Wednesday's Update: Ministry for Now

Dear Maranatha Family,

The LORD is our shepherd, we shall not want.

He makes us lie down in green pastures, he leads us beside quiet waters, he restores our soul.

He guides us in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil. 

For you are with us. 

Your rod and your staff, they comfort us.

You prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies. 

You anoint our heads with oil; our cups overflow!

Surely your goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives, 

and we will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

The more things change, at least this testimony stays the same--because the LORD never changes. Thanks be to God. As you continue to adapt to a very different rhythm of life in almost every respect, be sure to pause to reflect on the Lord's gracious presence with you. He is our Rock--and the Good Shepherd.

And, the Lord Jesus continues to guide and strengthen his people--the Church--even now. As he said, "I am with you always." Those are assuring words that he spoke to instill confidence in us. So let's be confident in the Lord. The Lord will see us through.

We've seen together how the Lord has proved faithful in many different and challenging circumstances, and that will prove true in this, too. In fact, I suspect that with me, in at least some way, you've been able to see the Lord's faithfulness already in this. One of the ways I've been blessed to see this has been the way Maranatha's Council has rallied together over several emails to chart an initial path for Maranatha during this time. To be sure, the path itself does not feel very satisfying given that our ability to be together has been so severely restricted, but Council members have been generously collaborative and virtually of one mind in making a number of decisions in recent days. That is a gift for which I am thankful.

And that brings me to the main purpose of this message, namely, to communicate to you a number of updates on our shared ministry at Maranatha. So without further ado, here goes.

Sunday Worship. In light of current recommendations from the CDC, we have cancelled all worship services (including 2.42 Groups) through April 5. Given the current outlook, we may well have to extend this, but not going beyond April 5 at this point allows us to at least take a look at things before Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. During these Sundays we are away from each other, we will continue to send out resources for worshiping in your homes. Stay tuned.

Maranatha Events and Programming. With one exception (see next), ALL activities and events are cancelled until further notice. With the CDC's current recommendation that we limit our going out and avoid gatherings of 10 or more people, this decision simply removes ambiguity. As with worship, we truly hope to be able to make plans for in-person activities sooner rather than later.

Grace Space. In light of the anticipation that the need for household goods will only increase during this time, we have agreed that it would be good to keep Grace Space operating as long as we have an adequate inventory of products. However, given our current practice of "social distancing," we have made modifications. In sum, Grace Space will essentially become a "curbside pick-up" service. As Tammy schedules guests, she will take orders over the phone, box them up before guests arrive, and then either bring them to vehicles or have guests pick up boxes from tables outside. In light of this streamlined service, we will not need volunteers during this time. HOWEVER, if you are still able to donate products for Grace Space, that would be most welcome. We expect the church building to be open during regular office hours; otherwise you could coordinate a drop-off time with Tammy, Amber, or me.

Material Needs. It should go without saying, but if you find yourself--or if you know somebody--in need of anything due to supply shortages or reduced income or both, please do not hesitate to contact the office or a Deacon (Larry Bredeway, Edith Hemmeke, Chris Larson, Lori LeFebre, Mark Michmerhuizen, Gary Wolters). There is no shame in asking for help. We are in this together. We will do our best to provide for each other's needs. 

Spiritual/Emotional Support. Once again, it should go without saying, but if you--or somebody you know--could use some encouragement or guidance during this time, please do not hesitate to contact me or an Elder (Jeremy Baas, John Dykstra, Steve Groen, Matt Klinkman, Dale Rosema, Bob Schippers).  There is no shame in acknowledging concern, anxiety, discouragement, confusion, etc. We are in this together. We will do our best to provide for each other's needs.

Connect, Connect, Connect! Ok. So we can't be together in person very much right now. But let's not lose track of each other! Connect on FaceBook. Call each other. Send emails. And cards. Write a letter, put a stamp on it, and mail it! Some of this will happen naturally, without even thinking about it, which is great. But who might especially welcome a phone call or a card? Or how might this season be an invitation to connect with a person you don't know very well? A quick email to that "stranger across the aisle" might just result in a new "pen pal"...and maybe a lifelong friend. 

