“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” Colossians 3:14 (NRSV)
This Sunday we marked the third Sunday of Advent — the Sunday of joy. It was the service led by our choir. As always, we held you in our hearts, especially those who could not be with us in person.
We know this season can sweep us into a flurry of family gatherings, work commitments, preparations, travel, and care for others. Even when we’re scattered, we remain one in the Spirit, connected by God’s grace and the love we share as a community.
If this recording blesses you, or offers a quiet pause in the middle of a busy week, please consider sharing it with someone who may need a word of peace, a moment of worship, or simply a reminder that they are not alone.
May the peace of Christ find you wherever you are this week.
Stay warm, stay encouraged, and stay loved.
Worship Link for December 14th, 2025.
Worship: Sunday, December 21, 2025, 10:45 a.m.; Regular service, 4th of Advent.
Scripture to Ponder & Prayer
Fourth Week of Advent
Texts this week:
Isaiah 7:10–16 • Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19 • Romans 1:1–7 • Matthew 1:18–25
To Ponder:
Isaiah 7:10–16 & Matthew 1:18–25
A Brief Reflection:
Friends—I can’t imagine how quickly we’ve arrived at the final week of Advent.
What once felt like a long wait has shortened, and together we’ve journeyed through the weeks of hopes and longings this season. Even December’s unusual weather—days when many of us barely stepped outside—has slowed us down, inviting us to notice what truly matters.
As we move closer to Christmas, we’re reminded that God’s love rarely arrives with fanfare. It does not demand attention or announce itself with power. Instead, love comes quietly. The sign God gives is not a spectacle, but a child—an ordinary, tender sign of hope and renewal.
That same love meets us in Matthew’s story of Joseph. When Mary is found to be pregnant, Joseph faces fear and confusion. Yet Scripture calls him righteous, not because he understands everything, but because he is loving. He chooses compassion over judgment, mercy over shame. Even before understanding what God is doing, love shapes his response.
God meets Joseph in a dream and speaks into his fear: “Do not be afraid.” Love reassures rather than pressures. Love invites trust when certainty is missing. Joseph chooses to believe that even in uncertainty, grace is already at work.
The child is to be named Jesus—“the one who saves.” And in that moment, an ancient promise comes alive: Immanuel—God with us. This is love made visible. God choosing closeness. God entering human vulnerability. God dwelling in the ordinary rhythms of life.
Joseph wakes and acts in love. He does not have all the answers, but he chooses faithfulness. His love is quiet, steady, and courageous.
This is the love Advent points us toward—a love that takes the humble path, shows up in ordinary people and unexpected moments, and makes space in messy and imperfect lives. The Christmas story reminds us that God’s love always makes room for more—and that each of us has a place in God’s unfolding promise.
Let us pray,
Loving God,
Open our hearts to the quiet ways your love enters our world — not in fanfare, but in the small, human signs of grace we often overlook.
Help us trust that Emmanuel, God-with-us, is already here: working in ordinary people, mending what is broken, and awakening a deeper love than we have imagined.
Shape our steps this week, that the love you give us may become love we offer to the world. Amen.
Trinity United Church 