CHRISTMAS EVE & CHRISTMAS MORNING with Jackson Community Church
CHRISTMAS EVE, SAT, Dec 24 @ Jackson Community Church
- 5pm • OUTDOOR SERVICE with CAROLS, LESSONS & CANDLELIGHTHot cide
- Hot cocoa
- Caroling as we walk the journey of the holy family
- Scripture
- Candlelight & prayer
- Dress warmly!
- 7:30pm • CANDLELIGHT SERVICE
- In-person & zoom
- Traditional indoor service with carols, scripture, candelight
- Solo by Becca Gottlieb
- Piano by Maisie Brown and Sharon Novak
- Candellight
- Carols
- Zoom Meeting ID: 142 985 761 (Password required, email JCC by NOON of Christmas Eve for info)
- 10pm • CANDLELIGHT SERVICE
- In-person and zoom
- Traditional indoor service with carols, scripture, candelight
- Debut of Christmas song written and performed by Sharon Novak
- Candellight
- Carols
- Piano with Sharon Novak
- Zoom Meeting ID: 142 985 761 (Password required, email JCC by NOON of Christmas Eve for info)
CHRISTMAS SUNDAY, Dec 25 @ Jackson Community Church
- 10:30am • STORIES & BELLS
- In-person and zoom
- Piano: Sue Titus-Reid
- Interactive Storytelling: Gail Doktor
- Text: Children’s Story
- Come in your pajamas or favorite casual attire
- Bring a sleigh bell or jingle bell if you have one, but we have plenty to share
- Prepare to sing and ring jingle bells
BLUE CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS EVE & CHRISTMAS MORNING with Jackson Community Church
THURS, Dec 22 – BLUE CHRISTMAS @ Jackson Community Church
- 6pm • In-person only
- Worship service
- Gathering to observe a time of solemnity, sorrow, and hope in the midst of the holiday season
CHRISTMAS EVE, SAT, Dec 24 @ Jackson Community Church
- 5pm • OUTDOOR SERVICE with CAROLS, LESSONS & CANDLELIGHT
- Hot cocoa
- Caroling as we walk the journey of the holy family
- Scripture
- Candlelight & prayer
- Dress warmly!
- 7:30pm • CANDLELIGHT SERVICE
- In-person & zoom (link & password available by emailing church by noon on Sat, Dec 24: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org)
- Traditional indoor service with carols, scripture, candelight
- Harp with Dominique Dodge
- Solo by Becca Gottlieb
- Piano by Maisie Brown and Sharon Novak
- Candellight
- Carols
- Live music
- Zoom
- 10pm • CANDLELIGHT SERVICE
- In-person and zoom (link & password available by emailing church by noon on Sat, Dec 24: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org)
- Tradiotional indoor service with carols, scripture, candelight
- Debut of Christmas song written and performed by Sharon Novak
- Candellight
- Carols
- Piano with Sharon Novak
CHRISTMAS SUNDAY, Dec 25 @ Jackson Community Church
- 10:30am • STORIES & BELLS
- In-person and zoom (link & password available by emailing church by noon on Sat, Dec 24: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org)
- Piano: Sue Titus-Reid
- Interactive Message: Gail Doktor
- Text: Children’s Story
- Come in your pajamas or favorite casual attire
- Bring a sleigh bell or jingle bell if you have one, but we have plenty to share
- Prepare to sing and ring jingle bells
2022 Holiday Sneak Peek: Thanksgiving, Advent & Christmas Offerings – Save the dates, reserve the book, get the tickets, and more!
THANKSGIVING & NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS
Ongoing until sold out:TICKETS for NUTCRACKER SWEETS on sale
- Call 207.935.4020
- Acquire tickets for: Dec 3rd (Sat) @ 5pm and Dec 4th (Sun) @ 2pm: Act One Dance Company presents Nutcracker Sweets.
- Performed at Leura Hill Eastman PAC at the Fryeburg Academy
- Members of our church community performing in this show.
