“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).” Isaiah 7:14 (NLT) I grew up in a home where we used mostly name brand products. Crest tooth paste, JIF peanut butter, and Oreo cookies. There were generic versions of these products, as well as other competitor’s similar products, but we always bought name brand. Whenever we went on vacation as a family we would ALWAYS stay at a Holiday Inn, because back then it was reliable and clean. As an adult I have carried on with some of the name brand training I received. Some of the names are different, but I still prefer a name brand over a generic product. When Debbie and I were first dating I learned a term that the pharmaceutical companies worked to get their doctors to use. The term was “medically necessary” and was written on a prescription so that the pharmacist would not fill the prescription with a generic drug. The doctor was indicating that the brand name drug was "medically necessary" for their patient. So what is it about a brand name? I believe with my parents, with me as an adult, and with doctors (in some cases) the name brand yields a level of trust. You can trust (in theory) that the brand name will deliver a better quality and more consistent experience. It is a name you can trust. I wonder if that is why God gave the prophecy of what his Son would be called. The prophecy said that the virgin would give birth to a son and he will be called Immanuel. This is God’s chosen name for the One who would save the world. In the Bible there are several names given for the One who would save all of humanity. The one we draw out most often during Advent is Immanuel – which means God with us. The reason this name, actually more of a title, is so important during Advent is because of the promise it offers. God with us! When we hear the title Immanuel used for the long expected Jesus during Advent we should be amazed. Think of all the times in the Old Testament where God is with us. A voice in a dream, a burning bush, a pillar of cloud and fire … the list goes on. In the prophecy of Isaiah and the angel in Matthew the promise is that God would be with us very differently. In human form, a little baby. That was an amazing new reality. This is one of the reasons I love The Gospel of John and the fact that the Word became flesh – God with us! So when we sing Emmanuel this week in worship it should bring a smile to our face. The anticipation of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us should be more than we can possibly contain. There truly is something in a name … and he will be called Immanuel, which means God with us. This Sunday is the second week of Advent. I pray that you will experience God with us at either the 8:15, NINE45, or 11:15 service. This is an exciting time of anticipation at St. Andrew’s. I can’t wait to see you in church!

"Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root." Isaiah 11:1 This Sunday is the first Sunday in the season of Advent. Advent is the time in the Church calendar where all Protestant Christians anticipate anew the coming of the Messiah. It is also the start of the Church year. It is a time of new beginning. In the Scripture above, Isaiah the prophet tells of a new branch coming out of the stump of Jesse (David's father). This new branch would bring new fruit. The promise of God is that of life and new hope. The long expected Messiah would bring a new reality of how God would interact with creation. In the season of Advent we anticipate the coming of the Messiah anew. We also should enter into Advent as a season of what new branch God may be bringing forth from our life. What has God been preparing under the surface in our life that will grow into a new branch, bringing with it new fruit. God is always at work and there is always a new branch coming. Last week Rev. Max Wilkins asked us to consider the question, "What in your life requires Jesus Christ to explain?" Perhaps the new branch that God will grow in your life will be an answer to that question. I believe God has a new branch for St. Andrew's that will bear even more fruit. I cannot wait to see what God will do. This Sunday, as we start Advent, Bishop Ken Carter will be with us at 9:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. to preach about "The Peaceable Kingdom." The Sanctuary will be open for prayer and meditation during the 8:15 hour in lieu of a service. We encourage everyone to attend either 9:45 or 11:15 worship. I hope you will join us for what will certainly be a great message and great worship. I can't wait to see you in church.

“Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?” “I’ve been to London to see the Queen.” “Pussy cat, pussy cat, what saw you there?” “I saw a mouse run under the chair!” Just a silly little meaningless nursery rhyme? Maybe. But week after week people from all walks of life head to churches all over the world for worship. They do so for a variety of reasons, but deep down inside every one of them is hoping, sometimes hoping against hope, to catch a glimpse of the King. Not just any king, but the King of Kings. Of course, if you listen to what people say, many come looking for the King but end up seeing only the most mundane things. They see someone who disappoints them, or a flaw in the carpet, or a guitar where they wanted an organ, or a puddle in the parking lot. Granted, some see the King, because the King is there and He wants to be seen. Sadly many times people miss Him. I think that old nursery rhyme may be more profound than we first think. What keeps the pussycat from catching a glimpse of the regal splendor of the royal court? There are a multitude of possible reasons, but at least two that the rhyme brings forth. First, the pussycat’s gaze was too low. After all, the Queen wasn’t likely to be running along the floor, under the chairs. So why was the pussycat focused there? Second, the pussycat was too distracted by physical appetites to experience the glory. With his thoughts on the lunch, he missed the majesty! I wonder how many times we are like the pussycat. Jesus said "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” (Matthew 6:22). Among other things, I believe Jesus is saying the focus of our gaze determines the state of our souls. If our gaze is focused on the light, our souls will likewise be filled with light. If we focus on the darkness, on that which is broken or evil, we find our very souls filled with darkness. Often a key to seeing the Glory of the Kingdom is simply to lift up our gaze. The Prophet Isaiah says that in the year King Uziah died, he saw the Lord. (Isaiah 6) Because he was looking for the Lord, he saw Him. After all, the Lord says if we seek Him, we will find Him … if we seek Him with all of our hearts. While others might have been tempted to panic or despair over the loss of the great King Uziah, Isaiah had the focus of his gaze on the Lord, and he saw the Glory. He also heard the angels proclaiming “Heaven and earth are full of Your Glory!” This proclamation suggests that there is no place so distant, no circumstance so dark, and no challenge so great, that the Glory of the Lord is absent. He is with us all the time and His Glory is there for those who will lift their gaze and see with Kingdom eyes. Of course it is also easy to get distracted by a multitude of lesser appetites. Perhaps that is why Jesus goes on to say, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33). If we seek the Kingdom, we will find it. If we seek His Glory we will see it. And in finding His Kingdom and seeing His Glory, we discover that we can find resolution to the other things that bring stress and anxiety to our lives. I believe the church today has far too many “pussycat” Christians; people who, while ostensibly seeking the King and His Kingdom, are often easily distracted by lesser things. I’m going to resolve to lift up my gaze, to look for His Glory, and to seek first His Kingdom. I don’t want to discover that my journey to the throne room of the King only resulted in me seeing a mouse run under a chair. For more blog posts by Rev. Max Wilkins, click HERE .

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV) These verses from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth are a favorite to be read at weddings. It is a reminder of the type of selfless love that should be shared by two human beings. But, these verses are so much more. Within these five verses of Scripture is the embodiment of the character of God. John tells us God is love and Paul tells us what God, love, looks like. If we want to know the character of God we need to look for this kind of selfless, self-giving love. What does this means for us today? If these verses embody the character of God and we are born in the image and likeness of God, then we are to embody this type of love. We are to be patient when our patience is tested. We are to be kind when we are tempted to be unkind. We are to be content, humble, hospitable, selfless, and measured in our anger. We are to let things go and forgive generously, run from evil and celebrate the truth wherever we see it. Because we are children of God we are to protect when protection is needed, trust when trust seems unwarranted, hope in the midst of hopeless times, and persevere through all circumstances we face. The last quality of love Paul mentions is that love never fails. Paul tells us that he believes he, and we, should love with all of these qualities because they are the very qualities of God’s love for us. He finishes this by telling the reader that if he lives by all of these qualities it will never fail. Another way of putting this is love is foolproof, guaranteed. Love will never let you down, fall short, go part way, or disappoint. LOVE NEVER FAILS! It is my prayer, especially in these times, we will be people of love. Living out the very love that God has displayed to us through his Son, Jesus Christ. Love is needed in all of society now more than ever. I am not talking about the love that the world tells us to give, but the love that Paul describes in these five verses. May we be people who love like this. May we be people who fulfill Jesus’ command to love one another. May the world know that we are followers of Jesus Christ because of the love we live. If we are those people today, this week, and all the time…it will never fail. This Sunday we continue our 50th Anniversary Celebration. Rev. Dr. Bob Gibbs will be with us to preach about sacred places. Next weekend we will conclude the celebration with a banquet and worship on the 18th, worship on the 19th, and one worship service on November 20th. The president of The Mission Society, Rev. Max Wilkins, will be preaching all services on the final weekend. This is an exciting time to be a part of what God is doing at St. Andrew’s. I can’t wait to see you in church!

