<\/p>\n
Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #86. I hope your week is going well and you aren\u2019t too swamped by all the \u201cChristmas stuff\u201d that has to be done.\u00a0 Thanks for letting me into your inbox today.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If you came in person or watched online this past Sunday, you already know that I was not here.\u00a0 We went to Ohio for a couple of days to visit family. Our original plans were to be in Arizona from November 16-21 visiting with my friend, Dave, of 3 Feet Please, who retired in November after 30+ years at the company he helped start.\u00a0 It really isn\u2019t hard to understand that\u2026Indiana\u2026Arizona. ..November. \u00a0He texted me this past weekend to tell me it was 80+ degrees there.\u00a0 I held my tongue and told him, \u201cHa. It\u2019s 30-40 here. Eat your heart out.\u201d J\u00a0 Anyway, we had to postpone that trip (possibly until March) due to Tami\u2019s heart attack and Dave\u2019s wife\u2019s crazy schedule at this time of the year. She teaches disabled children in a public school. \u00a0But after preaching 49 out of 52 weekends this year, I needed a break, so we made arrangements to leave town for Ohio. Jo visited her sister in the nursing home on Friday in Sandusky (where it snowed on us as we drove) and we spent a lot of time with Janna and Braden.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sunday was a real treat for us. We were able to attend Adventure Church with Mike and Ryan Laws. After 17 years at one church they began attending Adventure last August. Some of you will remember Mike, Trisha and Ryan coming to speak the last week of August about their journey through Ryan\u2019s kidney disease and Mike donating his kidney to Ryan. Ryan is healthy and came through COVID really well with just a minor cough.\u00a0 Mike also asked me to pass along to you: \u201cPlease tell your church hello and thank you again for keeping our family in your prayers.\u201d I told him I would.\u00a0 We enjoyed our visit to Adventure and it looks like they have found a good church family. But I have to admit that I missed being here and look forward to seeing you all Sunday. It is nice to know though, that when I am gone things are taken care of. \u00a0Thanks to Pastor Ryan for filling in for me. Jo thanks Crystal and Linda for taking care of the Power Point and Ryan and Diana for taking care of communion.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
With Christmas just around the corner OVCF is like about every other church. Lots of hustle and bustle. I love that our building is being used by various organizations and groups throughout the month. Monday the Owen County Chamber of Commerce used the children\u2019s addition for its monthly meeting and Christmas meal. All this week Seven Oaks Classical School is using our building in preparation for their Christmas production Friday and Saturday.\u00a0 WRE uses our building on Tuesdays during the school year. We have a play group\/Bible study group using the nursery some on Wednesdays. Thursday evenings, BOLD young adult ministry meets in the children\u2019s addition. Sunday night\u2019s ROOTS youth group meets here. Their final meeting for this year is Sunday, the 19th<\/sup>.\u00a0 However, with all that activity, the church office will be closed on December 24th<\/sup> and 27th<\/sup><\/u>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Please keep in mind that we will be having one service on December 26th<\/sup><\/strong>. We will be meeting at 10:00.\u00a0 We know that could be a Catch-22 for us. We could have a ton of people which could stretch our facilities (a nice challenge to have) or people may be suffering from post-holiday syndrome and fatigue and decide to stay home. \u00a0J\u00a0 The nursery and youth programs will also be happening that week!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Congrats are in order for Brock Groomer and Tiffany Frye and to Jordan Kinser and Lindsey Sparks on their recent weddings.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One more thing before I close with a word of encouragement: We will not be having the Christmas breakfast for the community this year. Maybe next year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I cannot leave this edition of the MM without sharing something I read Tuesday morning during my morning Encounter Time. It comes from Come Let Us Adore Him<\/em> by Paul David Tripp:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s humbling to write this, but it\u2019s true: Jesus did what He did not because of something special He saw in us, but because of something holy and pure that was inside Him. The Christmas narrative simply removes from every one of us any reason for boasting. There was not and is not one person who has any ability to earn or deserve the greatest gift that was ever given\u2026In three words Paul tells us what motivated Jesus\u2019 journey from glory to earth: \u2018He humbled Himself.\u2019 \u201c<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou and I don\u2019t really expect powerful leaders to be humble. We expect a bit of arrogant swagger.\u00a0 We expect some boasting of accomplishments and an enjoyment of the results of acquiring power. But the Lord of glory didn\u2019t choose to bask in His glory; instead He emptied Himself, took the form of not just a man, but of a lowly servant man. What humility!\u201d (Pages 86-87)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I have been praying for me and for you to have a fresh view of the Christmas story, for God to take the \u201ctired story of Christmas\u201d we hear every year and to let it come alive in my heart and yours.\u00a0 I know He is doing that for me because I am asking in faith, believing He will. I also pray for you to experience that as well. I am totally blown away by this truth: \u201cJesus left what was His right, to guarantee for us a place that is not our right but is a gift from his humble hands.\u201d \u00a0(Ibid-p.88)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I hope you have a good rest of the week. I love you all and look forward to seeing you Sunday.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pastor Bill<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" MIDWEEK MESSAGE #86 Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #86. I hope your week is going well and you aren\u2019t too swamped by all the \u201cChristmas stuff\u201d that has to be done.\u00a0 Thanks for letting me into your inbox today. If you came in person or watched online this past Sunday, you already … <\/p>\n