12/25/22 Bulletin & Order of Service

10 am Order of Service

Pastor's Note

A NOTE FROM PASTOR MARGE I love when Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. In fact, I think it should always be on a Sunday. I think it would be easier to hold on to the real meaning of Christmas if it were on a Sunday and the day began not with the frenzy of presents under the tree, but with worship in the family of God. I think that is the way it ought to be. Today, on this beautiful Christmas morning, we celebrate a gift that was so costly we could work the rest of our lives and do 1,000,000 good deeds yet we could never repay God for the gift he has given to us, the Christ child wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.

Out of all the places the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords was to be born, it was not in a palace, it was not in a castle with a silver spoon in His mouth, He was born into the messiness that is just this average, everyday horse stable in a little town that is not even that great, Bethlehem. Jesus was born into the messiness and guess what? He knew exactly what he was stepping into, and He continues to be a pro in stepping into the messiness of your life and the messiness of my life.

In Luke 2:8-14, we read the all too familiar story of an angel making the announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ to shepherds who are out in a field watching over their flock at night. This is such a hugely important Scripture passage, especially verse 11: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Out of all the things the angel wanted to declare, the angel wanted the shepherds to know, and they want us to know today, that Jesus was born to be a Savior. The angel did not call him Teacher, and he was a teacher. He grew up and taught. The angel did not call him Rabbi. And he grew up and was a rabbi. And the angel did not call him a religious figure. But He was, he started a whole new religion after all.

God did not send his One and Only Son to this earth just to be a good example, to start a new religion, to teach us some things that would make our lives better, not even to perform miracles. True, Jesus accomplished all of these things during His life on Earth, but He was sent into this world as a baby for a much more significant reason: to be the Savior of the world! The reason that Jesus came and was born on this earth was not because we are mistakers in need of a life coach, but rather we are sinners in need of a savior. My question to you this morning is this: is Jesus the Savior and Lord of your life or have you just been believing in a little baby in a manger without ever actually surrendering your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ?

St. Pete First family, hear this good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today, we are the recipients of the greatest gift: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Merry Christmas everyone.

— Pastor Marge

Bulletin/Announcements

Wednesday Night Dinner & Activities will resume on January 11th

Last Week’s Attendance Numbers

Thank you for joining us for worship! These are our attendance numbers for worship from last Sunday. We hope to see you again next week!

December 18: In Person 364 // Online 309

Church Council (12/27) will not be meeting this month due to the holidays.

Church Office Holiday Hours: The Church Office will be closed all day on Monday/Tuesday December 26-27 and on Monday, January 2.

Thank you to everyone who ordered Christmas Poinsettias in honor or in memory of loved ones! Your poinsettias may be picked up after the 8 pm Christmas Eve service or after the 10 am Christmas Day service.

Looking for a VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY in 2023?

Family Promise of Pinellas offers Prevention, Emergency Shelter, and Stabilization programming for needy families in OUR County. Learn more about how St. Pete First volunteers can partner with this very successful local and national program. If you volunteered in the past, come learn about how they adapted and changed over the past 2 years. See you Wednesday Jan 11, 2023 at 6:30 in Room 208. Any questions email Denece denece_stratton@hotmail.com or Caroline carolinefeaster@gmail.com

Upcoming Wednesday Night Classes:

Begins January 11th! Pastor Bob will lead this class on an in-depth look into one of Jesus’ best loved parables—the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). In the study we will dive into uncovering some of the least known secrets of the parable’s purpose and expose the depth of God’s love and how His grace extends into some unexpected places. Using the book The Prodigal God (written by best-selling author Timothy Keller) as a resource, Pastor Bob will help illuminate the treasures found in this critical story told by Jesus. Click here to sign up.

Begins January 11th! The Gospel in Exodus- a picture of the New Testament in the book of Exodus. Click here to sign up.

Begins January 11th! As a woman of today, have you ever thought about what God is calling you to do? Better yet, are you stopping long enough to hear God speak? This study on the story of Ruth is one of calling and yet an uncertain future. It helps take a story of history and bring it to life in today’s context for the busy woman who juggles so many balls each day. Click here to sign up.

Begins January 18th! ...You pray for your own needs and for the needs of others. You pray in the face of conflict, and you pray for forgiveness. You pray to pour out your heart to God and to gain a glimpse of God's heart for you. Come join Pastor Margaret on Wednesday nights from 6:30-7:30pm starting on January 18th as we study for twelve weeks the prayers of men and women in the Bible (Mary, Abraham, Moses, Daniel and more!). We will gain new insights into why, what and how to pray. This study will help you to experience more fully the adventure that prayer can be. Click here to sign up.

Interested in Joining St. Pete First? Our next New Member Class is on Sunday February 19th, from 10:45 am to 1 pm. Click here to register.

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12/25/22 Bulletin & Order of Service

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St. Petersburg First United Methodist Church
212 3rd Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727.894.4661

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