Tuesday, December 24, 2013

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR



On behalf of our staff, I hope you all had a wonderful merry Christmas and will have a blessed New Year. As the year comes to an end, it is a great time to reflect and give thanks. The Word of God is instructive…”give thanks”. We really are better when we count our many blessings, name them and give thanks for them. We had a very Spirit filled and Christ centered Advent season. My prayer is that all the decorations, teaching series, wonderful music, opportunities for outreach, Bible studies, fellowship have all enriched your season of celebration. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.


CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIRS GOING ON

Even as I type this article, I can hear the wonderful noise of repairs and improvements. Power washing going on, new ac/heat system being installed, the youth area is being “repurposed” and updated…it’s all good. What a great way to end the year.


THIS SUNDAY BUDGET VOTE

This Sunday we will vote to approve the 2014 Missions and Ministry Budget presented by our Finance/Budget team. It will be a simple Yes of No vote. I am grateful for our Ministry Team leaders who submitted their budgets and to our Budget Team who process and present the final product. Good job by all involved.


SCI-FI with a twist??? If you like the “Left Behind” kind of series, you might consider the new book written by our own Charles Keltz, Interstellar Pursuit. Cool thing, the author is selling the book for $20 and donating half of the proceeds to JIBC. We are designating the donations to the mission trip to Haiti. The books will be available through the end of the year. Call or drop by the office for your copy.


Once again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. I love you and so enjoy doing life with my JIBC family.


Pastor Tom


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Christmas at JIBC


I sometimes hear the phrase “I feel the love” or “I don’t feel the love”. This time of the year when I think of God not sparing His one and only Son and sending Him to be born here on earth…I feel the love! This coming Sunday, December 22 will be the fourth Sunday of Advent. We will focus on the Gift of Love. It really is a season of love and we will focus on the Gospel message of God’s love for us. My favorite verse in the New Testament is Romans 5:8…take a look.

Did you notice something missing this Christmas season?
The Church-wide Christmas card mail box was not up this year. When it came time to put it out and up, we were right in the middle of a major construction project. It’s not that it was impossible to get it out; it was just a lot easier considering all the construction and Christmas traffic. It is the first time in my 28 years that we did not have the Christmas card mail box out. I feel sure you will see it make its annual appearance next Christmas season. By the way, remember the reason for doing that? To save money on stamps and give the money to Lottie Moon/International Missions offerings.

The largest attended service of the year is Christmas Eve. Make plans now to attend this year’s Christmas Eve Carols, Communion and Candlelight service. We begin on Christmas Eve, 6:00 p.m. We sing our favorite Christmas carols, some wonderfully new songs, observe the Lord’s Supper and then have a beautiful candle lighting service. If all goes well, we will plan to have baptism that night as well. What a most wonderful time of the year…sorry, couldn’t help it. It is true and I hope it is a wonderful time of the year for you and your family.

See you this Sunday, good Lord willing.

Pastor Tom