Astronomical Grace: A Unique Worship this Week (Jan. 2nd) at Sojourn!

We are given glances into God's grandeur when we stare out into the universe. Stars and nebulas and pulsars and galaxies all beautifully and intricately created by Him. However, contemplating the vastness of God can make it harder to wrap our minds around His grace. How can it be that a God this big, this creative, this imaginative, would stoop down, take the form of a man, and die a humiliating death on a cross? Could the One who made the stars also offer me grace?

Join us this Sunday as we experience a videocast of  Indescribable tour of Louie Giglio taking us on an image-rich journey through the Cosmos, allowing us to peer into God’s Universe to discover the amazing magnitude of His greatness and grace.  

Kids 3^rd grade and up will join us for worship! Sojourn Gathered @ Kernodle.  For Directions click here to go to our website.  

Sojourn's old fashion Christmas Eve at Flint Rock Farms!

Join us! Sojourn's old fashion Christmas Eve at Flint Rock farms! Stay toasty warm inside by the wood-burning stove with some hot cider and lots of homemade goodies. Or, bundle up for Hay rides, pony rides for kids, tour the leather shop or gift shop. Starts at 3 PM. At 5:15 we will gather as the kids reenact a live Nativity, Lynn Goodwin leads us in Carols by candlelight, and we read the Christmas story. Come relax in the warmth of fire and friends. Leave for home at 6!  Bring your friends and family--all welcome!!  For directions click here!

ANSWERS TO CHRISTMAS QUESTIONS!

 ANSWERS TO CHRISTMAS QUESTIONS!  KEEP UP WITH THE SOJOURN COMMUNITY   AT WWW.SOJOURNCOMMUNITY.ORG!  AND THE SOJOURN FACEBOOK PAGE!

1 Santa Claus

2 Uncle Billy

3 His heart was two sizes too small

4 Suzy Snowflake

5 "White Christmas"

6 Ebenezer

7 On the Stairs

8 Yukon Cornelius

9 Tiny Tim

10 "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"

11 What was the matter

12 Dasher, Donder, Dancer

13 Her medication

14 Six geese a-laying

15 New York

16 He jumped into the river first

17 The ox and the lamb

18 By the chimney

19 Clara

20 The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

21 Green

22 Eleven

23 Tim Allen

24 Could not play in reindeer games

25 Pigpen

26. It's a Wonderful Life

27 Bert and Ernie

28 A button

29 Italy (Romans)

30 Angel

1. Isaiah

Matthew 1:23 / Isaiah 7:14 - part of a difficult passage of prophecy written

some 700 years before the birth of Jesus.

2. God with us

Immanuel (OT) or Emmanuel (NT) appears 3 times in the Bible and means "God

with us".

3. He would be born in Bethlehem

Micah 5:2 - Bethlehem Ephratah, to distinguish it from another Bethlehem,

which was in the tribe of Zebulun.

4. Sixth

Luke 1:26 - while she was pregnant with John the Baptist.

5. Gabriel

Luke 1:26 - Gabriel, who also announced the birth of John the Baptist and

was presumably the same Gabriel who appeared to Daniel 500 years earlier.

6. Mary

Luke 1:46 - the scene of two happy mothers-to-be.

7. Jacob

Luke 1:32-33 - Jesus would be given the throne of David and reign over the

house of Jacob.

8. Anna

Luke 2:36 - daughter of Phanuel.

9. Augustus

Luke 2:1 - originally named Caius Octavius Caepias, born in 63 BC, the

grand-nephew of Julius Caesar.

10. Simeon

Luke 2:32 - though you have to look back to v25 to see who is speaking.

11. Went quickly to Bethlehem

Luke 2:15 - likewise we should seek out our Saviour without delay.

12. Quietly divorce her

Matthew 1:19 - the option of divorce was available under the Law of Moses,

Deut 24:1. Normally the circumstances would have to be made public and

required witnesses to testify, hence Joseph wanted to do it "privately".

13. Hosea

Matthew 2:15 / Hosea 11:1 - waiting in Egypt until Herod had died.

14. Angel of the Lord

Matthew 1:20-21 - this was to be Jesus' great work, to save people from

their sins.

15. Wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger

Luke 2:12 - there might have been many other babies around, but none in

swaddling clothes and in a manger. Without the direction from the angels

they may never have thought to look in such a place.

17. How long did Jesus remain in Egypt?

Until the death of Herod

Matthew 2:15 - Heord died in the 37th year of his reign.

16. There is no 16.

18. Two turtledoves or pigeons

Luke 2:22-24 - among the Jews, a mother would remain at home for about 40

days after the birth of a boy and about 80 days for a girl because she was

considered unclean. After this she presented him as "holy to the Lord" and

offered the sacrifice as according to the law.

19. John

Luke 1:36 - John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, by six months.

MARRY CHRISTMAS TO THE SOJOURNERS AND FRIENDS FOR AN AWESOME YEAR OF SERVING AND COMMUNITY!!

Answers to Chritmas Trivia Questions

The questions to the Christmas trivia questions will be posted on Christmas Eve Morning!  Stay tuned!

FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN

Incarnational Living

The incarnation was God’s radical act of humility and love in which he took on human flesh in order to enter the chaos and pain of our world.  It was this remarkable act by which all other acts of  God in our world would be defined.  Divine love now had a face and locality in a quiet Nazarene neighborhood.  The New Testament letter to the Philippians tells us that it was not despite the fact he was God that he took on human flesh, but precisely because he was God.  

While the incarnation is in many respects a mystery, it shows the great lengths our heavenly father will go in order to rescue us from our bondage and reconcile us to Himself.  God has made your heart in such a way that you will never be content until your thirst for an infinite God is  satisfied by the glorious redemption he offers through the finished work of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  The simple act of receiving forgiveness and new life through Christ is as easy as receiving any other gift during this season.  It’s yours for the asking—no strings attached.  

~ Pastor Jeff

SOJOURN ON MISSION

Over 100 Sojourners and friends are volunteering to help with Sunday's Downtown Dinner for the homeless.  That is simply incredible!  So, in advance, we say THANK YOU!

Pray with us that God's presence would be felt through this week of planning and logistics, and that He would be preparing our hearts and the hearts of our friends who arrive Sunday for a warm meal. 

If you will be joining us as a volunteer on Sunday, please plan on attending a 10-minute orientation immediately after worship Sunday morning.  Steven Still, Kathy Speight and Chris Scalici will be providing information about the evening.