It happens from time to time in every family that they either get together for a funeral or a wedding. In many cases these are the only occasions when some family members see each other, especially in the different family members are spread around the world. It’s actually very sad, since as family we share a bond that should be celebrated on a more regular basis. But reality is that for many of us in our church, these are the times when we travel home to be with family, either to share in their grief or to rejoice with them.
It is for this very reason that our church’s “motto” is: Your family away from home. Since we are an international church we recognize that for many (or most) of the members of our fellowship this is “family away from home”. Family members share a bond, grief together, celebrate with each other, journey through life together. And this is how I like to see our congregation.
This past month we have seen some amazing things, filling us both with joy and sadness. The following is a “taste” of the things we share together: a well-loved past interim pastor, Ron Clarke, passed away; a “not-guilty” verdict for a member for whom we prayed for more than a year; new people arrived and joined our fellowship; members found jobs; a baby was dedicated; a couple got married in a far-away country; prayers for protection and help were answered; we enjoyed a great time of fellowship and eating around the Thanksgiving Lunch; we trust God for his healing touch on members who are sick or will have surgery; and there is so much more. Some of these may sound insignificant, but these are the things that make church happen! And in all of these things we can be grateful for God’s love, care, protection and guidance. Thank you for being part of being Church!
During this month of December, we will celebrate the very reason why we are a “family away from home”. Yes, it’s Christmas and more reason to experience joy, happiness, fellowship, forgiveness and God’s grace. The God of heaven came down to “become flesh” (John 1:14), born as a human baby in order to be with us, to join us in our needs, to ultimately give His life so that we can become part of God’s family. May this month and especially the message of Christmas bring great joy to our hearts as we remember the true message of Christmas.
