OUR WEEK — DEC. 6TH - DECEMBER 12

REMINDERS —
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2ND —
ADAIR UNITED METHODIST WOMEN'S
CHRISTMAS PARTY – NOON AT THE CHURCH
BRING A $3 GIFT FOR EXCHANGEFESTIVAL OF TREES - ADAIR COMMUNITY CENTER
2 P.M. TO 8 P.M. FREE WILL OFFERINGAdair Casey Lions club soup supper
(free will offering - donations received for food
shelf on non perishable items).
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5TH —
CHRISTMAS BRUNCH WILL BE HELD IN
CASEY U.M.C. AT 9:30 THIS MORNINGSHARON WILL BE TAKING ANGEL FOOD ORDERS
IN CASEY U.M.C. FROM 1 P.M. TO 3 P.M.
You may also drop orders off at Casey UMC on
Tuesday morning, or Wednesday and Thursday
afternoons during office hours too.
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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6TH —
2ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
COLOR: PURPLE OR BLUE
WE WILL CELEBRATE HOLY COMMUNION TODAY
ADAIR-CASEY HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR WILL BE
SINGING IN ADAIR DURING WORSHIP AT 9:20
AND IN CASEY AT 11:10
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OUR SCRIPTURE READINGS ARE:
MALACHI 3:1-4
(New International Reader's Version) NIRV

Here is a prophecy of the appearing of John the
Baptist. He is Christ's harbinger. He shall
prepare the way before him. A century or more
after the restoration of the city and the temple
in Jerusalem, the word of the Lord through the
prophet declares the coming of "my messenger"
(Malachi, in Hebrew).

1 The Lord who rules over all says, "I will send my
messenger. He will prepare my way for me. Then
suddenly the Lord you are looking for will come to
his temple. The messenger of the covenant will
come. He is the one you long for."
2 But who can live through the day when he comes?
Who will be left standing when he appears? He will
be like a fire that makes things pure. He will be like
soap that makes things clean.
3 He will act like one who makes silver pure. And he
will purify the Levites, just as gold and silver are
purified with fire. Then the Lord's people will bring
proper offerings.
4 And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be
acceptable to him. It will be as it was in days and
years gone by.
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LUKE 1:68-79 (UMH 208)
(New Century Version) NCV
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Today we will read of the events surrounding
the birth of John the Baptist. Zechariah's song
identifies John the Baptist as the foretold
messenger of the Lord with a substantially
broader mission than fixing the unusual
occurrences and the broken spirituality in the
priesthood Malachi had identified.68 "Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to help his people and
has given them freedom.
69 He has given us a powerful Savior
from the family of God's servant David.
70 He said that he would do this
through his holy prophets who lived long ago:
71 He promised he would save us from our enemies
and from the power of all those who hate us.
72 He said he would give mercy to our ancestors
and that he would remember his holy promise.
73 God promised Abraham, our father,
74 that he would save us from the power of our
enemies so we could serve him without fear,
75 being good before God as long as we live.

76 "Now you, child, will be called a prophet of the
Most High God. You will go before the Lord to
prepare his way.
77 You will make his people know that they will be
saved by having their sins forgiven.
78 With the loving mercy of our God,
a new day from heaven will dawn upon us.
79 It will shine on those who live in darkness,
in the shadow of death.
It will guide us into the path of peace."
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PHILIPPIANS 1:3-11
(New Living Translation) NLT
Paul gives joyous thanks for his partnership
with the church in Philippi. The graciousness
and power he has experienced with them gives
him every confidence that God will finish God's
work in them to present them blameless on the
day of the return of Christ,
"having produced the harvest of righteousness"

