Though the Snow Drifts Build ...

We'll still be gathering for church.  That's right, we'll still be there if you want to come.  See you then!

Five Great Alternative Christmas Gift Ideas

Hey, so let's say you're wanting to give your pastor a Christmas gift, but then you think to yourself, "Does he really need another pair of stylish Eurojeans?"  No, probably not.  So why not get a gift for someone else in his name?  The same could maybe be said for all kinds of people on your Christmas list this year.  Or why not start a new family tradition and give a gift to someone in need instead of giving a gift to each other?

Here are five great sources for finding literally hundreds of gift ideas:

1.  International Justice Mission gift list.

2.  World Relief - Advent Conspiracy Catalog of Hope. (click on catalog of hope)

3.  Food For The Hungry gift ideas.

4.  Samaritan's Purse gift catalog.

5.  World Vision gift catalog.

ROVC Advent News

A few items of note this Advent Season for all my friends at the Royal Oak Vineyard Church.

1. This coming Sunday (the 16th): as I mentioned this past Sunday, we will be taking a special offering this Sunday, in response to my sermon. This offering will be used to "contribute to the needs of the saints" through our benevolence and missions funds. I wanted to give a heads up so that you're not taken by surprise. If you'd like to give, but won't be there, you can mail a check (or drop it off on a later Sunday) made out to ROVC, memo: Benevolence or Missions. Our benevolence fund supports those with specific financial needs in and around our community, while our missions fund helps support our Kingdom ministry around the world.

2. This past Sunday: wasn't it great?! In particular, our sermon featured one of our members sharing his testimony of what happened when he committed to really giving his life as a gift to Jesus - the freedom he found and how he's now wanting to help others too. As one leader remarked to me, "This is a real turning point for our church. We're not going to be fake; we're going to take following Jesus seriously." If you'd like a copy of the sermon on CD (it is not yet up on the web), they are now available for $1. We will be doing this with future sermons, too.

3. Christmas Eve Gathering: this year we'll be celebrating the coming of Jesus with our friends from First Baptist. What a way to round out the year! The service will be 5:30-6:30PM (with childcare for 4 and under). A Christmas Cookie and Punch reception will follow - so even if you're unfortunate enough to have to work a full day that day, you can hopefully still make it. This will be a festive and family-friendly service with loads of opportunity for participation from the community.

Oh, and be on the lookout for our own Shannyn Caldwell, who tells me she's scheduled on Fox 2 News to be singing carols with her carolers this Christmas morning.

And, finally, please let me also say what a privilege it is to serve alongside you all. Truly Jesus has blessed me richly to partner in ministry with you all.

Peace, and Merry Christmas,
Jim

The Top 5 Reasons I've Let My Hair Grow Long

Everyone wonders, so here they are:
5. Megan wanted me to change my hairstyle, and she likes it.
4. I had had the same basic haircut/style for 15 of 17 years, the other two years being that my head was shaved. I mean, come on people, that's half my life! It was time for a change.
3. I have a little bit of a stubborn rebel contrarian in me that likes to defy expectations.
2. Megan wanted me to change my hairsytle and she likes it.
1. It is easy to let it grow long. This is the same #1 reason why I shaved my head. I hated having to get a hair cut every three or so weeks - too much time, too much money, too much hassle. Now I don't have to mess with that. I just put some put some "product" in my hair each morning, after washing it, and muss it up a bit, and I'm good. I only need a haircut every several months and I go to my sister for this and it is a nice time to catch up. A win-win all around!

Praise Report from SleepyLand

Well, friends, there's good news in the War on Sleeplessness. Eden, for probably the first time since she was about four months old, has "slept through the night" for four nights in a row. This last night she fought it a bit, but she did end up sleeping it out. Praise God! There is hope ahead of regular nights of sleep.

"And they shall train for war no more ... "

This past Sunday marked the first Sunday of Advent and the Christmas season. (Of course, in our culture, christmas begins the day after Thanksgiving, but that's a whole other story. If you're interested, ask me about my sermon I preached on it this week.) One of the way our church participates in the Advent season is we have a scripture reading and reflection, along with a prayer and the lighting of a candle. In this way our community joins with the larger Church in their expectant longing for the coming of Jesus to visit his people.
Our scripture reading this week was from Isaiah 2:2-5,

"In the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains and will be raised up above the hills, and all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us concerning his ways, and that we may walk in his paths.' For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples. And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and they will train for war no more. Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the Lord."

I love this passage. And I was reminded afresh of a calling of mine as a servant of the gospel. I went to West Point. I love West Point. I grew there and was molded there, in fundamental ways, into who I am today. And at West Point I learned war. I trained for war. Yet, I serve a King (part of) whose vision for our world is one in which there is no more need to train for war. I labor and strive for this vision. I recognize that in the frailty of our times there will be an ongoing need for West Point and war. It saddens me, but I know it is true. Christians can learn from the courage of the men and women who risk all for others.

And yet, this Advent season, I'm reminded again of how part of my calling is to work for a day when West Point is put out of business. "May they train for war no more." Come, Lord Jesus.

Going to church follow-up ...

check out this great collection of photos that gets at the point I was trying to make in my earlier blog entry