Thursday Thoughts

March 28, 2024

In our church and in many churches this week many services will be offered to help us walk through Holy Week.  Some churches will offer a weekday service Monday through Friday.  Others, like ours, will focus in on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday commemorating Jesus’ final meal with his disciples and his crucifixion and death respectively.  But very few services are offered to help us reflect on Holy Saturday when Jesus is in the tomb and nothing happens.

So, with this Thursday Thought, I’d like to invite you to place yourselves in the position of the disciples on Saturday.  Your world has been decimated.  Your teacher can teach you no more.  Your Lord can lead you no more.  Your messiah, the anointed one, the one you thought would lead Israel to glorious restoration and you to the heights of that glory is now cold dead.  Just a few weeks ago, you had been squabbling over who was the greatest and who would get the best seat in the house of God’s kingdom.  Just a few months ago, you had seen the wounded healed, the blind given sight, the oppressed set free, the hungry fed with five loaves and two fish, and a storm calmed by the power of his voice.  And now, a tomb you cannot even open on your own.

Our struggle in putting ourselves there, of course, is that we know the rest of the story . . . we know about Easter morning . . . but the disciples did not.  Jesus had tried to tell them, but they didn’t know.  They were truly in what we call a liminal space—that time between the death of what was and the birth of what yet may be.  What was the concrete reality of our existence . . . our foundation . . . is gone, and the possibilities of what yet may be are not yet formed, still as yet unseen.

It is the first day of retirement.  It is the morning after the death of a loved one.  It is sitting in the car outside of the lawyer’s office after the divorce papers are signed.  It is waiting on test results.  The time between what was and what yet may be but is not yet.

The promise of a liminal space is the possibility of newness, transformation, metamorphosis . . . the promise of a liminal space is found in the power of God who promises to work all things for the good.

But the challenge, the often, overwhelming challenge, of a liminal space is to wait . . . is to wait in openness . . . is to wait in openness for what yet may be without trying to force our way back to what is already gone.  The challenge of a liminal space is to wait in openness and patience for the God who does not work on our timetables, patience for the deep work of personal transformation that always takes longer than we would wish.  The challenge of a liminal space is to wait in openness and patience and trust . . . trust that the one who has promised to never forsake us is yet with us and that the one who has promised to work all thing for the good is steadily weaving every moment of our existence, even this one, into a grander whole than we could hope or imagine.

So today, this weekend, I invite you to wait alongside the disciples.  I invite you to wait with openness, patience, and trust.  I also invite you to wait alongside one another.  There are likely brothers and sisters in our church, among our friends, in our families who are living in a liminal space—having said goodbye to one life and yet waiting on the arrival of a new one.  Let us wait alongside the dark, dark tomb beside them with the light of our love and prayers, and let us see what God may yet be doing.

March 21, 2024

One Emotional Time 

By Ray Barrow  

He was running out of time, and he knew it. But his friends did not. He would be dead within a week. In the Christian Church, it is called “Holy Week.” He had intimated that their ideas of a Messiah were wrong. He knew that they had not gotten it. They were into overthrowing Rome, and “being back on top.” This would be their last extended visit together. What could he possibly say to these fellows who at times were not “the sharpest knives in the drawer?” It would turn out to be the week that changed the course of history. The story is related in all four of the gospels, but only John focused our attention on that “Farewell Address.” He recorded it all in chapters 13-17.  

In 1977, the head basketball coach of Marquette University was interviewed by Bob Costas of NBC. Al had just won the NCAA Championship. He was not known for his strategies of X’s and O’s. He left that to his assistants. He was more of a colorful recruiter and motivator. He was asked what he said to his players in a final timeout, in a tied game, with control of the ball. The coach simply said that the only thing that really mattered was the last words they hear. For Jesus, this was such a moment.  

I have been thinking much about that week lately. I feel as though we in America are living on the edge in a time of darkness. I have lived over eighty years and am a history major. I have never seen my country in such a fragile state. I also feel strongly that large portions of the Church have sold out by not living the Gospel message of inclusion, grace, and forgiveness. We possess, possibly the only people who do, a message of healing, both individually and as a community. Jesus’s actions and words that week have become extremely important to me.  

