WITHIN THE FELLOWSHIP:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Vanessa Martindell, Peg Mower 20th; Sylvia Mahoney, Alyvia Shelton, Genie Smedberg 21st; Alison Grater, Lori Maxwell 22nd; Steve Bandura, Ally Hager, Millie Hughes, Isaac Inyang 24th; Nicole Moyer 25th.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Ken and Wanda Ritter 19th; Harold and Sylvia Holloway 20th.
THE SERMON TITLE this morning is Weeping. Our world is filled with weeping. Something is out of whack. It’s been that way since the Garden of Eden. Driven from Paradise by God, Adam and Eve and all their descendants are unable to gain access to the Tree of Life. Guarded by angels with flaming swords, access to the Tree is severely restricted. God’s original plan and purpose for the world cannot be fulfilled. It is sealed with seven seals and no one can open it. John sees this plan in heaven and weeps because no one is able to open the plan. No one is able to bring it to pass. The Herods of the world seem to win.
THE THIRD CANDLE on the Advent Wreath is the candle of Faith. When Jesus was born, the faith of God’s people in the promises of God, beginning already in the Garden of Eden, was vindicated. The promise of God is one of grace, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ’s redeeming work and have peace with God. It’s our joy to share the good news about faith in Jesus which brings us to peace with God.
THE ISSUES & ANSWERS SCHEDULE:
Today – Dave Reich – The Case for Christmas
Dec. 22 – Dave Reich – The Case for Christmas
SIGN-UP SHEETS are on a table outside the sanctuary to sign up for the 2020 Committees of Consistory. Read over the responsibilities of each committee and prayerfully consider where you might best serve the Lord and Leidy’s Church.
MARCH FOR LIFE 2020 takes place on Friday, January 24th. Leidy’s Church will have a Perkiomen coach taking folk down. Cost is $12 per person. The bus will leave the Leidy’s Church parking lot at 6 a.m. and usually returns between 8:30 and 9 in the evening. A sign-up sheet is posted in the narthex. Youth under 18 years of age must have a responsible adult assigned with them.
GATHERING FOR CAROLING will happen today at 1:45 with a 2:00 departure intended. Carolers will gather in the Youth Room on the gymnasium level. If you’ve not registered, use a registration form from the Welcome Desk, fill it out, then place it on the office desk. This will alert the coordinators of your intentions. Come on out and join the singing! Please park in the lot near the gymnasium entrance.
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to order poinsettia plants. Plants may be placed in memory or in honor of someone. The cost of the plants is $15. Someone will be at the Welcome Desk to take your order.
GOSPEL GLEANINGS is focusing on the Erukulu people group in Andhra Pradesh, India. This is an unreached people group, that is, they have not heard about Jesus of Nazareth, nor is there any Christian witness among them. We are gathering a group of individuals who will commit to praying for the Erukulu people daily and will set aside $1 daily to underwrite a specific 3-year outreach to the Erukulu. If you would like to be participate in Gospel Gleanings, see the folk at the Welcome Desk, or, stop by the church office.
REMEMBERING OUR MILITARY: Daniel Merritt is stationed overseas and would be thrilled to get a Christmas card from some of the members of Leidy’s Church. His address is:
SPC DANIEL MERRITT
B CO 3 BEB, 3ABCT
PSC 307 BOX 5001
APO AP 96224
PAUL HOLLOWAY will be 100 on December 21st. For those who knew Paul when he was an active member of Leidy’s Church and would like to mail him a card, his home address is: 4485 N. Echo Glenn Lane, Coeur d’ Alene, ID 83815. Thank you. Harold and Sylvia Holloway.
PRAYER-POINTERS. Here are two prayer points for this week as we pray for the Gospel Gleanings outreach to the Erukulu people:
- Thank God that each Erukulu person is made in His image and has a soul which the Holy Spirit can make alive to the things of God.
- Pray for the power and practice of fortune telling to be broken and replaced with a desire to seek the God who made all that exists .
YOUTH LOCK-IN – This is a reminder to reserve your spot for the Youth Fellowship Lock-in on Friday, December 27th. The final day to let Pastor Michael know is December 22nd. The lock-in will be from 8 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday morning. Cost is $15. Contact Pastor Michael with any questions you may have.
WE ARE COLLECTING winter coats for men and women for the Philadelphia Street Mission which ministers to the homeless in Philadelphia. There is a box in the coat closet where they may be placed. Please call Darlene Schmidt with any questions.
CHRISTMAS CONCERT TONIGHT at 6:30. The Penn View Brass Band presents a special Christmas Concert featuring Christmas classics [think, It’s Beginning to Look . . .], Christmas favorites, as well as some sing-along carols. A freewill offering will be received to benefit the Tim Tebow Night to Shine, a prom night for special-needs persons which Leidy’s Church will host in February. Doors open at 6. Music is in the air – invite some friends to come and share the songs and sounds of Christmas.
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE by sharing a Christmas gift with your neighbors or co-workers. Perhaps a plate of cookies or a plant or a Christmas towel; whatever suits your fancy. On a table in the narthex you can find a Christmas Eve postcard listing the times of our services and also a couple different types of small booklets with Christmas reflections you might include with your gift. Do let your light shine during this Christmas season.