December 2015

Faith Connections

Living, Learning, Leading for Christ...

Advent or
Christmas?

Yes.
Advent has begun. These four Sundays
preceding Christmas are among the most holy
times of the year on the Christian calendar.
Amidst the lights, the decorations, the gifts, the
parties, and the shopping, it is vitally important
we not lose sight of the primary focus of this
season: Advent is a time for us as followers of
Christ to reflect deeply on His return, which we
proclaim monthly in our communion liturgy as
the great mystery of our faith: Christ has died;
Christ is risen; Christ will come again. Advent is
a season to prepare the way of the Lord.
For many years I fought the temptation
to let Christmas preparations detract from the
meaning of Advent. I would refuse to allow
Christmas carols to be sung during Advent
(much to the consternation of many church
members and choir directors), and I would remove the baby Jesus from any nativity scenes
around the church, replacing him only on
Christmas Eve. Over time, I have come to believe this is a fruitless endeavor. It is, after all,
beginning to look an awful lot like Christmas all
around us.

Advent Sermon Series:

A Very Dickens Christmas
My world has been awash in Charles Dickens of late. Jennifer has been using A Christmas Carol in her reading classes, and the
conversations and excitement that has produced in her students has been amazing to
hear. As I began to look at the Scriptures of
the Advent season and pray about my
preaching during these four Sundays, it was
only natural that the Holy Spirit should grant
me an Ah-ha! moment: four Sundays in
Advent, four ghosts in A Christmas Carol!
(continued on Page 3)

Christmas Eve Service of Carols,

Communion, and Candlelight
Our annual Christmas Eve Service of Carols,
Communion, and Candlelight will be on Thursday, December 24, at 5pm. This is one of the
most touching worship services of the year.
Join your church family to celebrate Emmanuel, God with us. For unto us a child is born, to
us a son is given. (Isaiah 9:6)

(continued on page 3)
1

hristmas Open House

at the Parsonage

The Watson family would like to invite our entire church family at Faith to a Christmas open
house at the parsonage (2202 International
Ave.). The party will be on Christmas Eve, December 24, from 2-4pm. Join us for fun, fellowship, food, and celebration.

A Night of
Hope
The loss of loved ones, financial struggles, employment difficulties, broken relationships, illness these reasons and more cause
many to struggle during the Christmas season.
For many, this simply is not the most wonderful time of the year.

That is why we offer the Night of Hope

worship service. If you are struggling during
the holiday season, or if you know anyone who
is, or if you simply want to be supportive of
those who are, please come and invite your
friends to the Night of Hope on Monday, December 21, at 6pm. This worship service will
offer healing, hope, and encouragement to all
from the One who came into the midst of our
brokenness so long ago.

Winter Wonderland Snow in Orange, Texas?

All it takes is a little Faith! Join us Sunday, December 20, from 3-6pm, for our Winter Wonderland Christmas festival! There will be
games, crafts, food, stories, carols, and much
more including snow! This festival is open
to the community. Please invite your friends
and neighbors, and be on the lookout for
how you can volunteer to help.

Happy Birthday!
Darby Watson

12/1

Ben Harris

12/4

Darbi Carpenter

12/4

Morgan Clark

12/5

Maxine Williams

12/7

Sarah Gibbins

12/10

Stephen Rodgers

12/20

Shirley Lormand

12/22

Jennifer Watson

12/22

Terri Estes

12/24

Stephanie Stanley

12/26

Sean Colley

12/27

Gibson Turner

12/28

Madison Bell

12/30

Ryan Campbell

12/31

Lauren Leger

12/31
2

Advent or Christmas? -(continued from Page 1)

Rather than banning Christmas from the Advent season, I have come to see it can be beneficial to
look to Christs first coming, as a means to prepare
ourselves for his second. The one who came so long
ago, humbly wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger,
is coming again in glory, to bring the fullness of the
Kingdom of God to earth, as it is in heaven. I hope and
pray that in the midst of the commercial and secular
trappings of what the Christmas season has become
in our culture, we will not lose sight of Advent. May
we find time to pause in the midst of the hustle and
bustle to prepare the way of the Lord: in our hearts,
in our lives, and in the world around us. And may we
have a blessed and holy Advent, and at the end (and
as a result), a very merry Christmas.

Grace & peace,

Worship Attendance and Stewardship

Date

Attendance

Stewardship

11/1

80

$5851

11/8

78

$3693

11/15

77

$1812

11/22

69

$631

11/29

70

$1816

Weekly budgetary need: $4,474

Budget (YTD): $213,269.21
Income (YTD): $198,139.92
Actual Expenses (YTD): $182,155.51
Building Fund Report
Remaining Building Debt: $1,211,205
Building Fund Balance: $40,956

Monthly Payment: $6,641

A Dickens Christmas (continued from page 1)

Right away I began to see connections between the Scriptures I was reading, the usual
suspects of the Advent season (the prophets,
John the Baptist, Mary, and Joseph), Marley
and the Christmas spirits, the meaning of the
Advent season, and the message of Dickens
masterpiece. I think I might be as excited
about this series of sermons as I have ever
been. I hope and pray you will make time each
week to join us in worship to hear the connections between Dickens tale, Scripture, the Advent season, and our lives. Billy

Dr. Billy Watson, Pastor

Morgan Milligan, Youth Director
Marilyn McShan, Adm.Assistant
Church Office: 886-1291
9AM2PM Monday thru Thursday