On this 3rd Sunday of Advent, Bill & Debbie Haskins will be lighting the Shepherd's candle on the Advent wreath. We are delighted to have them worshipping with us! Bill & Debbie live just next door to our Scandia Rd. property in Elk
Township.

We will also be welcoming 9 new members into Cable Hollow Church during worship. Joining the church this Sunday will be:Ann & Bill Beck, Katie & Cheryl Feather, Paula & Ron Johnstone, and
Lois, John, & Jeff Nordin. Following worship, there will be a reception for Cable Hollow's newest
members. Come and give them a hug - and a smile! Our church family continues to grow and we rejoice in all that God is doing and how He faithfully blesses us.

Linda Murphy speaks about "Santa, Presents, and Jesus" during the Children's Moments. Thank you Linda for helping our little ones learn more of God's love for them.

Nettie will be playing a beautiful arrangement of "O Come, Little Children".

The Lessons will be read by Lance VanCise. The first lesson comes from Luke 1:26-38. They are familiar words of the Christmas story as the angel, Gabriel, comes to Mary and announces the will and plan of God for her. She will be the mother of the Son of God! And oh, by the way Mary, your relative, Elizabeth, who is well past the age of child-bearing, will also bear a son in her old age. The angel declares - "For nothing is impossible with God!"

The Sermon Lesson takes us again this week into Isaiah's prophecy - Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11. In these verses, Isaiah speaks of both of Jesus' advents. In his first advent (coming) Jesus will accomplish the prophecy of verse 1-2a. At his second advent, verses 2b-3 will be fulfilled. I'll be focusing more on his first advent this week - the coming that began in Bethlehem. In the sermon "Repairing the Ruins", we'll consider how Jesus does indeed do the impossible - that of repairing what appears beyond repair - lives. No amount of Super Glue, Gorilla Glue, or duct tape can "fix" the problems, or repair the damage that has occurred in the hearts and lives of multitudes of people. Only Jesus can do that. When Jesus read in Luke's account (4:18-19) this very prophecy - he said that "this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing". Indeed, Jesus was the Messiah.

Just as there were those who missed him then - there are many who miss his love now. We are to be then, messengers of the gospel - proclaimers of good tidings!

Let us come together this week to sing, pray, watch, wait, and listen. Then let us go into the world with the Light!

With great heart,
Pastor Jon