It’s getting darker earlier. It’s getting cold. The supermarkets have put out all of the food we try not to eat for most of the year. Though, at time of publishing, it’s still November, Christmas is in the air and on people’s minds.
This is a great opportunity each year to gather together and remember the chief miracle of our faith: that God took on flesh and became human. He didn’t stay far off but came close to us. And he did that in order to save us.
Historically, Advent has been a season of waiting and watching. Children wait anxiously to see what presents will be on the tree. Parents wait even more anxiously in hopes of an extra day or two off from work. But the world around us is also waiting, waiting for its renewal. Even now, as we look back to Jesus’ first coming, we also look forward to his return.
To help us navigate this season, our Sunday services will be spent considering The Wonder in the Waiting. When Jesus left, he promised that he wasn’t abandoning us. So how do we learn to wait for him when it feels like we are going through the wilderness or weeping? Join us each Sunday at 11am as we gather to sing and to hear of the God who remains with us.
In addition to our normal Sunday morning services, we hold three special services each year.
In our church, in our families, on our streets are people who struggle to find joy and hope at Christmas. We continue in a cost of living crisis. There is much anxiety about what is going on in the world around us. Perhaps there is marital strife or family tension. Or there is grief; there is the knowledge that certain chairs will be empty this year. At Hope for the Hurting, we want to offer the good news that Jesus knows and understands your pain and has done something about it.
This is a quieter service with subdued music, a brief message, and a time of quiet to reflect or seek prayer from church leaders. As in years past, we hope to offer both childcare and some light refreshments after the service. There are three ways that you can help us to serve people well: by bringing a friend, helping in childcare, and helping with hospitality. If you would like to help out, please fill out this form.
Christmas Eve Carols, 24 December at 7pm
We will once again host our annual Christmas Eve Carol service. It will be held at 7pm and will feature the songs we love singing each year along with a brief message to remind us of why we sing.
Christmas Day, 25 December at 11am
We will also be holding our Christmas Day service. This is a short service (no more than 45 minutes) where we celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus all together.