This week must have made a lasting impression, and I would like to suggest some observations. It begins with humility. Jesus sets the tone for the entire week that includes his death by washing their filthy, smelly feet (John 13). This was slave work. When none were present, why did the disciples not think to wash each other’s? Was it “below” them? Jesus says nothing. He just becomes a “slave” and ministers. Paul the apostle will later explain the real meaning of Jesus’s condescension in a letter to his favorite church at Philippi (Phil. 2:1-11). Did his friends understand the meaning of this humble act? What was he trying to say? If you were to have asked them later in their lives, they would probably say they never forgot that moment. I believe that God is trying to tell his Church that we need to approach our lost world with a towel and basin rather than with a sword in our trying to convert people. Jesus will make the ultimate demonstration of that attitude just a few days later. Paul uses it as an example of the proper mindset, particularly with regard to those “difficult” people we all have in our lives.  

The act of washing the disciple’s feet was also an incredible act of welcome and hospitality. Plus, it preceded a shared meal, which is all about hospitality because meals in the time of Jesus were extremely important. Where is this true hospitality reflected in the Church today? At the least it has to go beyond the frowning “good mornings” (if you get that!) and could extend to really meaning the question “How are you?” Imagine what would happen on Sunday morning if we truly meant the question. We certainly would not make a lunch reservation. Henri Nowen has suggested that the act of hospitality includes opening yourself up to ‘allowing people to have spaces to grow.” Perhaps we need to be more inclusive rather than exclusive at this time of divisiveness.  

And after these acts of humility and hospitality, Jesus spends most of the time talking about what it means to be a real disciple. Why not? This is the last talk before his death. He will see them again, of course, but they do not realize that. He spends the whole time talking about relationships. It is just continuing a theme that actually started in Genesis. Is that not what really matters with most of us, our relationships? Jesus shares his relationship with his Father, their relationships with each other, the “new” relationship with the Holy Spirit. These few days were pretty powerful.  

I find it interesting what Jesus does not talk about: justification, theories of atonement, the last days, and much more. Just the basics! Maybe that is where we must begin, with the lessons of humility, hospitality, and loving each other. That is what Jesus said was the way the world will know we belong to God. This is certainly a better way in today’s fractured and polarizing world. Actions do speak louder than words. Just look at what Jesus did that one last week. 

March 7, 2024

BWIM Month of Advocacy and Courageous Conversations Follow-Up

Baptist Women In Ministry Month of Advocacy

Baptist Women In Ministry (BWIM) is an organization that has provided support to and advocated for the affirmation of women called to ministry for over 40 years.  While they do this work year-round, they have designated March as a month of advocacy for women in ministry.  There are a variety of ways that individuals can participate, and if you feel called to join in that effort you can read about those opportunities on their website:  https://bwim.info/bwim-month-of-advocacy/.

As a church, we have been engaging in conversations about the affirmation of women in ministry on our podcast, Rooted and Grounded, since the beginning of January.  In the initial podcast, aired January 18, we discussed some of the recent backlash to women in ministry that occurred in some Baptist circles last year and why it was important for us to lean into this affirmation of women at all levels of ministry and leadership.  Then in the following four episodes, we dove into a curriculum produced by BWIM and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) titled Equally Called.  It is a curriculum that helps us see that engagement with scripture can lead us to affirm women in ministry.  Now, we are releasing episodes in which we get to tell the stories of women in ministry and in leadership who have impacted us in powerful and positive ways.  I hope you will take a listen on our website, in the app, or wherever you access your podcasts.  All of the episodes in this series have the title Women in Ministry, so simply search our podcast for Women in Ministry and you will find all the episodes that have been released so far.

Thank you for being a church that has affirmed the gifts and callings of women to all kinds of ministry and leadership positions for some time now.  We all still have more we can do on this front, but I am grateful to lead a church that is committed to this way of living out our faith in the world.

Courageous Conversations Follow-Up

On February 20, the Church Council had an extra meeting for the month to discuss our Courageous Conversations regarding our facilities and the feedback that we received.  Before I dive into what we discerned and the steps we are taking, let me say thank you for your participation in our January conversations and for the feedback forms you filled out at the close of those conversations.  Your participation and feedback have been incredibly helpful.