PAUL'S THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER
3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.
4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you
with joy,
5 for you have been my partners in spreading the
Good News about Christ from the time you first
heard it until now.
6 And I am certain that God, who began the good
work within you, will continue his work until it is
finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
7 So it is right that I should feel as I do about all
of you, for you have a special place in my heart.
You share with me the special favor of God, both
in my imprisonment and in defending and
confirming the truth of the Good News.
8 God knows how much I love you and long for
you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.
9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more,
and that you will keep on growing in knowledge
and understanding.
10 For I want you to understand what really matters,
so that you may live pure and blameless lives until
the day of Christ’s return.
11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your
salvation—the righteous character produced in your
life by Jesus Christ—
for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
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LUKE 3:1-6
(New Living Translation) NLT
This is the scripture we will dwell upon Sunday.
Luke locates the ministry of John the Baptist
historically within the timelines of the Roman
Empire. Theologically in the prophecy of Isaiah:
The winding and difficult pathways between
Babylon and Jerusalem were about to be turned
into a straight and level highway for returning
exiles so that all could witness God's salvation.
John announced this message in a ministry that
had taken him along the Jordan River valley. He found a remote wilderness area inhabited by
forgotten people and "little" people, away from the
rather "bright lights" of Jerusalem,
fulfilling Zechariah's song.
JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARES THE WAY
1 It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius,
the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor
over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler over Galilee;
his brother Philip was ruler over Iturea and Traconitis;
Lysanias was ruler over Abilene.
2 Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this
time a message from God came to John son of
Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness.
3 Then John went from place to place on both sides
of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be
baptized to show that they had repented of their sins
and turned to God to be forgiven.
4 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said,
“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
Clear the road for him!5 The valleys will be filled,
and the mountains and hills made level.
The curves will be straightened,
and the rough places made smooth.
6 And then all people will see
the salvation sent from God.’”
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 7TH —
Office will be closed today.
This is Pastor Lynn's and Naomi's day off.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8TH —
T.T.T #1 at 3:30 P.M. at Casey U.M.C.
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9TH
PRAYER BREAKFAST AT HAPPY CHEF - 7 A.M.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME!
We take a free will offering for the
MINISTERIAL EMERGENCY FUND, have a short
meditation and prayer, and then share breakfast
together. Each person pays for his own meal.
This is the chance to meet together as Christian
brothers and sisters of all the churches.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1OTH —
T.T.T. #2 MEETS AT 9:30 A.M.
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12TH —
ANGEL FOOD DISTRIBUTION WILL BE
FROM 11 A.M. - NOON AT CASEY U.M.C.
CHRISTMAS MALL will be held at the
Casey Community Building all day,
opening at 9 A.M..Donations of items for men's gifts are still needed.
Volunteers to help wrap gifts and make cookies and
bars for Saturday would be much appreciated.
Help is also needed to set up displays
on Friday 12/11 in the evening.
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FUTURE FOCUS —
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24TH —
Christmas Eve Services - 5:00 P.M. in Adair and
9:00 P.M. in Casey.
We are blessed with more than our share of musical
talent in this community and I would really like to see
some of you provide special music for our Christmas
Eve services. No, it won't be an arena filled with 5,000
people, but the people who attend services and your
pastor, will be delighted to have you make a musical
contribution at this special time. We would like you to let
us know by about the 20th so we can plan around your
music.The focus for Advent and Christmas this year is
"SIMPLICITY". BE KIND, BE GENTLE and
KEEP IT SIMPLE and FOCUSED ON CHRIST.

Casey UMC will have a mitten and hat tree at church
please bring your donation of new hats, golves and
mittens to put on the tree.
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Keep Naomi and her family in your prayers. Her
husband's father, Vincent Ehrman of Anita, passed
away on Friday and the funeral was Monday. He was
suddenly ill, but was expected to make a full recovery.
Hockenberry Family Care conducted the service if you
would like further information.

Thank you tremendously for the time and energy you
devote to our church life. Hope you all had a
wonderful Thanksgiving. Did you make a note of all
that you are thankful for? The list can get quite long.

God Bless and Keep You, Pastor Lynn