The Holy City
Annette Solo from today (Palm Sunday)
TO PREPARE FOR WORSHIP,
MARCH 6 and 10 Lent begins with Ash Wednesday this week, March 6. Receiving the imposition of ashes as a mark of the cross on our foreheads reminds us: “We live from ashes to ashes with the assurance of our Lord’s resurrection.”Before next Sunday, read Romans 10:5-13.In his Letter to the Romans, Paul uses three different Greek words and one idiomatic phrase quoted from Proverbs, which all convey or are related to the idea of shame (v.11). What are some things that might make you feel ashamed or disgraced? Someone might feel ashamed of the Gospel, but Paul insists he, himself, is not ashamed of the Gospel and neither should we be.How do you honor the Good News of the Gospel in your life?
Opportunities For Success – Christmas Giving
JOIN THE TEAM
Hey! We’d love your help with our upcoming Thrivent Action Team.
| Opportunities For Success (Christmas Giving Tree) |
|---|
| Christian Growth Ministry Team (Pastor Jeff Wilhelm) |
| Now through Epiphany Sunday, 1/6/19 |
| Opportunities for Success will receive monetary and material donations to assist local school students and their families in need. Items to be provided are socks, hats, gloves, sweatshirts, sweatpants, after school snacks, and personal care items. Please register as a volunteer participant! Thank you for giving! #livegenerously |
| REGISTER NOW |
Advent
Advent, a preparatory time of waiting and watching, communicates the message of hope, assisted by the color of the sky, BLUE. Our Christian faith rests on the hope that Christ, who came in history assuming our flesh, will also return on the last day of time from that same blue sky he ascended into long ago.
During Advent we are urged to slow down, wait, and look past ourselves. We do this by taking our time (four Sundays and weekdays) getting to the manger. We do this by staging our journey to Christmas in steps — Advent greens, an Advent wreath, Christmas trees, a Christmas manger scene, and then “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night.” We do this by keeping Christmas long after the trees are put outside and the decorations packed away — a full twelve days that stretch out what we have waited so long to celebrate. It’s important to realize that when we over-schedule church activities, we mirror the busyness of the world in a bad way. Sometimes there are so many things going on at Church that it seems literally like a roller coaster ride to Christmas. Advent should be slower and much more deliberate. During this season, we do not compete with the harried schedules of the world around us by matching them event for event. No, we compete by offering what no one can find except in the Church — the Gospel of the Incarnate Lord Jesus Christ! Most importantly, we celebrate Advent by listening to the Word of the Lord, and by hearing that Word with the ears of faith, and by the joyful acknowledgment that the Christ of the manger has come among us to deliver the fulfillment of His promised gift of forgiveness, life and salvation.
Our Life Together
Christmas Focus
Christmas is the season in which we hear the “tidings of great joy” that the Savior of the world was born in Bethlehem. The Second Person of the Trinity had to become man in order to redeem man. After the Feast of the Resurrection, then, the Feast of the Nativity is the greatest in the Church. The atmosphere and appearance of the church building, in addition to its message and music, reflect the exceeding gladness of this celebration.
A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great. (Proverbs 18:16)
God’s gift to us at Christmas is a little like a very special gift received in the mail. The gift looks plain on the outside, but God knows that when we take the time to carefully unwrap the package and get to know what’s inside, we will appreciate the gift very much. In fact, it’s the best gift we could ever receive!
Similarly, we are like the brown paper wrap. There are messages about Jesus Christ to be sent and delivered all around the world today and they can be delivered by people who are humble, simple, and plain, just like the brown wrap. You don’t need fancy words or clothes. Look at Jesus who was born in a barn. It was not a fancy place, yet God’s message and gift to us came so precious and beautiful, just like the fancy ribbon and paper.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me be the sender of the Christmas message to someone who needs to hear your Word. You are the best gift anyone could receive. Use me, Lord to be the packaging wrap of brown, simple paper and not to be afraid to tell others about eternal life in heaven. Amen.
Joy of Generosity
Experiencing the Joy of Generosity — Three weeks of Daily Devotions are available for you here.
GDE Error: Error retrieving file - if necessary turn off error checking (404:Not Found)
Experience the Joy of Receiving, Managing and Sharing God’s Blessings!
Get connected to RightNow Media & Study Philippians with your family
Phil Vischer, Founder of Jellyfish Labs and co-creator of the acclaimed VeggieTales, dives into the book of Philippians to answer the question, “Where does joy come from?” With the help of some animated friends, Phil unpacks what it means to live with joy both in times of happiness and in times of sadness. Check out the series here: https://www.rightnowmedia.org/Content/Series/293649
To get registered for our RightNow Media Library, go to: https://www.rightnowmedia.org/Account/Invite/MCLC
Electronic Access to our latest Church Directory
Members of Mount Calvary now have electronic access to our latest church directory from any smartphone, tablet or computer with internet access. Each household has a unique ID that can be emailed to them upon request. Let the church office know when you’d like your ID code to access the church directory online (via email or a note on your attendance card), and it will be emailed to you. Step-by-step instructions are available on our website and at the Mount Calvary office.
Take Heart, Take Action | Michigan District, LCMS
Take Heart, Take Action | Michigan District, LCMS
Download Conference Booklet Here
michiganLCMS Download Conference Booklet below Everywhere we go, we go as a witness to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But what does it mean to be a witness? How can my witness persuade someone to believe? How can I be a witness to people who really don’t seem to care about church or the faith? Take Heart, Take Action is a theological conference for laypeople and church workers, and the featured speakers will share practical advice and insight into our calling as witnesses of the Gospel.
National LCMS Youth Gathering
Click Read more to view this Posting..just to let everybody know this will merged into the MCYC page
http://lcmsgathering.com/live/videos/
Millennials, the Church, and Technology – Panel Discussion
Millennials are a unique group that churches often struggle to reach. Knowing why millennials behave the way they do can greatly shape how the church engages them.
Join us for an online panel discussion on Thursday, June 30th at 10:00 a.m. CST. The panel will be answering questions about millennial characteristics, stereotypes, and how the church can reach out to them.
Follow this link to download the ebook Millennials & the Church: http://www.concordiatechnology.org/do…
