We’ll be assembling 35 Christmas Baskets at 10 am on Saturday, December 15, 2012. This mission project is a favorite of many and everyone is invited to come and help.
Voice of the Day: Frederick Buechner
It is as impossible for us to demonstrate the existence of God as it would be for even Sherlock Holmes to demonstrate the existence of Arthur Conan Doyle. All-wise. All-powerful. All-loving. All-knowing. … God cannot be expressed but only experienced. In the last analysis, you cannot pontificate but can only point. A Christian is one who points at Christ and says, “I can’t prove a thing, but there’s something about his eyes and his voice. There’s something about the way he carries his head, his hands. The way he carries his cross. The way he carries me.”
— Frederick Buechner In Wishful Thinking: A Seeker’s ABC
Hat Tip: Sojourners
Pizza and VeggieTales Tomorrow
We’ll be having another Pizza and VeggieTales Family night tomorrow (Friday, November 30, 2012) at 6 pm. Children on their own are welcome, but families are encouraged. Earlier we talked about having homemade (or churchmade?) pizza, but because Jenny and I lack pizza making logistic abilities we’re defaulting back to Pizza Hut delivery (volunteers with logistic abilities would be welcomed with open arms). We’ll be watching The League of Incredible Vegetables, Big Idea’s newest release.
As always you’re encouraged to bring camp chairs, sleeping bags, etc to make yourselves comfortable during the movie.
Special Combined Music Service this Sunday
This coming Sunday, December 2, 2012, we’ll have a special combined music service at 10:50 am. There will be special music by the choir, children’s choir, and bell choir. Their will be a fifth grade girls’ instrumental trio. Jeremy Kirk will be bringing his drums and Faye Millen and Becky Griffiths their violins. Jenny and I hope to see you there.
Sabbath Rest
Unless a blogging emergency arises, there will be no posting for the rest of the day as I try to take a Sabbath after last night’s successful church conference. Feel free to call in case of pastoral emergencies.
Seeking a Good Home for Old Desks
The church has a couple of old steel desks that the trustees would like to give away. They’re in room 105 if you would like to take a look.
Church Conference Tomorrow
Our 2012 Church Conference will be tomorrow at 7pm (with a Pastor-Parish Relations Committee meeting at 6:30 pm). Childcare will be provided. This will be a good opportunity to meet our new District Superintendent, Rev. Kibum Kim. Hope to see you there.
Family Fun Event
A Family Fun Night has been scheduled for Friday, November 30, 2012 at 6 pm in the Fellowship Hall downstairs at the church. Children on their own are welcome, but their parents are also invited as we’re combining pizza making and a VeggieTales movie.
We’ll have coloring sheets for those who arrive early or want to stay late. This is a free event, everyone is invited, and you’re encouraged to bring friends. Feel free to bring sleeping bags, camp chairs, and whatever else you need to get comfortable.
On Black Friday …
… the billboard above is a good reminder of what Christ would have our priorities be this Christmas. (Photograph by United Methodist News Service.)
Of Thanksgiving and Balance Sheets
Craig Barnes of Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania has a great prayer in the form of a blog post that begins:
“I doubt that this was your idea, Holy Creator, but we have a great love for balance sheets. We want to ensure that we have received as much as we have given. It bugs us if we are giving more than we get back in our relationships and work.”
I don’t consider myself “a numbers guy,” but I have to admit that I have a great love for balance sheets and I almost always feel resentful that I’m giving more than I’m getting. One of the best things that I can do this Thanksgiving Day is to add up only the side of the balance sheet that records what I have received and to give thanks for all of God’s good gifts.
Hanging of the Greens
The hanging of the greens (decorating the church building for Christmas) will be this coming Sunday, November 25, 2012 at 4pm. Everyone is welcome.
This Coming Sunday: Keep Calm and Carry On
This Sunday, I’ll be preaching on Genesis 1.1-10, Mark 4.35-41, and Revelation 21.1-7. The sermon title will be “Keep Calm and Carry On.” You’re encouraged to wear your new t-shirt if you have one (and if you’ve ordered one, but haven’t picked it up, let me know at john@revcollins.com).
*The photo above is one of the slides for worship this Sunday.