As the Church Council sorted through the information from the meeting and the feedback we received concerning it, we discerned several areas of wide consensus along with areas of disagreement.  The areas of consensus were that we should:

  • continue moving forward with pulling together details and plans for a potential renovation (especially phase 1 of that plan) while providing continued opportunities for more detailed information and feedback from the congregation.
  • sell the properties across York Street from our main block.
  • work on deferred maintenance issues
  • do something with the Roberts Building and Family Ministry Center that can generate income and/or serve the community

The main areas of disagreement were around specifically what to do with the Roberts Building and Family Ministry Center.  Some in our congregation are ready to sell them.  Some believe that we should not sell because we will likely never get that property back, but are open to leasing them.  And some envision community ministry opportunities through partnership in those spaces.  This will continue to be an area in which we will need prayerful discernment alongside further information to assist in that discernment.

With these areas of consensus and disagreement in mind, the Church Council is proactively taking a number of steps to help move this work forward.  Some of those steps are as follows.  We will have an official appraisal of our church campus done with appropriate breakdowns on buildings and land.  We will determine exactly what it will cost to have an architectural firm draw up three different plans built off of the original renovation plan but with the differences in opinion about some of our buildings in mind.  We will engage with appropriate ministry, business, and city entities about potential partnerships that may exist of which we are not currently aware.

We look forward to continuing to share with you how this work is progressing in the months to come, and we look forward to discerning together how we can continue to be a vital part of the mission of God in our area.

February 29, 2024

In their book, Children’s Ministry in the Way of Jesus, David M. Csinos and Ivy Beckwith write, “In our contemporary consumer/capitalist society, children can easily be seen as consumers of ministry, those who are on the receiving end of ministry. Notions of ministry to or for children can denote this view of children’s ministry, one of adults actively ministering and children passively consuming ministry.”  

This Sunday, I am excited to say that we have a wonderful opportunity and intentional reminder to flip the script on this common way of thinking about the role of children in worship. This Sunday, we get to take part in what Csinos and Beckwith refer to as “ministry with children.” They describe it in this way: “ministry that involves serving children, being served by children and serving the world with children.”  

What a beautiful gift it is to exist within a body of believers that allows little ones full access to participate just like anyone else! Dr. James H. Ritchie, Jr. says that, because children are concrete learners, depending on their own experiences to learn and process their own faith journeys, it behooves us to give them opportunities to experience all that being part of a faith community has to offer.  

That being said, thank you all for the ways you already empower our little ones and thank you in advance for supporting them as they lead us in worship together this Sunday morning. You will see members of both our AFBC Preschool and Children’s Ministry taking on different roles throughout the service, so let us be intentional about being as patient and welcoming as possible!  

For anyone taking part in leading the worship service or assisting those leading, we will meet in the sanctuary at 10:30 a.m. for a quick run-through. As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns. Otherwise, we are excited to see you at 11:00 a.m. and are confident that you will be blessed! 

  

In truth and love, 

Matt Waller 

mwaller@fbcaiken.org 

(704) 466-2321 

February 22, 2024

Mission: HERE – Helping Everyone Reach Everyone

Mission: HERE is just around the corner and we hope you will sign up to join us as we serve our neighbors and share the love of God with them.  We will again be repairing homes for those in need in partnership with United Way and Habitat for Humanity.

Project work dates are April 4-6, Thursday-Saturday.  You can work all three days, one day, or even partial days as your schedule allows, and there is a place to note your availability upon registration.  Youth are welcome to participate on the worksites any day they can—we will have lots of fun tearing down and the rebuilding an old deck! Children can participate through the Children’s Workshop on Thursday and Friday, April 4 and 5, 9:30 am-11:30 am.

An organization/kick-off will be held 6:00-6:45 pm on Wednesday, April 3.

Sign up for Mission: HERE now through March 17 in the office or through this link: https://subspla.sh/vr6s75f/

There are two ticket types on the registration form.  One allows you pay directly through the app; the other allows you to register for free and then pay in-person through the church office.  The fee to participate is $15 per person.  Registration also allows you to indicate how you would like to help and which days you are available.  We’ll need volunteers to prepare and deliver lunches, Children’s Workshops helpers, house repair workers and assistants, and project team leaders. We’ll also be collecting items for gift baskets like last year, so donations of small items can be left in the cupboard across from the office.

We can’t wait to participate in the arrival of a bit of God’s Kingdom here in Aiken as it is in heaven.

We hope you will join us.

February 15, 2024

Thriving Congregations

Last year, the Church Council became aware of an initiative of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) called Thriving Congregations.  If you remember our guest preacher in October, Rev. Chris Aho, then can put a face to the leadership of this initiative.  When Chris was here in October he was able to meet with the Church Council and converse with them about this initiative.