Serve? What might serving look like during a season of "social distancing"? We'll have to get creative, to be sure. And some of us will be able to serve less if it's more prudent for us to stay home or if we are now caring for additional children at home--and that's perfectly understandable. But perhaps you need to run to the store and you'd be more than happy to shop for somebody who can't get out. Or perhaps you plan to make a lasagna but decide to make two because you want to deliver one to somebody else. Or perhaps you can provide transportation. Or perhaps you can fix a leaky faucet. Or perhaps you could...? You catch my drift. If you would be willing to serve in one of these ways or in some other way--or if you have a need to be served in one of these ways or in some other way--please say so. Let's get this off the ground by funneling these communications to Amber, and we'll see where this goes.

Office Hours. For now our goal is to have somebody in the office during all posted office hours (Monday, 8:30-12:30; Wednesday, 8:30-3:00; Thursday, 8:30-4:00; Friday, 8:30-12:30). If we expect significant deviations from that, we will communicate to you accordingly. And of course, if you plan to stop in but want to verify that the building will be open before heading over, simply call ahead of time to confirm.

Offerings. And then there's this. We fully recognize that the economic outlook has changed significantly in the last week and that many of us are facing the possibility of--and perhaps already experiencing the reality of--reduced hours and income. So we ask this with great sensitivity, but we need to ask: In light of the fact that Maranatha has ongoing expenses and financial obligations, if you are able, would you be willing to mail your offerings to church for the time being? Or, if you give by way of cash rather than check, would you be willing to coordinate your giving with the office or a Deacon? In either case, if you are willing and able to give during this time, please designate if you would like your offering to support the General Fund, the Benevolence Fund, or Faith Promise (keeping in mind that you could designate funds to support more than one cause with each offering, and keeping in mind that, generally speaking, the General Fund requires a greater number of dollars than either of the other two causes). Thank you for considering this. As time goes on we will be sure to update this request as needed.

That is enough for now, but hopefully that gives us all enough of an overview for what our shared life at Maranatha will look like for the time being. It isn't what any of us truly want, of course, but the Lord will see us through and, we trust, in due time allow us to gather as we are accustomed to doing. Until then, we will be sure to stay in contact with additional updates. And if you have any questions about what ministry looks like now--or ideas for what ministry could look like now--please do not hesitate to contact me.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Matt

Response to Coronavirus

Dear Maranatha Family,

It has been quite a week, hasn't it? 

As we all come to terms with the disruptions of day-to-day life caused by the spread of the coronavirus, the Council of Maranatha has been in dialogue about how we might respond to the recommendations of health officials and the State of Michigan as we consider our ministry here. In considering our response, we have sought to avoid both overreacting and under-responding. We hope we have achieved our objective, but in any case we ask that you receive our decisions with grace. We'll be the first to the first to acknowledge the variety of legitimate decisions that could be made during a time like this as well as the disappointment of having this aspect of life disrupted along with so many other aspects of life. That said, we trust that what has been decided as of now both honors the recommendations we are hearing and gives us space to find ways to carry on ministry creatively and faithfully in the midst of limitations.

Here, then, is where things stand right now:

1. We have decided to cancel both services for this coming Sunday. This is disappointing for a number of reasons, including the fact that we were to hear from the GEMS and Cadets on Sunday morning and from Joel Van Dyke Sunday evening. However, with the current emphasis on "social distancing", we think this is the prudent call to make for this week. We will plan to hear from our GEMS and Cadets on another Sunday and, hopefully, from Joel Van Dyke as well. Joel, unsurprisingly, has cancelled his trip to Michigan this weekend but is hoping to reschedule for later in the year.

2. I am hoping to organize a conversation with Council members early next week so that we might begin to think about the shape of ministry during this season. For the next several weeks, congregational ministry might well look different, but it will continue. We will keep you posted on what we will be encouraging as soon as we make decisions. 

3. As for scheduled activities next week, we will send out an email on Monday morning with updates and recommendations.

4. On Sunday morning, our goal is to share with you a video by way of email and Facebook. This will not be a complete worship service. On it, though, I will say a few words to acknowledge these circumstances, share a couple of Scripture passages and some comments on them, and offer a prayer. We hope this will be one small way for us to be together this weekend "in spirit and in truth" if not in person.

This is our current update. As mentioned above, we will be sending out additional communications in the near future. If you have any questions, however, please do not hesitate to contact me (matt@maranatha-crc.com).

In addition to what has been written above, here are a couple of notes:

• We will post the cancellations of Sunday's services on both WOOD-TV and WZZM to ensure that members not receiving email still learn about our decision to cancel. That said, if you know of individuals who do not receive these emails but would appreciate hearing this and future updates, please do call them to fill them in.

