What’s The Buzz? Faith Forward PHYSICAL ADDRESS 13 Hermit Thrush Drive Buxton, Maine 04093 MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 424 Bar Mills, Maine 04004 (207) 929-3535 www.barmillscommunitychurch.org DECEMBER PASTOR’S COLUMN: “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.” John 10:10 In a departure from my usual format and approach here, I am going to explain why we are holding our Christmas Eve service this year at 4:00 rather than 7:00. It has been brought to my attention, as well as to the other pastors in the Cumberland Association (and, I presume, elsewhere as well) that there are two prevailing truths about the Christmas Eve service: 1) If people who do not regularly attend church ever entertain the thought of doing so, Christmas Eve is one of the most likely times they’ll show up. 2) If they do consider attending such a service, 4:00 is their preferable time. We can appreciate this if we step back from our expectation of traditional times and realize that “traditional times” have no point of reference in their lives. In order to maximize the opportunity to connect with new folks, a 4:00 service, then, makes the most sense. This decision followed a discussion at our October Deacons’ meeting, at which we asked ourselves if we are basically an inwardly- or outwardly-focused church. We acknowledged (and I trust we did so without guilt) that we invest more in our members than in our visitors. As we plan and carry out worship, it’s more “What do we like to do?” than “What could we do differently that others might like?” “Teach them to like what we like” is not the right answer! So we are offering our service at 4:00 on Sunday, December 24. This does not guarantee that we’ll be swamped with first-time visitors: we are thinking of opportunities, not outcomes. But as another opportunity, we will try to make the service more seeker-sensitive. The point is not to get people to come and see what we do, but to connect with them at their level. Yes, we’ll sing carols and light candles, but we’ll also inject some drama, some children’s involvement, and some music other than familiar carols. This will only work if we want it to work, and if we help to make it work by inviting our friends and neighbors and talking it up. I thought the verse cited above fits this initiative. Jesus, as part of the “Good Shepherd” teaching, tells his disciples His love reaches beyond the walls of the inner circle. He knows other sheep will not just show up: It’s been a long time since Kevin Costner, as Ray Kinsella in “Field of Dreams” heard a voice whisper “If you build it, they will come” and promptly converted his Iowa cornfield into a baseball diamond. That vision, in fact, is often used at church leadership events as an example of what doesn’t work anymore. So this is an experiment, but it is based on our understanding both of the heart of Jesus and of our desire to be faithful to His mission and vision. Rather than “experiment,” maybe we should call it a “step of faith.” Keep this all in prayer as the time approaches…and a blessed Advent and Christmas season to you all! Joyfully, Pastor Malcolm Hall
Transcript
What’s The Buzz?
Faith Forward
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
13 Hermit Thrush Drive
Buxton, Maine 04093
MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 424
Bar Mills, Maine 04004
(207) 929-3535
www.barmillscommunitychurch.org
DECEMBER PASTOR’S COLUMN:
“I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.”
John 10:10
In a departure from my usual format and approach here, I am going to explain why we are holding our Christmas Eve service this year at 4:00 rather than 7:00.
It has been brought to my attention, as well as to the other pastors in the Cumberland Association (and, I presume, elsewhere as well) that there are two prevailing truths about the Christmas Eve service: 1) If people who do not regularly attend church ever entertain the thought of doing so, Christmas Eve is one of the most likely times they’ll show up. 2) If they do consider attending such a service, 4:00 is their preferable time. We can appreciate this if we step back from our expectation of traditional times and realize that “traditional times” have no point of reference in their lives.
In order to maximize the opportunity to connect with new folks, a 4:00 service, then, makes the most sense. This decision followed a discussion at our October Deacons’ meeting, at which we asked ourselves if we are basically an inwardly- or outwardly-focused church. We acknowledged (and I trust we did so without guilt) that we invest more in our members than in our visitors. As we plan and carry out worship, it’s more “What do we like to do?” than “What could we do differently that others might like?” “Teach them to like what we like” is not the right answer! So we are offering our service at 4:00 on Sunday, December 24. This does not guarantee that we’ll be swamped with first-time visitors: we are thinking of opportunities, not outcomes. But as another opportunity, we will try to make the service more seeker-sensitive. The point is not to get people to come and see what we do, but to connect with them at their level. Yes, we’ll sing carols and light candles, but we’ll also inject some drama, some children’s involvement, and some music other than familiar carols. This will only work if we want it to work, and if we help to make it work by inviting our friends and neighbors and talking it up. I thought the verse cited above fits this initiative. Jesus, as part of the “Good Shepherd” teaching, tells his disciples His love reaches beyond the walls of the inner circle. He knows other sheep will not just show up: It’s been a long time since Kevin Costner, as Ray Kinsella in “Field of Dreams” heard a voice whisper “If you build it, they will come” and promptly converted his Iowa cornfield into a baseball diamond. That vision, in fact, is often used at church leadership events as an example of what doesn’t work anymore. So this is an experiment, but it is based on our understanding both of the heart of Jesus and of our desire to be faithful to His mission and vision. Rather than “experiment,” maybe we should call it a “step of faith.” Keep this all in prayer as the time approaches…and a blessed Advent and Christmas season to you all! Joyfully, Pastor Malcolm Hall
DECEMBER WORSHIP HIGHLIGHTS:
12/3: FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT * COMMUNION SUNDAY Scripture: Luke 13:1-9 Meditation: “Shoot, or I’ll Stop!” This title may seem insensitive, given the growing gun violence of our day, but the people of Jesus’ day had exactly the same concerns. The answers they found are just as important to us today. 12/10: SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-5 Meditation: “Back at the Branch” This is one of the familiar Christmas prophecies, and the message builds on last week’s focus. We tend to be impatient these days, but God has all the time in the world. 12/17: THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT Scripture: Micah 5:1-5 Meditation: “Wait for It…” This is also a familiar Christmas prophecy, and it also builds on last’s week’s focus. There was a reason Jesus was born in Bethlehem…and a reason why he had to be. 12/24: FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT * CHRISTMAS SUNDAY Scripture: “Matthew 1:18-25 Message: “It Is No Secret” This is a familiar fulfillment of Christmas prophecy, and it also builds on last week’s focus. Did you ever wonder, “What parents would name their child ‘Jesus’?” There is a reason Mary and Joseph did just that. Don’t forget the Christmas Eve service at 4:00 p.m. today. 12/31: Scripture: Genesis 13:5-12 Meditation: “Two Roads Diverged” This line from Robert Frost’s well-known poem speaks of the choice with which he was faced. The Bible calls each of us to choose, and this story of Abraham and Lot teaches the value of choosing wisely.
