KIRK’S LOG
Stardate:
Focus Scripture –
Psalm 24
The earth
is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for
he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers. Who shall
ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up
their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. They will
receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of their salvation.
Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of
Jacob. (Selah) Lift up your heads, O gates! and be
lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may
come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord,
mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates! and be
lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may
come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.
(Selah)
CHRISTMAS
EVE – A Natural Light
– 2 services:
Minister: The Rev. Dr. Sue Gallagher Usher/Greeter
Team:
Lay Reader: Richard Mitchell
Music: Marilyn Levine,
Director Richard Mitchell & Ruth
Randall
Kate Sauer, Organ; Dorenda
Morse, piano Hospitality: Bob & Betty
Schilling
Adult Ed: Floyd Coppage Lock Up: Gene Johnson
Our members: Nancy Eberhardt, Charles Hill, John Jenne,
Anis Johnson, and Jeri Smith;
Our homebound members
and friends:
Fran Doty (Amy Homicz’s mother) and Fred Luft (Bobbi Luft’s husband);
Our
extended family: Linda Coen (friend of Ann Meierkord), Mary
Jo Colegrove (Dorenda Morse's mother), Geneva Davis
(Diane Fleming’s mother), Michelle Feng (Patrick Xavier's cousin), Stephen Halsted (former COGS pastor), Madeline
Katribe Hanna (Linc Nagle’s former spouse’s mother
and grandmother of his two daughters), Roger
Hogeboom (Don & Barbara Mitchell’s nephew), Andy Hurst
(Linc Nagle’s cousin) in Iraq, Justin
Zel Montgomery (Linc Nagle’s son-in-law, serving in the Police Department), Amy Mueller (daughter of Susan
Olson-Phillips & Det Phillips), Dave Myers (former
pastor’s wife Sue Altenbernd-Myers’ husband), Donald Peterson (Shirley
Puariea’s friend), Olivia Prisco (Don & Barbara
Mitchell’s granddaughter), Peter Smith (Linc Nagle’s brother), Neil
Weaver (Nancy Barfield's friend), for others for whom we have been
praying, and for those whose names are known by you and God.
Announcements
Wishing and Giving – We have
attempted to make life and giving as easy as possible for you this year. The
things you will find on the wishing tree at the back of the Sanctuary on
December 9 are all common items that you might either have at home already or
are easily accessible. These are all simple things that will benefit someone in
the community. When you have selected something off the tree, please:
·
Take the envelope with you.
·
When you have secured the item requested, tie the envelope to item
and set it under one of the trees in the FRONT of the sanctuary.
·
If it is something like socks or mittens, please hang it on one of
the trees in FRONT.
If the item you select is a
financial contribution to an agency
or project, please make the check out to COGS and place it
back in the envelope. Then, hang the envelope on one of the trees in front.
Please do not put the filled envelope on the wishing tree in the BACK of the
Sanctuary. Thank you for expanding the giving arms of Church of the Good
Shepherd.
A Natural Christmas – If you want to see the ever-changing face of “A Natural
Christmas” which is occurring at COGS, check out the COGS’s News/Events webpage
at http://goodshepherdunitedchurch.com/news.html#events. It is updated weekly as things unfold and
includes photos of the trees arriving at COGS, decorations being added, and
gifts appearing beneath the trees. When the trees are retrieved by the
Albuquerque Park District, more photos will appear. This project is turning out to be so
successful, that the New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light Coalition has featured a special article with photos on their website
– www.nm-ipl.org.
Please remember that the church office
will be closed the 3 days after Christmas – Pastor Sue and
Marilyn Levine will take turns being “on call” for emergencies. Please call either one of them should you
have need. Cell phones are probably the
best means of contact. The church office
will be open on
Monday, December 24, and
on Monday, December 31.
For help,
call 246-9240. State Hotline:
1-800-773-3645; National Hotline: 1-800-799-7233; Statewide Legal Resources
Hotline: 1-877-974-3400. Services are
FREE and confidential.
New
Member Service
INTRODUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS
QUESTIONS OF THE CONGREGATION:
One: We
who are the members of the Church of the Good Shepherd are committed to
building up the body of Christ, which is the church.
All: We remember
Paul’s words to the church at
One: There are many
different gifts, but always the same Spirit.
All: There are many
different ways of serving, but always the same Lord.
One: There are many different forms of activity, but in everybody it
is the same God who is at work in them all.
All: We each have a
part to play and a contribution to make to the common good.
One: Each of us has
been given unique gifts: some have the gift of teaching,
All: Some of
administration, some of music, some of caregiving, some of outreach,
One: Some of
discernment, some of prophecy, some of evangelism,
All: Some of prayer
and worship, and some of the stewardship of resources.
One: Let us welcome
one another’s gifts joyfully,
All: Help carry one
another’s burdens with compassion,
One: Pray for one
another with open hearts,
All: Deal with our
conflicts in a healthy and straightforward manner,
One: Keep
communication open, honest, and gentle,
All: And work for
the common good of God’s people.
One: Let us
celebrate our diversity and quiet our temptations toward divisiveness.
All: Let us affirm
our mutual purpose to be the Body of Christ and treat one another with the
respect, understanding, acceptance, and affirmation that are the birthright of
every child of God.
NEW MEMBER RESPONSES
UNISON PRAYER
O God of Hospitality, we praise you for the opportunity to
welcome new members among us today.
We thank you for their life stories, their faith journeys, their diversity of gifts.
May we who have been here a while be zealous in our
willingness to listen and to learn.
Make us open to revised visions and new perspectives, we
pray.
Enable us to take time for one another as we establish a
shared faith and a common history.
Bless us all, O God, as we worship together and seek to be
your servants in a needy world.
Amen.
HYMN OF WELCOME AND RIGHT HAND OF FRIENDSHIP
“I
Am One Voice”
(Solo) I am one voice
and I am singing, I am one voice and I am singing,
I am one voice and I am singing; I am not alone.
(Two voices)
We are two voices, we are singing… we are not alone.
(Congregation rise and join in singing) We are God’s people, we are singing… we are not alone.
This
is our story, we’ll keep singing… we are not alone.
Church Meetings for the
Week of
Sunday: Advent – A Natural
Christmas
A
Respite from the Hectic
All
morning Coffee
Monday:
Wednesday:
Christmas
outreach
Sunday: Christmas I
All
morning Coffee