Welcome
We are a vibrant family of faith rooted in God's Word, gathering together to worship, and equipped to share the love of Christ with the world. We are a caring community that is passionate about serving others and growing closer to Christ. We believe Jesus Christ is our Savior, the source of our compassion and acceptance and the drive behind our desire to share God’s love.
Welcome to our
Worship Service
10:00 a.m.
The service is available in-person or online.
Sunday, November 27, 2022
Sunday Worship Services
If you cannot view the service , please click the YouTube link at the top of this page.
A Message from Pastor Richard
“Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.” – Psalm 42: 8
This past week, I watched two sunsets: one at 3 Sisters Park in Evergreen on Sunday evening (pictured above) and the other as the sunset over the mountains south of Boulder where I hiked on my Sabbath. This Sunday is Christ the King Sunday. It’s the last Sunday of the Christian year. We begin the new year next week with the first Sunday of Advent.
I thought of this as I watched the sunset. It was so cold both evenings. Watching a sunset is so different from experiencing a sunrise, when I can feel the sun’s rays slowly warming the earth. When a sunset happens, the earth slowly gets colder. The colors become less bright. The yellows fade to reds and pinks before slowly becoming grey and then finally dark. The world quiets too. This time of year, there’s less sounds of nature. But I can sense the quiet as the day ends, even when the sun sets at 4:45. It’s as if the world settles into the warmth of home to rest.
If I think about sunset, it’s such a holy moment. The day we have had is now done. All the hard work, whether it’s in our jobs or schools or churches, the busyness of our routines, running from place to place, the rush of the world; it all quiets down for most of us. What has happened has happened, and now we pause.
I thought about the ancient prayer below. This is a prayer that is a part of the liturgies for both funerals and evening services. I find this so interesting that’s it’s used for both. But it makes sense. The end of day is like a death, in a way. We’re saying goodbye to what once was and now resting with God. We hope the new day comes tomorrow, but for now all that matters is that night has come. For me, it’s a call to be centered in the presence of God. We so often worry about tomorrow, but we don’t have to. What will come will come. As the Christian year ends, this year has come and gone. We anticipate a new year will come with the dawn of the Advent season. But for now, the sun sets on what has gone, and we’re invited to rest in God’s love, as we pray:
“O Lord, support us all the day long until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, in your mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
(Prayer attributed to Cardinal John Henry Newman)
The Christmas Eve Service will be at 5:30pm on Saturday, December 24th.
If you would like to make your own Advent wreath, Deb's popular instructions are on YouTube!
Advent wreath - YouTube
Advent Wreath Part 2 - YouTube
Ribbon Advent Wreath - YouTube
Services, Bible Studies and Events
Love in Action
“Love in Action” is the Church of the Hills mission team. The primary goal of the Love in Action Team is to serve the needs of others locally, nationally and internationally. The people of Church of the Hills are blessed with unique gifts; although the size of our congregation is smaller, sharing these gifts remains a vital part of our outreach ministry.
The “Love in Action” Committee will guide us to be Christ’s faithful Witnesses. As such, we will share a deep life of service, and participate in God’s mission to care for the needs of the sick, the poor, and the lonely to establish Christ’s just, loving, and peaceable rule in the world.
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