Sunday, December 18, 2016

Fourth Sunday of Advent

A PEEK AT THE SUNDAY SERMON

Our Day of Celebration
Sunday, December 25, 2016, is
our day of celebration! We will
worship and give thanks for a
most wonderful gift Jesus, the
promised Messiah.
The sermon text I will be using is
Luke 1:26-38.
Its a familiar
passage,
documenting
the
events surrounding the birth of
Jesus and detailing why this is a
day to celebrate.
26

In the sixth month of Elizabeths pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to
Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be
married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared
to her and said, Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!
29

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could
mean. 30 Dont be afraid, Mary, the angel told her, for you have found favor with
God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him
Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The
Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over
Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!
34

Mary asked the angel, But how can this happen? I am a virgin.

35

The angel replied, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the
Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will
be called the Son of God. 36 Whats more, your relative Elizabeth has become
pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has
conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.37 For the word of God will never
fail.
38

Mary responded, I am the Lords servant. May everything you have said about
me come true. And then the angel left her.

A Great Light!
Isaiah 9:2-7 is the suggested daily Bible reading for Sunday, December
25th. (2016 U.C.C. Calendar).

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a
land of deep darkness, a light will shine. 3 You will enlarge the nation of
Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice
at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. 4 For you will break the yoke
of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the
oppressors rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. 5 The
boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned.
They will be fuel for the fire. 6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The
government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government
and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the
throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of
the LORD of Heavens Armies will make this happen!

Paraments and altar linens have been changed to white and gold
joyous and festive colors used during the Christmas and Easter
Season (except on the Day of Pentecost), White symbolizes
purity, holiness, and virtue, as well as respect and reverence.

Pastor Krens December 11,

2016 Sunday Sermon is now on
YouTube. Just click on the
image!

If you havent why not Like Us on

Facebook? Just click on the signs
to the right you will be transported
to the Dearborn Congregational
Facebook Page! Maybe you like to
tweet? You can follow Pastor Kren
on Twitter: @william_kren.

BLOGGING ALONG!
Blog (noun) A regularly updated website or web page, typically
one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal
or conversational style.

Ive been blogging about church work and my life in

the ministry since arriving at Dearborn Congregational.
You can learn more about the Pastor and how he thinks,
by clicking on the link (picture) to the right!

Prayer Requests
Edith Schwartz. Currently at Heartland Rehab Center in Canton.
Irene Moxon. Serious medical problems.
Marilyn Beardsley. Continuing medical concerns.
Gordon Grozdanoff. Serious medical problems. He is now home and receiving care.
Pat Stacho. Continuing medical concerns.
Shirley Fedraw. Adjusting to her new caregiving facility. Medical concerns.
Suzanne Van Ranst. Medical concerns.
Pauline Gourlay. Medical concerns.
David Allen. Serious medical concerns.
Tom Schlaff. Serious medical concerns.
Frank Kren. This is Pastor Bills younger brother. Serious medical concerns.
Greg Hansen Family. Pat Mangrums son-in-law passed away December 1st.
Arthur Triplett. Sue Krens brother is in the hospital with a serious medical condition.
Carol Thompson. Sue Krens sister has a serious medical concern.

A complete list of prayer requests is also printed in the Sunday bulletin. If

you have a special request please phone the Church Office: 313-2718552. You can also phone Pastor Kren at 313-344-9808.

Colleen Grozdanoff Memorial Service

Colleen Grozdanoff, wife of Gordon Grozdanoff and a longtime
member of Dearborn Congregational Church, after a brief
illness, passed away on November 23, 2016, at Oakwood
Hospital.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2017
at Dearborn Congregational Church, 16350 Rotunda Drive,
Dearborn, MI 48120, at 11:00 AM. Following the service a
luncheon will be served, in the Mayflower Room.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Services

Our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service begins at 7:00 PM. We will sing some of our
favorite Christmas carols, light candles and celebrate the birth of Our Savior.
The following morning, Sunday, December 25th we will gather for our Sunday Service at
10:00 AM. There will be no Fellowship Hour, following the service. We want everyone
to get an early start on this blessed day with family and friends!

Receiving Donations Helping the Needy

At a recent meeting of the Diaconate, it was voted that nonperishable food donations be delivered to the Fish &
Loaves food pantry, in Taylor. This organization was first
launched by an ecumenical group of churches, led by St.
Paul United Church of Christ in Taylor and their Pastor,
Rev. Geoff Drutchas.

As a client-choice facility, Fish & Loaves allows families and individuals to shop every
eight weeks in an attractive setting organized like a grocery store. A wide range of
canned goods, refrigerated and frozen foods, dairy products, and seasonal produce are
offered at no cost to clients. Our client-choice model affirms the dignity of the families
and individuals served. Since opening its doors in 2008, the Fish & Loaves Pantry has
assisted more than 9100 households and over 13,000 men, women, and children. They
distribute over two million pounds of food annually. The advantages of a client-choice
pantry are:

A sense of dignity for clients and their families -- thanks to our store-like setting.
Higher client satisfaction with food they are able to choose.
Less waste and, therefore, less cost in providing food to clients.
Greater opportunities for positive and supportive social interaction between Fish
& Loaves volunteers and clients.

Dearborn Congregational Church will continue to assemble food baskets for distribution
during Thanksgiving. We will also refer family requests for assistance to Fish & Loaves.
On Sunday, January 8, 2017, during our Morning
Worship, there will be a Healing Service. At the
appointed time, Pastor Kren will invite anyone who
would like a special prayer for healing, to meet him
at the front of the Church.
They will receive
anointing oil and prayer and then return to their pew.
The oil is an important symbol God gives us, but no
special powers are transferred prayer to God is
what is special and powerful. It is sincere prayers
which God hears and responds to. Please be in
prayer, leading up to this special service.

Pastor Bill and Sue would like to

wish you a Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year! Our prayer is that
Jesus, our Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father and
Prince of Peace bless you this week
and in the weeks and years to come.
And may we all grow in His grace,
know Him more, serve Him faithfully,
and make Him known to the world.
Hope we see you on Saturday for our 7:00 PM Christmas Eve Service and Sunday
morning, Christmas Day, for 10:00 AM Worship!

Pastor Bill