Children’s Christmas Musical
Our children lead us in a joyful musical that proclaims the good news of Jesus’ birth. It’s a wonderful Sunday to invite grandparents, neighbors, and friends.
Advent Week 1
David Johnson
November 29, 2025
Advent Sermon Series
You've Got the Music in You
An Advent journey through the hymns that shape a life of faith
Advent Through the Hymns
This Advent at Lakeside, we’re exploring some of the most beloved hymns of the season and what they teach us about following Jesus in our everyday lives.
Each Sunday we’ll focus on one hymn, listen for its message of hope, peace, joy, and love, and ask how its words can become our prayer today.
Worship & Events
Advent & Christmas at Lakeside
We invite you, your family, and your friends to join us for worship and special events throughout the Advent and Christmas season.
Traveler’s Christmas Service
If you’ll be away on Christmas Eve, join us for a candlelit Christmas service before you travel, complete with Scripture, carols, and the story of Christ’s birth.
Candlelight Christmas Eve
Celebrate the birth of Jesus with carols, candlelight, and the good news that Christ, the Light of the world, has come.
Cocoa & Carols
Keep the celebration going with a relaxed, family-friendly service of favorite carols and hot cocoa.
Pastor's Corner
Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
“Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.”
As we begin our Advent series, You’ve Got the Music in You, we start with the beloved hymn “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.” These words remind us that Advent is not just about counting down to Christmas—it’s about naming our deep longing for Christ to renew and reorder our lives and our world.
Charles Wesley wrote this hymn in a time when many people were struggling: with poverty, injustice, and uncertainty about the future. He looked at the needs of his community and turned them into a prayer: that Jesus would come, release us from fear and sin, and help us find our true rest in him.
My invitation for you this week is simple: as you hear or sing this hymn, let it become your prayer too. Where do you need Christ to bring freedom, rest, or hope in your life right now? Advent gives us space to be honest about those places and to trust that Jesus is still coming to meet us.
Grateful to sing and walk this journey with you,
Pastor David
Ministry Spotlight
Worship & Music at Lakeside
During this series, we’re especially thankful for our choir, band, children’s choirs, and tech team—everyone who helps lead us in worship through music each week.
From classic hymns and choir anthems to contemporary songs and the children’s musical, God is using the voices and gifts of this church to remind us of the good news we sing.
If you’d like to explore singing, playing an instrument, reading Scripture, or serving on the worship team, you can contact the church office or speak with Pastor David. We’d love to help you find a place to plug in.
Story of Faith
When a Hymn Becomes a Prayer
Throughout this series, we’re sharing stories of how God has met people through a particular hymn or song of the church.
[Example] “There was a season when I didn’t know how to put my prayers into words, but I could still sing, ‘Come, thou long-expected Jesus.’ Over time, those lines became the way I handed my worries and hopes over to God. The hymn carried me when I didn’t feel like I had much strength of my own.”
If you have a story about how an Advent hymn or Christmas carol has encouraged you or deepened your faith, we’d love to hear it. Share it with Pastor David or contact the church office—your story may bless someone else this season.
Prayer & Care
Let Pastor David Pray With You
Advent can be a season of beauty and also a season of heaviness. If you are carrying worries, grief, or questions, you don’t have to carry them alone.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Pastor David would be honored to pray with and for you. You can share a request, a praise, or the name of someone you’re holding in your heart.
Stay Connected
Sing the Season with Us
There are many ways to stay connected throughout Advent and Christmas.
- Visit our main site for service times and event details: thelakesideumc.org
- Follow Lakeside on social media for reminders, photos, and worship highlights.
- Invite a friend, neighbor, or family member to join you for this series or for Christmas Eve.
- Reach out to Pastor David or the church office if there’s a way we can support you.