feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)
Dear family,
It was wonderful to take communion with you all on Sunday. There was a precious sense of sanctity experienced, and I was touched and encouraged by the number of conversations with many of you in response to the meditation. My pastoral letter this week is a poem that I wrote twenty years ago now, that relates to some of what I shared. I trust it is a blessing to you and encourages the strength and consolation of your own heart this advent season. Celia joins me in sending you all our Christmas blessings!
ZECHARIAH’S PRAYER
“Elizabeth was barren…” (Luke. 1:7)
Pray, speak to me with angel-words,
And hearken not to my vain litany,
That with legal exactitude recites
Each clause of my contracted life,
Considered, faithlessly, to be
Exclusive to your gavel’s freeing grace.
Pray, number not receding hairs and years,
And measure neither tears nor seed
That have been spilled in search of joy.
Listen no more to sterile unbelief
And murmured rage between my childless sheets;
Nor watch dumb lips indict your word.
Pray, chide my frigid, fearful heart,
Constricted, breathless, crushed and self-condemned;
Long weighted by the felled and sapless trunk
Of unconceived, bough-bare desire.
Step not on withered, once green hope
That lies leaf-browned and brittle round my stump.
Pray, heed not our shamed infertility,
But sprinkle soft your love-moist dew
Upon our sun-scorched, sand-duned souls.
Let tender mercy spring and spray the dust,
Until your fertile will both roots and shoots,
And wells water our wilderness.
“The word of God came to John, son of Zechariah… in the desert.” (Luke 4:2)
http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download MP3 audio of sermon)
Announcements
CHRISTMAS SERVICE: Our Candlelight Christmas Service will be on Saturday, Dec. 18th at 6pm (there will be no service on the following Sunday morning). Please bring a plate of goodies, ready to serve, to share after the service (sweet or salty).
WOMEN’S MINISTRY:
Friday Night Bible Study: Our next study will be on Dec. 10, 7-9pm at Subuola Kujore’s house, 1412 Mass. Ave. SE. For more info, see the women’s yahoo group or call Subuola (202-321-4134) or Anne Bradley (228-806- 4916).
Book Club: Dec. 13, 7pm at Beth Young’s house, 701 13th St. NE. See the women’s yahoo group for details!
MEN’S RETREAT: January 29-30, 2011. Men, please join us for a weekend of fellowship and encouragement. Stay tuned for details.
PREGNANCY CENTER BENEFIT CONCERT: The Capitol Hill Crisis Pregnancy Center will be having a benefit concert on Thursday, Dec. 9, 7:30pm at Washington Community Fellowship Church, 907 Maryland Ave. NE. Admission is free, and free-will donations will be accepted.
HEALING PRAYER TRAINING: There will be a Healing Prayer Training course in 2011. An introduction to healing prayer will be held on Jan. 15, open to everyone, and the Level 1 training (open to all attending a homegroup) will be held on Feb. 19, Mar. 5, and Mar. 19. Email Deborah if interested, deborah@christourshepherd.org.
SOUND ENGINEER: The worship team is looking for a few more people to join the sound team. Training is available. If you are interested, please email ben@christourshepherd.org.
Donations for 2010 must be received in the church office (or must be postmarked) on or before December 31 to qualify as a 2010 contribution. Contribution statements for 2009 will be mailed by January 31, 2010.
End of year checks designated for Care Company must be made out to “Care Company,” not COSC.
Bulletin Board
Postings not officially sanctioned by COSC.
Ads will be posted for up to 4 weeks. After that time period,
please contact the church office to see if space will permit the
ad to remain posted.
HOUSING WANTED: Barrett Bowdre is looking for short term housing in DC in the spring, roughly January/February to May, while he interns at the New Atlantis publication of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Looking for housing in range of less that $725/mo. Preferably near Cap. Hill, a metro, or accessible parking. He also has a potential roommate to share a space with if that would be a preferable situation. Contact barrett.bowdre@gmail.com.
HOUSING AVAILABLE: Nice, cozy room in Dupont Cir townhome available for $700/mo. + util between Dec. 4 and Feb. 24 (Dates are flexible). Townhome is located 5 mins from Dupont Cir metro, 7 mins from Foggy Bottom/GWU metro, 2 mins from Starbucks and 8 mins from Trader Joes! If interested, please contact kwdoley@gmail.com.
HOUSING AVAILABLE: Looking for CF/CMs for 2 rooms available in a lovely 3 bedroom townhouse near Del Ray, Alexandria. Fully furnished. Walking distance to bus/metro. Lots of parking available. $600-700/mo. + Util. Contact andrew.wasuwongse@gmail.com.
HOUSING AVAILABLE: Late-20s/Early-30s roommate wanted to share huge master bedroom in historic Victorian mansion in intentional Christian community with 4 young professional women (and 2 cats) in Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. BR has fireplace, private bath, spacious closet. Roommate is an early-30s female who values having a clean space. Large backyard, wrap-around porch, 2 full BA, 2 half BA. $531.50/mo. + util. Available immediately. Contact Laura at lauramgood@gmail.com.
Worship Team
Monthly Gathering | Tuesday, December 14th | 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
We need you! Even if you are not sure you want to join the team, we would love to get to know you and worship with you. Bring your voice or your instrument, and feel welcome to worship with us.