2024 Church service videos

Our Presbyterian Church Years is broken into a series of seasons.  The first is Advent which starts on the fourth Sunday leading up to Christmas.  for the 2024 calendar year the first Sunday in Advent is December 3rd and ends on Sunday evening December 24th.  Advent is followed by Christmas which lasts from December 25th to January 5th.  After Christmas comes Epiphany starting on January 6th and lasts until  February 13th.  Lent begins on Ash Wednesday February 14th and includes Holy Week beginning on Monday March 25th until Saturday March 30th.  Easter begins with the celebration of Jesus' resurrection on March 31st and lasts until Pentecost on May 19th.  Easter is followed by that long season Ordinary Time which lasts until King of Kings Sunday on November 24th.

September 15th worship Service

My mother once told me, “Life is what happens when you were planning something else.”  Looking back over the last 70 or so years, where I ended up was not where I expected to be.  I’m actually in a much better position than I expected, and undoubtedly deserve.


What I have learned is that God has a plan for each and everyone of us, and where we are at this moment, is exactly where our God wants us.  Another lesson learned is that God cannot work with, or in or through, someone who is not willing to move.  Believe and have faith in God and you are truly saved, but happy and welded in place not wanting to move forward, there is not much God can do with you.  If you are willing to take a step into the unknown void….God can work with and make use of that attitude.


We are never done working for God, no matter our experiences or ages, and God has positioned each of us where we are for a purpose.  All we have to do is be willing to take the opportunity when God presents it before us.


Taking that first step can be frightening.  The secret is to remember God is sovereign and in control.  As we take the opportunities in good faith we also understand God will protect us and use our efforts to show God’s glory to the world.  We will become one of those lights shining in the darkness.


Join us for our September 29th Worship Service.

Photo Pastor Ron Urzua

September 22nd worship service

Back from England, and resting up from the trip, and as we talked about the trip, and all the things we did, we realized something.  Only once during the trip did we actually slow down, stop and take the time to immerse ourselves in our surrounding.

 

We started the day with a two mile walk from Clapton-on-the Hill to Bourton-on-the-Water.  The plan was to spend some time in Bourton-on-the-Water, but the town was packed.  Hundreds of people from tour buses (a favorite tour stop) had invaded the village.  A quick bite to eat and on two miles to Wyck Rissington (Wyck Rissington has no restaurants).

 

The problem was we arrived in Wyck Rissington two hour before the pick-up time.  The town contained a few dozen homes and St. Laurence Church.  We were literally forced to stop.  We sat in the church yard for a while, looked through photos on our phones.  Walked through the church.  Sat in the church yard again, checked our watches to see how long before the pick-up service would arrive.  It was really very frustrating…this waiting.

 

Then it began to rain.  It was back to church for shelter.  This time we relooked at the church.  There were all types of booklets and lists detailing parts of the building, explaining its over 750 years of history,  how the roof of the nave collapsed in the 1700s and was rebuilt at a lower level than the transepts and chancel.  How the nave roof was restored to it’s original height in the late 1800s.  The unique Gable Cross on the tower and the remarkable stained glass windows. We read the list of the 21 people who are members of the church (April 2024) and noticed how the services are held in conjunction with the church in Bourton-on-the-Water.

 

For an afternoon as we watched the rain, and talked about our trip, and the beautiful church sheltering us from the rain, and watched for the pick-up car we actually took in what was happening around us.  To slow down and immerse yourself in the events surrounding you.  It was one of the best days of the trip.


Join us for our September 22nd Worship Service.

Photo: St. Laurence Church Wyck Rissington England

ordinary time

We have prayed our way through Advent preparing for the gift and celebrating the gift of Jesus during Christmas.  We prayed our way through our times of revelation and atonement in Epiphany and Lent.  We have celebrated our Sovereign Lord through his resurrection and time with the disciples during Easter and we have experience the joy of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.  And now we march into Ordinary Time.

Ordinary Time is that period of the Liturgical Year between Pentecost (May 19th) and Christ the King Sunday (November 24th) the Sunday before Advent.  But it is anything but “ordinary.”

During these 27 Sundays explore what we do day to day in all aspects of life: work, family, vacations, time with friends, all the things which fill our lives.  We spend these 27 weeks looking at how Jesus worked in his ministry, the theological aspects of our faith, our understanding and development of our lives.


Join us for our September 8th Worship Service                                                   Join us for our September 15th Worship Service.           

Join us for our August 25th Worship Service.                                                       Join us for our September 1st Worship Service.

Join us for our August 11th Worship Service.                                                       Our August 18th Service is not available   

Join us for our July 28th Worship Service.                                                             Join us for our August 4th Worship Service.       

Join us for our July 14th Worship Service.                                                            Join us for our July 21st Worship Service.

Join us for our June 30th Worship Service.                                                           Join us for our July 7th Worship Service.

Join us for our June 16th Worship Service.                                                        Join us for our June 23rd Worship Service.

Join us for our June 9th Worship Service.                                                          Join for our June 2nd Worship Service.

Join us for our May 26th Worship Service.                                                        Join us for our May 19th Worship Service.


Events of the Christian Story

left: Christ and the Samaritan Woman at the Well, Paolo Veronese 1585 Kunst Historisches Kuseum, Vienna
center: The Conversion of St Paul, 1866
right: Jesus heals ten lepers, 4th century fresco from Serbian Orthodox monastery Vicki Decani, Pec, Kosovo

Easter

Easter is the 50 days between Easter Sunday and Pentecost.  Easter is the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus as he returns from dead three days after his crucifixion. In 2024 that is March 31.  Pentecost, from the Book of Acts 2:1-13, is when the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples, this year on May 19.

