A WEARY WORLD REJOICES I WEEK 1
A Weary World Rejoices: Finding Hope in the Whole Story
Anyone else ready for Christmas cheer? Our collective 2020 seems to be one big “weary world”. All of us are looking hopefully ahead to a new year. But what if skipping over the rest of 2020 is a missed opportunity to find the hope we all desperately need? What if the story of Scripture is inviting us to take a deeper look at our own story, and inviting our “weary world” to actually “rejoice”, even when it seems impossible? Join us in December as we journey through Isaiah and discover the whole (and controversial) story of Christmas - one that’s worth celebrating.
WEEKLY GIVING STATISTICS
(Fiscal Year Began June 1, 2020)
Last Week Weekly Need YTD
$4,345 $2,533 $14,879
JOIN US FOR WORSHIP IN PERSON OR ONLINE!
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 AT 10AM
VISIT centergr.com/live OR centergr.online.church.
GOOD TO KNOW
SMALL GROUPS:
LOOKING TO GET CONNECTED?
PLEASE CHECK OUR ONLINE RESOURCES; SOME OF OUR SMALL GROUPS MAY BE MEETING DIGITALLY
DUE TO COVID-19.
Visit centergr.com/nextsteps for more info.
CENTER STUDENTS MINISTRY:
Due to COVID-19 our Center Students will not be meeting at this time.
Please stay tuned for updates and contact jon-michael@centergr.com for more details.
He’d love to hear from you!
CENTER KIDS MINISTRY: IMPORTANT UPDATE!
Please be aware that throughout the month of December our Center Kids Ministry will be meeting within limited capacity.
Please contact dani@centergr.com for further details.
OPPORTUNITIES
HAND2HAND MINISTRY: UPDATE!
Would you like to continue supporting our HAND2HAND ministry?
Look no further!
The following items are always appreciated:
- Oatmeal packets
- Granola bars/protein bars
- Individual fruit cups
- Individual sized cereal boxes
- Microwave popcorn packets
- Trail mix
- Granola bars
- Fruit snacks
- Fruit cups
- Pudding cups
- Peanut butter/cheese cracker packets
- Meat sticks
- Any kind of small bagged snacks (Goldfish Crackers, Animal Crackers, etc)
Donations may be brought to church, but a socially distanced pick up can be arranged at Byron Community Ministries as well.
Thank you for your support!
Any questions? Please contact office@centergr.com for more info and we will get you connected.
HOPE UNEXPECTED:
The Center Church takes part in the Hope Unexpected Ministry.
Please contact office@centergr.com if you are interested in serving. We’ll get you connected!
JOHN GORVEATTE I LEAD PASTOR
’A WEARY WORLD REJOICES’ WEEK 1
KEY PASSAGE: ISAIAH 61:1-11 NIV
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
5 Strangers will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 And you will be called priests of the Lord,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
7 Instead of your shame
you will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit a double portion in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours.
8 “For I, the Lord, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”
10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.