During Advent, we viewed it through the eyes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. This Christmas Eve we view the Christmas Story through the eyes of Elizabeth. the cousin of Mary. Join us any time on Christmas Eve as we remember the familiar story of when Love came down at Christmas.
Merry Christmas and may God bless us all
Pastor Deborah
This Week's Worship Opportunities
-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.
If you find yourself stuck in the waiting room for more than a few minutes after the scheduled beginning time, please call or text Pastor Deborah and let her know you are waiting.
Give ear to my voice, O Lord.
Consider my meditations.
Hearken to my cry, O Lord,
My king and my God!
ADVENT
Lord, begins now,
Your season, Advent,
A world awaits your arrival
remembering the real event
celebrating stable presence
with table's presence,
your precious body and blood, gifts
our table presents, as we remember
that you are to come again, soon.
Lord, I wonder, waiting,
for the wonder that will be You
here among us, once again,
still the Christ, still Messiah
but now returned, come again
as promised, as promises from You
are always delivered.
Lord, Advent is here!
Again we await Your coming
in Glory, remembering,
how gloriously You came before,
simply, warmed in the harsh straw
lining the feeding trough, surrounded
by field folk, swaddled amid
the farm beasts, bathed
in Holy Light, glorified by angels,
reverenced by Kings
hunted by jealous, fearing rivals,
then slain by the righteous people
of Your day, reverenced and vilified.
Even today, even here,
where we are waiting,
while we are waiting.
Lord
Come swiftly.
Come sweetly.
Lord Jesus, come!
Amen.
A poem by Jon Elvrum
Giving at Spirit of Hope
In this time of Pandemic and avoidance of crowd-gathering, effective giving has never been more important. Many worshipers are struggling financially and are even more careful with spending and money management than previously. 2020 has brought about new practices (curbside pick-up, grocery shopping on-line, on-line worship, Zoom gatherings) for all of us, and it is a good time to look at our money management practices.
Whereas many of us have been comfortable with our banking practices – i.e., check writing, complete with check registers and reconciling bank statements – for decades, today’s young adults often don’t use checks, preferring electronic banking in various forms. Many studies indicate that overall contributions increase from on-line and electronic banking, in spite of fees.
Contributions to and through Spirit of Hope can be made through the following methods:
Direct cash or check donations – In this time of on-line gathering, it is still possible to write a check or put money in the offering plate. Checks may be mailed to Spirit of Hope UMC, 14403 N 75th Avenue, Peoria, AZ 85381. Point-of-Sale – SOH provides a Point-of-Sale machine in the Worship Center for credit and debit card donations. Designating through the Point-of-Sale machine requires a separate communication with the office. On-line giving – The SOH website contains tabs for on-line giving in $10 increments for the following funds:
Tithing
Habitat for Humanity (QCO for Arizona Tax Credit* see below)
UMCOR (Disaster Response)
Justa Center (QCO for Arizona Tax Credit*)
It’s Their Mission Youth Mission Trip
Christmas Angel Tree
HART Pantry (QCO for Arizona Tax Credit*)
West Valley Community Food Pantry (QCO for Arizona Tax Credit*)
Christmas/COVID Assistance Fund
Fees for On-Line and Point-of-sale Contributions –Both on-line giving and Point-of-Sale contributions include a 2-3% fee to the banking or financial organization that manages the donation. That means that a $20 donation will include a fee of 40-60 cents and a $100 donation will include a fee of $2-3. (NOTE: a First Class stamp costs 44 cents. Gas costs $2.50 per gallon. Depending on the size of the donation, the on-line fee may be less than the alternative cost.)
Arizona Tax Credit for contributions to Qualifying Charitable Organizations (QCO) –You may know that Arizona provides tax credits for contributions to public schools, to school tuition organizations, and to qualifying charitable organizations. HART Pantry, West Valley Community Food Pantry, Justa Center, UMOM (homeless women and families), and Habitat for Humanity all qualify for the charitable organization donation. Arizona taxpayers can receive a dollar-for-dollar TAX CREDIT up to $400 for individuals and $800 for couples filing jointly. (NOTE: the Arizona Tax Credit does NOT apply to donations to a church – only to a QCO. You can make a contribution to any of the listed QCOs through Spirit of Hope and your donation will be designated on your giving statement. The deadline for QCO contributions for 2020 Arizona taxes is April 15, 2021.
IRA Rollover to Charity – A qualified charitable distribution (“an IRA charitable rollover”) allows a person to lower their tax bill by contributing money directly from their traditional IRA to a charity. Individuals whose age (70½) requires them to take a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) can direct any portion of the RMD to a charitable organization, including a church. Since the financial value of Charitable Contributions was affected by the increase in the Standard Deduction in the 2017 Tax Bill, an IRA rollover provides a significant advantage for taxpayers to reduce their Federal tax bill. Contact your IRA provider.
December Birthdays
December 3 Nancy Oyler
December 7 Dimitre Yanes
December 10 Sheri Stark
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 18 Jameson Melbye
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
If you are following this plan, you will soon finish reading through the Bible by completing Revelation. I hope you have been enjoying the short videos that accompany each biblical book. Although I (Lorraine) have been in the habit of reading the Bible through each year for many years, this is the first time I've used this plan and I find the videos have added a great deal to my understanding and appreciation of the Bible. Because Revelation can be a confusing (and scary) book to understand, I'd like to share what the scholars behind the Bible Project have to say about it:
The book of Revelation was written to seven churches as both encouragement and challenge. An apocalyptic letter, it relies of visions, symbols, and Old Testament references to reveal the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise given to Abraham in Genesis. The book is not a secret code that allows believers to decipher the timeline of Jesus's return.
Instead, it shows that every human kingdom eventually becomes Babylon and must be resisted. Jesus, the slain Lamb who died for the sins of the world, will return one day as King with His followers to prompt repentance. He will remove evil permanently and make all things anew.
John's vision reveal that Jesus has overcome evil by his death and resurrection, and will return one day as the true king of the world. That promise motivates every generation of God's people to remain faithful in the midst of persecution until their King returns.
Day 1: Read Revelation 4-5 Watch video "The Day of the Lord
Day 2: Read Revelation 6-9
Day 3: Revelation 10-11
Day 4: Revelation 12-13 Watch video "Revelation, Part 2"
Day 5: Revelation14-16
Day 6: Revelation 17-18
Day 7: Revelation 19-20
Day 8: Revelation 21-22
A Prayer For Reading the Bible: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
.A Prayer for Christmas Day: Almighty God, you have given your only begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born this day of a pure virgin; Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit, through our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and forever.
A Prayer for the First Sunday after Christmas Day: Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word. Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 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 verse: 1 John 5:13-16
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
