Brothers and sisters,
Happy Monday to all! Yesterday, we celebrated the second Sunday of advent and thought about the topic of peace. The worship team led us into songs about the coming of the Prince of Peace. Dave G sang a wonderful song pointing us to praising the one who brings peace, the Christ-child. We then looked from God’s Word in Matthew 2 about the first person who tried to steal Christmas from us, King Herod. King Herod tried to stop God’s plan of redemption at the very beginning but was unsuccessful. We saw that whoever tries to destroy God’s redemptive purposes will fail and be destroyed. We thought just as Herod tried to steal Christmas from us, there are Christmas stealers among us today who want to rob us of the joy of the season. Christmas stealers try to turn our focus from persons to presents. Christmas stealers try to get our focus on the rush of the season instead of helping us slow down to rest. As we slow down, we can contemplate the true meaning of Christmas, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Christmas stealers try to get our focus on the fantasy of Chris Cringle instead of the reality of Jesus Christ. We must be careful not to be robbed of the joy of celebrating Christ’s birth by focusing on the wrong priorities.
I am sure many of you ladies saw the painting that had been completed in the ladies’ restroom. Brian Butterfield spent time every day last week finishing the stripping of the old paint, applying new waterproofing and paint to the ladies’ restroom, and putting it all back together. It looks great! Thank you, Brian, for all your hard work! We all appreciate you!
We unanimously approved an update to our sign yesterday. It is so wonderful to have God’s people in harmony as we seek to move forward. I want to thank the sign team for all their hard work in determining what God would have us do and then recommending this update to the church. The contract has been signed and sent to the sign company!
Ladies, remember the Christmas outing this Saturday, December 14, to attend the Overture Center Carol Sing. If you want to carpool with others, be at the church at 10:00 AM. (I have heard that some chauffeurs will be provided that will drop you off at the Overture Center, so you won’t have to find parking!) After the event, the ladies will have Lunch at Monty’s Blue Plater Diner.
We will be having a Christmas Eve service at 5:00 PM on December 24.
Celebrate Jesus this Christmas as the reason for the season! Love being your pastor!
Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church