Today is the second day of Christmas, just like the old song goes. Christmas is such goodness that it takes 12 days to celebrate it fully. No sermon this week as we celebrate our annual Lessons & Carols service, hearing the story of our Savior's birth from its promise in the Old Testament to its fulfillment in the New. 

Next Sunday, January 2, we'll observe our celebration of the Festival of Our Lord's Epiphany. During coffee time we'll have a king cake and according to the south Texas tradition, whoever finds the baby in their piece of cake gets to bring tamales next week for coffee time. Good luck!
(Yes, we know Epiphany is properly January 6, 13 days after Christmas.)

Current Series (returns next Sunday):
What a Mess!
Real life isn’t neat & tidy like a nativity scene

Study & Share Insert:
...#1. How do we know the Old Testament tells us about Jesus? See Matthew 10:35-36 (Micah 7:6), 13:14-15 21:13, 42, 22:43-44, 26:31; Luke 4:16-21, 22:37, 24:25-27, 
44-48; John 6:45, 12:35-43, 13:18, 15:25

Download the rest (*.pdf) SS_2021-12-26_LessonsandCarols

What a Mess! Pt. 2
Luke 2:8-20
Unwrapping the presents makes a mess; Jesus wraps himself in flesh, in Word & sacrament, & around us, making us clean

Current Series:
What a Mess!
Real life isn’t neat & tidy like a nativity scene

Study & Share Insert:
...#1. What do the following add to the notion of the living presence of the Son of God (v11)? See Romans 13:14; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, 12:27; Galatians 3:27; Revelation 21:3

Download the rest (*.pdf) SS_2021-12-24_ChristmasDay

What a Mess! Pt. 1
Isaiah 9:2-7
Messy modern life burdens us from the inside out; Jesus breaks “their yoke of burden.” 

Current Series:
What a Mess!
Real life isn’t neat & tidy like a nativity scene

Study & Share Insert:
...#4. Consider Exodus 23:5; Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:20-26; Galatians 5:13-14, 6:2; Philippians 2:1-8. What do they tell us about at least one of God’s ways/methods/means for handling his people’s everyday life burdens? How are you doing on this measure, both giving and allowing others give to you?

Download the rest (*.pdf) SS_2021-12-24_ChristmasEve

Magnifying the Details 
Luke 1:46b-55 
No detail will be overlooked, no matter how insignificant or hidden it seems 

Current Series:
Under Construction 
God is busy rebuilding the world between the first Easter and the Last Day 

Study & Share Insert:
...#2. Compare the Gospel reading to Luke 6. What connections do you find? What about Micah 6:8? See Deuteronomy 10:12-13; Proverbs 21:3; Jeremiah 22:3; 1 Samuel 15:22; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:24; Matthew 5:17-18

Download the rest (*.pdf) SS_2021-12-19_Advent4

The Big Picture
Philippians 1:3-11
Incremental progress in a building project seems so slow; the architect’s illustrations give us focus

Current Series:
Under Construction 
God is busy rebuilding the world between the first Easter and the Last Day 

Study & Share Insert:
...#2. How is Jesus’ promised return (v10) central or marginal to faithful Christians’ doctrine & belief? See Matthew 16:24-27, 24:1-51, 25:1-46; Mark 13:1-8; Luke 12:35-40; John 14:1-6, 21:20-23; Acts 1:6-11; Romans 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 5:2; Colossians 3:4; 2 Timothy 4:8; Hebrews 9:28, 10:25; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 1:7

Download the rest (*.pdf) SS_2021-12-05_Advent2