Fear or Faith—Investing in the Kingdom
December 16, 2008
Bible Reading: And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ ~ — Judges 7:2 (NKJV)
Bonus Readings: Matthew 6:30-34; Malachi 3:8-9; Matthew 6:21; 2 Timothy 1:7
Fear. Panic. Insecurity. These are the thoughts that characterize our current American economic climate. Lucky for us, this world is not our home, and our Source is not our own ingenuity. The Lord wants to show His power in our lives—and sometimes that means we take on things that don’t seem to be prudent to our own judgment. That describes Gideon—faced with a military engagement against a superior force—God cut back what was already less than what most commanders would want—just to demonstrate that it was His power that provided—not the work of human hands. That’s where He is with us and what we give to His Church. Our goals need to be His goals. Our ways—His. Consider these words, from Doug Schweitzer in Devotional Ventures.
The World nudges us to set financial goals for every area of our lives: affording our children’s education, reaching a standard of living we desire, and retiring in comfort. Surrounded by successful professionals, we tend to adopt a mindset about net worth that is temporal instead of eternal.
Jesus tells us, “Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will be also” (Matthew 6:21). If we invest heavily in company X, we’ll automatically have an added interest in how well it performs in the market. I always believed in the importance of missions, but it wasn’t until I put more of my money there that I developed a greater love and vision for missions. When I took this step of faith, two things happened. First, God provided for me. The Maker of the universe has promised to supply all the needs of those who share from His riches (see Philippians 4:19). And second, I experienced a new level of relationship with God because of the faith I exercised.
I set goals every year in many areas, but none is more rewarding than my tithes and offering goal. It’s a goal that is rewarding on Earth, and it will also be one day in heaven.
Certainly, these are sobering economic times. But, thanks be to God, He can still demonstrate His power in the engagement around us.
Think about it: I shovel out and God shovels in—but God’s shovel is always bigger.~R.G. LeTourneau (inventor)
Contemplative Prayer: Am I investing more in things of heaven or Earth? Are my financial priorities reflective of Faith—or fear? How do my financial records confirm this?
All love in the Beloved,
Chip+
Christmas Eve Bulletin
December 15, 2008
Candlelight Christmas Eve Mass
Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24
10:30 PM
Join us for beautiful music, joyous liturgy, and the comfort of the Eucharist as we celebrate the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Download the bulletin for a preview of the service.
Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, Wednesday, Dec. 17
December 15, 2008
Service of Nine Lessons and Carols
Wednesday, December 17, 7:00 p.m.
Worship the Lord in this beautiful choral service that combines beautiful Christmas carols with the Word of God.
Liturgy Lesson for the Third Sunday in Advent: Longing for Redemption
December 12, 2008
Because Advent is a time of longing for redemption, we should use the season to help us find places in our lives that need to be redeemed—identifying whatever seems to be holding us in its power: In our devotions, invite the Holy Ghost to come, then, make a list entitled, “Powers that hold me in their grip.” Then, jot down everything from which you’d like to be set free: bad habits, ungodly relationships, a repressive job environment, anger, jealousy, envy, or dishonesty—any blockage to living in the Fruits of the Spirit. Commit whatever is on the list to prayer, asking our Lord—who sets prisoners free—to come into your life to take this problem up into Himself. Purpose this earnestly in your heart—and pray it in the power of the Holy Ghost, then watch how God changes your life in this season!
Greening of the Parish and Potluck Sunday, Dec. 14
December 9, 2008
The parish will be decorated for Christmas on Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday in Advent, also called Rose Sunday, which is December 14th.
The greening will begin during the 11:15 a.m. service and continue after the service. We will join together for a “Soup and Potatoes” potluck, followed by Koinonia.
There will be no 9:00 a.m. service that day so the entire parish family can participate in the Greening of the Parish, the potluck, and Koinonia.
Annual Meeting Scheduled
December 9, 2008
Sunday, January 4, 2009
following the 11:15 am service (NO 9:00 AM service)
We will elect new vestry members, set the budget for the coming year, and share the vision cast for our parish mission in 2009. Join us for fellowship and to see where the Lord is leading us this upcoming year!
Christmas Worship
December 8, 2008
Christmas Eve
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
10:30 PM
Classic Anglican candlelight Christmas Mass
Video ad for Christmas/Christmas Eve candlelight service
Audio ad for Christmas/Christmas Eve candlight service
If you have not visited All Saints, we invite you to join us in this glorious service to celebrate the birth of our Lord.
Parishioners are encouraged to send the audio or video to friends and loved ones to invite them to worship with us.
Liturgy Lesson for the Second Sunday in Advent: Real Adventus
December 5, 2008
Over the centuries, the liturgy of the Church has developed spirituality particularly for Christians during Advent. Both the Sunday liturgies and the daily Scripture readings direct our journey into the Advent experience of the mystery of Christ. Our parents in the faith have chosen Scriptures to accent three Advents: the Advent of Christ coming into our lives, the Advent of Christ’s physical birth, and the Advent of his second coming at the history’s end. In all these Advent devotions, we’re called to a vital, personal encounter with Christ through the Holy Ghost—not just “filling our squares” for God. To achieve this, we should, then, call on the Holy Ghost to empower our growth in the same manner…moving past just the bare essentials of simply accepting Christ as Savior, to being actually reborn in victorious lives, as the new creatures He was born to make us, and finally, growing in the Spirit and making His Kingdom purpose first in our lives, so, at the Day of His Second Coming, we may be found to be faithful servants about our Master’s business. That is real Adventus—the coming of our new lives, past the first works of repentance, to lives changed by, then dedicated to His Kingdom. If we really seek lives changed and lived this way, we need not fear what our Lord will tell us on the Great Day of Judgment—He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
