Good afternoon, church family!
TWO WEEKS from today we will be celebrating Christmas Day!
How you respond to that statement probably says a lot about how your week is going. It’s either:
Only two weeks! Excitement! Joy! I can’t wait!
or
Only two weeks! PANIC! SCRAMBLE! RUSH! WEARENOTREADY!
Whether you’re feeling the stress of hustle and bustle or good tidings of comfort and joy, I want you to know that a young couple many years ago probably felt a similar mix of emotions. As we read in Luke 2, a pretty important baby was coming (their first!). And it was in the middle of a road trip (v.4). And then there were problems finding a place to stay (v.7). And then a bunch of strangers dropped by (v.16). And then those strangers told more strangers (v.17)!
What a night! But do you know what happened at the end of that rushed, busy, eventful first Christmas? Luke 2:19 happened.
“Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully.”
When we find ourselves too busy, in a rush or stressed, we may not take the time to process and think about all that is going on. Mary didn’t let that happen. She made sure to pause, remember and consider.
These next two weeks, I hope we do a lot of giving. But don’t forget to take some things. Take some snapshots, take some time, take a step back, take it all in. When we do this, we may just see more clearly all the ways we are blessed by God’s presence.
Keep reading to see the latest announcements, and remember: God loves you, and so does your pastor!
--Pastor Billy
INVITE & ATTEND THIS CHRISTMAS! We have invite cards to take and help you invite neighbors, friends and coworkers to these special Christmas worship events:
CHRISTMAS WORSHIP NIGHT: Celebrate the season this Sunday (Dec. 15) at 7 p.m. with a special evening of Christmas worship that includes some of your favorite Christmas songs and the receiving of Communion together.
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE: Invite the whole family for an hour on Christmas Eve to hear the true Christmas story and sing along to a candlelight service from 6-7 p.m. in our sanctuary.
GET INVOLVED THIS CHRISTMAS! Here are a few easy ways to spread some joy:
ANGEL TREE: Gifts for our Angel Tree kids are due this Sunday! See NMI (missions) president Sherilyn Elder in the lobby this Sunday (Dec. 8) to turn in your gifts, and thanks to all who participated!
CHRISTMAS CARD POST OFFICE: Our teens are once again offering to help deliver Christmas cards to households who attend our church. No stamps needed! The price is 25 cents per card. Just drop them off at the Christmas Card Post Office display in the lobby this Sunday. Thanks for supporting our teens!
CHRISTMAS PASTOR SPONSORSHIP: Each Christmas we as a church get the opportunity to adopt a local Nazarene pastor from the Kansas District. This year we get to bless Pastor David Martinez at Eastridge Church of the Nazarene. To be a part of our church-wide effort to bless Pastor David, please turn in your Christmas cards, notes of encouragement, gift cards, checks and/or cash marked “District Christmas Pastor” by Sunday, Dec. 15. Thank you!
JUST FOR FUN
Hey, you read Pastor Billy's midweek check-in all the way to the end! As a reward, check out these crazy stories I came across recently:
A truck’s brakes caught fire on a highway in California. The truck was hauling approximately 30,000-40,000 pounds of chocolate, which melted all over the road.
A 76-year-old woman who hasn’t driven a car in four years keeps getting speeding tickets in the mail because of Star Trek fans.
Only 14 days until Christmas: Need a gift for the Old Testament scholar in your family? Starting December 18, you can bid on the oldest known stone tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments. It’s estimated to be 1,500 years old, weighs 115 pounds, was unearthed in Israel in 1913 and is expected to bring in bids close to $2 million.
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