On this special episode of the Shepherdcast, we celebrate Christ’s birth on “Christmas Eve-Eve.”  We will be taking a look at Micah 5: 2-5a, Isaiah 7: 13-14, Isaiah 9: 2-6, and the Gospel of Luke 2: 5-14, our choir will be performing special renditions of “Away in a Manger” and, and the Reverend Scott J. Anderson will be discussing how a small gift can have a massive impact on us all.  Today’s episode came from our worship service on Thursday, December 23, 2021.

At the beginning of our Christmas Eve-Eve Candlelight Service, Pastor Scott asked for prayers for the city of Baytown, Texas following reports by national media outlets of a large explosion at the town’s ExxonMobil refinery.  That prayer is the opening of today’s episode.

In case you are reading along with a Bible and our readings don’t necessarily match up with yours, we use the NRSV translation of the Holy Bible.

Special music heard in this episode of the Shepherdcast includes (by order of appearance):

Silent Night Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

“Away in a Manger” setting by Emily Lund
Copyright © 2001 Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188
CCLI License # 11421954
CCLI Streaming License # CSPL153044

“The Angel Song” words and music by Mary Kay Beall
Copyright © 2010 Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188
CCLI License # 11421954
CCLI Streaming License # CSPL153044

O Holy Night by Podington Bear
Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution-Non Commercial 3.0 International License.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

Our sermon and readings are delivered by the Reverend Scott J. Anderson.  Our church choir is under the direction of Susan Kaschak.  Our sound room technician for this service was Jacob Schandel.  This podcast was hosted and produced by Jacob H. Schandel for Shepherd of the Valley Evangelical Lutheran Church.  To learn more about our church, please visit www.sotvchurch.com, or follow us on social media @sotvsandyville.  Our church is a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  You can learn more about the ELCA at www.elca.org, and you can learn about our local Northeastern Ohio Synod at www.neos-elca.org.