Sunday Flashback

Sunday on a Christmas weekend. Lots of our folks are still "over the river and through the hills", but while the attendance (particularly at 9) was down, the spirit was high!

Thanks to the MP13 Band for keeping Christmas in our hearts with a couple of songs about the coming of the Lord. Chris Tomlin's version of "Joy to the World" just makes a great song even better. All told, the music today was top notch and as I watched from my vantage point on the front row left I could tell the worship was heart-felt.

I'll miss the decorations when they come down in the next few days. Set against our black background, the trees, lights, packages and bows pop! As one guest said, a "visual treat".

I started a series today that will take us through the month of January from Isaiah 55. There, the Lord is telling Judah what it will take after they return from 70 years in Bablylonian captivity to become again the holy people of God. And He invites the Gentiles to join in. All this was 190 years before the event.

Our focus today was on verse 6 - the heart of the passage. "Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near." With "seek" being the verb it is telling us that we can't move from point A to point B passively. And the thought that God may not always be "near" to aid us is a scary thought.

Tammy S., one of our newest partners also shared with us about her mission in Nepal, where she'll be building an orphanage in a remote area. First, she goes to Thailand to get training in a machine that will be used to make the bricks! We committed to praying for Tammy's safety and for her witness of the Gospel to a culture with hundreds of gods.

So as we move into a new year, let's evaluate the old and take whatever steps are needed to grow.

Happy New Year!