• Be mindful of those who might be particularly lonely or resource-constrained during this time. A phone call to an isolated person could prove to be very encouraging. And if you're aware of somebody who is resource-constrained, please communicate that need if necessary and we'll see if there is a way for us to respond to that need.

Finally, it goes without saying, but we encourage you to be in constant prayer. Pray for the sick and grieving, for the lonely and afflicted, for our elected officials, for our health officials and health care workers, for our business leaders, for families, for anyone else who comes to mind, for healing...and for the glory of God through Jesus Christ to be made manifest even in the midst of these challenging times.  

Grace to you and peace,

Pastor Matt

Holy Week Schedule 2020

We have lots of reflecting and remembering to do before we reach the culminating week of Lent, but we wanted to remind you of the special dates and times of our Holy Week services that we celebrate at Maranatha.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8, NIV

Maranatha Media - February 2020

From Shari Frieling, our head librarian:

While the weather outside might be frightful, we have many new books in our library that are delightful and insightful. So, wrap yourself in a warm, cozy blanket and get wrapped up in  reading one of these new books.

Chili Cook-off 2020 Winner!

And the winner from Wednesday night’s chili cook-off is… Livie Van Appledorn! Congratulations!

We had such a fun night sampling everyone’s chili - they were all so delicious!

(If you look at the previous post, you’ll see the picture from the chili cook-off in 2018, when Livie also won :) It must have been a foreshadowing of what was to come!)

Annual Chili Cook-off: Sign up now!

The temperatures are dropping outside, so let’s make sure we heat up inside. There’s no better way to do that than to hold our Annual Chili Cook-off! This Wednesday night event has become a fun tradition that includes delicious chili, several hundred sample cups of chili, and a bit of friendly competition.

Here are the details: On Wednesday, February 19, you can bring your favorite pot of chili to church before 5:15pm and serve it to the hungry hoards. Then, everyone votes for which chili was their favorite, and the winner gets an awesome prize!

Sound fun to you? Sign up at church or send us an email at office@maranatha-crc.com. Below is a picture from a few years back; the fun hat gets worn by the winner :)

Missionary Update: Rev. Jerry An with Back to God Chinese Ministries

Wondering how the recent Coronavirus outbreak is affecting churches in China? This article, published by the Christian Reformed Church, explains how churches can continue to minister to people while their doors remain closed due to the virus. Rev. Jerry An, who we sponsor through our Faith Promise giving, is putting all of his time and effort into training Chinese pastors and church leaders to lead web-based church services.

Need a laugh?

This picture is sure to cause you to giggle :)

Not only does our library have cool jokes, we have puzzles to lend out too! Puzzles are a great pastime to our cold Michigan winters, so if you like to puzzle, grab one soon.

Our library is open during church office hours as well as on Sundays before and after our worship services.

Faith Promise Update: Introducing DeLyssa Begay

​Through the years of supporting Rehoboth Christian School by way of our Faith Promise offerings, we have connected with different people at the school. For 2020 we hope to connect most closely with DeLyssa Begay, who teaches English in the High School. Below is a newsletter to help us get to know DeLyssa better.

Nizhónígo Nináánááhai Dooleeł! 

by DeLyssa Begay

Yaa’teeh! Hello, the above heading is “Happy New Year” in the Navajo language. 

My name is DeLyssa Begay, I am from Rough Rock, Arizona. My Navajo clans are the root of who I am in the Navajo culture. My mother’s clan, which is now mine, is Dibe Lizhini which translates into Black Sheep. It means that I am born into the Black Sheep People and they are my relatives. The Black Sheep clan is an adopted clan in the Navajo Clan system. My ancestors on my mother’s side are from the Pueblo people of New Mexico. 

My father’s clan is Honagaanii/One-Who-Walks-Around People, and I am born for his clan. My maternal grandfathers are Todicheenii/ Bitter-Water People, and my paternal grandfathers are Tachiinii/Red-Streak-into-Running-Water People. All of these people are my relatives. I grew up in a very rural part of Arizona. Rough Rock is located in the foothills of Black Mesa. My extended family has a mix of religions: Quaker Friends, Non-practicing Catholics, Navajo Traditionalists, and the Native American Church. I grew up in the mix of these different traditions and cultures. I identify as a member of the Quaker Friends, but attend many of the Christian Reformed services. 

