Blog Archives - Edmonds Presbyterian Church

December Events!

12/4/2014

Advent Potluck and Readers Theater
Saturday December 6th at 4:30 PM – Join us for a potluck together, followed by special Readers Theater presentation! Bring a dish to share. This is a great way to begin our Advent and Christmas celebrations!

Advent Jazz
Come and enjoy selections from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on Sunday December 14th 10 AM during worship. Our pianist, Gina, has invited members of her jazz combo to join us for this festive Sunday.

Youth Group Reunion Christmas Party
Wednesday December 17th at 6 PM we'll have a youth group reunion dinner & white elephant gift exchange --- a Christmas Party! Bring a small item to "re-gift" or a new item that costs less than $5. Spread the word!!

Choir Cantata
Inspirational music of Christmas will be presented by our talented choir on Sunday December 21st 10 AM during worship. Though scripture and song we will tell the story of Jesus’ birth.

Longest Night Service
Come join us on the longest night of the year, December 21st, at 4:30 PM for a quiet reflective service that offers God’s hope and comfort to all. The Longest Night service honors the fact that for many the Christmas season may be colored by feelings of grief and loss. If this season is a difficult one for you, I hope you will join us for a candlelit service of scripture and prayer.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Bring your friends and family to our traditional service of lessons and carols. Scripture readings will be interspersed with carols and selections by our choir. We will begin at 11 PM and conclude with a candlelit Christmas Day blessing just after midnight.

Pastor Amy’s Thoughts….

12/4/2014

Greetings!

Many years ago I participated in monthly “Celtic Worship” services at a Seattle-area Presbyterian Church.   I was part of the band for the service, playing Irish and Scottish tunes on my hammered dulcimer or strumming along on my guitar.   We modeled the services after the worship services held at the Iona Community in Scotland, on the isle of Iona. One of the unique features of their worship is the occasional inclusion of a “symbolic action” as part of the service. The action may be as simple as lighting a candle. Or it may require more effort.   A creative series of symbolic actions for Palm Sunday, for example, includes not only waving palm branches, but also waving first century versions of protest signs with catchy phrases such as ,
“Cut the Taxes!” or “Soldiers go home!”.

My favorite symbolic action from the Iona community is one they suggest for the season of Advent, those four weeks when we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. On the day of this symbolic action, a roughhewn wooden cradle is constructed in the front of the sanctuary. Each worshiper is given a long strip of cloth, about two inches wide and a few feet long. During the service we are encouraged to consider how in this particular year, at this particular time in our lives, we are preparing for Jesus’ birth. We often think about how we are preparing for Christmas, but how are we preparing for Jesus? After a time of silent reflection, each person comes forward and places their strip of cloth in the cradle.   As they do so, the rough wooden cradle is transformed into a soft and beautiful place for the baby Jesus. I have pondered this image for many years.   I have noticed that by myself the one strip of cloth I bring would never be enough to prepare the cradle - but woven together, our strips create a patchwork quilt for the baby’s bed. I wondered as I watched this scene unfold, how am I preparing to welcome Jesus anew into my life and heart? And I realized in a more profound way that however I welcome him, welcoming him together with others in the family of faith brings about something more than I can ever accomplish by myself.

I don’t know if there will be a wooden cradle in the front of the church this year, or if we will include this particular symbolic action during one of our Advent worship services.   But I encourage you to ask the question it raises. How are you preparing to welcome Jesus this year, in 2014? That’s not the usual question we hear this season. We more commonly ask each other “how are you preparing for Christmas?” We can prepare for Christmas celebrations by doing many things – buying presents, decorating a tree, writing cards.

But I wonder how we are preparing to welcome Jesus this year?   That’s a more personal and faith-centered question. Likewise, I also wonder how your strip of cloth, your preparations to welcome Jesus this year, may bless our collective ministry in this place as we seek to love and follow Jesus?

With prayers for a blessed Advent and joyous Christmas,

Pastor Amy

Missions

12/4/2014

What is the Christmas Joy Offering? A way to share God’s love all season long.
Advent and Christmas are times to celebrate the arrival of “the true light” (John 1:9)

We can all join this celebration by supporting those in need of help and hope. It provides financial assistance to individuals and families that have dedicated their lives to the church, and supports education and leadership development for students attending Presbyterian-related schools and colleges.

“The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1-4)

When we give, the light of Christ also shines through us and illuminates those in need. We will receive this offering Sunday December 21st.

Thank you,

Grace

Advent Prayer Retreat

12/4/2014

December 13, 9AM to 12:30PM

Peace & Spirituality Center, Bellevue

$50| includes snacks & materials

A Human Story – About a Holy Family

You are invited to come away from the “busyness” of the Christmas season and join us at our annual Advent Prayer Retreat. Give yourself the gift of slowing down and entering into the sacred journey of Mary and Joseph; to invite the Spirit of Christ to make their story come alive for you like never before! Come! Be inspired and refreshed in God’s presence! Registration & information www.renewalminnw.org, 425-361-7653

Guided 5 month prayer retreat

12/4/2014

Renewal Ministries’ 2015 Guided 5-Month Prayer Retreat is accepting registrations. Early bird registration is $325, if received by January 1. The retreat dates for 2015 are: Saturday January 24, Saturday February 28, Saturday March 28, Saturday April 25, Saturday May 30, and an optional Wrap-up in June.

More Information & Registration:

www.renewalminnw.org

renewalministries@live.com

Calling all interested persons …

12/4/2014

Are you curious about Edmonds Presbyterian Church and what we believe? Come and join Pastor Amy for a morning of study, conversation, and dialogue about Christianity, the Reformed branch of Christianity (which is where Presbyterians fit in the Christian family tree) and how that is uniquely expressed in the work and mission of Edmonds Presbyterian Church. Members, friends of the church, and visitors are all welcome. Please contact Pastor Amy if you are interested.

Stewardship, Finance & Administration

12/4/2014

Thank you for you and your gifts of joy to God’s church, Edmonds Presbyterian Church. Thank you for your continued support of EPC. Stewardship will work through the information about your pledges of tithes and offerings as we continue to prepare the budget for 2015.

“A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.” Psalm 37:16. Martin Luther stated about this verse that a “Christian does not store up treasure on earth; instead he has placed his treasure in Heaven into the lap of God…If we only have faith, then we would never lack anything at all. One person with a thousand dollars and an unbelieving heart will not do as well as somebody who trusts in God, even if this person only has a single dollar. Everything comes down to God’s blessing.”

For each of you in Edmonds Presbyterian Church, Stewardship gives thanks for your faith in God, generosity and joy in giving back to God. God knows your hearts and will bless us for your gifts.

Thank you.

Minna Dimmick

A Loving Thank You!

12/4/2014

Jerry, Jeannie, and Steve G. wish to express their everlasting appreciation for your gracious cards, thoughts, and prayers.

We love you all!

The Story

12/4/2014

Our study of “the Story” will continue … in January! We are taking the month of December to prepare for and celebrate Christmas. Daily devotionals for the Advent season are available on the back table in the sanctuary. Please take one. Our next “the Story” chapter will be #14 (“A Kingdom Torn in Two”) on Sunday January 4th. The mid-week bible studies will study this chapter the first week of December.