Hello McFarland! Pastor Wayne here with a few notes for Advent and beyond.
In worship, we are reviewing the story of the Incarnation of Christ with a series that I am calling, Come Home for Christmas. If you cannot join us on Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m., the sermon will be posted here on the website, on Facebook, on podcast through Apple Podcast or Google Play, or via our SermonByPhone service at 706-866-6577 (local Rossville number).
Christ United Methodist Church at 8645 E. Brainerd Rd., Chattanooga, has invited us to participate in some Advent activities on their campus. These are sure to help you get in the spirit of Advent/Christmas:
- The Tri-Octaves Concert
Friday, December 3 at 7:00 and Saturday, December 4 at 6:00
Willie Kitchens, Michael Rodgers and Doug Richesin and their support team of singers and musicians will entertain and inspire you. They will put a new twist on some of your favorite songs. They will have you singing and clapping and maybe even dancing! All proceeds from donations given will go to the Bethlehem Center (a Scenic South District ministry to the Alton Park Community). If you have never heard them before, don’t miss this opportunity! - Roueche Chorale
Thursday, December 9 and Friday, December 10 both at 7:00
If a traditional musical presentation of the Christmas story is more your style, this group of singers from area churches is for you. This is their annual “Candlelight Service of Lessons & Carols” which is hosted by a different church each year. Worship with this choir, orchestra and join in singing a carol or two. - The Metropolitan Bells
Thursday, December 16 at 7:30
Chattanooga’s community handbell ensemble offers their annual Christmas concert. The whole group is very good at what they do and smaller groups and individuals are even better. They use 7 octaves of handbells and choir chimes. Again, if you have never heard them before, I highly recommend you attend.
Our Christmas Eve worship service will be held on Friday, December 24 at 4:00 p.m. Please make plans to join us for this special service of Lessons and Carols as we welcome the birth of Christ. And we will worship at 11:00 on Sunday, December 26.
Something to look forward to in 2022: Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett has invited all of Holston and the North Alabama Conference to join in a reading of the entire Bible in 2022. Information on this Read Together Initiative can be found by clicking here. I invite you to sign up for the daily email and to participate via the Facebook discussion group. For those who do not have internet access or who prefer a printed resource, we will provide the printed resources as they become available. The daily reading plan for the year has already been published. We will make that available after Christmas.
I hope and pray that this season of Advent will be a special time for all of us.
Blesssings,
Pastor Wayne
