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Centre UMC Newsletter, Vol. II, Issue 12
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CentreNews Rev. Mark Gorman, Pastor
Nativity and Incarnation
This year some of our Bible readings in Advent and Christmas might feel a little, well, off to us. We’re used to hearing about prophets and John the Baptist and Mary and Joseph and the shepherds, angels, magi, and stable animals. And we’ll have those in our Christmas pageant on December 20 and at both Christmas Eve services on December 24.
But we’ll also hear from Paul this month, in letters that don’t say anything about a baby or prophets or the rest. And the Sunday after Christmas, December 27, our gospel lesson will be the story of Jesus teaching in the temple, at age twelve, from Luke 2. What’s going on?
Christmas is a celebration of two related themes. The first theme, the one more familiar to us, is the theme of nativity, or birth. The nativity is the story of Christ’s birth, including all the familiar figures and places we’ve come to associate with Christmas. Celebrating nativity reminds us that Jesus really was (and is) a human being, someone born in a real time to real people at a real place. Celebrating nativity also gives us clues about where to look for Jesus today: not with the wealthy or elite, but with the poor (like the shepherds) and in places others would write off (like the stable).
But the second theme is even more important than the first. This is the theme of incarnation. We are not celebrating the birth of just anyone, or even of just any wonderful human being. Incarnation means “taking on flesh or a body.” In Jesus Christ, God himself has a human body. It is not just a baby we care about; it is God: God in the manger, God in the temple, God baptized, God teaching, and, yes, God crucified.
The Incarnation is a scandal: God comes as a human being?? This human being, Jesus, is supposed to be God?? Yes. It doesn’t fit as well on sentimental holiday cards (maybe that’s all the more reason to celebrate it!), but Jesus Christ is truly, fully God, even as he is truly, fully human.
How this all works is a great mystery, the mystery of our salvation. But while we enjoy and reflect on the characters of the Nativity, we need to make sure we don’t forget to celebrate the Incarnation, too. And our Scripture lessons this month help us keep the Incarnation at the heart of our celebrations.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Mark
In Brief…
*The Christmas Tea is this Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
*Youth group is at Centre this month. There is no youth group on December 27.
*The Thursday Lunch Workgroup will meet the 2^nd Thursday of this month, December 10.
*Candlelight Christmas Eve Services are at 7:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on December 24.
*If you missed the Fifth Sundays Series on November 30, please check out the video that was shown at the end. Click on this link (https://vimeo.com/147324985) , or go to Centre’s homepage (https://centreumc.org/) to watch. Share the video with your friends!
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Announcements
Monthly Prayer: Please make Centre’s monthly prayer part of your daily devotional time. This month, you are asked to pray that outreach efforts will draw guests to our worship services this Advent and Christmas.
The Youth Group will meet at Centre this month. On December 6, we will meet from 1:00-7:30 p.m. to bake cookies, watch movies, and hang out together. On December 13 we will meet at our normal time, 5:30-6:30. And on December 20^th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. we will meet at the parsonage. Pastor Mark’s family will provide a light supper. Please bring a plate of Christmas cookies to share.
We will be collecting Christmas gifts for clients from our God Provides Food Pantry. Gift tags will be on the Christmas tree in the gathering space by December 6^th. Please take a tag, purchase the item(s) on the tag, and bring the item(s) to the church, wrapped and with the tag on the outside, by December 20^th.
Stocking cards for the Board of Child Care were handed out on November 29^th. Please return the cards, filled with quarters, by December 20^th. You may also write a check payable to Centre UMC with “Board of Child Care” in the “for” line or use one of the envelopes in the vestibule.
New and returning members of the Church Council, SPRC/LLDC, and Trustees should mark their calendars for a Leadership Retreat from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on January 9^th. Rev. Dr. Kenneth Loyer, a pastor in the Susquehanna Annual Conference, will lead our retreat.
Our Christmas Eve offering this year will go to Harford Family House. Please give generously for this vital community service.
Readers are needed for both Christmas Eve services. Contact Pastor Mark if you would like to read at either 7:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m.
Psalm 100: This month Pastor Mark is challenging us to memorize as much of Psalm 100 as we can. Here is the New Revised Standard Version translation:
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. Amen.
The January Newsletter Deadline is December 18.
Finance Committee Report
Totals are through December 1. Totals also include directed giving, which does not always impact the budget.
November Budget: $11,451.64
November Giving: $12,397.40
Over/(Under): $945.76
If you have questions about financial stewardship at Centre or about Centre’s budget, please speak to John Griffin, Finance Chair, or to Pastor Mark.
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