Grace to you and peace, from God our Creator and the Lord Jesus Christ! After a filling and fulfilling Thanskgiving holiday, we can look to tomorrow as a kind of New Years’ Eve in the Christian calendar. As such, we read texts assigned for what is variously called The Reign of Christ Sunday or Christ the King Sunday. I prefer the former, because of considering the entire world as God’s realm, and because of considering God’s “rulership” through Jesus to be so counter to our usual earthly notions of kingship. Still, elements of the texts from Ezekiel and Matthew do remind us that our sovereign requires of us behavior that is just and merciful. It is in regard to this that we hear familiar mention of sheep and goats–mention that may make us uncomfortable. That is the paradox of Jesus’ claim on our lives. We are asked to be uncomfortable if the way we live runs counter to the ways of justice and mercy. Let us move together from thanks giving to a deep desire for God’s reign on earth as we move toward the season of Advent, when we make ourselves ready for Jesus’ coming into the world in peace.
A reminder, too: our children will gather during worship to create Advent wreathes for their homes, leaving after the Children’s Message. Also, please mark your calendars for December 10th, when we will have our Quarterly Meeting following worship, accompanied by cookies and cocoa.
Blessings and deep peace to you, Lisa
Worship at Home Materials: We will be offering worship in-person as well as on Zoom this coming Sunday. Coffee & tea are available after the church service. Masks are suggested in the sanctuary and required during the singing of hymns, as the virus spreads most easily with the projection of droplets.
Psalm 100, NCH p. 688 100: 1-5
A Reading from the Hebrew Bible Ezekiel 34:11-24
A Reading from the Gospels Matthew 25:31-46
Message “A Most Ingenious Paradox” Pastor Lisa
Below you will find materials to accompany this week’s Sunday Morning Worship via Zoom. An order of service with scripture readings, to accompany the service, are available by clicking the following links.
Helpful Hint: If you are planning to join the Sunday morning worship Zoom call, you might wish to print the following documents prior to joining the call, if you have that capability.
*A link to the sermon will be shared on our website during the week following the service.
Worship Bulletin:
November 26, 2023
Service of Worship for Home
To join us for worship via Zoom, please use the following information.
Whether or not you choose to set up an account, when it’s time for the meeting, click the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81573675147
Meeting ID: 815 7367 5147
Passcode: 467829