'Tis the Season

Hello Emmanuel,

Welcome to the first edition of Monday Afternoon Pulpit…..

I find myself in a semi-state of nostalgia.  Hope is now a cheerleader.  She cheered for the Jr. High football team and is now cheering for the basketball team.  So now I have the privilege of going to games again for the purpose of cheering on the cheerleaders.  O Joy…

Our eldest child was a cheerleader.  Leah spent 6 years cheering.  I haven’t calculated the time or money spent in such the endeavor, nor will I.  I am about to repeat such the 6-year endeavor.  Thus, the nostalgia.

As the years pass me by, it is interesting to me what triggers my most intense memories.  School sporting events often take me back to my glory days (you know… how I got those scars on my knees playing baseball… or remembering that one coach who taught me invaluable life lessons).

The moments that trigger our deepest memories differ for each person.  For some it is the Christmas season that brings back floods of thoughts and feelings that we may have thought were gone forever.  Some memories are warm and fuzzy.  Other memories are sad or funny or joyful or embarrassing.

In any case, there is one event that I hope also triggers nostalgia for you and I pray it is a positive one:  worshipping on Christmas Eve and celebrating as a community the arrival of baby Jesus.  Granted, maybe some of you do not have a rich tradition of church on Christmas Eve, but I know that, for some of you, it is a climactic moment in an evening that is wrought with tradition.

Either way, I invite you to worship with us at Emmanuel through the Christmas season and let Jesus be the trigger that brings you feelings of hope and peace.

Dec. 20^th, 9:00 – Worship

Dec. 20^th, 10:30 – Worship with Children’s Program

Dec. 22^nd, 7:00 – Blue Christmas (for those feeling sad this season)

Dec. 24^th, 7:00 – Kid-Friendly Christmas Eve with candlelight

Dec. 25^th, 10:00 – Traditional Candle-light

Dec. 27^th, 9:00 and 10:30 – The First Sunday of Christmas

Jan. 3^rd, 9:00 and 10:30 – The Second Sunday of Christmas

God is Good,

Pastor Joe