Greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you.

img_9971-copySometimes it is easy to forget that the Lord is with us. There are dark times, but none dark enough to extinguish the Light of the World. The Lord is with you and me. It is no accident that we Christians choose to fill the shortest and darkest days of the year with the light and love of gathered fellowship. Christmas elevates our thoughts and spirits. It reminds us, falling as it does immediately after the Winter Solstice, that, though things may seem impossibly dark, a greater light is coming into the world and growing brighter by the day.

Don’t hunker down. Don’t isolate. Come and experience light and love and joy and peace face to face and hand in hand.  Share moments. Find meaning. Celebrate life.

 

Christmas at West Bloomfield UCC:

December 11th:  Blue Christmas service 6pm, The Christmas season is a time of communal joy and celebration. This is as it should be, but not at the expense of those among us who are grieving, despondent, and/or depressed. It can be an isolating and lonely time for our brothers and sisters who are hurting. This
will be a quietly reverent and tenderly comforting service created for those who are hurting emotionally. A simple soup and bread meal will be offered after the service for any who choose to stay.

December 18th: Christmas Pageant, “No Room at the Holyday Inn” & Hallelujah Chorus during 10am service. An engaging, modern adaption of the story of Christ’s birth followed by a stirring rendition of Handel’s masterpiece.

December 24th:  Christmas Eve Services: 7pm Family Service & 11pm Quiet Communion Our early service is boisterous and celebratory. Our late service is quiet and reflective, concluding with candlelight singing and the ringing of the church bell at midnight.

Merry Christmas and Blessings for the Coming Year. Please remember those who are grieving amidst all the joy of the season. If that’s you, know that we are here for you.

Peace,  Corey

Christmas Services at West Bloomfield UCC

church4Thursday December 24 CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
7pm Family Service & 11pm Quiet Communion
Our early service is boisterous and celebratory. Our late service is quiet and reflective, concluding with candlelight singing and the ringing of the church bell at midnight. Everyone is welcome.

For over 200 years, West Bloomfield Congregational Church UCC has been a courageous, open, pioneer Church and a sanctuary for independent thinkers.

Our mission is to be a welcoming beacon for all who seek a deeper, richer, more meaningful life in Christ through a down-to-earth spiritual journey that is comfortable yet challenging. Our uplifting worship, soul-fired music, friendly authentic fellowship and robust Christian Ed youth and adult programs inspire us to sustain faith and growth, reach out into the community and conduct good works near and far.

blue christmasBlue Christmas Gathering

The Christmas season is a time of communal joy and celebration. This is as it should be, but not at the expense of those among us who are grieving, despondent, and/or depressed. It can be an isolating and lonely time for our brothers and sisters who are hurting.

West Bloomfield Congregational Church UCC will observe a Blue Christmas Gathering Sunday, December 13th at 6 pm. Developed and led by Corey S. Keyes, Cora Miller Cornelius, Julie Hall-Jugle, and Carolyn Troy, it will be a quietly reverent and tenderly comforting service created for those who are hurting emotionally. A simple soup and bread meal will be offered after the service for any who choose to stay.

Please pass this information along to any you know who might wish to attend.

Annual Cookie Sale!

Holiday Sugar CookiesLET US BE YOUR HOLIDAY BAKER! Saturday December 7th, 9am-3pm. WBCC’s Annual Cookie Sale features cut outs and over 30 other varieties of holiday favorites! Sold by the pound. Also, candies, jellies, jams, and other homemade gifts!  New this year: We will also feature vendors selling jewelry, Stampin’Up, Scentsy, candles, holiday decorations, and other wonderful gift items!

Advent Season & Christmas Mission

By SolLuna (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
When I stopped in to church yesterday I was visually reminded how close we are to Christmas… the sheep and donkey that grace our sanctuary during Advent have started their pilgrimage toward the front of the church. Seeing these creatures each year brings such a feeling of innocent, child-like anticipation and appreciation of the season. Happy Advent everyone! Continue reading “Advent Season & Christmas Mission”