Friday, December 20, 2013

December 20, 2013

Christmas is coming and we are so excited to share it with you!  I know we are enjoying parties and get-togethers with friends, and even snowball fights for the studentsyes they got me!  All this is leading up to Christmas Day, which is getting closer with each passing day.  I hope you are looking forward to this next week as much as I am.  We have much to celebrate.  We will be sharing a Christmas message this coming Sunday from Luke 2:1-18 and John 1:14.  I hope you take a moment or ten to look over these passages and jot a few notes yourself before the day comes.

Also, on Christmas Eve we are having two services at 5:30 and 7:00 pm.  These will be one-hour services which will include caroling, scripture readings, communion and candlelight.  These are beautiful service each year and this year will be no exception.  Come celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas Eve with your family and friends. 

Last Sunday we ended the series Straight Talk.  What a series, and what challenges were laid at our feet.  After having gone through a study like the book of James, its great to take an inventory of what was learned and how we could respond.  I believe as we do this God has a way of speaking very specifically . . . I hope you will do this with me.  If you do, I know you will experience Gods direction for your life.

Also we are launching a new series for the month of January called To Begin With . . .  I believe youre going to love it and I can hardly wait to kick this off on January 5.  Be thinking of friends and family that you could invite to join us.

This has been a crazy good year in many respects, with a few challenges thrown in too, but in it all my God has proved Himself good.  Through it all I am choosing JOY as we close it out, and I know joy awaits me in the new year as well.  Wherever you are right now . . . choose joy, our Savior has come!

We love you and look forward to seeing you Sunday as we celebrate Christ, catch up with friends and find ourselves challenged by Gods Word.

Pastor Craig, Becky, Seth, Hannah and Riley the dog