Lesson: Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-18
Message: New Year – New You!
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you all! I hope you are finding some rest and joy in this week of Christmastide celebrations.
This Sunday, January 1st we will RING IN the New Year with a traditional BELL SUNDAY! Bring a bell or bells with you to church and we’ll ring them during refrains of our hymns (and maybe a few other times during the service.) Any bell will do – from antique to jingle bells to even a cow bell!
Our scriptures this Sunday point to a God who is our savior in the midst of our stress and suffering, not outside of it. It’s a new perspective – that we might see God within the darkness of our own hearts – that we might see God within the darkness of the world.
But what does all of this have to do with our “New Year! New YOU!” resolutions?! Come to church and find out! AND DON’T FORGET YOUR BELL!!
** Some exciting things to look forward to in worship:
January 8th – Rev. Alex Shea Will, Assoc. Conference Minister of the Metropolitan Boston Association of the Southern New England Conference of the UCC is our guest preacher!
February 26th – Rev. We Hyun Chang, DS of the Commonwealth East District of the New England United Methodist Church is our guest preacher!
Peace,
Cheryl
Music:
Prelude: “Dayspring – Five Meditations on Puer nobis nascitur” Allen LeVines
Anthem: “The Bells of Christmas” Carl C. N. Balle
Meditation: “The Linden Tree” Old German carol sung by Marina Khankhalaeva, mezzo soprano
Postlude: “The Agincourt Song” 15th c. English melody
Live Stream Information
We will continue streaming our worship on both Zoom and Facebook Live. Please share these links with your friends. Bear in mind that we cannot share the Zoom links publicly (to keep from being Zoom bombed), so please share it person to person rather than posting it on Facebook/Twitter, or other public social media. It’s fine to share the Facebook link broadly and publicly. For Zoom login information please reach out to Pastor Cheryl at cheryl@newtonchurch.org.
Note: that we continue to work on streaming as we make improvements to the sanctuary sound system.
Zoom Link: UPA Sunday Morning Worship
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81334929545?pwd=S1lsRlRmSnlkTUE0cHRlWWQwWUJndz09
Facebook Livestream Link: https://www.facebook.com/upanewtonma/live