Thanksgiving and Advent

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving this week and is able to spend time with friends and family. Josanne and I will be traveling over to Indiana to spend a few days with my Dad and then my family. Josanne will then travel down to Kentucky to spend time with her family while I return to Central Illinois. What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

We will be blessed next week with Bill Troyer bringing us a special message that you won’t want to miss. Then December 3rd marks the beginning of the Advent season as we prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ’s coming. This is a great time to invite friends and family and those who do not have a church home to attend our services. At this time of year, many people’s minds turn toward God and giving. It’s a time to share about the gift that God gave us—his son.

A couple of reminders: even though the bulletin Sunday said otherwise, there WILL BE coffee time at NDMC on Friday morning at 8:30. Also remember that Hanging of the Greens will be next Sunday beginning at 4pm. A light meal will be served as we prepare on building for the Christmas season.

In the sermon yesterday, I mentioned a story from last Tuesday’s Washington Post about the Chinese Christians being asked to remove pictures of Jesus in their home and to replace them with images of the Chinese Communist Party President. If you’d like, you can read this story here. We should remember our brothers and sisters around the world who do not enjoy the same freedom of worship that we are so used to.

When we think about what we are thankful for, it’s good for us to remember those who have to do without. Think about those who perhaps do not have family that is close, or those who are far from home. Think about those who are struggling financially, or are without work. Think about those who are having battling illness. Let’s continue to be faithful both in praying for those who have needs, and in action as we reach out in love.

Happy Thanksgiving, and God bless!

Brian