Winter 2011

Inside this Issue:

Dates to Remember3Living Our Faith Through WorshipFamily ServiceOpportunitiesFun Family Outings Teen Devotion Wednesday Night Youth NewsMark Your CalendarsSummer Preview For More Info 355667 88

Advent is a special time of the yearwhen we prepare to meet the baby Jesus. Using these weekly devotions,celebrate Advent and worship togetheras a family, using the traditional Advent wreath as your tablecenterpiece.

Preparation

On separate pieces of constructionpaper, write the ﬁve “key words” thatwill be used at the end of eachgathering. Each week, have theappropriate word(s) ready. You maywant to put the word up somewhereeveryone can see it as a reminder of the week’s focus. The words are: 1)Righteousness, 2) Light & Mercy, 3)Love & Gladness, 4) Strength & Peace,5) Praise & Wonder

First Sunday: Righteousness November 28

One:

Advent is a special time toprepare for Jesus’ birth.

All

:

As we look forward to Christmas,we discover ways we can be like Jesus.

Light the ﬁrst candle. Read Jeremiah33:14-16.

One:

The prophet Jeremiah remindsus that God promised to send someonewho would bring “Justice andrighteousness in the land.”

All

:“Righteous” and “justice” bothmean doing the right thing. Jesus cameto show us how to be righteous and just.

Together Time:

Share some of theways we can “do the right thing.” Howcan we be righteous and just as Jesuswas? When is it hard to act as Jesusmight ahve acted?

One:

Who is coming?

All:

Jesus, Jesus.

One:

Who will come on ChristmasDay? Who is coming?

All:

Jesus, Jesus. Righteousness will beour way.

Second Sunday: Light & MercyDecember 5

One:

Today is the second week of Advent, our special time to prepare for Jesus’ birth.

All

:

As we look forward to Christmas,we discover ways we can be like Jesus.

Light the candle from last week and the second candle. Read Luke 1:78-79.

One:

Zechariah’s prophecy reminds us

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Family Devotion

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The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulﬁll the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.~Jeremiah 33:14

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION

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2010 ADVENT EDITION

of God’s tender mercy.

All

: Jesus came from God to “give light to those who sit indarkness.”

Together Time:

Talk about ways to be merciful. Arethere people or situations we as individuals or as a groupcan bring light to?

One:

Who is coming?

All:

Jesus, Jesus.

One:

Who will come on Christmas Day? Who is coming?

All:

Jesus, Jesus. Light and Mercy will be our way.

Third Sunday: Love & GladnessDecember 12

One:

It is the third week of Advent, our special time toprepare for Jesus’ birth.

All

:

As we look forward to Christmas, we discover ways wecan be like Jesus.

Light the ﬁrst two candles and the third candle. Read Zephaniah3:16-20.

One:

Zephaniah reminds us that God comes to us withopen, forgiving arms.

All

: Jesus came from God to bring love and gladness intoour hearts.

Together Time:

Share a time when you did something for which you needed forgiveness. How did it feel whenanother person accepted your “I’m sorry”?

One:

Who is coming?

All:

Jesus, Jesus.

One:

Who will come on Christmas Day? Who has come?

All:

Jesus, Jesus. Love and gladness will be our way.

Fourth Sunday: Strength & PeaceDecember 19

One:

It is the fourth week of Advent, our special time toprepare for Jesus’ birth.

All

:

As we look forward to Christmas, we discover ways wecan be like Jesus.

Light all of the candles on the outside of the wreath. Read Micah5:2-5a.

One:

Micah tells of someone special who would comefrom Bethlehem.

All

: Jesus came from God to bring strength and peace tothe world.

Together Time:

Share some of the ways we can be“strong in the Lord.” In daily life, how do we live God’speace?

One:

Who is coming?

All:

Jesus, Jesus.

One:

Who will come on Christmas Day? Who is coming?

All:

Jesus, Jesus. Strength and peace will be our way.

Christmas Day: Praise & Wonder December 25

One:

Today is Christmas!

All

:

We celebrate both the birth of the tiny baby, Jesus,and the life of the man he grew to be.

Light all of the candles, including the Christ candle in the middle. Read Luke 2:10-20.

One:

When Jesus was born, the angels sang, “Glory toGod in the highest heaven!”

All

: When they saw baby Jesus, the shepherds were ﬁlledwith praise and wonder.

Together Time:

Share some of the ways we give Godpraise. How can we show our wonder at what God hasdone and is doing in the world?

One:

Who has come?

All:

Jesus, Jesus.Praise and wonder all our days.

Note: Even after Christmas Day, the Christmas season continues until Epiphany. Keep your Advent wreath out until then!

Epiphany January 6

One:

Jesus is here!

All

:

From far away, wise men traveled to see Jesus andbring him gifts.

Light all of the candles. Read Matthew 2:1-12.

Together Time:

Share some of your experiences thesepast ﬁve weeks. Which words were hardest to live out? Isthere a word you would like to take as a reminder of a way you want to be more like Jesus?

One:

Who has come?

All:

Jesus, Jesus.

One:

Who did come on Christmas Day? Who has come?

All:

Jesus, Jesus. Righteousness will be our way. Light andmercy will be our way. Love and gladness will be our way.Praise and wonder all our days!

Taken from The Upper Room Pockets, December 2010 edition.

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You can buy an Advent wreath or make your own by setting four candles in a circleand surrounding them with greenery. Advent wreathes usually have three purplecandles and one pink candle, or four purple candles. If your wreath has a pinkcandle, light it on the third Sunday of Advent. A taller, white candle (The “Christ candle”), representing Jesus, goes in thecenter of the wreath.

Advent Calendars

This calendar includes daily activities to help us preparefor the arrival of Jesus. Calendars are available at theSunday School Welcome Center or on the Welcome Tablein the Sanctuary Lobby.

Advent Devotions

Written by people in ourown church community, this devotion explores Christmassymbols and their special meanings to us during theChristmas season. This year’s devotion includes asuggested hymn, brief meditation, prayer and questionfor reﬂection so you canworship together as afamily daily!

Children’s Bulletins

Check out our new children’s bulletins! Beginning November 28, we will be handing out Spark children’sbulletins. The bulletins areavailable for pre-readers as well as readers! These bulletinscorrespond with the lessons our children are exploring inSunday school and are a great new way to engage kids inworship.

Advent Festival

On December 5 beginning at 5:30pm, we’ll gather in theGathering Room for the 32nd annual Advent Festival.Featuring a potluck dinner of traditional ethnic foods fromaround the world, the dinner is followed by the singing of

Living Our Faith Through Worship

During this holy season of Advent, we will explore how we can live our faith through worship. We areoffering a variety of ways to help your families explore this faith practice together - both inside andoutside the walls of church!

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1 Wednesday Night Dinner6:00

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Advent Worship7:00