Age 3 thru 11 years old

Room 4

After Communion

Available at the back of the

auditorium

Schedule of Services Sunday

“What Do the Scriptures Say?” (AZ-TV Chan. 7) 7:30 am

Pioneer’s Home Worship Service 8:30 am

Morning Bible Classes 9:30 am

Morning Worship Service 10:30 am

Evening Worship Service 6:00 pm

Monday

“What Do the Scriptures Say?” (PCAC Chan. 13) 3:30 pm

Wednesday

Ladies Bible Study (at the church building) 12:00 pm

Evening Bible Study 7:00 pm

Saturday

“What Do the Scriptures Say?” (PCAC Chan. 13) 6:00 pm

Should We Keep Christ in Christmas?

It's that time of the year again. The stories of Rudolph and Frosty are relayed to us melodically on the radio. Living-room furniture has been rearranged to accommodate that glowing evergreen wrapped in garland and draped in tinsel. We’ve all be receiving cards in the mail from friends and family. The stores are busier than usual. There’s a nip in the air and yes, we’re all “dreaming of a white Christmas.”

Of course, for many people, Christmas is not only about trees, decorations and presents. December 25th is viewed by many as the birthday of Christ, or at least the day upon which His birth is celebrated. In response to the materialism that often typifies the holidays, church-goers nationwide are saying things like “keep Christ in Christmas” and “Jesus the reason for the season.”

Contrary to conventional wisdom, churches of Christ do not celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. We won’t be setting up a Christmas tree in the building, and we won’t be organizing any Christmas pageants or special Christmas service on December 25th. Why not? It’s simple: our goal is to worship and serve God according to the pattern of the New Testament (1 Cor. 4:6-7; Col. 3:17) and we’re never instructed in the New Testament to celebrate the birth of Christ as an annual holiday.

Having said that, am I saying that we should remove Christ from Christmas? In one sense, yes! We shouldn’t create a religious holy day where God has not. At the same time, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Therefore, whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

So while we shouldn’t say “Happy Birthday Jesus!” on the morning of December 25th, we most definitely must remain Christ-centered in all that we do over the holidays. Don’t fall prey to greed and materialism. Don’t participate in the drinking and immoral partying that is typical this time of the year. And don’t respond so radically to the religious element of Christmas that you come across as “anti-Christ.”

~ Casey Head, Queen Way church of Christ

If you are interested in

setting up a study we have

many options available to

you. Ask one of the Elders

or Deacons, they will be

happy to help in any way.

Please consider yourself our

honored guest. We are glad

you have come our way and

invite you to return any time

you can. We encourage you to

fill out a visitors’ card so we

have a record of your visit.

Please come back to worship

with us at any and every

opportunity you have.

Church Statistics

Sunday Bible Class Attendance n/a

Sunday Worship Service Attendance n/a

Pioneer’s Home 17

Weekly Budget $4069

Mt. Vernon Contributions $3494

Contributions for TV Show $345

Today’s Morning Worship Service Dec 29th

Morning Worship Service

Announcements Don Dillahunty Announcements Don Dillahunty

Song Leader Eddie Redman Song Leader Eddie Redman

Opening Prayer David Kirschner Opening Prayer George Parks

Lord’s Table Kevin DeZorzi Lord’s Table Alan Wilkerson

Austin Wester Don Burdine

Mike Wester Gary Zito

Alan Wilkerson Greg Hendrickson

Scripture Reading Troy Trammell Scripture Reading Kevin DeZorzi

Closing Prayer Cliff Seawel Closing Prayer Troy Trammell

Before Bible Study & Worship

Don & Maxine Dillahunty After Worship Service

Greg & Deanna Hendrickson

120 N Mt Vernon Ave ~ Prescott, AZ 86301 ~ (928) 445-5190 or (800) 778-9377

mountvernonchurch.org ~ ScripturesSay.com

minister: Mike Scott

Elders:

Otto Buehler ~ Glenn Kenner ~ Mark Marley ~ Larry Miller

Deacons:

Don Dillahunty Spencer Guest Troy Kenner Eddie Redman Fellowship Education Youth Work & Benevolence Building & Grounds

Larry Sanderson Lester Turner Personal Work Missions & Worship

Church Office Hours Mon – Thurs 9:00am to 1:00pm

Congratulations Michelle Henry (Denise Henry’s daughter) on her graduation from Harding University last week. Michelle has a Bachelors degree in Biology. She will be here in Prescott while she is looking to start her new career. Directories There are new member directories in the church office. **Pictures Today** Today we will have to retake all those pictures for people with last names R-Z. Please come down front after worship. Host Needed We need a host for our January Third Sunday Potluck. The signup sheet is on the back table if you can host please sign up. Corp Commission Meeting On January 5th we will hold our annual meeting; we need to make sure that we have enough members present to have a quorum. Please make plans to attend, it is a very quick meeting

Annual AZ Corp Commission Meeting Jan 5th at 5:40 in room 9 Elders, Deacons, & Preacher Meeting Jan 14th at 7pm Third Sunday Potluck Jan 19th after morning worship.

