CreatingCommunity is an email devotion to guide your preparation for worship next weekend. Imagine how much more clear and relevant God's Word will be if you have had an opportunity read, reflect, and dwell in the Word prior to worship. You may do this devotion alone, with others, as a family, or over Zoom as a small group.

This devotion is to be done in preparation for this coming weekend's worship.

Please follow these three steps:

1. Read through the text
2. Respond to the questions (select one of the sets of questions)
3. Offer a Prayer
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
No Experience Necessary Questions:
  1. What scares, confuses, or challenges me in this text?
  2. What delights me in this text?
  3. What stories or memories does this text stir in me?
  4. What is God up to in this text?
Family Questions (for the entire family):
  1. What is an angel? What does this story tell us that an angel does? Do you know any angels?
  2. In this story, Mary is a strong, brave, active young woman who was aware of the realities of her world. Do you know any girls and young women like that today? Can God be using them? 
  3. Mary was a poor girl living in a rural village in an occupied country. Everyone around her discounted her. But God did not.  God knew she was just the one to give birth to Jesus. Have you ever felt like a nobody, discounted by others? What does this story tell you about how God sees you?
Advance Questions:
  1. In this annunciation, Luke makes clear that God comes with good news for ordinary people from little-known places. What stories could you tell of God's Good News coming from little known places, ordinary people, and difficult times?
  2. Have there been times when have you heard that announcement 'Do not be afraid' and believed it and moved ahead in spite of the fear? If so, tell of a time. If not, share why you think that is.
  3. Where in the world have you encountered people who heard this announcement? Where would you most like to speak the words 'Do not be afraid' and be believed?
Click here to listen to this week's CreatingCommunity song,
"To a Maid Engaged to Joseph".

Say a Prayer of your own or offer this one from The Rev. Thomas L. Weitzel

Blessed are you, O God, King of glory. You sent your only Son, Jesus Christ, into the darkness of our world to be a light among us, the light of your love. In weakness, he took on our flesh in the form of a child to live and grow as one of us. In weakness and strength, he showed forth your love and followed your call, even to death upon a cross for the sake of our sins. Then you raised him from the dead to reign with you in glory, and promised his return to us in power to bring us into your everlasting kingdom. For all this, we thank you, O God. We live in that hope and await his coming again, raising our voices in fervent prayer.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Pastor Lutz would love to hear your responses, questions, thoughts about your experience with CreatingCommunity. You can reach him at poppastorpaul@sbcglobal.net