When I served at First Mount Dora, there was a woman in the congregation, Wendy, who was an amazing supporter of the gospel- particularly among those who did not even believe in God. She would make connections between the behaviors they exhibited and the gospel, helping them see that their ability to act in those ways actually originated with God. She was patiently and persistently allowing God to use her to move an atheist woman from hostility toward the gospel, to a willingness to listen to stories about God working in the world, to directly asking questions about Jesus and the gospel, all in the context of a growing friendship formed around work for the local school that both their teenage boys attended. She is an example to me of meeting people where they are but asking God for grace not to let them remain separate from him. Somewhere on our faith journeys, most Christians experience the encouragement and guidance of one or more other Christians who pray for and with us, who help us persevere, and who challenge us to live into the fullness of the Christian life- loving God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and our neighbors as ourselves. Living together in grace, we find a way to persevere even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. The Apostle Paul was that kind of person for every church God started through him. Sometimes he was stern, as in Galatians, sometimes loving and affirming, as in Philippians, but every time, he prayed for them and reminded them that they were partners in contending for the gospel. I look forward to being with you this Sunday to consider what Paul's words to the Philippians have to say to us today. Happy 50th Birthday, St. Andrew's!

“You are saved by God’s grace because of your faith. This salvation is God’s gift. It’s not something you possessed.” Ephesians 2:8 (CEB) What is the greatest gift you have ever been given? Was it a Christmas or birthday gift? Was it a gift of appreciation or something someone gave unexpectedly? We have all received gifts over the course of our life. Some gifts are more memorable and special than others. Some gifts are given out of a sense of obligation. Some gifts come packed with incredible thoughtfulness and care. In my experience the one thing about gifts that is universal is we all enjoy receiving them. There is something exciting about opening a gift that someone has taken the time to give. I have two thoughts working their way through my mind as I consider the Scripture that Paul wrote so many years ago. The first thought is perhaps a little more obvious than the second. I am continually amazed at how much God loves us. To offer such an incredible gift to such undeserving folks amazes me. In our communion liturgy the pastor says, “Hear the good news, Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love toward us.” We serve a God who loves us no matter what. This is the most amazing part of the gift of salvation to me. In our most undesirable state possible, God loved us and offered grace toward us. What a gift! The second thought that runs through my mind as I consider this Scripture is that everything in our life is a gift. If we received the greatest gift imaginable in salvation, everything else is a gift as well. We would never experience the rest of life if not for the first gift. As I think about my journey of faith over the last 30 years, I believe everything I experience in life is a gift from God that proceeds from God’s great gift of salvation. You’ve heard the phrase, “the gift that keeps on giving.” God’s gift of salvation, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, truly is the gift that keeps on giving. What a gift!

“… let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7 (NLT) When I was a little kid I LOVED chocolate cake. When I was in late elementary school I LOVED the show "The Six Million Dollar Man." As a teenager I LOVED hanging out with my friends after football games. In my twenties I LOVED becoming a follower of Jesus Christ and learning all that meant. When I meant Debbie I LOVED her differently than I had ever loved any human being before. When we had our daughters I have LOVED being a dad. All of these things have the same word in common, LOVE. Love is an important aspect of life and impacts us in so many ways. Over my years on this planet my LOVE has changed and grown, and I experience LOVE differently now than when I was a little kid (except for chocolate cake – pretty much the same feelings). So if we are to speak of living a life of complete joy, we must speak of love. In order to speak of love we need to go ahead and reach a foundational understanding about love. The biblical definition of love is very different than the cultural/worldly definition. The world (Merriam-Webster) defines love as a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person. Culture defines love as a feeling, wherein lies the distinction between the cultural and biblical definition of love. Culture defines love as a feeling, the bible defines love as God. In 1 John 4:8 John writes, “… for God is love.” John does not tell us that God is loving, he tells us God IS love. This means that love is not a feeling we have for God, God is love. God and love cannot be separated, they are one and the same. Love comes from God. When we experience true love we are experiencing God. Followers of Jesus are called to continue to love one another. It is who we are. Love is one of God’s attributes, which means it is a fundamental, unchanging characteristic of God. God gave us an example of this character in Jesus Christ, the Son. All that Jesus did for us through his life, ministry, death, and resurrection compels us to respond in love. Jesus called us to love God and love our neighbor as evidence of our love for God. When we love, God’s love is made real. The call to love one another is a call to show the world how much God loves them, because God is love. It is a call to reveal God’s love for all to know and experience the love of God and the God of love. This is the third aspect of experiencing a life of complete joy. This Sunday we conclude the message series “Complete Joy.” We will talk about the joy God desires for us through loving one another. I look forward to sharing more about this with you. I can’t wait to see you in church!

