Christmas Plans
Your staff has been working hard to prepare a special season of Advent and Christmas for you in 2020. Many of our beloved traditions simply aren’t safe this year, so we are investing in some new traditions to celebrate the reason for the season.
Our theme will be, “Incarnation: Rediscover the Significance of Christmas.” Each week of Advent, we’ll examine a different title given to Jesus by the gospel writers, exploring the historical and personal significance of his birth. We’ll be following a study written by Rev. Adam Hamilton, lead pastor at Church of the Resurrection. Our Sunday School classes will have access to this study to guide their Advent journey. In addition, we will launch new online groups using this study during Advent.
Just before Thanksgiving, we’ll offer “preparation kits” to our families with kids – ways to celebrate Advent in your homes. We are creating an Advent devotional that will be sent to every household. And, for our Pintrest fans, we’ll have a church page with ideas for simple creations leading your way through the season. Of course, we hope you’ll take pictures and share them with us.
One week before Christmas Eve, on Dec. 17, we are planning a special livestream event called, “Advent 2020: A New Christmas Memory.” Greg & Kay Leslie are leading us in this vision to celebrate the music of the season. We plan to feature all the musical gifts of our congregation, brought to you on our three channels: YouTube, Facebook Live, and our website. Right now, Greg is collecting pictures of Christmases past at Faith, as well as video recollections. Please submit to him at: anewmemory2020@gmail.com.
In the final week, we’ll have “kits” for everyone as we approach Christmas Eve. Come by the church to pick yours up, and get ready! We’ll have yard signs to invite your neighbors, candles for the main event, and a few special presents from your church. Our Christmas Eve worship will be livestreamed at 7:00 pm. At the end of the service, the light will be taken from the Christ candle in our sanctuary to several locations around south Tulsa. Join us at the one closest to you as we light our candles and sing Silent Night together.
Now, I want to share a request that came our way this week. Through our CarePortal partnership, we discovered a young man who needs a mentor. He is currently living in a transitional living home for young adults, teaching him skills necessary to be an independent adult. Some of his greatest hopes are to learn how to drive and maintain the skills necessary to get a job. He isn’t originally from Tulsa, but expressed a great desire to see what Tulsa has to offer, going to sites such as Gathering Place and other parks/attractions around the city. This young man thrives with routine and consistent relationships. He hasn’t had that in the past.
The Life Launch program will be the source of training and equipping a mentor for this young man. A married couple or a team of men could generate the best scenario for a “Life Launch Team” to walk alongside this kind young man. If this resonates with you, please take a look at basic mentorship requirements by following this link - https://www.standinthegap.org/life-launch-volunteers/. The link will also tell you how to volunteer.
As I sign off this Friday morning, I’m sad to tell you that Wayne Salisbury passed away yesterday. In a visit with his family, I found out his funeral will be at the First United Methodist Church in Clinton, OK this Monday, Sept. 28, at 1:00 pm. Wayne’s family told me the service will be livestreamed on Facebook. They believe that it will be broadcast on the church Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Clinton-First-United-Methodist-Church-80350544724/. The obituary in the paper will have more information.
I know we miss so many we’ve loved and lost during this season of pandemic. Not being able to celebrate by gathering in our sanctuary, by sharing a meal around our tables, by reaching out to support families – that is hard. We name our losses together and offer them to God for safekeeping. I hope to see you at church on Sunday, whether you can join us in person or on the livestream. Being together points us toward hope.
Blessings,
