LIVERMORE FALLS — Dec. 18 service. Despite a nor’easter, the congregation of the First Baptist Church showed up for the morning Worship Service. All were in good spirits and happily anticipated Pastor Russ Thayer’s Sermon, the music before and after the Sermon and the Christmas Dinner to follow the service!

Kay King Watson welcomed everyone to Worship and read the announcements. We sang two praise songs, led by Kay: “What Can I Give Him?” and “Angels from the Realms of Glory”. Pastor Russ read a Psalm for the Call to Worship, after which, it was time for the lighting of the fourth candle on the Advent Wreath. Tammy Deering lit the Candle of Joy and spoke about the meaning of the candle. We sang “Light the Advent Candle”. The Pastor led us into prayer time as we shared concerns and praises for friends, families and events of the week , then we recited The Lord’s Prayer.

Our first Hymn was “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”. During the offertory, Margaret Emery and Maggie Houlihan played “O Hearken Ye”. Special music, sung by the Worship Team, was “One Holy Night In Bethlehem”.

Pastor Russ titled his Sermon, “Shepherds” and read Scripture from the Book of Luke, Chapter 2, Verses 8 – 20. He made some very interesting points. For instance, most churchgoing, Bible-reading Christians have read and heard the Christmas story for most of their lives and simply accepted it the way it was written. However, Pastor Russ asked the question: “Why did God choose to reveal the birth of His son, the Savior of the World, to lowly shepherds?” Shepherds were the lowliest of the lowliest in ancient times. They were unimportant in society, they had no wealth, no standing in any community. They tended sheep in fields and had no education. Why did God not reveal the birth of such an important child to the elite society, the wealthy? After all, Jesus was born in a stable, a barn and slept on straw. There were no fluffy blankets, no fine clothing for him.

But God had a different plan. He chose to reveal the birth to a class of people who needed the good news of a child who would grow to become a king, a king who would watch over them, take care of them as poor and lowly as they were. The elite and wealthy, the educated, didn’t feel they needed saving and care because they could take care of themselves and they would be skeptical of the story of Jesus, his parents, Mary, and Joseph. It was impossible for a virgin to conceive a child. However, the shepherds believed and followed that star to find the babe lying on straw in a manger, surrounded by farm animals and his parents. And so, because of the shepherds, the story has been repeated through centuries to believers like you and me. It is now our responsibility to tell it to our children, our grandchildren and anyone who will listen. Come and worship the newborn who became a King and Savior and loves us just as we are.

The last Hymn we sang was “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night”. After the Benediction, we sang “Oh, Sing A Song of Bethlehem”.

Announcements: 1. There will be no Sunday School and no Bible Study in the coming week. They resume after the holidays are over. 2. We are collecting cereal for the Food Cupboard. In January, we will collect soup. 3. Mary’s Lunch will happen every Thursday at 11:30 a.m. All ladies are invited. 4. Worship Team rehearsals take place every Thursday at 1 p.m. 5. Soap ‘N More Store will be open on December 24, from 9 a.m. to noon. 6. Christmas Eve Service will be held on December 24 at 6 p.m. 7. Christmas Day Service will take place at 10 a.m. on December 25.