This Christmas season we're looking at Joy. Not the joy that is rooted in our Christmas traditions but the Joy that is entirely dependent on the One who was born at Christmas. The series is all about helping us find the Joy that is independent of our circumstances, the Joy of the Lord in which we find our strength and the Joy that is for the whole world.
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Joy to the World | Prayer Notes
In this series we are making a particular focus on praying together in the lead up to advent. As such there will be no study notes but instead prayer resources, activities and notes provided by the prayer planning team.
Sun 7th Nov | Joy & Celebration
Philippians 4:4-8 Prayer Focus: Prayers of Thanksgiving Prayer Resources (docx) Prayer Resources (pdf) Sun 14th Nov | Joy & Perseverance James 1:2-8 Prayer Focus: Prayers for a new Team Leader Prayer Resources (docx) Prayer Resources (pdf) Sun 21st Nov | Joy & Abiding John 15:1-17 Prayer Focus: Prayers for Recovery Prayer Resources (docx) Prayer Resources (pdf) |
Sun 28th Nov | Joy & Hope
Romans 12:9-21 & Isaiah 9:6 Prayer Focus: Prayers for Christmas Outreach Prayer Resources (docx) Prayer Resources (pdf) Sun 5th Dec | Joy & Love Matthew 2:9-10 This will be a short service on Zoom Christmas Outreach Sunday Sun 12th Dec | Joy & Joy Luke 2:8-20 Study Notes (docx) Study Notes (pdf) Provided by the EPIC Children Sun 19th Dec | Joy & Peace Luke 2:22-33 Sermon Study Notes (docx) Sermon Study Notes (pdf) |
Joy to the World | Overview
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Biblical joy is more than a happy feeling. It's a lasting emotion that comes from the choice to trust that God will fulfil his promises; it is a profound decision of faith and hope in the power of Jesus' own life and love.
As we progress through advent we will explore Joy, Hope, Love and Peace as we light our advent candles. If you'd like to explore any of these deeper, the Bible Project has a great series of videos that explore each of these words. |
Joy to the World | Praise
If you're looking for a soundtrack to accompany this series or something to use in praise and worship, or even if you're just looking for some Christian music you may not have heard before, this playlist has been curated for you. The playlists are available on Spotify and Youtube; just click the links on the right.
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Joy to the World | Devotional Plans
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If you are looking for some every day devotional material to accompany this series then these plans are available on bible.com. They won't follow our series directly but do focus in on various common aspects and themes. These are just a small selection of what is available on bible.com so if none of these are what you are looking for take a look and find something that suits you.
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Joy to the World | Further Study
Joy Bible Study from The Bible Project
How can you have joy in the midst of hardship? In this Bible Study from the Bible Project we are invites to explore this question while reflecting on the biblical meaning of joy. |
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Celebration of Discipline is a timeless classic that seeks to help readers discover a richer spiritual life infused with joy, peace and a deeper understanding of God. Richard Foster explores the 'classic disciplines' of Christian faith including inward, outward and corporate disciplines. The chapter concerning the corporate Discipline of Celebration speaks powerfully about Joy and how we can place ourselves in a position where God can choose to transform us and bless us with His Joy. It is well worth a read and can be purchased from Eden.co.uk and other retailers. |