One day about 2,000 years ago an angel named Gabriel appeared to a young Jewish woman named Mary. Gabriel told Mary she would have a son, Jesus, who would be the Son of God! Mary was confused and worried about this sudden news, but she had faith in God and said, "I am the Lord's servant; let it be as you say."
Journey to Bethlehem Mary and her husband-to-be, Joseph, lived in a town called Nazareth. But they had to travel to the city of Bethlehem to register for a census ordered by the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus. Both Nazareth and Bethlehem
are in the country now called Israel. It is about 65 miles (105 km) from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and the trip probably took them several days.
When Joseph and Mary got to Bethlehem, there was no place for them to stay because the inn was already full. They ended up spending the night in a stable, a place where animals were kept. There was probably fresh hay on the floor that they used for beds.
That night, Jesus was born. There was no crib, so they laid baby Jesus in a manger, a feeding trough for animals. The manger probably had fresh hay in it and made a nice bed for the baby.
Shepherds Visit Jesus
That night, some shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem, keeping watch over their flocks of sheep. An angel appeared to them and gave them the good news that a Savior, the Messiah, had been born. The angel told the shepherds they could find Jesus lying in a manger. Suddenly a whole group of angels appeared saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
The shepherds hurried into Bethlehem and found Jesus in the manger, just as the angel had told them. After they had seen Jesus, they spread the news, and everyone who heard was in awe.
Wise Men Visit Jesus
Sometime later, wise men, or magi, from eastern countries saw a star in the sky that signaled the birth of a new king. They came to Judea, the region around Jerusalem and Bethlehem, to worship Jesus, the new king.
A man named Herod was the king of Judea. He called the wise men to a meeting and told them to find the new king so he could go and worship him, too.
The wise men continued on to Bethlehem and followed the star until it was directly above the house where Jesus was. They found
Mary and Jesus in the house and knelt down to worship Him. They brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, some of the finest things in the ancient world. Frankincense was burned to make a sweet smell, and myrrh was an expensive perfume.
After visiting Jesus, the wise men had a dream that warned them not to go back to King Herod, so they took a different route home.
Journey to Egypt King Herod lied when he told the wise men he wanted to worship Jesus. He was afraid this new "king" would replace him as king of Judea. He did not understand that Jesus would grow up to be king of God's spiritual kingdom, not king of Judea.
What Herod really wanted was to find Jesus and kill Him! Herod was furious when he realized the wise men had not come back to tell him where to find Jesus. He sent his soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all the children under two years old, thinking Jesus would certainly be one of the ones killed.
But God had told Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt. Joseph took Mary and Jesus to live in Egypt where they would be safe from Herod. Joseph, Mary and Jesus stayed in Egypt until Herod had died, and then they returned to Nazareth.
Question Was Jesus born on Christmas day?
We celebrate Jesus' birth on Christmas, but no one really knows what day Jesus was born, or even exactly what year. In 336 A.D., the Western Church, based in Rome, chose December 25 to celebrate as Christmas, meaning "Christ's Mass." The Eastern Church chose January 6. The day was named Epiphany, meaning "appearance." Eventually the period from December 25 to January 6 became known as the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Lessons
The stories of Jesus' birth link to both the past and the future. The circumstances of Jesus' birth show He fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of a Messiah (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). He was born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:5-6). He was called out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1, Matthew 2:15).
Jesus was born in a stable - the most humble of circumstances. Similarly, Jesus showed us how God's favor rests with the poor and downtrodden. The Gentile wise men came to worship Jesus. Later, the Gentiles would make up most of the Christian world. Herod's attempt to kill Jesus foreshadows Jesus' crucifixion about 33 years later