In the picture above, I am in the woman in blue standing next to my dear friend and Rehoboth’s admission’s director, Mrs. Verlena Livingston. My Navajo name is “Going-to-War.” Traditional Navajo female names often referenced to “war” and “battle.” I grew up immersed in the Navajo culture - many of my mannerisms and behaviors are the result of my Navajo upbringing. For example, I am used to the doorway facing the east direction, I call all elders my grandmothers and grandfathers, I do not step over people who are sleeping or lying on the floor, and I will often roll or run in the first snow so that I am accustomed to the cold. These are just a few things that have cultural significance and are habits that I have formed since childhood. Many of these are also signs of respect to older Navajo people. I was not aware of how these behaviors were ingrained in me until my nieces and nephews were born. When they arrived and we as a family raised them, I noted what we taught them. We taught them to know their clans, to work and help others, and to know the importance of prayer.  I took this picture last week; it is my Black Sheep family’s homestead. This is part of Rough Rock, Arizona. 

I accepted Christ as my savior in March 2011. Even though I grew up in a mix of traditions, it was not until the end of an unhealthy relationship that I gave my heart and life to Christ. My Aunt Helen was a pastor of the Quaker Friends Church in Rough Rock. I went to church to see her, and I felt pulled into the church and sat through the service. I called on God and He answered. Later, I encountered several life changing and challenging events and He stayed with me through it all. Actually, through a series of events, He led me to Rehoboth Christian High School. Rehoboth has been a place of refuge as I started to heal from past situations. I was surrounded with colleagues, friends, and community who are God-centered. As I continue my journey, I hope to share God’s love and compassion with my students and community. 

I feel selfish in focusing on my healing, but I hope to share with students what God can do in our lives. I previously taught in Arizona’s public and federal schools for fifteen years before Rehoboth. In my six years at Rehoboth, I’ve taught English Communications 1 & 2, New Mexico History, Drama, Media, and Academic Support. I have taken on subjects I had not previously taught, but with God placing me in a supportive environment I have expanded my teaching experience. 

Prayer Requests: 

Last semester, I read several journal entries from students who experienced moments of hopelessness and challenges in their faith. Several Native students shared that they may feel like outcasts in their family because they believe in Christ. I often pray for my students who have lost a parent or guardian or cannot be with their biological parents because of divorce or substance abuse issues. It is common and challenges students’ concentration in class and self-esteem.

Seeing in 20/20

Pretty clever, huh? Alright, it may be a bit cheesy, but you can really only use this series title once, so you better believe we’re using it! Here’s a bit of an overview of the sermon series that we started a week and a half ago. The series title plays off the idea of 20/20 vision in a couple of ways.

First, there’s the conviction that Scripture corrects our vision so that we see what we need to see, meaning it brings into focus what we see by faith. For this aspect, we’ll spend the first part of 2020 in the Gospel of John, paying particular attention to passages playing off the idea of seeing.

The series title has another dimension as well -- that of what we are actually seeing in the year 2020. What are the realities we notice? What is trending? Why? And how does what we “see” in Scripture help us make sense of what we are seeing in day-to-day life?

We’d love for you to think about these things with us on Sunday mornings at 9:30am!

Maranatha Media - January 2020

The weather is turning, so head into the church library to grab yourself a few good reads. Shari has put together this newsletter to highlight the new books and DVDs in the library that you sure don't want to miss.

Preparing Our Hearts for the Coming of the Christ Child - week #5

Prayers for December are written by Kim Butts ©2012 Harvest Prayer Ministries, www.harvestprayer.com.

Sunday, December 29. “Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts” (Isaiah 26:8).

Lord, prepare our hearts to desire You. We wait for You, as we walk in Your ways. We will continually desire Your name as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child.

Monday, December 30. “May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones” (1 Thessalonians 3:13).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be strong. We want to be blameless and holy in Your presence when Jesus returns. Please encourage us in every good deed and word as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; Psalm 27:14)

Tuesday, December 31. “And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be turned toward family. Will You draw us together as a family (in our homes and in our churches) so that we will become a people prepared for You? Help us to be clean and pure before You as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child and as we step into a new year of service in Your kingdom!

Habitat Build Update!

Here’s a quick picture update on the Habitat build that we’re co-sponsoring with other area churches. Isn’t it looking great!? I’m sure the Morales family is very eager to get into their new home. There’s still time to give your pledges in 2019. Go to https://www.lakeshorehabitat.org/faith-build for more information and to make a donation!

