Welcome to Xiamen International Christian Fellowship [email protected]

Welcome to

XiamenInternational Christian Fellowship

[email protected]

Please stand and join in this reading from Matt 1:18-25:

ALL: Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

MC: And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly…

Please join in this congregational reading from Matt 1:18-25:

MC: But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,

ALL: “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Please join in this congregational reading from Matt 1:18-25:

MC: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

ALL: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”

MC: (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son.

ALL: And Joseph called his name Jesus.

Welcome to

XiamenInternational Christian Fellowship We will follow a different

arrangement today, putting announcements at the beginning and introductions/goodbyes at the end, instead of breaking up our musical celebration of Christmas.

We are glad you are here!

Welcome to


Announcements:Pastor Gabe and family arrived safely in Mexico. Work is progressing on obtaining a visa. In addition to the air fare, Gabe needs to spend $1000 US as part of the visa application process. If you want to help, send an email to the XICF Cheerful Giving List for details:

[email protected]

Welcome to


Announcements:Ryan and his family have faithfully managed our XICF bulletin for a long time, but they are leaving Xiamen this week! So, there’s an immediate need for someone who wants to help us keep this vital form of communication working.

[email protected]@[email protected]


[email protected]@hotmail.com

Children of Promise Indonesia

We will follow a different arrangement today, putting announcements at the beginning and introductions/goodbyes at the end, instead of breaking up our musical celebration of Christmas.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town…

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,

who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place

for them in the inn. --Luke 2:1-7

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for

from you shall come a ruler who

will shepherd my people Israel’” --Matt 2:1-6

Christmas is all in the Heart (Steven Curtis Chapman)

In a one-bedroom apartment on the humble side of townThere stands a little Christmas tree—It looks a lot like Charlie Brown’s


And underneath, there’s one little gift for him,

one little gift for her


After six months on the new job, they’re still barely getting bySo in the way of decorations, there’s nothing there to catch your eye


But both of them would be the first to sayWe’re together, we’re going to have the merriest Christmas anyway


merriest

Christmas is all in the heartThat’s where the feeling startsAnd like a fire insideIt touches every partChristmas is all in the heart

Christmas is all in the Heart

And even if no white snow falls




That’s all right because

And even if no white snow fallsThat’s all right because


The joy can still be foundWherever you are— ’cause Christmas is all… all in the heart

Two little blond-haired boys with big dreamsTried to sleep but sleep wouldn’t comeAnd we’d be tearing into presents,

long before the break of dawn


Steven Curtis Chapman

With mom and dad, and cameras making sureWe’d never forget that day


Michael Krigline, Christmas 1968 Christmas 1965

Now I’m the one who’s taking picturesIn the middle of the night


Andrew Krigline, 2003

Of my own, blond-headed dreamerWho just can’t wait until daylight


And in my sleepy eyes the spark still glowsI guess there’s just some things a kid never outgrows


Christmas is all in the heartThat’s where the feeling starts


At CP Sapling 11/2014

Baptism 9/2013

Christmas is all in the heartThat’s where the feeling startsAnd like a fire insideIt touches every partChristmas is all in the heart






That’s OK because

And even if no white snow fallsThat’s OK because


The joy can still be foundWherever you are— ’cause Christmas is all… all in the heart

No, it’s not in the snow that may or may not fall


And it’s not in the gifts around the tree

It’s in the love Heaven gave



It’s in the love Heaven gaveThe night our Savior cameAnd that’s a love that can still be found…

…wherever you are‘Cause Christmas is all in the heart



And the joy can still be foundWherever you are— ‘cause Christmas is all… all in the heart

XICF Retreat 5/2014

And the joy can still be foundWherever you are— ‘cause Christmas is all… all in the heart


XICF Walk-a-thon 3/2014

Christmas is all in the Heart(Steven Curtis Chapman)

by Michael Krigline 2001translated by several friends

[email protected] www.krigline.com

They Found Christmas他们找到了圣诞（预表基督耶稣的降生）

This next song talks about some of the people in the Christmas story: Wise Men, Simeon, King Herod, and “us.” Each received “a word from heaven” started their search, but history (and eternity) judges them on how they responded.



The Wise Men and Simeon ( 西缅 ) “found Christmas”—that is, they discovered the peace and joy of Christmas because they looked with all their hearts. But King Herod ( 希律王 ) “missed Christmas”—because his heart was too self-centered, and perhaps too fearful.

What about you and me? Will we “find Christmas” this year?



[email protected] www.krigline.com

Note: The translation was added for the sake of my students.

