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Perspective
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Are you a Star?
No, I don't mean like a movie star or rock star or political star
or business star or dance star or anything like that. I mean like the
star that appeared over the manger in Bethlehem;
the one the magi followed to find Jesus, the Savior of the world.
In John 17, Jesus' prayer in the garden
of Gethsemane, He makes the following statement (verse 6a): "I have revealed
You to those whom You gave Me out of the world." A little earlier that
evening, when one of His disciples asked Jesus, 'show us the Father,' Jesus
answered (John 14:9), "Don't you know Me, Philip, even after I have been among
you such a long time? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father."
These two passages combine to offer us a wonderful challenge during the
Christmas season and beyond.
As believers, God empowers us by His Spirit to 'reveal Him' to
people that He brings into our lives. This begins with our individual
family, and expands to our extended family, our neighbors, our co-workers, the
person and/or clerk in the check-out line at the store and any number of others
that we have the privilege of meeting. God has given each one of us a
unique set of people 'out of the world' where He has chosen to 'reveal Him' to
that person through you or me. There are people you know who will never
come through the doors of Grace Church. and that is fine. But God may
want to use you to be 'the star' that leads them to His Son and into His
Kingdom.
This advent season, Pastor Joel will guide us as we look at the
incredible Christ through the eyes of different people in the Bible. We
will also encounter Him and His message through both the children and adult
choirs. The most important thing, though, is that we each encounter
Jesus, not the stress and distractions that the world sends our way. Because
if we encounter Jesus, He gives us the opportunity to transform our lives and
enables us to reveal our Heavenly Father to those He gives us out of the
world. And that helps us become more like Him and reach our community for
Christ.
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Blair
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Real People |
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Christmas Memories
In the 50's my dad
probably earned no more than about 3K a year. I don't remember how old I was,
but he and I were going to go to the local tree lot and pick out our Christmas
tree. We walked all around in the snow, and I was enthralled with a Scotch
pine. My dad would have preferred a tree with short needles that
would not be so prickly to decorate, particularly with the old-fashioned
clip-on lights that got very hot and took care to position so that they would
not start a fire. And though I didn't totally understand at the time, the
cost of that beautiful tree, around $8, was more than he felt he
could afford. I remember that as I looked up at him he smiled and chuckled
a bit and then bought the tree. He was willing to pay the price for that
tree because he loved me. Sounds a bit like what Christ did for us doesn't it?
-Marilyn Netsch
Christmas at our house was always a
joy for the whole family. We didn't have much due to the depression, but as a
family we were very close. We sang as a family and at Christmas time
we spent a lot of time around the piano singing about Christ and His
coming. There were six children and mom and dad all singing different parts,
like a small choir. Many evenings were spent this way and then dad would
expound on the birth of our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ. This was Christmas for
us as we didn't look for many presents. I guess you would say this was a
present the whole family enjoyed together. Much different than today when
physical presents have taken the place of spiritual values. A memory you never
forget and look back on as one of the joys of Christmas time.
May this Christmas bless all of our
families as we remember Him, the One who made Christmas
possible.
-Bob Bonnell & family
When Carissa (our eldest) was a toddler I got her a very small wooden
nativity that she could handle because I didn't want her playing with the
ceramic set that I had made. Sometime after Steve (our youngest) came along a Netsch family
tradition began. We traditionally open our gifts on Christmas Eve, but before
we do, Lorin reads from Luke and Matthew. Carissa and Steve started using
that little nativity to "act out" the story as Lorin reads. The
children are now grown, but the tradition continues. When Carissa went to
China in 2000, I bought two identical wooden nativity sets, one for Steve
and one for Carissa. On Christmas Eve when it was Christmas morning in China,
we called Carissa, put our phone on speaker, and Lorin read the
Christmas story. There in our living room Steve acted out the story while
Carissa in her little apartment in Zhengzhou, China did the same, sharing our
years-old tradition. As I thought about this event I couldn't help being
thankful for the power and love of Christ that binds believers around the
world.
-Marilyn Netsch
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Ministry
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Wise Guys
and
Starry Skies
December 6, 2009
9:00 AM & 10:45 AM
This Dove Award winning musical centers around Jesse, a boy who longs to be a wise man. He signs on
as a camel boy with the three kings and other 'wise guys," cooks and camel boys. You won't want to miss Jesse's amazing story!
Let There be Light
December 13, 2009
9:00 AM & 10:45 AM
From the beginning, the Father had a magnificent plan for the redemption of man. On a still, starry night in Bethlehem, the Light of the world was born!
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December Prayer Focus
The Privilege of Prayer
"What the church needs today is not
more or better machinery, not new organizations or more and novel methods. She needs men whom the Holy Spirit can use -
men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The
Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on
men. He does not anoint plans, but men -
men of prayer!" E.M. Bounds
Prayer is an
opportunity, a requirement, an invitation, a necessity, a statement of
dependence and trust. Prayer is a
privilege, in which God has invited us to come before him in full assurance
that He hears us.
This month, I
want to ask you to pray as a church body for the following things in
particular.
For our
church:
Wisdom for our church leaders
Opportunities for evangelism
during the Christmas season
Community witness
Protection from the spiritual
battles we encounter
Unity and love shared among the
body
For us as
individuals:
Boldness to speak of Christ - the
reason for the season.
Focus and perspective on Christ.
Increased faith to give - of
God's resources and our efforts
A renewed commitment to prayer as
God has invited us to pray.
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November 29 Believing the incredible...through the eyes of Zechariah and Elizabeth
December 5 Hollidazzle Market Place & Fashion Show Brunch
December 6 Wise Guys and Starry Skies
December 13 Believing the incredible...through the eyes of simple shepherds & Let There be Light
December 20 Believing the incredible...through the eyes of Joseph and Mary (one service, 10:00 AM)
December 24 Believing the incredible...through the death of the one who made it all possible (7:00 PM)
December 27 (one service, 10:00 AM)
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