|
|
|
|
Welcome to the Christmas season, reader!
|
|
In case the snow on the ground or Riverwood Worship's 3-song christmastime Vol 1 EP hasn't kick-started your Christmas season yet, perhaps this week's News & Notes will do it. For Advent 2023, we'll be looking at some ancient Christmas-related prayers each week here in the News & Notes. Hopefully these ancient prayers will help you connect with the Ancient of Days in a fresh way as we celebrate the first coming of Jesus. Enjoy!
|
|
|
The Gospel & Your Emotions
|
|
Thanksgiving is past, and Advent is about to begin. To decorate the Riverwood emails for Christmas, I thought we'd do something a bit differently this year. To guide us through Advent, leading up to the celebration of the arrival of the Christ Child, we will use some prayers written long ago that celebrate the "indescribable gift" of Jesus given to us by the Heavenly Father. Each week, we'll learn a little bit about the author of the prayer, then let the written prayer help us connect with our Creator and thank Him for the gift of salvation given so freely through Jesus, the Son of God.
|
|
|
|
|
Our first prayer in this series was written by Augustine of Hippo, better known as St. Augustine. Augustine was born in 354 in North Africa. His parents were upper class citizens of the Roman Empire, speaking Latin at home and providing him with the best education of the day. Despite growing up with a mother who was dedicated to her Christian faith, Augustine become more like his pagan father in his early teens. In his famous memoir Confessions, Augustine shares stories of the draw toward sin, selfishness, and "error" revealed through his sexual exploits, thievery, and more.
|
|
|
|
As Augustine aged into his twenties, he found himself drawn to religion. He considered himself part of a non-Christian religion of his day, but began to question it in his late twenties. As he entered his thirties, he began to investigate Christianity, converting at the age of 31. He eventually became a priest within the church, and years later named a bishop to Hippo, a region in North Africa not too far from his hometown.
|
Jesus became central to the life of Augustine, for He had saved Augustine from his selfishness and sin. So it was with intensity Augustine labored in Hippo for over thirty years, preaching over 10,000 sermons to make the gospel known to everyone in the region. This is why it isn't a surprise that his ancient Nativity Prayer centers on Christ as the one who can free us from the tyranny of sin.
|
So let us pray together...
|
Let the just rejoice,
for their Justifier is born.
Let the sick and infirm rejoice,
for their Savior is born.
Let the captives rejoice,
for their Redeemer is born.
Let slaves rejoice,
for their Master is born.
Let free men rejoice,
for their Liberator is born.
Let all Christians rejoice,
for Jesus Christ is born.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas Caroling
|
|
Every year we look forward to caroling around the community. We will meet at the Riverwood building on Dec. 10 at 5:30 pm. After caroling, be sure to come in for some cookies and cocoa! If you know of someone who would be blessed by some carolers, please send Bridget an email.
|
|
|
Impact Gift
|
|
Our annual Impact Gift will be collected on Dec. 17 (or you can give online here) and will go to Josh & Hillary Smith to bless over 2,000 Cambodians with a gift and a meal. Anything over the $7,000 they need to accomplish this Christmas blessing will go toward replacing their dying 1993 Toyota Corolla.
|
|
|
|
|
Family Game & Cookie Exchange
|
|
Bring your family for an afternoon of board games and a cookie exchange! From 3-5 PM on Dec. 16, we will gather together at Riverwood for fun and fellowship. Feel free to bring board games to share and bake two dozen of your favorite Christmas cookies to exchange!
|
|
|
Ugly Sweater Sunday
|
|
Head to the backs of your closets and pull out an ugly sweater (festive or not) for Ugly Sweater Sunday, Dec. 10! Jake would love to look out to a sea of garish colors and patterns, so bring it on!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
