Hi Church,

We are in the middle of a series on the Holy Spirit, and last week we talked about how the Spirit helps the Church grow spiritually.  And that when it grows spiritually, it often grows numerically!  We will always pray for that numeric growth - and I fully believe that will happen - because I see that spiritual growth in all of us!  As a reminder, there are invite cards on the table in the lobby - feel free to grab one and share with anyone you meet!

I am excited to be here for the Advent Season, and I know you will love this series called Almost Christmas.  It is based on a sermon by John Wesley called “The Almost Christian”.  This will be a wonderful series that will help deepen our understanding of this joyful season. 

I also encourage you all to share the upcoming Blue Christmas service with anyone that you know is suffering during this season.  This is a time to really reach out and show them the hope of Jesus.  Someone here told me that churches sometimes become “known” for something in a community.  Wouldn’t it be a great thing for us to be known for spreading joy despite struggle?   

Devotion This Week

Each of us may have a particular plan we use when reading the Bible.  I created my own plan and in it I read a Psalm a day.  The Psalms contain some of my favorite verses and passages.  Today I read Psalm 108.  And this verse is the one that stuck out:

For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 108:4

What a beautiful image that is!  We all know how much God loves us - after all He created us.  But there are always times we need to be reminded how deep, how wide, how long, how high His love for us is. 

Human love always has the potential to fail, to lapse.  We think we will love someone forever but when circumstances change, or certain behaviors happen, sometimes that love fades away. 

But that isn’t the case with God - there is nothing that can ever remove His love for us.  Rest in that today.