Preparing Our Hearts for the Coming of the Christ Child - Week #4

As we journey through the month of December, feel free to use the prayers below as your prayer guide. Prayers are written by Kim Butts ©2012 Harvest Prayer Ministries, www.harvestprayer.com.

Sunday, December 22—Fourth Sunday in Advent. “All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast” (Proverbs 15:15).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be cheerful. May we always find joy in You, even in the midst of difficult times. Father, help our hearts to have a continual feast as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Proverbs 17:22)

Monday, December 23. “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (Luke 12:29-31).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be free from worry. We know that worry will take our minds off of You, so help us to see Your kingdom for all that we need. You are our provider as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Ecclesiastes 11:10)

Tuesday, December 24. “He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Luke 10:27).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be loving. There is no other like You. Your Word says that to love You with all of our heart and soul and strength and mind is the most important thing. We are also to love one another deeply, from our hearts. Father, help us to love our neighbors as ourselves as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Matthew 22:37-38; Mark 12:23-33; 1 Peter 1:22-23)

Wednesday, December 25—Christmas Day. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Lord, prepare our hearts to shine Your light just as You have come to shine among us! You have given us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God! May our hearts shine brightly in a dark world as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child.

Thursday, December 26. “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (Galatians 4:6-7).

Lord, prepare our hearts to reflect the Spirit of Your Son. We can call You our Abba Father, because of Jesus. We belong to You as songs and daughters, not slaves. May we reflect the Spirit of Jesus to everyone we meet, as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child.

Friday, December 27. “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be faithful. Strengthen us out of Your glorious riches with power through Your Spirit so that Jesus will dwell in our hearts through faith. May love and faithfulness never leave us as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Ephesians 3:14-19)

Saturday, December 28. “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).

Lord, prepare our hearts to tell others about You! There are so many hungry people out there asking questions. Give us boldness to tell others what You have done in our lives. Help us to always be prepared to reach people for Jesus as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child.

Making Spirits Bright with Sounds of the Season

The Thrive High School Youth Group treated our church to a night of delicious food and beautiful music on December 11. Following a turkey dinner that they served us, they showcased their musical gifts by singing Christmas songs, playing instruments and performing Christmas readings. We are so grateful for our youth and the huge part that they play in our church!

All proceeds from this special night went towards their summer mission trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Enjoy the pictures below! Their festive Christmas attire shows a bit of this group’s personality :)

Preparing Our Hearts for the Coming of the Christ Child - Week #3

As we journey through Advent, feel free to use the prayers below as your prayer guide. Prayers are written by Kim Butts ©2012 Harvest Prayer Ministries, www.harvestprayer.com.

Sunday, December 15—Third Sunday in Advent. “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be wise. We want to learn from You. Help us to listen to Your instruction so that all of our days will be pleasing to You as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Proverbs 16:23, 23:12, 15, 19, 26, 24:32)

Monday, December 16. “Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart” (Psalm 119:34).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be obedient. We ask for understanding so that we can obey You. Help us to learn Your Word so well that we will not sin against You. We want to obey You as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.

Tuesday, December 17. “May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be put to shame” (Psalm 119:80).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be blameless in our Christian walk. Help others to see that we follow You in all of the circumstances of life as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.

Wednesday, December 18. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Proverbs 139:23-24).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be searchable. Father, may we always be willing to have You look closely at our lives. We need Your help to get rid of anything offensive. We need Your help to replace our anxious thoughts with thoughts that are pleasing to You. Lead us in the way everlasting as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.

Thursday, December 19. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you are called to peace. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be peaceful. Your peace goes beyond anything we can understand because You do not give like the world gives. Thank You for allowing our hearts to be at peace because of the power of the One You sent to us—the Counselor, the Holy Spirit. May our anxious thoughts be replaced by peaceful ones as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Proverbs 14:30; John 14:25-27; Philippians 4:6-7)

Friday, December 20. “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart” (Psalm 7:10).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be upright. You have said that light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. May your light shine upon us as we rejoice in You! We take refuge in You because You are our shield. You are God Most High. May we be counted among those whose hearts are upright as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 125:4, 97:11, 32:11, 36:10, 64:10)

Saturday, December 21. “My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end” (Psalm 119:112).

