As we come through this week, it looks like fall weather will finally be descending upon us! As the weather gets cooler and crisper, the days get shorter. Can you believe we turn the clocks back in less than two weeks! I love this time of year when it’s no longer hot out but not freezing yet. I would love if the temperatures would stay this way all year long. But atlas as fall sets in, winter is not far away. And with winter, comes Christmas! Yesterday I shared three things we all need to be thinking of in regards to Christmas even before we buy our Thanksgiving turkeys.
1) Operation Christmas Child with the gift-filled shoe boxes is well underway. All the boxes need to be returned to the church by Sunday, November 12. If you are interested in helping with shipping costs, you need to pay online as checks and cash will not be accepted when we drop the boxes off at the depot.
2) Poinsettia orders are underway. If you would like to help make the church look festive as well as your home, please consider purchasing a flower. Order forms are available in the bulletin and are due back by November 5th.
3) We will once again be “hanging the greens” on the Sunday after Thanksgiving following the worship service. A light lunch will be provided so please RSVP on the lobby bulletin board if you are planning on joining in on the fun.
Yesterday, we wrapped up our “Unstuck” series and I hope you were challenged to find freedom in Christ. No matter where you feel stuck in life, Jesus empathizes and has compassion over your struggles (see Hebrews 4:14-16). Because of His gift of forgiveness, we can approach God with confidence and receive mercy and grace in our need. We do not have to stay stuck, we can indeed be “unstuck” in and through Jesus!
This coming Sunday, we will be launching into a new series I’m calling “Theology in a Nutshell.” Theology is one of those topics that people either love or hate, there’s not much middle ground. Long hours discussing the nuances of who God is and what He does in the world today are either exciting to you or sound rather boring. The truth is, however, whether you love theology or not, you have it. Theology simply is the study or knowledge of God. In some way or another, we all want (need!) to know God…we just may not necessarily formalize that study. In asking and answering questions about God, we ultimately learn more about ourselves as well. When we know God and who He created us to be, we will know more about ourselves and how we are called to live. My hope with this series is to address the primary questions we ask when it comes to who God is and who we are because of Him. One can spend a lifetime studying the questions of who God is…we’re going to do it in five weeks…hence, theology in a nutshell 🙂 Hope to see you this Sunday!
In Christ Alone,
Pastor Jan