FROM THE PASTOR'S PEN... December 2009

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

6:00 P.M.
Family Service

and

10:00 P.M.
HOLY COMMUNION

Advent, coming from the Latin word adventus, meaning coming or arrival is actually the beginning of our church calendar year. It begins on the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew's Day (Nov. 30) and always includes four Sundays. We all look forward to celebrating Christ being born on Christmas Day (which may or may not have been December25 - no one really knows, and the exact day is not recorded in the Bible). The Advent Season does include the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ where we focus on His incarnation, meaning God Almighty coming to earth in the flesh of man. But it is also a time in which we are to engage in self-examination in expectation of His second coming back to earth in glory to judge the living and the dead. The Collects, and Scripture Readings embrace these two themes. For those of us who have a saving faith in Jesus Christ, we celebrate that He has taken away God's just wrath of our rebellion against Him, and due to Christ's coming, we are reconciled with our Creator and seen as good, and righteous, and holy, due solely to Christ's initiating grace.

Merry Christmas, and to all a good Christ giving eternal life!
Soli Deo Gloria               
Pastor Bucky        

Biblical References:

Hebrews 7:27-28
Ephesians 4:11-12
1 Peter 2: 5 & 9
Ephesians 2:8-9