As we move into this amazing week of celebrating THE most amazing Gift ever given to mankind, my heart is overflowing with thanksgiving to God for so many blessings.

James 1:17 reminds us that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (italics added). The reality is that anything and everything good which you and I have experienced over this past year has come to us “from above,” from our very own Heavenly Father’s hand that loves and provides for us as His own dear children.

So before you read any farther, take just 60 seconds to scroll in your mind’s eye through some of the “good” and “perfect” gifts God has blessed your life with this past year. And as you do, you may want to turn that time into worship as you praise, adore and give thanks to the One who sent every one of those gifts into your life.

Ready, Set…Go! (Really, take 60 seconds…now!)

So many of the memories and images that came to my mind when I did that involve all of YOU! I truly count you, my spiritual family, as some of God’s best and most treasured gifts to me this past year.

Some of you have gone through deep trials…and remained faithful to our Lord Jesus.

That was a gift to all of your brothers and sisters in the faith.

Some of you have persevered in the mundane and proven God faithful.

Some have taken great steps of faith against impossible odds and seen God work.

And so many have blessed me and others with your fellowship week after week.

THANK YOU for being such a huge part of God’s wonderful gifts to me, my family and our church this year! We are deeply grateful.

As we gather at various times this week to celebrate God’s best gift to us—Himself—my prayer is that we will be a people who are radically changed by God’s work in us and radically loving towards those God puts around us. Whether you find yourself simply at home, in a small group, texting someone or in one of the numerous services we’ll be having this coming week, I pray that God will fill your life to overflowing with His glorious presence.

May the God of every good gift bless you with the perfect gift of Himself through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit this Christmas and the entire New Year to come.

Pastor John

P.S. Just a few reminders of wonderful things to come in the next week.

• December 20^th (Saturday) is a FULL day of Christmas giving.

o   Women’s Connection from 9-11. The women of Mosaic are hosting this breakfast for the women of The Eleanor Chase House up the street on Bernard. Come enjoy great fellowship and giving to these wonderful women.

o   Neighborhood Gift Distribution from 11-12:30. Meet in the Children’s area on the main floor as we form teams that will distribute 400 gift packets to about 6 different apartment buildings near us. Everyone is welcome.

o   ***Park Tower En Cristo food prep and distribution will be from 1:30-4:00p.m. We need about 5 more people for this. We will meet at Mosaic, again in the children’s area, to prepare the sack lunches and then go down to the Park Tower Apartments across from the Convention Center about 3:00 to serve soup, sing Christmas carols and bless people with food. We’re filling in for Whitworth students on break right now. It was a ton of fun last Saturday.

• Sunday, December 21^st, we’ll be having our 3 regular Sunday services at 8:00, 9:15 & 11:00 a.m. as we continue to look at The Glory of It All—how Jesus brought God’s glory to earth and how we are invited to experience that glory as well.
• Christmas Eve celebrations at 3:00, 4:30 & 6:00 p.m. at Second Space. Each service is an opportunity to INVITE family, friends, neighbors, strangers…pretty much anyone… to experience the Glory of Christ among us through great music, drama and story this Christmas Eve.

See you sometime this next week!