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"And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary:
for you have found favor with God. And, behold,
you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth
a son, and shall call his name JESUS."
- Luke 1:30-31
(KJCNT)
Ecce Ancilla Domini (The Annunciation) - Dante Gabriel Rossetti
(1828-1882)
Hello Beloved -
If you have the Holy Spirit of Jesus abiding within you, then you are
able to endure all trials, blessed with the peace which surpasses all
understanding. If not, you remain deprived of the many blessings the
Lord
has waiting for you.
If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and
Saviour, you have the opportunity to do that right now by
clicking => HERE! - http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org/jesusdirect.html
Welcome
Welcome to the online worship service at Internet Church Of Christ.
Here is
a good place to worship our
Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. You are invited and are welcome at any
time. Blessings to you in Him.
Opening Hymn
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" - The song as we know it is based on an
original poem by Charles Wesley, altered by George Whitefield in 1753;
music by Mendelssohn, arranged by William H. Cummings, with MIDI
sequence by Rev. Bill McGinnis, attempting to present the classic
Cummings arrangement
HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING - by Charles Wesley, 1743,
altered by George Whitefield, 1753, Public Domain
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild;
God and sinners reconciled."
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th'angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King!"
Christ, by highest heav'n adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Come, Desire of Nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th' Incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus our Immanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King!"
Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris'n with healing in His wings;
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King!"
Amen.
O Lord, we know that You are everywhere,
And nothing happens that You cannot see,
But even so, we pray that You will come
And join with us directly at this time.
We now will offer up our praise to You,
And we do much desire to have You here.
In Jesus' holy name we pray, Amen.
Declaration Of Faith
The Apostles' Creed
This historic affirmation of faith comes to us from the early
centuries of the Christian church.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost;
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell;
The third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven
And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
The holy catholic church; *
The communion of saints;
The forgiveness of sins;
The resurrection of the body;
And the life everlasting.
Amen.
* Note: "catholic church" here means the entire body of
believers in Christ, not just one particular church.
1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a
city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the
house
of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, you that are
highly favored, the Lord is with you: blessed are you among women.
1:29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast
in
her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for you have found
favor with God.
1:31 And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a
son, and shall call his name JESUS.
1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest:
and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end.
1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know
not a man?
1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall
come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you:
therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be
called the Son of God.
1:36 And, behold, your cousin Elisabeth, she has also conceived a
son
in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called
barren.
1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me
according to your word. And the angel departed from her.
A Message From Pope John Paul II Concerning Mary, Mother Of
Humanity
Note: As a Protestant Christian, I do not usually spend very much
time talking about Mary and the Rosary. Nevertheless, this message from
Pope John Paul II holds much value, and I am giving it to you here.
"Jesus also gives his Mother to you so that
she will comfort you with her tenderness."
John Paul II
NOTE: Holy Spirit tells me not to tamper with this message, but rather
to copy it intact.
"Behold, your mother!"
Behold, Your Mother
"Behold, your mother!" (Jn 19,27)
My dear young people!
1. It always gives me great joy to address a special message to you on
the
occasion of World Youth Day. It is also a way to show you the extent of
my
affection for you. The vivid recollection of my experiences during our
World Youth Day meetings is impressed on my memory: young people and the
Pope together, and a large gathering of bishops and priests, all with
our
gaze on Christ, light of the world, invoking him and proclaiming him to
the entire human family. While I give thanks to God for the witness of
faith that you have given once again recently in Toronto, I renew the
invitation I made to you on the banks of Lake Ontario: "the Church today
looks to you with confidence and expects you to be the people of the
Beatitudes!" (Exhibition Place, 25 July 2002; ORE, 31 July 2002, p. 6).
For the 18th World Youth Day that will be celebrated in dioceses all
over
the world, I have chosen a theme related to the Year of the Rosary:
"Behold, your mother!" (Jn 19,27). Before his death, Jesus entrusted to
the apostle John what was most precious to him: his Mother, Mary. These
are the final words of the Redeemer, and therefore they take on a solemn
nature and could be regarded as his spiritual testimony.
Mother of God, Mother of humanity
2. The angel Gabriel's words in Nazareth: "Hail, full of grace" (Lk
1,28)
also cast light on the scene at Calvary. The Annunciation comes at the
beginning, the Cross signals the fulfilment. At the Annunciation, Mary
gives human nature to the Son of God within her womb; at the foot of the
Cross, she welcomes the whole of humanity within her heart in the person
of John. She was Mother of God from the first moments of the
Incarnation,
and she became the Mother of humanity during the final moments of the
life
of her Son Jesus on earth. She, who was without sin, on Calvary
"experienced" within her own being the suffering of sin that her Son had
taken upon himself to save humankind. At the foot of the Cross on which
was dying the One whom she had conceived at the moment of her "yes" at
the
Annunciation, Mary received, as it were, a "second annunciation":
"Woman,
behold, your son!" (Jn 19,26).
