The Stories of Christmas

November 26-December 24, 2023

The advent season spans over the four Sundays preceding Christmas.

The word advent, from Latin, means “the coming.” For centuries, Advent has been a time of spiritual reflection as well as joy and anticipation for the upcoming celebration of Christmas. Advent brings joy, anticipation and focus to the holiday season.

During these four Sundays in December please enjoy "Stories of Advent" and let's all prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus.

Pre-Advent: Let's Speak Up, Acts 17:16

We are embarking on another Christmas holiday season. While we scramble about with shopping, festive activities, making cookies (eating cookies) and enjoying all that the season has to offer, let’s not forget to tell others about Jesus.

Today is a simple reminder for us to speak up about the one who changed our lives, the one who died for us, and the one for whom we celebrate this season.

In today’s pre-Advent message, let’s speak about speaking up.

Advent Week 1: Wise Men, Matthew 2:1-23

During this Christmas/ Advent season we are focusing on four Stories of Christmas, beginning with the story of the Wise Men. We know very little about these men, but we can definitely learn from them. Let’s prepare ourselves for Christmas by applying three great traits of the Wise Men.

Advent Week 2: God's Gift, I John 4:9-11

If there is a gift worth opening slowly, staring at, and bragging about, it is one that has value. God’s great gift is more practical than a sweater and more valuable than fine jewelry (or fountain pen). Let’s unwrap God’s gift this morning and talk about it's value. But remember, all gifts become personally valuable only when they are received.

Advent Week 3: Joseph, Matthew 1:18-25

There is a beautiful story of courage mixed within the story of Jesus’ birth. Joseph heard that his fiancé was pregnant and it was not his child. Yet he stood by the family as his own. He provided protection for the mother and child during the early years of the child’s life. It is a wonderful story of courage from an ordinary man. We too are ordinary and have been called to faithfully do the right thing, and we are called to live courageously. Let’s make Josephs life a story of our own life.

Advent Week 4: Mary, Luke 1:46-55

We learned last week, from the story of Joseph, that God specializes in the use of the ordinary. That simple idea continues in the story of Mary. While on one hand imitating Mary is far out of reach from most of us, yet on the other hand her possession of humility is a practical lesson for us all. After a look into Mary’s life, let’s consider how we can increase in that great Christian trait of humility.