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December 2007 |
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News
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Sunday Worship at 11:00 a.m. |
The Reverend Charles Hurst, Pastor |
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Phone: 216-431-3726 Email: northchurch@ohio.net Web: www.northpres.net |
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It is advent again. We come to this season filled with hope and
expectation of Christ’s coming into the world. Christ’s coming fills us with a hope and a longing that God
has not forgotten us or the pain and struggle of our lives. We have a hope that God calls us to new
life and a new world. In each of the four Sundays of advent
there is a reading from Isaiah. These
readings, from chapters 2, 7, 11, and 35, as well as others, give us a vision
of a new world that God is bringing into being. Isaiah describes this new world (which
Jesus later talks about as the reign of God) where there is no longer any
violence, where people beat their swords into plowshares, and where there is
real peace, God’s peace. A world where
the lion and the lamb dwell together, and the lamb doesn’t fear for its
life. A world where the lame walk, the
blind see, the deaf hear, and there is no oppression or pain. A world where there is healing and wholeness,
and “the land will be as full of the knowledge of God as the seas are full of
water.” For Isaiah, and for Jesus, this vision of a new world is a vision of this
world, the one we live in now. How, though, do we respond? Antoine de Saint-Exupery, in his classic
tale, The Little Prince, tells of various encounters the Little Prince has
with individuals on other small planets.
They all seem to be concerned, even consumed, with “important matters” These “important matters” are concerns with
money, business, status, and we can add so many of our own. To the Little Prince, these “important
matters” keep people from seeing what is of true importance. As individuals, and even as communities of
faith, we become preoccupied with “important matters” and miss what is of
true importance in the eyes of Jesus. Jesus has told us what is of ultimate
importance: to love God with all of
our heart and mind and soul, and to
love others as we love ourselves. In the advent readings from Isaiah, we see
what this looks like. We see what
Jesus means. Jesus comes into the
world at Christmas. He brings to life
in his person, what is real and true.
He gives us a vision of a world made new. This new world is all about people. Caring.
Compassion. Justice for all God’s
people. Peace. Nonviolence. Healing.
A world where a knowledge of God fills
our hearts as the waters fill the seas. This Christmas season, let us embrace the
gift that God gives to us in Christ Jesus.
Let us embrace his vision of a new world.
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Next
Partner Meeting — Saturday, January 12th at 10:00 a.m., See you there!
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CHRISTMAS EVE AT NORTH On Christmas Eve we will
gather at the church at 7:00 pm for a worship service of candlelight and
music. We will sing the songs of
Christmas, hear the story again, and light our candles together to welcome
the coming of Jesus, the light of the world.
After the service, we will share cookies and hot chocolate and wish each
other a Merry Christmas!
BIBLE STUDY – DISCIPLESHIP GROUP On Saturdays, a number of
folks gather at North at noon. The
choir members come together and rehearse for Sunday; the kids have a time of
lessons, crafts, and fun. Some folks take
time to pray together for each other and for North’s ministry. A group of the women come together for some
Bible Study and discussion. We are planning to begin
a similar group for the men present.
All of this activity begins with everyone having some lunch
together. Please join us for the choir,
or for Bible study, or for prayer time together. Saturdays at the church, at noon.
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THANKS TO
REINHOLD We at The sign box gives basic
information about the church: phone,
worship time, etc. Thank you Reinhold!
PARTNER MEETINGS For
the last couple of years, members from North have met monthly with folks from
our partner churches. We have been
meeting the second Saturday of each month (with the exception of summer), at
10:00 am at North. The meeting ends at
11:30 am. During these meetings, we
explore ways our partner churches can become more involved, and more
effectively help and strengthen North’s ministry. Anyone interested in joining these
gatherings, whether from North or one of our partner churches, is free to come. Please
consider being with us at our first partner meeting for the new year. We will meet on Saturday, January 12th, at |
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Dennis Bratcher, in an article titled: “The Season of Advent – Anticipation and Hope”, lifts up some of the themes of advent. Following are some of his observations from the article. Advent is the beginning of the church year for most churches. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas Eve. Advent is marked by a spirit
of expectation, of preparation, of longing.
There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first
expressed by the Israelite slaves in It is that hope, however faint at times, and that God, however distant God sometimes seems, brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth and justice and righteousness over God’s people and in all creation. It is that hope that once anticipated, and now anticipated anew, the reign of an Anointed One, a Messiah, who will bring peace and justice and righteousness to the world. Part of the expectation also
anticipates a judgment on sin and a calling of accountability before
God. We long for God to come and set
the world right! Yet, as the prophet
Amos warned, the expectation of a coming judgment at the “Day of the Lord”
may not be the day of light that we might want, because the penetrating light
of God’s judgment on sin will shine just as brightly on God’s people. |
Of course, there is the problem of longing for vindication from an evil world when we are contributors to that evil. This is the power of the images of Amos when he warns about longing for the “Day of the Lord” that will really be a day of darkness (Amos 5:18-20). Still, even with Amos’ warning, the time of Advent is one of expectation and anticipation, a longing for God’s actions to restore all things and vindicate the righteous. That is why during Advent we Christians also anticipate the Second Coming as a twin theme of the season. Advent is celebrated as a time of joy and happiness as we await the coming of the King. There will be time during the Church year to remember our sins. It begins in Epiphany when we hear about the brotherhood and sisterhood of the reign of God, and we realize our failure to affect it. Then, as we move through Lent we realize that the coming of Jesus served more to lay bare our sin than it did to vindicate our righteousness. There will be time to shed Peter’s bitter tears as we realize that what started with such possibility and expectation has apparently ended in such failure. It is only as we experience that full cycle beginning with joy in advent that slowly fades into the realization of what we have done with and to the Christ, that the awful reality of Good Friday can have its full impact. And in that realization we can finally be ready to hear the Good News on Resurrection Sunday! That is the journey the disciples took. |
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JOIN US ON SUNDAY AS WE PRAISE GOD IN WORSHIP AT 11:00
AM. WE FOLLOW WORSHIP WITH DINNER
TOGETHER WHERE WE SEEK TO STRENGTHEN OUR TIES TOGETHER AS THE BODY OF
CHRIST. OUR WORSHIP IS INFORMAL, BUT
FILLIED WITH JOY AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
PLEASE CONSIDER WORSHIPING WITH
US. |
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Cleveland, Ohio 44103 Phone: 216-431-3726 Email: northchurch@ohio.net |
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North Church appreciates our partner churches !
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As always, our partner churches continue to do a credible job assisting
with many tasks around North Church.
The primary responsibility is to assist with the Sunday meals and the
two Thursday evening community meals. On Sundays, the partner church’s assist
in the preparation, setup, serving, and clean-up (9:30—1:30). Partner
Church’s may choose to volunteer for additional items such as special music,
Sunday School, nursery, and food donation. Typically on the last two
Thursdays of the month, volunteers help in the food preparation and setup
(2:00 - 5:00) and/or clean-up (5:00 - 6:30). |
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January Faith Presbyterian Lakewood |
July Lyndhurst Presbyterian |
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February Lakewood Presbyterian |
August First Presbyterian Willoughby |
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March (Open) |
September Parma South Presbyterian |
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April Church of the Western Reserve |
October Valley Presbyterian |
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May John Knox Presbyterian |
November (Open) |
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June Rocky River Presbyterian |
December First Presbyterian Willoughby |
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Special
Support: Bay Presbyterian |
Presbytery
of the Western Reserve |
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