Moving Forward

As we look to the New Year, we look with hope. 

Moving Forward   I pray your Christmas was filled with joy and peace! Hopefully you were able to connect with friends and family, even if you weren't able to share the same spaces. This email includes links to worship for the final Sunday of 2020. I know there are many people ready to close the books on this year. However, there's no guarantee that 2021 will meet our expectations either. Our hope is not found in the turning of the calendar. Our hope is in Jesus. The world he created was good, but it has long been subject to decay. Time will not heal the wounds of sin. His blood shed on the cross, and his wounded hands alone can do this.  As the redeemed people of God, we look forward with heads held high in hope, not because the calendar moves forward but because our God continues to move us forward. We move forward in his good plans as we anticipate healing, restoration and peace. We continue our Christmas celebration, as we trust in the God who entered this broken world in order to bring these gifts. I'm grateful to celebrate, to hope, and to follow Jesus with you. here for you, Matt Behrens, Pastor   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life,[a] and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5) Online Worship Join brothers and sisters from Calvary for worship this Sunday. The pre-recorded segment will be available on Facebook and YouTube at 9:00am. We meet on Zoom at 9:30am.  Home Worship - printable 9:00am worship on YouTube 9:00am worship on Facebook 9:30 on Zoom You shouldn't need this with the above link, but the password for Zoom is slz. New Portals of Prayer Available Copies are available at the church office. If the office is closed there will be copies in a plastic bin outside the office door. Please come and pick up yours today. Drive-In Communion on January 3 We will celebrate the Lord's Supper in vehicles on Sunday, January 3. Plan to join your Calvary family in the church parking lot. You'll be able to hear Pastor Matt by tuning your car stereo to the appropriate FM channel. At distribution, the elders will bring bread and wine to your vehicle. This will be a brief communion service following our regular Sunday online worship and Zoom. Gather at Calvary for a 10:45am start If you would like an order of service to follow, you will find a printable copy at the link below. It is not necessary to have this, but is provided for your convenience. Communion Service Received this By Forward? Want to Sign Up? If you received this email from a friend and you want to be added to Calvary's email list, use the link below. Welcome, friend!   Sign-Up for Emails

Merry Christmas!

God bless you this Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Merry Christmas! I couldn't get my kids to arrange themselves for a picture, but they'll gladly arrange the figurines next to our tree. From our family to yours, may God bless you this Christmas! Christ is born for you! here for you, Pastor Matt Behrens (Sherrah, James & Lucy too!)   For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Merry Christmas! (Worship for Christmas Eve & Day)

Worship online with friends this Christmas Eve and Day!

Merry Christmas!   This email brings our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship links and resources to you. Please share these with friends, and join your friends at Calvary as we worship. I pray you're able to connect with friends and family as we celebrate the birth of our Savior – whether in person or otherwise. here for you, Matt Behrens, Pastor   For to us a child is born,     to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder,     and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) Christmas Eve Worship There is no set time for Christmas Eve worship. The video will be available all day on December 24 (and anytime following). Use the link below to access. I pray this service of scripture and song can find a place in your Christmas celebrations and connections - whatever form those connections may take. Christmas Eve Home Worship - printable Christmas Eve Worship on YouTube Christmas Day Worship The videos for Christmas Day will stream at 10:00 am. Following the video portion, worship continues on Zoom. The links are below. Christmas Day Home Worship - printable Christmas Day Worship on YouTube at 10:00am Christmas Day Worship on Facebook at 10:00am Zoom at 10:30am You shouldn't need this with the above link, but the password for Zoom is slz. New Portals of Prayer Available Copies are available at the church office. If the office is closed there will be copies in a plastic bin outside the office door. Please come and pick up yours today. Drive-In Communion on January 3 We will celebrate the Lord's Supper in vehicles on Sunday, January 3. Plan to join your Calvary family in the church parking lot. You'll be able to hear Pastor Matt by tuning your car stereo to the appropriate FM channel. At distribution, the elders will bring bread and wine to your vehicle. This will be a brief communion service following our regular Sunday online worship and Zoom. Gather at Calvary for a 10:45am start.  A Thank-You From LINC Bay Area One of our local mission partners is LINC Bay Area. You've shared financial gifts through direct missions, and Calvary supplies office space to Pastor Putnam, LINC's City Director. Click on the image above to view a short thank you from Pastor Putnam. Your generosity is making a gospel impact here in the Bay Area! Received this By Forward? Want to Sign Up? If you received this email from a friend and you want to be added to Calvary's email list, use the link below. Welcome, friend!   Sign-Up for Emails

Plan what to celebrate... then decide how.