Lord, prepare our hearts to keep Your decrees. We want to walk in all Your ways. Help us to keep Your commands by seeking after You only! Turn our hearts toward You, Father, as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 119:2, 36; Kings 8:58)

Holiday Worship Schedule

It sure feels like Christmas here at Maranatha! To share in our Christmas worship with us, see below for a schedule of Christmas worship services.

Preparing Our Hearts for the Coming of the Christ Child - Week #2

As we prepare for Advent, feel free to use the prayers below as your prayer guide through Advent. Prayers are written by Kim Butts ©2012 Harvest Prayer Ministries, www.harvestprayer.com.

Sunday, December 8—Second Sunday in Advent. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be pure. Help us to run away from sinful desires. Give us the ability to call on You out of a pure heart that seeks after faith, love and peace. Keep us from foolishly arguing. Help us to desire pure hearts as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 51:10; Proverbs 22:11; 2 Timothy 2:22-23)

 Monday, December 9. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be humble. Help us to learn from You because Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. May others see Your gentleness and humility in us as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.

Tuesday, December 10. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Lord, prepare our hearts to trust in You. We rejoice in You because we trust in Your holy name. May we always lean on your understanding instead of our own so that our hearts will not be troubled. Help us to acknowledge You in all our ways so that You will make our paths straight. You are our strength and shield as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 28:7a, 33:21; John 14:1)

Wednesday, December 11. “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed in pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be sincere. Thank you for cleansing us from sin so that we can draw near to You. Help us to truly desire to know You better, and deepen our faith as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.

Thursday, December 12. “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD” (Psalm 112:7).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be steadfast. Even in hard times, help us to trust You without question. Because our hearts can stand firm, we will sing and make music to You as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 57:7, 108:1)

Friday, December 13. “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be prayerful. We call upon You, Father, because You are our refuge—our place of safety. Sometimes we don’t even know what to pray, but You have given us the Holy Spirit to help us. Teach us to listen to You, and to pray the things that are on Your heart. Give us a spirit of prayer as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 119:145; Romans 8:26-27)

Saturday, December 14. “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (Psalm 86:11).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be undivided so that we will fear Your name. Father, would You put a new spirit in us? Remove our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh. We will be Your people and You will be our God as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Ezekiel 11:18-20)

Youth Group Dinner & Musical Program!

We have a very musical youth group this year, so they came up with this creative idea to raise money for their summer mission trip to Gatlinburg! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 11 for this event that you won’t want to miss! They have been putting lots of time and energy into planning and practicing :) Come for an evening of delicious food and wonderful music.

Preparing Our Hearts for the Coming of the Christ Child - Week #1

As we prepare for Advent, feel free to use the prayers below as your prayer guide through Advent. Prayers are written by Kim Butts ©2012 Harvest Prayer Ministries, www.harvestprayer.com.

Sunday, December 1—First Sunday in Advent. “Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem” (Zeph 3:14)!

Lord, prepare our hearts to rejoice! We want to be glad today, and to rejoice with all of our hearts. May we be filled with joy because we seek You and because You have saved us. Help us to sing and give You thanks as we wait for the coming of the Christ child. (See also: Psalm 13:5; 1 Chronicles 16:10; Psalm 28:7b)

Monday, December 2. “Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be set on things above because we have been raised with Jesus! We have new life because He came here as a baby, lived a sinless life, died on the cross and rose again! Help us to set our hearts on things above as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.

Tuesday, December 3. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Lord, prepare our hearts to seek You! You have promised that we will find You when we seek after You with all of our hearts. We seek after You today, Lord, as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Deuteronomy 4:29, Psalm 27:8; 119:10, 58)

Wednesday, December 4. “But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you” (1 Samuel 12:24).

Lord, prepare our hearts to serve You. Help us to consider the great things You have done for us. We want to do everything for You alone, and do it faithfully as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Colossians 3:23-24)

Thursday, December 5. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:5-6).

Lord, prepare our hearts to have a spirit of unity with other believers. Help us to have a spirit of unity so that we might glorify You and share everything we have with others. We want to glorify You, Father, in our family and in the Body as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Acts 4:32)

Friday, December 6. “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:91).

Lord, prepare our hearts to be fully committed to You! May we be completely focused upon You so that You can strengthen us as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also 1 Kings 8:61)

Saturday, December 7. “I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders” (Psalm 9:1). “I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever” (Psalm 86:12).

Lord, prepare our hearts to praise You! You are worthy of all of our praise. May we tell of Your wonders and glorify Your name as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.