12/11 Goode Thoughts - Advent, Intentions, Snow, and More
Friends, I woke up this morning thinking about Advent and realizing that we are pretty much right in the middle of it right now. Feels like we have been Advent-ing for a while but there's still a lot ahead. I guess that's what waiting is often like. We see some things that have been realized but we also know there is still much that is still ahead. There's a thing in Christian theology that simply calls this the "Already but not yet." And we're right in that in so many ways.
In fact, that's something going on today. We have the already of Greenhills moving their things over to RJC and today Pleasant Run is doing that. There's an already-ness to this but there's still the not yet as we are living into this new thing. I know I share that a lot but it is a reality. There's a lot of "already" over the last few months but there's still a lot of "not yet" still ahead.
But in the Advent story, even in the "not yet," God is present. God is with us. God was present with Zechariah and Elizabeth. God was present with Mary. God was present with Joseph. God was present in the time in Bethlehem. God was present in the journey to Egypt.
Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,
Pastor Ed
In fact, that's something going on today. We have the already of Greenhills moving their things over to RJC and today Pleasant Run is doing that. There's an already-ness to this but there's still the not yet as we are living into this new thing. I know I share that a lot but it is a reality. There's a lot of "already" over the last few months but there's still a lot of "not yet" still ahead.
But in the Advent story, even in the "not yet," God is present. God is with us. God was present with Zechariah and Elizabeth. God was present with Mary. God was present with Joseph. God was present in the time in Bethlehem. God was present in the journey to Egypt.
Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,
Pastor Ed
This Sunday is going to be a unique Sunday in that it is very music centric as we will be celebrating the third Sunday of Advent with selections from Howard Helvey's Christmas cantata, Sing We Now of Christmas. We will be intermixing some contemporary and historical reflections and prayers around Advent and Christmas as well. It is going to be a beautiful Sunday!
In addition, this Sunday and also on the 21st we will be having a special collection for the PCUSA Christmas Joy offering. This is one of the special offerings of the denomination and it focuses on providing emergency resources for pastors as well as for leadership development for communities of color. As one who has received assistance from Christmas Joy funds, I am grateful for the support that we can share.
In addition, this Sunday and also on the 21st we will be having a special collection for the PCUSA Christmas Joy offering. This is one of the special offerings of the denomination and it focuses on providing emergency resources for pastors as well as for leadership development for communities of color. As one who has received assistance from Christmas Joy funds, I am grateful for the support that we can share.
On December 21, the focus of the sermon will be on a recipe, of sorts. So I was thinking... could you plan to bring a copy or two of your favorite Christmas recipe (dessert, main, side, etc) to share with others? We'll have a table out in the gathering area and we can just put them out there and if one looks good, take it. One of those share one, take one kind of things.
Both Lori and I will be participating in the community Christmas service with several other congregations this Sunday, December 14 at 4:00pm. The service will be held at St Paul's Community of Faith Church (5312 Old Blue Rock Rd) and will be a service of lessons and carols. Hope Lutheran, St Paul's, Grosebeck, and RJC will have different participants as a part of the service. All are welcome!
Thank you to each of you who has already submitted your giving intention for 2026. If you have not, could you please plan to do so as soon as possible? The Session will be meeting next Wednesday and part of our meeting will be to work on finalizing the annual budget for 2026 and our estimates of giving are a big part of that. The form and information are linked below or you can fill out the online form at the link just below
2026 Giving Intentions
2026 Giving Intentions
Right now there's some decent snow forecasted for Saturday into Sunday at this point. If the need arises for a cancelation, we will send out information early on Sunday morning via email and will also communicate via text message (we haven't yet tested that capability yet in our membership system) to try to reach as many people as possible if a closure is necessary. If you are aware of people who might not have access to email or text messaging, please also directly call them on Sunday AM to let them know. Thanks!
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March 25 - Numbers 21:1-22:20, Luke 1:26-56, PSalm 57, Proverbs 11:9-11
March 25th, 2026
March 24 - Numbers 19:1-20:29, Luke 1:1-25, PSalm 56, Proverbs 11:8
March 24th, 2026
March 23 - Number 16:41-18:32, Mark 16:1-20, Psalm 55, Proverbs 11:7
March 23rd, 2026
March 22 - Numbers 15:17-16:40, Mark 15:1-47, Psalm 54, Proverbs 11:5-6
March 22nd, 2026
3/21 Quick Updates - OGHS, Holy Week, Easter Eggs, and more
March 21st, 2026
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2026
January
Week 1 of Bible in a YearJanuary 12 - Genesis 1-2, Matthew 1:-2:12, Psalm 1, Proverbs 1:1-6January 13 - Gen 3:1-4:26, Matthew 2:13-3:6, Psalm 2, Prov 1:7-9January 14 - Gen 5:1-7:24, Matthew 3:7-4:11, Psalm 3:1-8, Prov 1:10-19January 15 - Gen 8:1-10:32, Matthew 4:12-25, Psalm 4, Proverbs 1:20-23January 16 - Gen 11:1-13:4, Matthew 5:1-26, Psalm 5, Prov 1:24-28January 17 - Genesis 13:5-15:21, Matthew 5:27-48, Psam 6, Prov 1:29-33January 18 - Gen 16:1-18:15, Matthew 6:1-24, Psalm 7, Prov 2:1-5Week 2 of Bible in a YearJanuary 19 - Gen 18:16-19:38, Matthew 6:25-7:14, Psalm 8, Proverbs 2:6-15January 20 - Gen 20:1-22:24, MAtthew 7:15-29, Psalm 9, Proverbs 2:16-22January 21 - Gen 23:1-24:51, Matthew 8:1-17, Psalm 9:13-20, Prov 3:1-6January 22 - Gan 24:52-26:16, Mt 8:18-34, Psalm 10, Proverbs 3:7-8January 23 - Gen 26:17-27:46, Matthew 9:1-17, Psalm 10, Proverbs 3:7-10January 24 - Gen 28:1-29:35, Matthew 9:18-38, Psalm 11, Proverbs 3:11-12January 25 - Genesis 30:1-31:16, Matthew 10:1-23, Psalm 12, Proverbs 3:13-15January 26 - Genesis 31:17-32:12, Matthew 10:24-11:6, Psalm 13, Proverbs 3:16-18January 27 - Genesis 32:13-34:31, Matthew 11:7-30, Psalm 14, Proverbs 3:19-20January 28 - Genesis 35:1-36:43, Matthew 12:1-21, Psalm 15, Proverbs 3:21-26January 29 - Genesis 37:1-38:30, Matthew 12:22-45, Psalm 16, Proverbs 3:27-32January 30 - Genesis 39:1-41:16, Matthew 12:46-13:23, Psalm 17, Proverbs 3:33-35January 31 - Genesis 41:17-42:17, Matthew 13:24-46, Psalm 18:1-15, PRoverbs 4:1-6
February
February 1 - Genesis 42:18-43:34, Matthew 13:47-14:12, Psalm 18:16-36, Proverbs 4:7-10February 2 - Genesis 44:1-45:28, Matthew 14:13-36, Psalm 18:37-50, Proverbs 4:11-13February 3 - Genesis 46:1-47:31, Matthew 15:1-28, Psalm 19:1-14, Proverbs 4:14-19February 4 - Genesis 48:1-49:33, Matthew 15:25-16:12, Psalm 20, Proverbs 4:20-27February 5 - Genesis 50 - Exodus 2:10, Matthew 16:13-17, Psalm 21, Prov 5:1-6February 6 - Exodus 2:11-3:22, Matthew 17:10-27, Psalm 22:1-18, Proverbs 5:7-14February 7 - Exodus 4:1 - 5:21, Matthew 18:1-20, Psalm 22:19-31, Proverbs 5:15-21February 8 - Exodus 5:22-7:25, Matthew 18:21-19:12, Psalm 23, Proverbs 5:22-23February 9 - Exodus 8:1-9:35, Matthew 19:13-30, Psalm 24, Proverbs 6:1-5February 10 - Exodus 10:1-12:13, Matthew 20:1-28, Psalm 25:1-15, Proverbs 6:6-11February 11 - Exodus 12:14-13:16, Matthew 20:29-21:22, Psalm 25:16-22, Proverbs 6:12-15February 12 - Exodus 13:17-15:18, Matthew 21:23-46, Psalm 26, Prov 6:16-19February 13 - Exodus 15:19-17:7, Matthew 22:1-33, Psalm 27:1-6, Proverbs 6:20-26February 14 - Exodus 17:8-19:15, Matthew 22:34-23:12, Psalm 