Christmas, Advent 2024!
The season of Advent is all about remembering the anticipation and welcome of Jesus and its meaning for us today.
At Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ in Beaverton, near Portland Oregon, we welcome people of all ages, races, religions, and members of the LGBQTIA+ community to celebrate the Advent Season with us!
Join us for the season of Advent!
Advent/Christmas 2024 season:
The season of Advent begins December 1, 2024. This year we will celebrate the season of Advent with resource materials from A Sanctified Art. Our theme will be “Words for the Beginning”.
Advent is a season of endings and beginnings. As the calendar year comes to a close, a new church year rushes in. Christ’s birth ushers us into new ways of living and loving—and yet, we feel the weight of many things coming to an end.
Given our polarized world, and in anticipation of continued anxiety regardless of the Election Day outcomes, we need the support of comforting messages.
“Words for the Beginning” will include these weekly themes
You Are a Blessing (Luke 1.26-38 and Isaiah 43.1-7)
We Can’t Go Alone (Ruth 1 and Ecclesiastes 4.9-12)
Do the Good that Is Yours to Do (Luke 3.7-16 and Isaiah 58.9b-12)
Hope Is Worth the Risk (Matthew 1.18-25 and Luke 1.46-55)
Love Knows Your Name (Luke 2.1-20 and Isaiah 9.6)
Don’t Forget to Laugh (Luke 2:10, Matthew 2:10, Isaiah 9:2-3, Psalm 148, Psalm 126:1-3, Ecclesiastes 3:1) Texts of joy!
Epiphany – The Road Isn’t Straight (Matthew 2.1-12 and Isaiah 43.16-21)
In addition, we will be sharing art work, music, and fellowship times that deepen these themes and prepare for and celebrate the gift of Christmas.
Check our electronic newsletter, Weekly Highlights for updates.
Dates:
This year’s dates for each Advent Sunday are December 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd. We will have a Family Christmas Eve Service on December 24th at 4 pm, and also a Candlelight Christmas Eve Service later that evening at 10 pm. We hope you will join us!
Quilt Square from A Sanctified Art’s Words for the Beginning
Take a look below at last year’s Advent highlights to see what celebrating this season is like here at Bethel!
Advent/Christmas Services Beaverton Portland
2023 Advent Theme: “Great Holy One”
This year those four themes will be woven into a series called: “Great Holy One”. We will be using worship materials created by Brian Wren. Wren is an internationally published hymn-poet and writer. In this series we will be invited to consider five dimensions of God as “great Holy one.”
WEEK 1
The first Sunday of Advent, December 3, we will acknowledge the times when it appears to us that God is hiding: “Hidden One, How Can We Meet You?” Our focus texts will be Isaiah 64:1-9 (“oh that you would rend the heavens and come down”) and Psalm 80 (“how long will you be angry?...we knock and get no answer.)
Christmas Advent 1 Service: “Hidden One, How Can We Meet You?”
Blue Christmas, December 3rd
Later in the afternoon of December 3, we will offer a “Blue Christmas Service” at 2pm in the sanctuary. As its name suggests, the Blue Christmas service provides comfort and support for those who may be struggling to be “happy or merry or cheerful.” If you have lost a loved one, or have experience any significant loss, the holiday season be especially difficult. You may feel out of step with everyone else. The Blue Christmas service makes room for and acknowledges these “counter cultural” feelings.
WEEK 2
The second Sunday of Advent, December 10, we will explore the awesomeness of God: “Awesome One, Where Can We Find You? The focus texts will be Mark 1.1-8 (in a human face), Psalm 85.8-13 (in justice and peace), Isaiah 11.6 (and a little child shall lead them).
Advent 2 Worship Service, “Awesome One, Where Can We Find You?” Bethel UCC, Beaverton, near Portland
WEEK 3
Children’s Christmas Pageant, DECEMBER 17th
The third week of Advent, December 17, we will lift up God’s initiative to reach out to us: “Seeking One, How Will You Meet Us?” The children and youth of Bethel will inspire us to discover how God seeks us and meets us with the annual Christmas pageant.
Children’s Christmas Pageant Bethel Beaverton, “Watching, Waiting, Welcoming” Advent 3 Service
WEEK 4
Christmas Eve Candlelight service at 10 PM
The fourth Sunday of Advent is December 24. Since it is also Christmas eve will have two services: the usual Sunday worship at 10am and a Candlelight service at 10PM. At our 10 am service, we will dive into the loving dimension of God: “Loving One, How Have You Found Us?” Focus texts will be 2 Samuel 7:1-11,16 (God does not live in a building; but is with us wherever we go) and Luke 1:26-38 (Jesus born of Mary)
The Christmas Eve candlelight service at 10pm will celebrate the “aliveness” of God and the leadership of God: “Living One, How Will You Lead Us?” A number of lessons and carols will be shared at this service as well as special music from our chancel choir.
“A Tragic Distraction” Advent Week 4
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Bethel Beaverton OR completing Advent 2023
A Progressive Church Near Me?
We're convenient to Portland's west side, right in the heart of downtown Beaverton, just south of the Beaverton City Library at the corner of 6th and Watson Avenue.
Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ
5150 SW Watson Avenue
Beaverton, OR 97005
(503) 646-1191