SERMON NOTES:

Prayer Requests
Y Pray for NEW BEGINNINGS! Y Protection, safety and guidance for Heather Butterfields sisters Susie, Danielle, Samantha and Linda, and that they walk with the Lord. Y For Amy Moores mom, JoAnn, who had a diverticulitis attack and was in the hospital. Y Pray of thanks for Karen Bakia and Ndip and all their families. Y Pray for world peace and for those of us looking for work to find a job. Y For Bobbie Pearson whose recovering from pneumonia and fighting weakness and cancer. Y Pray that Hildy Peterson finds full-time employment. Y Giving thanks for recovery of Karen Bakias dad, for her family and good health. Y Pray for Beverly Dols, John Ivers sister, who suffers from lung cancer. Y Pray for Diana Zile-Young, friend of Ivers, who suffers from liver failure. Y Pray for Jennifers friend, Richard Ninmann, who is suffering from heart failure. Y Pray for Ryan Tates mom who found abnormal cells on her thyroid. Please pray that everything will be okay. Y Pray for healing for Candi (Heathers friend) who has cancer. Y Pray for Elaine Slotty, friend of Jennifer, who is receiving chemo for her cancer. Y Pray for Arlene Benson, Dianne Blacks sister, who is in the hospital for depression and anxiety. Y Pray for Addie Norby-Oberg, a young child who lives two houses down from Paul & Amy, who has and will have multiple surgeries on her skull. Y Pray for Dave Schwartz and Mary Olson (friends of George & Dianne Black) who are both going through cancer. Y Pray for Bernie Pommer (Gina Irlbecks father) who had open heart surgery. Y Pray for Bea Bullard (friend of Dianne Black) who fell and broke her hip.

Y Pray for Ward Sessing, member of the Presbyterian Church of the Way, who is recovering from surgery. Y Pray for Donna McCullen, wife of Ken McCullen. Y Pray for Alan Shingledecker who is suffering from past injuries. Pray the lawsuit ends so he can have surgery and get off pain killers. Y Pray for Jennifers neighbor, Julie Fjeld, who is receiving treatment for her cancer.

DEVOTION

God orchestrated many types of new beginnings in the Bible. God did them through individuals, through families, through Jesus, through the resurrection, and through groups of people. In each of these stories this new beginning was not expected or created by a human. They began with God. As we read these stories this week may we learn something new about our God who delights in seeing new beginnings. Comments about the devotion can be shared with Pastor Paul at pastor@colpres.org Monday, December 3 Read Exodus 3:1-12 God had great plans for Moses. God wanted Moses to go back to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of this land. At the burning bush God shared these plans with Moses. This was an incredible plan of new beginnings. Whats interesting is God came to Moses to share this new beginning plan. Moses didnt come to God. Moses wasnt looking for a new beginning. He was living his life

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with his family as a shepherd. He didnt have an overarching plan for his life. Whats also interesting is God didnt force Moses to follow this new beginning plan. If you keep reading through this chapter and the next youll discover that Moses strongly objected to doing what God wanted. God did everything in the divine power to persuade Moses to follow; however Moses always had a choice. This plan was not imposed on him. God is working through each of us right now in initiating a new beginning. We dont have to create a plan; our task is to discern what God is doing. Prayer: Its amazing to know that you are working within us right now, O God, to create a new beginning. Dont let us be resistant like Moses. Help us to see the new beginning you desire for us. Tuesday, December 4 Read Genesis 45:1-15 God had been orchestrating this reunion between Joseph and his brothers ever since Joseph was sold by his brothers to traders from Midian. (Genesis 37:28) Joseph had been hiding behind a secret. Joseph didnt reveal himself to his brothers. When he finally came clean the family experienced a new beginning. Sometimes family secrets can prevent families from experiencing a new beginning. These secrets can keep families stuck. The secrets gain power because they dont come out into the open. Does your family have any family secrets that keep your family stuck? Would coming out in the open about them, help your family experience a new beginning? Joseph

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and his brothers experienced a new beginning. We can too Prayer: Some of us have secrets, O God, that are hard to share. Its easier to cling to them instead of coming out into the open. Through your tenderness give us the courage to share these secretsif we have them. We can experience a new beginning. Wednesday, December 5 Read Luke 5:33-39 These verses share a challenging perspective to the relationship of the old to the new. The challenge is to see Jesus and his teachings as completely new. Jesus was a Jew and came from a tradition that valued fasting and other rituals. But his presence changed the course of history. Its important to know Jesus context, but the light of the world was Jesus and shone on Jesus. Its healthy for us to reflect on how we see Jesus and his teachings as new in our own life. Even if we have followed Jesus our entire life we still can learn new things and grow in our appreciation for who Jesus is for our life. We dont want to put old wineskins on such new wine!! Prayer: When you came into the world, Jesus, you changed the course of religion forever. Even if were followed you our entire life help us see you and your teachings as new. Open us to experience you as new wine. Dont let us be an old wineskin. Thursday, December 6 Read Luke 24:1-12 The resurrection changed the course of history. Its a new beginning that is always new. Jesus followers didnt understand Jesus until they saw that he had been raised from the dead. When his followers

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experienced Jesus as a resurrected person they were changed. Peter had to go to the tomb himself to confirm what had happened. When he left the tomb he was amazed. His perspective on Jesus had completely changed. It certainly was a new beginning for him. We dont focus on the resurrection during Advent, but the event is so powerful that we cant help but acknowledge it. It was the ultimate new beginning Prayer: Even in this season may we be opened like Peter to the power of your resurrection. Help us be amazed at how God raised Jesus from death. May the power of the resurrection help each of us experience a new beginning. Friday, December 7 Read Acts 2:37-47 This story is one of a new beginning for the community which we call the church. Through the working of the Holy Spirit and through Peters preaching a group of people came together. We can already see the power in this story of this new beginning. Three thousand people were baptized. Awe came upon everyone because all the wonders and signs that were done by the apostles. The community was so tightly connected that no one would go hungry. This story is a model for any local congregation. Through the Holy Spirit and solid preaching we can experience a new beginning. We are always called to be open to how God is leading us to experience a new beginning. We are not weighed down by our past, but instead led forward to experience always something new!

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Prayer: Thank you for this model of community that is shared in this story. May our congregation called Chain of Lakesand every congregationsee this story as our foundational story. May the new beginning experienced in Acts 2 be one that we experience frequently. May we be cut to the heart too just like the disciples in this story. Saturday, December 8 Read Acts 9:1-9 This is one of the most amazing conversion stories in the Bible. God called Saula persecutor of the churchto be his follower. Saul became Paul and then became the first church planter. His conversion was a new beginning. Most of us wont have a life-turnaround like Saul did. But we can still appreciate the power of God to change the course of history. Prayer: We are amazed at what you did to Saul in this story, O Lord. We know of people who need to have their lives turned around too. We lift up their names to you asking that you would work in their lives.