Friday, December 7, 2012

Keeping Relationship as Our Focus For the Christmas Season

Hey Everyone,

The Christmas season has kicked into full gear with all the advertising, work parties, Christmas music on the radio, kids programs at school and all the hooplah surrounding this time of year. I've been pondering that really the core message of this celebration is real relationship with God and one another. It's interesting how Christmas often surfaces our pain around broken or dysfunctional relationships alongside the anticipation or hope of finding joy by being with those we love. So in the midst of all the activity and busyness of this time of year, take some time to reflect and get in touch with the longings of your heart, even allowing the pain around broken or superficial relationships to bubble up. It is a chance to listen to our heart cry for a deeper relationship with Jesus and those around us. Isn't quality time connecting heart to heart far more satisfying than being preoccupied with getting stuff, and filling the void in our hearts with more superficial activity as a means of avoiding or covering over the pain? Create some white space during this season to just 'be' with Jesus, and those you love, simply enjoying their presence!

We are meeting this Sunday at Beth Brown's place in Bowness at 4301 A 70 St. N.W.  We'll start with lunch at 12pm, so bring some food to share. We may watch another of Carl's dvd's from the Engage series as we explore, discuss, and learn together how to be friends with our neighbors, co-workers, and naturally converse about Jesus and how He is at work in our lives without all the baggage around the words 'evangelism', 'Christianity', 'religion', and even 'church'.

We also want to do a little planning around our Twinkle Christmas Party on Sunday December 16 @ the Boys and Girls Club in Bowness, #36 - 7930 Bowness Rd. This is an opportunity to invite friends and neighbors and have some fun together. I will forward everyone an invite that you can print off and handout to folks. The suggested cost is 10$ an adult and kids are free. The money goes to the artists putting on the play. They ask for 300$ for the evening, so we just want to cover our costs. From all reports the play is interactive and fun with a great Christmas message without being religious in language or preachy at all....so our 'non churched friends' will not feel 'cornered', and the event is at neutral setting on purpose. We want to create safe spaces for people to connect, and you never know what can happen from there. So get the word out to your friends asap!

See all of you who can make it on Sunday and let us know if you can make it.

Tim and Esther