Dear Friends,
First of all, a big THANK YOU to all the folks who helped out with our Christmas fair. It was a great day for our church. The setup was beautiful (one person said to me, “I go to all the fairs in town, but I like this one best–it always looks like a gift shop!”) the crafts and cookies and fudge and other goodies were of high quality and fairly priced, and the food from the cafe was delicious. The live music showcased the numerous gifted musicians our church is blessed with, and added a festive air to the atmosphere. And oh, by the way, it looks like when all is said and done, the total raised on that day will be over $5,500! To all who were involved in any way, great job!
We enter another busy weekend, and so I want to remind you of some of the things that are going on here at church.
1. On Saturday morning, all men are strongly encouraged to attend the delicious men’s breakfast, starting at 8:00. We will be treated to a talk from guest speaker Paul Tripp. Hope to see you there.
2. As for Sunday services, as we celebrate the third Sunday of Advent, we will turn our attention to Joseph, the quiet but faithful husband of Mary who raised Jesus as his own son. The message will focus on Matthew 1:18-24, which tells the story of how Joseph received that news that his then-fiance Mary was expecting a child. We don’t know a whole lot about Joseph, but what we do know tells us he was a true man of faith and honor. Along the way, we’ll be receiving new members, two of whom will be baptized!
3. Finally, I hope you will be able to attend our Advent Event, which promises to be meaningful time of fellowship and quiet inspiration. We’ll begin with a potluck supperat 5:00, followed by an opportunity for you and your family to visit a number of prayer stations that will be located throughout the sanctuary and several of our classrooms. Participants will be invited to move from station to station. Parents are encouraged to guide their younger children through each activity. Middle school and high school youth, along with adults, will be their own guides as we seek to center our hearts on God and on preparing ourselves to celebrate the birth of Jesus come Christmas.
I know that this is a busy time for all of us, but I do hope that you will take advantage of these opportunities that remind us that Jesus is, indeed, the reason for the season.
Still discovering the joy,
Pastor Tom
