December 2019 Newsletter

The Reason For The Season

My Best Buy flyer says Christmas begins the day after Thanksgiving on a day called Black Friday. That’s the day the retail industry simply goes ‘buggy,’ erupting synchronously from underground like periodical cicadas sensing the seasonal drop in temperature. Retailers spend most of the year like nymphs awaiting this moment of their retail lifecycle, planning to emerge for a brief adult stage the moment the pumpkin pie is cut. They streak to the branches of star-topped evergreens, striking their wings together in a deafening chorus of familiar carols, hoping to attract and mate with any passing holiday shopper who signals their interest with a bulging wad of green bills in their wallet.

It’s so predictable a phenomenon you might mistake it for the “reason for the season.” Isn’t Christmas about shopping? Isn’t it about Santa and reindeer and elves and snowmen that can be for everyone? It’s become a generic holiday that comes in secular shades of red and green, a time of festivities often touted as the “most wonderful time of the year” but maybe that’s just a convenient excuse for us to go out and buy more stuff.

In truth, it takes determination to get to the backstory of Christmas. It’s far too easy to let commercialism rule the day. If we don’t make an effort to re-learn and re-claim the miracle of Christmas our vigor will fade when the retail swarm dies off.

As your pastor, it’s my duty to help you beat back the Christmas bugs! To help you prepare your heart and mind for Christmas I’ll be preaching four messages from the Gospel of John. Each message describes a reason for Jesus’ birth. Listen online if you can’t be with us in church.

If you’d like daily help in preparing for Christmas, you may enjoy this Christmas devotional entitled Glory to God in the Highest. It consists of 25 devotions written by Dallas Seminary faculty (my alma mater). It will give you a quick way to focus your mind on “the reason for the season.”

Merry Christmas!

-Pastor Richard

Registration for our January 18, 2020  Women’s 1 Day Retreat is open through the end of December. We would love to have you join the Women of Faith and friends as we spend the day studying the word with Ginny Bryant and worshipping together. Please check out the details here or see us in the Lobby following worship each Sunday.  If cost is a concern, scholarships are available—please don’t let that stop you!

Looking for a Bible Study? Our weekly study begins anew at 9am on January 15, 2020 and will be studying the book of Daniel. 

Mark your calendar! Our Movie and Jammies Night is Feb 8,2020. This year we will be showing The Greatest Showman….get your desserts and popcorn ready!

If you have questions or want more information about any Women’s Ministry event or study, email us at womenoffaith@faithcc.info

The Progressive Dinner is just a few weeks away! We are all set with houses and are excited about our hosts this year! To RSVP click this link and sign up by December 9th. The dinner is from 6:00-9:30pm starting at the Faith Church Gym and ending at the Ferris' house. Don't forget a White Elephant gift (no more than $10 value) and we look forward to another great evening! Please feel free to email with any questions/allergies/concerns!

Why should I obey God? This was the Big Picture Question for Unit 14. Each unit in The Gospel Project has a Big Picture Question. This is asked of the children each week as a way to get them to think more about the lessons they are going to learn in that particular unit. But what is great is that they also learn the answer, which is always very powerful and lays a great foundation to talk about Jesus. So what is the answer to:

Why should we obey God?  We should obey God because He made us, He loves us, and His plans are good.  This was vital information as the children learned about the prophet Jonah and his disobedience, Hosea and his obedience to God and how Israel was taken captive because of their disobedience. What amazing truths our children are learning each and every week. 

When you see holly this season, may the sharpness of the leaves remind you of the crown of thorns worn by Jesus and the red berries serve as a reminder of the drops of blood that were shed by Him for our salvation. Even the letters of the word holy can be found in the word holly.  Let's find new ways to focus on Christ this season:)