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I Am With You by Lauren Wright Pittman
Fourth
Sunday of Advent
December 21 @ 10:00am
Luke 1:26-39 - "Even in Our
Fear, We Are Called Forward "
Pastor Julia Burkley
preaching
About the art: I Am With You by Lauren Wright
Pittman. Inspired by Isaiah 41:5-10. 11”x14” Hand-carved
block printed with oil-based ink on paper
Here we find the Israelites far from home,
living in Babylonian
exile. Fear and uncertainty hang heavy with the
looming threat of Persian invasion. “The coastlands have seen
and are afraid, the ends of the earth tremble” (Isaiah 45:5).
As some scramble to find courage in idols, God calls those
exiled from Judah to be heartened by their rootedness in
God’s story.
The image that formed in my mind was a
community nestled in God’s hands amid the
Mediterranean coastlands—the same lands conquered by
the Babylonians, and to which the exiles longed to return.
While I was creating this image, the U.S.
President shared an AI-generated video
of his “vision” for Gaza, those same coastlands referenced
in Isaiah. I was shaken by the contrast between his
imagined future and the reality of U.S.-funded devastation. The
video transformed rubble and the bone-hilling cries of mothers
into panning vistas of high-rise beachfront resorts and
casinos, rebranding Gaza as the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
This bombastic vision mocks a people
clinging to threads of existence. Watching the powerful revel
in the demise of the vulnerable is horrifying—but fitting. In
Isaiah, God’s people are exiled under the thumb of a world
power. Fearful artisans solder golden idols, hoping for security.
But God is not found in the hands of the powerful or the shine
of idols. God is present amid the rubble, comforting the
forsaken and reminding them of their place
in God’s story. No matter which empire holds sway, God
sides with the subjugated and disenfranchised. Despite
the fear that causes the very earth to tremble,
God accompanies the downtrodden, upholding them with
a steady hand.
From my study of this passage and shock at the
video, a counter-vision of hope emerged. Coastal Mediterranean
plants—bougainvillea for peace, lantana for liveliness,
and red valerian for strength—anchor the shifting sand. God’s hands
cradle the community like a fragile flame as their light
resiliently radiates. The twelve figures in simplified
Palestinian garb represent the exiled Judeans in Isaiah,
the Palestinians in modern day Gaza, and all crushed by empire—each
cherished by a faithful God. The hands in the image could also
be ours.
Join us for IN-PERSON WORSHIP on Sunday at 10:00am; doors open at 9:40am.
To join in WORSHIP ONLINE this Sunday, December 21, click on the picture above to go
to our Concord website. Near the bottom of the home page, click on
the same picture to connect with the worship video. The worship
service will be available live at 10:00am Sunday morning or later
in the day to view at your convenience.
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SUNDAY
SCHOOL PROGRAMS
J.A.M. (Jesus and Me)
Pre-K through Grade 5
Children are led through activities and crafts
provided in the PCUSA lectionary curriculum, Feasting on the Word, that are in response to the scripture shared during
Wondering Time.
SUNDAY SEEKERS
Grade 6 -12
This class includes sharing joys & concerns,
reading scripture together, and then sharing responses in a safe
and welcoming environment. Please bring your Bible!
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Prayer
List
Prayers of sympathy
for Cynthia Miller & family following Jim's recent death. His memorial
service will be held Jan 3, 1:00pm at
Cokesbury.
Prayers for Jane Diemer, recovering from
surgery at Shipley Manor. Prayers also for Wes.
Prayers for Sharon's son.
Prayers of condolence for Rev. Colleen Earp
(Massanetta Springs) on the passing of her father.
Prayers for Janice
Parker's friend Addie,
suffering from two different cancers that require separate
treatments.
Prayers for Daniel.
Prayers of comfort during this season for all who are
grieving.
Prayers for the following list of people who are in our
hearts as they deal with ongoing health struggles - Lexi, Edee, Felleng, Sherry, Ginnie,
Chip Miller, Jo Ann, June,
Duane, Rita
***
If you would like to add names/needs to
this list and our ministry of prayer, please email info@concordpc.org or
fill out a "Prayers of the People" card at the Sunday
service and hand to a greeter during the offering.
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Join
Pastor Julia and Christina for a time of fellowship, food, and
preparing the way for Jesus for all ages. We will gather together
for dinner, talk about getting ready for Jesus, do an activity,
and have time to feed ourselves and our hearts during this busy
and sacred season. Please RSVP to Christina.
