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First Assembly of God Newsletter December 2008 |
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As we approach the end of 2008, it is important to stop and reflect over the past year. How well did you do in achieving the goals you set for yourself back in January? Now, before you start making excuses or feeling bad, let me remind you that a brand new year filled with 365 days of opportunities for improvement is right around the corner. One of those opportunities is making our church's mission statement a reality in our life. It simply states that "Our mission is to inspire and equip believers to become passionately devoted followers of Jesus Christ." I'm sure that you would agree that it is one thing to have a mission statement, it is quite another to embrace it as a way to live our lives. Allow me to make the following suggestions as to how we can achieve this as individuals and as a church in 2009. I believe that it begins with the word "commitment." This is something that is almost obsolete in today's society. With the constant change of jobs, spouses, churches, etc., people do not like to "commit" to anything. Because when you do there is accountability. However, being accountable to others is not always bad. It teaches us to see beyond ourselves, and start caring about others. We begin to understand that what we do or don't do affects the well being of others, and as a result we learn to become responsible. If we want to inspire and equip others to become a passionately devoted follower of Jesus Christ, we first must become one ourselves. Are you? As you examine your heart, you might be surprised at what you discover. "Discovery" is always an exciting thing, because it uncovers hidden talents that have remained dormant for years. Too many times we fall prey to the mindset of "let someone else do it". It is a proven fact that in most churches 15% of the people do all the work, and the other 85% watch them do it. What about you? Do you have a talent that could be put to use in a certain ministry that would help our church become more effective in ministering to the needs of our community? Why not become involved in an area of ministry that you enjoy and be a blessing to others? When we become involved in ministry we will develop a "fellowship" with others. This is important to the overall health of the church. Hebrews 10:25 tells us, " Forsake not the assembling ourselves together...". Fellowship results into friendships being made. Research shows that most people attend church because of the friends that they have made at a particular fellowship. It is truly the "life-blood" of the church. I strongly encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, and make it a priority to make new friends and be faithful in your church attendance. Let's be an encouragement to one another, and "provoke one another to love and to good works" (Hebrews 10:24). With Christmas just a few weeks away, let us be quick to remember the importance of honoring Christ in all that we do. Being a passionately devoted follower of Christ is more than just attending church, paying our tithes, and being involved in a ministry. True "honor" is recognizing that Christ should be a part of my life every day. Honoring Him in my conversation, my actions, in my thought life, and my priorities are all indicators of just how much He means to me. Is it your goal to be His passionately devoted follower? This year make it a priority to be a messenger of good news. The message that the angel proclaimed on the hillside outside of Bethlehem some 2000 years ago is still true today, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). Have a Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year! — Pastor Jeff |
BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATOR NOTES
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By the time you read this the Christmas season will be in full swing. Unfortunately we are seeing this very important date on the Christian calendar becoming more and more of a secular event. Every year the emphasis seems to shift more towards commercialization and consumption, and less towards the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I hope that you and your families have a wonderful Christmas season and are able to keep the focus where it belongs. I also hope that we can all enjoy Christmas in a way that does not break the family budget. An unfortunate result of overspending for Christmas is that the bills keep coming long after the wrapping paper is discarded and the newness has worn off of the gifts. The first Sunday in December we will be putting out the 2009 tithing envelopes. I encourage all of you to pick up a box of envelopes and sign your name on the list next to the number that is on your box. The best way for you to insure proper credit for your giving is to use assigned tithing envelopes and make sure that they are filled out when you place them in the offering. The counters and Treasurer do their best to accurately account for loose checks in the offering, but it is most helpful when you use tithing envelopes and have filled in your name and the appropriate blanks on the envelop. We thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. At this time of year it is appropriate to remind you of the IRS requirements for year-end giving and how it is receipted. The general rule is: |
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| This means that all offerings you wish to have credited to your 2008 giving must be received at the church by Wednesday, December 31st, or they must be mailed and postmarked by that date. This would also be a good time to check with your financial advisor if you are thinking about year-end charitable contributions from investments since some of the rules are changing. It is my understanding that the deadline for making a non-taxable charitable contribution from an IRA has been extended to December 31, 2008. If you might be interested in this I would encourage you to consult your financial advisor as soon as possible. May God richly bless you during the upcoming Christmas season. — Steve Parsons |
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