According to CBF, “The Thriving Congregations Initiative exists to equip churches to fulfill their unique call, and by extension, thrive, in today’s chaotic world.  The organizing thesis of this work centers on the belief that thriving congregations exhibit capacities around five key traits: Compelling Clarity, Holy Tenacity, Faithful Agility, Rooted Relationships, and Dynamic Collaboration.  The Thriving Congregations Initiative’s signature ministry is the year-long, incubator-style learning community to equip congregational leadership teams to develop practices that lead toward the embodiment of the five thriving traits. Through this process, congregations will engage in Holy Experiments to accelerate learning and uncover pathways that lead to transformation.”  If you wish to read more about this initiative, you can do so here:  https://cbfblog.com/2024/01/17/thriving-congregations-unleashes-creativity-experimentation-and-risk-taking-to-transform-churches/.

Toward the end of 2023, the Church Council decided to participate in the upcoming cohort of Thriving Congregations by putting together a six-person team—Randy Duckett, Lindsey McCullough, Rose Ann Pistole, Josh Pniewski, Matt Waller, and John Carroll.  Their first retreat will be February 23-25, and monthly remote learning calls will begin in March.  Please be in prayer for this team as they embark on a year-long learning experience and implement holy experiments to help us thrive in our sharing of God’s love.

February 8, 2024

Dear Church Family, 

Next Wednesday, February 14 is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a 40-day journey of spiritual preparation for the joy of Easter.  I simply wanted to reach out to you and invite you to participate in this season of preparation in a few ways. 

First, I would invite you to join us for our Ash Wednesday service on the 14th at 6:30 pm in our Sanctuary.  For those unfamiliar with this day on the Christian calendar, it is a day set apart to recognize both our mortality and our sinfulness.  While these things are not something we are often eager to reflect on, spending time remembering these aspects of our lives can lead us to a greater sense of appreciation for the grace of God that more than covers our mortality and our sin. 

Second, I would encourage you to find a concrete way to observe this season of Lent.  Many people often decide to fast from something—particular foods or drinks, excessive media consumption or phone use, or any habit that draws your attention away from Jesus.  Other decide to take on an intentional commitment to a spiritual discipline—meditating on scripture, singing hymns and spiritual songs daily as a form of worship, listening to God through extended moments of silence, etc.  And some people have found it incredibly beneficial to combine such fasting and other spiritual disciplines.  For instance, if you have given up watching a particular TV show, you can use that time to read scripture.  Or, if you have given up a particular meal during the week, you can spend that time in silence before God. 

However we decide to make an act of surrender during this season—by giving something up, by taking a new discipline on, or by a combination of both—I pray that we will be able to purposefully walk alongside Jesus as he sets his face toward Jerusalem, surrendering himself to the will of God, journeying into the heart of human darkness and sin and taking up the cross until he bursts forth by the power of God in the glory of resurrection life.  May our Lenten journeys lead us, similarly, to new life abundant and free, even as they take us through the valley of surrender and purification for the sake of our Lord and his Kingdom. 

Grace and Peace, 

John 

February 1, 2024

Joint Worship with Second Baptist

On Sunday, February 4 at 10:15 am, we will once again have the opportunity to worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ at Second Baptist Church, and I can’t wait!!!  Last year was such a joy, and I know this year will be, as well.  Just like our joint worship opportunities last year, this Sunday will be another opportunity for us all to state how important it is to bridge the divides between black and white individuals and communities, to proclaim the goodness of God’s kingdom to which all Christians belong no matter which church they attend, and to stake a claim that our unity in Christ is far stronger than any of our differences.  These things are so important, in fact, that we are willing to give up our own Sunday morning gathering in order to make it happen.  We are also looking forward to October 27 when Second Baptist will set aside their usual Sunday morning routines and join us in our sanctuary at 11:00 am.

As we prepare for a joyful Sunday of worship and fellowship, I wanted to pass along a few reminders about our gathering to help us know what to expect.

Where:  1151 York St NE, Aiken, SC 29801

When:  10:15 am

How Long:  Worship is generally 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes

What:  Worship followed by light refreshments and fellowship.  We will not have a full meal like we did last year.

