By Jiquan Davis O come, o come, EmmanuelAnd ransom captive IsraelThat mourns in lonely exile hereUntil the son of God appearsRejoice! rejoice! EmmanuelShall come to thee, o Israel. When the Hebrew people where in captivity they were hoping and waiting for someone, like a king, to come and save them and for God to be … Continue reading
By Hunter Greene 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is … Continue reading
By Jennifer Baergen Davis I have two sons who up until recently LOVED legos. We have quite the collection of LEGO sets that could potentially make my husband and me rich if we knew anything about how to sell things on e-bay. We have probably every Star Wars and Harry Potter Lego Set made between … Continue reading
By: Joshua Stewart Every December, Christians around the world observe a season of Advent. It is during this season that we await the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior while also waiting for his second coming when he will call us to our eternal, heavenly home. During the advent season, as I … Continue reading
Following the Star, the devotional series for Advent and Christmas, returns to d365.org, beginning on November 28th. This series features scripture, prayer, and meditative thoughts accompanied by gentle music. This year’s writers are Paris Ball, Dave McNeely, Jon Brown, Holle Tubbs, Ellen Di Giosia, and Molly Logan. Devotions are accompanied by arrangements from musicians including … Continue reading
November and December are two of the busiest months of the year for churches. The Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas seasons add numerous activities to the typical congregational calendar that require lots of energy and focus. With so many events, worship services and holiday gatherings to juggle, it is easy to let stewardship matters fade to … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed I am so relieved that heading into Advent and Christmas 2021, the pandemic is in the rearview mirror. We can put aside the difficulty and the different look of last year’s holiday observances and go all out, with all of our people back in the pews! Record scratch. The reality is that … Continue reading
By Rachel Gunter Shapard 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with … Continue reading
By Ronald Thomas, Sr. “And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” Mark 13:37 In this season of Advent, Mark reminds the church to watch, wait, and prepare for Christ’s second coming. We prepare to celebrate the birth of the Christ child, and at the same time, we read the words … Continue reading
By Kristan Pitts Advent is a season of paradox. It’s a season where we hold in tension the celebration of the birth of Christ and the anticipation of Christ’s second coming. 2020 has been an exercise of what it means to exist in tension. We have experienced a pandemic, increased visibility of structural injustice, polarizing political … Continue reading
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