• Advent is about new beginnings. The Fourth Sunday in Advent is December 22.

What is the new beginning in your life that you desire more love?

• Hope is the expectation that God reigns and God’s promises will be fulfilled.
• Peace is something God will give you that surpasses all understanding.
• Joy is the contentment that adds buoyancy to your soul.
• Love is anchor to our relationship with God and others.

Jesus came into the world, fully God and fully man. Jesus Christ brings salvation to humans in order to reconcile all things to the Father.

• Hope ensures your new beginning is purposed by God and not an accident.
• Peace ensures your new beginning is anchored in God’s faithfulness.
• Joy ensures your new beginning is grounded in God’s imminent presence.
• Love ensures your new beginning is anchored in God’s unconditional love.

It is this Jesus who suffered, died, and was buried for you. It is this Jesus who rose from the dead in order for you to know the most incredible new beginning…forgiveness of sin, everlasting life, and purpose for living.

It is this Jesus that we are expecting and waiting for, waiting for and expecting.

This past Monday night the Stated Session meeting, the Session received the Nominating Committee’s report for the members of the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC): Mitzi Darmstetter, Kevin East, Bruce Gealy, Adam Lancelot, Janet Rhoads, Carolyn Shaw, and Ginny Vincent. The Session also called a Special Congregational meeting for Sunday, January 12, 2025, immediately following the 11:00am Worship Service to elect the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) members and Paula Lancelot to the Deacon Class of 2027.

On the journey of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation with you, I remain faithfully yours,

Steve

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh

Interim Pastor

• Advent is about new beginnings. The Third Sunday in Advent is December 15.

What is the new beginning in your life that you desire more peace?

• Hope is the expectation that God reigns and God’s promises will be fulfilled.
• Peace is something God will give you that surpasses all understanding.
• Joy is the contentment that adds buoyancy to your soul.

Jesus came into the world, fully God and fully man. Jesus Christ brings salvation to humans in order to reconcile all things to the Father.

• Hope ensures your new beginning is purposed by God and not an accident.
• Peace ensures your new beginning is anchored in God’s faithfulness.
• Joy ensures your new beginning is grounded in God’s imminent presence.

It is this Jesus who suffered, died, and was buried for you. It is this Jesus who rose from the dead in order for you to know the most incredible new beginning…forgiveness of sin, everlasting life, and purpose for living.

It is this Jesus that we are expecting and waiting for, waiting for and expecting.

We lighted the hope candle as a sign of the coming light of Christ.

In Christ there is life and light for all people.

We lighted the peace candle as a sign of the coming light of Christ.

In Christ there is life and light for all people.

We light the joy candle as a sign of the coming light of Christ. Now lift up your heads and rejoice, your redeemer is drawing near.

Prepare the way of the Holy One! All flesh will see the salvation of God. Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth! Christ has come to baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

On the journey of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation with you, I remain faithfully yours,

Steve

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh, Interim Pastor

• Advent is about new beginnings. The Second Sunday in Advent is December 8^th.

What is the new beginning your life that you desire more peace?

• Hope is the expectation that God reigns and God’s promises will be fulfilled.
• Peace is something God will give you that surpasses all understanding.

Jesus came into the world, fully God and fully man. Jesus Christ brings salvation to humans in order to reconcile all things to the Father.

• Hope ensures your new beginning is purposed by God and not an accident.
• Peace ensures your new beginning is anchored in God’s faithfulness.

It is this Jesus who suffered, died, and was buried for you. It is this Jesus who rose from the dead in order for you to know the most incredible new beginning…forgiveness of sin, everlasting life, and purpose for living.

It is this Jesus that we are expecting and waiting, waiting, and expecting.

Join me Monday night at 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary for our Silent Night Service. Allow hope and peace to permeate your soul.

On the journey of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation with you, I remain faithfully yours,

Steve

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh

Interim Pastor

• Advent is about new beginnings. The First Sunday in Advent is December 1.

What is the new beginning you hope for in your life?

• Hope is the expectation that God reigns and God’s promises will be fulfilled.

Jesus came into the world, fully God and fully man. Jesus Christ brings salvation to humans in order to reconcile all things to the Father.

• Hope ensures your new beginning is purposed by God and not an accident.

It is this Jesus who suffered, died, and was buried for you. It is this Jesus who rose from the dead in order for you to know the most incredible new beginning…forgiveness of sin, everlasting life, and purpose for living.

• Read the benediction below (benediction, in Latin, means, “good word”) written by the late Richard Halverson, Minister of Word and Sacrament (PCUSA), and Chaplain to the United States Senate (1981- 1994).

You go nowhere by accident.

Wherever you go, God is sending you.

He has a purpose in your being there.

Christ who indwells you has something he wants to do

through you wherever you are.

Believe this.

And go in his grace and love and power.

Amen.

• Remember, nothing in your life and Grace’s is life is an accident. That is the promise of Advent

On the journey of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation with you, I remain faithfully yours,

Steve

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh, Interim Pastor

• Advent is about new beginnings. The First Sunday in Advent is December 1.

As followers of Jesus who are Presbyterian, we are “missional” and “connectional”. Although we are 1.2 million individuals in the Presbyterian Church (USA), we find ways to connect and fulfill the mission of Jesus collectively.

As followers of Jesus, we exist to proclaim salvation in Jesus Christ and him alone; nurture and equip followers of Jesus for the work of ministry; worship God with our whole mind, body and spirit; preserve the truth; promote justice while serving the marginalized in society, and demonstrate the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

• Jesus Christ came into the world, fully God and fully man. Jesus Christ, God incarnate, came into the world to proclaim a connectional and missional beginning for the salvation of humans in order to reconcile all things to the Father.

It is this Jesus who suffered, died, and was buried. It is this Jesus who rose from the dead in order for humans to know the most incredible new beginning…forgiveness of sin, everlasting life, and purpose for living. Advent is the new beginning of partnering with Jesus to change the world one life at a time.

• Read the benediction below (benediction, in Latin, means, “good word”) written by the late Richard Halverson, Minister of Word and Sacrament (PCUSA), and Chaplain to the United States Senate (1981- 1994).

You go nowhere by accident.

Wherever you go, God is sending you.

He has a purpose in your being there.

Christ who indwells you has something he wants to do through you wherever you are.

Believe this.

And go in his grace and love and power.

Amen.

• Remember, nothing in your life and Grace’s is life is an accident.

On the journey of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation with you, I remain faithfully yours,

Steve

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh

Interim Pastor