Happy New Year!
The season of Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas, begins the new liturgical (church) year. Advent is a time of preparation. Yes, we do all kinds of Christmas shopping, but this year I pray that we’re preparing room in our hearts so we can celebrate the joy of Jesus’ birth more than 2000 years ago.
Our Mt. Zion UMC family wants to welcome you as we prepare.
Sunday Morning Advent Worship
Each week during Advent we’ll light another candle on the Advent wreath. The four purple candles celebrate the four virtues Jesus brings us: Hope, Love, Joy and Peace. Our Advent celebration includes special Bible readings and hymns of preparation. The four Sundays in Advent are:
December 2 (Holy Communion)December 9December 16- December 23
Christmas Eve (December 24)
More tradition! We’ll gather at 7:00 PM for our annual Christmas Candlelight worship, featuring loads of Christmas carols, lighting of the Christ Candle, a message of celebration from Pastor Roger called “Now Arriving…”, and the heart-warming joy of singing Silent Night in the glow of candlelight.
First Sunday After Christmas (December 30)
Yes, we still gather to worship even though the Christmas presents have all been opened. There’s more to the Christmas story than just the baby in a manger. We’ll continue our “Prepare the Way” sermon series with a message titled, “Search”. Mary and Joseph search for their lost child, Jesus. Jesus is on a search for answers; he is developing into adulthood, and—above all— discovering his mission as Son of God.
Epiphany Sunday (January 6)
It’s the first Sunday of the new calendar year, and it’s Epiphany Sunday. Epiphany means a “sudden and profound understanding of something.” In our case, let’s find Jesus! Since it’s also the first Sunday of the month, we’ll celebrate Holy Communion together.
