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Christmas Eve (Sunday): 9AM - What does it take for two or more people to live together? Patience, sacrifice, a sense of humour? It all helps. But what does it take for God to live with people? Is it the same, or is there something more? At Christmas time we celebrate Immanuel – God with us. We celebrate the amazing news that God has come and made his home with us. On Sunday, as we explore Exodus 25:1-9 we will see that this has always been God’s plan, a plan that he continues to see through today, and is inviting us to become part of that process.

Christmas Day (Monday): 9AM - The Bethlehem story is timeless - familiar to just about everyone. The amazing thing is that after 2000 years it still moves us. Still more amazing is that it challenges us, changes us, and offers hope for our world. Come to the Manger this Christmas Day, and be challenged by the One who promises never to leave you the same...

Please note: there will be no 5pm service on either Dec 24 or Jan 31

Hi Church!

I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a very blessed Christmas and a safe and happy New Year! As I write these words I am so thankful for the way God is at work in our community.

Teamwork

Thinking back through the year we have seen some outstanding displays of the body of Christ serving together. A few examples:

·         The Synod of the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia met in Redlands during May. I remember observing the way the Redlands family worked together to provide meals, accommodation, hospitality and warmth to the hundred or so visitors we had for a week

·         One week in June saw Kid’s Games here at RCRC. An army of people presented Bible stories, crafts, food and games to a huge number of kids. The team spirit was great to see, and the shared devotion to serving Jesus was such an encouragement

·         Just a few weeks ago RCRC presented Carols in the car park to hundreds of people. The way people served! A great choir, technical teams, catering, musicians, facilities: stage, lighting, sound, clean up. It was both a great witness, and a great display of the body serving together!

Expansion

We have also seen a few challenges this year. We started with some great meetings about our vision and mission. At that stage we were looking at Boundary Rd, and then further process revealed that location would not be that suitable. Back to square one…

Then November came. In what was breathtaking chain of unexpected developments, three properties adjacent to our current facility became available. I say breathtaking because previous discussions with these parties had indicated we would be waiting for years for the properties to be available. Yet in the space of a month contracts had been negotiated, accepted, and then ratified by the congregation. [By the way: there’s still time to get your pledge form in: we hope to make a thanksgiving announcement of results to date on Sunday, Dec 31.]

Looking ahead

These developments have provided a unique opportunity for us to embrace our mission with new vigour: to glorify God, nurture the church to maturity, and bring others to Christ.

The ever expanding ministry of Kids@Church is but one indicator that pressure on our current buildings will continue to increase. The new land acquisitions mean that facilities can be provided for this and other great ministries.

There are also the developing ministries of Hope for Redlands and church planting, which will also require resourcing and training from our current base.

Our primary focus in all this is a thriving, healthy church which seeks humbly to honour the Lord with all He gives us. Our goal is not, simplistically, to merely build a big building with a hope that people will just stream into it. The body of Christ is more than a group of people who meet for a few hours each week. It is a family which needs nurturing, nourishing, and developing. There are a few things in the planning stages which we trust will help us address these needs a little more effectively. We will tell you more about them in the New Year.

The most important thing we can do right now is deepen our commitment to making the body of Christ a great place to be. The Lord has blessed us with growth in numbers, but as many of us have come from different backgrounds, we need to work doubly hard to build a healthy church ethos. In this way we honour the Christ who has blessed us so abundantly. Our prayer is that He will do His Gospel work through us so the Redlands becomes a community of hope.

In short: the developments with the land have been a sheer thrill, but the reality is that people are more important than programs or property.

Over to you…

That’s where you fit in: I would like to encourage you to consider doing things a little differently this coming year. In terms of deepening the warm expression of love in the church, can I invite you into what, for want of a better title, I am calling the 10+3 challenge.

So what is the 10+3 challenge? Simply this:

·         10: For the first ten minutes after every service, everyone speaks to someone they don’t know. Make some new friends, share your smile, make them a coffee. Take an interest in one another. Build the body.

·         1: Pray each day for one person on the address list. If you don’t have an up to date copy, email me and I will send you one. Each day, pray for the next person down the list. Hey, you might not know them, but God knows who you’re praying about. Besides, if you’re doing the first part of the 10+3 challenge, you’ll know them pretty soon anyway!

·         1: Ask one person home for a coffee or a meal every month. Bless them with that great recipe, baptise the BBQ, bless them with the family dog, whatever. Open your heart by opening your home

·         1: Ask one person to join your small group. The 40 Days of Community program is looking to expand small groups – so why not start now? In this way someone can meet people you already know – won’t that be a blessing?

Let’s make a prayer and personal commitment to be body builders in 2007. I don’t doubt that the Lord is calling us to make a significant ministry and mission contribution in the year to come.

I’m excited about sharing this journey with you. I pray that you and your loved ones will be blessed in such a way that your desire to honour Christ will be deepened, that your willingness to serve Him will be strengthened, and that, doing this together, the salt and light of the Kingdom of God will be seen and tasted in the community around us.

Every blessing,

Dave

Feedback: dave@redlandscrc.org.au

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