Interactive Sermon

Preparing Our Hearts

It's the last weekend in 2007.  Can you believe it?  This year has flown by for my thinking.  It seems like just a few weeks ago that we began our year-long consideration of the Kingdom of God. 

As you prepare your hearts to gather tomorrow morning, give some thought to the Kingdom of God, our part in it as Christ's Church, and we'll wax a little sentimental in the morning - in the spirit of Auld Lang Syne.  If you want an advance look at the texts we will consider, give a read back through Matthew 2 and Luke 2 again.

Shari has the music team ready to bless us with a very special Sunday.  It's one more week of Christmas Music, this time "amped up".  On the list are Christmas Canon Rock, Christmas Eve Sarajevo, and The Angel Returned from Trans Siberian Orchestra, and a few other Christmas favorites for us to sing.

Whether you come at 9am or 11am, I very much looking forward to joining together in worship!

3 Chords & A Cancellation

Interactive Sermon Exclusive!

We've been forced to cancel tonight's gig at Shenanigans due to my being sick.  I'm sorry for the last minute cancellation.  We will be back at Shenanigans on January 11th.  I hope you can make it out then.  Again, apologies!

For Your 'Must Read' List

You know that I am a voracious reader.  Word came to me yesterday of a new book to add to my 'must read' list.  It's called 'Bunny Rabbit on the Moon' - a book for children written by Justin Chafe.  Justin's dad, 'Jimmy C' as he's known when he comments occasionally here on my blog, dropped me a note to inform me that Justin will be in town and doing a book signing at the Toadstool Bookstore in Milford, Saturday December 29th at 1pm.

Here's my suggestion to you: plan to stop by Toadstool on Saturday at 1pm.  Buy a copy (or a handful of copies) of the book for the special little ones in your life and get Justin to sign them.

The Toadstool Bookstore is located in the Lordens Plaza in Milford.  Want more info on the book and author?  Try clicking on this link.  And if you can't make it to the bookstore on Saturday, you can order a copy of the book through that link.

Technorati Tags: Children's Books, Bunny Rabbit, Bunny Rabbit on the Moon, Justin Chafe

3 Chords & A Flock Of Our Friends

Interactive Sermon Exclusive!

3 Chords & A Cloud of Dust returns to Shenanigans Restaurant & Pub in Milford on Friday night December 28th.  We'll be playing 40 minute sets from about 9pm until 12:30am.  Shenanigans is located at 586 Nashua St. in Milford - Lorden's Plaza (where Shaw's Supermarket is located).

We hope that you will check your plans for the evening, and plan to join us.  We look forward to seeing you!

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, 3 Chords & A Cloud of Dust, Shenanigans Restaurant & Bar

Merry Christmas!

rom

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Bad Santa

This year's edition of Bad Santa - actually plural, Bad Santas.  Seems a gang of 50 or so drunken Santas went buck-wild (reindeer pun) in a movie theater angering parents and confusing children.  Check the story here.  "They were all dressed like Santa and were yelling 'Ho (expletive) Ho!'"  Priceless stupidity.  Here's hoping these guys are all in for a lousy Christmas.  They've made the naughty list of the real Santa Claus as well as that of local police. 

Technorati Tags: Santa Claus, Bad Santa, Drunk Santa

Preparing Our Hearts

As we prepare our hearts to worship the Lord in the morning, I hope that you'll join me in eager anticipation of celebrating our Savior's birth.  The music team has a set of music ready to usher us all into the Lord's presence and to help us refocus on the real reason for the Christmas season.  On the list are three or four favorite Christmas carols as well as two new songs - one that was written by our own Mike Knight and one written by a friend of ours in Florida, both of which will be a blessing to you, I am sure.

If you're looking for an advance look at the text we'll consider, give Luke 2:21-40 a read.  We'll be concentrating on the 'peace' associated with the birth of our Lord.

Whether at 9AM or 11AM, I look forward to sharing in worship with you.  Merry Christmas.

Separated At Birth?

Technorati Tags: Don Imus, Grinch

Letters To A Friend

Another letter I could have sent.  May it provide some thought provocation or generate some generative conversation.

Dear Friend,

I'm thankful for our conversation the other day.  I know that it was very hard for you to share as openly and honestly as you did.  I count it a privilege that you shared this matter with me, that I can walk the road with you.

You asked me what I look for in similar situations.  I look for the brokenness and contrition that I saw evidenced in you.  Having seen that so clearly, I worry not for your having been forgiven and restored by our Heavenly Father - for He is more merciful, gracious and loving than we can imagine.  He has seen your tears and granted forgiveness.

You were right, however, that the most difficult part of this will be the repair within a few of those affected relationships and dealing with the consequences of your actions.  I wish it were not so, but the truth is that we are not immune to the difficulties and pain of sin's consequences.  But, mark my words: even in and through these things God can bring forth fruit.  I trust that He will.

I've been thinking of the role I can play as your friend in the coming days.  I will be here with you to listen.  When you need a laugh, we'll laugh together.  When you need to cry, we'll share a box of tissues.  Together we'll walk through this, and together, one day, we'll look back on all of this and have a much clearer view of God's hand being present all along.

One more thing: your situation is not unique.  For that reason, I thank you for allowing me to share this note on my blog.  Someone, my friend, reading this note - even though they don't know you or the nature of your stumble - reads with a heart heavily burdened with hidden sin.  God is so very merciful, gracious and loving, that He might even use a conversation like ours to draw someone else out to a fountain of healing and restoration.  Thanks for letting God's work in your life speak to others in theirs.

In His grace,

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Sin, Repentance, Confession, Forgiveness

What's On My Mind?

Celebrity Gossip ~ News this morning all over the internet about Britney Spears' little sister.  Why does our society thrive on this stuff?  Me - the father of a nearly 16 year old daughter - I'm heart broken.  And, I won't dignify this with a link.  Trust me, you don't need to read about it.

Presidential Politics ~ I'm marveling at the Huckabee rise in the polls.  Check out this story.  The guy he might just be worth your vote.  I guess I'll need to quit making baptists the punchline of all my church jokes.   

Football Injustice ~ Zero Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Pro-Bowl?!?  No Jacksonville Jaguars?!?  You've got to be kidding me.  Okay.  I get it.  No one respects us.  Keep talking about New England, Indianapolis, Dallas and Green Bay.  After all, the Bucs and the Jags have no chance in the post season.  I tell you, some of these guys better start reading the Pigskin Preacher!

New Christmas Music ~ At CCA folks have heard the new version of 'I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day' that our own Mike Knight wrote and arranged.  No one has yet heard a brand new Christmas song written by a worship pastor acquaintance of ours in Florida named Marc Naugler.  This coming Sunday folks at CCA will get to hear them both, Marc's new song for the first time anywhere!  Yes, I love the old standard Christmas carols and hymns, but these new tunes are destined to become classic standards themselves.  Come Sunday and I'm sure you'll agree.

What's on your mind?

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Jamie Lynn Spears, Pro Bowl, Pigskin Preacher, Christmas Music