“And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.” 1 John 2:25 (NLT) It was a beautiful summer evening in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. We were there visiting friends and decided to walk through the historic district and Falls Park. We walked toward a very unusual bridge, known as The Liberty Bridge, and starting heading across the bridge. The Liberty Bridge is unusual because it does not make its way straight across the Reedy River to the other side. It is a suspension bridge in the shape of a curve. It is further unusual because the railing is all cables and almost becomes invisible as you get out on the bridge. Visually this bridge is very challenging. It was so unusual that one of the people we were with became very disoriented. We had to help him off the bridge and help him gain his proper orientation. The reason that The Liberty Bridge completely changed the orientation of this person was perspective. As we all walked out onto the bridge for the first time our perspective totally changed. To a certain degree it felt like we were floating. Everything felt a little bit off because of the design of the bridge. However, if we looked up and toward the opposite end of the bridge we were able to regain the proper perspective. We ended up watching as this disorientation took place with many people. It became all about the change in perspective. With the right perspective people could handle the bridge. With the wrong perspective they became disoriented. Over the years that I have been a pastor and youth director before that, I have found this is also a common issue among followers of Jesus Christ. When we lose our proper perspective on life and faith we become spiritually disoriented. If our perspective is on us, our needs, our concerns, our plans all of the time we will get off course and disoriented. If our perspective is on God, loving God, and one other, loving others, we will find complete joy. We will enjoy fellowship with Jesus Christ the Son and with God the Father. Paul writes, “And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.” It’s all about our perspective. The Apostle Paul is telling us that when we focus on God’s perspective we experience compete joy. The world throws us curved bridges with cable railings that extend over deep canyons that can be difficult to navigate. If we keep our perspective on loving God and loving others, we will be able to handle life’s challenges. Keep your orientation on Christ and you will never get disoriented again. It is a matter of having an eternal perspective. When we follow Christ we begin to enjoy a glimpse of eternity here and now. We begin to enjoy the eternal fellowship we will have by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. God’s kingdom comes and God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven. If you want to experience complete joy, keep an eternal perspective. This Sunday we will continue the message series “Complete Joy.” We will talk about having the proper perspective and experiencing the complete joy God desires for us. I look forward to sharing more about this with you. I can’t wait to see you in church!

“We are writing these things so that our joy will be complete.” 1 John 1:4 (NLT) Watching and listening to a slew of political ads and a Vice Presidential debate this week, it seems that it is harder to find true joy right now. There are places around the world that are torn apart, people setting off bombs that kill innocent people, and yet others losing their life for no apparent reason. There does not seem to be an abundance of joy as we look at the world around us. It would be easy to lose sight of any joy if one were to focus on the circumstances of the world. It just isn’t a pretty sight and the scenario only seems to be getting worse. Our greatest concern is for the future and what it will be like for us and those coming up behind us. I have experienced this lack of joy in the world around me. It seems that the uncertainty of the world around us can steal the joy right away from us. As a husband and father of two teenage daughters, I am concerned about the direction of the world around us, our country, our schools, communities, and even our churches. I am certain that we have all had these thoughts at one point or another. We wonder exactly what the world is coming to and we don’t have a lot of answers. I was talking with someone just today about the presidential election and we came to the conclusion we would like another option. The options in front of us are not inspiring us to have great hope or joy. All of this is why I am so excited we will be starting a new message series this week entitled Complete Joy. Here’s the thing I have learned over the years – Joy is not bound to your circumstances! God knows better than you or me that the world around us is in trouble in a lot of ways. We live in a fallen world and the choices that people make are not always godly choices. That is why God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way. Luke writes that Jesus “…will be the greatest joy to many ...” (Luke 2:34) Jesus himself said, “I have told them many things while I was with them so they would be filled with my joy.” (John 17:13) Joy is not bound to your circumstances, your joy comes from the Lord. Isaiah said “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!” (Isaiah 61:10) God desires for us to be overwhelmed with the joy of Christ, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. The one thing to remember is that our Joy is in Jesus Christ. To experience the joy of Christ we need to tell people about all that Jesus Christ has done for us, see the world from Christ’s perspective, and love like Jesus. Joy is born out of a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. So if the world is on fire and you have Jesus you will still have joy. This is complete joy – to be filled with the joy of Christ. Imagine if we all realized this complete joy available to us through Jesus no matter what the circumstance. How amazing would that be? This Sunday we will begin the message series “Complete Joy.” I look forward to sharing more about this with you. I can’t wait to see you in church!