Easter is a floating holiday.  The date is determined by a couple of factors.  Easter is held on the first Sunday after the first full moon, after the Spring Equinox.      

Following the solemn time of Lent where we prepare ourselves to receive the gift of life Christ offers on his resurrection, Easter is a time of joy and celebration as the risen Christ is alive and within our midst.  It is based on the 40 days Jesus is with his disciples until he ascends into heaven (Acts 1) and 10 days later when the Holy Spirit arrives and fills the disciples with the desire to preach the Good News God has given to the world.

Frescoes:

Christ as the shepherd Mausoleum of Galla Placidia 425-450, Christ Risen Fra Angelico fresco 1450-52 Monastery of St Mark Florence

Gift of the Holy Spirit Žitomislić Monastery Bosnia


Join us for our May 5th Worship Service.                                                              Join us for our May 12th Worship Service.

Join us for our April 21st Worship Service.                                                           Join us for our April 28th Worship Service.

Join us for our April 7th Worship Service.                                                             Join us for our April 14 th Worship Service.

Join us for our March 31 Worship Service.                                              Not Available - April 1st Worship Service.

lent

Lent is a time of preparation.  First we prepare ourselves to receive the gift which God gave to his people in the death of his Son on the Cross, in which our sins were forgiven placing each of us in right relationship with God.  Second, three days later, we recognize the gift of Jesus’ Resurrection where we are granted eternal life in God’s Kingdom.

This year Lent began last Wednesday, February 14th, and will last until the Saturday before Easter on Sunday March 31st.  Lent is 40 days long which is remembrance of the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert (and the 40 days Moses and Elijah spent fasting).  Actually there are 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter.  Although there are different understanding on how to count the 40 days of Lent probably the easiest explanation is that the Sundays are not included in the 40 days.

Since Lent is a time of preparation the usual methods of preparing the Easter celebration is searching within ourselves.  It is a time for remembrance and taking stock of our lives.  It is a time of humility, repentance and confession as we prepare ourselves to receive the gift which God has given to us.


Join us in our March 17th Worship Service.                                                               Join us for our March 24th Worship Service.

Join us for our March 3rd Worship Service:                                                  Join us for our March 10th Worship Service.

Join us for our February 18th Worship Service.                                            Join us for our February 25th Worship Service


Jesus Betrayal, Fra Angelico, 1436-45, Museum San Marco, Florence / The Last Supper, Da Vinci, 1495, Santa Maria delle Grazie Church, Milan

epiphany

It is the Season of Epiphany.  When we celebrate the times when Jesus becomes manifest to the world.  Coming from the Greek, which means manifestation, we focus on those event when people recognize Jesus for the Savior which he is.  These can include such times as when the Wise Men for a different culture follow the star to find the one who will change the world.  It includes Simeon who sees Jesus when Jesus is 40 days old and knows that he has witnessed the promise Messiah.  It include the Woman at the Well in Sychar Samaria who is so impressed with Jesus she brings the elders from the village who attest to Jesus as the Savior of the World.  It is going to be an interesting six week until the start of Lent on February 14th.

Jesus and the Woman at the Well, Paolo Veronese 1585 Kunst Historisches Museum Vienna

Simeon with the Christ Child, Fra Angelico fresco 1450-52 Monastery of St Mark Florence

Three Wise Men ,mosaic 565 CE Basilica San't Apollinaire Nuovo,  Ravena, Italy


Join us for our February 4th Worship Service.                                Join us for our February 11th Worship Service.

Join us for our January 21st Worship Service.                                 Join us for our January 28th Worship Service.

Join us for our January 7th Worship Service.                                   Join us for our January 14 Worship Service.


Christmas

It is Christmas, those twelve days from December 25th until January 5th and the beginning of Epiphany on January 6th.  It is 12 days of celebration as we recognize the gift which God has given to the world.  God came to earth in human form for the sole purpose of being a sacrifice the God of heaven for all of the sins committed by mankind.  Becasue of this sacrifice those who chose to follow him will be redeemed and granted eternal life in heaven.  That is something for believers to be celebrated everyday, but it is during these twelve days we have a special opportunity to rejoice in the angels of heaven coming to earth to sing about the saviors arrival, the gift to us.


Join us for our December 31st Worship Service.


Picture:  Sanctuary's Nativity and Fellowship Hall Christmas Village

advent

The Season of Advent opens our Liturgical Calendar Year.  It encompasses the four Sundays leading up to Christmas when we celebrate the birth of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ.  Advent has been traced back to fifth century when Bishop Perpetuus of Tours directed fasting for three days each week between the St. Martin’s Day (November 11th) and Christmas.  Starting in in the diocese Tours, France, the custom spread through France, and through a series of renditions, has spread throughout Western Christianity. 

 

The visual components of Advent center around a decorated Christmas tree, a nativity scene focusing on the birth of Jesus and the Advent wreath with four colored candles and a central White Christ Candle.   

 

The visual elements of Advent lead to the spiritual preparation which is the purpose of Advent.  The spiritual preparation centers around three primary components  The first is to prepare ourselves to remember the gift which God gave to his people as God come to earth in human form.  The second is to receive God into our hearts.  The third is to prepare ourselves for when God returns to rule over all of creation.


Join us for our December 17th Worship Service.                                       Join us for our December 24th Worship Service.

Join us for our December 3rd Worship Service.                                        Join us for our December 10th Worship Service.