Pastor's Corner
God is With Us
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23
Forget the presents. Ignore all the food. Enjoy friends and family, but don’t let your joy stop there. During this time of year, there is only one reason to have true, lasting joy – God has taken on human flesh, forever. God has taken on “flesh” in many ways throughout time. God walked in Eden (Gen. 3:8). He came to Moses in a burning bush (Exodus 3:6). He led the people of Israel out of Egypt as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). He literally sat on top of the ark of the covenant between the two cherubim (1 Sam. 4:4). God has been taking on various forms of “flesh” ever since Eden, but they all pale in comparison to what Christ has done for you at Christmas. He took on YOUR flesh.
He took on our flesh with all its weaknesses, our flesh with all its temptations, our flesh with its many limitations, our flesh that is subject to pain, and hunger, and tiredness. God took on all these limitations willingly. But it was not enough for Jesus just to take on human flesh. He did this for a very good reason. Jesus took on human flesh so He could suffer, die, and rise from the dead. In Christ’s incarnation, we have truly been given the greatest gift of all time. His death and His resurrection have now become our death to sin and our resurrection to eternal life.
You truly have so much to be thankful for at Christmas, but make sure you look past the lights, the trees, the gifts and the food. Take joy in what Christ has done for you by coming in your flesh to save you from all sins and even save you from death itself.
– Pastor Grimenstein
Poinsettia Order Form
Every year we decorate our altar area with poinsettias at Christmas. The flowers are purchased by members and friends to remember special people in their lives.
The poinsettias will be displayed on Christmas Eve. You may pick them up after the 7 pm service, or the Christmas Day service. Please, remove only the number of flowers you ordered.
The flowers may be ordered until Sunday, December 10th. Payment must accompany your order. Place this order form with payment in the Poinsettia Collection Box on the narthex desk. Do not place in the offering plate. If you have any questions please call the office at 412-221-4776 ext. 203, or email secretary@zlcb.org.
News from the Preschool
Greetings! Our year is well underway and is filled with 165 beautiful children learning, playing, and hearing God's word. We started in September, which is always a little chaotic, and now here we are in November purring like a kitten.
In case you were ever wondering what a typical day in the preschool looks like…. here you go:
We open the doors promptly at 9:00, greet the families at the door, and escort the children to their classrooms. As you can imagine, in September this was very challenging, especially since this was some of the students' first time away from their parents...lots of crying! Now fast forward to October…it’s a completely different story. The children now can’t wait for the doors to open and barely wave goodbye to their parents as they joyfully head to their classrooms…whew!
Once the children are settled in their rooms, we start the day on the carpet. The teachers will have a “morning meeting” and explain what they will be learning and doing that day. We then recite the “Pledge of Allegiance”, and the older classes also recite the “Christian Pledge”. Then it’s off to “Free Choice” time. During Free Choice the children can play and use their imaginations with any number of toys and manipulatives set out for them. We also have “Centers” during this time. Each teacher in the room has a specific activity and will call the child(ren) over to complete the activity.
After Free Time we play the “clean-up song” and the children put their toys away. This takes some time, but eventually they know exactly were everything goes…and are very particular about it!
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, we head up to the sanctuary for Chapel and Kids Praise. Pastor leads an interactive lesson with the children, and then I take over for Kids Praise. After all of this, the students are hungry… so off to snack we go. The rest of the day is filled with additional centers, story time, gross motor activities, and Jesus Time on the days we do not have Chapel.
As you can see, our days are very full. During October, November, and December, we also have lots of holiday themed parties, with the Grand Finale being the Christmas programs on Dec. 4th, 5th, and 7th at 7:00. We would love to see you there.
Our school is such a blessing to the students and their families, and I am equally blessed and proud to be its director. Thank you for allowing me to have my dream job.
Merry Christmas!
Tracey Harris
VIDEO: Sunday December 3, 2023 - Complete Service
View the bulletin for Sunday, December 3, 2023
Sour Fundraiser Pick-up
8:00 a.m. - Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. - Adult/Teen Bible Study, and Sunday School
10:30 a.m. - Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)
VIEW THE CHRISTMAS & NEW YEARS EVE SCHEDULE
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins
AUDIO: Announcements, Readings & Sermon for Sunday December 3, 2023
View the bulletin for Sunday, December 3, 2023
Sour Fundraiser Pick-up
8:00 a.m. - Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. - Adult/Teen Bible Study, and Sunday School
10:30 a.m. - Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)
VIEW THE CHRISTMAS & NEW YEARS EVE SCHEDULE
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins
Old Testament Reading -- Isaiah 64:1–9
Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.
Epistle Reading -- 1 Corinthians 1:3–9
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the thirteenth chapter.
[Jesus said:] “In those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
Sunday School Christmas Video
Don’t Miss the Sunday School Christmas Video which will show after both services on Sunday December 10, 2023
Christmas Video …
Our Christmas video is complete.
THANK YOU Tess Carter for all the time and hard work producing it, and thanks also to the kids for participating.
In the Classroom…
For December, we will continue with CPH's Enduring Faith Series, Unit 7 - "Jesus Comes For Us". December lessons include: Lesson 5, "The Pointing Prophet-John Points to Jesus"; and Lesson 6, "A Temple Cleansing-Jesus Clears the Temple".
Important Sunday School Dates!
In the Classroom: For December, we will continue with CPH's Enduring Faith Series, Unit 7 - "Jesus Comes For Us". December lessons include: Lesson 5, "The Pointing Prophet-John Points to Jesus"; and Lesson 6, "A Temple Cleansing-Jesus Clears the Temple".
Christmas Video … Our Christmas video is complete. THANK YOU Tess Carter for all the time and hard work producing it, and thanks also to the kids for participating.
Sunday, December 3rd
9:15 a.m. - Christmas Song Practice 9:30 Sunday School class
Sunday, December 10th
9:15 a.m. - Christmas Song Practice 9:30 Sunday School class Video Showing after both Services
Sunday, December 17th
9:15 a.m. - Sunday School Christmas Party in classroom (Jesus birthday cake, stories, gifts & games)
Sunday, December 24th
NO SUNDAY SCHOOL OR MORNING WORSHIP
Sunday., December 31st
NO SUNDAY SCHOOL OR MORNING WORSHIP