The Ward Hill Church Bell Ringer

December 19, 2021

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of Christ’s Nativity

This Friday, Dec 24 at 7 pm

Midweek Meeting for Study and Prayer – Resumes Jan 12

We will resume studying David Teague’s Godly Servants: Discipleship and Spiritual Formation for Missionaries on Wednesday, January 12.

Lord’s Day Schedule–Next Sunday, December 26

8 am – Online Service (Facebook Live)

10 am – In-Person Service

11 am – Christian Education and Fellowship

Upcoming Lord’s Days   * includes celebration of the Lord’s Supper

December 26   Christmas Sunday

January 2         Epiphany Sunday*

January 9         Baptism of Christ Sunday

Church Calendar & Lectionary

Season:           Advent – from the Sunday nearest Nov 30 until sundown on Dec 24 (November 28 – December 24, 2021)

Color:              Purple – for repentance in preparation for Christ’s Advent

This Sunday:   Fourth Sunday of Advent – Peace

Next Season:   Christmas – 12 Days from Christmas Day to January 5

Color:              White – for the infancy and childhood of Christ

Dec 24/25:      The Nativity of Christ

Lectionary:     Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Luke 2:1-20

Hymns:           208 – O Come, All You Faithful; 205 – Away in a Manger; 203 – Hark the Herald Angels Sing; 210 – Silent Night; 195 – Joy to the World

Sun, Dec 26:   Christmas Sunday (1^st Sunday after Christmas Day)

Lectionary:     1 Samuel 2:18-20,26; Psalm 148; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52

Hymns:           225 – Once in Royal David’s City; 207 – Good Christian Men, Rejoice; 214 – Angels We Have Heard on High; 213 – What Child Is This; 224 – Go, Tell It on the Mountain

Monthly Prayer Focus for December

Local Church Focus:  King of Grace Church, Bradford – Paul Buckley, pastor

Missions Focus: Pregnancy Care Center of Merrimack Valley and Southern NH

Community Resources – Food, Clothing, Shelter, & Other Help

www.communityactioninc.org/phocadownload/resource_guide_english_october_2017.pdf          National Suicide Hotline:  1-800-273-8255

Refugee Ministries: Interserve USA (interserveusa.com); Emmanuel Gospel Center’s Greater Boston Refugee Ministry (http://www.egc.org/refugee)

Global Crisis Help:  World Relief – worldrelief.org

Information on Persecuted Christians: Open Doors USA – opendoorsusa.org

Monthly Scripture Memory for December

John 3:16,17 (ESV) – 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Catechism: An Outline of the Faith

Q.  How was this revelation handed down to us?

A.  This revelation was handed down to us through a community created by a covenant with God.

Q.  What is meant by a covenant with God?

A.  A covenant is a relationship initiated by God, to which a body of people responds in faith.

Q.  What is the Old Covenant?

A.  The Old Covenant is the one given by God to the Hebrew people.

Q. What did God promise them?

A.  God promised that they would be his people to bring all the nations of the world to him.