FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT, NOVEMBER 29. This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. The Advent season takes place the four Sundays before Christmas and it ends on Christmas Eve. The word advent means “coming” of “visit”. During the Advent season we remember Jesus’ first coming (his birth) and his second coming (His return). In a world that starts the commercial side of Christmas before October 31, Halloween, it is a good thing to remember the reason for the season. My prayer is that the Biblical readings on hope, peace, joy and love will draw our attention to the great Gift of God’s Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Let each of our worship services begin with a focus on God’s love. Biblical focus, Christ centered, Mission minded…what’s not to love?

A CHANGE IS COMING. January 3rd is the first Sunday of the New Year, 2016. We are going to temporarily end our 8:30 worship service. The attendance has continued for years at a small number of attendees. I know it was very convenient for some to have an early option. There were times when we had almost as many people leading the 8:30 service as those attending. We suspect the numbers will grow even smaller during the colder, darker months of the year. So, we will visit the possibility again at the end of March and the end of May. If we do a re-launch of the service, it will be tied into the attendance of the 11:00 service…when we are consistently full. Until then, let’s use Ephesians 4:4-6 as our theme verse: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as we were called to one hope…one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom