Mary, Joseph Knew God Was at Work

PARENTAL BURDENS: “[Mary and Joseph] were overwhelmed parents, not so different from some parents today. The only thing they had to grab hold of was the love they felt from one another and the feeling deep inside that God himself was generating these circumstances and was going to do something worthwhile in it and through it.”

--The Rev. Robert L. Schwenck, speaking at 8:45 and 10:30 a.m. services Sunday at Community Presbyterian Church, 32202 Del Obispo, San Juan Capistrano.

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INFINITE POWER: “Free will is a very scary thing indeed. We really are free. We are not puppets dangling at the end of celestial strings. With infinite mercy and infinite power and infinite grace, God shared power with the likes of us. . . . But it is up to us whether these gifts are used or not.”

--The Rev. Edward C. Martin, speaking at 8:30 and 10:15 a.m. services Sunday at Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church, 26001 Muirlands Blvd., Mission Viejo.

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A NEW WAY: “Jesus was constantly challenging his listeners to stretch beyond their old way of thinking and embrace a new way. A life of spirit-filled living is a life that few can imagine. Living in the presence of Jesus provides hope in the midst of despair and joy in the midst of struggle.”

--The Rev. Thomas Brashears, speaking at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. services Sunday at Red Hill Lutheran Church, 13200 Red Hill Ave., Tustin.

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GIFT OF EMPOWERMENT: “One of the gifts we can give one another is to instill . . . awareness of the power within and how it can be used. From cradle to grave, knowing ‘I am able’ and ‘I am enough’ gives us the power to choose life abundantly.”

--The Rev. Peggy Price, speaking at 9 and 11 a.m. services Sunday at the Church of Religious Science, 7641 Talbert Ave., Huntington Beach.

The Message highlights excerpts from sermons to be delivered in Orange County houses of worship. Submissions, which will be published at the discretion of The Times, should be delivered by noon each Thursday to Orange County religion editor Jack Robinson, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Fax: (714) 966-7711. E-mail: jack.robinson@latimes.com

Submissions must include name and title of the clergy member delivering the sermon, date and time of service, name and address of the church or synagogue, and a telephone number in case of questions about the submission.