“But among you it will be quite different…” Matthew 20:25 (NLT) It was a hot summer day in July when I met Sylvester for the first time. He was a 76 year old retired electrician who lived by himself in Cairo, Georgia. Sylvester’s house was a fairly small 1940s era yellow house that sat about 3 feet off the ground on a cinder block foundation. It was one of the nicer homes in the neighborhood and Sylvester took pride in keeping up his home to the best of his ability. I met Sylvester because I was a part of a work crew of high school students, and their leaders, who had come to work on Sylvester’s house for him. In 5 days we would scrape and paint the exterior of the house and install vinyl weather skirting around the foundation. It was a long and hot week serving someone I had never met before and have never seen since. But it was a long week of work I will never forget. In the afternoon of the first day Sylvester told me I could call him Sly. Sly had greeted us that first morning with a smile and a little bit of uncertainty. Sly didn’t know what to expect when 6 teenagers and two adults showed up to work on his house. Even though an advance team had worked with him to determine how we could best help, Sly didn’t know what to think. I believe that was initially why he came out to work with us. Sly wanted to make sure we took care of his house and knew what we were doing. I ended up working with Sly most of the week. I was the male adult leader and we just seemed to hit it off. Sly worked harder than some of the students on my team, and they worked hard. At the end of the week of working on Sly’s house we took a team picture with Sly. He had the biggest smile on his face. We had finished the painting and his house looked good. We had installed all of the weather skirting that truly dressed up the house very well. I could tell that Sly was very pleased with the work that this team of volunteers had accomplished. But that wasn’t the real reason Sly was smiling. I believe that Sly saw Christ in each teenager who worked on his house. They gave a week of their summer break, paid a pretty hefty fee to go on the trip, and sweat in the heat of South Georgia for a week all for someone they had never met. That is why Sly was smiling. He felt loved by a group of teenagers who served him. This is, in part, what Jesus meant when he said “But among you it will be quite different…” in Matthew 20:25. Jesus tells his followers that most people in the world use their gifts, talents, and abilities to attain power. Once power is attained these same people lord it over everyone. Jesus tells his disciples that they won’t do that. If they want to be great they need to serve everyone. This is the great paradox of following Jesus; it’s not about you! Jesus teaches that if you want to be great in the kingdom of God you must serve each other. This is quite different that the rest of the world. There’s one thing I didn’t mention about that week with Sly. I didn’t mention how much the teenagers were touched by Sly. They absolutely loved him! It was amazing to see how much fun they had serving this 76 year old gentleman they had never ever seen before. They didn’t just serve him, they served him with joy and gusto. It was amazing to see them love him and serve him with Christ’s love. I am certain that those teenagers have never forgotten their summer with Sly and I believe they never will. The reason I am so certain of this is that I have never forgotten Sly and that was 26 years ago. One of the reasons that I love serving as your Senior Pastor is that we have so many people that love to serve. I have listened as folks have told me how much they love serving at Dover Elementary, The Outreach Clinic, ECHO, Cornerstone Family Ministries, and Life Care. I have heard the excitement of those who serve in Children’s Ministry and Student Ministry, those who serve as Sunday School teachers and bible study leaders, ushers, greeters, choir members, orchestra, front office volunteers, three men and a preacher, and so much more. St. Andrew’s is a place that serves and I love the people with which I am privileged to serve alongside. This Sunday we will continue our message series “Love Does.” It will be another opportunity to see what Love Does when we lead people to experience God’s grace through a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. We will celebrate what it means to serve each other and the community. I can’t wait to see you in church!

