December 15, 2020
On Zoom officiated by Don Ng
Opening Prayer
Gracious and timeless God, in this very unique and unusual time in our lives and in the world, we come together, thankful for the invention of social technology like Zoom when we are social distancing to remain well, believing that there is the promise of a new day. Lord, you created the heavens and the earth and your wind swept over the face of the water and separated the light from the darkness (Gen. 1:1-3). We as your creation have enjoyed the light that gave us days to serve you when we worked at Educational Ministries. Endowed with gifts that came from you, we employed them in many ways: publishing curriculum, enhancing communication, teaching teachers, leading leaders, taking orders for resources, granting scholarships, shipping out books and magazines, supporting schools of all sizes, and doing administration. All of these ministries, tasks and many others, we are grateful to have had a part in strengthening the educational functions of your church on earth.
In Ecclesiastes, we read that there is a season for everything under heaven. There is a time to be born, and a time to die. We remember those who have returned to you, Lord but today we wish to lift up those who recently have joined the ranks of your saints:
Bill Belli
Pat Finn Farrell
Beverlee Everett
Vicky Ganser
John Pipe
Wendy Rothenberger (2/1/20)
Charlie Harker (2/10/19
Dean Hurst (8/4/20)
Roger Price
Dan Weiss (8/22/20)
May they rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them (Rev. 14:13).
Today is our time for gathering, celebrating, meeting up even if we can only do it on Zoom, to re-unite because in addition to the ties that bind us in Christ, the ties that bind us year after year is that we all shared that history of being EM colleagues. We are thankful that serving together in Valley Forge has brought together different people with different backgrounds to set an example of what it’s like to be the beloved community that is already in heaven and we are having a foretaste on earth.
O God, as the praise song sings,
As we gather, may your Spirit work within us.
As we gather, may we glorify your name.
Knowing well that as our hearts begin to worship,
We’ll be blessed because we came—
We’ll be blessed because we came. (Tom Coomes & Mike Fay, 1997)
Lord, bless us today and everyday as we also bless one another seeing each other face to face. In the name of Jesus Christ in this season of Advent, we pray. Amen.
Sharing Time
- Where are you today?
- During this holy season between Thanksgiving and Christmas when we are particularly open to God’s presence, for what are you thankful?
Benediction
Now to our God, who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations (Eph. 3:20-21). May God keep your going out, coming in and soon leaving Zoom from this time on and forevermore. (Ps. 121:8) Amen.