Before you know it Christmas day will have come and gone. Thank you all so very much for the generous gifts given to Lowcountry Orphan Relief, Lowcountry Pregnancy Center, and James Island Outreach. I can hardly wait for Susan to count up all the donations…poor Susan! Don’t you just love her? I really am excited to hear the final tally at the end of the year. The groups that went out Christmas Caroling were great! This Wednesday we have the Children’s Christmas presentation.
The Sunday after Christmas we are scheduled to have two pastors from Ukraine at JIBC. These are the two pastors that Mark Livengood works with, the two pastors that we include in our budget each year. Try your best to be here on Sunday, December 30. I know they will share briefly in the worship service, and we are considering having an open meeting in the Fellowship Hall for anyone who would like to hear more details about how God is working in Ukraine. Thank you for giving to our budget so we can bless others.
We have another new resident at the Transition House. Her name is Karissa McCray. She has a two year old that will join her once she gets settled in with transportation and a job. It is a joy to work with Jada and Karissa. I love what we see our Father doing. Both of them are a part of Rose Haselden’s Sunday Connection Group. That class serves as “big sister” to the House residents. By the way, last Sunday night we had 43 in Celebrate Recovery plus the band, plus the prayer group, plus the children and students. The volunteers who cook, serve, give, clean…God bless you. Many thanks to the Charleston Crab House, Kickin Chicken, Chef Barry, our fabulous Kitchen Krew, Al who provides pizza, classes that volunteer, etc. Thank you JIBC for making these ministries possible. We could not have a Transition House without the ongoing regular giving to the church budget. That ministry could never pay for itself. You don’t see the estimated $20,000 in support in the church mission budget, but it is there. Because you gave so generously, we could purchase the old Parker Home and renovate it. We have had over 30 women come through that mission!
The largest attended service of the year in coming on Monday, December 24. The Christmas Eve service of Candlelight, Communion and Carols is a favorite. We read the Christmas story and sing many of our favorite Christmas songs. It is a lovely service and a wonderful way to end the “Prepare Him Room” Advent season. See you there!
Many of us remember the immortal Christmas classic “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth” as performed by Alvin and the Chipmunks! Lol. Thankfully, the song has been updated and upgraded. Still, I like the sentiments of the old song…if I had my two front teeth, then I could wish you a Merry Christmas. What would you like for Christmas that would help you bless others? I love the spin JIBC puts on Advent…find a way to bless the underserved, the widows, the orphans and those in need. Our Worship Center Stage is looking fabulous filled with diapers, jars of jelly, bottles of cooking oil and children’s pajama’s. Thank you for wishing Low Country Orphan Relief, Low Country Pregnancy Center and James Island Outreach a Merry Christmas. Wednesday we will be going Christmas Caroling at the Savannah House Nursing Home and in the community to some of our homebound members. Susan Warren, thank you for working so hard to make the arrangements for these projects. Well done.
This is the time of the year when my grown kids start asking Janie “What can we get dad for Christmas?” The answer is always the same: put some money toward one of your bills and then buy me a cool pair of socks! The only part I do not like about Christmas is when families or individuals go too far in Christmas spending. Don’t go into debt or put yourself in a financial bind for something that will be forgotten about the same time as the Christmas trees start to come down. Spend time with family, do for others, give to missions, and remember those in need.
Now, this is what I am asking our Heavenly Father for this year. We are down two staff persons and I would love to see them delivered to our church family and community this coming year. We are talking with a prospective Associate Pastor who would lead our Connection Groups. He would focus on discipleship, evangelism and leading our different team ministries in addition to other pastoral duties. Second, we are looking for a Student Pastor. The number of Students that we have at JIBC is not that large but the number of unreached Students in our community is very large. The Student Pastor would be a shepherd to the Students, leaders and families that we already have as well as a missionary to the majority of unreached students in the community. Join with me in seeking our Father’s will concerning these two leadership positions. He is able to do above and beyond what we have faith to ask.
See you Sunday for the third Sunday of Advent as we “Prepare Him Room”.
Pastor Tom
“Prepare Him Room” is our Advent Theme for this Christmas season. The word advent means coming. It usually refers to the first coming of Christ, the Christmas Story. It also can refer to the Second Coming of Christ as well. Either way, let us prepare Him room. I hope this letter finds you enjoying the beauty of this time of year. I love the Christmas lights, the decorations, Christmas music and the increased spirit of giving. Make sure you take advantage of the many Christmas activities going on at and through James Island Baptist.
As we are approaching the last month of the year, I wanted to write a letter to thank you for your faithfulness this year. I really do mean that. Whether you are a person who gives a little, a lot, or nothing at all, I thank God for you. If you are praying for JIBC to be faithful to our God called purpose, you are a part of the family. If you are serving in any area, you are a part of the reason for our blessing and success. If you give financially, you are directly involved in making a difference. You feed the hungry, provide ministry for the addicted, help support missions all around the world as well as right here at home. You provide worship and education space for Luz Y Verdad, the Hispanic Mission that meets here at JIBC. They feed the community, sometimes up to 45 families at a time. You have a part in making that happen. You provide this mission and ministry space to Luz Y Verdad at no charge. I estimate that would be about $30,000 to $40,000 a year in mission support. You are not afraid to take on the toughest problems in our community…drug and alcohol addiction. The Transition House has blessed over 30 women since it has opened. Again, other ministries could be making tens of thousands of dollars with this type of mission. You provide it as a mission and ministry of JIBC and you do it with love and grace. You do such significant ministries they seem natural. They really are not. That is not counting the mission support that comes from your weekly tithes and offerings. I love it, love it and love it some more. Thank you.
I want to remind you that it is not too late to make a year-end contribution to our mission and ministry. For some, this might be a catch up offering that will help us end our fiscal year on a strong note. Others may have a year-end “thank you “offering” in gratitude for all God has done for you. This is a great time to make a gift to Daring Faith to help with the new side entrance and the new elevator. As I helped our custodian carry the tables back upstairs, I thought I would put some extra in that mission myself!
This Advent season make sure you prepare Him room. Don’t fall for the trap of overextending your calendar or your finances even for things that you enjoy. Prepare Him Room daily as you spend time alone with God. Prepare Him Room as you find ways to help those less fortunate this year. Prepare Him Room in a time of the year that began with Him. I look forward to celebrating the first Sunday of Advent with you on December 2.
Blessings In the Name of Immanuel…God with us,
Pastor Tom
