It sounds a little like a broken record, but can you believe how fast this year has passed? I can remember as a child thinking there was 3,650,000 days between one Christmas and the next. Now, it feels like there is about 35 days between the Holy Holidays. It seems like Janie and I just got the Christmas decorations up and now we are planning the day when they will come down. It is the same way in the worship center here at JIBC. I love the way our church looks at Christmas, so lighted and festive. The decorations are beautiful. I also love the food and diapers for missions under the trees and around the stage. That looks outstanding! My guess is there is about 2,000 pounds of food on the stage in the worship center. To God be the glory. Back pack buddies and the James Island Outreach will receive a whole bunch of Christmas love to the underserved in our community. You are the best!
Now, we are looking at 2020 as another year of blessing and opportunity. When I think of how God has blessed JIBC in 2019, I rejoice and give thanks. The addition of two new staff members has been outstanding. Everyone has immediately grown to love our Associate Pastor Scott Blasingame and our Worship Pastor David Martin. Wow, what a blessing they have been. Scott is on board with us full time. David, right now is only able to be with us part time, but what a wonderful part time he is giving. The new members God has added to the church family have already been such a blessing. What a thrill to help them find their place of service and mission in JIBC and the community. Again, to God be the glory.
This Sunday, December 29 is the Sunday we vote on the 2020 Church Mission and Ministry Budget. While it is basically a formality, it is a formality we must attend. While a local church is not strictly a “business” it must do many things every business must do: pay utilities, insurance, cleaning, materials, staff, provide for safety, maintain buildings, etc. In addition, we provide discipleship materials to all ages, support missions here on James Island, in Charleston, around North America, around the world, support a Hispanic Congregation, support one of the only Transition Houses in Charleston that provides for women coming out of the Charleston Center who have infants and are on step down medications. You support one of the strongest Celebrate Recoveries in Charleston, combating one of the greatest areas of darkness…addiction! You help provide a full time missionary to the student population on James Island. Many churches have gone away from trying to reach youth. JIBC has doubled down on the conviction we can reach them before we have to rescue them. Thank you for being a generous giving church family. I hope you are seeing the results.
Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!
Pastor Tom
Christmas is only 9 days away as I write this article. Hard to imagine there is only one Friday, one Saturday and one Sunday until Christmas. I can’t help it…MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. I love hearing the stories of family traditions for the Christmas season. If you don’t have any why not start and make some. Here are a few you might consider.
First, giving is a major part of the Christmas season. As God has blessed and you are able, be a generous giver. For instance, the Advent Mission focuses on diapers for Lowcountry Pregnancy Center, jelly and food items for James Island Outreach, and food for the “back pack buddies” at our local schools. All three can be picked up as you do your regular Christmas shopping. I wish you could all see some of the hilarious video of our church families making shopping a family sport! I absolutely love it. Janie and I make the first gift of Christmas the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. One of the coolest things about this offering…100% goes to the missionaries work. Not one penny is used for publicity or fundraising. It is perhaps the biggest bang you can get for your buck. Please consider a gift to Lottie Moon.
Second, don’t forget to worship this Christmas season. Beside your daily opportunity to worship, you have one more Sunday of Advent and, of course, the Christmas Eve service. You have probably heard…we are having two Christmas Eve services this year. The first one is at 4:00. It will be exactly like the 6:00 service except for the baptism. You will love the beautiful worship planned for this year’s service. And, we have three very special children’s features in this year’s service. Seriously, you do not want to miss this year’s Christmas Eve service. By the way, this Sunday you will receive another invite card to give to family and friends. We are praying for God’s blessing on every invitation extended.
Third, we love Christmas cards. Starting January 1, Janie and I take our Christmas cards one a day until they run out and we pray for the family that sent the card to us. It extends the Christmas spirit, Christmas Bible verses and beauty well into the New Year. I pray for them one day and then put them out for Janie to pray for the next day. It makes the most wonderful time of the year last a little longer.
See you this Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Advent. We will light the candle of love as we remember God’s great love for us. Hope, Peace, Joy and Love to you all,
Pastor Tom
Last Week I saw a great advertisement about Christmas. It had 5 traditional activities families did during Christmas. And then through each one there was a strike out with an alternative suggestion.
It may lose a little in my non-graphic skills, but I think you will get the point. #1. Instead of “Buy” Presents, try to “BE” Present. #2. Wrap “Gifts” became Wrap “SOMEONE IN HUGS”. #3. Send Gifts became Send “PEACE”. #4. “Shop” for food became “DONATE” food. #5. “See” the Lights became “Be” the LIGHT. That sounds like a pretty healthy approach to Christmas: be present, wrap someone in a hug, send peace, donate food and be the Light. In fact, it sounds like James Island Baptist Church during the Advent Season.
I encourage you to “be present”. When asked what I want for Christmas, my answer is usually something like this: I want all my children sitting at my table enjoying each other and a meal together. Being present is a valuable gift! Go with us Christmas Caroling on Wednesday, December 18. You will be able to wrap a lot of people in hugs as we go to The Savannah House and to some of our homebound members. No special training needed for hugging! Sending peace is easy using the Lottie Moon International Prayer guides. You can support missionaries around the world through your prayers and your financial gifts. Donating food is our specialty. This Christmas I predict that the JIBC family will give 2,000 pounds of food…again! This food goes to help the underserved and to help back pack buddies, school children who may not eat over the weekends. We are carrying out the command of Jesus and the work of God as we do these things. You can indeed be the light for someone living in darkness. This past Sunday, you received invite cards to give to your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc. This year we will have TWO CHRISTMAS EVE services. We will be presenting the Gospel Story of what God has done for us by sending His Son to us. We will conclude the “What A Wonderful Name It Is” Advent Celebration. The traditional Christmas Carols, Communion and Candlelight service will be beautiful as always…and we will do it twice!
This Sunday, we will be reminded of Christmas Joy. What a wide variety of emotions to be experienced during Christmas. No emotion should be greater than the joy of knowing our Father in Heaven sent His one and only Son so those who are lost could be found, those who are spiritually dead could be made alive and those who are blind can see. Join us this Sunday.
What a Beautiful Name It Is…the Name of Jesus!
Pastor Tom