The Son upon the Cross can pour out his suffering into his Mother's
heart.
Every child who suffers experiences that need. You too, my dear young
people, are faced with suffering: loneliness, failures and
disappointments
in your personal lives; difficulties in inserting yourselves in the
adult
world and in professional life: the separations and losses in your
families; the violence of war and the death of the innocent. Know,
however, that in difficult times, which everyone experiences, you are
not
alone: like John at the foot of the Cross, Jesus also gives his Mother
to
you so that she will comfort you with her tenderness.
Take Mary into your lives
3. It says in the Gospel that "from that hour the disciple took her to
his
own home (Jn 19,27). This statement, the subject of many commentaries
since early Christian times, does not simply point out the place where
John lived. Beyond the material aspect, it evokes the spiritual
dimension
of this welcome and of the new bond established between Mary and John.
My dear young people, you are more or less the same age as John and you
have the same desire to be with Jesus. Today, it is you whom Jesus
expressly asks to receive Mary "into your home" and to welcome her "as
one
of yours"; to learn from her the one who "kept all these things,
pondering
them in her heart" (Lk 2,19) that inner disposition to listen and the
attitude of humility and generosity that singled her out as God's first
collaborator in the work of salvation. She will discharge her ministry
as
a mother and train you and mould you until Christ is fully formed in you
(cf. Rosarium Virginis Mariae, n. 15).
Mary, Teacher of the Person of Christ
4. This is why I now wish to repeat the motto of my episcopal and
pontifical service: "Totus tuus". Throughout my life I have experienced
the loving and forceful presence of the Mother of Our Lord. Mary
accompanies me every day in the fulfilment of my mission as Successor of
Peter.
Mary is Mother of divine grace, because she is the Mother of the Author
of
grace. Entrust yourselves to her with complete confidence! You will be
radiant with the beauty of Christ. Open up to the breath of the Spirit,
and you will become courageous apostles, capable of spreading the fire
of
charity and the light of truth all around you. In Mary's school, you
will
discover the specific commitment that Christ expects of you, and you
will
learn to put Christ first in your lives, and to direct your thoughts and
actions to him.
Dear young people, you know that Christianity is not an opinion nor does
it consist of empty words. Christianity is Christ! It is a Person, a
Living Person! To meet Jesus, to love him and make him loved: this is
the
Christian vocation. Mary was given to you to help you enter into a more
authentic and more personal relationship with Jesus. Through her
example,
Mary teaches you to gaze on him with love, for He has loved us first.
Through her intercession, she forms in you a disciple's heart able to
listen to her Son, who reveals the face of his Father and the true
dignity
of the human person.
Make the Rosary a companion so Mary can lead you into the mystery of
Christ
5. On 16 October 2002 I proclaimed the "Year of the Rosary", and I
invited
all the children of the Church to make of this ancient Marian prayer a
simple and profound exercise in contemplation of the face of Christ. To
recite the Rosary means to learn to gaze on Jesus with his Mother's
eyes,
and to love Jesus with his Mother's heart. Today, my dear young people,
I
am also, in spirit, handing you the Rosary beads. Through prayer and
meditation on the mysteries, Mary leads you safely towards her Son! Do
not
be ashamed to recite the Rosary alone, while you walk along the streets
to
school, to the university or to work, or as you commute by public
transport. Adopt the habit of reciting it among yourselves, in your
groups, movements and associations. Do not hesitate to suggest that it
be
recited at home by your parents and brothers and sisters, because it
rekindles and strengthens the bonds between family members. This prayer
will help you to be strong in your faith, constant in charity, joyful
and
persevering in hope.
With Mary, the handmaiden of the Lord, you will discover the joy and
fruitfulness of the hidden life. With her, disciple of the Master, you
will follow Jesus along the streets of Palestine, becoming witnesses of
his preaching and his miracles. With her, the sorrowful Mother, you will
accompany Jesus in his passion and death. With her, Virgin of hope, you
will welcome the festive Easter proclamation and the priceless gift of
the
Holy Spirit.
Proclaim Christ in today's society
6. My dear young people, only Jesus knows what is in your hearts and
your
deepest desires. Only He, who has loved you to the end (cf. Jn 13,1),
can
fulfil your aspirations. His are words of eternal life, words that give
meaning to life. No one apart from Christ can give you true happiness.