- Tickets will be on sale at the studio (Tina Titzer’s School of Dance) and also at Spice and Grain.
- Note: Attending the December dance performance is an optional event to complement the church’s 3-week Advent book study of Matt Rawle’s The Gifts of the Nutcracker.
- JCC friends and members will attend the Saturday performance; participants must order their own tickets at phone number above.
SUN, Nov 13 & 20– CHOIR PRACTICE for ADVENT SONG
- 9:15am • JCC sanctuary or Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/142985761?pwd=T214WDhHRmxoYXE0dWRCNk53SFppQT09
- Copies of sheet music available in church entrance
- Email with recorded choir parts and PDF of music also coming – contact church via email if you wish to receve choir updates directly
- Preparing advent song: Do You Hear What I Hear?
SUN, Nov 20 – HARVEST BRUNCH CHURCH (In-person only)
- 10:30am – WORSHIP at JCC
- Bring side dish, appetizer, or dessert to share
- Gather in sanctuary and then go to parish house to eat, sing, pray, worship, and share conversation about gratitude
- Return pledge cards — being mailed out this week — to be collected and blessed
ADVENT SEASON
SUN, Nov 27 –WORSHIP – Advent 1: Hope
- 10:30am • WORSHIP (in-person & zoom)
- Piano: Sharon Novak
- Message: Gail Doktor
- Text: Luke 1: 1-24 (excerpts)
- Advent 1 Question 1: How will I know that this is so?
- First readers to light Advent candles
TUE, Nov 29 – GREENERY-DECORATING WORKSHOP
- 10:45am • GREENERY-DECORATING WORKSHOP for JCC Windows
Join us in parish house to decorate greenery for sanctuary windows
WED, Nov 30 – GREENING the SANCTUARY
- 9:30am – Noon (or later) • GREENING the SANCTUARY
Come to help put up tree, window and door decorations, trees inside and outside
SAT, Dec 3 – NUTCRACKER OUTING
- 5pm • NUTCRACKER Sweets
- Pewrformed by Act One Dance Company / Tina Titzer / Leura Eastman Theater, Fryeburg Acadamy, Fryeburg, ME
- Call to purchase tickets: 207-935-4020
SUN, Dec 4 – WORSHIP – Advent 2: Peace
- 10:30am •WORSHIP (in-person & zoom)
- Piano: Sharon Novak
- Message: Gail Doktor
- Advent 2: Question 2: How Can This Be?
- Text: Luke 1: 26-38 (excerpts)
- Communion
- Second group of readers to light Advent candles
TUE, Dec 6 – ADVENT STUDY:The Gift of the Nutcracker (zoom)
- 6pm • zoom only
- The Gift of the Nutcracker by Matt Rawle
- RSVP to reserve copy of the book: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org
- First gathering to discuss the first section of book
WED, Dec 7 – ADVENT STUDY:The Gift of the Nutcracker
- 9am • JCC (zoom and in-person) •
- The Gift of the Nutcracker by Matt Rawle
- RSVP to reserve copy of the book: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org
- First gathering to discuss the first section of book
SUN, Dec 11 –WORSHIP & PAGEANT – Advent 3: Joy (Pageant?)
- 10:30am •WORSHIP PAGEANT (in-person & zoom)
- Piano: Sharon Novak
- Advent 3: Question 3: Why has this happened to me?
- Text: Luke 1: 39-56
- Third group of readers to light Advent candles
SUN, Dec 11 –COMMUNITY CAROLING
- 12:30pm • Gather in church parking lot
- Drive (ride share or caravan if possible) to Jackson and Bartlett households
TUE, Dec 13 – ADVENT STUDY:The Gift of the Nutcracker (zoom)
- 6pm • zoom only
- The Gift of the Nutcracker by Matt Rawle
- RSVP to reserve copy of the book: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org
- Second gathering to discuss the second section of book
WED, Dec 14 – ADVENT STUDY:The Gift of the Nutcracker
- 9am • JCC (zoom and in-person) •
- The Gift of the Nutcracker by Matt Rawle
- RSVP to reserve copy of the book: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org
- Second gathering to discuss the second section of book
SUN, Dec 18 – WORSHIP – Advent 4: Love
- 10:30am • WORSHIP (in-person & zoom)
- Piano: Sharon Novak
- Message: Gail Doktor
- Advent 4: Question 4: What then will this child become?
