This week is Christ the King Sunday, the final Sunday of our Christian year. We have special choir music, plus a beautiful handbell trio of “How Great Thou Art!” Worship concludes with the shred-planting of last year’s discipleship intents – which have been such a witness, hanging on the HOPE Lighthouse Beacon in the sanctuary since last November. Our big Christ the King, AdventPalooza celebration is from 9:20-10:20 and after the 2nd service from 11:45-12:15. There are stations for assembling blessing bags, candy cane hope cards, Advent food boxes, a take-home “church” craft, and blue-&-white ribbon crosses to adorn our outdoor tree. Children, youth, and adults can pick up Advent devotional items, and we have our annual DOVE Gift tree to adopt a child or youth in need. Don’t miss this time to help prepare our hearts & homes for the Advent season ahead! We had a great celebration last week with our Annual Meeting & Generosity Sunday. An amazing 78 Intents are offered already – only 7 more to reach our Challenge Gift goal (see below). You may still offer your Intent Sunday during worship or mail it to the office. In this season of Thanksgiving, it’s so meaningful to express our gratitude for all God’s blessings in our lives, with our generosity intents that will remain sealed at the cross of HOPE for the year ahead! On Monday, LS hosts Community Thanksgiving Worship at 7PM. Pastor Antoinette of Northeast UMC will share the message, with musical offerings from LS, Adams Northeast AME & Rehoboth Baptist. Invite your neighbors & friends. Our Youth Christmas Tree Lot is back, starting Friday after Thanksgiving – so come out to get your tree & wreath, and help spread the word! Sunday’s Gospel describes Jesus our King, hanging on his cross of love – speaking words of forgiveness and offering paradise to a thief, dying with him. Jeremiah gives us the image of a king who will be a loving shepherd; and words from Colossians speak of Jesus as the fullness of God’s image. The apostle’s words offer hope: “May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from Christ’s mystical power and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience … having been transferred into the kingdom of Jesus, God’s beloved Son.” We look forward to worshipping this weekend, as we celebrate the blessing of Christ the King!