What about Kids:  There will be children’s church throughout worship for all elementary aged children.  There will be nursery care throughout worship for all younger children.  Children are also welcome in the sanctuary for worship.  They may stay for the whole service or part of the service and then be taken back to the children’s area at any time.  Some of our childcare volunteers will join the volunteers from Second Baptist so that all children will have a familiar face.  All childcare volunteers from both churches are background checked.  Parents will need to sign in their kids with some basic information.

What will worship be like:  Second’s praise band will lead us in worship and song, and our choir will offer a selection.  An offering will be taken by individuals coming forward to a basket, one for each church.  Pastor John will preach.

Attire:  As in our congregation, a wide range of attire will be welcomed.  Come as you would normally be comfortable in worship.

What if I Cannot Attend and Want to Join Online:  You can find a live feed of worship on Second Baptist Church’s website https://www.secondbaptistaiken.org/sermons or on Second Baptist Church’s facebook page https://www.facebook.com/sbcaikensc/.

We look forward to seeing you Sunday at 10:15 am!!!

January 25, 2024

How many of us who have had young children on a trip in our car to the mountains or the beach have heard the question, “Are we there yet?”  And then heard it several more times before you finally – and thankfully – arrived at your destination?  Well, all of us at Aiken’s First Baptist Church are on a journey of sorts as we are having Courageous Conversations about our large and wonderful campus, our physical and monetary contributions to our church and all of its missions.

When can we safely ask the question, “Are we there yet?”

Interestingly enough, the actual fun is not really reaching a “destination” per se, but taking intentional and measured steps and enjoying the journey!

On the financial side of things, our total revenues for 2023 were $986,760.87, expenses totaled $982,136.39 for a net positive of $4,624.48.  I consider that a small step forward in our journey, even though we did not reach our budget of $1,171.897.  We have right-sized our budget for 2024 to be $999,985, which is $13,224.12 more than our revenues for 2023.  I think a next step in our journey will be attaining our Ministry Action Plan (our budget) realizing that it is not just the number itself that is important, but rather our hope for missions – inside and outside – our church walls were carried out!  The best thing about our trip is that we can all get on the same page, each of us doing what we are best at, thinking outside the box when necessary, and enjoying each other’s company along the way, without having to ask, “Are we there yet?” because the journey itself is accomplishing our goal to be the best First Baptist Church we can be.

Pete Sampson, Finance Committee Chair

January 4, 2024

Dear Church Family,

I am looking forward to our courageous conversation series that begins this Sunday morning at 9:30—but make sure you come early for breakfast at 9:00 am.  This year’s courageous conversation focuses on stewarding our facility for changing times.  During this year’s conversation we will have opportunity to talk about our changing cultural context, the good things happening in our church, our current financial situation, and the strengths and hurdles of having a large, older facility.  We will also have opportunity to discuss a report from our facilities renewal task force and to brainstorm ways to turn hurdles into opportunities.

To help us hit the ground running, I wanted to remind us of the way we began our conversation last year—by talking about why we should have courageous conversations generally and by establishing some ground rules for our conversation.

First, there are several reasons why we should have courageous conversations generally.  We should have them because they help us to clarify our identity as a congregation that finds its unity not in conformity of belief on every matter but rather celebrates its diversity as it gathers in unity around the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  We should have such conversations because it is an opportunity to deepen relationships by getting to know one another beyond surface conversations.  We should have such conversations because they enrich our understanding of subjects by helping us to see them from an angle we may not have considered previously.  And, we should have such conversations because our culture needs a better way modeled about how to value relationships and engage in fruitful conversation amidst disagreement.  We can genuinely hold firm beliefs while still welcoming the perspectives of others and remaining loving and kind throughout it all.

Second, those gathered at the first conversation last year helped to brainstorm covenantal guidelines we should all follow in order to have a safe, productive, and loving courageous conversation.  I am sharing these again as a reminder for all of us as we lean in for another great conversation this year.

  • Come with curiosity, eager to learn something new about our subject and to learn something new about your brothers and sisters in Christ.
  • It is ok to disagree, but in disagreement:
    • ask open ended questions to seek understanding.
    • allow everyone to express their thoughts without judgment.
    • assume good intentions—we all want what is best for our church and what honors God.
  • Share speaking space like you share food at a table and don’t interrupt one another.
  • Share here and don’t wait to share in the parking lot.
  • Listen, listen, listen . . . listen as if love mattered.
  • Avoid absolutes like always and never.
  • Respect one another for simply being here and having the courage to speak out.
  • Be kind, encourage one another, love one another.
  • Be conscious of our body language and tone which matter as much as what we say.
  • Understand that no one has all the answers, and we don’t always have to be right.
  • Don’t be afraid to express what you are thinking in any words that you can express it.  It does not have to be sophisticated or perfectly worded.
  • Be careful not to use scripture verses out of their context.

