Someone has said "charity begins at home", but the harsh reality is that it often ends there as well. But there is something about Christmas that often loosens our grip.

James 1:17

The gifts under the tree ...the gift of friendship ...the gift of family ...the gift of love — they all point to THE GIFT Himself. James 1:17 “All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.”

1 John 3:1-2 NLT

Christmas is Family…it’s a nice statement, if you have family. If you are a follower of Jesus you do have family! We are your family. Now, family, are you watching out for those who may be alone or forgotten?

“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.”

1 John 4:9-10 NLT

Christmas Truisms! We will begin the Advent season, and a series we’re calling “Christmas Is…”, as we review popular statements related to Christmas, the truth they represent, and what’s needed for a fuller expression of the truth. We will explore common statements often made concerning the heart of Christmas, with the intent of exposing the truth that, unless we go below the surface, these words are an inadequate summary. (Though, I want to come at this positively and show how the best of what we hope for is a shadow of something far greater.) But find where they are rooted, and we find Jesus.

To get at this, we need to first understand what love is and is not. What’s often meant is “Christmas inspired warm, nostalgic feelings that are very loving!”

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”

2 John

We've heard the new/old commandment to love one another before on the lips of Jesus and in the writings of Moses.

1 John 5

Will you accept this truth? That is, will you believe and then live out of this light vs dark, love vs hate, in-the-family vs not-in-the-family reality? Will you embrace Grand Father, Pastor John's pleading, "Dear Children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts!"? What is at stake is the Gospel ..."So that everyone will know" ...Jesus' love never fails!

1 John 4:1-21

The ultimate test of the truthfulness of one who claims to speak for God is 1) What have they done with Jesus? and 2) Is their life marked by love? And what is love, you ask? True love has been radically portrayed, vividly dramatized, and powerfully demonstrated for us in the person of Jesus. And to the extent that we are like Him, we can be seen as living in and reflecting His truth. This is must first happen IN us, as we are "Loving His Church", and will then reflect OUT of us, as we are "Loving Our Community".

What could gratitude possibly have to do with grief? How can I be thankful when so much is going wrong and I've lost so much?

Guest Speaker: Shirley Thiessen

If you are a child of God two things will be evident. 1) You begin believing differently, and 2) You begin behaving differently. If you continue to make a practice of sin in your life you do not belong to God. This litmus test of love is as true for our human relationships, as it is true for our heavenly relationship. If you say you love me, but continue sinning against me, you're lying. In a very real sense, John is echoing the words of James "show me your faith by what you do". How are we going to love those who are differ

ent? Those who hold different world views ...those who adhere to different moral codes of conduct? ...those who may not sound like, act like or look like us? These are questions for "Loving Consideration"

1 John 2:18-27

How do we tell the difference between the truth and a lie? In John's day, as in ours, there were false teachers who were leading people astray. In this light, we will discuss the popular false teachings which attempt to lure spiritual seekers away. Specifically, we'll discuss materialism, syncretism, Mormonism and other "Christian Cults" in an attempt to discern where John's words need to be applied. These are the world views of the people in "Our Community", whom we are resolved to love, in the name of Jesus.