Endings and Beginnings
What a year we have experienced at St. Matthew’s!
This year our Mission Statement was expanded to say this:
To Know Christ, Grow in Christ, and Share Christ’s Love.
Are we are living it out? I will be teaching a three-week class on our Mission Statement on Sunday mornings in Huffman Hall, November 27, December 4 and December 11, from 9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.. This is my chance to tell you how I feel about our future together and to have group discussions about our mission in the community and the world. I will be teaching from the Bible and will be using stories, song lyrics and prayers to enhance the message. Please come and be a part of this class!!
We are moving into the Advent Season. A time of waiting on God. A time of expectation and hope and surprise. The world never, ever imagined God as a baby - God as a needy child - a flesh and blood human being named Jesus from a backwater village. God surprises us and invites us to be expectant and hopeful and surprisable.
That is exactly the attitude I intend to take into Advent and Christmas and 2006. I want to be surprisable – enough out of control that I might really be delighted or challenged by the directions God takes me, takes us as a congregation. Faith is trust and I want to grow in faith. I see this faith building is the meaning and nature of our life together – a life of Christian Adventure – based on the Good News that God loves us enough to become one of us, in order that we might be changed from the inside out become more like him. Alleluia!
And do you want to give a special gift to a friend for Christmas? Invite them to your church over the Christmas Holidays.
Have a wonderful Advent and a Blessed Christmas.
God bless you one and all.
Merrill
