And a Little Child Will Lead Them

It just wouldn't be Christmas without babies!

I'm not sure if more people bring babies to church during the holidays or if I am more aware of their presence, but what a joy it is to share Christmas with the children God has placed among us. Miss Jada made the party Saturday night, all dressed up and ready to dance.

And then yesterday was one of those days when you're not really sure what is going to happen next...not due to a lack of planning, but just because it is one of those days. I almost lost it when I looked up during Communion and saw little Houston in his Santa outfit...right as Don, who played Santa this year was coming for the Sacrament. I had an image of "me and little me" and I had to laugh.

Children were special to Jesus. When others tried to send them away Jesus called them to come even closer. I want to encourage you to take note of the children around you...for often God will bless your life through them if you will stop, look, and listen.

Merry, Merry Christmas!

Let's Go Fishing

Christmas is one of two times in the year when unchurched people are more receptive to attending a church function or service. And it helps if they are invited! So take a moment to think of a few people you can invite to Holy Cross this Christmas. In addition to our regular worship at 10:00am on Sundays, we have these special events:

Saturday, December 15th at 7:oopm, Christmas Party and Dance; Santa will be with us as well as a professional photographer with reasonable rates. Bring a finger food if you can and celebrate the season with us.

Sunday, December 23rd at 2:00pm, Hand Bell Concert with Danny Lyons; free with a Love Offering taken.

Monday, December 24th at 7:00pm and 11:00pm, Christmas Eve Services; candlelight with Holy Communion in both services; special music.

Okay, did you think of someone? Great, now go fishing and good luck!!!

Season's Greetings!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...all we need now is some cooler weather to make it feel that way too.

As with all of life, the key is to enjoy whatever you have while you're having it. Often we look back on difficult times with a measure of appreciation, if for nothing more than we survived and learned something. But how often do we appreciate difficult times while they are happening?

The ability to "consider it all joy" brings a measure of serenity to our lives as we undergo what James called "the trial of your faith". That's what today's devotional is about. It is exciting to know that over 100 people connected to Holy Cross are reading the same daily devotional. [By the way, if you need one they are in the church foyer and for special needs contact the church office to have one mailed to you.] I am excited about how God will speak to more of us this year through The Word for You Today. We cannot help but grow by spending time in God's Word.

James 1:2 says, "Consider it all joy...when you encounter various trials." Not only will God work our trials together for our good, but God will use our trials to teach us so that we will grow and mature. Day by day, trial by trial, we become more like Jesus.

But what about the reason for the trials? Paul says as for himself it was to keep him from being conceited! Now that's honesty for you.

The truth is that bad things do happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people. I don't know why that surprises us so. God is in control. Therefore we do not have to fear... whatever comes our way...for God is with us and all is well. Christmas is another reminder of this good news.

Rejoice and be glad!

The Gift of Jesus

This week I came across a list of the names of Jesus and I was reminded of just how marvelous God's gift of Jesus is to us. There are at least 100 names ascribed to Jesus in the Bible. If you will take the time to read this list I know you will be encouraged as I have been in reading it.
I want to challenge you to read about at least one name of Jesus each day over these next 100 days. This is a great way to get to know the gift of Jesus this Christmas.

Advocate (1 John 2:1)
Almighty (Rev. 1:8; Mt. 28:18)
Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:13)
Amen (Rev. 3:14)
Apostle of our Profession (Heb. 3:1)
Atoning Sacrifice for our Sins (1 John 2:2)
Author of Life (Acts 3:15)
Author and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:2)
Author of Salvation (Heb. 2:10)
Beginning and End (Rev. 22:13)
Blessed and only Ruler (1 Tim. 6:15)
Bread of God (John 6:33)
Bread of Life (John 6:35; 6:48)
Bridegroom (Mt. 9:15)
Capstone (Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7)
Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20)
Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4)
Christ (1 John 2:22)
Creator (John 1:3)
Deliverer (Rom. 11:26)
Eternal Life (1 John 1:2; 5:20)
Gate (John 10:9)
Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11)
Faithful Witness (Rev. 1:5)
Faithful and True Witness (Rev. 3:14)
First and Last (Rev. 1:17; 2:8; 22:13)
Firstborn From the Dead (Rev. 1:5)
Firstborn over all creation (Col. 1:15)
Gate (John 10:9)
God (John 1:1; 20:28; Heb. 1:8; Rom. 9:5; 2 Pet. 1:1;1 John 5:20; etc.)
Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20)
Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14)
Head of the Church (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:23)
Heir of all things (Heb. 1:2)
High Priest (Heb. 2:17)
Holy and True (Rev. 3:7)
Holy One (Acts 3:14)
Hope (1 Tim. 1:1)
Hope of Glory (Col. 1:27)
Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69)
I Am (John 8:58)
Image of God (2 Cor. 4:4)
Immanuel (Mt. 1:23)
Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42)
King Eternal (1 Tim. 1:17)
King of Israel (John 1:49)
King of the Jews (Mt. 27:11)
King of kings (1 Tim 6:15; Rev. 19:16)
King of the Ages (Rev. 15:3)
Lamb (Rev. 13:8)
Lamb of God (John 1:29)
Lamb Without Blemish (1 Pet. 1:19)
Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45)
Life (John 14:6; Col. 3:4)
Light of the World (John 8:12)
Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5)
Living One (Rev. 1:18)
Living Stone (1 Pet. 2:4)
Lord (2 Pet. 2:20)
Lord of All (Acts 10:36)
Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8)
Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16)
Man from Heaven (1 Cor. 15:48)
Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 9:15)
Mighty God (Isa. 9:6)
Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)
Offspring of David (Rev. 22:16)
Only Begotten Son of God (John 1:18; 1 John 4:9)
Our Great God and Savior (Titus 2:13)
Our Holiness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Husband (2 Cor. 11:2)
Our Protection (2 Thess. 3:3)
Our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Sacrificed Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7)
Power of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Precious Cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:6)
Prophet (Acts 3:22)
Rabbi (Mt. 26:25)
Resurrection and Life (John 11:25)
Righteous Branch (Jer. 23:5)
Righteous One (Acts 7:52; 1 John 2:1)
Rock (1 Cor. 10:4)
Root of David (Rev. 5:5; 22:16)
Ruler of God’s Creation (Rev. 3:14)
Ruler of the Kings of the Earth (Rev. 1:5)
Savior (Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:20)
Son of David (Lk. 18:39)
Son of God (John 1:49; Heb. 4:14)
Son of Man (Mt. 8:20)
Son of the Most High God (Lk. 1:32)
Source of Eternal Salvation for all who obey him (Heb. 5:9)
The One Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5)
The Stone the builders rejected (Acts 4:11)
True Bread (John 6:32)
True Light (John 1:9)
True Vine (John 15:1)
Truth (John 1:14; 14:6)
Way (John 14:6)
Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Word (John 1:1)
Word of God (Rev. 19:13)

