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Our GCR children’s minister sent me this picture of our Whitney yesterday reading to the kids at Children’s Worship.
This is Whitney’s life. Her passion and her identity. Being a ten-year cashier at United Market Street and a five-tool volunteer in our children’s ministry. We are so grateful to Kristin and Ashlee for using Whitney in creative ways here. And we praise God for what he is doing in and through our first born daughter.
Several of our high school Seniors will deliver our Advent readings and light the fourth candle at our GCR Church tomorrow morning. This is the script:
LOVE
Today we light the fourth candle of Advent, the candle that represents love.
We remember the eternal love of our Heavenly Father who sent his Son to restore us and all of creation.
We remember the sacrificial love of Christ Jesus who left his home in glory to save us from our sins.
And the selfless love we share with one another as a result of the redeeming work of Christ.
Today we resolve to receive our Lord’s love and to share it with the whole world in the light of the new creation.
1 John 4:9-12
Our GCR kids will perform a song from their upcoming Christmas pageant at church tomorrow morning. Luke Sikazwe and his mother, Ruth, will read our Advent reflections and light the third candle of Advent for our congregation. I’m posting the weekly scripts here so you can do your own reflections with your family or your small group or in your own church. I pray this is helpful.
JOY
Today we light the third candle of Advent, the candle that symbolizes joy.
This candle is pink in color, which represents joy and marks a shift in this Advent season.
Today we move from repentance and preparation to celebration and rejoicing.
We rejoice together in the gift of salvation through the coming of the Christ.
We praise God for the coming fulfillment of his covenant promises.
And we joyfully resolve to live into and proclaim the eternal Kingdom of our Lord.
Isaiah 61:1-3b
Tomorrow is the second Sunday of Advent. At the GCR Church here in Midland, Jordan and Rachel and their precious kids and Rachel’s parents, Dale and Penny, will lead us in our reading and the lighting of the second candle. It’ll be an intergenerational blessing for our whole congregation! I’m posting the scripts in this space each Saturday. I invite you to practice this in your own church or small group setting or use these words to guide your own thoughts and conversations with our Lord.
Peace
Today we light the second candle of Advent, the candle that represents peace.
Today we are reminded that Christ Jesus is the only source of true peace.
And he is coming.
We resolve to make peace in our families and in this community of faith.
We pray for the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts and in this world.
And we prepare to welcome God’s peace on earth and into our lives and relationships.
Isaiah 2:3-5
Tomorrow we begin the Advent season together with our church at GCR, preparing for and looking forward to the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. Bryce and Paige Williams and their three precious kids will lead us in our thoughts and the reading from Scripture. I will provide our weekly scripts and readings in this space each week.
Hope
Today we light the first candle of Advent, the candle that reminds us of our hope.
Today we enter a season of repentance and preparation for our hope to be made real in Christ.
We remember Israel’s covenant hope for the coming of God’s promised Messiah.
We remember our covenant hope for the promised second coming of Jesus.
And we prepare to welcome Christ Jesus into the world and into our hearts.
Titus 2:11-14
Carrie-Anne and I hosted the GCR high schoolers at our house a couple of Sundays ago to watch the Cowboys -Packers game. We played ping-pong and pool, made Dr Pepper and root beer floats, and generally hung out and watched the game together. And McKenzie and I made a bet.
McKenzie is a precious child of God. She’s a senior at Midland High School (Go Bulldogs) and an angel straight from heaven. But she is a crazy Cowboys fan. Over the top. Too much. About halfway through the first quarter, with the game tied at 7-7, I proffered a wager: If the Cowboys win, I’ll preach next Sunday wearing a Cowboys tie; if Green Bay wins, McKenzie wears a Packers shirt to youth group class and to worship on Sunday. She took the bet. Cowboys fans always take the bet.
McKenzie’s a really good sport and we had fun with it yesterday. And I’m glad we didn’t go double or nothing on the Vikings.
Peace,
Allan
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