I want to first say thank you to all of you who lent your hands to the work of preparation for the Crossroads District Conference we hosted here at Bethany on October 11th. Donna West led a crew of volunteers who prepared the kitchen for the meal and stayed to do the clean up afterward. Thank you for welcoming our brothers and sisters from the churches of our district so warmly.
At the conclusion of the conference Dr. Sutton announced that she is going on medical leave through November 30th. I ask that you keep her covered in prayer during this month. What this means for us is that our charge conference will be held as scheduled at 4:30 on November 22nd. Each ordained elder has been appointed to preside over his or her own charge conference, and may be asked to preside over other charge conferences for non-ordained clergy. Pray for us as we journey together through this season toward
Advent with our eyes fixed on the Father who loves us. He continues to prepare us to receive his Son once again!
It’s hard to believe it, but we are approaching the season of Advent. Our focus for study and worship during this time will be a series titled Behold! He Comes! We will begin by considering the promise of Messiah God ingrained in the hearts of his people. Then we spend some time with Elizabeth and Zechariah and their son John the Baptizer. Week three focuses on the waiting time – while we who already know how the story ends connect with those to whom the coming was revealed before they knew how it was going to all fall into place. And finally on Christmas Sunday we celebrate all the ways in which God is with us.
I hope you will pick up the study guide that will be accompany the sermon series. You can use it for personal study, but you will benefit most from connecting with a group as we journey together toward Christmas. If you don’t feel like Sunday School is for you, or if you are not ready for a long term commitment to a study group – this is a great opportunity for you to connect for a short term study. Join Pastor’s Bible Study at 5:00 on Wednesday night as we break from our Journey through the Bible to focus on the Reason for the season. Check with your Sunday School class leader to see if your class will use this resource as well.
I encourage you all to prepare you hearts and homes to receive the Christ child anew. You might start by counting your blessings. It is a phrase we hear a lot, but truly – stop and make a list of all the good things in your life. You will be surprised at how long the list becomes. If you need help getting started, here are a few of my thankful things: My new life in Christ, the gift of grace, the abundance of mercy, the peace that passes understanding, the opportunity to partner with Jesus in ministry, the people God has given me to serve, the ability to speak and share the good news, my guitar, music, and songs of praise, my husband, my children, my grandchildren, all children who see life as a wonder unfolding before their eyes because they remind me that that is what life is!
Somedays joy surrounds me. Some days I have to work hard to find it. In truth it is always there. May joy surround you. May adventure entice you. May the Word of God inspire you. May you know that you are prayed for by the One who came to save you, who stands ever interceding for you at the right hand of God the Father, and may that knowledge sink into your heart as you move forward toward the fullness and abundance of life that is yours because you are His.
Peace, Pastor LuAnn pastorluann@gmail.com 810-730-1443