27:7-14, Proverbs 6:27-035February 15 - Exodus 19:16-21:21, Matthew 23:13-39, Psalm 28:1-9, Proverbs 7:1-5February 16 - Exodus 21:22-23:13, Matthew 24:1-28, Psalm 29:1-11, Proverbs 7:6-23February 17 - Exodus 23:14-25:40, Matthew 24:29-51, Psalm 30:1-12, Proverbs 7:24-27February 18 - Exodus 26:1-27:21, Matthew 25:1-30, Psalm 31:1-8, Proverbs 8:1-11February 19 - Exodus 28:1-43, Matthew 25:31-26:13, Psalm 31:9-18, Proverbs 8:12-13February 20 - Exodus 29:1-30:10, Matthew 26:14-46, Psalm 31:19-24, Proverbs 8:14-26February 21 - Exodus 30:11-31:18, Matthew 26:47-68, Psalm 32:1-11, Proverbs 8:27-32February 22 - Exodus 32:1-33:23, Matthew 26:69-27:14, Psalm 33:1-11, Proverbs 8:33-36February 23 - Exodus 34:1-35:9, Matthew 27:15-31, Psalm 33:12-22, Prov 9:1-6February 24 - Exodus 35:10-36-38, Matthew 27:32-66, Psalm 34:1-10, Proverbs 9:7-8February 25 - Exodus 37:1-38:31, Matthew 28:1-20, Psalm 34:11-22, Proverbs 9:9-10February 26 - Exodus 39:1-40:38, Mark 1:1-28, Psalm 35:1-16, Proverbs 9:11-12February 27 - Leviticus 1:1-3:17, Mark 1:29-2:12, Psalm 35:17-28, Proverbs 9:13-15February 28 - Leviticus 4:1-5:19, Mark 2:13-3:6, Psalm 36:1-12, Prov 10:1-2
March
March 1 - Leviticus 6:1-7:27, Mark 3:7-30, Psalm 37:1-11, Proverbs 10:3-4March 2 - Leviticus 7:28-9:6, Mark 3:31-4:25, Psalm 37:12-29, Proverbs 10:5March 3 - Leviticus 9:7-10:20, Mark 4:26-5:20, Psalm 37:30-40, Proverbs 10:6-7March 4 - Leviticus 11:1-12:8, Mark 5:21-43, Psalm 38:1-22, Proverbs 10:8-9March 5 - Leviticus 13:1-59, Mark 6:1-29, Psalm 39, Proverbs 10:10March 6 - Leviticus 14:1-57, Mark 6:30-56, Psalm 40, Proverbs 10:11-12March 7 - Leviticus 15:1-16:20, Mark 7:1-23, Psalm 40:11-17, Proverbs 10:13-14March 8 - Leviticus 16:29-18:30, Mark 7:24-8:10, Psalm 41, Proverbs 10:15-16March 9 - Leviticus 19:1-20:21, Mark 8:11-38, Psalm 42, Proverbs 10:7March 10 - Leviticus 20:22-22:16, Mark 9:1-29, Psalm 43, Proverbs 10:18March 11 - Leviticus 22:17-23:44, Mark 9:30-10:12, PSalm 44:1-8, Proverbs 10:19March 12 - Leviticus 24:1-25:46, Mark 10:13-31, Psalm 44:9-26, Proverbs 10:20-21March 13 - Leviticus 25:47-27:13, Mark 10:32-52, Psalm 45, PRoverbs 10:22March 14 - Leviticus 27:14-Numbers 1:54, Mark 11:1-26, PSalm 46, Proverbs 10:23March 15 - Numbers 2:1-3:51, Mark 11:27-12:17, Psalm 47, Proverbs 10:24-25March 16 - Numbers 4:1-5:31, MArk 12:18-37, Psalm 48, Proverbs 10:26March 17 - Numbers 6:1-7:89, Mark 12:38-13:13, Psalm 49, Proverbs 10:27-283/17 Goode ThoughtsMarch 18 - Numbers 8:1-9:23, Mark 13:14-37, Psalm 50, Proverbs 10:29-30March 19 - Numbers 10:1-11:23, Mark 14:1-21, Psalm 51, Proverbs 10:31-32March 20 - Numbers 11:24-13:33, Mark 14:22-52, Psalm 52, Proverbs 11:1-33/21 Quick Updates - OGHS, Holy Week, Easter Eggs, and moreMarch 21 - Numbers 14:1-15:16, Mark 14:53-72, Psalm 53, Proverbs 11:4March 22 - Numbers 15:17-16:40, Mark 15:1-47, Psalm 54, Proverbs 11:5-6March 23 - Number 16:41-18:32, Mark 16:1-20, Psalm 55, Proverbs 11:7March 24 - Numbers 19:1-20:29, Luke 1:1-25, PSalm 56, Proverbs 11:8March 25 - Numbers 21:1-22:20, Luke 1:26-56, PSalm 57, Proverbs 11:9-11
2025
July
August
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