Here's a link to get some free Christmas music at Amazon (and look around Mark's website). http://markgumm.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/some-great-free-christmas-music-mp3-downloads-on-amazon/
Thanks Kendra for the link.
Holiday Traditions : : Advent Celebration
Does your family have any meaningful traditions that you do to make the holidays special—engaging, memorable, and worshipful? If you’re looking for something, there are lots of ideas and wisdom in the church, so ask around, especially of the seasoned tradition-makers (no pun intended—OK yes it was, even though it was corny).
Our small group said they wanted a list of Scriptures that they could read from the Old Testament, and see how Jesus’ was God’s long-awaited fulfillment for those prophecies. So here’s an Advent schedule I put together that you can use with your family or in personal devotional readings to celebrate Jesus. For example, you could read and talk about these passages after supper each Saturday evening and sing the suggested Christmas songs; this would also prepare your hearts and minds to celebrate advent on Sunday morning with the whole church.
Advent Scripture Readings #1 : : Jesus’ Kingdom
Isa 9:6-7, 2 Sam 7:12-13 and 16-17 :: Luk 1:32-33
Gen 49:10 :: Rev 19:15-16
Ps 110:11 :: Heb 1:3, Acts 2:34-35
Zech 6:12, 9:9-10, Dan 7:14 :: Matt 2:1-2, Rev 11:15, 12:10
Suggested Hymns:
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
“Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”
“Joy To the World! The Lord is Come”
Advent Scripture Readings #2 : : Jesus’ Birth
Mic 5:1-3 :: Matt 2:1-6, Luk 2:1-7 and 15, John 7:42
Dan 9:24-5, Gen 49:10, Num 24:17, Mal 3:1 :: Luk 2:1-5
Isa 7:14, 9:6-7 :: Luk 1:26-35, Luk 2:7-11, Matt 1:21-23
Ps 72:10-15, Isa 18:7, Isa 60:3 and 7 :: Matt 2:1-2 and 7-11
Suggested hymns:
“O Little Town of Bethlehem”
“Away in a Manger”
“Go, Tell it on the Mountain”
“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing”
Advent Scripture Readings #3 : : Jesus’ Birth
Ps 2:7 :: Luk 1:35
Ps 91:1-11 :: Matt 2:12
Hos 11:1 :: Matt 2:13-15
Jer 31:15 :: Matt 2:16-18
Isa 9:1-2 :: Matt 2:19-23, 4:13-16
Suggested hymns:
“Once in Royal, David’s City”
“What Child Is This”
“O Come, All Ye Faithful”
Advent Scripture Readings #4 : : Jesus’ Deity
Ps 24:7, 10 :: 1 Cor 2:8
Ps 97:9, Mic 4:1 and 7 :: John 3:31
Isa 44:6 :: Rev 1:17-18
Isa 48:12 and 16 :: Rev 22:13
Joel 2:32 :: 1 Cor 1:2, Rom 10:13
Suggested Hymns:
“Who is This, So Weak and Helpless?”
“Angels From the Realms of Glory”
Christmas Day Scripture Reading:
Isa 9:1-7
Mat 1-2, Luk 1-2
Suggested Hymns:
“To Us a Child of Hope is Born”
“Joy to the World”
“O Come, All Ye Faithful”
“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing!”
Here are a few other suggestions from our small group for worshipful holiday traditions:
• Wake up early on Thanksgiving Day and spend some special time with God in prayer with a journal or pen and paper, writing your thanks to God.
• Ask around the Thanksgiving table what every person is thankful for (a great and natural opportunity for you to acknowledge Christ and the Gospel also if unbelieving family members are with you).
• Find meaningful Christmas programs or services for your family to attend (live nativities, Christmas Eve services, etc.).
• Pray for each person that you give a gift to as you prepare and wrap the gift.
• Listen to parts of Handel’s Messiah leading up to Christmas
• Memorize a “Christmas-y” Scripture passage together—e.g., Luk 2, Isa 9:1-7; read it once a meal and you’ll have it by Christmas!
