Advent Devotional for December 15th

The Christmas Dog

"A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6 (Contemporary English Version)

I am not a pet person. My husband grew up in the country and always had pets, but not in the house.

When our sons requested a dog for Christmas, we both agreed that our current living situation was not conducive to owning a dog. We told our sons not to expect a dog for Christmas. A pet was not on our list of Christmas presents.

Our family returned home Christmas Eve to find a dog on our doorstep. Nobody claimed the black and white Boston Terrier. It appeared God had heard the hearts of our sons and sent them a Christmas dog. Rascal was named, fed and loved. She changed our family. This friendly dog rode with my mother to the post office, escaped the back yard to follow the children to school and guarded our home. Rascal remained our adored pet for many years. A pet changes things.

The Christ Child changes things. Jesus is still in the life-changing business. Welcome Him.

Eternal Father, keep our hearts open to your blessings in this holiday season. Amen.

Margaret Holmes, Facebook friend of the First UMC - Iraan

Advent Devotional for December 14th

O Little Town of Bethlehem

(By the Rev. Phillips Brooks, Philadelphia, PA)

O little town of Bethlehem

How still we see thee lie

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting Light

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight

_________

For Christ is born of Mary

And gathered all above

While mortals sleep, the angels keep

Their watch of wondering love

O morning stars together

Proclaim the holy birth

And praises sing to God the King

And Peace to men on earth

_________

How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may his His coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him still,

The dear Christ enters in.

_________

O holy Child of Bethlehem

Descend to us, we pray

Cast out our sin and enter in

Be born to us today

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell

O come to us, abide with us

Our Lord Emmanuel

Mary "Frankie" Adams,

McCamey Convalescent Center

Advent Devotional for December 13th

(Madonna of the Magnificat by Sandro Botticelli, Italy, 1481)

The Magnificat


My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His Name.
He has mercy on those who fear Him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of His arm,
He has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for He has remembered His promise of mercy,
the promise He made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.



Lee & Dottie Mann, First UMC - Iraan

Sunday in Iraan

During our fellowship time this morning, Burton Lanehart brought a new United Methodist Church cross he had made to show to everyone. He has a real gift for woodworking, and we are blessed that he is willing to share it with us. Fellowship time is really a treat: How nice it is to want to be together like this! Burton and Jo continued the act of sharing by serving as the Advent wreath lighters.

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Next week, our worship service will feature a "Christmas pageant in-a-bag." Come and share the journey to Bethlehem with this unique and creative telling of the Christmas story!

Advent Devotional for the Third Sunday of Advent

"Happy the people, who know You Lord, who walk in the radiance of Your love."

- Psalm 89:15

I have noticed throughout my life people who have gotten further and further away from the meaning of Christmas. They get so caught up in all the shopping and gift wrapping and materialism that they lose sight of what Christmas is all about.

Jesus was given to us on Christmas Day. This is the only gift that we should be worried about. I think that if people would just slow down, take a look at the true meaning of Christmas, and focus on that they will be happier.

I used to be caught up in all the shopping and gift wrapping. I would get lost in all of the busyness. I wasn't very happy when Christmas rolled around each year. I began to dread it. Now I take a simpler approach to Christmas. I focus on the true meaning. I focus on the ultimate gift that God has given to us in our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is the true meaning of Christmas to me that I hope to instill in my son's heart.

Jennifer Aguilar, First UMC - McCamey

Advent Devotional for December 11th

(Icon of Zechariah, Kizhi Monastery, Russia).

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” - Luke 1:68-79 (NKJV)

I am a blessed man. I am one of seven boys in our family, and five of my brothers have passed on with an average age of 56 1/2. I am 74 and do fairly well with the help of a lot of doctors and medications. I feel I am a very fortunate person that God has blessed. Alice and I have been married over 55 years and have a good family. We are blessed many times over.

Roy Kephart, First UMC - McCamey

Advent Devotional for December 10th

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs...." - Psalm 100:1-2

Today, December 10th, is my "little" brother's birthday. Even though he is grown with a family of his own, Derrell will always be my "little" brother. Growing up, the five of us, me, Donna, Debbie, Derrell and Judy were fortunate to be raised in a loving home filled with music. Early in our lives, we could be found singing together as our granny played the piano and our daddy played the guitar. They played age-old favorite hymns and country western tunes for us to sing.

All our lived, we enjoyed singing for church, community groups, school functions and civic organizations. During the Christmas season, one of our favorite songs to sing was an Eddy Arnold tune, "C is for the Christ Child." Even as adults we continue to sing this song around Christmas time.

The song goes like this: "When I was but a youngster, Christmas meant one thing. That I'd be getting lots of toys that day. But I learned a whole lot different when mommy sat me down and taught me to spell Christmas this way: C is for the Christ child born upon this day. H is for the herald angels in the night. R means our Redeemer. I is for Israel and S is for the star that shone so bright. T is for Three Wise Men, they who traveled far. M is for the Manger where He lay. A's for All He stands for. S means shepherds who came and that's why there's a Christmas Day."

Christmas is a great deal about tradition. For me, remembering special holidays and special occasions revolve around music. The traditional Christmas carols and melodies make the season come to life and fills my heart with song.

Bobbie Lester, First UMC - McCamey