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Important Dates
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Sun. Dec. 6th: Launch First Sunday Cafe 12:30pm
Thurs. Dec. 10th: CDCC Children's Christmas Program 7pm
Tues. Dec. 15th: Women's Christmas Party 6:30pm
Thurs. Dec. 17th: Senior Lunch at SHIFCO at 11am
Thurs. Dec. 24th: Christmas Eve Worship Services 5, 7 & 11pm
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Memory Verse
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John 3:16 & 17
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send
his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through
him."
John 1:1-18
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made;
without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that
life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness
has not understood it.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a
witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might
believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did
not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not
receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God- 13children born not of natural
descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,
the glory of the One and Only,[d] who came from the Father, full of grace and
truth.
15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of
whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'
" 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing
after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came
through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,who
is at the Father's side, has made him known.
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What's Happening This Week?
December 4th - December 10th
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Sunday Dec. 6th: Worship Services at 8, 9:30 & 11am. ABF("Advent " Presented by Kelly Soifer) and Sunday School during the 9:30hour.
Sunday Dec. 6th: Launch! First Sunday Cafe at 12:30. Pastor Colleen Hurley-Bates will be speaking and sharing her story.
Monday Dec. 7th: Woman's Christmas Choir Rehearsal 6:30pm
Thursday Dec. 10th: CDCC Children's Christmas Program 7pm
In addition to these events, Small Groups and Bible Studies meet each day of the week. Have you found the one that right for you? Contact the office or Pastor Colleen for a listing and to get plugged in! 965-1338
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Preparing For Sunday
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This
Sunday we are backing up in the Gospel of John to John 14:1-14. In this
section there is a statement Jesus makes which is so important that it has
caused a great deal of discussion. Jesus says:
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me." (14:6)
There are many scholarly works on understanding the significance
of this. Here is an example of such scholarship written by Dan Clendenin.
He states, in part:
"...Many people today favor some version of
"pluralism"-the belief that no one religion can or should claim to be
normative for all people and superior to all others. Pluralism insists on a
radically egalitarian perspective that grants parity and equal validity to all
religions. For example, a traditional Japanese saying suggests that despite
their outward differences, all religions connect with the same divine reality-"Although
the paths to the summit may differ, from the top one sees the same moon."
Or in the Bhagava-Gita
of Hinduism Lord Krishna proclaims, "Whatever path men travel is My path;
no matter where they walk it leads to me."2...
Radical religious pluralism sounds and feels good, and across the
years I've always wanted to believe it. But I can't, because I don't think it's
true. To me it's like the beer commercial: "tastes great, less
filling." Instead, I've come to a number of conclusions that, although
they don't "solve" the problem, guide my thinking."
Clendenin then suggests 10 thoughts to consider in this
area. Here is only the list which he explains further in the article:
"1. Some religious views and practices are clearly false, harmful,
and even despicable. I'll never grant David Koresh religious parity with Mother
Teresa...."
"2. The claim that all religions teach the same thing is patently
false; this is precisely what religions do not do...."
"3. Pluralism tries to solve this problem of contradictory truth
claims in two ways...."
"4. Christians need not reject everything about other religions.
They acknowledge areas of both agreement and disagreement, and struggle over
the latter...."
"5. The conundrum of relating 10,000 religions to each other is
not a "Christian" problem. It's an equal opportunity problem that
confronts every religion and person...."
"6. I agree with the liberal Jewish writer Michael Kinsley that it's
not wrong or intolerant to try to convert other people. If you think that
someone is wrong on some issue, it's entirely reasonable to try to change their
mind...."
"7. A rule of thumb in Bible interpretation is to understand the
complex and ambiguous parts of Scripture in light of simple and straightforward
passages. For Christians it is unthinkable that God will treat any person of
any time, place or religion unfairly. We are unqualified optimists when it
comes to the character of God. There are many things in the Bible that I don't
understand, but I have absolute confidence that God will treat every person
with perfect love and justice."
"8. Instead of discarding what you don't like in Scripture and
ending up with a Bible that reflects only your own biases (as did Thomas
Jefferson), Christians should hold together two broad themes. First, God
desires that no person should perish,... Second, Christ alone is God's ultimate
means of salvation...."
"9. Exactly how the universal love of God and the particularity of
Jesus fit together isn't clear...."
"10. Finally, a long time ago I quit trying to understand
everything and admitted the many limitations of my knowledge. Saint Augustine
advised that we should do our best to seek answers to difficult questions.
Having done that, he said we should "rest patiently in unknowing." At
the end of the day, it's not the parts of the Bible that I don't understand
that bother me, such as the many questions about religious pluralism, but the
parts that I do understand, like loving God with my whole heart and loving my
neighbor as myself."
For the entire article go to:
http://www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/20080414JJ.shtml
See
you Sunday as we celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent!
Denny
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Women's Christmas Party
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Announcements! |
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Free Methodist Foundation:
Representatives from the Free Methodist Foundation will be with us on Saturday and Sunday December 5th and 6th. If you missed talking with them last time and would like to schedule a meeting, please contact Dennis Beckwith at 800-325-8975 x852 or dbeckwith@fmfoundation.org
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From The Conference Office:
Last week at the FMCSC
"Learning Community" conference for our pastors, Steve Fitch
announced his intention to transition out of the role of Superintendent following
annual conference in May of 2010. Steve plans to serve full time with
Eden Reforestation Projects starting June 1, 2010.
A clear process that determines the next superintendent
is being led by Bishop Matt Thomas in coordination with a duly appointed search
committee from the various regions of our Southern California ministry
family. Please join us in prayer as we seek the will of the Lord for the
future.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Women's Christmas Choir
This year our Christmas Choir will be all women!
For those of you who have signed up and for those of you who
haven't our first rehearsal is Monday night, November 23, 6:30pm in the sanctuary.
No experience necessary. Come and join us as we work on two songs to sing on
Sunday, December 20. For more info contact Pastor Doug.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Christmas Eve Communion Services |
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ABF - Adult Bible Fellowship
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"Advent: Celebration and Longing"
Presented by Kelly Soifer
9:30 am
November 29, December 6, 13*
SHIFCO Recreation Room
418 Santa Fe Place
(across Cliff Drive from the church)
*December 13th class will be held in the church youth room
How much do you really know about Advent? Is your knowledge limited to the Christmas traditions of calendars, candles and wreaths? This study of Advent will look at the history of its practice throughout church history as well as applications for us today, especially relating to our own pursuit of spiritual disciplines.
Advent is about waiting. We will learn together about the theological truths embedded in it and examine the theme of waiting that is shown throughout scripture. We will see how important it is to embrace the concept of "waiting" in our own lives by following the models given to us through Advent.
Kelly Soifer is a Fuller Seminary graduate with over 25 years experience in Young Life and as a youth pastor. She is a consultant with Youth Ministry Architects, the Campus Pastor at Providence Hall High School, and assistant to Steve Fitch for the development of Eden Reforestation Projects. When not commuting via her bicycle, you can find Kelly getting around town on her Italian scooter.
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Church Finances |
In this time of financial
struggle, Thank you for remembering your church family!
Offerings Needed YTD:$
583,426.67
Offerings Receive YTD $547,500.99
Needed: $35,925.68
We've met our Missions Need for 2009!!! Thank you for all your support!
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FMCSB
Our Mission is to win people to
Christ, establish them in the faith, and equip them for ministry.
Free Methodist Church of Santa
Barbara
1435 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, California 93109
805-965-1338
www.fmcsb.org
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