Some other things you might like to look at or use:
• A small bit of background about Advent (from a Catholic perspective) http://www.churchyear.net/adventwreath.html
• Advent Readings adapted from the Common Book of Prayer [Anglican] (has daily approx. 3 chapters of Scripture) http://www.crivoice.org/advent1.html OR http://www.crivoice.org/advent2.html
UPDATE: Share with everyone in the "Comments" section what traditions your family or church does.
Our small group said they wanted a list of Scriptures that they could read from the Old Testament, and see how Jesus’ was God’s long-awaited fulfillment for those prophecies. So here’s an Advent schedule I put together that you can use with your family or in personal devotional readings to celebrate Jesus. For example, you could read and talk about these passages after supper each Saturday evening and sing the suggested Christmas songs; this would also prepare your hearts and minds to celebrate advent on Sunday morning with the whole church.
Advent Scripture Readings #1 : : Jesus’ Kingdom
Isa 9:6-7, 2 Sam 7:12-13 and 16-17 :: Luk 1:32-33
Gen 49:10 :: Rev 19:15-16
Ps 110:11 :: Heb 1:3, Acts 2:34-35
Zech 6:12, 9:9-10, Dan 7:14 :: Matt 2:1-2, Rev 11:15, 12:10
Suggested Hymns:
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
“Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”
“Joy To the World! The Lord is Come”
Advent Scripture Readings #2 : : Jesus’ Birth
Mic 5:1-3 :: Matt 2:1-6, Luk 2:1-7 and 15, John 7:42
Dan 9:24-5, Gen 49:10, Num 24:17, Mal 3:1 :: Luk 2:1-5
Isa 7:14, 9:6-7 :: Luk 1:26-35, Luk 2:7-11, Matt 1:21-23
Ps 72:10-15, Isa 18:7, Isa 60:3 and 7 :: Matt 2:1-2 and 7-11
Suggested hymns:
“O Little Town of Bethlehem”
“Away in a Manger”
“Go, Tell it on the Mountain”
“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing”
Advent Scripture Readings #3 : : Jesus’ Birth
Ps 2:7 :: Luk 1:35
Ps 91:1-11 :: Matt 2:12
Hos 11:1 :: Matt 2:13-15
Jer 31:15 :: Matt 2:16-18
Isa 9:1-2 :: Matt 2:19-23, 4:13-16
Suggested hymns:
“Once in Royal, David’s City”
“What Child Is This”
“O Come, All Ye Faithful”
Advent Scripture Readings #4 : : Jesus’ Deity
Ps 24:7, 10 :: 1 Cor 2:8
Ps 97:9, Mic 4:1 and 7 :: John 3:31
Isa 44:6 :: Rev 1:17-18
Isa 48:12 and 16 :: Rev 22:13
Joel 2:32 :: 1 Cor 1:2, Rom 10:13
Suggested Hymns:
“Who is This, So Weak and Helpless?”
“Angels From the Realms of Glory”
Christmas Day Scripture Reading:
Isa 9:1-7
Mat 1-2, Luk 1-2
Suggested Hymns:
“To Us a Child of Hope is Born”
“Joy to the World”
“O Come, All Ye Faithful”
“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing!”
Here are a few other suggestions from our small group for worshipful holiday traditions:
• Wake up early on Thanksgiving Day and spend some special time with God in prayer with a journal or pen and paper, writing your thanks to God.
• Ask around the Thanksgiving table what every person is thankful for (a great and natural opportunity for you to acknowledge Christ and the Gospel also if unbelieving family members are with you).
• Find meaningful Christmas programs or services for your family to attend (live nativities, Christmas Eve services, etc.).
• Pray for each person that you give a gift to as you prepare and wrap the gift.
• Listen to parts of Handel’s Messiah leading up to Christmas
• Memorize a “Christmas-y” Scripture passage together—e.g., Luk 2, Isa 9:1-7; read it once a meal and you’ll have it by Christmas!
Some other things you might like to look at or use:
• A small bit of background about Advent (from a Catholic perspective) http://www.churchyear.net/adventwreath.html
• Advent Readings adapted from the Common Book of Prayer [Anglican] (has daily approx. 3 chapters of Scripture) http://www.crivoice.org/advent1.html OR http://www.crivoice.org/advent2.html
UPDATE: Share with everyone in the "Comments" section what traditions your family or church does.
