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Worship December 2017

Church Family,
I hope this season of life finds you well, and you are soaking up all the family time you can! It’s been a great fall, and I’m excited to see God move through this Christmas season. I love this time of year, specifically in worship ministry, because we get to worship in ways we don’t get to throughout the rest of the year, whether it be through special Christmas services, or just by singing some of our favorite Christmas songs. Most importantly, we  focus our thoughts on the birth of Christ, which led to Jesus becoming our Savior on a cross, paying for our sins. This is what makes the Christmas season so special! Not just all the family time, food, and presents, but the ultimate gift of grace, given to us through    Jesus.

I want to take this time to point your attention to a few special ways we get to      worship together as a church family this month. I encourage you to mark your calendars to allow you and your family to be at these worship times, because it will be well worth your time!

#1 - Kids Praise Saturday, December 9th - Have your children come on this Saturday, as they will be learning worship songs to lead our church in on Sunday, December 10th. They will also be learning a special Christmas song to sing during the offertory. This is a great way to invest into our children, and it’s a great opportunity for them to lead worship for our church!

#2 - Christmas Worship Program, Sunday, December 17th - Do not miss this Sunday! Our worship band, praise team, and worship choir will be coming together to lead our church in worship during all 3 morning services. This will be a great time of worship and reflection on the birth of our Jesus. Make plans, bring your family, and bring your friends!

#3 - Carols, Candlelight, and Communion - Sunday night, December 24th - We are having a special candlelight service on Christmas Eve, at 7pm. This will be a special time of worship as we sing some of our favorite Christmas carols, we take communion together, and we light our candles to reflect on the light of Christ being brought into the world. This is a powerful way to bring in Christmas as a church family, and we don’t want you to miss!

This is my favorite time of year. There are so many opportunities to be together, and to focus our thoughts towards the true meaning of Christmas. I pray you are encouraged by those around you, and that you would truly experience  Jesus this Christmas Season. Join us, as we experience Jesus together. I love being a part of my church family!

In Christ,
Jared

Spiritual Development December 2017

I have a confession to make. I have been listening to Christmas music for a few weeks now.  There, I said it.  Judge me if you want, but I just couldn’t help myself this year.  I’m usually much more resolute about waiting until after Thanksgiving, but this year I caved.  It feels good to get that off my chest.  But seriously, some of my favorite Christmas songs are not the ones that you typically hear on the radio. One in particular that has stood out to me this year is “It came Upon a Midnight Clear.” Here’s a verse from that hymn:

“O ye beneath life's crushing load,

Whose forms are bending low,

Who toil along the climbing way

With painful steps and slow;

Look now, for glad and golden hours

Come swiftly on the wing;

Oh rest beside the weary road

And hear the angels sing.”

It’s no surprise to anyone that the holiday season can enhance stress and busyness in our lives rather than gratitude and peace.  A season which is meant to remind us of the birth of Christ our King can instead leave us feeling out of breath and restless from all the hustle and bustle associated with American Christmas.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love the Christmas season.  But there is a huge temptation, even for Christians, to run right past the “reason for the season” by being distracted with many other good things.

This season stands as a reminder that we can live in “glad and golden hours” because of Christ’s coming. Our faith in Christ provides us the ability to rest alongside the weary road of life and hear the angels sing their song, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14)  So while you may be feeling the pressures of the holiday season, don’t neglect to rest in the hope of the song of the angels.  Rest in the peace of Christ this Christmas.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Recommended Resource — Come Let Us Adore Him by Paul David Tripp
Every time the Christmas season comes around, we look forward to putting up a tree, giving and   receiving gifts, and participating in other traditions that make this wonderful time of year so special. But sometimes the most significant aspect of the season — remembering and focusing on the coming of Jesus — grows old and familiar. This 31 day devotional seeks to   recapture our attention and reawaken our awe during Christmastime.