The fourth Sunday of Advent - Joy!
|
|
|
Photo by Nick Amoscato on Flickr
Don't let the Covid grinch steal your Christmas joy!
I don't take Covid lightly. It is a serious health challenge. But in spite of its virulence, there is something much more powerful - JOY!
Anytime is good to think about how to experience more joy, but the Advent season is especially good timing. Our Lord came into the world to put all the grinches into perspective and to teach us how to do the same. As Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11
This Sunday will be our fourth Sunday of preparation for the Advent of the Lord into our lives. We have considered choosing HOPE, choosing PEACE, choosing to LOVE, and now let's try choosing JOY. Experiencing joy really is an individual activity. No one and no thing can cause it to happen except the Lord who is in essence the embodiment of joy. Let's consider this on Sunday and ask the question, what can
we do to encourage more joy in life?
I love being your pastor, and I'm always eager to talk with you about anything on your mind. Please let me know what I can do for you, and let me know what you would like to do to help Sunrise Chapel help more people.
Blessings,
Nathan
PS: Sorry this note is later than usual. In my ten years here, I don't recall a time when I completely forgot to send a weekly message. Friday I was so wrapped up with a home project that I was shocked when I realized I had neglected this weekly communication. My apologies!
|
Congratulations on another wonderful "Christmas Greeting" to our Community!
|
|
|
.
Has it already been a week since our Path to Bethlehem?
With Covid cases as high as ever, some said we couldn't pull it off! Some suggested we shouldn't. But with an eager team of families in the cast, lots of help with setup, and additional traffic control volunteers, we managed to offer a safe Christmas event to our community. People LOVED it! There were so many affirmations from people who drove through - and such warmhearted
gratitude.
And I am grateful, too. Many of the people who attended have been coming for years. Many others were newcomers. The people helping with the traffic at each scene said they saw a lot of smiling faces. And Sue Babcock who was stationed at the very end, wishing everyone a merry Christmas, got a lot of comments about how much people appreciated it.
One little story. This year for the first time we hired an off-duty officer to ensure safety while cars came and left. Towards the end of the program I noticed Patrick wasn't out on the street. Then he popped out the passenger side of a car after the Wise Men scene. Turns out he called his wife and encouraged her to bring their two kids over because this was a very special event! When she arrived, he went
through with them and said he thoroughly enjoyed it!
Thank you, thank you, to everyone who helped make this Path to Bethlehem magical, in spite of the Covid grinch!
Nathan
|
|
|
|
|
.
We had four scenes this year. Each scene was cast with family members, except the shepherds and angel scene in which the angel was appropriately distanced.
I think this may be the first time we've had a female Gabriel who visited Mary in scene one. It was a mother and daughter combo.
|
|
|
|
|
.
I just loved how everyone put their hearts into the story and created such a tender depiction of each event. Joseph and Mary are relatively new parents, and it was sweet to see them interacting with baby Jesus (a doll this year). And we had the youngest wise man ever! He just turned 11 this week.
Another first this year -- because people came in their cars, they also brought their pets, and our greeter, Matthew, counted them, too!
|
Christmas Eve service - online only
|
|
|
ONLINE ONLY CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE
This year I will create and record a video and upload it to our You Tube channel for you to watch anytime on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. I will use this email service to let you know when it is available. If you are subscribed to our You Tube channel (sunrise chapel livestream) and hit the "notification" button, you will be alerted to when it will be viewable. Or go to our website or to our Facebook page
on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to get a link.
In this weird time of the current pandemic, I continue to pray for you and to do what I can to help you worship and grow spiritually.
Blessings to you throughout the Christmas season!!
With love and respect,
Nathan
|
Last Sunday's topic ~ this week's Task
|
|
|
Here is the task from our "third Sunday of Advent" theme - Choose to love.
|
Community Angel Tree at Sunrise Chapel
|
|
|
Thank you to each of you who have responded to this special Christmas activity! Please join the fun!
Join in creating a Community Angel Tree at Sunrise Chapel
This Christmas Season we will have a lovely tree at Sunrise Chapel to be decorated with angel ornaments to remember and acknowledge the people in our lives who are either like angels to us or actually are angels in heaven.
We would love to fill the tree with angel ornaments that represent current friends, acquaintances, family members, OR people who have already passed on to the spiritual world and their angelic lives. We just need your creative participation!
You can bring your own angel ornament to Sunrise Chapel, you can mail one, or you can contact me (Elise) for a pick up. You can also arrange to have me choose one and put it up for you. Ornaments don’t need to be fancy, and can be homemade or store bought.
If you would like to donate toward the cost of the tree, you can mail a check to Sunrise Chapel, bring your donation to church, or use the PayPal account on the sunrisechapel.org website.
Angels are a big part of the Christmas story. One of their main roles is to bring good news. Gabriel brought the happy news of Jesus’s birth, appearing to Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, and the shepherds out in the fields. And there is nothing like the hope expressed by the heavenly host: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to all people.”
During these difficult months of the pandemic it is good to be reminded of people and angels who are with us, thinking of us, supporting us, and giving us messages of hope.
We’d love to fill our tree with a whole community of angels!
Contact Elise Gladish, for more information: 520-820-1284 or elisegladish@gmail.com
|
Poinsettias to decorate the Chancel
|
|
|
Sunrise Chapel has a tradition of decorating the chancel during the Christmas season with poinsettias that are dedicated in memory of a loved one. If you would like to participate, let Elise know to whom you would like to make a dedication, and send a check to Sunrise Chapel for $15, and Elise will purchase the poinsettia for you.
She is also coordinating the purchase of a Christmas tree. If you would like to donate towards that, just let her know.
You can contact her at elisegladish@gmail.com or 520-820-1284
Thank you so much!
|
Your year-end financial support is greatly needed!
|
|
|
Please consider Sunrise Chapel in your year-end charitable giving
This year, our income for the operations of our church is about 35% less than normal.
If you haven't been giving because of not attending in person, please consider setting up a recurring gift through your banking preference.
Thank you to everyone who gives any amount!
Every church organization has many financial obligations, but the most important thing your gift supports is the opportunity to gather locally either in-person or online to develop meaningful relationships with the Lord and one another. Sunrise Chapel relies on the generosity and dedication of donors to keep the various uses and ministries going.
When you give an unrestricted gift to Sunrise Chapel's General Operating Fund, you are supporting this spiritual community as well as our down-to-earth efforts to serve more people.
Thank you for considering Sunrise Chapel in your charitable giving
If you write a check, make it to Sunrise Chapel.
The PayPal button above takes you to an option for either a one-time or a monthly donation.
Thank you from our Treasurer, Bill Smith
|
Your church home for partnering with the Lord and each other in the practice of cultivating spiritual growth and choosing heavenly joy
www.sunrisechapel.org
nathan@sunrisechapel.org Office 520-298-1245
|
|
|