Thanksgiving: Holiday Reflection #1
From Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 10th edition:
thanksgiving: act of giving thanks; a prayer expressing gratitude; a public acknowledgement or celebration of divine goodness
gratitude: the state of being grateful; thankfulness
grateful: appreciative of benefits received; affording pleasure or contentment by reason of comfort supplied or discomfort alleviated
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Romans 1:18,21 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth...For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
thanksgiving: act of giving thanks; a prayer expressing gratitude; a public acknowledgement or celebration of divine goodness
gratitude: the state of being grateful; thankfulness
grateful: appreciative of benefits received; affording pleasure or contentment by reason of comfort supplied or discomfort alleviated
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Romans 1:18,21 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth...For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Christmas Album : : Sovereign Grace
Missions
A big thanks to Trevor J., who visited with our church on Monday and Tuesday regarding missions. He was a great blessing to us, challenging us and instructing us in missions generally, and our church’s endeavors and plans specifically. Here’s a couple of lines that have stuck between my ears:
If 10 men are carrying a log, one on the heavy end by himself and nine on the other end all together, which end would you immediately offer your hands to help? Why then does the church continue to spend OVER 90% of our resources on ourselves instead of helping the areas that have no gospel?
In the Western world, we’re dying of spiritual anorexia. “Anorexia” because the words of life are within reach of everyone, we just refuse. In many dark corners of the world, the people die of spiritual starvation. “Starvation” because the words of life are unattainable.
Readers Wanted
There's a couple of us that are going to start reading Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology. 1 chapter a week. We're aiming to be done around Jan 1.
Well, 2011 that is!
If you want to join in the fun, let me or Kyle Laporte know.
Well, 2011 that is!
If you want to join in the fun, let me or Kyle Laporte know.
Decontructionism Part 2
Cleaning debris after the ceiling was removed, a foot deep in the whole sanctuary.
Our gals came to the rescue.
Only one casualty, but the girls were able to work around it.
Not knowing what we'd find, we're thankful there was only body in the attic to take care of.From Steve:
An update on the progress thus far:
--95% of the demolition has been completed including all non-supporting walls and the ceiling of the vaulted worship space.
-- A number of the high schoolers worked Wednesday and filled 80 leaf bags with debris, most of which was blown in insulation----great job guys!!!! (and gals)
-- The upstairs bath has been removed and essentially all electrical supply demo'd out
--two flat bed trailers have been filled with debris--MAKE THAT 3 now, plus the ceiling debris of probably 2 more trailer loads.
--we have salvaged many flourescent fixtures, electrical switches/boxes/gang lines, ceiling tiles, etc. which we intend to sell to the highest bidder.
--all of the labor so far has been in house so we have not incurred contractor fees
Deconstructionism
Our church building has been haram, "under the ban", "devoted to destruction". Here's what's been going on for a couple days now.
The sanctuary view from the NW corner.
The last (massive!) light fixture to come down.
The sanctuary, void of Sunday School classrooms.
The sanctuary view from the NW corner.
The last (massive!) light fixture to come down.
The sanctuary, void of Sunday School classrooms.
1 John : : A Summary of Enduring Truths
Scott just wrapped up 1 John this last week in Sunday School. We've been soaking in the book for about a year and it's been very beneficial. Here's Scott's bottom line, a few nuggets he's mined for his soul during the months of digging in the book:
(1) Truth is much simpler than you might think (eternal life = attachment to Jesus)
(2) Life is more dangerous than you might think (world, Satan, sin)
(3) Safety is more accessible than you might think (the invicible Spirit within us
(4) Victory is more certain than you might think (Jesus the coming Conqueror)
(5) The Inheritance is more lavish than you might think (3:2-3)
The Annual Reformation Polka!
It's that time again! The annual Reformation polka. Gird up your lederhosen and let's celebrate!
Luther's "Here I Stand" : : Max McLean
Free audio download of Max McLean reading Luther's famous "Here I Stand" speech (didn't Tony mention that on Sunday?).
Free until November 1, so hurry!
CLICK HERE
HT: JT
Psalm 22
From the WorshipGod 2008 conference. I've seen Ryan do Hebrews 10-11, but hadn't seen this one.
HT: JT
HT: JT
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