Montandon United Methodist Church

Our Easter Service is at 10AM this Sunday. Worship with us in person, or worship with us via our pre-taped service at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_rAulCSsS8 However, you decide to worship.....worship in spirit and in truth...in grateful exuberance of our Savior's resurrection!!

GOOD NEWS!..We will be reopening for in-person worship beginning this Sunday, March 7th at 10am. (We'll be following all prior health guidelines, including wearing masks.)

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE ON YOUTUBE In lieu of an in-person worship service, join us via the following YouTube link. Log in at 7PM, or whenever able, for a message of hope and a time of celebrating together (even though in our individual homes) the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXuA4ItJpMai3t5n_Z7j8IA

Blessed to participate with Christ United Methodist Church, Northumberland for their Santa project in Montandon yesterday, distributing toys, food, Christmas joy....sharing & caring. Love this ministry endeavor of our sisters & brothers at Christ UMC!

For countless Christians around the world Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus signals the beginning of Advent, and is one of the more than 6,500 hymns written by Charles Wesley. The hymn includes the Old Testament promise of the Messiah, who has been long expected and who will set his people free; the New Testament story of the birth of the child who is also a king; and the idea of the Christ-child not only as the strength and consolation of Israel, but also the hope of all t...he earth, a Christ who is born for the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Although we live in a different time than Charles Wesley, the longings of people’s hearts are just as deep. We long for security, love, relationships, meaning. To those who open themselves up to its message, this hymn identifies with that longing at the deepest levels of our existence. Where there is longing, there can be little meaning. Hope is central to the Christian experience. And where will our longing, our hopeful waiting lead us? Where is the ultimate home of hope? In the final line Wesley takes us there: Raise us to thy glorious throne. 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. Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart. Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King, born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring. By thine own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone; by thine all sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne. Just as Christ’s birth 2,000 years ago dramatically changed the course of human history, so will the return of our Lord as the King of kings. With the saints of the ages we pray, Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus. See more

Hymn Story: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel The preparation for the celebration of our Lord’s birth begins four Sundays before Christmas Day. This begins the period known as the Advent season, which centers on the Old Testament prophecies concerning a coming Messiah and His establishment of an earthly kingdom. The Messiah’s coming was prophesied six hundred years before His birth,... during the time the Jewish people were living in captivity in Babylon. For centuries thereafter faithful Jews earnestly anticipated the Deliver-Messiah with great longing and expectation, echoing the prayer that He would ransom captive Israel. And finally the long awaited heavenly announcement came - Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord! The song, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel was written in 1851 by John M. Neale. In his original version it said: Draw nigh, draw nigh, Emmanuel. Neale was born in London in 1818, the son of an evangelical Anglican clergyman. He attended Cambridge University and proved to be a brilliant student and prize-winning poet. In 1841, he was ordained into the Anglican ministry; but his poor health and Roman Catholic leanings prevented him from being assigned to a parish. He was appointed instead as the director of Sackville College, a home for old men. This was the perfect job for Neale, because he was a compassionate man with a great heart for the needy. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel was originally used in the medieval church liturgy as a series of antiphons - which are short musical statements that were sung for the week of vesper services just before Christmas Eve. Each of these antiphons greets the anticipated Messiah with one of the titles given Him throughout the Old Testament: Wisdom, Emmanuel, The Lord of Might, The Rod of Jesse, Dayspring, and The Key of David. O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. O come, thou Wisdom from on high, and order all things far and nigh; to us the path of knowledge show and cause us in her ways to go. O come, O come, great Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height in ancient times once gave the law in cloud and majesty and awe. O come, thou Root of Jesse’s tree, an ensign of thy people be; before thee rulers silent fall; all peoples on thy mercy call. (Refrain) Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel . Christ came not only to be Emmanuel - God with us - but even in a more personal way God in us. See more

Due to increased COVID cases in our area, and at the urging of Bishop Park of our Susquehanna Conference United Methodist Church, we have closed our church building to in-person gatherings through the remainder of 2020, until further notice. We, however, urge all associated with our church to continue in your prayers for one another and to stay in touch through calls, email, facebook and any other ways that we can support one another during this time. Members/Congregants can send weekly offerings to: Montandon UMC, PO Box 86, Montandon PA 17850. Blessings to all for this Christmas season.

If shopping at Boscov's online or at Susquehanna Valley Mall this Wednesday or Thursday Oct. 14 & 15, choose Montandon United Methodist Church at checkout during their 'Friends Helping Friends' event! Thanks, and blessings!

The hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah is a product of the revival movement that swept through Wales during the 18th century. It was written by William Williams whose life was touched by the revival, and who, over 43 years traveled 100,000 miles on horseback, preaching and singing the gospel in his native language. He became known as the sweet singer of Wales. While it is a mystery as to how or why he began composing texts in his native language, he became known as th...e most famous writer of Welsh Methodism. Traces of the hardship Williams experienced as a traveling minister can be found throughout this hymn, which he wrote in 1745. He beautifully interweaves imagery from the Old Testament book of Exodus to evoke a sense of God’s guidance through strife. His hymn affirms the reality that God provides for us and redeems all the wrong in the world. This God who provided for the Hebrew people wandering amidst barren lands with Bread of Heaven is still and ever will be the God who provides for His people. The hymn ends with the Hebrew people finally reaching their destination after 40 years of wandering in the desert, as they sing of victory to their Redeemer and Provider. Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land. I am weak, but thou art mighty; hold me with thy powerful hand. Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more; feed me till I want no more. Open now the crystal fountain, whence the healing stream doth flow; Let the fire and cloudy pillar lead me all my journey through. Strong deliver, strong deliver, Be thou still my strength and shield; be thou still my strength and shield. When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside; Death of death and hell’s destruction, land me safe on Canaan’s side. Songs of praises, songs of praises, I will ever give to thee; I will ever give to thee.