Pastors Garage
December 22, 2023
Well we’re over the hill, we’re gonna make it! Yesterday was the shortest
day of the year, from now on its clear sailing into spring! Well at least
the two week forecast sure looks good!
I want to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year! It has been my honour and privilege to serve
you as both associate pastor and now interim pastor over the past year! You
are good people and this is a good church. No, we are far from a perfect
church, but I am actually thankful for that because I am very far from
being a perfect pastor! But I do love this church and I see a desire for us
to grow in serving the Lord! While I miss Pastor Dave and his family, as I
am sure most of you also do, I am proud of how we have in many ways come
together to shoulder the stresses that come with this kind of change! I
look forward to what the new year will bring as we continue to trust in the
leadership of our heavenly Father! I’ve been praying for breakthrough!
Breakthrough in my own personal life! Breakthrough in us as a church that
we would grow as a tight knit family! Breakthrough in the depths of our
personal spiritual walks. And breakthrough in our impact on the community
that we find ourselves in!
This Sunday, Christmas Eve, there will be two services at the church. In
the morning service Kelley and myself will be leading worship, and Janelle
Oshowy will be sharing. At 7pm there will be a Christmas Eve candlelight
service being led by Kelley and Shauna. While our family will be leaving
for BreAnns parents after the morning service and will miss the candlelight
service, I have seen what they have planned and it will be a special time
of gathering and focusing on the reason we celebrate this season! Please
make it a priority to come to both services, even if you have family and
guests here for the holidays! In fact I would go so far as to say
especially if you have family and guests here come on out! Bring them
along! Let us grow in our love for one another! Let us celebrate together!
Starting on New Years Eve we will be having a very different style of
Sunday morning service for a couple months. I’ll be honest with you, I am
looking toward it with a bit of trepidation, because people generally don’t
like change, and the content I believe will call us to a higher standard as
Jesus followers. But I am excited about the possibilities it could unlock
if we press in as a church family and decide to cumulatively press toward
the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus in our
lives, church and community!
That evening the church will be open from 7pm on for anyone who would like
to ring in the new year as a church family. There will be a movie and
popcorn for the kids, bring some finger foods for the adults! It will just
be a time of fellowship and games if that’s your thing. We’ll ring in the
Newfoundland New year together! Any party animals that want to stay and
play games until midnight are welcome to do so but this pumpkin will likely
be off to bed by then!
Guys, it looks like the men’s retreat on Jan 12-14 at Kenosee is a go, so
please try and come join us if you can. There will be bacon, some kind of
smoked meat, and lots of tall tales! See Kevin S or Lowell O for more
details!
I saw someone post this on Facebook earlier this week and I thought it
profound. “Each of us is a Innkeeper who decides if there is room for
Jesus!” I will close with a couple verses from Hebrews that I was pondering
yesterday. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering
for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one
another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the
habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the
Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25 “And without faith it is impossible to
please Him, for whoever would draw near to God, must believe that He exists
and that He rewards those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
Blessings and seasons greetings!
Pastor Mike