Sunday, December 2, 2007

Not only are we "Looking Toward Sunday" but it is hard to think that this week we are also "Looking Toward DECEMBER!" Wow, time surely does fly! But before we head towards December, I hope your Thanksgiving holiday last week was a blessing. Ours certainly was with a houseful, but we wouldn't have it any other way. We thank the Lord He made it possible for our WHOLE family to be together.

Our Christmas season gets started this Saturday at Faith Baptist with our Adult Christmas Banquet. You can come between 5:00 and 6:00 PM to enjoy appetizers ( I couldn't spell "hors derves") and fellowship. The great catered meal begins at 6:00 PM, and it will be wonderful. Following that our special guests, Pastor Larry and Joanne Engle from our sister church at Graham Road Baptist in Cuyahoga Falls will sing and bring a short message from God's Word. Then we will enjoy dessert and the always popular "gift exchange." I hope you will attend.

Sunday morning begins with our Sunday school for kids and teens as well as ABF's at 9:30 AM. These are great learning opportunities for the whole family. These are also great ways to get to know one another and care for each other in prayer and other tangible ways.

In our 10:45 AM Worship service we will praise the Lord through some great songs that cause us to "look up" to Him. We will begin a short series of messages this month under the theme, "Gifts That Salvation Brings." Since this is the "gift giving season" it is appropriate for us to consider some special spiritual gifts we receive from God when we put our faith in Him as Savior. This Sunday we will consider the gift of "ADOPTION into God's Family." This is a very special gift that we don't speak about enough. Meditate on Romans 8:12 - 17 and there will be a few other passages we will also consider. I hope we will not only appreciate being brought into God's family, but that we will live accordingly as members of God's family.

Sunday at 6:00 PM will be our regular Communion Service. Prepare your heart beginning today for this time. Also consider the activity of the Living Lord Jesus in your life in recent weeks and share a bit about it with your Faith Family. We will receive our Benevolent Fund offering to help those in need among us, please participate in it.

Look over the postings of our proposed list of church officers and budget for 2008 in preparation for our annual meeting of elections and ratification of the budget to be held on Wednesday, December 5 at 7:00 PM. All members need to attend and vote, and all others are welcome to come and be informed.

All parents of kids please remember that there are two dress rehearsals for their Christmas program - one on Saturday, December 8 and the following Saturday December 15. Both will be held from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. This is an extremely important time to pull it all together, so PLEASE mark it on your calendar and have your kids here for BOTH practices.

As I close let me encourage you to pray for a few people:

- Sandi Heeter had surgery this past Thursday and expects to be in the hospital until Saturday.

- Lois Guy recently had surgery, then suffered symptoms of a heart attack a few weeks later, which was not confirmed. She is back at Kensington recuperating.

- Monica (Seliga) Stine, who is Mary Horley's daughter, will be performing her senior muscial recital in vocal performance as the culmination of her master's degree at the University of Akron this Sunday at 1:00 PM. Pray for good health and good voice.

And pray for yourself and each other to be in good health, and eager spirit to worship God and learn from His Word this Sunday. And if you haven't invited someone to come with you for awhile, why not do so this week? You may be pleasantly surprised!

God bless you this day!

Pastor Don Workman (and Beth with Nicholas last week; notice his little "church boy" hairdo as we call it!)