Covenant of Hope
Ministries Christmas Eve Sermon_12_24_2013
Good
afternoon, and welcome to this Sunday Sermon for Covenant of Hope Ministries. I
am Rev. Laura A. Neff. The ministry knows me as the Rainbow Minister. Find us
posted on Sundays and studies on Wednesday. Our locations are online only:
Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope
We have
email (instant messenger if you need me) through Facebook every day. These are
now extremely variable. We’re still working this out between the two of us as
to what will happen, our Elder, Cal Jennings and I. I will inform you further
regarding changes. These changes were made due to health reasons. The sermon
length has shortened dramatically. We are unsure as to when there might be
video presentations.
Prayer List: We have many on our
prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their
first names mentioned. Our prayer list has grown from last week. This is our
current prayer list for this week.
- Continue your prayers for Phoebe Fair’s family as they
continue to grieve her loss.
- Please keep Elder Cal Jennings in your prayers as his health
doesn’t know where it wants to be.
- Please pray for my friend Teresa’s sister who is in stage four
cancer. Keep Teresa and her daughter in prayer for many other things that have
been weighing down on their hearts, minds, and spirits.
- Please pray for my brother’s friend Paul, that this new job
managed for the New Year will be a blessing for his family.
- Please keep others known by any of us up in prayer for
whatever they might need.
- Please keep my friend Heather in prayer for patience and safe
haven.
- Let us keep another friend, Jeff, and his family in prayer
after a Christmas miracle affords Jeff a new post to begin in the New Year.
- Please keep my whole family in prayer for the pain, suffering,
and chaos we are going through.
- Pray that the adversity and the pain we have seen around the
world would be relieved, and swept away. May we find common ground in many
ways, even if we start with just one step.
- Remember those who have been lost either violently or
peacefully this week.
- Keep the ministry in your thoughts, each member, no matter
their location, their circumstances, because a group of friends, a ministry,
should support one another.
- There are many in our ministry who are searching for more in
regard to our presence with my health, and with the health of others. We pray
that there would be health found once more, and that we have answers to all and
for all.
- Please pray for our travelers during this holiday and on
through the New Year that they may be safe and reach their destinations.
- Please also pray for those who are alone this holiday that
they realize they are loved.
Prayer: Father in heaven, we thank You for this day and for these who
are here to share it with us. We thank You for the hope and faith brought to us
by the birth of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. We pray that the hope and
faith that is given would reach everyone in peace and harmony. We pray that
those who are traveling remain safe. We pray that those far from home know
there are those who love them and remember them, no matter where they are, and
they’ll be home, even in our dreams. We pray all this in Your Holy Name,
through the Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so
it shall be.
1
It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold;
"Peace on earth, goodwill to men,
from heav'n's all gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
to hear the angels sing.
2
Still through the cloven skies they
come,
with peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heav'nly music floats
o'er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains
they bend on hovering wing;
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing!
3
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
the world has suffered long;
beneath the angel strain have rolled
two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
the love song which they bring
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
and hear the angels sing!
4
For lo! The days are hast'ning on,
by prophet bards foretold,
When, with the ever circling years,
comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendors fling;
24
And the whole world send back
the song which now the angels sing!
Sermon: Today
we aren’t having a sermon. We’re having a time to praise and celebrate the
birth of the Savior. In so doing we are going to share music, with the lyrics
as they are sung. Added to this we will have poetry for Christmas itself, and
for the New Year that is yet to come, may you be blessed.
Gospel of Luke 2:15 KJV - And it came
to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said
one to another, Let us now go even unto
The First Noel
1
The first noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields
where they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their
sheep,
On a cold winter's night that was so
deep.
Refrain
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel
2
They looked up and say a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
3
And by the light of that same star,
Three wise men came from country far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And to follow the star wherever it
went.
4
This star drew nigh to the northwest,
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest,
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
5
Then entered in those wise men three,
Full reverently upon the knee,
And offered there, in His presence,
Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.
Gospel of Luke 2:7
KJV – And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Joy To The World
1
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing, And heaven
and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature
sing.
2
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills,
and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the
sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
3
No more let sin and sorrow grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found, Far as the
curse is found,
Far as, far as the curse is found.
4
He rules the world with truth and
grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love, And wonders of
His love,
And wonders, and wonders of His love.
Luke 2:12-14 KJV – And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye
shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there
was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Let There Be Peace On Earth
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our father
We are family.
Let us walk with each other
In perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
With peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.
(child)
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our father
We are family.
Let us walk with each other
In perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
In peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Now
that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer Jesus taught us
saying: After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father
which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine
is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)
Closing Song:
Elder Cal
Jennings
http://www.spaceeagleproductions.org
http://www.pureheartvideo.net
http://spaceeagle.multiply.com
http://www.myspace.com/music_man1701
http://www.myspace.com/woodstock40th2008
http://www.spaceeagleproductions.org
http://www.pureheartvideo.net
http://spaceeagle.multiply.com
http://www.myspace.com/music_man1701
http://www.myspace.com/woodstock40th2008
Scripture
Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition:Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, Inc.
Scripture
Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture
Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © circa 1890-1910: International Bible
Press,The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA., USA
Sermon or
Study Copyright © 2013 http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries and
Poetic-Expressions is not to exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all
that is created through fear together as the rainbow in the darkness.
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