Younger Children’s Activity Pages

Older Children’s Activity Pages

Good morning!  This page is intended to both serve as a continuing worship option for those participating in our worship service from home, and to serve in place of print resources during our in-person worship.  Following the worship service on Sunday, one or more video recordings from the service will be placed on this page, including the sermon.  This may take several hours, due to the time needed to process the videos.  We will email the congregation when the recordings have been posted.  If you would like to be added to our congregational email list, please contact pvcob.alive@gmail.com.

  • If you have previously ordered weekly giving envelopes, your box of envelopes for 2022 is in the church narthex.  Please let me know if you do not wish to continue with the weekly envelopes.  Or, if you have not previously used these pre-assigned envelopes for tracking your giving and would like to start, please let me know and I will designate a box for you.

  • Backpack Pals are accepting donations of Pudding Cups and Ramen Noodles! Pudding cups are especially needed. Please leave any donations in the blue bin located in the Narthex.  Thank you!

  • Come join us for a celebration of Scripture and Song this Christmas Eve at 7:00PM. We will meet as usual in the Sanctuary, but will not have a reception afterward. The Fellowship Team is planning to pass out cookies at the end of the service. There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex if you would like to donate cookies to be shared.

  • On December 26 and January 2 we will move to our combined worship schedule with Sunday School at 9:30AM and Worship and 10:30 AM. We look forward to welcoming guest preachers on those Sundays. JD Glick will be preaching on December 26 and Jerry Ruff will preach on January 2.

  • Pastors Daniel and Rebecca will be gone on vacation from December 25 to January 3rd. In case of emergency, please contact your deacons

  • Please be praying for the refugees being resettled in our area by Church World Service, and also for those working to help them. More information will be available about how we can be involved soon.
  • LIFE Groups are beginning! Leaders will be contacting those who have already signed up to set up first meetings. To join a group, sign up sheets are available in the Fellowship Hall, or visit www.pleasantvalleyalive.org.

Almighty God,
Who comes to earth for us
You scattered chaos with your word of creation,
took nothingness and made a plan of love, hope, joy and peace
Your glory shone in moon and stars bright.
Your angels sang carols of joy as you planted seeds of the gospel
Forgiveness, love, peace, and justice
For all those created in your image.

We find our hope in the beat of your heart.
Broken and given through this child
born in a stable for us.
Taking our wounds as his own, he swaddles us in your healing comfort;
bound to the cross, he releases us from sin’s grip;
carrying death to the grave and leaving it there in it’s final resting place,
he emerges to carry us to resurrection
a new creation rebuilt by your love

So Send your Spirit to rest upon your children gathering today.
Recieve our celebrations of sharing and song.
Send us to anoint those around us with the cup of grace,
so we might become servants who will love justice
more than we love ourselves,
and serve your children before we sit down at the table.

 

And when you restore creation to its glory,
and we are gathered in heaven at the great banquet of the Lamb,
we will find ourselves wrapped warmly in hope’s shawl,
and anointed with joy’s oil,
as we witness to your love forever and ever,
Amen.

Adapted from prayers by Thom Shuman
http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com/

 

Advent Reflection

Last week when we were talking about joy, we read about when Mary came to visit her Aunt Elizebeth. Elizabeth was six months pregnant. The child she was carrying would be come John the Baptist. And of course Mary had recently been visited by Gabriel, and told that she would give birth to Jesus, the son of God. When Mary came to the house, John leapt for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. John was not the only one to respond to with joy though. Mary’s response comes next. I invite you to join with me in Mar’s celebration, reading responsively:

And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.

For he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

And Mary remained with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned to her home.

Luke 2:1-7 NRSV

 

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
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Gracious God, from whom every blessing takes root and blooms, We celebrate in your love today. Receive our joy at the light you present to all your creation, Bringing us back to life and giving us a vision of life that no worldly light can show. Share your love through us and to lead us all into the time of your perfect celebration. In Jesus name, Amen.

The coming of a child is always a sign of love.
A sign of God’s love for us.
A sign of the love we share with each other.
A sign of love that we do not yet fully know
A sign of love that we anticipate and wait for eagerly
The coming of a child is a call to love
A call to make ready
A summons to be patient
An invitation to live compassion
The coming of a child is a birth of love
As love dwells, waiting to rise, in every human heart
As love waits for us to recognize its life giving presence within.
The coming of this child is love alive for us today
For God is love. Amen.

Now, may the light of God
That rises in the morning, and shines over stables at light
Shine forth for you in the days and weeks to come
To remind you of the brightness of Christ’s love,
Which will never burn out. Amen.