Coming Soon!
Around the offices, we are finalizing all the details for the Advent season which begins on Nov. 27th this year. We will be offering the Advent curriculum during the Sunday school hour in room 505 taught by Diana Spencer and on Zoom on Wednesday evenings@7 with me. Our young adults will be gathering for Dinner church on Nov. 27th. We are also bringing back the traditional Advent workshop on Nov. 27th where we will be creating nativity sets to deliver to our homebound. All of our crafty people are needed to help with this love offering. I am not crafty at all but Brittney assures me that even I can do this project! Our Advent promo video was finished today and we are excited to be sharing it with you on Sunday.
We also have a special guest on Sunday coming from the Tulsa Day Center to share a Mission Moment about the long relationship that Faith has had with their ministry for those who are experiencing homelessness. I will be preaching from Luke 5 when Jesus was criticized by the Pharisees and their scribes for “eating and drinking” with sinners. I laughed at the text because they compare the people that Jesus hangs out with to the well behaved disciples of John the Baptist who fasted and prayed. As we continue to explore the topic of healing through celebration, we will encounter failure and how we respond to it. I hope you will join us in person or online.
Also, my birthday is coming on Sunday Nov. 20th and I want to invite you to a party at noon! All those who will help me decorate the sanctuary for Christmas can enjoy pizza, salad and birthday cake for lunch. Your help on that day would be a beautiful gift to me and the entire congregation. All ages and abilities are welcome and needed.
It is strange to me that we are almost at the one year anniversary of my becoming the Senior Pastor here at Faith. The first year in any new role is the hardest. Even though I have been on staff, I have done things this year that someone else took care of and I have learned a lot. As we near this holy season of preparing our hearts, again, for the incarnation I am thankful for those of you who have encouraged me and stayed in relationship with our incredible congregation. Our Charge Conference is on Sunday 6:30 pm at New Haven UMC (all are welcome to attend) and I am very impressed with the number of new members, children and youth who are engaging every week. I give thanks that in the midst of change, we are thriving!
Peace,
