A long december.

Beginning on January 2nd.

I invite you to join me at Tabernacle as we begin 2011 with hope. Please have a safe and happy New Year's Eve tonight! The next few weeks are based off of the song 'a long december' by the Counting Crows. Below are the full lyrics to the song. We will be using some of these allusions as we see how the Gospel brings Hope for a new Year.

This week - living hope.

January 9 - passing moments.

January 16 - forgiveness.

January 23 - a new day.

A long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can't remember the last thing that you said as you were leaving
Oh the days go by so fast

And it's one more day up in the canyons
And it's one more night in Hollywood
If you think that I could be forgiven
I wish you would
(Na na na, etc. yeah)

The smell of hospitals in winter
And the feeling that it's all a lot of oysters, but no pearls
All at once you look across a crowded room
To see the way that light attaches to a girl

And it's one more day up in the canyons
And it's one more night in Hollywood
If you think you might come to California
I think you should
(Na na na, etc. yeah)

Drove up to Hillside Manor sometime after 2 a.m.
And talked a little while about the year
I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower
Makes you talk a little lower about the things you could not show her

And it's been a long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass

And it's one more day up in the canyon
And it's one more night in Hollywood
It's been so long since I've seen the ocean
I guess I should
(Na na na, etc. yeah)

Special Events

There are a lot of exciting things happening at TUMC in the next few weeks...

Dec 19th -

Christmas Breakfast - 9 am

Combined Worship Service - Sanctuary - 10:15 am

Special Children's Program - 6 p.m.

Dec 24th - Candlelight Christmas Eve

7 p.m and 11 p.m. Worship

7 p.m. - Traditional Worship led by organ and choir

11 p.m. - relaxed atmosphere with music led by our praise team.

Dec 26th -

No Sunday School

Combined Worship Service - Sanctuary - 10:15 am

January 2nd - A Long December Sermon Series Launches!

We hope you will join us during this beautiful season of hope.

Joy to the World

Isaac Watts, the great hymn writer, who also wrote 'When I survey the Wondrous Cross' penned the famous Christmas Eve hymn. You remember it right....

Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her king.

Let every heart prepare him room and heaven and nature sing.

What's interesting about this hymn is that it was not originally intended for Christmas, but more for the Second Coming of Christ. This is what Advent is - a preparing. We not only prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas, but we prepare to receive Him as returning King . Advent is a good season to prepare for both honestly. Is there room in your heart? Jesus said to be ready and to keep watch. Be prepared. He desire to come to you, and He is coming again. When we sing this hymn with lit candles celebrating the birth of Christ, remember the hymn writer wants to turn our attention to when Christ returns. Amen.