Daily Bible Readings for December 18-25

CALENDAR

Saturday     December 17         5:30 pm                                     Worship Service

Sunday       December 18          9:00 am Children and Youth Christmas Practice

                                            9:00 am                                            Bible Class

                                            10:00 am                                     Worship Service

                                      2:00-5:00 pm                        Open House at Parsonage

Wednesday December 21         5:00 pm                                         Confirmation

                                             7:00 pm                      Advent Lessons and Carols

                                             7:30 pm                                                       AA

Thursday    December 22 1:00 – 3:00 pm                                Girard Food Pantry                 

Saturday     December 24        5:30 pm                   Children’s Christmas Service

                                            11:00 pm           Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Sunday       December 25          8:00 am                            Christmas Day Service

December 24^th is Chris Ray’s 90^th Birthday. 

Please send her a Birthday and Christmas Card to celebrate this very special day.

Daily Lectionary For December 18-25, 2011

December 18      The Nativity of Our Lord—Luke 2:1-7, Isaiah 40:1-11

December 19             The Birth of Christ Is Announced to Shepherds—

                                                                       Luke 2:8-14, Malachi 3:1-7

December 20                 The Shepherds Visit Bethlehem—Luke 2:15-20

                                                                                            Malachi 4:1-6

December 21                         The Genealogy of Jesus—Matthew 1:1-17

                                                                                         Isaiah 28:14-19

December 22                         The Birth of Jesus Is Foretold to Joseph—

                                                                Matthew 1:18-25, Isaiah 7:1-17

December 23           The Word Became Flesh—John 1:1-1, Micah 5:1-5

December 24              Isaiah 7:10–14, 1 John 4:7–16, Matthew 1:18–25

December 25           Exodus 40:17–21; 34–38, Titus 3:4–7, John 1:1–14

NEXT WEEKS LESSONS:

CHRISTMAS DAY

Exodus 40:17–21; 34–38, Titus 3:4–7, John 1:1–14

The Living and Life-Giving Word of God Dwells among Us in the Flesh

In the beginning God created all things through His Word, His Son.  But man fell into sin, and with man all creation was cursed. Therefore, God spoke His Word again, this time into the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary. The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle of our human nature (Ex. 40:17–21,34–38). “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1–14).  The Son of God took on our flesh and blood and died on the cross in order that we might receive the right to become the children of God through faith. Baptized into Christ’s body, we are made partakers of a new Genesis, “the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4–7). In Christ, the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man has truly appeared.