There is a pretty common questions asked in the month of December - perhaps many of you have heard it too. Instead of talking about the weather, people will ask: “are you ready for Christmas?” And on some level that is the question that I am asking all of you every Sunday during my sermons Are you ready for the arrival of Jesus? Are you ready for God breaking into the world to transform it? In some ways - I am asking you: “Are you ready for Christmas?” But the average person who asks that question doesn’t really mean the same thing. They mean something more like: did you buy all the presents? Did you make your travel plans, or figure out where all the visitors are sleeping? Did you bake all the cookies? In many ways getting ready for Christmas has nothing to do with Christ. It is just another big family party with a little bit of Jesus sprinkled in.
To be fair - as a pastor, there are always a few extra things around this season. Putting together the Christmas Eve worship, or planning all the special readings, decorations and extras that we have during worship in December. Also it may be harder to find people to help because they are so busy.
The thing is though - that often we lose the point of the season. Often, since our culture loves a party, it is very easy to forget why we are partying. We get so wrapped up in presents and cookies and decorations that in the end, we aren’t really preparing for Jesus at all. We are preparing for the things we do to celebrate and remember Jesus. But the root of the season, the reason for all these lights, and celebration is this: God sent his one and only Son to the earth, not to condemn the world, but so that the world could be redeemed through him.
In this same vein of not missing the point - I ask that you would pray for the Stewardship Committee. We have a budget to set, and money is a bit tight. The problem is that in churches when the money gets tight, we can end up in “preservation mode” very quickly. Figuring out how to “survive” and keep the church running. However, God doesn’t want churches - God wants Christians. Churches can grow and nurture and raise up new Christians, but churches in and of themselves aren’t what God is looking for.
Please help us to remember that we are called to serve, to put others above us, to care for the lease of these, and always to go and make new disciples. If these things are our focus as a church, and as we set our budget, then God can use us. Let us remember that we are not called to keep the lights on in a building. We are called to share the Good News of God’s love and justice with the world - through word and deed. Let us remember the work we are called to - it is much more important than any building.
- Bob Brown, pastor
To be fair - as a pastor, there are always a few extra things around this season. Putting together the Christmas Eve worship, or planning all the special readings, decorations and extras that we have during worship in December. Also it may be harder to find people to help because they are so busy.
The thing is though - that often we lose the point of the season. Often, since our culture loves a party, it is very easy to forget why we are partying. We get so wrapped up in presents and cookies and decorations that in the end, we aren’t really preparing for Jesus at all. We are preparing for the things we do to celebrate and remember Jesus. But the root of the season, the reason for all these lights, and celebration is this: God sent his one and only Son to the earth, not to condemn the world, but so that the world could be redeemed through him.
In this same vein of not missing the point - I ask that you would pray for the Stewardship Committee. We have a budget to set, and money is a bit tight. The problem is that in churches when the money gets tight, we can end up in “preservation mode” very quickly. Figuring out how to “survive” and keep the church running. However, God doesn’t want churches - God wants Christians. Churches can grow and nurture and raise up new Christians, but churches in and of themselves aren’t what God is looking for.
Please help us to remember that we are called to serve, to put others above us, to care for the lease of these, and always to go and make new disciples. If these things are our focus as a church, and as we set our budget, then God can use us. Let us remember that we are not called to keep the lights on in a building. We are called to share the Good News of God’s love and justice with the world - through word and deed. Let us remember the work we are called to - it is much more important than any building.
- Bob Brown, pastor
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