The first ever Heritage Community Church soccer team finished in 2nd place this year! It was a great season and an excellent opportunity to reach out to families in our community. Oh yeah, the kids had fun, too!

I sit here typing as we all are getting ready to join Merideth's family for Christmas Eve supper.  The kids are excited and we are almost exhausted due to the last minute rush of store stops and making sure that everything is ready for Santa's arrival.  Taking an idea from Brooke, we sat down with our kids and asked them what they would like to give Jesus for His birthday.  It was neat to hear them talk about the possibilities of potential gifts.  The first thing out of Abbie's mouth was, "I don't have any money!"  After a few minutes of proding, we convinced them that the greatest gift we could give was ourselves.  Each child chose several things they could give Jesus over the next year like; not fighting with brother or sister, no more whining, pray more and tell others about Jesus.  It was a memorable time as we wrapped up their gifts and placed them on the fireplace where a figure of Baby Jesus was laying.  We will look forward to opening up those gifts next year to see how we have done.

Don't miss the opportunities you have to build into your children a legacy of Faith.  As a person told me today, "your children will be grown before you know it and you will never get these days back."  This should be our attitude 365 days a year, not just at Christmas.  Be constantly aware of those teaching moments, and let's make the most of the time we have as we live out a legacy of faith.


-Pastor Sidney

Before our children were born, there was a significant amount of time given to choosing a name for each child.  For each of our three children, we went back to God's Word to discover a biblical character whose name held significance.   When Abigail was born, we chose her name and it meant, "my father's joy".  We chose that name because we had waited so long for God's blessing of a child, and she was the joy of her father.  When our son came along, we named him Caleb, for it meant "strong and courageous" and our desire was that one day he would grow up to have a bold witness for Christ.  For our third child, we chose the name Anna which meant "Grace".  We call her Anna Grace and it was Anna in the Bible who after losing her husband served her remaining years in the temple.

Names bear great significance.  What does your name mean?  Have you ever wondered what Jesus' name meant?  We find in the scriptures that It means "Jehovah is Salvation" or "He is Savior".  It was the angel who appeared to Joseph and told him that the baby's name would be Jesus for He would "save us from our sins". (Matthew 1:21)

As you enter into the week before Christmas, would you choose to remember the birth of the Christ child as well as remember the sacrificial gift of Himself that was given so that we might live.  

On a side note, Heritage Community church had chosen 4 church planters in Canada and their families to support for Christmas, and we met our financial goal.  That is exciting!  Would you please remember these families in your prayers, and here are their names and addresses if you would like to send them a personal note of encouragement.  


Brandon Steele
PO Box 29
Nanton, AB T0L 1R0
Canada
brsteele@gmail.com

Steve Grissom
22 Forbes Street
St. John's, NL A1E 3L5
Canada
Glorytohim2005@gmail.com

Scott Dollar
58 Mt. Rundle Road W.
Lethbridge, AB T1K 7B5
Canada
sdollar@aplacecalledhope.ca

Donnie Spivey
2531 Valleyview Dr.
Kamloops, BC V2C 4E4
Canada
donaldca@mac.com


Planting seeds together,

Pastor sidney

Christmas is on its way! Get ready... Get set........ Go! The carolers are caroling, the bells are jingling, while most of the earth's population is about to lose its collective mind in a chase of wrapping paper, colored lights, red and green bells, and brightly colored decorations. O, the joy of it all! Or, is it joy? I'm afraid that our world has been duped into thinking that to be busy is to be fulfilled. "But, not so!" Said the little red hen. We need to be reminded that there is a difference between "doing" and "experiencing" at Christmas time as well as in every other area of life.

It was years ago on a snowy December evening back in our Indiana home that I finally got a grip on the world's "get ready... get set... go" thing, and confessed to the Lord that I had been so busy dashing from Mall to shining Mall "doing" the celebration of baby Jesus' birth, that I had neglected the One whose birthday we were celebrating. That night, bone weary from a ceaseless chase of last minute shopping, I knew I needed to get away from it all. Setting aside the supper dishes, I quietly slipped out for a walk in the snowy fields behind our house. The winter sky was shawled in starry brilliance. The smell of pine burning in our fireplace mingled with the sound of snow crunching with each footstep.

Earlier, my husband read the account of the birth of our Lord from the Gospel of Luke. With his words still on my mind, I looked up at the stars and wondered what it must have been like the night Baby Jesus was born. In the hush of the moment, I sent my heart on a journey, joining those who so long ago said one to another, "Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about." Luke 2:1

Making my way through the silver olive groves, I continued to the place where the Christ Child lay. "I have loved you with an everlasting love," a compassionate Father had said. "I have drawn you with loving kindness." Jeremiah 31:3. And to prove that love, God enriched a hurting, dying world with a promise of hope and life eternal. Reaching down from heaven on that first Christmas Eve, He tenderly placed a star where the Christ child lay.

Coming to the manger, I paused in awe and expectancy. Mary and Joseph were there, and beneath the low leaning Judean stars lay the tiny babe. He, who existed from the beginning of time, had laid aside His glory and come to this earth for me. Me! Jesus knew full well the price to be paid for lost humanity, yet he delighted to do the will of the Father. As I worshiped the babe of Bethlehem, the restless world around me began to settle in silence. The noise and pressures of this life were lifted, leaving a peace and calm that hadn't been mine for far too long.

That Light of Life, cradled beneath that star so many years ago, beams down through the ages to our hearts today, crossing barriers, healing hurts, and cleansing the hearts of all who choose to follow. Christmas is a season of the heart. It is best celebrated in silence rather than sound. In listening, rather than talking. And in spending time with Him, alone, rather than in the rush of crowds. That night, in a snowy Indiana cornfield, I fell in love with my Lord all over again. As I headed back to the house, Jesus Christ, my glorious Lord, walked by my side, with His hand in mine. My soul was fed. My journey, complete.

Great, life changing things are bound to happen when man meets God in a solitary place. It was alone, in solitude, that Moses had the burning bush experience. Isaiah was alone in the temple when his lips were touched with a live coal from off the altar of God. Abraham wandered the Judean hillside alone, and was made the father of a nation. It was when Mary worshipped alone that the angel visited her with a message of the birth of our Lord.

How long has it been since you've been to Bethlehem? It isn't far away. Leave the crush of the crowds and make the journey, alone. Linger long in His presence. Give Him your worship. Feel His touch and rejoice as angels burst through the heavens once again, singing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will to men." Make the Christmas a true season of the heart. Celebrate Jesus!


-Dorothy Huffman

Check out this new live worship CD from New Life Worship titled "My Savior Lives". Great songs that will inspire your personal times of worship! Just click on the album art to open up the iTunes Store.