A FEW WORDS FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 2011
I’VE GOT A BASKET OF GOODIES
WITH NO CALORIES!
By Pastor Richard Todd
for the week of December 26-January 2
I’ve prepared a basket of Christmas greetings from people connected with our church family that we have been receiving on your behalf. You would enjoy looking at these so I will have them at Walking N the Word and at Prayer Meeting and in the church office for a while.
Yes, the teddy bears you gathered were handed out early in the morning on Christmas day at Royal Court (one bear to a pillow).
Each New Year has many opportunities and challenges, some of which we anticipate. Others we can’t begin to anticipate as the year begins. What does 2011 hold for us as a church family? My prayer is that we will see more grace, more blessing, more growth, more ministry, more opportunities to coach many lives-more than ever before at our church. Thank you for being part of our opportunity to change the world by making this your church family. Let’s work hard together this year to be all the church God calls us to be, all He wants every church to be, and to be what He wants us specifically to be-right here-right now. The apostle Paul told a group of Christians that, “a great door for effective service has opened and there are many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:9). How true both observations are for us as we prepare to move into our new church facility in 2011!
Want more info on how to join this church family in membership? Want to see some of the pictures that were taken of you at the recent Christmas Banquet? Want to read my recent article or my previous writings that are written in the church bulletin each Sunday? The answer to all of these questions and more is GO TO THE CHURCH WEBSITE at: www.whittierbrethren.net
HERE’S A NOTE I RECEIVED FROM OUR FGBC WORLD TEAM: For the first time in the history of the Lausanne, the international evangelical movement, a Grace Brethren representative was in attendance. (The event was held October 16-25, 2010.) Read about Dave Guiles’ experience at Capetown 2010 in the Winter 2011 issue of FGBC World, now available for free at [INSERT LOCATION]. The quarterly magazine of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches is also available online at fgbcworld.com.
The Faranda family invites you once again to come to their dancingwithlights yard display once again December 26th from 5-9. Dress warm and bring a dessert to share. They live at 5203 Ashworth Street in Lakewood. I will be at Walking N the Word then head over for the light show and goodies.
For the many of you that call this community of Christians your church home, I have this to say…”your financial gifts at this time of year have added meaning in that 1)they enable us to finish this year well as to our obligations locally and to the people around the world that we support and 2)they also get us off to a good start in the new year ahead with the goals that await us. Your contributions for this year can be received at our offices (12300 Washington Blvd.) through Friday, December 31.
Claudia and I thank God for your friendship with us and our physical family and your love for the people of God that call this church their spiritual family. Thank you for helping us put God’s arms of love around a suffering world.
Merry Christmas (final time to say it) and a blessed New Year in the hands of our Lord,
Pastor Richard
My writings or whatever you want to call them are regularly emailed to missionaries and others wanting to keep in touch with the Community Grace Brethren family. You can find my writings and view our church photo album and other material by going to whittierbrethren.net and follow the links.
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