- Text: Luke 1: 57- 80
- Fourth group of readers to light Advent candles
SUN, Dec 18 – PEACE CONCERT w/ Dennis & Davey
- 3pm • PEACE CONCERT w/ Dennis & Davey
- Free concert in JCC sanctuary to celebrate peace
TUE, Dec 20 – ADVENT STUDY:The Gift of the Nutcracker (zoom)
- 6pm • zoom only
- The Gift of the Nutcracker by Matt Rawle
- RSVP to reserve copy of the book: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org
- Second gathering to discuss the second section of book
WED, Dec 21 – ADVENT STUDY:The Gift of the Nutcracker
- 9am • JCC (zoom and in-person) •
- The Gift of the Nutcracker by Matt Rawle
- RSVP to reserve copy of the book: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org
- Second gathering to discuss the second section of book
CHRISTMAS EVE & CHRISTMAS DAY
SAT, Dec 24 – CHRISTMAS EVE
- 5pm • OUTDOOR SERVICE with CAROLS, LESSONS & CANDLELIGHT
- Hot cider
- Refreshmentds
- Firepit
- Caroling as we walk the journey of the holy family
- Scripture
- Candlelight & prayer
- 7:30pm • CANDLELIGHT SERVICE
- In-person and zoom
- Tradiotional indoor service with carols, scripture, candelight
- Candelight
- Carols
- Live music
- 10pm • CANDLELIGHT SERVICE
- In-person (zoom under consideration)
- Tradiotional indoor service with carols, scripture, candelight
- Candelight
- Carols
- Live music
SUN, Dec 25 – CHRISTMAS SUNDAY – Stories and Bells
- 10:30am • STORIES & BELLS
(in-person & zoom)- Piano: Sue Titus-Reid
- Message: Gail Doktor
- Text: Children’s Story
- Come in your pajames or favorite casual attire
Advent Daily Devotional: WEEK of LOVE: Day 27-Fri, Dec 24-Christmas Eve
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
— Psalm 86:5
Bless the Lord, light and darkness; sing praise to him
and highly exalt him forever. — Prayer of Azariah 1:48
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On the eve of holy love’s renewed arrival in the world, you prepare yourself. How do you get ready to welcome love at the door of your heart? Will you answer when it knocks on the threshold of your life? Will you hold up your own light in greeting? Or withdraw and wait for the One at the door to pass you by, hiding your light?
How could you possibly prepare for such an experience as holy agape love’s renewed arrival in the world and in your life? Perhaps simply by listening. Waiting. And setting aside any sense that you can do enough, or be enough, to earn such love and grace. You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to pass a test or prove yourself.
Ideally, you have chosen an ethical path, because you a follower of agape love’s Way. Optimally, you have lived out what you believe. And yet … humans always fall short. Can you ever deserve holy love’s presence? Not really. It’s a gift.
Part of the gift of grace is that holy love simply shows up. Even when it’s not reasonable. Not rational. Even when you cannot possibly deserve it or earn it.
Yet a gift is meaningless unless the one to whom it is offered says yes to receiving it. Will you say yes?
Amazingly, wonderfully, holy agape love chooses you, simply because you are a beloved child of God. This holy love accepts you and embraces you, just as you are. At the same time, this love believes in all you might yet become.
Are you ready? Probably not. Yet love is coming anyway. — Rev Gail
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Love is friendship that has caught fire.
It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence,
sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times.
It settles for less than perfection and
makes allowances for human weaknesses.— Ann Landers
At times our own light goes out and
is rekindled by a spark from another person.
Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude
of those who have lighted the flame within us.
— Albert Schweitzer