Who could need, want, or ask for anything more!?!

My Cup Runneth Over

What an incredible week of blessing for me and Holy Cross MCC. God is awesome!!!

Beginning with our Thanksgiving service last Wednesday, we have received blessing upon blessing. The meal on Thursday was delicious and the food was abundant. Praise God for new people as well as some we had not seen in a while. I was especially blessed to have all of my family but one brother who could not be with us. I think more people brought family this year than ever before. What a blessing it was to be in our home for the holiday.

I would like to thank all who came out for the work day on Saturday. Can you believe how wonderful it looks to take that fence down and trim the trees? I had to walk back and look at it a number of times yesterday. The love and appreciation we have for our property is becoming more evident with each work day.

The worship service left me in the clouds for hours yesterday. Not only did we have the energy of a full house, but the blessing of David Suhor to sing and play. And then the Shawn Thomas concert last night....my cup runneth over. Join me in giving thanks for abundant blessings.

As I planned worship services for the rest of this year, I caught a glimpse of the new thing God is doing with us this Christmas. It is powerful and life changing...not only for us but for the people God has called us to help. All I can say is hold your cup out there and it will be filled to over-flowing as well. This is a time of great blessing...be sure to get yours!

Thanksgiving Isn't Over Yet

Well, most of the leftovers are gone and some of the company has left for home, but Thanksgiving is not over yet. That's the title of the sermon for tomorrow so set your clocks and join us at 10:00am. We will be blessed to have special music by David Suhor and you will not want to miss it. So have a blessed evening and I hope to see you at church in the morning.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Every year at this time our hearts are filled with thanksgiving and praise, but this year our hearts are overflowing! After three years of waiting, finally we are home for the holidays.

Last night after our service as people were busy transforming the sanctuary into a dining room, I was thinking back to the first Thanksgiving at Fairfield. It was a lot cooler than today, maybe even a little rain came our way; we had no electricity, no water, no rest rooms, and what is now a lovely Fellowship Hall was but a shell of a room. Yet there we were, sharing Thanksgiving together. Eighty-five people came for a sit-down meal and we had the best time!

The following two years we had similar experiences but the weather was nice and we were able to eat outside....with rented portable toilets and a hand washing station. There we were, happy to be together as we awaited the renovation of our building.

Today we will eat in the comfort of our new home. What a mighty God we serve!!! God has done for us what many predicted could not and would not happen. What a testimony of God's grace, mercy and power. And how humbling it is for us to be the recipients of such blessings!

Praise be to God, who brings forth blessings in spite of us and others. Today we will break bread with a number of new people who are now a part of our church as well as some of our neighbors. Today some of us will miss the people who were here last year but are now gone. Today we will do what scripture teaches in I Thessalonians 5:16-18,

"Be joyful always; pray continually;give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Last night we focused on that scripture and the little word "in". Today I want to encourage you to be thankful no matter what circumstance you are in today. It is God's will for us to give thanks in the midst of blessings and even in the midst of troubles.

In case you need some help getting started, here are some things for which we can all be thankful...some things that will remain no matter how much life and people let us down, and no matter what circumstance comes our way. F. E. Marsh has enumerated some of these blessings:

· An acceptance that can never be questioned. (Ephesians 1:6).

· An inheritance that can never be lost (1 Peter 1:3-5).

· A deliverance that can never be excelled (2 Corinthians l:10).

· A grace that can never be limited (2 Corinthians 12:9).

· A hope that can never be disappointed. (Hebrews 6:18, 19).

· A bounty that can never be withdrawn. (1 Corinthians 3:21-23).

· A joy that need never be diminished (John 15:11).

· A nearness to God that can never be reversed (Ephesians 2:13).

· A peace that can never be disturbed (John 14:27).

· A righteousness that can never be tarnished (2 Corinthians 5:21).

· A salvation that can never be canceled (Hebrews 5:9). (http://www.bible.org.)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Thank you for being a part of my life and ministry.