From Pastor Ken’s Study:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:14

The Greatest Christmas Reunion Ever

The new pastor and his wife, assigned to their first ministry to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time for their first service on Christmas Eve. They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, and painting, and on December 18, were ahead of schedule. On December 19, a driving rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days. On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit. The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home.
On the way he noticed a local business was having a sale for charity so he stopped. One of the items was a beautiful, hand­made, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors, and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church. By this time it had started to snow. An older woman, running from the opposite direction, was trying to catch the bus. She missed it and the pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder and hangers to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered the entire problem area. Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. "Pastor," she said, "where did you get that tablecloth?" The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right hand corner to see if the initials EBG were crocheted there. They were; these were the woman's initials and she had made the tablecloth 35 years before in Austria. She explained that before the war she and her husband lived in Austria, but when the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was to follow her, but was captured and she never saw him or her home again. The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth, but she made him keep it for the church. He insisted on driving her home as that was the least he could do.
What a wonderful service they had that Christmas Eve. The church was almost full! At the end of the service, the pastor noticed one older man sitting in the pew, just staring at the front of the church. The pastor wondered why he wasn't leaving. The man asked about the tablecloth - he explained it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war, and how they had become separated and had not seen each other since. The pastor asked him to take a little ride. They drove to Staten Island to the same house the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the apartment, knocked on the door, and saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine. God does, indeed, work in mysterious ways.
Courtesy of Pastor Rob Reid

What is your favorite thing about the Christmas season? Is it getting a Christmas tree, is it the break from school, or is it the chance to gather with loved ones? One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is driving around and seeing the lights on houses and buildings. Of course this season is made possible because of the first Christmas some 2,000 years ago when God took on flesh and was born as the baby Jesus. The Bible gives us many images for Christmas, and one of them is the coming of light into darkness.
“ In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God…In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood (or overcome) it…The true light was coming into the world…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:1,4-5, 9, 14)
Jesus brought in heavenly light into our dark world. In fact He said that He is “the light of the world” (John 8:12). We live now in between Jesus’ first and second comings, therefore we live in a world where His light shines, yet there is still darkness.
The Christmas holiday season can be a time of light and darkness. For some of us, this time of year is full of wonderful memories. For some of us the Christmas holiday is a dark time, because of the memories of lost loved ones or broken families or because of the financial pressures of this time of year. No matter what our Christmas feelings are, Christ desires to shine His light in our lives.
I want to draw our attention to the light of Christ this Christmas. Let us never be fooled by the darkness to think that somehow it will have the last word in our lives and in the world. Instead, the darkness has been overcome by the light of Jesus. Christ’s light frees and forgives us so that we don’t have to play the games of going through the Christmas motions. We may simply rest in His light and walk in His light. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us receive Christ’s light so that we may be comforted, strengthened, and inspired. Then let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us reflect Christ’s light to others. Merry Christmas!

Stewardship thoughts:
I wanted to offer a number of stewardship thoughts as we enter into this Christmas season. This Christmas, let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us resist the temptations to overspend even if the temptations come from good intentions to give presents to our children and those we love. Let’s ask God to help us do the best with the resources we have been given by Him and not go into debt. The opposite needs to be avoided as well. We need to avoid being a Scrooge in which we are stingy with that which God has given us.
We should also think how we can be used by God to make His love come alive for those around us. In order to do this we can think about a few things. First, think about the gifts and talents God has given you. These can be skills developed over time or can be spiritual gifts such as hospitality or teaching (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:27-31). Secondly, think about those issues or causes that you really care for and see those as guideposts to where God would have you serve others. Lastly, try out different avenues for service, even ones you might think that you are not called to do. We will all be surprised what doors God will open when we are willing to serve.
It was our Lord Jesus who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.” Isaiah 9:6-7

Our missions throughout god’s kingdom

MISSION POSSIBLE by Dave Alexander

Arbor Dale’s Mission Trip #4
Grand Bay/Bayou Le Batre

Our fourth mission trip to the Gulf Coast to the Bayou Le Batre area was a wonderful experience. The Arbor Dale team was: Charlie B. and Penny VonCanon, Bill and Barbara Cornett, Sandy Cooper, Sondra Underwood, Phil Shomaker, Buddy DeLoach and Dave Alexander. One of the highs of the trip was traveling together as a team, and the camaraderie and the team spirit that develop between members individually and as a group.
The Lutheran Disaster Response Program in Alabama assigned us our duties each day. Our first assignment was to repair a severely damaged trailer, which we soon determined was too water damaged to be repaired. Hopefully, that family will receive a new trailer. Our second job was to replace doors in an old home in a commercial fishing village. Next, we repaired a damaged roof and painted the hallways in Grand Bay Presbyterian Church where we stayed. It was really a blessing that we were able to help this congregation that were so appreciative. Our final task was to build a handicap ramp for a 92-year-old lady that was bound to a wheelchair. That was quite a project, but was built to perfection with Buddy and Charlie B’s expertise and construction knowledge. We finished the ramp on the lady’s birthday, then celebrated with her. As we left she said, “God bless you.” That made the whole trip worthwhile.
Buddy, Sandy, Phil, and myself made a special side trip to our adopted family, the Hucklebys. Although Donna’s health is still declining, the rest of the family is doing well. Donna loved the quilt made by some ladies in our congregation. We also gave them food, clothes, and gift cards. Holston Camp sent school supply packets made by the staff and campers over the summer. Donna is going to take them to Heikeen’s school for distribution. We could just feel the love in that house towards us. Joshua and Jermaine want to come see the snow and visit with us again. Donna said they still rave about their experiences at Holston Camp and their mountain visit with our congregation.
Grand Bay members checked on us constantly. They brought pies, food and goodies to us everyday and even carried off our garbage daily. Their congregation consists of mostly older members who felt their way of giving to the Lord was by opening their hearts and church in order that mission teams could come to the Gulf Coast and help their neighbors. One of their members, Lee McClinton, who visited us last spring, took us to his pecan farm and showed us how the crop is gathered. He gave us pecans and even roasted some for us.
It is amazing how God lit our path every step of the way - He led us as a team to those in need, He touched us daily and lifted us up frequently. Fourteen hundred miles is a long round trip to the Gulf Coast area, but we knew Jesus was with us all the way. Please take time to talk with individual team members and hear their stories.
I conclude by encouraging you to remember the Gulf Coast residents and Hurricane Katrina victims. They are still in desperate need of our help and love. When teams from Arbor Dale go to the Gulf, they still need gift cards from Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Wal-Mart to give to those still in dire need. Please don’t let your interest dwindle because it has been more than a year since Katrina. If you could only see the blue tarps still on the houses and the homes completely destroyed, you would see why the gift cards you send are so needed. Another trip is scheduled for after Christmas. I hope God will inspire you to be involved. If the Lord has been urging you to go on our next mission trip, please trust in Him and take that step. Remember, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” (Matthew 9:37)
Thank you to Holston Camp for the use of their trailer again and to you, our congregation, for making this fourth trip possible.

In Christ,
Dave Alexander

"When I pray, coincidences happen, and when I don't pray, they don't."
- William Temple