By
following the example of Mary, you should know how to give Him your
unconditional "yes". There is no place in your lives for selfishness or
laziness. Now more than ever it is crucial that you be "watchers of the
dawn", the lookouts who announce the light of dawn and the new
springtime
of the Gospel of which the buds can already be seen. Humanity is in
urgent
need of the witness of free and courageous young people who dare to go
against the tide and proclaim with vigour and enthusiasm their personal
faith in God, Lord and Saviour.
You are also aware, my dear friends, that this mission is not easy. It
becomes absolutely impossible if one counts only on oneself. But "what
is
impossible with men is possible for God" (Lk 18,27; 1,37).
True disciples of Christ are conscious of their own weakness. For this
reason they put all their trust in the grace of God and they accept it
with undivided hearts, convinced that without Him they can do nothing
(cf.
Jn 15,5). What characterises them and distinguishes them from others is
not their talents or natural gifts. It is their firm determination to
proceed as followers of Jesus. May you be imitators of them as they were
of Christ! "May the eyes of your heart be enlightened, that you may know
what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory
in
his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing
greatness
of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his
great
might" (Eph 1,18-19).
Next World Meeting, Cologne 2005
7. My dear young people, the next World Meeting will be held, as you
know,
in Germany in 2005 in the city and diocese of Cologne. The road is still
long, but the two years that separate us from that appointment can serve
as a time of intense preparation. To help you on this path, I have
chosen
the following themes for you:
2004: 19th World Youth Day: "We wish to see Jesus" (Jn 12,21);
2005: 20th World Youth Day: "We have come to worship him" (Mt 2,2).
Meanwhile, you will meet in your local Church on Palm Sunday: live this
experience with commitment, in prayer, in attentive listening and joyful
sharing in these opportunities for "ongoing learning", and showing your
lively devout faith! Like the Magi, you too should be pilgrims
stimulated
by the desire to find the Messiah and to adore Him! Courageously
proclaim
that Christ, who died and is risen, has vanquished evil and death!
In these times threatened by violence, hatred and war, you must witness
that he and he alone can give true peace to the heart of individuals,
families and peoples on this earth. Commit yourselves to seeking and
promoting peace, justice and fellowship. Do not forget the words of the
Gospel: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children
of
God" (Mt 5,9).
As I entrust you to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ and Mother
of the Church, I accompany you with a special Apostolic Blessing, sign
of
my trust and demonstration of my affection for you all.
From the Vatican, 8 March 2003.
John Paul II
L'Osservatore Romano, Editorial and Management Offices, Via del
Pellegrino, 00120, Vatican City, Europe, Telephone 39/6/698.99.390.
Take this day, and live it for the Lord;
In everything you do, give praise to Him.
The Lord is mighty, merciful and just.
He gives us all the strength we ever need.
We have no reason ever to complain,
For we are His, and He is in control.
Prayer For You
"To Those Who Need Some Extra Help Today"
NOTE: When you read this prayer, try to imagine my voice as I
speak it to you. In this way, the prayer is reactivated,
and it is the same as if I were actually praying for you
at that moment.
To those who need some extra help today;
Who face a crisis or some kind of test;
Or those who feel that they are stuck in mud
And can't get out without an extra boost;
I pray the Lord will help you in your need.
I pray that He will give you extra strength
To do whatever things you need to do;
And later, when the Lord has need of you,
I pray that you will help Him in return.
Holy Communion
A ceremony for Holy Communion is available to you
HERE! - http://patriot.net/~bmcgin/pearl-holycommunion.html
If you are alone, you will needed to be both "Leader" and "Assembly,"
as described in the ceremony.
How To Find A Real, Live Church
An online church is better than no church at all; but it is even better
for most
Christians to actually belong to a real, live church, with real, live
people. Then, you can have your real church PLUS your online church, so
you gain the benefits of both.
You can find a church for yourself by clicking
HERE! - http://patriot.net/~bmcgin/findachurch.html
Closing Hymn
"Away In A Manger"
Words in verses 1 and 2 are by an unknown author, verse 3 by John Thomas
McFarland; Music by William J. Kirkpatrick - Public Domain. MIDI file
sequenced by Bill McGinnis from a published Public Domain arrangement.
Public Domain.
AWAY IN A MANGER - Public Domain
Verses 1 and 2 are anonymously written. Verse 3 is by John Thomas
McFarland
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes;
I love Thee, Lord Jesus! look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us to heaven, to live with Thee there.
Benediction
_____________________________________________________________
"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in
all ways. The Lord be with you all." (2 Thessalonians 3:16 RSV)
_____________________________________________________________
Blessings to you in Jesus Christ our Lord!
This worship service is now completed. Go in peace.
* * *
Blessings to you in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rev. Bill McGinnis, Director - LoveAllPeople.org
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If You Are Searching For A Spiritual Home, You Are Invited To Visit
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