By Bill Hall, GCI National Director, Canada
It has been my custom as Canadian Director to send a year-end card to Canadian donors thanking them for their financial support over the past year. As it is also the Christmas season, the image I select for this card features some rendering of the nativity scene. This year is no exception.
In addition to my usual greeting and word of thanks, I decided to add a quote from Isaiah which is part of the chorus in that well-known Christmas favorite, Handel’s Messiah:
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6... Read the article
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The 12 days of Christmas is a good time to remind ourselves of the story of Jesus.
December 25 — Luke 1:26-56
December 26 — Luke 2:1-21
December 27 — Luke 2:22-38
December 28 — Luke 2:41-52
December 29— Isaiah 7:10-17; Isaiah 9:2-7
December 30 — John 1:1-18
December 31 — Matthew 2:1-12
January 1 — Mark 1:1-11
January 2 — Luke 3:1-22
January 3 — John 1:19-34
January 4 — Matthew 3:1-17
January 5 — Luke 4:1-13 Read the article
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By Cara Garrity,
GCI Development Coordinator
It seems Christmas sneaks up on me almost every year. Maybe it’s the busyness of the year-end or the daily routines that obscure meaningful passing of time. Maybe it’s overwhelming preparations or inattentiveness and distractibility. Whatever the cause, I wonder if you are like me and find yourself unprepared to be present to the sacred meaning of the Christmas season.
The GCI worship calendar is designed to help orient us to Jesus as the center of the center. The liturgical calendar— through intentional and formational rhythms of worship— seeks to center and organize the lives of Christians around Jesus.
Unfortunately, we often find ourselves manipulating or ignoring the... Read the article
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The birth of a child is not only exciting, it changes everything.
I’ll never forget the excitement that filled our home as we anticipated the birth of our daughter. We decorated her room, we bought furniture, a car seat, clothes and all the items needed to take care of a newborn. We talked and talked about what it would be like to have her in our life. We celebrated her birth with great fanfare. Friends and family came over to share in our joy. We were now a family of three and we knew everything was going to change. And then a few days after her birth, we put everything away and waited for the next year to celebrate.
Wait! What?
OK, the last sentence was completely fictitious. Kayla is now 32 years of age and we are still enjoying... Read the article
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Favored One with Bill Winn
Listen in as host, Anthony Mullins and guest, Bill Winn, unpack these lectionary passages:
December 6 Isaiah 40:1-11 “Glory Revealed”
December 13 Isaiah 61:1-4; 8-11 “Good News!”
December 20 Luke 1:26-38 “Favored One”
December 27 Luke 2:22-40 “The Lord’s Messiah”
If you get a chance to rate and review the show, that helps a lot.
And invite your fellow preachers and Bible lovers to join us!
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In this episode, host Anthony Mullins interviews George Strub, who serves as the Hope Avenue Champion in Grace Communion Big Sandy. Together they discuss the role of the Hope Avenue Champion within the GCI Team Based – Pastor Led model.
“The Hope Avenue Champion is all about what happens within the four walls (of the church). Essentially from the parking lot to the pew, and back. The focus is to give hope to the people who come through the door. People that come to church are wanting to have some form of hope in their lives. And our God is a God of hope!”
-George Strub, Hope Avenue Champion
Main Points:
What is the role of the Hope Avenue Champion & why does the role matter? (1:00)
What does a typical week look like for... Read the article
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GCI Creative Christmas Ideas
As we approach Advent and Christmas many of our Hope Avenue leaders are thinking about creative ways to celebrate the season while still holding digital services. Check out the ideas below generated by our GCI Creative Community Facebook Page . Drop a comment below with any additional ideas, and join the Facebook group to share and garner tips, hacks, and new ideas.
Christmas Service ideas:
Wear the holiday on your sleeves: Ask members to wear Christmas sweaters and other holiday gear. If you're using Zoom snap a pic of the group.
Deck your halls: incorporate Advent candle lighting into your digital service, and then have a manger scene or other Christmas symbols in the background for your... Read the article
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Psalm 148:1-14 • Isaiah 61:10–62:3 • Galatians 4:4-7 • Luke 2:22-40
The theme for this week hope in the God who is always in control. The call to worship Psalm encourages the whole world, from the smallest creatures to the mountains, to ring with praise for God who is over all. Isaiah 61 gives us a gorgeous picture of God’s bride, Israel, prepared for his love. Galatians 4 tells about the over-arching narrative of hope—God’s plan through the law and now the gospel. Our sermon is from Luke 2, the story of Simeon who blessed the newborn Jesus. He connects this baby into the story of hope that had been centuries in the making.
Advent Also Starring: Simeon and Anna
Luke 2:22-40 ESV
Read, or have someone read, Luke 2:22-40... Read the article
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Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 • 2 Samuel 7:1-11,16 • Romans 16:25-27 • Luke 1:26-38
The theme this week is God with us, which reminds us that we are never alone. The Psalm 89 call to worship confirms God’s abiding presence with us, as it was with David. In 2 Samuel we read the story of David’s desire to build God a house, and God’s correction to him through the prophet Nathan that “I [God] have been with you wherever you went.” Romans 16 speaks of God’s strengthening and the revelation of the mystery—we are not alone! Last, our sermon text from Luke tells the story of the angel Gabriel breaking the news to Mary that she would bear Jesus, if she were willing, with the affirmation that God would “overshadow” her and be with... Read the article
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Psalm 126:1-6 • Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 • 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 • John 1:6-8, 19-28
Our theme this week is Jesus brings restoration and joy to all. Our call to worship Psalm praises God for his restoration. The passage in Isaiah 61 focuses on the joy God’s people will feel because of the renewal brought about by the Messiah. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5 that we should “rejoice always” because of Christ. In John 1, John the Baptist bears witness that Jesus has come so that all people might believe.
Restoration Begins Today
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Today is the third Sunday of Advent—a time when Christians celebrate the incarnation—when God became man through Christ, whose birth we celebrate. It is also a time when we... Read the article
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