thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you...

I typed it as many times as I could. So many thanks to all of you who have helped in so many ways as we prepare for Christmas. It started with the tree brigade which was a huge success. Then, it moved to the team of decorators I've been working with since September--8 of them in all including our own Niko Pagni and Gerald and Twyla Dudley. Our Christmas installation is complete after 4 total days of working by the decorating team, a group of Hearty Soul volunteers and many of your helping hands. I think it looks fabulous thanks to the efforts of so many good folks. We do this to inspire others to worship the Lord through the beauty of our surroundings. May the Lord be lifted up this season at SBC!

PS I almost hate to throw this in, but I'm really hoping we can keep the momentum for the tear-down on Thursday, January 3rd. Also, I'd like to do a reverse brigade back to the chapel after choir/orch on Wednesday, January 9th. Can you put these dates down on your calendar?

Alert, Alert--Another New Choir Member!

Here's choir member Matt Rich holding their new china doll, Rebecca Lillian Rich, born on Thursday morning. Here's what Mom Jodie writes:

Our baby girl, Rebecca Lillian, has arrived.
Here are a few pictures from the hospital. We will get some updates on our website further in the month http://members.cox.net/jodierich1/index.html as well as updating the entire site.
I’ve enjoyed calling her “Lilly” while she’s been in my belly because I LOVE that name (and the capital L is one of my favorite letters to write in cursive!). We’ll soon be letting you know what we decide to call her on a regular basis now that she is here.

Rebecca Lillian’s Stats:
Date of birth – 11-29-07
Weight - 4 lbs 14 oz
Length - 19 in
Time of arrival - 12:55 PM

Rebecca Lillian and Jodie are at PV hospital and doing fine. Congratulations Matt and Jodie!

We Have a New Grandma in the Choir!

This must be a mistake--Kimberly's not old enough to be a grandma, is she? Her daughter Megan had a small blessing and Kimberly is shown holding the newborn. Congratulations, Kimberly! AND, not only that, Kimberly also got married! That's a lot of excitement in a short span of time. So, from now on, we'll have to remind ourselves to call her Kimberly Scott!

Sunday Details

Greetings Boys and Girls -- Just in case you missed it, the details of Sunday 12/2 are:

Attire:
Men -- coats and ties
Ladies -- winter colors

call time: 7:45 a.m. for choir (watch the white board for rehearsal/soundcheck location)
(Sorry Orchestra -- I didn't catch your time, but assume it's your normal time)

And if I'm not mistaken, I believe this is the first Sunday of Advent. Stay tuned. I can feel a blogging itch coming on so I should have a new 2 AM thought to post soon.
See you from the loft!

COMPLETE WORSHIP – PART III – GIVING OF YOUR TREASURES

Greetings again. The following devotional addresses the third aspect of complete worship -- giving. Many years ago, while studying Leviticus, particularly the laws about tithing, I was struck with the thought of what my life would look like if I actually "tithed" a portion of everything in my life, not just money. A giving back of everything God had given me -- material possessions, talents, capabilities, time, etc. It's a startling thought when you think of the details of life. In any case, hope the devotional speaks to you.

Read Luke 21:1-4

So many thoughts flooded her mind as she shuffled through the crowd on her way to the treasury. She reached up and drew her shawl closer under her chin, wishing she could disappear beneath the folds of the garment which was really little more than a rag. She glanced around, afraid of meeting the hard, sometimes condemning, eyes of the wealthy ones who had come to add their gifts to the Temple treasury. How she wished she had more to give. How she hoped that her paltry offering would not be an offense or an embarrassment to her God.

She had been alone for so long. Ten lingering years without her beloved husband. For ten years she had gazed at his favorite bench by the fire, smoothed the already smooth covers of his side of the sleeping mat. In her misery and pain, so many times she had called out to her God to deliver her from this existence. And time and again, she had experience a comfort and a Presence, even a Hand stroking her brow and holding her close. Slowly, little by little, she was trading her pain for rejoicing, trading her longing for her Jehovah.

This morning, as she once again straighten their sleeping mat and dusted that bench, she was filled with an overwhelming desire to show her Lord how much she loved and appreciated His comfort and caring of this poor, humble widow. Almost frantic she searched her meager house looking for something, anything that she could offer at the Temple which would be worthy of her Beloved Companion. Finding nothing, she took her last two copper coins from a little wooden box on the shelf. Placing her shawl over her head, she acknowledge to herself that offering up those coins meant she could buy no food for the coming days and that very possibly she might starve. But her desire to honor her Lord was stronger than any hunger she could feel and so she left, gripping those coins tightly in her hand.