They Found Christmas (©Michael Krigline 2001)

Something in heaven… a new star shining bright

Drew the wise men, who journeyed many nights

天空中出现了一颗闪亮的新星，吸引了旅行好几天的智者。

They Found Christmas (©Michael Krigline 2001)

After asking kings and prophets,and going where they told

With bended knee and joyful hearts, they offered gifts of gold

询问过国王和先知后，他们沿着指引的方向前行，满心喜悦地向主屈膝膜拜，奉上金子作为礼物。

They found Christmas, when they looked with all their heart;

A Word from Heaven told them where to start;

当他们全心观望的时候发现了圣诞 ;天国有个声音告诉他们要去哪里。

当他们观看耶稣时，发现圣诞带来平安和大爱，从那此刻起是世上的东西无法比拟的。

And from that moment nothing on earth could outshine or eraseThe Christmas peace and love they foundWhen they looked on Jesus’ face.

Simeon* waited, praying night and day,To see God’s Promise before he passed away.

*God had promised Simeon that he would see the Christ (Israel’s Savior) before he died

西缅昼夜祷告等待，希望在他离开世界前看到上帝的应许。

When Mary came, the Spirit called this man to turn his face,And see God’s revelation

—a Light for every race.

当玛利亚来的时候，圣灵吩咐西缅转过脸去，于是他看到了上帝的启示 — 就是神的在萬民面前所預備的光。

He found Christmas, when he looked with all his heart;

A Word from Heaven told him where to start;

当他全心观望的时候发现了圣诞。天国有个声音告诉他要去哪里。

And from that moment nothing on earth could outshine or eraseThe Christmas peace and love they foundWhen they looked on Jesus’ face.

当他观看耶稣时，发现圣诞带来平安和大爱，从那此刻起是世上的东西无法比拟的。

He’d heard the whispers… King Herod was afraid.

Maybe this Baby would take his place one day.

希律王听到人们议论纷纷，他变得惶恐不安。或许这个婴孩会夺取他的王位。

He thought that swords could stop the God who’d made both

Earth and Space,And many died*, as did a king

who chose to turn from Grace.

*King Herod ordered all boys in Bethlehem under age two to be killed; he also died soon after this

他认为仅凭刀剑便可阻止创造天地的上帝。因为希律王背离主恩的，许多已去世，国王亦在其列。

They missed Christmas, for he looked without his heart;

Ignoring Heaven,who told him where to start;

他错过了圣诞，因他没有全心寻找。因他无视上天，不顾有个声音告诉他要去哪里。

And from that moment nothing on earth

could cancel his disgraceOr bring the peace he could have foundIf he’d looked on Jesus’ face.

从那一刻起，地球上再无任何东西能抹去他的羞辱或给他本可以拥有的平安，倘若他曾注目耶稣的面。

Christmas offers all of us a chance to win or lose;

圣诞给我们每人一次机会，要么得到要么失去；

Christmas offers all of us a chance to win or lose;

And who we are forever depends on what we choose…

我们想成为什么样的人永远都取决于自己的选择。

圣诞给我们每人一次机会，要么得到要么失去；

My friend was readingMatthew chapter two.

His heart caught fire… like mine, when these words were new.

我的朋友读着《马太福音》第二章。他的心沸腾了，当我初识这些话语时也同样慷慨激昂。

Wise men sought Him, and found great joy;

Now we’ve done the same;‘Cause we’ve found Jesus’ greatest gift:

salvation in His Name!

智者们寻找耶稣，得到极大的喜乐，如今我们也是这样。因为我们得到了耶稣极大的礼物，就是在他名里的得救。

We found Christmas, when we looked with all their heart;

A Word from Heaven told us where to start;

当我们全心观望的时候发现了圣诞。天国有个声音告诉我们要去哪里。

And from that moment nothing on earth could outshine or eraseThe Christmas peace and love we foundWhen we looked on Jesus’ face.

当我们观看耶稣时，发现圣诞带来平安和大爱，从那此刻起是世上的东西无法比拟的。

And from that moment nothing on earth could outshine or eraseThe Christmas peace and love we foundWhen we looked on Jesus’ face.

当我们观看耶稣时，发现圣诞带来平安和大爱，从那此刻起是世上的东西无法比拟的。

XiamenInternational Christian Fellowship As is our custom, we want to greet

those visiting for the first time. Please let us know your name, where you are from, and how long you plan to stay in Xiamen.

We are glad you are here!

If this is your last week in Xiamen,you are also welcome to say a few words.

www.xicf.org


Those who signed up to attend today’s Christmas Banquet at the Sheraton: the buses will leave at 12:15. Please check in with the “monitor” at the door of each bus; he/she has a roster of the 148 who signed up.

The Jimei bus will leave at 4 from the Sheraton Hotel.Have a blessed week!

www.xicf.org

(English Carol)

We wish you a merry Christmas (3x)… and a Happy New Year!

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin; We wish you a merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

www.xicf.org

Have a Happy Holiday!

Documents

Welcome to Xiamen International Christian Fellowship [email protected]