Today’s service begins with Jesus’ command for His disciples to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Right from the start, the elements of worship this morning portray the spread of the gospel—from person to person and nation to nation. Hymns like All Hail The Power Of…
The Scripture readings, psalms, and hymns chosen for this morning’s service were inspired by several different points in the final section of Acts 7. Just as Stephen chastises the Jewish authorities, declaring that they “always resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51), the opening hymn warns us not to “resist His will” or “distrust His care” (The Lord Is King). We…
The middle portion of Stephen’s address to the Sanhedrin in Acts 7 concerns the life of Moses. In particular, he highlights the Israelites’ continual resistance to the leadership of the “man God sent as both ruler and redeemer” (Acts 7:35). Many of the psalms and hymns in the service this morning urge us not to make this same mistake. We…
Light has been a consistent motif found in Christmas celebrations throughout history. From the legend of St. Lucy’s candle headdress which enlivens the winter solstice in Scandinavia, to the “star singer” processions of central Europe where children re-enact the visit of the Magi while singing hymns, these images point to Christ as “the true light” (John 1:9) and “a light…
Light has been a consistent motif found in Christmas celebrations throughout history. From the legend of St. Lucy’s candle headdress which enlivens the winter solstice in Scandinavia, to the “star singer” processions of central Europe where children re-enact the visit of the Magi while singing hymns, these images point to Christ as “the true light” (John 1:9) and “a light…
December 28 (or in our case, the Sunday closest to it) has traditionally marked the observance of Childermas. Also called the Feast of the Holy Innocents, this is a day of remembrance and mourning for the children of Bethlehem murdered by the order of King Herod. Along with Stephen, whose feast day (December 26) is also observed during the week…
For that Child, so dear and gentle, is our Lord in Heav’n above… —C. F. Alexander Christmas in our culture can often be a time of great contrasts: the coldest and darkest part of the year is marked by decorations of brightly colored lights, and the traditional period of reflection and repentance is observed along with rich foods, gift…
Joy! I love how often joy appears in the stories surrounding the birth of Jesus. Zechariah and Elizabeth certainly had joy and gladness in the son of their old age. But the Bible also draws attention to their neighbors. Joy has a natural tendency to spread. The neighbors rejoiced with Elizabeth, who was rejoicing. These are good neighbors! Surprisingly, joy…
Don’t you love singing Christmas hymns at this time of year? There are so many rich pieces of poetry and music that we only sing during this season, I typically need to make a spreadsheet (beginning in November) to make sure that we don’t miss any! I try to group the seasonal hymns around a central theme from week to…
Advent is usually observed as a season of confession, preparation, and anticipation, looking forward to the birth of Christ on Christmas Day. You’ll notice several elements in the service this morning that are different from other times of the year: candles are lit during the Call to Worship, purple accents adorn the bulletin and the pulpit, Scripture readings are done…