Jesus’ coming brought radical change. His paradoxical teaching and example confounded religious authorities and conventional thought. He was born in humble surroundings, to ordinary people, yet claimed to be the Son of God. He taught with authority and challenged the Pharisees, performed miracles and then washed his disciples’ feet. These paradoxes were hard to reconcile. But selfsacrificing,

The congregations of Redeemer Lutheran Church and St. Theodore of Canterbury Episcopal Church will begin a six-part series on the First Sunday of Advent, focusing on the earliest days of Jesus, beginning with his miraculous conception and following the biblical witness of his infancy and childhood until he was 12 years old. The 10:30 a.m. worship services gather at 13564 St. Andrews Drive. All are

Congregation Sholom will hold services via Zoom with Rabbi Eric Dangott on Friday, Dec. 15, at 6:30 p.m. Services continue with Rabbi Mike Mymon on Saturday, Dec. 16, in Clubhouse 3, Room 9, and on Zoom at 10 a.m. Saturday’s Torah reading will be Miketz from the book of Genesis. Miketz (After) follows Joseph as he interprets Pharaoh’s dreams and rises to become secondin- command to Pharaoh.

Seal Beach Cornerstone Church will hold a Christmas concert with the Cornerstone Choir featuring special guest the Diletta Trio on Sunday, Dec. 24, at 9:30 a.m. Seal Beach Cornerstone Church Sunday services are held in Clubhouse 2 at 9:30 a.m.

The prophet Isaiah describes the coming of a year of Jubilee. It’s not certain that the year of Jubilee was ever actually celebrated. Every seventh year was to be a year in which the land was allowed to lie fallow and recover and every 70th year was to be a year of Jubilee, a time when land was restored and debts forgiven. When John the Baptist appears from the wilderness, he declares the year of

Meetings for the Atherton Ward are held at 6500 E. Atherton St., Long Beach. Sacrament service is held every Sunday at 10:30 a.m., followed in the second hour by Sunday School on the first and third Sundays, Relief Society and Elders Quorum on the second and fourth Sundays. Primary classes for children are held every Sunday during the second hour. The reading source for this year is the New Testament.

Holy Family Catholic Church will hold the Fourth Sunday of Advent Mass on Saturday, Dec. 23, at 4 p.m. Vigil Mass is on Sunday, Dec. 24, at 8 a.m. 10 a.m. and noon. The church will hold Christmas Eve Mass and concert on Sunday, Dec. 24, at 4 p.m. Christmas day Mass will be held on Monday, Dec. 25, at 9 a.m.

“She gave birth to a male child who will rule all nations,” the Bible says. What child is this? Mary’s child, Jesus Christ, the woman’s seed who will crush the serpent’s head, the prophet who will speak God's words, the son of God, the babe who has grown to be our sovereign Lord. His redeeming love is the theme of LW Baptist worship on Sunday, Dec. 17 in Clubhouse 4 at 10 a.m. For