Advent marks the beginning of the calendar year in the church. It is a time of expectant waiting, anticipation, and hopeful yearning for a more complete understanding of what God?s gift of Jesus means for the world. There are activities at the church each week that make it possible for us to discover God?s activity. I hope that you will take opportunity to involve yourself and your family in these activities. I hope that this Advent season and the approaching Christmas season are adventures of faith for us that cause us to move beyond what we have always known, thought, or expected from God.

Speaking of new and exciting opportunities for the church, we want to welcome to the membership of our congregation the following people and their families: Brian and Sally Davis and their daughter, Jewel; Chris Honeycutt; LaDonna Payne; Michael and Judy Poltorak; and George and Darlene Watson and their son, Trey. Gladys Turner, who participated in our church membership class, will also be uniting with the church upon her return from some long planned travel. We give thanks to God for these new members. It is an appropriate beginning to a new calendar year in the church.

I ask you to get to know these new members and give them the gift of hospitality this church so warmly extends. We have much work to accomplish, and we are grateful to God for continuing to call and send people to help with that work.

Let us resolve to be about the work of the kingdom in all that we do and say ? never forgetting that the Spirit of God and the gifts of that Spirit are visited upon each of us. We can, in many different ways, serve God and people, making the presence of God?s kingdom known in our homes, our community, our church, and, indeed the world. Have a blessed Advent season!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Mark