Looking into the lectionary - Resources to guide you to January 🎄

December 29, 2024 First Sunday after Christmas  Luke 2:41-52 “What did the president know and when did he know it?” On June 29, 1973, Senator Howard Baker Jr., vice-chairman of the Senate Watergate Committee, asked former White House Counsel John Dean this famous question to protect President Nixon. Instead, Dean explained the president’s knowledge of the break-in and deep involvement in the cover-up. Senator Baker’s question is now a part of the American lexicon, often referenced when assessing someone’s knowledge of and involvement in less-than-upright actions. A paraphrase of the Watergate question — “What did Jesus know and when did he know it?” — is a succinct summary of a debate that dates back to the earliest years of church history and theology. At one end of the spectrum are those who maintain Jesus must have known everything because of his divine nature. Those at the other end of the spectrum argue just as strongly that Jesus was as limited in his knowledge as any other human being. For example, in his book, Jesus: God and Man, Raymond Brown cites Cyril, the 5th-century patriarch of Alexandria, who said of Jesus, “We have admired his goodness in that for love of us he has not refused to descend to such a low position as to bear all that belongs to our nature, INCLUDED IN WHICH IS IGNORANCE.” The emphasis on the last phrase is original to Cyril. Our Gospel text for this first Sunday after Christmas, Luke 2:41-52, is the only story in the four gospels about Jesus’s childhood other than his birth. On the one hand, Luke seems to acknowledge the idea that Jesus possessed some extraordinary knowledge. After three days, his parents “found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Luke 2:46-47). On the other hand, Luke concludes this unique story with the observation that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor” (Luke 2:52). This is not the first time Luke mentions Jesus’s growth and development. After Jesus and his parents returned to Nazareth following his dedication in the temple, “the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). The amazement exhibited by those who heard Jesus talking with the teachers that day in the temple is characteristic of the reaction of the crowds throughout his ministry. ... Thank you to this week's writer Philip K. Gladden. Read the rest of the commentary on the website. Order of worship — December 29, 2024, by Philip K. Gladden Holy yearnings: a prayer for the end of the year by Katy Shevel A cry for mercy (December 29, 2024) by Austin Vernon A collect prayer for the shortest day of the year by Daniel Health Presbyterian Outlook’s top opinion pieces of 2024: Exploring faith, politics, and the church’s future by Rose Schrott Taylor Christmas Eve worship resources by Teri McDowell Ott Want the worship resources for December 22, 2024? You can find them here. Did you know loneliness is America’s most significant health problem, according to Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy in 2022? Explore biblical wisdom and practical steps to cultivate meaningful friendships with this “Friendship” Bible study by Katy Shevel. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... Justice, gratitude and healing: The most referenced prayers of 2024 Justice, gratitude, and healing — these were the themes of the Outlook's most referenced prayers in 2024. — Rose Schrott Taylor Addressing the hurt that also feels holy PC(USA) pastor and researcher Erin Raffety and neurodivergent director of ministry Ellen White discuss how neurodivergent youth are reshaping youth ministry in innovative, faithful ways. Watch a conversation between Erin, Ellen and Outlook Social Media Producer Jesy Littlejohn. The kingdom of God calls us to something beyond the imagination “If we see wrong, step up. I believe that God steps with us.” Chris Burton and Dartinia Hull tackle systemic sin, generational trauma, and the hope found in God’s promises. At-home Christmas liturgy Here is a tool to invite the holy into the day. — Rose Schrott Taylor  Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground For religious and spiritual alike, "Ordinary Mysticism" provides a smorgasbord of resources for listening to life to hear the voice of divine presence in the ordinary. — Jessica Hawkinson Dorow The top Outlook book recommendations of 2024 According to our readers, these were the best books of 2024 to purchase. — Amy Pagliarella Joy and sorrow with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings In "Woodland," Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings’ merge timeless folk ballads with pressing social issues, blending joy, sorrow, and soulful protest. — Andrew Taylor-Troutman Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation awarded $2.4 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. Significant grant will enable the Presbyterian Historical Society to greatly expand its exhibit program. — PNS

Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

We can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Between Monday, December 23 and Sunday, December 29, we'll lay before God the needs listed below.

• Monday, December 23, 2024 - That we renew our commitment to life.
• Tuesday, December 24, 2024 - That our leaders would be honest, humble and God-fearing men and women who recognize that they are accountable to God for each decision and action.
• Wednesday, December 25, 2024 - That we celebrate Christmas by sharing the love of Bethlehem's child with others.
• Thursday, December 26, 2024 - That God brings peace to the Middle East.
• Friday, December 27, 2024 - That people stop expressing their frustration through violence.
• Saturday, December 28, 2024 - That we put aside partisan differences so that we can address the problem of gun-violence.
• Sunday, December 29, 2024 - That doctors and nurses claim and use the skills given to them by God

Children's Christmas Celebration Service

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: Children's Christmas Celebration Service: Sligo Presbyterian Church celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ at a youth-oriented worship experience presented by some young people from Cl...

