Gather with us anytime in our Facebook group "Spirit of Hope Friends and Family" Share your joys, concerns, and prayer requests with your church family. It's a private group, so anything you post will only be visible to members of the group.
Sunday Morning Worship, 10 AM
The Advent Season is upon us. This is the time we prepare for the coming of the birth of Jesus. This is a familiar story that we experience every year, but it is more than just a story. Each week of Advent, we will familiarize ourselves with the stories connected to the birth of Jesus so that they become more than just another story.
Out of consideration for others, please wear a mask regardless of your vaccination status. The service will be livestreamed to our Facebook group for those not ready to return in person. Sermons will be posted on YouTube (video) and on our website (audio)
Saturday, Dec 4 8 AM Work Day
Sunday, Dec 5 10 AM Worship
Wednesday, Dec 8 2 PM Bagel Pickup and Bagging for WVC Food Pantry
7 PM Choir Practice
Thursday, Dec 9 2 PM Bagel Pickup for Justa Center
Friday, Dec 10 1 PM Ladies Bible Study
Upcoming Events
Sunday, Dec 12 10 AM Worship
6 PM Jazz for the Soul
Open Invitation to Discussion on Outreach Sunday, December 12 after the 10 AM Worship Service
At Spirit of Hope we want to make sure that we are actively inviting visitors and users of our campus to discover and learn to love our ministries, our worship, our discipleship, our faith, our resources, and our campus. Our goal is not to GROW; our goal is to be faithful in our mission. Faithfulness to our mission may result in new opportunities for connection. We want to hold each other accountable and to be held accountable as we initiate "intersections" with neighbors, passersby, campus users, visitors and as we participate actively in those "intersections."
You (all of you, in case this wasn't apparent) are invited to join in a conversation about OUTREACH. You are invited to bring ideas, to listen to ideas from others, to think outside the box, to review and assess past activities, and to determine future outreach, ministry, mission, and evangelism approaches. Together, as a congregation, our desire is to Glorify God, to Grace Others, and to Grow Disciples.
The season of Advent, which comes from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming" or "visit," begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Advent is also the beginning of the church year for Christians.
During Advent, we prepare for and anticipate the coming of Christ. We remember the longing of Jews for a Messiah and our own longing for and need of forgiveness, salvation, and a new beginning. Even as we look back and celebrate the birth of Jesus in a humble stable in Bethlehem, we also look forward anticipating the second coming of Christ as the fulfillment of all that was promised by his first coming.
Although we are accustomed to celebrating Christmas on a single day, in both Christian tradition and on the church calendar, the Christmas season lasts from sundown on December 24 (Christmas Eve) through Epiphany of the Lord (January 6). This is sometimes referred to as "the 12 days of Christmas."
Advent begins with the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. In 2021, Christmas falls on a Saturday, and Christmas Eve on Friday night. Thus, in 2021 Advent began Sunday, November 28, and ends at sundown on Friday, December 24.
The color for Advent has traditionally been purple, although some churches have adopted blue. In practice, however, as churches increasingly incorporate the symbols and decorations of Christmas during Advent, more and more red, green and gold are appearing. The United Methodist Book of Worship upholds the traditional color of purple for Advent, signifying penitence and royalty, but also allows blue, the color of hope." https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/to-be-united-methodist-what-is-advent
December Birthdays
December 3 Nancy Oyler
December 11 Kathy Elvrum
December 11 Gladys Greeson
December 12 Betts McCalla
December 13 Lorraine Eyer
December 16 Jan Burdick
December 16 Jo Willis
December 20 Jon Elvrum
December 20 Howard Hunt
December 26 Cliff Asay
A Birthday Prayer: O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on these friends as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Surprise Us God!
Good morning God!
Surprise us.
Make our faith greater than our fears; grow us in the covering of your love.
December: Prayer When Feeling Inadequate
Dear Lord, Thank you for fearfully and wonderfully creating each of us. Thank You for giving us worth in Your eyes. Help us live as the one You uniquely intended us to be. Help us abide instead of strive, living peacefully and joyfully as heirs to Your Kingdom and co-heirs with Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.
The Visionary is Spirit of Hope's e-newsletter, and goes each Thursday morning. If you have items you would like included in the Visionary, please get them to Lorraine by 5 PM on Wednesday.
