Christmas 2016
Dear MLEPC Members and Friends:
Allow me to remind us all about our service schedule for the coming few days. We look forward with anticipation to our Family Christmas Eve Service on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. It will feature a more contemporary style filled with Christmas carols, songs by our children, a testimony by
Mr. Bob Jamison, Christmas offering, a message, and the lighting of Christmas candles. We gather again at 9:00 p.m. for our Traditional Service which features classic carols, scripture lessons, Christmas offering, a testimony again by
Bob Jamison, a sermon, and the candle light service. Finally, we invite you to come back for worship on Christmas Sunday morning service at 11:15 a.m. It will be a time of lessons and carols with a special message for the children by Lay Pastor Linda Pokrajac. Families, couples, and singles alike are welcomed. Children are especially invited. It will be a worship gathering that blesses the entire MLEPC family and friends.
My sermon title for the two Christmas Eve services is "Born to Give Us Second Birth" and is taken from verse 3 of "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing." The original version was written by Charles Wesley, the younger brother of John Wesley the great preacher and evangelist, and was first published in 1739. The carol soon was modified by another great preacher of that era, George Whitefield, who was a close friend to the Wesley brothers. Another revision came about one hundred years later (1840) by the famous composer Felix Mendelssohn, bringing it to the form that is familiar to us today.
"Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" truly is one of our most beloved and well-known Christmas carols. And with good reason because its joyful tune includes words that point us to the heart of the coming of Jesus Christ. As you prepare to come to our services on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, take some time to reread and to meditate on the lyrics in order to make ready your heart to come and give "glory to the new born King."
Hark the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King."
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies.
With angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."
Hark the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord.
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of the Virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;
Hail, the incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with men to dwell;
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Hail, the heaven born Prince of Peace;
Hail, the Son of Righteousness;
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that men no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
I hope that you will be able to join us to worship the newborn King in these coming days. If you cannot, may you know the incredible joy of the Savior coming into the world and into your own life, wherever you may be spending Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Tim
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