AUDIO: Readings & Sermon for Wednesday December 11, 2024

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Advent Worship Service: 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
During Advent, there will be no Wednesday Bible Study, it will resume Wednesday January 8, 2025
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

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First Reading – Isaiah 9:1-2, 6-7 
But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time He brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time He has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 
The people who walked in darkness 
have seen a great light; 
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, 
on them has light shined. 
For to us a child is born, 
to us a son is given; 
and the government shall be upon His shoulder, 
and His name shall be called 
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 
Of the increase of His government and of peace 
there will be no end, 
on the throne of David and over His kingdom, 
to establish it and to uphold it 
with justice and with righteousness 
from this time forth and forevermore. 
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. 

Second Reading – Titus 2:11-14 
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and 

to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works. 

Third Reading -- John 5:16–18; 8:48–59 
And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” 

This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. . . . 

The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right in saying that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. Yet I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks it, and He is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do You make Yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing. It is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known Him. I know Him. If I were to say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know Him and I keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to You, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.

Advent Bulletin: Wednesday December 11, 2024

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Advent Worship Service: 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
During Advent, there will be no Wednesday Bible Study, it will resume Wednesday January 8, 2025
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

Visit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.

Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of BULLETINS

Youth Gathering Gift Envelopes

BREAKING NEWS!
An anonymous donor will match all donations received.
Your donation will be doubled and go twice as far in supporting Zion’s youth!

Youth Gathering GIFT Envelopes - December 15th - January 5th
Take an envelope from the basket at the back of the sanctuary. Fill it with the amount of money that matches the number on the envelope, and return it to the marked container. If all the envelopes are filled, we will have raised over $5,000!

Complete Advent/December Service Schedule

Sunday’s in Advent (December 1, 8, 15 & 22)
Service Times at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Adult/Teen Bible Study and Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Wednesday’s in Advent (December 4, 11 & 18)
Service Times at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
No Bible Study on Wednesdays until Jan. 8, 2024

Christmas Eve (December 24)
Service Times at 2:00 p.m. and Special Candlelight Service at 7:00 p.m.

Christmas Day (December 25)
One Service Only at 10:00 a.m.

Sunday December 29
Service Times at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Adult/Teen Bible Study and Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

New Year’s Eve (December 31)
Service Times at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

New Year’s Day (January 1, 2025)
No Services

Wednesday Service with Bible Study returns on january 8th at 2:00 p.m.

The Youth Group and Sunday School invite you to go CHRISTMAS CAROLING

The Youth Group and Sunday School invite you to go CHRISTMAS CAROLING
at Concordia of Bridgeville on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 1:30 p.m.
Location: Concordia of Bridgeville, 3570 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017
Everyone is welcome to join our youth in caroling for the residents of Concordia of Bridgeville. Wear Christmas clothes and meet outside of the building at the top of the hill.

View a map of the suggested parking area.

VIDEO: Sunday December 8, 2024 - Complete Service

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AUDIO: Announcements, Readings, Sermon & Adult Choir for Sunday December 8, 2024

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Old Testament Reading — Malachi 3:1–7b 
“Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. 

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. 

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them.” 

Epistle Reading — Philippians 1:2–11 
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. 

The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the third chapter
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, 

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” 

He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 

And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”