How NOT to Hate 2020!

The weekend in-between Christmas and New Year’s may be the most skipped church weekend of the year. And I get it! Especially when it happens just a couple days after Christmas Eve (and our typical 4-5 services!) I don’t blame anyone for sitting it out, staying home, eating Christmas baking, and just generally being lazy. 

But this year, what else do you really have to do? I know some of you are First Responders, medical professionals, and maybe part of essential retail or infrastructure – you’re working. But most of you aren’t. And you’re locked down, isolated, maybe a little sad, and not real happy about what 2020 has been like. This coming weekend I’ve given myself the daunting challenge of trying to offer a helpful perspective as we head toward a New Year. I’m going to suggest how you might look back on a difficult year with something other than distain. I’m calling the message “How NOT to Hate 2020.” You might be surprised at how timely and practical a certain New Testament letter is in times like this. 

I hope you’re staying safe, healthy, and mentally resilient in these strangest of Christmas seasons. And hope to have you with us online at our regular times and on all our regular streaming platforms (and on demand later). I say it often, and I mean it: If you need any practical, emotional, or spiritual support now or in the days ahead, please let your church know. We’ll step in wherever and however we can to serve you and lift your spirits.

Here’s to a Happy New Year, and not hating on 2020 too much!  

Greg

Thank you to everyone who helped out and donated time, items and filled tote bags for our friends at We Care!

Volunteers hand delivered the bags to individuals and families from our We Care ministry. Zane (one of our volunteer leaders for We Care) shared there were quite a few wonderful stories that came out from the delivery day. In one home they delivered to, fire trucks were blocking the road so the volunteers couldn’t get close. But In the end, the firemen helped them carry the bags. In the homes who had children, the kids were all yelling and jumping with joy. One mother broke down in tears, many prayers were shared and many great conversations were had. People expressed how the bags contained exactly the items they needed at that moment. There were also some sad stories shared on the affects of COVID-19.

One of the hard parts of making deliveries during this pandemic is not being able to visit with friends in their homes. We look forward to the day when we can have extended visits once again. Together (along with a couple other churches) we were able to put together 109 bags to give to people in need this Christmas. Most were given to people from We Care, and extras were donated to the Mustard Seed and Hope Mission. Thank you for your continued support and generosity. You have helped make a difference in the lives of others!

Prayer is foundational in our walk with Jesus and core to cultivating a relationship with Him. Solemn Assembly is designed to foster a relationship with Christ, whether you are meeting Jesus for the first time, just getting to know Him or have a strong, established relationship with Him. Solemn Assembly provides a foundation that is intended to fuel a relationship with Christ throughout the entire year and beyond.

This year, Solemn Assembly will focus on prayer. As followers of Christ, prayer is core to our faith, but for some, it can be daunting and intimidating.

Whether prayer is new or you want to go deeper, Solemn Assembly is for you! We're going to unite for five days and there are three different prayer challenges:

• 5 Minute Challenge (for individuals or families)
• 15 Minute Challenge
• 1 Hour Challenge

Register for one of the challenges to receive your daily prayer guide.