Coming to the Still Waters

  Still posting some pictures from the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.  I like this picture with the Christ candle lighting up the Word of God that takes center position in our sanctuary.  This Sunday we go back to our ongoing study of the Gospel of Matthew.  The break has hopefully built some anticipation to Jesus' journey to Jerusalem and the cross. The first coming has set the stage for the where we are right now in the life of Jesus.  The cradle of Jesus needs to be connected to the cross of Jesus.  It is like the connection of affliction with the following of Jesus.  The Acts passage that supports our new mission/purpose statement includes Paul's warning that affliction comes with the fulfilling of what Jesus has said to do.  Just as Jesus endured persecution and affliction that put Him on a cross following the Father's will so did Paul with being stoned, shipwrecked and run out of town at times following the Great Commission given to His ...

Another Christmas Eve and some reflections from the night.  The first is that I am so thankful that churches have this opportunity still in our time to gather the community together to focus on the birth of the Christ Child and share the message from the cradle to the cross.  Back in my easy chair after the service I surfed the web to our children's churches and others of our past and took in their services.  So blessed to see this all out effort to probably the most attended church service of the year. This church building is so easy to decorate for Christmas because its base color is green.  A little lights, poinsettas, and candles and you are ready to go! A very simple service this year with the reading of the birth event in Luke 2 and singing to cooresponding carols.  We read the story and also sang it.  May the Word of God ever be center to our time together. We went from about 60 last year to about 140 this year.  We had enough candles and space....

Here is our barn again but with a little snow added to the mix.  It will be great to get a shot of this when there is a lot of snow covering the trees, fence posts and roof.  We will have to wait a bit for that to happen. The sermon this Sunday was one that I did a couple of years ago.  It is not only comparing the red songs (about the guy in the red suit), the relax songs (the ones that get you in the mood) and the religious songs of Christmas but also about the gospel presentation found in the religious songs.  It is a great sing along Sunday that allows the congregation to be a part of the process.  It is a challenge to lead singing without the piano assistance and I do make some flubs but the point got across.    The snow shoe collection is growing.  I am thankful for the resale shop in town and also those who are getting rid of these funny looking shoes.  I think we will have enough for all who are coming this Christmas season to the mou...

  Another annual Ladies' Christmas Brunch in the books and Stephanie had the opportunity to share about the glory of God at Christmas.  Not all of the ladies above are part of our church but our church puts this event on each year to gather ladies from around the county.  A new lady organized the event this year and all of the women of our church pitched in to help.    We have returned from our trip to Florida and Illinois.  The mobile is washed and made repairs to for another year.  We were able to catch a grands Christmas program on the way back and also give gifts to the grands in Illinois.  We were so thankful for the good driving weather we had both ways and that our van now with 257,000+ miles got us there and back.  We hit the ground running when we got back with the ladies' brunch being the next day and Sunday service the following day.  The explosion of our stuff back into our living quarters is getting back into their places. O...