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Bulletin: January 1, 2012

Scriptures: Isaiah 61:10-62:3, Psalm 148:1-6, 11-14, Luke 2:22-40

Songs:

• Praise: We Three Kings: (lyrics & melody, choir, Scottish rendition, background, 600 years earlier, 2)
• Approach: O Sing a Song of Bethlehem (lyrics & melody, harp & vocals, guitar & mandolin, background, 2, How the Incarnation affected people in the Gospels)
• Response: The First Noel (lyrics & melody, 2, Gregorian, YouTube acapella, background)
• Response of Praise: O Come Let Us Adore Him (lyrics & melody, choir, contemporary, 2, 3, dramatization, background)

Pastor Joel Russell-MacLean

God is not visible, right? One reason Christians celebrate Christmas is the “incarnation”. That’s a big word that means “God became a human being”. As one of the early Christians wrote, “We are talking about what we have seen with our eyes and touched with our own hands.” (1 John 1.1-3).

Christmas is the “incarnation” — when God became a human being.

Simeon the priest got to do just that when Jesus was presented in the temple.  Somehow, Simeon recognized that God was at work in the baby he was holding. Far to the east of the temple, Magi looked up into the sky and saw something that spoke to them about the important events unfolding in Israel.

These are examples to us of using our eyes to see God at work in the world around us, to see the God who affirmed our physical world by becoming a physical being himself.

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Bulletin: December 25, 2011

Pastor Joel Russell-McLean

Scriptures: Psalm 98, 1 John 4:7-12,15, John 1:1-14

Songs:
Praise: O Come All Ye Faithful (lyrics & melody, contemporary, history, 2)
Preparation: Joy to the World (based on second half of Psalm 98, lyrics & melody, contemporary, history, 2, 3)
Response: Go tell it on the Mountain (lyrics & melody, contemporary, history)
Good Christian Folk Rejoice (lyrics & melody, children, orchestra & choir, history, 2, 3, 4)

Christmas and advent are times for hosts to shine as they open their homes for come and go’s or family dinners.  During Advent, everyone is encouraged to ready themselves to welcome Jesus, as we sing in Joy to the World: “Let every heart prepare him room”. But who welcomed whom in the stable?

First of all, Jesus was sent to invite people into God’s world, into the Kingdom. Angels came to announce this event proclaiming, “peace”, and the first on the guest list were poor shepherds. And yet something more than this was happening that night. God had become human.

God was irrevocably being joined to humanity:  humanity was being welcomed into God’s very self.

And so hospitality – God’s hospitality – is a big part of the rescue plan for humanity and creation.

It is no small thing when we are good hosts, when we make others feel like they belong in our lives and homes.  How appropriate and yet bold of First Baptist to call itself, “A Place to Belong”.

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Bulletin: December 18, 2011
(Fourth Sunday of Advent)

Scripture: Isaiah 40:3-8,21-31, Psalm 29, Luke 2:8-20

Songs:
Praise: Christians Awake! (lyrics & melody, history – bottom section)
Preparation: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (lyrics & melody, video, history)
Response: Angels We Have Heard on High (lyrics & melody, video, contemporary, history & devotional)

Rev. Mark McKim

The fourth candle on the Advent Wreath is called the angel’s candle. It reminds us of the startlingly bold claim of the Christian faith: that 2000 years ago in the obscure town of Bethlehem, heralded by angels, God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ.

Let’s be very clear: On the truth of this claim, Christianity and the church stands or falls.

It isn’t about familiar Christmas carols, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, gifts or feeling warm and fuzzy at this time of year. It isn’t about whether the church has been guilty of immoral behaviour at times (it has), or whether some Christians are hypocritical (most are at one point or another in their lives), or anything else. It’s about this: was Jesus Christ God come among us – or not?

If this claim is true, it is the most important thing in all human history; if false, then Christianity has nothing whatever of importance to say. You cannot and should not fudge the issue or sit on the fence. Either that night in Bethlehem God did appear in the person of Jesus, or it is bunk, a great big phooey.

