Sing we now of Christmas

On Wednesday night, TBC hosted a carol sing. Pastor Warren Hoffman, Pastor Leslie Limbaugh, Allyn Dault and Jennifer Harris led in discussion of the background behind familiar -- and not so familiar -- Christmas hymns.  We examined "O Come All Ye Faithful," "One Small Child," "O Sing a Song of Bethlehem," "Go Tell It On The Mountain," "Of the Father’s Love Begotten," "In the Bleak Midwinter" and "The Huron Carol" before singing them.    
Photo credit

TBC in the news

Laura Hoffman was recently included in the Word&Way Advent devotional guide. You can download the pdf of the guide at the Central Baptist Theological Seminary Web site.

Christmas the Cowboy Way

Riders in the Sky brought a taste of Cowboy Christmas to TBC last night.

Some thoughts from those in attendance:
"Thanks for hosting Riders in the Sky. My son and I had a great evening. It is a great thing you do having concerts and reaching out to the community. I participate in the Praise Team Band at our church and music is a great way to connect. Keep up the good work!!!" - Mark Lang

"It was especially heartwarming to see children and their grandpas and grandmas along with their extended families all enjoying a concert together. That's rare!" - Warren Hoffman

"A very attentive and appreciating audience. Great family Christmas music with down-home humor. Artist made it all seem so easy and natural." - Tom Kurtz

Were you there? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Photos courtesy of Tom Kurtz.

Candle of Peace

Last Sunday we lit the first candle in our Advent Wreath, the candle of hope. We light it again as we remember that Christ will come again to fulfill all of God's promises to us.

The second candle of Advent is the Candle of Peace. It is sometimes called the Bethlehem Candle to remind us of the place in which preparations were made to receive and cradle the Christ child.

Peace is a gift for which we must be prepared. God gives us the gift of peace when we turn to him in faith.

The prophet Isaiah calls Christ "the Prince of Peace." Through John the Baptist and all the other prophets, God asks us to prepare our hearts so that he may come in.

Our hope is in God, and in his son Jesus Christ. Our peace is found in him. We light this candle today to remind us that he brings peace to all who trust in him.
  
LET US PRAY - Loving God, thank you for the peace you give us through Jesus. Help us prepare our hearts to receive Him. Bless our worship. Guide us in all that we say and do. We ask it in the name of the one born in Bethlehem. Amen.

An Advent reading used with permission from Rev. Richard J. Fairchild - Spirit Networks, 1993 - 2006

Something is about to happen

Something is about to happen. What it is we cannot say. The details are hazy, but the outline is certain.  Something is about to happen.

The Long-Expected One will soon be here. Be on guard! Be alert! Something is about to happen.

Advent is a time of waiting for the yet-to-appear. Advent is a time of wanting the promised-yet-unfulfilled.  Advent is here. Something is about to happen.

Something always happens at times like these. It might be grand, it might be subtle. But something is about to happen.

God has entered the world once through Jesus. God each day enters the world anew through us. We are here, and so God is here. Something is about to happen.

Watch! It might happen suddenly. If you don’t watch, you may miss it. You don’t want to miss it. Something is about to happen.

A first Sunday of Advent reading by Allyn Dault.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Christmas has come to Third Baptist Church. And with the beautiful pink and silver tree near the ramp door, the upside-down tree on the first floor to the greenery and the Chrismon tree, Advent wreath and nativity scene -- featuring a special (but very temporary) angelic visitor -- in the sanctuary, the season is rather hard to miss. The staff, along with several dedicated volunteers worked hard this week to dress the building for Advent/Christmas.

This evening was the Hanging of the Green, led by the children. They shared readings describing the symbolism behind all the sanctuary decorations. Following the readings, they arranged greenery, placed Chrismons on the Christmas tree, lit the first Advent candle and carried in a nativity. In fitting with the child-directed service, we used a large, light-up nativity scene with a rather unusual Angel of the Lord. The set will be replaced with a smaller, more formal nativity for Sunday's worship service.

We hope you will take the time to admire the beauty of the decorations during this Advent season. May they help point your thoughts to the Christ we trust is coming again. 

Christmas Pageant

The children have been busy with rehearsals for "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever." They stayed after church on Sunday to run through the show and rehearse the music. The performance will be Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. in Johnson Hall. You won't want to miss it.