Grace and Peace,

John

December 21, 2023

A Christmas Meditation (Judges 13:2-24; John 7:40-52)

As a child, I was taught that Christmas was not about receiving gifts, but about giving them. Nonetheless, I still remember waking up every Christmas morning and running to my living room to open the gifts that I was privileged enough to have waiting for me under the Christmas tree. My mother always wrapped the presents weeks in advance, which meant that my impatient young mind had already singled out the largest gifts that I would inevitably tear into first. However, as I would reach for the biggest boxes or bags, my mother would often caution me using familiar phrases like, “Bigger isn’t always better!” or “Good things come in small packages!” While these phrases are often disregarded as cliches, they helped me to understand the importance of making informed judgements as a child. Even as I have grown older, I am constantly reminded of this simple lesson and the importance it has on daily interactions with other people.

Simply put, when I read these two passages of scripture, I see several humans that make significant judgements, some correct and some incorrect. In Judges 13, Manoah and his wife mistakenly take their mysterious visitor for something of a prophet rather than the angel of the Lord. Even after Manoah asks God to send the visitor again, he understands nothing more about the angel and even tries to provide food and obtain the angel’s name. It is not until Manoah sees the angel of the Lord ascend into the air that he realizes his mistake. Understandably, Manoah’s response is one of fear, but his much more level-headed wife assures him that God has blessed them.

Much in the same way, Jesus is misidentified in John 7. The interpretations of some in the crowd fail to see that Jesus is the Messiah. These interpretations drive individuals like the Pharisees to seek Jesus’ downfall. However, the temple police are so surprised by Jesus’ words, that they do not arrest him, and Nicodemus, seeing past the Pharisees’ motives, even defends Jesus. Unfortunately, as is often the case today, the Pharisees simply mock those who do not agree with their judgements of Jesus.

I would be lying if I said that I still don’t enjoy opening up gifts or even trying to guess what is inside of them while they are still wrapped. However, I have grown to realize that more precious than any possession is the joy of being able to accurately identify the identity of Christ as well as my own identity in Christ. People, like presents, were never meant to be judged based on their outward appearance. It is what comes out of a person that determines who they are. We see this through Jesus, who entered the world as a lowly child, but did what no human would ever be able to do by saving humanity. Though some have misjudged Christ and continue to misjudge His followers, we have the greatest gift of knowing Christ’s true identity and sharing it with others.

As we give and receive gifts this Christmas season, may we also strive to prioritize the gifts of patience, understanding, perspective, and love and the call they place upon our lives to live according to the Spirit. May we cast our fears and prejudices aside in exchange for seeing the world through the eyes of the One in whose image we are made. Amen.

In truth and love,

Matt Waller

December 14, 2023

Have You Prepared?

I’m not sure about you, but this Advent season feels like it has positively flown by! Here we are more than halfway through the season of preparation, and I hardly feel ready at all for Christmas to be here! The fact remains, however, that whether we feel ready, that special day is going to arrive. After the hustle to airports, or chaotic family dinners and when the last piece of tissue paper drifts to the floor after the frenzied gift exchanges. After the last dishes have been washed and dried following a simply massive meal. My prayer is that you will be able to find a moment of peace and reflection. During that reflection, I hope you are overwhelmed by gratitude. Gratitude for this beautiful, messy, lovely, and wild time of year. Most of all, I hope you feel gratitude for Christ who came down to join us, live among us, and save us.

Our Christmas Cantata will take place during regular worship time on Sunday, December 17th at 11:00 am. This year’s cantata is entitled “The Glory of Christmas” by Lloyd Larson. This is another new addition to our music library that combines beloved texts and tunes with fresh compositions and arrangements. The choir has been working hard on preparing this energetic work. You won’t want to miss this wonderful opportunity to celebrate the coming savior! Come sing together. Come listen together. Come worship together!

soli Deo gloria,

Zach Derr

Director of Music & Worship