GREG
UCHIMURA
VIDEO TECH
Welcome to
THE WEEKDAY WORD…
UPDATED: DEC 23, 2024
Christmas Eve
I hope to see you and your friends, families and neighbors at one of our two Christmas Eve services at 4:30pm or 6:30pm.
We will share the light, sing the good news, and tell the story of Christ’s birth and revel in God’s fulfilled promise.
See you there!
Silent Night
One of my favorite Christmas Eve traditions is sharing candlelight and singing Silent Night together.
Silent Night has been a cherished hymn of Christmas since it was first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818 in a small church in Oberndorf, Austria. The lyrics were penned by a young priest, Joseph Mohr, in 1816, inspired by the peacefulness of the Nativity story. Two years later, faced with the need for music during Christmas worship after the church organ had broken down, Mohr asked his friend Franz Xaver Gruber, a schoolteacher and organist, to compose a melody for guitar accompaniment.
From these modest beginnings, Silent Night has become one of the most beloved hymns worldwide, translated into over 300 languages.
One poignant historical moment where Silent Night stood as a symbol of hope and unity was during the Christmas Truce of 1914 in World War I. Soldiers on opposing sides of the battlefield sang it together in their own languages, finding a brief moment of shared humanity amidst conflict.
As you sing Silent Night this season, reflect on its message of peace, simplicity, and the awe-inspiring mystery of Emmanuel - God with us. Whether in a grand cathedral or a small church in Bradenton, Florida, this hymn continues to draw us closer to the heart of Christmas.
Angel Tree & Prine Partnership
Thank you!
Thanks to you we were able to support 51 kids and provide gifts for Christmas. We delivered them to the school this week and they were overjoyed to receive them.
I also was able to meet with Assistant Principal Mary Cooke. She shared they are beginning tutoring at Prine Elementary School again in January.
If you are interested in tutoring, please reach out and let me know, as Ms. Cooke asked me to be a single point of contact. There is an orientation January 13 and a background screening process.
Let’s continue to support our neighborhood school!
Merry Christmas!
Reminder that our office will be closed from 12/24 at 1pm until New Year’s day.
We will be back in our office on January 2 to serve you in the new year!
If you need anything while our office is closed, please contact Pastor Haley at revhaleygrace@gmail.com or by cell at 904-545-1547.
Hymn Sing
On Sunday, December 29th we are having a hymn sing. Hymn sings to me remind me of evenings spent around the piano, my mom playing Christmas carols and our family singing.
As a family community, we will have the opportunity to gather and sing these hymns that lift us in this season and inspire our faith.
I hope you will join us. Be ready to call out your favorite as Karen leads us in song!
Also, we will not have Sunday School on December 29th.
I hope this Sunday provides a bit of peace after the hustle and bustle of the season.
In Christ's Love,
Pastor Haley
Emmanuel United Methodist Church
941-792-3497
5115 Cortez Rd. West, Bradenton, FL 34210