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Contributions to the
Flower Fund for Christmas
If you would like to contribute to the
Flower Fund for the upcoming holiday season, please make your check
for $20/poinsettia payable to Concord Presbyterian Church, memo:
“Christmas Flowers.” Place it in a designated envelope in the
offering or the Church Office mailbox. Be sure to include a note
stating how you wish the acknowledgment to read in the bulletin.
Contributing to the grace and beauty of our Christmas decorations
is a lovely way to remember or honor a loved one.
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MUG & MUFFIN
Mug and Muffin will be canceled the next
two weeks, (12/24-12/31) because of the Christmas festivities. We
will gather back together in the new year on Jan 7 at
10:00am!
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Our gifts help smooth the path for current and
retired church workers and their families in their time
of need.
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Rev. Lynn Bledsoe’s world was rocked
when Hurricane Helene swept away not only her long-held
sense of security, but the very ground beneath her North
Carolina home, causing a 15-foot drop off outside her
front door. — The needed repairs weren’t covered under
insurance. Thankfully, Lynn received unexpected lifeline
— a grant to help with the repairs through the Assistance
Program of the Board of Pensions — made possible by gifts
to the Christmas Joy Offering.
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“Although
I’ve given to the Christmas Joy Offering for years, I
never thought I would be a recipient. It brings tears to
my eyes every time I think about the generosity and
immediate support of the Assistance Program of the Board
of Pensions.”
—Rev. Lynn Bledsoe
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TO LEARN
MORE about Lynn, her story and how
gifts to the Christmas Joy Offering helps retired church
works and their families, click here.
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Thank
you for your support of the Christmas Joy Offering.
Envelopes are available in the pews.
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ADVENT GIVING
Give the gift of literacy in Guatemala this Christmas!
Physical forms are in
the back of the sanctuary, or you can donate via our website:
concordpc.org/give/donate/. We
will be accepting donations from now until 12/28/2025 online, by
check, or via the QR code. Please indicate “Guatemalan Literacy” on
your donation. Reach out to Marj Johnson if you need more
information or gift cards.
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Do
you feel called to share?
January 11 is
Covenant Presbyterian Church's celebration of ministry service at
10:00am as they prepare to transition to something new and cease
being a worship community. Because of our relationship and close
proximity with Covenant, Pastor Julia will be there with them to
support their transition and celebrate their ministry.
To hold the space for Covenant
while also having worship at Concord, Pastor Julia and Worship
& Music Committee would like to invite a Concord congregant
to share the message during morning worship January 11
at Concord. She would like you to prayerfully
consider if that is something you are feeling called to do,
and email her (pastorjulia@concordpc.org) if that
is the case. Please also don't hesitate to reach out to her with
any questions.
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Gala
Thank-You!
A big THANK YOU from the Mission &
Congregational Life Committee to all the folks who helped with the
Christmas Gala receptions. From the set-up, decorations, cookie
bakers, pound cake contributors, to the clean-up crew, you all did
a wonderful job to make the receptions a success. Your
contributions were greatly appreciated!
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A gentle reminder: please never respond to
emails or messages asking you to purchase gift cards or give cash,
even if they appear to come from me or another church leader. These
are common phishing scams. I will never ask for gift cards by email
or text. When in doubt, pause, verify, and ask me. Thank you for
helping protect one another.
- Pastor Julia
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Friendship
House-Limen Partnership: An Update
Friendship House (FH) is a key missional
ally for Concord, providing critical services for our neighbors
in need by uniting people facing homelessness with loving,
supportive communities they can call home. Excellent progress has
been made in developing the new strategic partnership between FH
and Limen Recovery + Health that will allow both organizations to
strengthen their impact, share resources where it makes sense,
and operate more effectively - while still honoring the unique
identities of each organization. Concord will still be
represented at FH, as Al Lund and John Barineau have both agreed
to serve on the new Advisory Council of FH. Click on this link for an update letter from Kim
Eppehimer, CEO of the new parent organization, and feel free to
contact Al or John with any questions.
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Our church office
will be closed from Christmas Day, Dec 25 through Sunday, Jan 4.
Pastor Julia will be available if you need something urgent.
Please email her at revjuliaburkley@gmail.com or
call/text her at 914-523-6030.
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