E mmanuel from Pastor Kurt Busiek
Some Christmas events at Emmanuel.
On Sunday, Dec. 14, our choir will be offering some special Christmas music in our 10.45 a.m. service. In the 6.00 p.m. evening service various church members will be sharing their musical talents in a Christmas Collage.
On Wednesday, Dec. 17, we will join together for an all Church Christmas dinner at 5.15 p.m.
On Sunday, Dec. 21, our children will help us celebrate Christmas as they create a live nativity during our 10.45 a.m. service. In the evening, we will go out caroling to all our older members and to those in care facilties.
On Tuesday night, Dec. 24, we will have our annual Christmas eve Candlelight service at 7.00 p.m.
The First Presbyterian Church will be sponsoring their Christmas day dinner from noon to 2.30 p.m. If you want to help cook or deliver, call 422 5426.
Rick Warren offers some thoughts on the statements the angel spoke to the shepherds at the first Christmas in Luke 2:10-14:
1. Christmas is a time to release your fears! The first thing the angel said was, "Do not be afraid!" Fear is your greatest barrier to knowing God and fulfilling his purposes for your life. Fear is a self-imposed prison that keeps you from living the life God intends for you. So whatever you are afraid of today, Christmas is the time to let it go. The Bible contains 365 "Fear nots," one for every day of the year! It's time to stop worrying and start worshiping. Stop tensing up and start trusting God.
2. Christmas is a time to renew your faith! Next, the angel said "I bring you good news with great joy, and it is for everyone!" The Good News of Jesus keeps getting better because the bad news of the world keeps getting worse. The Good News is that God loves you, he created you for a purpose, you can know God personally by trusting in Jesus, and he wants you to spend eternity with him. Christmas is time to come back to God. Why not invite a friend to our 7 p.m. Christmas Eve service?
3. Christmas is a time to receive forgiveness! Next the angel said, "Today a Savior has been born for you; He is Christ the Lord!" If our greatest need was education, God would have sent a teacher. If our greatest need was health, he would have sent a doctor. If our greatest need was financial, he would have sent an economist. But our greatest need is forgiveness, so God sent a Savior. It doesn't matter what wrong you've done, Jesus paid for it on the cross. Accept his forgiveness this Christmas.