CHOOSE: TO LIGHT THE CANDLE OF LOVE FOR THE 4th SUNDAY OF ADVENT

FIRST EVANGELICAL CANDLELIGHT SERVICE 2017!

Children sharing the Greatest Love Story ever told with word and song! (John 3:16, KJV)

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

A perfect way to "light" the flame of love in one's own heart....

And to pass it on---candle by candle,
into the hands of other believers.

Believers rejoicing in the One
who is the light, celebrating
His birth together!

Love and light
filling the sanctuary.

A sanctuary of God's Presence
In every heart!

Merry Christmas Eve!

CHOOSE: TO LIGHT THE "CANDLE OF HOPE" FOR THE 3rd SUNDAY OF ADVENT

This Collierville neighborhood yard sign "simply" says it all for Christians.

CHOOSE: TOO CELEBRATE LIGHT ON THIS 2nd SUNDAY Of ADVENT

As the magi followed the great "light" that rose in the east to find the Lord, (Matthew 2:2) God's word is our light which not only leads us to Him but allows Him to lead us.

Your word is a lamp unto to my feet and a light and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105)

CHOOSE: TO REMEMBER ADVENT TRADITIONS

On this "Wordsmith Wednesday" a son's words recall "Advent, Liles style" for Allen Bible Church.

HOW ARE YOU “DOING ADVENT” THIS YEAR?

If “the Ghost of Christmas Past” could take you back to the Christmas of my childhood, you would end up at 1152 Longreen Drive in Memphis.  Approaching the house, you would already hear an “awfully off-key, yet strangely uninhibited” rendition of “We Three Kings” being belted out. Peek through the dining room window, and you would see a homely Advent wreath with candles lit at the center of the table.  Around the table, you would glimpse a mom and a dad trying their best to lead 3 squirmy kids in a few minutes of reflection that we called “doing advent.” “Advent” simply means “coming.”  And we did Advent as a family to remember that Christmas is about Jesus “coming” to our world.  God had promised this “advent” of a Savior long before Jesus was born in an animal feed trough.  That’s why we would read from normally untouched parts of the Bible—like Micah and Isaiah! That’s why we did Advent at 1152 Longreen. How we did Advent was more fidget than focus…more unraveled than seamless…mostly wiggly with a smidge of worship-y!

I couldn’t sit still then, yet now I can’t shake off lessons that somehow stuck with me.  Somehow by doing Advent God did something in me. Doing Advent Liles-style circa 1986!

How will you do advent this year?  How will you prepare yourself or your family to worship Christ the newborn King?