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Something in the
Water by
T. Denise Anderson
Second
Sunday of Advent - Communion*
December 7 @ 10:00am
Matthew 11:1-11 - "When We're
Running Our of Hope, God Is at Work "
Pastor Julia Burkley
preaching
About the
art: Something in the
Water by T. Denise Anderson. Inspired by Isaiah
43:19-21. 20”x20” Acrylic on canvas.
"Isaiah (chaps. 40-55) addresses a
community that had been in exile for a while and had probably
resigned themselves to their fate. But the prophet has the temerity
to proclaim that God still has something in store and asks if they
can “perceive” what it is. That word “perceive” would not let go of
me. The Hebrew word can be translated as “know” or even “discern.”
Christian churches don’t talk about this often, but one way ancient
Israelite communities discerned God’s direction was through
divination.
The water imagery in this text is strong and
shows up in contrasts (“rivers in the desert” and “waters in the
wilderness”). The Holy One is making something out of nothing,
providing life-sustaining water to a thirsty nation as God’s “new
thing” “springs” forth. It’s also interesting to me that water
itself is a tool of divination. To the extent the prophet is
inviting the community to “discern” what God is doing, I was
reminded of the practice of scrying or “seeing”—looking into a
reflective surface like water to get clarity on what Spirit might
be saying.
Another translation of “perceive” is “feel.”
Here I depict someone placing their hand in the water of God’s
provision and direction. Is it God’s hand manipulating the water to
send it forth, or is it the hand of someone trying to know/feel/discern
the water? A sudden onset of water (like a flood or deluge) can be
terrifying, but in this case water is coming to the rescue. What
might be scary right now, but is actually coming to save us? How do
the waters help us see God and ourselves? By claiming rest, what
can we discern in the stillness when we divest from the cycle of
fear and turn to the water?"
Join us for
IN-PERSON WORSHIP on Sunday at 10:00am; doors open at
9:40am.
To join in
WORSHIP ONLINE this Sunday, December 7, 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.
*This Sunday we will celebrate the Lord's Supper as part
of the service.
If joining us online, please have something ready
for eating and something ready for drinking.
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CHILDREN
& YOUTH IN WORSHIP - COMMUNION SUNDAY
This week is a
Communion Sunday, so we will not be meeting for J.A.M. or
Sunday Seekers. Children are invited to come forward for Wondering
Time. After Wondering Time, children will stay in
worship with their families and take part in communion after the
sermon. There are quiet activities in the back of the Sanctuary
that children may take to the pews.
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Prayer
List
Prayers of sympathy
for Cynthia Miller & family following Jim's death on Saturday.
Prayers of condolence for Christina's friend Cindy &
family. Cindy's father passed away Nov. 22.
Prayers for Janice Parker's friend Addie,
suffering from two different cancers that require separate
treatments.
Prayers of joy for Rev. Nona Holy's installation Sunday
at Lower Brandywine.
Prayers &
blessings for Liz Rowe as she settles into her new home in Lewes.
Prayers for Libby
Harding - recovering from Lyme
disease.
Prayers for Gayle Hazel's daughter Sherry Spina, struggling
with eye issues.
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, 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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Java
with Julia
Friday, December
12 (Please note date change)
Join Pastor Julia for open office hours
9:00 - 11:00am
Brew Haha @ 1000 Renaissance Way off of Rt. 202
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Hark! Help Needed for Christmas
Decorating!
It’s time to get creative and deck the halls again! Please join us
to help dress up the Sanctuary for the Christmas season. We’ll
be gathering at 9:00am on Friday, December 5 to
work some magic and would love to have helping hands, even if you
can only spare an hour. Gardening gloves and clippers are suggested
but not necessary. Please contact Dottie Harding (302) 584-3852 or
Carol Schlegel (302) 757-5215 if you have any questions.
Holiday Greens Needed!
Please consider donating greens for use in the Sanctuary during the
holidays. Yew, magnolia, cedar, holly, ivy, juniper, winterberry,
and nandina are all good candidates and would be much appreciated!
The more, the better! These can be delivered either to church on
the morning of December 5 or to Dottie Harding’s house at 12
Wellington Road, Wilmington DE 19803 prior to the 5th
- just call to make sure she knows you are coming! (302)
584-3852.
Contributions for 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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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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Weds. @ 10:00am via
Zoom
Our weekly MUG &
MUFFIN Bible study meets again on Wed.,
December 10 from 10:00-11:00am, led by Pastor
Julia. To join the Zoom gathering ONLINE,
click on this link.