December 22 James 23 1 Peter 24 2 Peter 25 1 John 26 2 John-Jude 27 Revelation 1-5 28 Revelation 6-11

Information has been excluded from

the internet publication of this bulletin for privacy

reasons.

All questions below were submitted to “What Do The Scriptures Say?” via the Internet or by someone calling to request an answer to their question.

Question: Why Do Christians Worship On The First Day Of The Week? Answer: Part 2 of 2 (By Rod Rutherford) Please notice again, “Therefore the Law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Galatians 3:24,25). If we are no longer under the Law of Moses, then obviously the Sabbath law is not binding upon us today. When did the Law of Moses as a law binding upon God’s people end? The answer is, it ended when Jesus died on the cross thus fulfilling it. Please notice: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace” (Ephesians 2:13-15). Jesus abolished the law of commandments (the Law of Moses which included the command to keep the Sabbath, Exodus 20:8). He abolished it “in His flesh;” that is by His death on the cross (cf. Colossians 2:14-17). The new law, the Law of Christ, came into effect on Pentecost Day (Acts 2). On that day, the church of Christ was established (Acts 2:36-47). From that time, we find Christians meeting to worship upon the first day of the week which is Sunday. “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight” (Acts 20:7). “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come” (I Corinthians 16:1, 2). In summary, why do Christians meet for worship on Sunday, the first day of the week, instead of Saturday, the seventh day of the week? The teaching of the Bible is plain. The Law of Moses, which included the Sabbath commandment, was to the nation of Israel only. It lasted as a binding law until Christ died on the cross. The Law of Christ, which began at Pentecost, is God’s law for all mankind today. The Law of Christ teaches that we are to meet on Sunday, the first day of the week. This is the day upon which our Lord arose from the dead (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2-6; Luke 24:1; John 20:1). The day upon which the church began, Pentecost day, also was on the first day of the week (Leviticus 23:9-16). Therefore, we can see why the Lord chose the first day of the week as the day of worship for Christians.

December 29 Larry Miller January 5 Andrew Mathews January 12 Dieter Pleier

I've been blessed to meet some new ladies through radiation as we sit in the "locker" room waiting for treatment. One lady in particular has been on my heart. She's 20 years my senior with the sweetest disposition. Through the weeks of treatment, she's grown to trust me and has shared with me that she is near the end of her medical journey. The breast cancer has returned a third time, it is now extensively in her bones and spine. This is the last radiation for her. There is little left the medical community can offer her except pain management and those conversations with doctors will be forthcoming soon. You'd think our conversations about death and dying would be gloomy and depressing, but they're really not. They are sweet, hopeful, thoughtful and reflective. She needed a listening ear because her family is not quite ready to accept her physical realities. Sometimes a "stranger" can be a pretty good listening ear. You see, she's a believer and knows God can step in to save the day at any time. She also knows He's getting her ready for heaven; and she is planning the way she's living out her life. Cleaning out closets and getting her house in order for her family, but not in a desperate way, a loving way. She is thankful for the years God has given her; she is just so graceful in her manner! We pray to have the grace to walk our life’s journey the way He intends for us. The number of those days is really of no consequence, only that each one is spent living. I don't know how many days, weeks or years God has planned for us here, but I will LIVE them all! I will love the ones He loves and depend completely on His grace to save me. I want my life to be a love response to Him for my salvation and be ready to go to heaven. Sure, I don't want to dwell on death all the time, but living with a readiness to meet Jesus face to face - that's really living! Blessings! Sharon Washburn

In one of the great statements of faith, Bob Moorehead wrote: I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, “chincy" giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by presence, lean by faith, walk by patience, lift by prayer and labor by power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He stops me And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me - my colors will be clear. That should be the cry of every person who takes The Name of Jesus Christ! That should be me! ~J. Tom Washburn