This December, you’re invited to slow down and prepare your heart for Christmas in a meaningful way—by walking through the life of Jesus, one chapter at a time.
Starting December 1, we’ll be posting one chapter from the Gospel of Luke each evening at 6:00 PM, on the Pender blog. With exactly 24 chapters, Luke gives us a complete picture of who Jesus is—His birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection.
By Christmas Eve, you’ll have read the entire story of Jesus. And on Christmas morning, you’ll wake up not only ready to celebrate, but truly knowing who we celebrate and why it matters.
Make it a personal devotion, a family tradition, or a quiet moment at the end of your day. Let the story of Christ shape your season.
December 1–24 at 6:00 PM — right here. One chapter. One Savior. A Christmas to remember.
This Sunday, November 30 marks the First Sunday in Advent. Have you made an Advent wreath for your home or church?
The wreaths often consist of a circle of evergreens with four purple candles and a white one in the center, but it’s fun to be creative with the use of natural materials.
Christ the King / Reign of Christ: Pledging Our Highest Allegiance
Pender uses the traditional title Christ the King Sunday. Others may use newer Reign of Christ Sunday, but the heart of this final day of the Christian year is the same: our allegiance to Jesus the Christ.
Some hear Christ the King and think first of the person of Jesus—His words and works during His earthly ministry and His present authority at the Father’s right hand. Others prefer Reign of Christ because it highlights Christ’s relationship to all creation—how His lordship embraces the world He loves and redeems. In truth, both emphases lead us to the same place: Jesus reigns, and we belong to Him.
Why This Sunday Matters
This is a day to remember that our highest allegiance is to Christ—above nation, tribe, or race. Many voices compete for our loyalty; some may even sound Christian. Today we listen again to Jesus’ voice, measure all other claims by His gospel, and recommit ourselves to His command: love God and love neighbor.
Creeds for a Crowned King
If there is a Sunday tailor-made for a creed or affirmation of faith, this is it. Creeds are fitting any week, but on this day they help us stand together and say, “This is my faith … this is our faith.” Consider:
Traditional Creeds:Apostles’ Creed or Nicene Creed—rooted, familiar, anchoring us in the church’s long witness.
Global Voices:Canadian or Korean Creeds—reminding us Christ’s reign spans every culture.
Contemporary Words:A Modern Affirmation—the same essentials in language many speak today.
Local Testimony: An affirmation written by a confirmation class, youth retreat, or mission team—your context, your voice, lifted to the King.
Worship Ideas that Widen Our Vision
Scripture: Daniel 7:9–14; Psalm 93; Colossians 1:15–20; John 18:33–37.
Music: Pair regal hymns (“Crown Him with Many Crowns,” “Rejoice, the Lord Is King”) with songs of justice and mercy that reveal how Christ reigns.
Intercessions: Pray for nations, leaders, the persecuted, and local needs—signs that Christ’s rule moves us toward compassionate action.
Commitment Moment: Invite people to name one competing allegiance they will lay down this week to follow Jesus more fully.
A Crown Shaped Like a Cross
To confess Christ as King is not triumphalism; it is discipleship. His crown is shaped like a cross, and His power looks like self-giving love. On this Sunday we stake our claim again:
We belong to Christ—
the One who gathers, reconciles, and calls us beloved.
This is our highest allegiance.
May this day broaden our horizons, deepen our unity, and send us into Advent ready to welcome the King whose reign is truth, mercy, and peace.
The observance of Veterans Day, Nov. 11, began almost a century ago.
In the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Allied nations and Germany declared an armistice – a temporary cessation of hostilities – in World War I. Commemorated as Armistice Day the next year, Nov. 11 became a legal federal holiday in the United States in 1938. After World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day, a holiday dedicated to U.S. veterans of all wars.
Now is the perfect time for congregations to engage in ministry with active troops and the families left behind.
News and Views 