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Christmas Gala
Reception - Cookie Bakers Needed!
After the Christmas Gala Concert, there is
a reception in Fellowship Hall featuring homemade
Christmas cookies. We need anyone who can to help
us bake. There are two nights this year, so that's a lot of
cookies! If you can help, please let Dottie Lund know: dottielund@comcast.net,
302-230-1533 or sign up at church on the clipboard on the
Gathering Time coffee table. We will also need five
pound cakes for each night and monetary donations
for the punch ingredients. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Mission &
Congregational Life Committee
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Christina had the
J.A.M. children make Advent calendars for the congregation’s
"reverse
Advent calendar" to fill the
Blessing Box. They attached them to bags for folks
to take home and fill with groceries or toiletries. Be sure to
pick one up at the back of the sanctuary!
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ADVENT GIVING
Give the gift of literacy in Guatemala this Christmas!
Last year, Concord
Presbyterian Church funded a brand-new literacy program for 20
students in Guatemala. This year, there are plans to add a second
class to teach a total of 40 adult students. The Guatemala
Partnership needs your help to make this dream a reality and your
Mission & Congregational Life Committee has chosen this project
as an alternative giving opportunity for Advent 2025.
Each gift of $100 will sponsor an adult student
for a full year. This makes a great Christmas gift to honor your
loved one that doesn’t need one more “thing.” And we have
lovely gift cards to put in their stocking!
This new literacy program is taking place in a
very remote village in Guatemala. Tucked away in
lush mountains, this community feels somewhat forgotten, like
the end of the earth. For residents of this community to attend
school, especially after the elementary grades, they have to travel
quite far which is not always possible. This means that
literacy rates and education levels in the community are low:
people speak and understand their indigenous language but do not
know how to read, speak or understand Spanish, so it is difficult
to operate on any level outside their own community. Most of the
people living here work on one of the eight surrounding coffee
fincas (plantations); the majority of them are women since many of
the men have migrated to the U.S. to find work.
Sessions are held for 10 hours per week in the
afternoon, from March to October. The afternoon schedule allows
students to come to class after they return from working on the
fincas.
Classes start at the first and second grade
level where students learn how to write their name, do basic
math, and master the alphabet, and will receive an official
government “diploma" as long as they pass the final test at
the end of the year. Students are asked to pay a small fee for
their materials as a demonstration of their commitment. But no one
is turned away due to lack of finances.
Last year's class had a 100% pass rate! As an added bonus, this
program is also providing a source of income for two teachers who
both live in the community.
This wonderful new program is building
confidence and transforming lives. The students share, "we
thank God for the opportunity to learn and gain knowledge.” We
are grateful for your generous donations to keep the program going
for years to come. Thank you!
Physical forms will be 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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Joyful
Sharing
Did you know?
- The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished
Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s.
- The Offering distributes gifts equally to the
Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to
Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping
communities of color.
- The Assistance Program provides critical
financial suppport to church workers and their families.
- Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide
education and leadership development while nurturing racial
and ethnic heritage. This has been a Presbyterian commitment
for nearly 140 years.
Thank
you for your support of the Christmas Joy Offering.
Envelopes will be available in the pews.
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Advent
Devotionals
Advent devotionals are here from
Sanctified Art! They will be in the church office and in the
sanctuary this Sunday. If you are homebound and would like to
receive one, please let the office know!
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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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Thank you all for
your flexibility last Sunday as we made do with what we had during
our Wi-Fi outage.
Our streaming should be back to normal this week.
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Volunteer
Opportunity
Friendship House has
resumed a hot Sunday breakfast program for the homeless. Each
Sunday they will be serving a hot quiche breakfast at the
Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew, 719 North
Shipley St., downtown Wilmington.
Volunteers are needed for two
hours on Friday mornings to make vegetable and protein quiches.
They have a chef to give instructions, and you can also donate
the cheese, vegetables, and meat to be used in the quiche.
There are two volunteer shifts for
prep and serving on Sunday morning, one early and one
later. If you work the early shift, you can be back in time
for our church service.
If you would like to sign up for Dec 7, Dec 14, Dec 21 or Dec 28, click on
the links. If you wish join the volunteer list and receive
texts of what they need and when, contact Volunteer Coordinator
Jayla Hill at jayla.hill@friendshiphousede.org. This is an ongoing program each Sunday morning and
you can volunteer whenever you are available or would like to
donate food.
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