On the weekend before Thanksgiving, we begin to pause & ponder the many blessings God has given us for life (too many to process!): not only basic needs like food, shelter, clothing; but profound blessings like relationships, family, love, forgiveness, grace, and the joyful promise of eternal life through Christ our Lord! Thanks be to God! This Sunday we culminate the church year, celebrating Christ the King at both 8:15 & 10:30. We have very special music at 10:30 (Jubellation Handbells & choir anthem), plus a moving Lord’s Prayer solo at both services. We also prepare for the new Church Year, with Advent-palooza (see below). There will be Hope Tents with Backpack food packing, Advent food boxes, and the Christmas Dove Tree – plus a station with everyone’s Advent Devotional item, tents with Advent/Christmas materials for children & youth, and fun singing of church year hymns. We conclude worship by planting the shred from our 2021 commitments that have remained sealed by the altar throughout the year. What a powerful act to symbolize how God will grow hope in people’s lives through all you have given to God over the past year. On Christ the King Sunday, words of Revelation resound in our hearts: Grace & peace from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, & the ruler of the kings of earth. To him who loved us & freed us from our sins, and made us to be a kingdom serving God, to him be glory forever. Amen.