“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:7 (NLT) Growing up one of my favorite stories was "Fantastic Mr. Fox," by Roald Dahl. The book, first published in 1970, told the story of Mr. Fox who lived in a hole under a tree in the woods near some farms. As a kid reading the book I imagined what the hole looked like inside. I imagined the enormous root structure that would provide for walls and partitions between the rooms. In my mind’s eye the root structure had to have been incredibly deep and vast. The tree which Mr. Fox lives under with his family was inspired by a real tree at the edge of the woods near Roald Dahl’s property in the village of Buckinghamshire in the UK. The “witches’ tree” was a large, 150 year old beech tree. Its size and root structure inspired Roald Dahl to write the story. It was a healthy tree for more than 150 years because its roots grew deep down into the earth. Whether there was an actual fox who lived under the tree is still debatable. The fact that trees can grow to be 150 years old, support life around them, provide shade and comfort is evidence of the importance of growing roots. With a strong root structure a tree can live for a very long time. Of course, this is true of many things. With the proper structure and nutrients things are healthy and healthy things grow. It is the same way with people. People who spend time growing roots are going to be healthier people. This can mean strong roots in their exercise and diet yielding physical health. It can also mean strong roots emotionally and intellectually as well. Spending time growing roots and feeding those areas of our life we want to grow will ensure growth. It is the same with our faith. We are called to “Let (our) roots grow down into him (Jesus Christ), and let (our) lives be built on him.” We need to spend time putting down our roots in Christ by studying Scripture, praying, journaling, fasting, and Christian conferencing. These are the spiritual disciplines that help us grow deep roots for a healthy, vibrant, and growing spiritual life. In addition to personal spiritual disciplines we also grow our roots deep through studying together in Sunday School and short-term classes/studies. When we meet together and study together in these venues we continue to grow in our knowledge and understanding of God’s truth. Our roots grow deeper down into Christ and our faith grows stronger and healthier. Growth is natural! When we grow our roots deep down into Christ our faith will grow strong. If you are not already involved in a Sunday School class or a short-term study at the church I encourage you to get involved. We want for everyone at St. Andrew’s to grow to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. A disciple is a follower of Jesus whose life is centering on loving God and loving others. In this context we continue to grow to be disciples of Jesus Christ as we grow in our understanding of the truth of Christ and grow in our ability to love God and love others. Healthy things grow and healthy people grow. When we are spending time in study together and in our own spiritual disciplines we grow in our ability to love God and love others. I pray that we all find some time each and every day to grow our roots down into Christ so our faith will grow strong and we will overflow with thankfulness. This Sunday we will continue our message series “Love Does.” It will be another opportunity to see what Love Does when we lead people to experience God’s grace through a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. I look forward to growing in faith with you in worship this week. I can’t wait to see you in church!

"And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but to encourage one another ... " Hebrews 10:25a Adam and Eve, Moses and Aaron, Ruth and Naomi, Elijah and Elisha, David and Nathan, Jesus and the disciples, Paul and Timothy all knew that we are created for community. We need each other and, in fact, we are better together. That is why we believe we should connect in Christian community. We are created for community. It's been many years now since the rise of businesses like Starbucks and Panera. At the heart of these organizations was there recognition of the need for community. Our nation and culture was deeply engrossed in individualism. People were longing for a sense of community. Both organizations have pretty good products, but it is there emphasis on creating space for community that keeps them thriving. We long to be connected in community. The reality is, that is how we are put together. It's in our genes. We are created for community. We are better together. We can get along on our own pretty well for a short time. The fact is that life is a marathon and not a sprint. We need each other to navigate this life we live. As it says in Scripture, a three strand cord cannot be broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Doing life together brings greater meaning to everything in our life. Together we can encourage and motivate each other. Together we can support and care for each other. Together we can laugh and play together. We need each other and we are better together. Simply put ... we believe we experience God's grace and grow in Christ best when we are connected in Christian community. It's what we were created for and what brings out our best. How well are you connected in Christian community in your life? I look forward to sharing more with you this Sunday about the importance staying connected. I can't wait to see you in church.