We have returned to another Advent season as we look at the four Sundays before Christmas to celebrate the Incarnation – the birth of our Savior, Jesus the Messiah!

Here are some resources to help you “fix your eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:2) during this Christmas season:
1. What is Advent?
2. Special events
3. Devotionals

1. What is Advent?

What does the word advent mean, and why is it important to my life?

Dear Zion,

You’ve probably noticed that we have begun a special season at church called “Advent.” This word comes from the Latin, adventus, which means “coming,” but both of these words help us understand the biblical Greek word parousia, a word we see in I Thessalonians 3:13, “the coming of our Lord Jesus.” Advent is an opportunity to remember that Christ came into the world “for us and for our salvation.” How can we as Christians benefit from the season of Advent? What can we do to remember “the reason for the Season?” How should we “keep Christ in Christmas?” Let me offer some suggestions.

First, we should medit… Continue reading “Celebrating Advent” →

2. Special Events

Here are some dates to keep on the calendar of opportunities at Zion!

Date	Event
December 1^st	Women’s Fellowship Christmas Brunch Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m., for a hosted brunch and program. Invite your friends and get your tickets!
December 2^nd	Advent Party Meet at the church at 3p.m. for caroling, decorating, Christmas carols, and a light supper. Fun for the whole family!
December 16^th	Zion Christmas Cantata Join us Sunday evening for a special Zion tradition, and stay after the beautiful music for refreshments and fellowship. Begins at 7p.m.
December 24^th	Christmas Eve Service The prelude begins at 6p.m., and you won’t want to miss hearing our youth recount the meaning of the Christmas story!
December 25^th	Christmas Day Service Service begins at 9a.m. with Holy Communion.
December 28^th	College Christmas Parsonage Party All college aged students are invited over to the parsonage for food, fun & games! Come from 7 – 10p.m.

Be sure to keep up with all the events and meetings by checking out our church calendar or seeing the events at our Facebook page.

3. Devotional Aids

Daily Readings for Advent
by John Piper

“What I want most for Christmas this year is to join you (and many others) in seeing Christ in all his fullness and that we together be able to love what we see with a love far beyond our own half-hearted human capacities” (p. vi).

A free devotional by Desiring God, download and print this or read it off your favorite eBook reader. A great resource, which matches our Advent theme perfectly this year!

Scripture Readings
These morning and evening readings will draw you to God’s Word and help you to ponder Jesus’ coming for His people. Print it out and stick it in your Bible, add it to your calendar, or do whatever you need to benefit from Scripture!