Prepare the way of the Lord

Isaiah 40: 3

"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."
 

The voice — An abrupt speech. Methinks I hear a voice.  John the Baptist was the voice that called all listeners to repentance.  John the Baptist came before Jesus, making a way, calling us to prepare our lives and hearts for pure truth - Jesus Christ.

Wilderness — This immediately relates to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, and smoothing their passage from thence to Judea, which lay through a great wilderness; but principally to their redemption by the Messiah, whose coming was ushered in by the cry of John the baptist, in the wilderness.

Prepare ye the way — You to whom this work belongs. He alludes to the custom of princes who send pioneers before them to prepare the way through which they are to pass. The meaning is, God shall by his spirit so dispose mens hearts, and by his providence so order the affairs of the world, as to make way for the accomplishment of his promise. This was eminently fulfilled, when Christ, who was, and is God, blessed for ever, came into the world in a visible manner.

 

We are preparing ourselves for Advent, which begins on December 1st and continues for 24 days until Christmas Day.  What is the voice that you hear calling to you?  How do you make things "straight" in your life with your family, your friends, yourself and with God?  Think about it.  Pray about it . . . then let God lead you into action!                          

                                                                                                        Blessings, Pastor Nancy

Preparing for Advent

PREPARING FOR ADVENT

The Advent season officially begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Eve or Day.  Various traditions celebrate the season through an array of customs.  Perhaps the most well known is the use of an Advent calendar to mark the month of December.  Advent calendars typically include 24 "windows" that are opened (one per day) to reveal a poem, Scripture, story, picture or small gift.

Another popular tradition inolves the use of an Advent candle or candles.  The symbol is borrowed from the emphasis throughout Scripture of Jesus Christ being the Light of the World.  Matthew 4:16; John 1:4-9; John 1:4-9, 8:12).  Each week leading up to Christmas an additional candle is lit.  The traditional color of the Advent Candles are purple for royalty or blue symbolizing hope. 

Each Sunday leading up to Christmas Day centers around words of hope, peace, joy and love.  There are many types of Advent calendars and Advent candles that can be purchased or be creative and make your own.  All you need are five candles, 3 purple or blue, 1 pink and 1 white.  Weeks 1 and 2 light a purple/blue candle each week.  Week 3 light the pink candle.  Week 4 light the remaining purple/blue candle.  On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day light the white candle - the Christ candle. 

There is nothing magical in following this tradition - it is a man-made way to remind us daily of the importance and significance of Advent - our preparing our hearts to welcome the Christ Child into the world.  Light a candle, read a daily devotional and pray each day, beginning December 1st, until Christmas Day.  Of this we can be certain: God is always with us; it is us who forget.

 

“Prepare the way of the Lord...”
Matthew 3:3b

Advent 2012

The King is coming. Jesus Christ has come and will

come again. This is the hope of the Church whom He

purchased with His blood. It is the eager expectation

and desire of His people. His coming is our joy, for He

is our treasure, our greatest good.

 

Advent, formed from a Latin word meaning “coming”

or “arrival,” is about the coming of Christ. It’s the

traditional celebration of the first advent of Jesus and

the anxious awaiting of His second. The season is a

time for remembering and rejoicing, watching and

waiting, and a time to reflect upon the promises of God

and to anticipate the fulfillment of those promises with

patience, prayer and preparedness.

I hope you follow our website through the Advent season. Each day there will be a scripture and a poem or story and something to share with your family to prepare for the coming of Christ.

If you live in the Sweeny, Texas area, please join us for worship at 10:00 am, 207 E. First Street, Sweeny Texas 77480.  Phone (979) 548-2192.  Blessings, Pastor Nancy

Happy Thanksgiving

First United Methodist Church of Sweeny would like to wish you and yours a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Hanging of the Greens 2012

First United Methodist Church of Sweeny would like to invite you to join us this Sunday, Nov. 25th for the "Hanging of the Greens" advent service.

We will be decorating the Sanctuary for Advent (Christmas) after Church on Sunday, November 25th. Lunch will be provided. Please contact Kay for more information.



Sweeny Community Thanksgiving Dinner and Worship Service

 

 SWEENY COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER AND

WORSHIP SERVICE

 

Sunday, November 18th

 

Dinner at First United Methodist Church of Sweeny

 207 E. First Street
 

11:00 am - 4:00 pm, Family Life Center

WORSHIP AT 6:30 pm at

First Baptist Church, Main Street


 

 



November Newsletter article

Do any of you remember the Ideals Magazine?  My Mom loved the Ideals magazine.  Each magazine contained beautiful pictures of the season with stories and poems and recipes.  Mom collected these magazines for years and they are still in a stack back home in Indiana.  When I went to college, Mom gave me subscription so I could receive my own Ideals (just what I wanted to read in college!)   When Mom sat in her rocking chair, it was right there on the end table to look at, along with the Upper Room Devotional, of course.

When you read this, Thanksgiving will be just a week away and Advent and Christmas are following close behind.  Our lives and activities begin to get busy and our calendars begin to fill up with parties and concerts and shopping.

This year, slow down and enjoy and appreciate the present moment.  We all have learned or will learn that things can change in the blink of an eye.  Don't worry if things are not perfect in your life: it's OK if the meal isn't prepared and served on the table at one time or the table setting isn't picture perfect or your football team(s) are doing lousy this year!  Those things are so trivial compared to the reason we celebrate Thanksgiving and prepare for Advent and Christmas.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” [Psalm 100:45] Thanksgiving is more than a holiday, it is an attitude of thankfulness for all that we have been given by God: our health, hearth and home, the air we breathe. There is nothing we have, or any place we can go, that has not been touched by the hand of God. Whether we travel to new worlds or venture out to Main Street or Wall Street, God is the ultimate source of our provision.

The reality of these economic times and volatile political atmosphere find us in a place many of us haven't been before.  Stocks have plummeted and many of our families are living on the edge. Yet, God is still providing and caring for our needs. God is with us, and still calling us to be faithful and fruitful! It is hard work, and begins with the realization that we have been blessed by God and we have much we can share. When we see what God has already done, when we remember God’s faithfulness through the generations, and when we begin to count the blessings we enjoy in these United States, we too can give God praise in the midst of present day challenges. We have every reason to be encouraged!

As you gather with your family on Thanksgiving Day around the table, begin with a prayer. Then go around the table and have everyone name something for which they are thankful. May God bless you and your family this Thanksgiving, and may we be truly thankful.

Blessings,

Pastor Nancy

Happy Veteran's Day!