Friends, this is a bit of a last-minute post, but here it is! Hopefully most all of you are in the thick of your Advent planning - or it's done already! Just in case, here's what we'll be offering this year at FUMC of Arlington, TX.
Advent/Christmas 2015 Worship Series: November 29 - January 3
From Heaven to Earth
Advent 1 - Nov 29
- Sermon Title: “The Day is Coming”
- Scripture: Jeremiah 33:14-16
- 2nd - 1 Thess 3:9-13
- Candle - Hope
- Themes
- Setting the series … From Heaven to Earth
- What its like to wait … … And still be hopeful
- Explaining Advent - it isn’t Christmas, yet
- Speaking of exile (Jeremiah)
- Who is actually waiting to meet Jesus? Who needs to meet Jesus and hasn’t?
- God’s long-view on deliverance and our work in the meantime.
- Nicene Creed
- Light from Light, True God from True God
- Scripture: Jeremiah 33:14-16
Advent 2 - Dec 6
- Sermon Title: “People, Get Ready”
- Scripture: Luke 3:1-6
- Malachi 3:1-4
- Candle - Love
- Themes
- Setting the stage … Luke is creating a backdrop of kings and emperors, while the King of Kings is coming out of nowhere and nothing.
- Love means telling it like it is, sometimes - J the B.
- IT'S THE FEAST OF ST. NICHOLAS
- Scripture: Luke 3:1-6
Advent 3 - Dec 13
- Sermon Title: “Filled With Expectation”
- Scripture: Luke 3:7-18
- 2nd - Isaiah 12:2-6
- Candle - Joy
- Themes
- How are we preparing to meet the Messiah? Are we focused on our needs, or the needs of others?
- Are we heading into a joyful season? Is it joyful for everyone?
- Unreasonable expectations
- What do you expect to get from this season? What are you prepared to give? John stood his ground.
- Trimming back to proclaim the good news.
- How are we preparing to meet the Messiah? Are we focused on our needs, or the needs of others?
- Scripture: Luke 3:7-18
Advent 4 - Dec 20
- Sermon Title: “We Are Blessed”
- Scripture: Luke 1:39-55
- 2nd - Micah 5:2-5a
- Candle - Peace
- Themes
- God’s peace comes with a special kind of justice
- But it's the same theme that God has been working with since the very beginning: care for the least of these
- Turning the world on its head … who would’ve thought God would choose a person like Mary to be mother to God?
- Our God is a fan of the underdog
- God’s peace comes with a special kind of justice
- Scripture: Luke 1:39-55
Christmas Eve - Dec 24
- Sermon Title: “From Heaven to Earth”
- Scripture: Luke 2:1-20
- Candle - Christ
- Themes
- CHRISTMAS
- Incarnation
- What does it actually mean for the world that Emmanuel would be a human baby, in actuality?
- How does this amazing gift show how highly God thinks of us? Or what brings out the best in us?
Sunday After Christmas - Dec 27
- Sermon Title: “Love Came Down at Christmas”
- Scripture - Colossians 3:12-17
- 2nd - Psalm 148
- Themes
- CHRISTMAS
- The values that God sent Jesus to demonstrate to us:
- Compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience
- Love
- God so loves the world ...
- Scripture - Colossians 3:12-17
Epiphany Sunday - January 3
- Sermon Title: “Searching for Jesus”
- Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12
- 2nd - Psalm 72:1-7
- Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12
- Themes
- Where do we expect to find Jesus? Might that be a dangerous search?
- Who would be the opposition?
- The political cost of following Jesus, bending the Messiah to our vision, rather than God's vision.
- God Revealed - the meaning of Epiphany
- Welcoming the Gentiles to the Kingdom.
- Offering a Wesleyan Covenant Service
- The New Year
- Where do we expect to find Jesus? Might that be a dangerous search?