"The Word of God is the "antibiotic" that seeks out and destroys the viruses that would plague the life of the church."
Hi! Guys & Gals,
Do you have a spiritual map that will guide you to Christmas, to Bethlehem, to a faith that feels authentic, real, hopeful, powerful?
We have begun our journey to Bethlehem, a slow spiritual walk through Advent during a season that is typically anything but slow. How you and I arrive in Bethlehem on Christmas morning will ultimately depend on you and me…and the spiritual map we choose. If we want this trip to be any different from all the previous journeys through December, we will have to choose some different roads, roads that enable us to see Christ, grow in Christ and be Christ for others.
What would that kind of map look like for you? For our church?
Here’s just one suggestion for your spiritual map. Each week we print in this bulletin the scriptures to be used for Sunday morning. Consider spending some time with these scriptures. Use this formula:
• Say a prayer asking God to help you listen.
• Read the scriptures silently.
• Read them a second time, this time aloud.
• Sit silent, eyes closed and meditate for a short time over what you have heard.
• Re-read the scriptures for a third time, but this time stop and pray as words or phrases in the lesson jump out at you. Ask yourself, "What is God trying to say to me?"
• End by sitting in silence for a few seconds.
Of course, give yourself permission to be creative. Is there a better formula for you? Invent your own. If you enjoy writing, use this formula to write in a "spiritual journal."
What will happen? Not only will we open ourselves up to God, but Sunday worship will be different for us. We will come not as a spectator or as a member of an audience, but as a member of the body of Christ.
Take a slow walk.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Marie
HEY! KIDS!!
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE BELOW.
http://www.youtube.com/uccvideos
THIS WEBSITE SHOWS THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST NATIONAL YOUTH EVENT WHICH ONE YEAR YOU KIDS COULD PLAN TO GO TO. LET YOUR PARENTS SEE THE VIDEO ALSO-- FOR THEY CAN HELP YOU PLAN FOR THIS AS A GROUP. THESE EVENTS ARE AWESOME-- KIDS AND PASTORS HAVE A GREAT TIME AND GROW SPIRITUALLY.
You Might Be a Homeschooler If....
You come to school in your PJ's.
Your biology lab consists of assisting in your sibling's birth.
Your stacks of books to check out is taller than the librarian.
Your PE comes from chasing little toddlers around.
Your school bus is a 9 passenger van.
You consider school work after lunch to be cruel and unusual punishment.
Your father has ever told the check-out lady at Wal-mart, "We're on a field trip."
Your social life is viewed by some to be one rung lower than that of a Benedictine monk.
Your teacher has ever written your report card on a napkin.
You have to move dirty laundry off your desk before your can start school.
The signatures on your diploma all end with the same last name.
Everyone else in the world is referred to as "Non-homies."
Your Mother's wardrobe consists primarily of denim jumpers.
Your first real date is on your honeymoon.
The word 'homework' sounds like an foreign language.
Your yearbook is also your babybook.
A snow day means that you shovel the driveway after you finish your school work.
You enjoy the pastime of watching public school kids walk home from school.
You have to look at the clock to see if you can call your public school friends yet.
You think that public-school-kid is an insult of the highest degree.
Health class consists of eating breakfast.
You have to decide what year you want to graduate.
You are always late but just call it "homeschooler time."
You can remember nearly every single day you went to public school.
The teacher can kiss the principal, and no one thinks it's unusual.
You get to school and the teacher asks you if you've done all your chores.
You are one of the best people in the world! :)
Soul Fuel
Online Devotional
It's happened to me more than once. Maybe it's happened to you as well. It's that nauseating feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when your name is called in class to answer a question - and you have no clue what the answer is. You knew you should have studied, but then that little voice convinced you that there was no way you would be picked to give an answer.
But then you freeze as the teacher looks at you and speaks your name. The longer you sit in stunned silence, the more embarressed you feel as heads turn around to look at you.
Nope...it's definately not fun to be unprepared when you are called on to answer. Maybe that's why the Bible tells us that we must
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15)
God wants us to be ready to give solid answers to people who get curious when they see us live and give our faith. The problem is that many of us get that "deer in the headlights" look when unbelievers throw questions our way. We stall, make something up, or even worse begin to let those questions gnaw away at our confidence level.
So...we have included Dare 2 Share devotionals on our website to help you get ready for the questions that are sure to come your way in the not too distant future. It's called Soul Fuel and that's just what it will do: fuel your soul.
