Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Paul’s final instructions and blessings to encourage the church in Thessalonica and for us today! We have many opportunities before the end of the year to center our lives.
In this month of remembering Christ the King on the last liturgical Sunday of the church year (Nov 24), we will worship in such a way as to rejoice in Jesus as God’s Son. How is Christ, the King of your life? How do you make decisions and live for the One who gave his life for you so that you may have life? I read once that our daily worship of God is about two words: Attention and Intention. Giving God our attention and setting our intentions for God in all that we do is our way to honor and worship God continually, not just on Sunday.
In this month of Thanksgiving, we will have the opportunity to worship at 6:30pm on Thanksgiving Eve at Christ the King. What do you have to give thanks for in 2024? Traditionally this is our night to enjoy some great desserts and to share our desserts, pies, etc. with Pillars (who house the homeless and prepare them for living on their own). Whether we admit it or not, we worship ourselves most of the time. We posture ourselves in most everything we say, do, and think so that we might achieve the best outcomes for us. But what about God? Our intention is to give God our attention in worship by living lives worthy of the salvation given to us from Jesus Christ. Whether you’re traveling or gathering with family or just being quiet, take some time to give thanks in prayer by sharing what you are grateful for in Christ Jesus.
Christmas is 5 Sundays away and that means we prepare and worship in the season of Advent! Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving let us prepare with great anticipation for Jesus’ birth. Our theme will be “Words for the Beginning.” The beginning of God, coming to live amongst us in human form, Emmanuel, God with us! The words we will hear in the weeks leading up to Christmas: You Are A Blessing, We Can’t Go Alone, Do the Good That is Yours To Do, Hope is Worth the Risk, and on Christmas Eve Love Knows Your Name. With great anticipation let us engage our faith journey with worship daily and with great joy!
Worship Christ Continually,
Pastor Nate