December 07, 2009

How about that SNOW this morning? I think Christmas music sounds just a little bit better when there's white stuff on the ground.

What a great start to the morning yesterday with Cameron and Karissa Sprinkle playing music for us by Lakeside Café and Books! That's something called "30 Till" that we'll be doing with different artists up to Christmas; so come early this Sunday too!

Mark strongly challenged us before his talk to embrace the Advent Conspiracy in each of our families. The Advent Conspiracy is a movement by Christ followers to spend less on things that don't matter (holiday consumerism) and direct those dollars towards compassion-oriented things that do. How?

1) Go to www.adventconspiracy.org and spend 10 minutes checking out things you can do.

2) Take the envelope you received yesterday and start asking God how He wants you to spend less on "stuff" and redirect that money towards compassion. Bring the envelope (with your offering) to the Christmas service and we'll put them in the offering bags. We'll use our generosity to impact our world locally and internationally.

Is there anything like listening to Mark "preach" about the Church being the hope of the world? He usually talks-but get him on why God made the Church and he "preaches it!"

This series is all about God's story. And in God's story:

Lead character in the story is Himself in the form of Jesus.
Theme of the story is substitutionary atonement. God taking our place and paying the price for our sin.

And Sunday was about the supporting character of the story --- you and me-the Church.

The Church-not just the hired staff-but all the Christ followers-are given the assignment of telling God's story to the world.

Mark's passionate talk was based on 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. Check it out online here http://tinyurl.com/ykh8749

Some of Mark's notable quotes:

"There is NO plan B! If we don't share it (God's story), people will go to hell!"

"Our mission is one simple thing: ‘Helping people find Jesus and live like Him,' as long as I am here that is what this church will always be about!"

"The church exits for God, not us! It's for His story and His glory!"

"If you're not telling the story of God with your one and only life, you're wasting it-don't waste it on trivial pursuits!"

"Don't let another day go by without being used by God to tell His story..."

He gave us a simple challenge: Take the brown booklet we were given, insert one of the Christmas invite cards and give it to someone who needs to be part of God's story.

Sandra, the kids and I will talk this week about how we can be part of the Advent Conspiracy. We'll see you early next Sun for some steel cut oats & music by the café at 30 Till. And don't forget the bookstore is giving away a great free book with purchase through Christmas!

Peace,
-Morgan

p.s. You can check out pictures from Sunday here.

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