course John’s point. The Lord was about to make his grand entrance. He has come to reclaim what is rightfully his (which happens to be the world). The words seem harmless enough. “Did you see the sun rise?” But after a while those words can begin to shape how you live in and see the world. Practically speaking, the son revolves around us. We become the center of the universe. Yet, we do not have the strength to hold the universe in continuity and it all falls apart, spinning mercilessly into space. We are “lost in space.”

How we live betrays what we really believe about the universe. We see sun rises or we see the earth revolving around the sun. It’s not simply a matter of perspective but it is a matter of the truth. And Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Christmas is a reminder that the king has come. He alone can right all that is wrong in the world and with us. This Christmas was change needs to begin so your life can revolve around the Son? We all have an orbit. It’s just a matter of who/what is at the center. The earth revolves around the sun.

WHB

Weekly Bulletin – December 6, 2009

Posted on December 3, 2009 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

The Lord’s Day!
Dec. 6, 2009
Welcome to our Church!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP
In your mercy, Lord, grant us tranquility and Christmas joy as we approach your throne of grace.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you are visiting us, please fill out a visitor’s card (available in the foyer if no one has handed you one) and drop it in the offering plate or hand it to an usher. Thank you.

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

(Children ages 4 -7 may be dismissed)

HEARING FROM GOD

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE STAY FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT!

THIS WEEK :

UPCOMING EVENTS

VARIOUS NOTES

The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that he sunk himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding.”    –Martin Luther

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

Protected: Prayer Requests – December 2, 2009

Posted on December 2, 2009 
Filed Under Prayer Requests

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