 

What will your Christmas plans look like this year?

Rain Like a Promise   Friends in Christ, In church (online) this past Sunday we thanked God for the rain. The rain brings the promise of new life. The winter rains bear meaning for the spring and summer months. In a small way, our winter rains provide hope for the future. We are a people of hope. Our God has given us many promises, and he has a history of keeping his promises. He follows through on his promises, and we trust he will continue to do that.  Our Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. He will come again one day to bring us home with him. He will declare us righteous by the work he completed on the cross. As many times as we come to him in need of forgiveness, he will provide grace, mercy and pardon. He will one day make all things new, and we will live with him forever. These are all promises we know to be true. They bear meaning for our future.  These promises also strengthen us for the trials of today. May you be strengthened as we follow Jesus together in hope! here for you, Matt Behrens, Pastor   "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven     and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout,     giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;     it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,     and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. "For you shall go out in joy     and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you     shall break forth into singing,     and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;     instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord,     an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." (Isaiah 55:10-12)   Sunday Worship Online worship will take place with videos on Facebook and YouTube at 9:00am. Immediately following the video, we will gather on Zoom (about 9:30am) where we can interact and share prayers with one another. The Home Worship handout is also available below (and mailed to a number of our Calvary members and friends each week). Our video worship will follow the same basic format. Home Worship - printable YouTube at 9:00am Facebook at 9:00am Zoom at 9:30am You shouldn't need this with the above link, but the password for Zoom is slz. Christmas Worship Plans Look for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day online worship opportunities next week! This is a change from what was originally planned. A video for Christmas Eve will be available anytime on December 24th. Please make use of this service of readings and hymns as part of your Christmas Eve, whether staying home or gathering with a few family members. On Christmas Day, we will have a Christmas worship video available at 10:00am (just like our Sunday mornings, only 1 hour later). This will be followed by a gathering on Zoom. Links for all of these will be provided on the Calvary website and via email next week. New Portals of Prayer Available Copies are available at the church office. If the office is closed there will be copies in a plastic bin outside the office door. Please come and pick up yours today. Drive-In Communion on January 3 We will celebrate the Lord's Supper in vehicles on Sunday, January 3. Plan to join your Calvary family in the church parking lot. You'll be able to hear Pastor Matt by tuning your car stereo to the appropriate FM channel. At distribution, the elders will bring bread and wine to your vehicle. This will be a brief communion service following our regular Sunday online worship and Zoom. Gather at Calvary for a 10:45am start.  Christmas in a Sack - Still a Little Time! Christmas in a Sack is a set of at-home family activities, discussion starters, and Christmas fun centered on the birth of Jesus. We want to supply a Christmas in a Sack for you and the people you care about. Let your friends at Calvary know how many sacks you would like to reserve. We'll have them ready for pick-up at Calvary on December 20-22. We're asking you to take care of delivery for your friends and family. Think about sharing with your kids, neighbors or school friends. Each sack will be appropriate for a family of 4-6. We have a limited number still available. Don't wait! Use the link below to reserve your Christmas in a Sack today! Reserve Christmas in a Sack A Thank-You From Lutheran World Relief One of the mission agencies you chose to support through a direct missions gift in 2020 was Lutheran World Relief. Specifically, Calvary directed funds to help in Beirut following the explosion in the harbor there. Click on the image above to access a brief video giving thanks for all the gifts received, and sharing insight into the movement of the Holy Spirit among people there. Thank you for your generosity which is helping bring the gospel to people around the world! Received this By Forward? Want to Sign Up? If you received this email from a friend and you want to be added to Calvary's email list, use the link below. Welcome, friend!   Sign-Up for Emails Copyright © 2020 Calvary Lutheran Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Calvary Lutheran Church 17200 Via Magdalena San Lorenzo, CA 94580-2928 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.