Warm Greetings to All!

The beautiful, sunny and cold winter weather we’re experiencing here in Spokane today reminds me how wonderful it is to live in a place that has such clear changes of seasons…truly. 

When it comes to “spiritual seasons” there are changes going on as well right now.  More than any other time of year, this is the time when friends, neighbors and family are more open to conversations and invitations of a spiritual nature.  So let me encourage you to take advantage of this season of spiritual sensitivity by engaging in some of the following:

1.) Be PRAYING even more for people around you who need to know Jesus Christ.  Write their names down on a post-it-note and stick it somewhere that will remind you to pray every day—the car dashboard, the bathroom mirror, your favorite place at the table.  Make it a daily habit to pray for people you want to invite to various spiritual opportunities this Christmas. 

2.)  Join others at Mosaic for PRAYER: 

• WOMEN, there will be a new prayer time starting tomorrow, Sunday, December 5^th, at 10:30am (between services) on the second floor of the office entry (608 W. 2^nd) to Mosaic.  Whether you come to first or second service, why not plan to stay a little longer or come a little earlier and pray with other women.
• MEN, join us every Thursday morning from 6:30-7:30 in the church office.
• EVERYONE:  If you come to the 9:00am service on Sundays, we try and pray about 8:40 to prepare our hearts and our church for God’s presence. 

3.) CHRISTMAS EVE CELEBRATIONS:  we’ll be having THREE of them this year, two one-hour services at Mosaic (3 and 5 pm) and one at the A-Club downtown.  The first two at Second Space will be upbeat, fun, filled with music and the Good News of God’s invasion of our planet as we look at the topic “Why Christmas?”  By the way, if you’ve been wanting to invite someone to the next Alpha course, this would be a great way to introduce them to the main teacher, Nickie Gumble, as some of the service will be a bit of teaching by him via video. 

            The Christmas Celebration at the A-Club  (406 1/2 W Sprague Ave) will be an out-of-the-box experience like you’ve probably never had before.  Beginning at 7:00pm, it will be headed up by Charlie Greer and include music by Brian Griffing and Kirk Orr.  (With Kirk, it’s sure to have a little comedy too.)  It will be a great experience for people who are usually uncomfortable in a church setting but more comfortable in a bar. 

4.)  MOSAIC CHRISTMAS PARTY, SUNDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 19 from 5-8PM

Plan to bring some finger food, your voice and even one of your favorite table games.  We’ll be preparing Christmas ornaments to hand out in the neighborhood, singing, playing games and enjoying food.  Then about 7pm we’ll head out to bring some Christmas cheer to our downtown neighbors as well as ornaments and invitations to join us for Christmas Eve.  Come enjoy some great fun and fellowship!

5.)  OPEN DOORS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD 

--This past week we got the green light for beginning a weekly Bible study/worship service at the Cooper-George Retirement Center near Deaconess Hospital. Some of our Moody Northwest students will be spearheading this ministry.  So we’d love to have anyone who just likes to love on seniors, loves the Word or has musical talent to help with some singing be a part of this new opportunity.  The study will begin in January 2011.  Let us know of your interest by email or in person.

--We’ll be starting a Men’s Group with some of the residents of one of the nearby apartment buildings in January as well.  If you’re a man and interested in a Bible study that looks at what it means to be a godly man through the lives of men in the Word, stay tuned for the date and time. 

6.)  THANK YOU FOR YOUR THANKS-GIVING

Through the extra generosity of many of you at last weekend’s worship services, we were able to send over $600 of socks, hats, gloves and wool blankets to Cup of Cool Water Ministries this week.  THANK YOU for your kindness to those in need in our neighborhood.  We were also able to deliver a check for $1,000 to help Cup with their regular ministry needs.  That’s all God’s heart in action through your giving. 

And just in case you didn’t hear about the results of Operation  Christmas Child (Samaritan’s Purse), your kindness provided nearly 40 shoe boxes of joy for children around the world.  I hope you had as much fun shopping for and packing a box as our family did.  Special thanks to John Gruss for all he did to help mobilize us for this great project.  What a great response for our congregation’s first year.  Kids all over the world are smiling, giggling and laughing because of you.  Be praying for God’s word to take root in their hearts this Christmas too. 

I apologize for the lengthy nature of this email.  But I hope we are all able to rejoice in the good things and opportunities of this Christmas season. 

REJOICE!  REJOICE!  EMMANUEL,

SHALL COME TO THE,

O ISRAEL (& SPOKANE)

Pastor John