As she wound her way slowly through the courtyard, still clenching those paltry, precious coins, she was surrounded by so many of high position. She approached the treasury, feeling many eyes on her. If only she could make her offering without being seen. Why did so many see her station in life as an offense? With a trembling hand, she reached out and released the small copper coins, heard their thin little clink against the collection plate. She had given all she had and now all she wished was for something more to offer, not because of those who were watching her, but because her Jehovah deserved so much more. She turned to go with tears in her eyes, and sensing the familiar comfort, she looked up and saw eyes of compassion gaze upon her. Her heart quickened at the sight of this kind Man, and as He raised his hand and gestured toward her with a slight nod, something in her recognized the Hand that had stroked her brow and held her close for so long. With her head held high, and a feeling of sweet blessing enveloping her heart, the humble widow hurried home knowing that she was no longer destitute. Rather she had received riches beyond measure, for she knew that Jehovah Himself had accepted her offering.

Food for Thought:

1. Summarize in a few short sentences the instruction you receive about giving to God from the following verses: Deuteronomy 15:10, Proverbs 25:21, Matthew 6:21, Mark 12:43 and Luke 6:38.

2. What are your greatest treasures? When and how have you given them up to God? What were the results?

3. Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. How do you see this Scripture being fulfilled in your own life right now?

Copyright © 2001 Kimberly K. Hannay
All Rights Reserved

Come Saturday Morning

Don't forget we have a VIR (Very Important Rehearsal) coming up on Saturday morning, November 17th. Yes, that's this coming Saturday. Rehearsal starts at 8:30 am and runs to 10:00 am. Plan on arriving at 8:15 am and we will have available the all essential triple C -- Coffee and Church Calories! Also don't forget to bring that electrifying member of your family to help with the Christmas lighting crews that morning. They too will have breakfast available and rumor has it they are assembling at the Guest Services Desk (the big round one) in the Courtyard. Best yet, if you are able, plan on sticking around to help with lights when rehearsal is finished. Be there or be square. Look forward to seeing you!

Complete Worship - Part 2 -- Communion

The second aspect of worship which came from John Politan's message on complete worship had to do with communion - that unique, special, holy, deeply personal interaction with the Creator of the Universe. It is always amazing to me that this Creator, this Lover of our souls, chose me, chose you, to be His best friend.

Read Exodus 33:8-17

He was his best friend. His confidant, his motivator, his guide. They did almost everything together – ate together, rested together, faced adversity together, cried together, planned and prepared together. It was a relationship that captivated everyone who witnessed it. And for those who truly understood the depth of the communion, they secretly (and sometimes openly) wished for such a relationship for themselves.

It was a friendship built on love and caring, mutual respect and the complete adoration of one for the Other. They called each other by their own special names and nothing brought more pleasure than spending long stretches of uninterrupted time in the other’s company. They were of great value to each other.

Such was the fellowship that he could not live without; the tie that bound up his life and made it possible to continue. And he knew that he could not, would not, take one single step without being linked to the side of his faithful Friend. It was a relationship which had seen them through so many hard times and brutal attacks and brought the joy and peace to his life.

This was a relationship of inspiration; for through this loving friendship, he drew closer and closer until mind and heart and soul melded with Spirit, and the people saw and arose and worshipped the One who made all things possible. So he basked in the glow of his Pillar, his Fire, and he knew that nothing was as important as spending this day together and looking forward to what tomorrow would bring, together. Yes – He was his Best Friend.

Food for Thought:

1. From the following verses, what aspects do you see are needed to cultivate a best friend relationship with Jesus Christ? Psalm 133:1; John 15:13-14; Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 10:16; Philippians 2:1-2; Philippians 3:10

2. Who do you consider to be your best friend? What elements of this relationship cause you to consider that person to be your best friend?

3. What kind of friendship do you have with Jesus Christ? Is He an acquaintance, a good friend or your very best friend? What have the two of you done together recently to continue the bonding process of great friendship?

Copyright © 2001 Kimberly K. Hannay
All Rights Reserved