WCC NEWS: WCC extends greetings to Jewish communities as they celebrate Hanukkah

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended warm greetings to Jewish communities around the world as they celebrate Hanukkah.  Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 18 December 2024 “In these days of dedication and celebration of the greatest miracle in Jewish history, let us pray for reconciliation and light in our shared world,” he said. “We pray that the oil from the menorah will once again be sufficient to illuminate our lives and guide us in peace and hope.” He noted that, this year, Christmas and Hanukkah coincide. "The World Council of Churches expresses appreciation to our Jewish partners, recognising the significance of the ongoing, meaningful dialogue that we continue to foster with our Jewish brothers and sisters,” Pillay said. “This dialogue serves not merely as a channel for mutual understanding, but as a blessed conduit through which we pursue the peace that is essential for humanity.” He added: “May this festival of lights ignite in us hope and life in a world surrounded by darkness, destruction, and death.”   Read the letter of the WCC general secretary WCC Reference Group for Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation maps future vision (WCC feature story, 5 December 2024) "Applications open for Interreligious Studies at Bossey" (WCC news release, 5 December 2025) Learn more about the WCC interreligious work Current Dialogue - World Council of Churches’ journal on interreligious dialogue “Fighting Antisemitism” event takes human rights perspective (WCC news release, 1 October 2024)   See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC News: As Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 approaches, WCC offers variety of resources

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will take place from 18-25 January, and churches and Christian communities worldwide are invited to use the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 resources in seven languages, including a child-friendly version. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 18 December 2024 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity resources are available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Arabic. For the commemoration in 2025, a child-friendly version of the resource entitled “Praying for Togetherness to a God of Togetherness” is prepared for households, schools, and church services where all ages are present. In order to pray together for unity among churches throughout the year, the prayers and reflections for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 were prepared by the brothers and sisters of the monastic community of Bose in northern Italy. The resources are jointly published by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches. The final material is sent to WCC member churches and Roman Catholic episcopal conferences around the world – and communities are invited to translate the text and adapt it for their own use. The year 2025 marks the 1,700th anniversary of the first Christian Ecumenical Council, held in Nicaea, near Constantinople in 325 CE. This commemoration provides a unique opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the common faith of Christians, as expressed in the Nicene Creed, which traces its origins to the Council of Nicaea. The Council of Nicaea led to the adoption of the Nicene Creed as an expression of the common faith of Christians. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 offers an invitation to draw on this shared heritage and to enter more deeply into the faith that unites all Christians. The guiding biblical text for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 comes from John 11:17-27. The theme for the week, “Do you believe this?” (v. 26), takes its cue from the dialogue between Jesus and Martha when Jesus visited the home of Martha and Mary in Bethany following the death of their brother Lazarus. The traditional period in the northern hemisphere for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is 18-25 January. In the southern hemisphere churches often find other days to celebrate the Week of Prayer, for example around Pentecost, which is also a symbolic date for the unity of the church. Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025: Praying for Togetherness To a God of Togetherness Learn more about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

Prayer Today - Interceding for Syria and Its People: A call for prayer

Interceding for Syria and Its People: A Call for Prayer Zoom Link Here TODAY, December 18th at 5.00PM CET (4.00PM GMT), we will join together for an hour of prayer with the leaders of World Evangelical Alliance and the leaders in Syria, the Middle East region and the broader global community to conclude a week long prayer started in answer to the abrupt political and social changes in Syria. Alongside the churches in Syria, the WEA along with the Middle Eastern and North African Regional Alliance called for a week of prayer of fast beginning on 11th December 2025.   “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?” -Isaiah 58:6 Let us pray for: Peace and Stability in Syria Pray for a peaceful transition in the ongoing regime change, resulting in justice, stability, and prosperity for all Syrians. Kindly ask for God’s wisdom to guide global and regional leaders involved in shaping Syria’s future. Protection of Christian Communities Pray for the safety of all Christian communities, churches, and leaders in Syria as they navigate this period of uncertainty. Please intercede against threats posed by rising radical groups, asking for God’s shield over His people. Wisdom for Church Leaders Pray for clarity, wisdom, and strength for Christian leaders ministering to their congregations amid adversity. Kindly ask God to provide them with discernment as they shepherd His flock in this challenging times. Return and Restoration Pray for the safe return of displaced individuals, including approximately 10,000 Christians, to their homes in Aleppo and other regions. Please lift up those uniting into their communities, asking for resources, opportunities, and support for their rebuilding efforts. Radicalism and its evil Kindly intercede against the influence of radical groups, praying for the establishment of a just and secure society. Please ask God for peace to replace conflict and for God’s hand to dismantle forces of oppression. Unity and Faith Pray for unity among believers in Syria, that they may remain steadfast in faith and be a light to others. Kindly ask for boldness and perseverance in their witness, sharing the hope of the Gospel. Let us approach this week of prayer with the faith and hope, believing that God is at work in Syria. May our sincere intercession contribute to peace, freedom, and God’s glory in the region. Sign Up for this prayer.

Sign Up here Over two billion Christians in the world today are represented by three world church bodies. The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) is one of those, serving more than 600 million evangelicals belonging to churches that are part of 143 national Evangelical Alliances in 9 regions. Launched in London in 1846, the WEA unites evangelicals across denominations for prayer, evangelism, mission, theological education, religious freedom, human rights advocacy, relief, and engagement in a wide range of social issues. It speaks with one voice to United Nations, governments, and media in public or through behind-the-scenes diplomacy on issues of common concern to the Church. For more information, visit worldea.org WEA has been a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability since 1980. WEA is audited annually by an independent public accounting firm. WEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In the United States, your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

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