Angie and I want to thank everyone for the wonderful Pastor/Staff appreciation dinner. Y’all are too
good to us. We love ministering here and that’s because we love each of you. It is very unusual for staff
to be together this long, and that makes it a special place. I know God will continue blessing our efforts
and Angie and I look forward to more time here.
On a different note, the “holidays” are upon us. It is the busiest time of the year for us all. Family get-
togethers (with the decorating, cooking, travel, etc.) are fun… but tiring. Then, there are the church
activities. We will have the Hanging of the Green, Lights on the Bluff, and our Christmas Eve service as
usual. Please be in prayer for every service and clear your schedules (as much as possible). It’s going to
be a great Thanksgiving and Christmas season!
You may have noticed that we, as a body of believers, do not bring the “jolly ol’ fat man” into our church
activities around Christmas. Christmas has two distinct sides: the religious side and the secular side. I
have nothing against Santa Claus on Christmas; he was a big part of our family’s “what do you want for
Christmas?” aspect of the holiday. Our kids and grandkids went to see him, sat on his lap, and rattled off
their Christmas lists. It was all good family times.
But the most important celebration is the celebration of the birth of the Savior. That, and that alone,
should be the focus of the church. Santa has no place in our church activities. Think about it. How
would someone feel if the “Choir Special” one Sunday was “Frosty the Snowman”? Or, what would the
Lord think about Duane asking us to stand and sing “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer”? Not much
worship in those songs, is there?
It’s only common sense, I think, to keep the church’s focus on the One who came to save.
Say good things about your Savior and His church.
good to us. We love ministering here and that’s because we love each of you. It is very unusual for staff
to be together this long, and that makes it a special place. I know God will continue blessing our efforts
and Angie and I look forward to more time here.
On a different note, the “holidays” are upon us. It is the busiest time of the year for us all. Family get-
togethers (with the decorating, cooking, travel, etc.) are fun… but tiring. Then, there are the church
activities. We will have the Hanging of the Green, Lights on the Bluff, and our Christmas Eve service as
usual. Please be in prayer for every service and clear your schedules (as much as possible). It’s going to
be a great Thanksgiving and Christmas season!
You may have noticed that we, as a body of believers, do not bring the “jolly ol’ fat man” into our church
activities around Christmas. Christmas has two distinct sides: the religious side and the secular side. I
have nothing against Santa Claus on Christmas; he was a big part of our family’s “what do you want for
Christmas?” aspect of the holiday. Our kids and grandkids went to see him, sat on his lap, and rattled off
their Christmas lists. It was all good family times.
But the most important celebration is the celebration of the birth of the Savior. That, and that alone,
should be the focus of the church. Santa has no place in our church activities. Think about it. How
would someone feel if the “Choir Special” one Sunday was “Frosty the Snowman”? Or, what would the
Lord think about Duane asking us to stand and sing “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer”? Not much
worship in those songs, is there?
It’s only common sense, I think, to keep the church’s focus on the One who came to save.
Say good things about your Savior and His church.