So what evidence is there that an infant, born in poverty and obscurity was none other than God come among us, as one of us? That is what Dr. McKim’s sermon will be about this week. If you’ve never heard any of the evidence, we dare you be open minded enough to come and listen. (And oh yes, Dr. McKim just LOVES to get into dialogues and discussions on this sort of thing, so feel free to raise your questions or critique with him after the service, or make an appointment to come in and chat later.)

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Bulletin: December 11, 2011
(Third Sunday of Advent)

Scripture: Ezekiel 34:11-16, Psalm 23, Luke 2:8-10

Songs:
Praise: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (lyrics & melody, choir, upbeat, history)
Preparation: O How Shall I Receive Thee? (lyrics & melody, author – see Paul Gerhardt)
Response: While Shepherds Watched (lyrics & melody, Libera boys choir, 2, pictorial, contemporary, history, 2,  devotional)

Rev. Mark McKim

The Bible makes no mention of Advent – or for that matter of celebrating Christmas! But over the centuries Christians have found it a helpful practice and discipline to set aside time each year to reflect on the birth of Jesus. So in the church’s calendar, Advent is the four week period set aside for serious reflection as we approach Christmas itself. This year on each Sunday of Advent we will focus on one of the candles of the Advent Wreath. Each is given a different name and leads us to reflect on the meaning of that name or term from the Bible. Today we light the Shepherds’ Candle.

The message of this third candle, the shepherds’ candle is simple – Fear can be turned to Joy.

The immediate reaction of the shepherds when they were told by an angel of the coming birth of Jesus the Messiah was fear. They were terrified! Yet, almost at once their fear was turned to joy.

Of what things are you afraid? A family tension which may “blow up” over the Christmas season? Losing your job, finding a job? Being alone over the holidays? The results of a medical test you have had? Whatever your fears may be, Jesus says simply to you: Abandon yourself to me, give yourself up to me, confess me as Lord of your life, and in that act of abandonment, of giving up yourself, you will lose your fears and find eternal joy.

Have Some Fun

Enjoy completing the Shepherds and Sheep Quiz.

Worship Service 11:00 am

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Bulletin: December 4, 2011
(Second Sunday of Advent)

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Psalm 46, Luke 2:1-7

Songs:
Praise: O Come, O Come Emmanuel (lyrics & melody, story & devotional, Nativity Story YouTube)
Approach: Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending (lyrics & melody, triumphant pictorial, meditations)
Response: O Little Town of Bethlehem (lyrics & melody, history 1, 2, 3, 4)

Rev. Mark McKim

Did you know? The Bible makes no mention of Advent – or for that matter even of celebrating Christmas! (We don’t know the actual date of the birth of Jesus.) So why are we paying attention to either of these? Over the centuries countless Christians have found it a helpful discipline to set aside time each year to meditate on the birth of Jesus. So, in the church’s calendar, Christmas is the day on which we especially celebrate the birth of Jesus, and Advent is the four week period leading up to Christmas which is set aside for serious reflection.

As our society more and more makes Christmas into a commercial event, Christians need to reclaim Advent as we consider the real meaning of this season.

During Advent this year at First Baptist Church we will focus, each Sunday on one of the Advent Wreath Candles. Each is given a different name and this leads us to reflect on the meaning of that name or word from Scripture. This year we will name the second candle on the wreath “the Bethlehem candle.”

The history of the little town of Bethlehem is a lesson in how to be prepared, or more often than not, how not to be prepared. For Bethlehem throughout her long history it seems, was hardly ever prepared. Over and over again, Bethlehem was not ready for the momentous things happening in or near the town – momentous events in the history of God’s working to reconcile human beings to himself and to restore and renew his whole world. The history of Bethlehem is a warning. ARE YOU PREPARED? Prepared to deal with death and dying, prepared to live life with some meaning or purpose, prepared for a tragic or seemingly hopeless situation, prepared to meet Jesus when he returns?

How Much do you know about Bethlehem?

Name four occasions – other than the birth of Jesus – when Bethlehem seemed to be unprepared:

——————

Answers:
Genesis 28 Jacob passes by Bethlehem
Genesis 35.16-26 Rachael dies in childbirth in Bethlehem.
Ruth: Naomi and Ruth return from exile to Bethlehem
1 Samuel 16.1-13 Samuel comes to Bethlehem to find the next King of Israel