Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25

Theme: Fulfillment - Too Good Not to Be True.

Declaration of our Joyful Expectation
One congregation began this way:
Pastor: Good morning! Shalom! Peace! and God be with you.
Ministers: And good morning to you too. We're glad we're here! But what does it mean? Who knows that we're here?
Pastor: Someone knows all about you.
Ministers: Yes, we know that we're counted among the living! We know that we're on record because we've been counted.
Pastor: But there's more to it than your being counted. The really up-to-date news is that you are known by Someone more than a computer.
Ministers: And how do we know this?
Pastor: Because of the Good News of Jesus of Nazareth whom God announces as the fulfillment of the promise this Advent Season.

Following the hymn, you may w…