Epiphany full logo    "that all might thrive and serve ..."

Midweek Blast of Epiphany Light
December 9, 2015
I Don't Get It
In the town where I live, one of the Christian music stations has a series of billboards up and down the interstate that read, "Santa Listens." Included is a picture of the jolly man himself, smiling and sporting a pair of headphones.  Santa listens - I don't get it.  This message doesn't make sense to me.  This afternoon I drove by a church that had a large banner out front listing how many exercise classes they offer every week.  I don't get that either.  
 
This country is filled with churches, but what role do these churches fill?  I don't think a church exists to offer exercise classes or scrapbooking clubs. I think the YMCA and the local community center do a pretty good job in these areas.  I don't think a church exists to sell trinkets or organize sports teams.  There are many places that do that far better than the church ever could.  So what role does the church fill?  What is the message?  If the church doesn't exist to make a difference, then I don't know what our purpose is.  
 
At the core of church is this thing called faith.  Faith is more than belief or an understanding; faith is a living, breathing thing. Faith is similar to a relationship.  A relationship is something we are open to, and when we are open like this we are changed, we are challenged, and we grow.  This openness happens when things are good and when things are bad.  The opposite is true too. The less open we are to this relationship, and the more we neglect it, the less impact it has on us and it slowly fades away. 
 
Faith may be harder to sell than ornaments and yoga classes, but maybe we (the church) are struggling so much because we don't know who we are, we don't know what our message is, and we don't know what role we play in the world.  Maybe our fears of becoming obsolete have led to a desperation to do whatever we can to stay relevant and connect with our communities.  Maybe we have lost our message.
 
I am not one of those church people that is anti-Santa or refer to the man-in-red as Satan-Clause, but I don't see how Santa listening to a Christian radio station helps us change the world.  I fear this just confuses our message.  What is our message and why are we here?  We are here to talk about faith, that living, breathing thing that changes us so that we go out and make a difference.  The church isn't about yoga.  It's about changed people who change the world.  How have you been changed?  What have you done with it?

See you in church,
 
Chris 

Wednesdays at the Well tonight, December 9
Wednesdays at the Well icon
Tonight's community meal is serving lasagna, Caesar salad, garlic bread, and dessert at 6:00 p.m. Suggested freewill offering is $6 for adults and $3 for children. Cash, checks, and credit cards are accepted.
Imagine Children's Choir at 6:25 welcomes all kids pre-K through 5th grade.
Worship at 7 uses Holden Evening Prayer through Advent with Holy Communion.
Quinn House and Rainbow Village Gifts due TONIGHT!
angel tree A few items have unidentified owners.
There are 5 items unaccounted for (no names were filled in in the notebook, but angels were taken). Please check the following list and bring your items to church by tonight. ALL GIFTS for Rainbow Village and Quinn House are due TONIGHT.

EP 13: Children's Bible for a boy age 10
EP 21: Baseball cards for a boy age 14
EP 36: Remote control truck w/ batteries for a boy age 9
EP 71: Large stuffed animal for a girl age 3
EP 128: Men's watch 
 
Advent Sunday 
Formation Team thanks you!
Epiphany's formation team would like to thank all of the volunteers, middle and high school youth, and parents for helping with last Sunday's Advent Hour. Kids of all ages truly had a wonderful time, and this couldn't have happened without your helping hands!
 
Christmas Caroling!
CIA and Real Time kids and siblings are invited
Our middle school and high school kids will visit assisted living facilities in our area and provide some Christmas cheer with caroling on December 13, 12-3:30 p.m. 
Bring your signed activity consent forms! They can be downloaded from the website at: http://www.epiphanysuwanee.org/middle_school
Christmas Services at Epiphany
 
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
We will celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Eve during 3 services: 5:00, 7:00, and 11:00 pm candlelight service. Join us again on Christmas Day at 10:00 am!

If you have donated a poinsettia, you may take it home with you after the 11 p.m. Christmas Eve service.

Bring your family and friends!
 
Epiphany Lutheran Church
1350 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Suwanee, GA  30024
770-831-1966