As Jesus grew older, his cousin, John, began a ministry to prepare the way for Jesus.  This “preparation” of the people was a message of repentance, asking for people to change their hearts and lives. They were baptized in water as a marker of this commitment to change. Luke quotes Isaiah 40 to explain why John’s ministry was necessary,

 A voice crying out in the wilderness:
    “Prepare the way for the Lord;
        make his paths straight.
Every valley will be filled,
    and every mountain and hill will be leveled.
The crooked will be made straight
    and the rough places made smooth.
All humanity will see God’s salvation. –Luke 3:4-6

By participating in John’s repentance and baptism, the people were “making the paths straight” to prepare for the coming of Jesus. The work of John was meant to make it easier to enter into the kingdom of God that Jesus was announcing by repenting and preparing their hearts for Jesus’ arrival.

Why is this important? Because opening ourselves to God and the Kingdom of God is pre-empted by self-reflection that leads to changed hearts and lives. In a culture that moves very fast and gets extremely busy, how are we taking the time to stop and reflect, asking God to change us to be more in-line with his Kingdom?

The changes that John was talking about weren’t merely internal attitudes or “posture” changes, either. When asked concretely about what they were to do, the people around John were told things like, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.” To tax collectors, the message was, “Collect no more than you are authorized to collect.” To soldiers, the message was, “Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay.” Repentance, in John’s message, was more than “being sorry;” it meant a change in ethics and in action based on those ethics.

As we look toward the life and ministry of Jesus in a new year, how is God asking us to change? How are the valleys of our lives being filled-in and the mountains being leveled to make straight the path for the Lord? What concrete changes does this work ask of us in our day-to-day lives and livelihoods? May God give us the strength and grace to follow Him fully, and to prepare the way for Jesus!

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

In Christ,

Bobby Kirkpatrick

Activities Returning from Break

All Sunday School classes are back in their usual times and places. Children ages 3 years – 5th grade meet Ms. Tena in the Friends Center, gym building, and students, 6th-12th grade, meet upstairs with Ms. Katelyn. The adult class holds Sunday School in the Brides Room next to the Coffee Café. All classes begin at 9:00 AM.

Tweens and Gym Kids resumed last week, and it was such a blast. Tweens will continue to meet on Thursdays at 3:15-4:30 PM and Gym Kids will continue on Fridays at 9:00 AM. Contact Ms. Tena if you want more information on either of those programs.

The All-Church Bible Study and Kidzone will resume on January 14th at 5:00 PM. Kids meet in the gym building and the Bible Study meets in the Coffee Café. Fuse (6th-8th graders) meets at 6:00 PM in the gym. Bible Quiz will host practice at 7:00. Core (9th-12th graders) meets at 7:30 PM in the youth room.

Year-End Financial Update

We are happy to report that our total income for 2023 was higher than the amount that we had budgeted, and we ended the year with a cash flow surplus of about $9500. Thank you for your faithful and generous giving! For more detailed information on 2023 finances, click here.

The Stewards are currently finalizing details on the proposed 2024 budget. They anticipate presenting their proposal to the Coordinators later this month and then to the congregation in early February.  Copies of the proposed budget will be made available for your review before the meeting. 

Contribution statements for 2023 will be going out in the next week or two. Most will be sent by email, but we are happy to mail printed statements upon request. If you have not previously requested a printed statement and would like to do so, please contact Joyce at the church office. 

Spring Connection – Coahuila, Mexico

High school students, college students, adults, and families too! Mexico Friends Churches have been hosting Friends Church Sr. High student missions’ teams in Coahuila, Mexico since 1993. Spring Connection allows students and families to serve the foreign mission field for one-week, experiencing ministry in a cross-cultural community and seeing God’s action in the context of Coahuila, Mexico Friends Churches. Spring Connection gives all participants a tremendous blessing as they plunge themselves right into the middle of God’s work! If you are interested in going as a student, an adult leader or participant, or want to bring your family to serve, please attend the informational meeting!

Spring Connection Informational Meeting

The informational meeting on January 21st at 4:00 pm in the coffee cafe will cover the following:

  • Trip history
  • Where we are going
  • Why we go
  • What we will do
  • Who is going
  • Safety
  • Passports
  • Team Orientation
  • Fundraising

There is no commitment to attend Spring Connection if you come to the informational meeting, but you could gain ideas on specific ways to support and pray for the team that is called to go. We hope you feel encouraged to attend the meeting on January 21st.

Shower Ministry Donations

As the weather turns colder, the needs of the shower ministry to the homeless shift to supplying jackets, blankets, and wintry weather items like scarves and gloves. If you have new or used items to donate, you can drop them outside the double doors of the education building labeled “Shower Ministry.” Thank you for your continued support of this ministry.

Worship Center Flowers

The flower chart for 2024 is in the foyer. We invite you to sign up for one or more dates to supply altar flowers for our Sunday worship service.

Church staff will contact you ahead of time to remind you of your date and to discuss the wording of the announcement if you like. Thank you for helping to enhance the beauty of our sanctuary as we gather to worship!

Family Promise Host Dates

Save the date! The next Family Promise Host Week is coming up, February 4-11. From staying the evening as an overnight host, to making a meal and dining with families, to setting up rooms for guests; it takes many volunteers to make the week a success. We are so grateful for the ways each of you serves to help make the families in the program feel welcome. More details coming soon.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17