Three is no reason to be alone this Christmas, or to take care of everything except your soul and your family’s souls this Christmas – come and rejoice with us over the REAL good news of Christmas: the coming of God’s Son Jesus Christ, the Saviour, in time to save and now to forgive, heal and make new.  He and His Word are full of the REAL love of God for you and for the world, and REALLY renews our hearts and minds and love for one another.  Jesus IS the GIFT of God for all people of every nation, language and group – for everyone… including you.

SCHEDULE of SERVICES and EVENTS at GOOD SHEPEHRD and ONLINE

NOTES:

This Sunday service for Advent 4 (Dec 24 afternoon) has been moved to Saturday 2pm!

No midweek services until January

ADVENT

 Sat Dec 23

4th Sunday in Advent (observed)

  2pm – Divine Service

CHRISTMAS EVE

  6:30pm – Christmas Eve Vespers Service

CHRISTMAS DAY

  2pm – Christmas Day Divine Service

** no midweek services this week **

SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

  2pm – Divine Service
+ Christmas Party (potluck)

8pm – French Christmas Vespers Service
(zoom only)

THE EPIPHANY

  11am – Epiphany Matins Service

      + Kings’ Cake

THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD

  2pm – Divine Service + 3:30 Bible Study

 Bible Readings (EN)

Blessing of a Nativity Scene

For example, when putting it up for the season or on Christmas Eve:

* The “Great O Antiphon” prayers and stanzas of O Come O Come Emmanuel (Dec 17-23)

• With explanation
• With hymn
• (see below for eBoard Book on O Come, O Come Emmanuel, with music and images)

* Christmas carolling booklets

• Christmas Carols Booklet
• Good Shepherd’s Classic Christmas Carols booklet

• Adviento – Advent
• Navidad – Christmas 
• Epifania – Epiphany

* Print, colour, cut out and assemble your own Advent Wreath
(add candle flames week by week for 4 sundays in Advent)

• Flat Advent Wreath for door or wall
• Free-standing Advent Wreath

* Print, colour, cut out and assemble your own Nativity Scene

• Free-standing Nativity Scene

* See Sunday school lessons below for great colouring pages

* See Sunday School lessons below for age-adapted versions of Bible Readings for the season – also useful for sharing with newcomers working on their English

* “Dee reads to us” (listen and watch, and read along)

• St Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend (listen and watch)
• The Legend of the Christmas Tree (listen and watch)
• Baby’s First Nativity – A Child is Born!  (listen and watch)
• The True Meaning of The Twelve Days of Christmas (explanation, sing along)

* eBoard Books for Advent and Christmas (read on mute, and learn to sing with music)

• O Come, O Come Emmanuel 
• Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming 
• We All Believe in One True God 
• (I have more at church)

* The Way of the Nativity
Read and meditate on and pray through the 14 Gospel readings that make up the account of the Nativity of our Lord

* Daily Bible Reading and Meditations

• Read – LSB Daily Lectionary
• Listen and read – Higher Things: Dare to be Lutheran
• Listen – The Word of the Lord Endures Forever (Pastor Weedon)

* Lectionary Learning Pages, Teaching Supplements, and more for each Sunday and Feast Day

* Sunday School at Home resources for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany (different levels for different ages)

• Fourth Sunday in Advent: The Angel visits Mary and Joseph
• Christmas Eve+Day – Dec 24-25: Jesus is born 
• Sunday after Christmas: The Boy Jesus visits the Temple in Jerusalem 
• Epiphany – Jan 6th: The Wise Men visit Jesus 
• Sunday after Epiphany: Jesus is Baptized… for sinners!