VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE JANUARY 7, 2024

We begin our service with song. Pastor Gail Linstrom opens the service by welcoming all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family. Michelle Hensley calls us to worship with a reading of Psalm 130, and Albert Ramseyer opens us in prayer. Nick Baltazar and Ed Manacop lead us in our praise singing. Greg Hart takes up the praises and concerns of the church and our world in the Prayers of the People.

 

In her sermon, “The Rewards of Waiting Well,” Pastor Gail looks at the stories of Simeon and Anna in Luke 2, who are present at the Temple when Mary and Joseph present Jesus to fulfill the Law. Both have waited to see the Messiah, and through the Holy Spirit God has promised Simeon that he will not die until this has occurred. Anna has been living and working in the Temple for many years, through changes in governments, wars, and even the reconstruction of the Temple by Herod. As a widow, Anna has patiently and faithfully served in the Temple. When these two see Jesus, they immediately recognize who he really is, and are led to prophesy about his life and ultimate victory. We are like Anna and Simeon, waiting for the return of the Messiah, walking with the Spirit to do what God requires us to do. Their story reminds us that God will fulfill his promises.

 

Pastor Gail then leads us in the sacrament of communion, and you are invited to participate as well.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People have been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of those participating or mentioned. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s CCLI license # 2486815.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2024 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.