DECEMBER 2ND TO DECEMBER 8TH
REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH —
ABC AD COUNCIL MEETING
• AT ADAIR UMC 7:00PM
• A Joint meeting to follow.
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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2012
COLOR: PURPLE OR BLUE
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• HOLY COMMUNION TODAY •
HOSTED BY ALL CASEY UNITED METHODIST
WOMEN.
of the Christian year.
The word Advent means "to draw near, to
approach."
From now through Baptism of the Lord
(the Sunday after Epiphany), all the scripture
readings directly relate to one another with a
particular focus on the gospel reading.
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SCRIPTURE READINGS:
JEREMIAH 33:14-16
† New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
Justice ("mishpat" in Hebrew) and
righteousness ("tzedekah" in Hebrew) lie behind
all of the varying terms in today's readings.
Jeremiah was a prophet to exiles who had lost
everything that gave them sense of community
- homeland, possessions, family members,
friends, temple, freedom and nation.
"line of David" appeared to be utterly cut off, a
dead stump.
promise," the prophet tells the people of Judah
in exile in Babylon. The promise is for a leader, a
"righteous branch" from the house of David, to
bring justice and righteousness to the land then
lying in ruins. This promised leader would later
be known in Judaism as "Messiah," and the
reign he would establish, "the messianic age."
14 "A new day is coming," announces the Lord.
"At that time my gracious promise to my people
will come true. I made it to the people of Israel
and the people of Judah.
15 "In those days and at that time
I will make a true and rightful Branch grow
from David's royal line.
16 In those days Judah will be saved.
Jerusalem will live in safety.
And it will be called
The Lord Who Makes Us Right With Himself."
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PSALM 25:1-10 (UMH 756)
† New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
This Psalm was selected, as all the Psalms are,
as a response to the first reading. Pray and hear
it today in the voice of those in exile who have
waited and still wait.
A PSALM OF DAVID
1 Lord, I worship you.
2 My God, I trust in you.
Don't let me be put to shame.
Don't let my enemies win the battle over me.
3 Those who put their hope in you
will never be put to shame.
But those who can't be trusted
will be put to shame. They have no excuse.
4 Lord, show me your ways.
Teach me how to follow you.
5 Guide me in your truth. Teach me.
You are God my Savior.
I put my hope in you all day long.
6 Lord, remember your great mercy and love.
You have shown them to your people for a
long time.
7 Don't remember the sins I committed when I
was young.
Don't remember how often I refused to
obey you.
Remember me because you love me.
Lord, you are good.
8 The Lord is honest and good.
He teaches sinners to walk in his ways.
9 He shows those who aren't proud how to do
what is right.
He teaches them his ways.
10 All of the Lord's ways are loving and faithful
for those who obey what his covenant
commands.
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1 THESSALONIANS 3:9-13
† New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
Today's reading flows as a kind of a blessing in
response to the Psalm. In Jesus, the love and
righteousness longed for have been provided.
In the community we call church, such love and
righteousness may abound and continue to
make us perfect in holiness until the final
coming of Christ.
9 How can we thank God enough for you
because of all the joy that comes only from
our God?
10 Night and day we pray very hard that we will
see you again. We want to give you what is
missing in your faith.
11 Now may our God and Father himself and
our Lord Jesus open up a way for us to come
to you.
12 May the Lord make your love grow. May it
be like a rising flood. May your love for one
another increase. May it also increase for
everyone else. May it be just like our love for you.
hearts. Then you will be holy and without blame
in the sight of our God and Father. May that be
true when our Lord Jesus comes with all his
holy ones.
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LUKE 21:25-36
† New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
Signs of the end Jesus announces look altered
from what the folks who first heard Jeremiah's
prophecy may have expected. In immediately
preceding verses, Jerusalem is destroyed, not
"established forever."
destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by
Rome, the world as folks had known it in
Jerusalem had indeed come to an end,
politically and religiously. It is worldwide
suffering accompanied by constant devastation,
not the progressive development of a golden
age of "peace on earth, goodwill to men," that
marks the promised redemption.
In the Middle Eastern world, the fig tree was
widely associated abundance of life. Its large
leaves and size provided comforting shade
during the day, and its fruit, which was easily
dried, provided a rich source of nourishment.
The "ideal future" was sometimes pictured as
"every man under his own fig tree." A fig tree
in full leaf is prelude to summer and a bountiful
harvest to come.
25 "There will be miraculous signs in the sun,
moon and stars. The nations of the earth will be
in terrible pain. They will be puzzled by the
roaring and tossing of the sea.
26 Terror will make people faint. They will be
worried about what is happening in the world.
The sun, moon and stars will be shaken from
their places.
27 "At that time people will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud. He will come with power and
great glory.
28 When these things begin to take place, stand
up. Hold your head up with joy and hope. The
time when you will be set free will be very close."
29 Jesus told them a story. "Look at the fig tree
and all the trees," he said.
branches, you know that summer is near.
31 In the same way, when you see these things
happening, you will know that God's kingdom
is near.
32 "What I'm about to tell you is true. The
people living at that time will certainly not pass
away until all these things have happened.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away. But my
words will never pass away.
34 "Be careful. If you aren't, your hearts will
be loaded down with wasteful living,
drunkenness and the worries of life. Then the
day the Son of Man returns will close on you
like a trap. You will not be expecting it.
35 That day will come upon every person who
lives on the whole earth.
36 "Always keep watching. Pray that you will
be able to escape all that is about to happen.
Also, pray that you will not be judged guilty
when the Son of Man comes."
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 3RD —
OFFICE CLOSED TODAY
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5TH —
ADAIR U.M.W. CHRISTMAS PARTY AT NOON.
COOPERATIVE MEAL
SPRC MEETING AT 6:30 P.M. IN CASEY U.M.C.
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FUTURE FOCUS —
CHRISTMAS MALL COMING
DECEMBER 8TH & 15TH
ADVENT STUDY ON SATURDAY NIGHTS
DECEMBER 8TH — 15TH — 22ND AND 29TH
AT ADAIR U.M.C. - 6 P.M. SUPPER,
THEN WORSHIP AT 6:30 P.M.
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Thank you for your contributions to our church
life this week. May love abound and continue to
make us fruitful in God's work.
God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Melodee
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